Confident readers
Rose and the Silver Ghost by Holly Webb
This is the fourth volume in the Rose series, and its blend of magic, peril and excitement has proved a winning formula. Rose herself is a delightful character, combining the down-to-earth, practical qualities one would hope for in a housemaid with growing magical powers and a mysterious past. In this story, she discovers there may be a way to find out what happened to her mother a decade before, but her path is, as usual, fraught with danger and thrills. Full review...
Troubletwisters by Garth Nix and Sean Williams
Jack and Jaide Shield, twins, are living perfectly normal lives until a brief visit from their elusive father sparks an unexplainable, chaotic, reality-bending storm that destroys their home and introduces them to the mysterious world of the Wardens, a group gifted with diverse powers, and their perpetual struggle against a force known only as The Evil. As young Wardens, or Troubletwisters, just growing into their Gifts, the pair struggle to make sense of the chaos that surrounds them and discover the true nature of their heritage. Full review...
The Chronicles of Avantia: Call to War by Adam Blade
Our three heroes and their magical giant beasts are still trying to snatch the quarters of an ancient, power-giving mask from the clutches of their realm's enemy. They're not doing too well in the chase, for he has two of the bits, and even his assistant they thought dead at the end of book one is still around. Can they have any luck this third time of asking, even when their country is being ravaged, turning once-helpful villagers against their quest, and their enemies are getting stronger by the battle? Full review...
The Deathless Pirate King (Dragon Blood Pirates) by Dan Jerris
Well, after a six-book series, Al and Jack the 21st-Century boys found an ancient, treasured sword and scabbard, but they and their magic are incomplete. Four special diamonds are who-knows-where, but the first just might be found when they try to reunite a lovely, kidnapped princess with her freedom and her family jewels. Standing in the way, a near-undead pirate with sharp blades at the toes of his shoes... Full review...
The Great Cat Conspiracy by Katie Davies and Hannah Shaw
Meet the new cat. A vicious thing, it's fond of having a go at any passing human feet, and is even able to stand its ground against the neighbourhood dogs. It also has a great habit of making a mess with its kills, which comes to a head (literally) when the front end of what was the vicar's prize carp ends up on Tom's pillow. After that the cat vanishes. Has it finally met a match? Has it been catnapped - and if so, who is seeking revenge by doing so? Full review...
Lulu and the Brontosaurus by Judith Viorst and Lane Smith
Lulu is every parent's worst nightmare. She always, always gets what she wants, quite often by rolling around on the floor screaming until the light bulbs pop. She is, quite simply, a child in desperate need of Supernanny! For her birthday Lulu decides she would like a Brontosaurus. Her parents, for once, say no, and no amount of screaming makes them change their mind. So Lulu sets off into the forest to find a brontosaurus by herself. The trouble is, when she finally does find one he isn't too keen on the idea of being her pet and actually would much prefer that she became his pet! Full review...
Milo and the Restart Button by Alan Silberberg
'Starting over is like pressing the reset button on a game that makes you lose all your points and wipes out any of the good stuff you've spent hundreds of hours learning...'
Milo's restart button was pressed by the death of his mother. Since that awful day, life has not been good. His father has retreated inwards, his sister is always angry, and they've moved house several times. Full review...
The Daily Journal of Arabella Crumblestone by Sharon King and Rose King
Arabella Crumblestone was making her way along a dry-stone wall in Northumbria, courtesy of a sheep named Leroy, when she met the two human children, Faith and George. George gave her a piece of chocolate (although she didn't know that's what it was) and she was grateful. The boy had no words, but he hummed. The next day he returned to the wall with his sister who never seemed to stop talking. Arabella was lonely – but could she trust Faith and George? Hunger, cold and loneliness made her decision for her and before long she had a bed in Faith's warm pocket. Full review...
Will Gallows and the Snake-bellied Troll by Derek Keilty
Will Gallows is not your average boy. Finding out the name of the baddie who gunned down his policeman father, he takes it upon himself to get revenge, by bringing him in - even though he's the nastiest gunslinger around. Oh, and a troll with snakes coming from his belly. Will, being not your average boy, is half-elf, however, and can talk to his flying horse to help him on his way. But is there more to the story of his father's death than he thinks, and just what is it with all the earthquakes his town is suffering? Full review...
Neversuch House by Elliot Skell
Omnia is a girl who likes to know things, and when she sees something unusual she sets out to find out what is happening. It is a decision which almost kills her. Something is not right at the heart of Neversuch House, and at least one person is determined to stop her finding out what it is. Full review...
Who Stole Mona Lisa? by Ruthie Knapp and Jill McElmurry
Taking in a history of its production, as well as its theft, Who Stole Mona Lisa? is an intriguing look at La Gioconda. The story is told from the point of view of Leonardo da Vinci's painting herself, and will strike a chord with any intelligent and curious youngsters. Full review...
Spindlewood: Pip and the Wood Witch Curse by Chris Mould
Pip doesn't want to be sold to Captain Snarks as a pirate's cabin boy. He is sure he'll get sea-sick, and he would far rather continue to work at the stable yard. But the foul-breathed drunkard who runs the orphanage refuses to listen: he will receive more money for the lad if he sends him to sea. On the way to the docks Pip manages to escape, and he stows away in the rear carriage of the Stage Fright Theatre Company, charmingly described as 'dancing masters of the macabre'. Our hero remains there for many days, hidden from everyone and only occasionally sneaking out to find a bone to gnaw, until the travelling troupe arrives at its destination, Hangman's Hollow. And then Pip's troubles begin in earnest. Full review...
Take Me Home: Tales of Battersea Dogs by Melissa Wareham
Melissa Wareham always wanted a dog but her parents would never allow it and she didn't get good enough exam results for her next option – becoming a vet. Not one to be deterred she joined the staff at Battersea Dogs Home, first as a kennel maid and eventually as the head of rehoming. 'Take Me Home' is the story of some of the highlights of her life at the home and some of the dogs which she met whilst she was there. Full review...
School According to Humphrey by Betty G Birney
After six near-perfect books' worth of adventures in Room 26, the class pet Humphrey the hamster faces a nightmare at the start of term. The entire pupil population has changed, and all his friends he's got to know and love (and be loved by) have been replaced by a new intake. Here are the absurdly tall and the unfortunately short, both with the same first name; here is the girl in a wheelchair pestered by an over-attentive helper. Can Humphrey solve all their problems - as he usually does - and, is the biggest problem of all the fact that his old friends no longer have a classroom pet? Full review...
Grace by Morris Gleitzman
'In the beginning there was me and Mum and Dad and the twins. And talk about happy families, we were bountiful. But it came to pass that I started doing sins. And lo, that's when all our problems began.'
This is exactly how Grace talks because she lives with her family as part of a separatist fundamental Christian sect. She goes to a church school. The school bus driver is a church Elder because she mustn't talk to or touch an outsider as outsiders are unclean. She can't eat outsider food without purifying it first - even ice cream must be microwaved. She wears her unruly, curly hair in a bun and woe is upon her when wisps free themselves from her hairpins. Full review...
The Clumsies Make A Mess of the Big Show by Sorrel Anderson
This is the third book about The Clumsies, two small mice who live in Howard Armitage's office, and manage, whatever the situation, to make a mess! A big show is being put on at work, and Howard's boss wants Howard to sing. The Clumsies decide to intervene, in order to help out Howard, and chaos ensues... Full review...
Mouse Guard: Legends of The Guard by David Petersen
To start with, I have never heard of Mr Petersen and his Mouse Guard franchise. But I'm often up for an introduction to a fantasy cycle, and I always relish being welcomed to an author by the most esoteric, unusual, quirky and short route. My first entry to the His Dark Materials world was a collector's spin-off, and I'm just as likely to start the Twilight series, if ever, with the latest brief whimsy. And for those of a similar mind-set, this collection of tales from the pens of guest writers and illustrators, serves as an odd-shaped doorway on to this particular universe. Full review...
Horrid Henry's Thank You Letter by Francesca Simon and Tony Ross
I'm sure most of us have, at one time or another, found ourselves being forced to write a huge pile of thank you letters to distant relatives, perhaps even for gifts that we weren't all that excited to receive in the first place! This is the predicament that Henry finds himself in, and rather than knuckle down to get them over and done with he, of course, procrastinates as much as possible before coming up with an ingenious, money-making scheme! Full review...
Just William by Richmal Crompton
Whether it's a trip to the cinema, babysitting a youngster, being a page boy at a wedding, or running away from home to take a job below stairs, the 11-year old William Brown can always be relied on to create chaos and havoc wherever he goes. This short story collection (the first of 38 books) is a wonderful introduction to a classic character. Full review...
The Snow Queen by Hans Christian Andersen, Naomi Lewis and Christian Birmingham
Kay and Gerda are dear, dear friends. However, Kay gets splinters from the Devil's shattered magic mirror in his eye and heart, changing his personality for the worse. Shortly after, he is whisked away by the Snow Queen. Everyone assumes Kay must have fallen in the river and drowned, but Gerda is sure her friend is still alive, and embarks on a magical quest to bring him home again. Full review...
The Story of Britain by Patrick Dillon and P J Lynch
Author Patrick Dillon has put together a clear, well-written and beautifully concise story of Britain, summing up the history of Britain and Ireland in a little over 320 pages. Significant events, ranging from the Norman Conquest to the South Sea Bubble, and groups of people ranging from highwaymen to the Romantic poets, are each dealt with in between 1 and 3 pages written in Dillon's chatty, easy to read style. There are also maps, including those of the D-Day landings and the Civil War battles, a timeline for each major period (Middle Ages, Tudors, Stuarts, Georgians, Victorians and Twentieth Century) and some gorgeous illustrations by former Kate Greenaway winner PJ Lynch. Full review...
Flyaway by Lucy Christopher
Isla has a wonderful relationship with her father. He is the kind of man, she says, who would never tell her to come in out of the rain, because he would be out there too, enjoying the pleasure of jumping in puddles. But his heart is weak, and when he collapses and has to be rushed into hospital, Isla is bereft. Full review...
The Girl Savage by Katherine Rundell
In Zimbabwe, Nice Will Silver has lived all her life with her father Nice William Silver, his employer Nice Captain Browne, and her friend Nice Simon. But when Nice Captain Browne falls in love with Nasty Cynthia Vincy, Nice Will is uprooted from her roots and sent to an English boarding school, run by Nice Miss Blake and her assistant Nasty Mrs Robinson. How will she cope? Full review...
The Wombles at Work by Elizabeth Beresford
Bloomsbury have re-issued another tranche of the original Womble books, following the release of the first titles in late 2010. This brings the total to six available titles for you to have a Wombling good time with. And quite frankly, what's not to love here? Any story featuring Elisabeth Beresford's environmentally-minded, charming characters is a delight, for young and old alike. Full review...
Gladiator: Fight for Freedom by Simon Scarrow
Marcus's father was a centurion in the Roman legions. After the slave revolt led by Spartacus was finally put down, he retired from the army and bought a farm on a small Greek island. Marcus has spent most of his boyhood on the farm, learning to train dogs, shoot his sling accurately and dreaming of one day becoming a fighter like his father. But the farm is in debt and Marcus's life is about to crumble... Full review...
Bree McCready and the Flame of Irenus by Hazel Allan
Bree is back! She and her best friends, Sandy and Honey, are enjoying the summer holidays until one day Mimi, Honey's little sister, goes missing. The three friends find themselves once more having to search out the old, mysterious book that fits with the heart locket in order to try to find and save Mimi. Back in the mysterious land they went to during the first of Bree's adventures the three friends face more challenges than ever before, and this time Mimi's life hangs in the balance so they must succeed! Full review...
The Amulet of Samarkand by Jonathan Stroud
When you summon a demon the last thing you want is for you to lose power over it - for the shoe to end up on the other foot. Especially when the demon shifts shape and is currently an eight-legged spider. That's what's happened to young Nathaniel, having summoned Bartimaeus for a task of vengeance. But perhaps it's worst of all when you have to rely on the same demon's help to protect you from an even greater evil - the wicked intent of a fellow man. Full review...
Scaredy Squirrel at Night by Melanie Watt
Scaredy Squirrel is scared to go to sleep at night. He has all sorts of tricks to keep himself awake so that he doesn't have to face his night-time fears. But his sleeplessness is having a toll on his health. Can he find a solution to his problem? Full review...
Put Out The Light by Terry Deary
In 1940, Billy and Sally Thomas are living in Sheffield, a city which is well aware that German bombs will almost surely find their way there sooner or later. As the air raid sirens blare out, they help friendly Warden Crane to make sure the blackout is kept up - but when they find that people are having money stolen while they're in the shelters, they try to solve the crime. Meanwhile, in Germany, Manfred and Hansl are determined to do their bit for the war effort by getting into the bomb factory and writing an English soldier's name on a bomb. Then they meet Polish youngster Irena and become quickly embroiled in a frantic escape attempt. By December, the two sets of children will both have been thrust into the thick of the action, and we get a finale that's truly explosive – in more ways than one! Full review...
Ice Maiden by Sally Prue
Franz isn't popular in the village. It's 1939, and the German boy is on an extended holiday in England. Unsurprisingly, the local boys don't appreciate an enemy in their midst. Franz isn't happy at home either - he mistrusts his Nazi parents and he remembers the rounding up of the disabled, the gypsies and the Jews, and the smashing glass at night. Lonely, Franz spends a lot of time on the common, observing the natural world and the wildlife, in all its beauty and cruelty. Full review...
K'Barthan Trilogy: Few Are Chosen by M T McGuire
The Pan of Hamgee is a relatively inconspicuous fellow living in the world of K'Barth, the setting of the battle between the overbearing, alien Grongolian settlers and the fanatic Resistance, described aptly by The Pan as being 'The lesser, but only very slightly lesser of two evils, possibly.' Naturally, The Pan wants nothing to do with this political conflict but due to a number of unfortunate cases of wrong place, wrong time and disastrous luck, he has somehow been drafted in as the getaway driver of a group of bank robbers, and somehow come into possession of a magical thimble with the power to allow teleportation, an object greatly desired by K'Barth's despot ruler Lord Vernon. Full review...
The Astronaut's Apprentice by Philip Threadneedle
Bradley is as normal as any boy could be. He lives on a farm with his father and grandma and loves all sorts of boy things. But it's at this point that things begin to get a little bit, well, odd. His grandpa is an alien and his mother is in the attic, but she's dead. Grandma's not your normal cuddly version, either. She's of the opinion that childbirth is much over-rated, both from the point of view of the mother and the child and she's not above calling her husband a love rat and a womaniser. Still, even the best of families have their little oddities… Full review...
Ratbridge Chronicles: Worse Things Happen at Sea by Alan Snow
Meet the Nautical Laundry. A boat, crewed by piratical rats who weren't wicked enough to bring themselves to actual piracy, it's wedged under a bridge in the town of Ratbridge. They're trying to lead a humble life, doing the town's laundry - but when someone sees the scanties displayed for all around to see, they're whisked to court - and fined a pirate's treasure. Luckily, there might be help at hand - the local miracle medicine man, who's just started curing everyone of everything with the same gloop, called Black Jollop, is willing to pay a king's ransom for a boat to take him for new supplies. Or, is there something else, secret and evil behind these weird happenings? Full review...
Mary Poppins: The Complete Collection by P L Travers
It is coming up for eighty years since Mary Poppins was first published in Great Britain, but it is still one of those children's books you will find in every library and bookshop. Almost everyone in the country, young and old, can tell you the story and describe all the main characters, and the Poppins name, along with the carpet bag and the parrot-headed umbrella, has become a cultural reference. But to be honest, what most people actually know is the 1960s Disney film: the original nanny who blew into the life of the Banks children is a much darker, more mysterious being altogether. Full review...
When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead
Miranda has quite a bit going on in her life. Since her best friend Sal was punched on the street for no reason, he's been distant, shutting Miranda out of his life. This loss leaves Miranda somewhat adrift, as she and Sal have been inseparable since they were at day care together. So she strikes up a friendship with Annemarie, but that involves coming between Annemarie and the stuck-up Julia. And then Colin joins the group, which adds yet more complications - Miranda likes Colin, but she's worried he might like Annemarie. Full review...