Newest Confident Readers Reviews
Confident readers
Jelly Cooper: Alien by Lynne Thomas
Jelly Cooper is just turning fourteen. But excitement about her birthday is taking second place to sheer exhaustion. For weeks, Jelly has been having recurring nightmares that leave her shaken and afraid. And it's all taking a toll on her - her friends Humphrey and Agatha are beginning to get worried. Add the night terrors to the figurative nightmare of school, a crush on a boy so cool and gorgeous that Jelly sees no world in which he'd fancy her back, and a cheerleader out to humiliate her at every turn, and you can see that Jelly's life could be better. Full review...
The Chocolate Box Girls: Coco Caramel by Cathy Cassidy
Coco is the youngest of the Tanberry sisters but very much her own person. For her, life is about animals and she loves going to the stables for riding lessons even if she does overestimate her own abilities. She was hoping that she could pick up a job there a couple of evenings a week so that she could have extra lessons, but it went instead to form-mate Lawrie Marshall and they're not each other's biggest fans. Well, they're not until the pony which Coco has set her heart on is sold to someone who doesn't seem to have the animal's best interest at the front of his mind. Coco and Lawrie unite to save Caramel and another pony which is just about to foal - but how will they cope? Full review...
The Boy with Two Heads by Andy Mulligan
Richard is a nice kid. Dutiful, hardworking, rule-abiding, he makes both parents and teachers proud. But one day, everything changes. Richard wakes up with a painful lump on his neck. Rushed to hospital, his parents get some devastating news from the specialists. Richard is growing a second head. Yowzer. When the head - Rikki - emerges, Richard, his parents, his teachers and his friends, all do their best to cope. But Rikki isn't like Richard. He's spiteful. He's angry. He's rude. He says the most unsayable things and he causes a great deal of trouble. Full review...
Astrosaurs 22: The Castle of Frankensaur by Steve Cole
I bought my first Astrosaurs book as a read aloud book for my dinosaur-mad four year old. He loved it, but not quite as much as his eight year old brother and we've been collecting the books ever since. It's a large collection with a total of thirty books in print so far (including Astrosaurs Academy). Many parents have credited this series with massive improvements in their children's reading level, and I'd have to agree with this. It isn't that the book has some magical formula to develop literacy, but simply that these books are so good, the children can not get enough of them. By the time a child works their way through thirty books, their reading level is bound to improve. Full review...
Magic Ink by Steve Cole
Stew isn't having a good week. He has moved house, left his friends and school behind and as if things weren't bad enough, his bedroom has been invaded by a well-dressed pig. But at least he won't be bored in the new house. The house used to belong to Stew's grandfather, a famous comic-book artist. When Stew's father opens up the attic his grandfather had locked up 20 years ago, things are about to get really exciting for Stew as he finds himself drawn into a comic-book style adventure which will test his courage, his intelligence and his artistic abilities. Full review...
Dork Diaries: Holiday Heartbreak by Rachel Renee Russell
This being the sixth full-length novel to feature Nikki Maxwell and her crush on Brandon, there is little point in doing a summary or resume at great length. They're still at school, and they're still finding being in any kind of friendship both socially awkward and hampered by the presence of the evil Mackenzie, Nikki's cute but catty rival. All you really need to know is this volume covers an entire February, in order – and manages to finish with the Valentine's night school dance. Yes, it has weird circumstances, Nikki getting embarrassed and jealous, and more. But I haven't told you about the greatest surprise yet… Full review...
Space Blasters by Philip Caveney
It's an intriguing concept: people can actually step into films as they are being shown at the local cinema. The only trouble is, while you're inside the film everything is completely real, including the danger. And if you don't get out before the final credits roll, well, too bad. You're stuck there forever, doomed to live through the same story over and over and over again. Unless you get killed, that is! Full review...
The Silver Dream by Neil Gaiman and Michael Reaves
We've had it established that there are many multiple dimensions, and it takes a particular power to move from one to the other – the power to Walk. Joey Harker, who it seems could get lost between his garden gate and the front door, is one of the more powerful and talented Walkers, and has been employed by an agency that has to keep the balance in the multiverses, forever fighting between the powers of science and those of magic. But two years on from the original book we find that the agency is still a very uneasy place to be – picking up further Walkers, but opening itself up to strange events, unusual characters and unaccountable problems. Full review...
School for Stars: First Term at L'Etoile by Holly Willoughby and Kelly Willoughby
Molly and Maria Fitzfoster are two twins who've just enrolled at L'Etoile, performing arts school for the stars of tomorrow! Their first term will see them try to achieve stardom but also make lots of new friends. Not everyone at the school, though, is as pleasant as they are - will true friendship and loyalty save the day and foil a cruel plot? Full review...
Mariella Mystery investigates: The Ghostly Guinea Pig by Kate Pankhurst
Mariella Mystery has two friends, Poppy Holmes and Violet Maple. They are The Mystery Girls, a comfortably cosy detective agency dedicated to solving reassuringly homely mysteries. This time an eerily green, glowing guinea pig pops up. Poppy is preoccupied with rehearsals for the upcoming village talent show, but Mariella is not to be diverted from her investigations. Learning fast from The Young Super Sleuth’s Handbook, Mariella comes up with several logical explanations, none of which solves the mystery. Indeed, there are soon ghostly guinea pigs sightings all over the place. It takes observation and enquiring young detectives on the ground to uncover the truth. Full review...
The Sleeping Baobab Tree by Paula Leyden
Sister Leonisa is always telling her students grim and gruesome stories. One day, she tells them all about Ng’ombe Ilede… the place of the sleeping cow; the place of death. As Bul-boo and Madillo arrive home filled with her horror stories, next-door neighbour Fred (himself always full of tales of woe) informs them he is to go to that very spot with his fearsome witch great-granny, Nokokulu. Also, that night they learn that patients from their mothers’ AIDS clinic are mysteriously vanishing; one of the vanished just happens to be Fred's wonderful Aunt Kiki. Is all of this a strange coincidence or fate? With Bul-boo and Madillo stowing away in the boot of the car, Nokokulu drives a doom-laden Fred out into the Zambian wilds for an encounter with mystery and magic the three will never forget. At the sleeping baobab tree, anything could happen. Full review...
Interworld by Neil Gaiman and Michael Reaves
Joey Harker isn't a regular boy, but then his teacher isn't a regular teacher. He's one of the wacky ones that thinks nothing of dumping his class in threesomes in the middle of town, penniless and only with their guile to get back in one piece. Seeing as Joey is one of the world's more easily-lost people, never knowing which way he should be heading, perhaps it should be no surprise that he finds a different universe before he finds his destination. And then another, and another. It soon becomes clear that other people are aware of this, and have a much greater knowledge of Joey's weird powers – and demand a much greater influence on his destiny… Full review...
Moon Bear by Gill Lewis
Tam's village in rural Laos must make way for a new highway. So Tam and his family move to a new village in the lowlands. They've been promised running water, electricity, and even a school. But the ground in the new village is scattered with bombs left over from America's war in Vietnam. And, while Tam and his father are preparing their field for the new rice crop, one explodes and everything changes again. Tam's father is dead and his mother and sisters won't be able to keep their house unless Tam goes to the city and earns money to send home. Full review...
Dead Boys' Club by Geoffrey Malone
Sam wakes up one morning at dawn. It's strangely quiet. Outside his hut, the village is absolutely silent. No cockerels are crowing. Something is horribly wrong. Stepping outside, Sam's worst fears are realised. A line of children, all armed with AK-47s, are rushing at him, yelling like crazy. It's God's Freedom Army. Full review...
Diary of a Wimpy Vampire by Tim Collins
Nigel is a fairly typical teenager in many ways. He suffers from spots, he is awkward and uncomfortable around girls, he is moody, irritable and constantly feeling bitter and resentful of his parents. Worst of all, he just doesn't know where he fits in. But unlike most 15 year olds, this isn't just passing a stage. Nigel has the body, emotions and typical trials and tribulations of the average teenager, but he has been stuck in this stage of development for 85 years. As he nears his 100th birthday, he begins to wonder if he will ever fit in, ever find a date, and ever develop into a proper vampire. You see not only does he have all the difficulties of most teens, he also has to cope with the fact that despite being a vampire for nearly 85 years, he has developed none of the usual vampire strengths and talents. His little sister has all the speed, grace and power of a grown vampire, but he is still as helpless as an infant in the vampire world. His parents have to hunt for him, bullies torture him at school, and the worst torture of all is that he has finally fallen in love - but has no idea what to do about it. Full review...
The Fate in the Box by Michelle Lovric
Venice is a place of contrasts, where poverty and extravagance jostle each other for space on the misty streets. But its inhabitants, poor or rich, have always been intensely proud of their city and its history. Ships arrive full of wonders from across the world, skilled glassblowers create magnificent artefacts, and magic is occasionally to be found in the oddest of nooks and crannies. Amneris, for example, knows that if she embroiders an exact copy of the fabulous patterns created by 'the dear creature' (as they call Uncle Annibale's kaleidoscope) each week, she and her family will always earn enough to live on. Full review...
Deadly Days in History (Horrible Histories) by Terry Deary and Martin Brown
Horrible Histories' catch phrase is History - with all the nasty bits left in. This is not completely true, Scholastic is not going to print a children's book with details which are too graphic for children, but this is without a doubt the nastiest and most gruesome of all of the Horrible Histories books we have read. While I am happy enough reading most of the Horrible Histories books to my 4 year old as well as my 8 year old, I do think this one is best for the older children, would recommend a minimum age of 7, and this only if the child is already aware of the Holocaust, or the parent is prepared to broach this subject in a sensitive manner and provide further information. Full review...
I'm Dougal Trump . . . Where's My Tarantula? by Dougal Trump
'I'm Dougal Trump . . . Where's My Tarantula' is the second in a series of books about the misadventures of Dougal Trump. Although this is a sequel, it is not necessary to read I'm Dougal Trump and It's Not My Fault first. This book is fine as a stand alone story, but the odds are once your child has finished reading it, they will be asking for the next book, or in this case the first book, in fact - we've already bought it. Full review...
Curse of the Dream Witch by Allan Stratton
Young readers do like books which make them squeal with disgust from time to time — as long as the gory details are well balanced by lots of comedy and a real swash-buckling quest. And that's exactly what this tale of a princess, a peasant boy and a talking mouse provides. Full review...
Teachers Pest: Tales from Lovecraft Middle School by Charles Gilman
Lovecraft Middle School has been found to be full of other things in the past. Book one in this series had the ultra-modern campus plagued by rats, including a two-headed example that somehow became our hero Robert's pet. We have since found the whole thing is also full of portals into a nightmarish underworld, ghosts of a mansion where a mad scientist was dredging up hell. Now the school is full of something else – insects. Flies and other bugs are all over, people are getting bad haircuts due to head lice left, right and centre, and Robert's best friend Glenn might have suffered a most peculiar wasp sting. Would it have anything to do with the particular nature of the hellish beast that has just won presidency of the student council? Full review...
Diary Of Dorkius Maximus by Tim Collins
The Diary of Dorkius Maximus begins very much like the Diary of a Wimpy Kid, only instead of journal bought by the protagonist's mother, we have a scroll bought by his father. Like Greg Heffley, the main character in the Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Dorkius Maximus has set out to record his childhood as a record of how he rose to greatness - once he becomes a Great Roman Hero. Full review...
Tom Gates is Absolutely Fantastic (at some things) by Liz Pichon
The Tom Gates books follow a rapidly-becoming-familiar diary format with plenty of childlike doodles for illustrations. They follow the life a very ordinary boy. In this particular book, Tom faces everyday issues common to most children from family embarrassment, minor complaints about school and a three day school activity trip. Tom gets into difficulties due to forgetfulness, day dreams a lot and spends time with his best friend. There are plenty of jokes throughout, which children will relate to as most will face these issues, but in all honesty I found the book too ordinary. I didn't feel there was enough excitement to really interest a child, I wasn't terribly impressed by the artwork and I found the odd style of print distracting - but what do I know? After all, this book was not intended for middle aged mothers, it was intended for children, and while I was an expert at choosing just the right books for my son while he was younger, he has developed his own tastes as he has grown older and finding just the right books to keep his passion for reading alive has become more of a challenge. If I were reviewing this book based only on my experience of reading it - the resulting rating would be fairly low, but instead, I am trying to see this book through my sons eyes, and he really enjoyed it. Full review...
The Poison Boy by Fletcher Moss
Life in the city of Highlions has suddenly become a lot more dangerous, even for a 'poison boy'. Dalton and Bennie were sent to a banquet to check the food, and when the book opens our hero has just recovered consciousness to find himself lying on the floor covered in Bennie's blood. His friend has been poisoned and died horribly, having literally vomited up his stomach (apologies if you're eating your tea, but this is not a book for sensitive souls), and the same poison has caused Dalton to lose his memory of the whole event. Unfortunately this is by no means the end of his troubles, as the murderer is determined to remove all witnesses. Full review...
Jack Hunter: The French Connection by Martin King
After solving the ancient secret of the King, Jack Hunter's life has been brilliant. Finding a centuries-old key and unlocking mysteries dating back to the time of King Richard, as well as being integral in unveiling dangerous criminal activities and rescuing long-lost treasure have earned Jack and his friends a French holiday. But nothing is ever easy. Jack finds himself in the middle of a robbery, and nothing is what it seems. Russian gangsters, stolen jewels, a famous movie star.... and another historical secret pull Jack and his friends even deeper into the secrets of The Four Corners. What is going on? And how do they even know about Jack? With his family in danger, Jack can't even be sure who the good guys are. Full review...
Wendy Quill Is A Crocodile's Bottom by Wendy Meddour
Wendy Quill really wants to be 'a little bit famous', but her plans don’t always work out. Still, nothing can stop her from trying… and having the best time ever. First, she’s absolutely sure she’ll get the lead part in her school production of Peter Pan and Wendy. She has been Wendy all her life, after all. When that doesn’t work out, she stuns the audience with her performance as the crocodile’s bottom! Then, she gets dragged along to her best-friend Florence's tap-dancing class, and manages to land a part as a tap-dancing munchkin in their show… and she didn’t even know she could dance! But fame finally comes her way when she dresses up for a class project on the Plague and saves her teacher, Miss Pinch, from Kevin, the escaped school rat. Her heroic deed makes the front page, where everyone can see her! Full review...
My Big Fat Zombie Goldfish by Mo O'Hara
'My Big Fat Zombie Goldfish' is not a book that an adult would read unless they have children. This is a book written for children, and Mo O'Hara certainly has a very clear idea of what children like. This has none of the hallmarks of a first foray into fiction; O'Hara jumps right in with the confidence of a master. A bit of research shows she has in fact had time to perfect her craft, as a storyteller with live audiences where the immediate feedback would have shown what the children wanted to hear - and what they didn't. She has obviously perfected the art of storytelling for children before beginning her first book. Full review...
