The Missing Bunny by Holly Webb - Book Review

 

'Can Annie find her missing bunny before it’s caught by the neighbourhood fox? A gentle and heart-warming animal story from worldwide bestseller Holly Webb. Annie is really excited about her new pet rabbits and can’t wait to welcome them into the amazing new home her dad has built for them.

'But when Annie is in a rush to get to school the next morning, she doesn’t check that the door to the hutch is shut properly, and one of the rabbits, Humbug, escapes. Can Annie find Humbug in time to save her from the neighbourhood fox …?'

Getting to review children's books is great, even though I don't have a child of my own to read them to. Getting to see how children's literature has evolved since I was a kid, the kinds of stories they have on offer, the things that these stories are teaching them always has me coming away with a smile on my face. As someone who has rabbits running through my house The Missing Bunny was a book that interested me immediately. I was looking forward to seeing what Holly Webb would be teaching young readers about rabbits; and I was so happy with the results.

The Missing Bunny tells the story of Annie, a young girl who desperately wants a pet rabbit of her own. When the book begins her parents have finally told her that she can have a rabbit, but she still doesn't have one as they need to make sure that the house is ready for their new friend. And this is where I found my first thing with the book that made me super happy, it understood that the way people have been taught to keep rabbits is wrong, and that a lot more work is needed. The book even says that rabbits don't belong in small hutches; something more people should be aware of.

So, Annie and her parents prepare a space for the rabbits in the garage, where they can be kept warm and safe, away from the outdoors. A house of them is built so that at night they've got somewhere to sleep. And a special run is built for them in the garden so that they can play outside safely. Even before we've seen our first rabbit the book is teaching children better rabbit care than I was shown at that age.

Once they're ready, the family go to find a bunny, and come back with two. Again, another good lesson that the book is teaching; that you should never have a lone rabbit. Annie gets two, a black and white bunny called Humbug, and a ginger one named Toffee. Toffee and Humbug come come, and settle into their new life. Annie brings them food, plays with them, snuggles them, and when her dad is home from work they get to free roam on their lawn. Everything is going well for them.

However, when Annie is in a rush one morning and accidentally leaves their house door open Humbug begins to explore, and slips out into the garage; and then out to the wider world. Realising her precious rabbit is missing, Annie sets out to try and find her and bring her home. 

There is a certain degree of peril to The Missing Bunny, and some younger readers might feel a bit worried for Humbug, especially when night sets in and it starts to get cold. As a bunny parent this part of the book even got me, and I found myself imagining the worry I'd go through if one of my rabbits got loose. Thankfully, things end well, and Humbug gets to come home safely.

The Missing Bunny is a really good read for showing children how much work goes into having a rabbit, how much prep work is needed before you even get one, and how delicate they can be. And, it shows how bad things can get if you're not careful with them. Hopefully it will make kids who want a pet rabbit understand that they're big commitments, and that a lot of care and attention is required. 

The book is filled with illustrations by Antonia Woodward, whose are you can see on the cover. As this is a Little Gems title, the interior art comes in full colour, and is wonderful throughout. Woodward's art is delightful to look at, and their depictions of Toffee and Humbug are too adorable. The rabbits are depicted with a ton of life and character to them, and once Humbug goes missing the illustrations really help to push the relevant feelings in the moment (the drawing of Humbug snuggling into Annie when she found her way home hits perfectly).

The Missing Bunny is a delightful read. It's a book that I can very much see myself recommending to others, especially if I know someone with a young child wanting a pet rabbit. It's a great little read that was a pleasure from start to finish. And my bunnies approved of it too!

Gowron, Kira, Ronan, and Daisy (sadly recently passed away).

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The Creatures of Killburn Mine by Dan Smith - Book Review

 

'What’s slithering about deep underground …? When a meteorite crashes to Earth near Crooked Oak, Pete, Nancy and Krish are determined to find it. But they’re not the only ones …

'After spotting one of their teachers up on the moor where the meteorite landed, they start to wonder if his strangely altered behaviour and appearance might be connected to the arrival from outer space. But nothing could prepare them for the horror they uncover deep down in Killburn Mine …'

The Crooked Oak series continues with its fifth entry as Dan Smith creates another wonderfully dark children's horror story that manages to skirt the line between scary and outright gruesome with a story that pays homage to a number of horror classics that older readers will enjoy too.

Pete, Nancy, and Krish are continuing their search for the paranormal and the strange, having already gone up against a number of things that most people wouldn't believe in, when Pete sees what he thinks is a UFO crashing to Earth whilst up late one night. However, their physics teacher Mr Bennings tells them that it's in fact a meteorite, a piece of rock from space, and that it's crashed somewhere nearby on the local moors. 

Despite it not being the UFO he was hoping for, Pete wants to try and track the meteorite down, hoping to find something interesting. When the three of them head out to look for it the next day they come across Mr Bennings, looking unusual and acting strange. When they approach him he seems to dodge their questions, and leaves as quickly as he can. As time goes by, he continues to act stranger and stranger, and begins to look sicker too. Does it have anything to do with the strange leech that attached itself to Nancy's neck out in the moors, and where did the strange creature come from?

One of the things that I've loved about this series is that it absolutely can appeal to adults too. Yes, it's written for a younger audience, younger teens specifically, but there's a lot here that will appeal to readers older than that too. A big part of this is that Dan Smith is a big horror fan, and draws inspiration from other stories, and puts a number of sneaky references and easter eggs into the books. I've literally just now when writing that sentence realises that Me Bennings was a reference to the character of Bennings from The Thing, a film that's a very clear inspiration for this story.

The Crooked Oak series has tried its hand at a number of different types of horror, and this book is the body horror / alien invasion mash-up book. Spoilers for the story, but the meteorite that crashed to Earth contained eggs that spawned the leech creatures, and that they're feeding on blood to live, and even go inside Mr Bennings body. There are some moments in the book that even had me asking 'what the hell?' and being hugely impressed that the book was able to be as gross and frightening as it is whilst still being fairly bloodless and age appropriate. It wouldn't take much to turn this story into a gory horror tale for adults, but Smith manages to make it stay firmly in the kids category, and I found that to be hugely impressive. 

The book has a lot of atmosphere to it, there's a big sense of mystery, and the cold, snowy winter setting help to make the kids feel isolated and alone. The cold is a great setting for horror, and wintery horror stories have a starkness and sense of dread that comes in part just from the weather alone, and this book really makes use of those feelings. It also means that even though this book is not set in a remote arctic research station Smith gets to use a variation on the phrase 'man is the warmest place to hide'.

The Creatures of Killburn Mine come with a number of illustrations by Chris King, whose work helps to build the horror in several of the scenes. The first piece of art is pretty normal, showing the kids at school, but as the story goes on and things get more and more creepy the images start to do the same. We have an illustration of a leech being pulled from Nancy's neck, another of Mr Bennings allow a leech to enter his body, and eventually a leech covered man coming after the kids. They're dark, frightening images, and they're absolutely fantastic.

The Creatures of Killburn Mine is a great addition to the series, one that might be the most horrific of the bunch, and that really seems to push the limits of what you can get away with in a young readers horror story. Oh, and as I know Dan Smith loves Resident Evil and sneaks references to that series in all the times, the leeches are definitely a nod to Resident Evil 0, a game I did not expect to see referenced.

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Northern Soul by Phil Earle - Book Review

 

'Up until now, Marv’s uneventful life has revolved around playing football with his best mate, Jimmy. But things take a turn for the dramatic with the arrival at school of new girl Carly Stonehouse.

'Marv falls in love at first sight, but there’s no way a girl like Carly will ever look at him. Unless, perhaps, he enlists help from a very unusual source.

'Follow Marv on his hilariously agonising quest for love, featuring his Croc-loving dad, a fast-food addicted musical idol from the past and some of the most cringeworthy song lyrics you might ever have heard …'

There has been this weird rule that romantic comedies have to be for women and girls, that somehow the pursuit of love is a female ideal, and not something that 'real men' should concern themselves with. Of course, it's down to toxic masculinity and the idea that men have to be stoic, emotionless people who shouldn't be in touch with their feelings, and as such rom coms get marketed to people other than men. Thankfully, this is changing a lot. The toxic masculinity traits and societal expectations are changing, and we're living more in a time where rom coms can actually be for guys. This is what Northern Soul is tapping into, the angst of teenage love and the desire to have your hearts desires fulfilled from the perspective on an awkward teenage boy.

Northern Soul follows Marvin, a boy who lives with his single father, never having really known his mother. His dad is a nice guy, though Marv thinks him a bit weird. He works in a music shop and loves old music (which Marv hates), and he has an unhealthy love from crocs. Other than that, though, Marv is living a fairly simple life, hanging with his friends, playing video games, and loving football. However, that all changes when Carly moves into the same street as him, and starts going to his school.

Marv is instantly in love with Carly, and just wants to get to know her better. He's so awkward that he's convinced that he's scared her off the first time that he speaks to her. When he goes home he finds his father listening to Otis Redding, and discovers music that speaks to his heart and the emotions he's experiencing. When he wishes that Otis, who clearly knows all about love, would tell him what to do it summons the invisible ghost of the singer, who makes it his mission to help Marv win over Carly; a mission that is not destined to go well.

Perhaps the best word to describe a lot of this book, and what Marv goes through, would be 'cringe'. It's very much an accurate depiction of teenage first love, with instant infatuation, making a fool of yourself repeatedly, and not always being able to pick up on the obvious signs around you. To say that it resurfaced some of my own awkward memories would be underselling it, and I spent the night after reading it with my head in my hand remembering what I was like at that age. Phil Earle manages to capture this feeling so well with the story that I wouldn't be surprised if he was drawing from similar experiences himself.

But, this book isn't aimed at us adults who have already been through this and are thanking god that our embarrassing stuff happened before you could record everything on a phone and share it to social media (we did our embarrassing stuff in private and only had word of mouth to worry about). Instead, this book is aimed at younger teen readers, readers who are probably going through similar situations to Marv; minus the ghost of Otis Redding helping them out that is. And I think that teens will enjoy this read. Marv is a nice guy, and I think other boys in his age range reading this will likely be able to identify with him. He's something of an everyman, and his shy awkwardness around girls will be something that most young readers will know all too well.

The book also contains a fair amount of comedy that I think will appeal, weird situations that are on one hand so awkward that you just want to look away, yet are also funny enough to keep you reading. Earle injects a good amount of humour into things, and it definitely makes the book feel really charming and takes the edge off some of the situations. But it's also got some good messages in there too, messages about not trying to hard, about not trying to make weird grand gestures to win someone over, but just being yourself and being confident in who you are. These are hard learned lessons for Marv, but hopefully reading about it will help those picking up the book to get there without so many bumps along the way.

Northern Soul is a bit of a silly, often ridiculous romantic comedy, but one that's quite harmless and even quite charming. It will appeal to older readers who have been there and done that and are glad those days are behind them, and it will likely be loved by those who are going through this difficult time themselves. 

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Marvin and the Book of Magic by Jenny Pearson - Book Review

 

'After being humiliated by a badly behaved squirrel on national television, Marvin has vowed NEVER to perform magic in public again. But when he acquires a mysterious book that promises to show those with the gift of magic how to use it properly, his best friend Asha persuades him to make a comeback in the school talent show.

'Watch Marvellous Marvin take to the stage to demonstrate the magic that can be found in true friendship!'

Marvin has grown up loving magic. his grandfather was a magician, and would always be teaching Marvin new tricks and different acts whenever he came to visit. He told Marvin that he had a gift for magic, and it inspired Marvin to want to follow in his footsteps and be a magician. Alas, his dreams to be a great stage magician died when he appeared on a TV talent show. 

Not wanting to be a boring magician who just pulls a rabbit from a hat, Marvin brings along a squirrel, who soon escapes and causes huge chaos that leave Marvin a televised embarrassment. He vows to quit magic on the spot, and has to deal with bullies at school mocking him and reminding him of his failure.

When his school decide to host their own talent show his best friend Asha wants to take part, coming up with the idea for a very elaborate act, and encourages Marvin to take part too in an attempt to get him to do his magic tricks again. Marvin, not wanting anything to do with magic anymore, takes his box of tricks to a strange shop in town, Clive's Emporium, to sell it so that he can never do magic again. However, when Clive offers to exchange the box of magic tricks for a real book of magic Marvin's life will be changed forever. 

Marvin and the Book of Magic is a really nice story about overcoming embarrassment, of continuing on with the things that you love, and doing selfless acts. Jenny Pearson manages to fit a lot into a relatively short book, yet never leaves you feeling like there's too much. We get to know Marvin really well, we learn about his family, seeing his relationship with his father and grandfather, we see his friendship with Asha, and there's a lot of time for he and Asha to have fun with each other too. Pearson knows that we need to get to know the character in order to care about his story and his issues, and makes sure that that's included.

There are good morals in the book, lessons that kids will enjoy without feeling like they're being preached to or told what they should consider important. Marvin learns that he needs to be true to himself, and he learns that giving up something important to help someone he cares about it a better thing to do than hoarding something special just to himself. Marvin comes out of the story not just more confident, but kinder too, and that's the kind of lesson that young readers need to follow.

As well as Pearson's writing, the book comes with a number of illustrations by Aleksei Bitskoff, who turns some of the more important parts of the book into some great images. The first of these is the moment that Marvin and his squirrel cause chaos on TV, and it includes all of the wonderful destruction that Pearson described, yet also manages to get a couple of little jokes in there too; such as one of the talent judges looking eerily familiar to a very famous TV talent show judge from real life. Clive's Emporium is also another highlight illustration that showcases all of the weird and wonderful things in the shop that younger readers will want to spend some time looking through. The illustrations are a wonderful accompaniment to the writing, and enhance a number of scenes.

Marvin and the Book of Magic is a great book for younger readers, with a ton of fun and jokes and some great moral messages.

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Welcome to Camp Killer by Cynthia Murphy - Book Review

 

'When an American-style residential camp is set up in the grounds of an English stately home, the teenage camp counsellors are looking forward to a fun summer of activities. But right from the outset, things don’t feel quite right at Camp Miller. Rumours circulate of a tragedy that took place in the grounds and there are unexplained sightings of a ghostly presence. Then the incidents begin – a near-drowning out on the lake, a fatal fall from a cliff-face … Are these tragic accidents or is there something more sinister going on at Camp Killer?'

Welcome to Camp Killer is one of Barrington Stokes older age books, a short novel for teens that follows the events at an American-style summer in the UK that becomes the site of a series of brutal murders.

Our story begins the day before the children are due to arrive at Camp Miller, a summer camp built in the grounds of an old stately home with a tragic past and stories of ghostly sightings. Several teens have been employed to be camp counsellors for the summer, taking care of the younger kids and helping them on a series of activities including rock climbing, and canoeing. Gathered together for one last quiet night before the children arrive, they tell a story around the camp fire, a story about the old home they're stating at, and the tragic story of what happened to the family in the 1800's. 

The counsellors learn about Dorothea, the wife to Lord Miller, who unable to have children, was horrified when her husband returned home from sea with a son, the woman who birthed him having come back too. Lord Miller intended for he and Dorothea to raise the child as their own, with the birth mother acting as a nanny. In the story, Dorothea went mad with the grief of the situation, and murdered her husband, his son, and the boys mother, before throwing herself off the roof. Her body was found the next day, laying dead in her beloved rose garden. Legend goes that the spirit of Dorothea now haunts the grounds.

The group are sufficiently creeped out and entertained, but head to bed for the evening. However, when one of the counsellors finds their bed filled with snakes and rose petals, they assume one of the group is trying to play a prank after the spooky story. The next day, once the children have arrived, things continue to happen, as one of the counsellors is almost drowned after being knocked out and tied in a canoe that was then rolled over into the water. Thanks to a daring rescue he survived, but an old dress is founding floating in the lake, covered in rose petals. The counsellors begin to think that perhaps the spirit of Dorothea is real, and out to get them. But when one of the group is killed in what looks like a tragic accident, it becomes clear that ghost or not, all of their lives are in danger.

I was very pleasantly surprised with Welcome to Camp Killer, as I was not expecting it to be the kind of book that it ended up being. For the first part of the book we're given every reason to think that the narrative will be a series of spooky events and close calls where the counsellors (the apparent targets) come close to getting hurt. There's the incident with snakes in a bed, the near drowning, and a flag pole that comes crashing down and just misses people. It all feels kind of safe and sanitary. Yes, there's danger, but at most it feels like the group of teens are going to get a broken bone or two before things come to a close.

However, there came a point in the narrative when it takes a sudden shift, and one of the group is killed. And I honestly found that my jaw dropped open because this was the twist in the tale that I didn't see coming. I honestly thought that the book wouldn't actually go that far, and as soon as it did I found myself unable to predict what was going to come next. Essentially, Welcome to Camp Killer is a slightly sanitised slasher horror book. And I say slightly sanitised, because there are some bloody and shocking deaths that happen in the book that wouldn't be too out of place in something like Friday the 13th.

Whilst the book is short, it manages to pack a decent amount into its pages, and the story moves at a decently brisk pace too. There's a chance to get to know several of the main characters, and readers will have fun trying to work out which, if any, might be behind the killings. There are a couple of people who seem like prime suspects, who are doing things that in the wrong light could be looked at as very suspicious; but like with all good slasher stories with a twist, I think a lot of people will struggle to see the end coming.

The book is aimed for teens, and features a decent cross section of different teen characters for the reader to follow. We get a good variety in personalities and backgrounds to the teen counsellors, and it feels like its set up so that readers will be able to identify with at least one of the characters. Hopefully they end up being one of the ones who get to survive. There's also a non-binary teen who uses they/them pronouns, and it's never once made a thing of, with their inclusion in the story being treated no differently to any other character; which I absolutely adored.

Welcome to Camp Killer is a super fun horror book that I think a lot of younger readers are going to like. If you've got a teen reader who loves horror and wants to move on from children's horror to something more mature, but might not be ready for adult horror yet, this is a perfect read for them. That being said, I also think that it's the kind of book that adult fans of the genre will get a decent kick out of too.

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Trapped by Sophie McKenzi - Book Review

 

'A singing-club trip ends in disaster when the coach carrying the members spins out of control and ends up perilously balanced on the edge of a cliff. Hailey is trapped at the back of the coach with her nemesis Bex, who's taken the lead role in their latest performance, and hadsome Kit, on whom Hailey has a massive crush. The three of them must work together in order to escape the coach before it falls. Will they be able to set aside their differences and find a way to survive?'

Trapped tells the story of a group of teens who find their lives quite literally hanging in the balance when an accident leave their coach over the edge off a cliff. However, despite the peril and drama that comes from this, the book failed to connect with me.

The story begins by introducing us to our three main characters, Hailey, Bex, and Kit, as they're leaving a retirement home after putting on a singing performance for the residents. Hailey is our lead, and we get the story from her point of view, and she spends the first several pages filling the reader in on how much she dislikes Bex, the popular new singer who recently joined the Hightop Youth Singers group. Not only has Bex been given the lead parts, not only does she have praise and love heaped on her, but she's also grabbed the attention of Kit, who just a few weeks before was giving all of his attention to Hailey.

As the group leaves their preformance, climbing into an old coach in the middle of a storm, the three of them find themselves sitting at the back of the bus. However, when a tree comes down in the storm, landing on the roof of the coach just in front of the three of them, it traps them at the back. Worse still, the impact sends the coach sliding over the edge of the cliff they're driving along, leaving the three teens hanging over a deadly drop. Now the three of them will have to figure out a way to get out of the coach before it goes over the edge, taking them with it.

Trapped isn't a bad story by any means, and I don't want to come across as too harsh towards it, but the main reason that I didn't really enjoy this book is that it felt like only half a story. At the begining of the book we're told how Bex joined the club a few weeks ago and how Hailey sees her as trying to ruin things for her. There's a lot of drama here, stuff that informs a lot of the book and the way that the two characters interact; but I can't help but feel like perhaps the book would have worked better if we'd have gotten to see this. The entire events of the book feels like the final act of a longer story, one where we get to see the backstory, where we're allowed to see Hailey's animosity building. As it is, she just feels petty and weird as we don't understand where she's coming from.

It also means that the emotional resolution doesn't really hit as hard. The girls manage to get to freedom and save themselves, and some truths come out that seem to be laying the seeds for a friendship between the two of them; but because we'd had no real time to experience the way things were before this this resolution fell flat for me. The fact that the book is almost all focused on the events of the crash and the fight to survive, and that we didn't really spend a huge amount of time with the characters before it happened doesn't help you get sucked into the narrative.

The book includes illustrations by Melania Badosa, who also provided the cover art for the book. The illustrations are pretty simple and easy to understand, and Badosa does a great job at putting a lot of expression and emotions into the characters, and you can easily see what people are thinking just by looking at their faces. Hailey makes it clear how she feels just by the way she looks at Bex, and you can really feel the anger and resentment pouring off her face. The artwork also feels a lot more mature than some of the other books that Barrington Stoke have on offer, and suits the age of the reader for this story well. The book is clearly designed for teens, and the art style really seems to reflect that.

Overall, this wasn't really a bad read, and I'm sure that there will be young readers who will enjoy it; but it did feel very rushed, with characters and a story that failed to draw me in. I'm sure that there is an audience for this book out there who will love it though.

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A Sudden Storm by Bali Rai - Book Review

 

'It's Arjan's sixteenth birthday and he's celebrating with his mates - going to see a film and then get a Nando's. He's looking forward to some good banter and wondering what might happen with Jem, who's been looking at him differently these days. But the night comes to a dramatic and violent end when Arjan is targeted by a group of racist thugs, who single him out due to the colour of his skin and the turban that he wears as a symbol of his commitment to his faith and culture. Is the life of a good friend and a beloved son really worth so little?'

Barrington Stoke quite often produce books that touch upon real world subjects, and will deal with important issues or subjects that young readers should be aware of. Most of the time this is done through stories that have happy endings, that feel like adventure stories, and the notes at the end of the book go over the real world influence and let younger readers know that there's some truth in what they've just read. On occasion, however, a book will come along that doesn't have a happy ending, that ends up hitting hard and makes the lesson it's trying to impart impossible to ignore. A Sudden Storm is one of these stories.

The story centres on Arjan, a young boy who's celebrating turning sixteen. Despite offering to stay home with his parents to help his dad do a few jobs around the house, Arjan has a fun night ahead of him and his friends. He's planning to meet up with them, watch a cheesy action movie, and then head out for a meal after; and hopefully see what happens with Jem, the girl that he likes. On his way home that day Arjan is almost hit by a van when he goes to cross the street. If that wasn't bad enough, the men in the van racially abuse him for wearing a turban, yelling at him that he's an immigrant even though he was born in England, and calling him a terrorist.

Despite this, Arjan tries to not let it ruin his day, and continues with his plans to see his friends. He puts on some nice clothes, a snazzy red turban that his family and friends say makes him look great. He's full of energy and happiness at getting to be with his friends, and things are going great until they head for a meal after their movie. At the restaurant one of the men from the van is there, and continues to abuse him in the bathroom, calling him a terrorist, telling him that it's wrong for him to be friends with a white girl, and throwing racial slurs at him. Arjan once again tries to ignore this, doesn't respond in anger, and continues to enjoy his evening. 

Unfortunately, Arjan and his friends decide to walk back rather than get the bus, and it leads to tragic circumstances. The man from the van is back, and he's got a group of friends with him. He chases after Arjan and his friends, and Arjan is beaten to death by them. The book ends in violence, with the last thing Arjan sees is the man insulting him before kicking him to death. The final chapter of the book is a last message from Arjan, his spirit lamenting the events of that night, wondering why people would become so hateful to him, why his life had to end just because they didn't like who he was.

The authors note at the end of the book tells readers about Ricky Reel, a young British Sikh man who went missing after a racially motivated attack in London in 1997. After being missing for a week Ricky's body was found in the Thames. The police initially ruled his death an accident, claiming the racist attack on him played no part in it, and it wasn't until his family campaigned further that the police would even consider that he'd been murdered.

A Sudden Storm follows a very similar path to Ricky's story, and the end chapter very much implies that Arjan, like Ricky, is dumped in the river following his murder. It's a harsh and brutal end to the story, one that you're half expecting to end in a happy way, with a lesson about never responding to racist bullying with violence, and how Arjan is the better man because of his actions. But sadly there are times in life when you just don't get a happy ending. And children need to hear that too.

I'm sure that there will be some parents learning about what this book is and thinking that they'll not be letting their kids read it because its sad, because it has racism and violence in it. But whilst there are children growing up who have to live with racism and violence thrown their way, whilst there are people who worry about their safety when they leave their home because they could become a target just for who they are everyone should hear stories like this; even children. If we refuse to show kids this kind of reality, if they don't learn how cruel and awful racism is, if they don't grow up learning that even if someone looks different to you they're still people with lives then people will turn a blind eye to things. They'll look the other way when someone is abused and degraded. They may even grow up to be the ones doing it.

A Sudden Storm is a book that will leave young readers feeling bad I'm sure, but it might also be one of the more important books that Barrington Stoke has produced. Yes, the books that teach about environmentalism and protecting the planet are important, but I can't help but feel that, sadly, this is the one that will be the most relatable and relevant to most of their lives. Racism and bigotry are very much real and alive in the world today, and young readers need to be aware of that.

As with other Barrington Stoke books A Sudden Storm comes with illustrations, provided by David Shephard. The illustrations are in black and white, and accompany key points in the narrative. Most of them show the happy parts of the story, Arjan and his father laughing and joking, his mother helping him get ready for his birthday night out, his friends hanging out with him, Jem and him flirting with each other. They show the joy and the good times that he gets to have. But they also show the bad. We see him being screamed at by racists, we see the man who kills him chasing after him. We see the terror on Arjan's face moments before he dies. The illustrations help to tell the tragedy of his story, and will help younger readers connect with him and events more.

A Sudden Storm is a hard book to read, but one that's well worth the time to do so. It teaches important lessons to younger readers, even if there's a very good chance that it will leave a harsh impression upon them. Stories like this need to be told.

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The Storm and the Minotaur by Lucy Strange - Book Review

 

'With his family struggling for money George has to go work with his dad in the local coal mine. It's a dangerous way to earn a living, and not long after he starts, a summer storm leads to flooding in the mine. Trapped down in the dark, George spots a shadowy figure that seems to be beckoning him. Can a ghost from the past lead him to safety or will George meet the same fate as his long lost uncle?'

Barrington Stoke have produced a number of excellent children's books that take place in historical settings that don't shy away from teaching young readers how much harder it was for children in the past. The Storm and the Minotaur is one of these titles, as even from the very first few pages it hammers home the awful situation that young George finds himself in; battling his fear at having to go deep underground in order to work in the local coal mine when he wants to do other things with his life.

Author Lucy Strange does a wonderful job at showing the internal struggle that George has, being afraid of having to work underground, but knowing that his family are struggling, and that an extra income will help them all out. George, unlike his father and his uncle, stayed on a bit longer in school, and has done well for himself with learning how to read and write, and definitely seems built for using his mind. But, opportunities to do so are few and far between in his home town, and the mine is the easiest way to bring money into the family home.

As George is preparing to start his first day in the mine he goes to his treasure stash, where he hides things that mean something to him, and discovers an old book hidden there decades before by his Uncle Mal, who died before George was born. The book is filled with stories about myth and legend, and George reads the story about the Minotaur. After that, once he begins working in the mine, George begins to feel like something down there is watching him, a shadowy figure always on the edge of his vision. After his father tells him a story about how his Uncle Mal died in the mines years before George becomes convinced that the figure is his uncle come back.

When a huge summer storm causes massive rainfall the mine ends up in danger, as the water floods down into the tunnels. George and a number of other children become trapped in one of the tunnels, with the water quickly rising. It's then that he sees the figure of the Minotaur once again. George decides that following the ghostly figure is the only chance they have for survival, and the children set off deeper into the mines.

One of the most surprising things about the book is that once you're done with the story there's a historical note, telling you that the narrative was partially inspired by a real historical event, the Huskar Pit disaster. As in the story, a summer storm caused flooding in the Huskar Pit mine in Yorkshire, unlike in the story though, the children did not make it out alive. The book contains a list of the twenty six children, ranging from the ages of seven and seventeen, who drowned in the mines that day. This note at the end of the book changes this kind of uplifting historical story into a book that leaves you feeling kind of sick.

Strange does a decent job at portraying how frightening the situation is, and there are times when the children in the book feel like they're in danger, but there's also this feeling that nothing truly bad is going to happen to them. This is a children's book after all, you can't just drown kids. I do wonder if there was a version of the story where there were deaths involved, but I think that the sudden shift from a happy ending to a note on the real world version actually hits a lot better than having a more realistic outcome. You've got this great high from seeing George and the other kids escape, which then comes crashing down. For parents reading this book to their children, I can see potentially skipping the last part, wanting to leave the book on a happy note, but I do think its also worth reading the historical note too.

This is what I meant earlier when I said that Barrington Stoke does a great job at showing children how much the world has improved, and how things for children especially have gotten better. The idea of having to go work down in a dark, dangerous mine all day every day might be shocking enough for a young reader, but then learning that children died doing such jobs makes it hit all the harder. I also think that books like this are a wonderful gateway into learning about history, and can easily spark your child's interest in the subject.

The book comes with a number of illustrations, by artist Pam Smy. Having seen Smy's work before on Thornhill, which I adored, I was excite to see what she'd bring to the project; and I wasn't disappointed. The illustrations are perfect for this kind of story, and the pictures showing what it's like in the mines are just the right level of dark and depressing. When George starts seeing the Minotaur in the mines the images start reflecting this, with some of them quite clearly showing the large creature standing in the shadows, but others requiring you to take a moment to try and spot them.

The Storm and the Minotaur is an engaging story with great characters that kids will enjoy reading about, and a setting that services the story brilliantly. Strange does a wonderful job at creating a story that feels oppressive and frightening, yet also filled with hope. A fantastic read.

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Calling the Whales by Jasbinder Bilan - Book Review

 

'When Tulsi and her best friend Satchen spot something unusual in the sea near their home in Scotland, they decide to investigate. But little do they know how much danger they are putting themselves in. After rowing out to a nearby island, they become involved in a risky rescue mission and their boat capsizes in the storm. But just as they think all is lost, help arrives from an unexpected source...'

Calling the Whales is a beautiful new children's read from Barrington Stoke and author Jasbinder Bilan that teaches children the importance of conservation and campaigning for chance, all wrapped into a daring adventure story.

The book focuses on Tulsi and Satchen, two young tweens who are soon moving up to senior school, but are spending their days before hand hanging out, trying to raise awareness of the plight of whales, and playing out on the ocean in their small row boat. One evening, however, Tulsi thinks she sees something usual out in the sea, close to a nearby island. The next day the two of them head out on their boat, and discover a young whale tangled in some old fishing nets, trapped. 

The two kids take turns swimming under the waves, cutting away at the tangled nets with a penknife, trying desperately to help the whale before it dies from exhaustion. However, when a fierce storm comes rolling in the two of them are forced to head back to shore looking for help; but the storm proves to be too much for them, and the boat capsizes. How the two of them are the ones trapped in the sea, waiting for rescue.

Calling the Whales is the kind of book that might give some parents a harder time than younger readers. for kids reading this book is a wonderfully heartwarming story about two youngsters who go out and put their lives on the line to do the right thing, and end up making the world a better place. For older readers, however, it's a nightmare scenario where you're constantly worried about these children. 

The characters of Tulsi and Satchen are decent kids. They've got good hearts, they're aware of some of the awful qualities of the world, but are still hopeful and kind enough to want to challenge those bad things in order to leave the world a better place. They're inspiring in a lot of ways, and I think that younger readers will look at them as being heroic even, and could become inspired to go out and try and do good themselves. Just hopefully not rowing out into the sea all by themselves.

Jasbinder Bilan does a wonderful job at crafting a narrative that sucks you in. By the time the two kids discover the whale, which they name Angus, you're invested. You want to see them save the whale, you want them to succeed, and you're worried about what might happen to the two of them. For a book with a relatively short page count you end up become more invested than you might think, and it might be one of my favourite Barrington Stoke releases for this.

The book comes with illustrations, provided by Skylar White. The art is simple, yet effective at portraying important scenes in the narrative. The characters are all distinct and clearly identifiable, and there are some wonderful illustrations that show off how dynamic certain moments are, such as Tulsi swimming below the waves cutting Angus free, whilst Satchen mans the boat above, singing to the animal to calm it. Even though the images are presented in black and white it sells the mood of the book well in some ways, especially with the gloom of the stormy ocean.

Something that the book featured, which was a really pleasant surprise, was some acknowledgement of trans and non-binary identities. When discussing the whale, the kids wonder about his gender, ans ask it he could be 'a boy, a girl, or a they'. Aside from some slightly clunky delivery on the line it's a wonderful sentiment to find in the book. The normalisation of trans and non-binary identities, and pronouns outside of just he and she is amazing to see in a children's book. Something that was unheard of even a decade ago being normalised and included like this is delightful; especially at a time where rampant transphobia and hatred towards the LGBTQ+ community is on the rise.

Calling the Whales is a lovely book, one that has some great characters, an engaging story, beautiful art, and some very real danger to keep things interesting and engaging. The kind of book kids are going to love.

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Crow by Nicola Skinner - Book Review

 

'When lonely Hattie feels out of place at her new school, she creates a scarecrow - Crow. Hattie wants him to guard the den she finds in the playground, the only place she feels happy and comfortable. Poor Crow really just wants to have fun with the other children, but he takes his job for Hattie very seriously and is behaviour starts to get scarier and scarier. Will Hattie realise that Crow is ruining her chance to make new friends before it's too late?'

I remember when I moved school when I was eight, despite only having move from one side of my town to the other it changed my life completely. I had to move school to one closer so that my parents could easily walk me down the road for five minutes rather than drive across town, and it resulted in every single friends I'd made being gone. Coming to a new school midway through the year, with a class that had been together for years and had already made strong friendships was a daunting situation. It's something that I think parents who haven't gone through that can assume isn't going to be too big a deal, but to the children involved it's scary. This is the central theme of Crow, and Nicola Skinner does a wonderful job at bringing it to life with a magical twist.

Crow tells the story of Hattie Mole, a young girl who's moving to a the small village of Little Plug along with her dad and older brother Oliver. Hattie decides before they even get there that the move has ruined her life, as she's had to leave all of her old friends behind. Except for her pet rat, Sid; except that doesn't really count. After moving into their new home, a pink cottage, Hattie faces her first day of school. Despite some of the students trying to make friends with her she's very nervous, says odd things, and doesn't know how to act around the others.

During the lunchtime break Hattie is off playing on her own and finds a hollow tree. She decides that the tree is now her den, and sets about crafting decorations inside it, including hanging flower chains, and decorative hedgehogs made from mud and leaves. However, when a couple of the kids find it and accidentally break several of her creations Hattie decides that she needs something to protect her den and keep the other kids out. She builds a scarecrow out of some old clothes, a cushion, and some straw. But when a thunderstorm rolls into the village that same night it seems to bring the scarecrow named Crow, to life.

Crow is a wonderful story thanks to the very realistic and grounded start, and the sudden shift into the supernatural and the fun. If you go into the book without reading the back cover there's zero here to hint at what's the come, and the moment that Crow comes bouncing up to the cottage and knocks on the door with his wooden arms is a delightful surprise. And from this point on the book kind of becomes one with dual protagonists, as Crow gets as much of the spotlight that Hattie does.

Crow is almost the oppisite to Hattie, in that he's outgoing and fun loving, and is quick to try to make friends with the other children in Little Plug. However, Hattie doesn't want him to be friends with other people, as she made him to guard her den where she can be alone and do things by herself. As such, making Crow stick to that mission she sees how people go from liking Crow to kind of hating him, knowing that he's going to cause trouble and disruption wherever he goes. The slow transformation from happy scarecrow into a mean and sullen individual is almost like holding a mirror up to Hattie, and it seems like she realises that if she continues to isolate herself people will react to her the same way they do to Crow.

Eventually, Hattie not only realises that she needs to come out of her shell a little and try making friends with the other kids in the village, but realises that she needs to try to find a way to help Crow too, so that he doesn't become meaner and meaner. 

The book has a number of really lovely illustrations throughout, provided by Rebecca Bagley, an example of which is on the front cover. The artwork is very nice, and has a wonderfully cartoonish and larger than life feel to it that absolutely suits where the story is going. The early illustrations are grounded enough that you don't expect a living scarecrow to pop up, but once he does he fits into the other characters perfectly. The moments of the book that are illustrated also help to convey the emotional moments and journey that Hattie goes on, with the artwork capturing the expressions in big bold way that young readers will enjoy.

Crow is a lot more fun than I was expecting. With Barrington Stoke producing books that are wildly fantastical, and very grounded, a book that sits nicely in the middle, and almost tricks you into thinking it's going to be one thing, and deals with a topic that some kids might feel they can't talk to their guardians about, makes this a wonderfully fun and potentially helpful read for younger kids. Definitely worth checking out.

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The Ghost Cat Who Saved My Life by Pamela Butchart - Book Review

 

'The flat upstairs from Sav is empty, so who or what is making the strange yowling noises she can hear at night? Could it be a ghost cat?! Sav and her best friend Liam decide to investigate, but their ghost hunt takes a very strange turn when Liam gets stuck in the stinky bin room of the flat and it's a new feline friend who helps to get him out. Nothing is quite as it seems in this brilliant new addition to the Little Gems list.'

The latest addition to the Barrington Stoke Little Gems line is the wonderful The Ghost Cat Who Saved My Life by Pamela Butchart, which tells the story of two young friends who set out to find out where a mysterious meowing noise is coming from in the empty flat above them.

The story begins with Sav and Liam, two friends, hanging out in Sav's flat, playing games, when they hear a faint meowing noise coming from the flat above them. Sav mentions that she's heard the noise for a few nights now above her room, and is starting to get worried that her elderly neighbour above them might be in trouble. The two of them head up stairs and knock on the door, but receive no response. Sav's mother tells them that the neighbour moved out days ago, and that they must be imagining the noise, she jokes that it might even be a ghost cat.

With the news that the flat above them is empty, the two kids start to formulate a plan to go inside to trap the ghost cat. Sav's always wanted a cat of her own, but her mother is allergic, so a ghost cat would make the perfect pet. When the two of them manage to get inside the flat, however, it sparks a series of events that will see Liam trapped, and the ghost cat having to come to his rescue.

The Ghost Cat Who Saved My Life is the perfect kind of book for kids (and parents) with a love for cats. There's something about Sav's desperation to have a pet cat, even willing to have one that's a ghost, that I think a lot of cat lovers will recognise. It's fun to watch the two friends trying to formulate a plan to catch the ghost, and figuring out the mystery of what's making the strange noises that will keep little readers entertained throughout the early stages of the book.

Whilst there is some peril involved in the story it's pretty mild, the kind of situation that kids would imagine is a 'I'm doomed' scenario, yet there's never really any real risk or anything too frightening to be worried about. Plus, the adorable rescuer will grab kids imaginations more than any thoughts that one of the lead characters is in any kind of danger.

The book comes with a number of illustrations throughout, and unlike the books aimed at older readers, the Little Gems line has full colour illustrations. The art has been provided by Monika Filipina, and it has a wonderfully hand drawn quality to it. It looks almost like it's been made using coloured pencils, and has a ton of energy and detail to it that makes the pictures jump off the page; it's sure to capture the imaginations of younger readers and draw them in. 

The Ghost Cat Who Saved My Life is a fun story with a lot of heart to it. It has mystery, fun, and an ending that tugs at your hearts a little. I think anyone who's ever had that super special connection with their cat will fall in love with the book a little, no matter your age.

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The Day The Hiccups Took Over by Jo Simmons - Book Review

 

'Frank has a big day ahead of him - a trip to the dentist, a trumpet exam, a swimming trial, and then the event he's been looking forward to for months, his knitting hero live on stage here in his hometown! Frank can't wait, but he also can't stop hiccuping. HIC! HIC! HIC! They start before breakfast and they will not GO AWAY! Helped by his new friend Daisy, Frank tries ever more hare-brained ideas to get rid of the HICS! Will they ruin his day, or can Frank overcome the hiccuping horrors?'

On the surface, The Day The Hiccups Took Over is a silly story about a young boy whose day is being ever more disrupted by the worst case of hiccups that he's ever had, and this leads to silliness and fun. However, Jo Simmons has managed to sneak in some pretty awesome messages about being true to yourself, and to follow your passions and not be ashamed of the things that bring you joy.

Frank is a boy with a secret. He loves knitting. Whether it's making scarves, hats, or thick woolly jumpers, he loves nothing more than getting out his needles and making things. The only problem is that he thinks that people will judge him for his hobby, even his parents. So, Frank keeps his passion a secret from everyone, even going so far as claiming he found his lovely hand knitted scarf at the park instead of telling people that he made it.

This means that he's also been planning and saving in secret so that he can attend the World Knitting Games, and today is the day. It's also the day that he has several other things he needs to do first such as visit the dentist, but once he's through that he'll be off to the event where he can watch his hero knitting live on stage. Frank is all ready to start his day when he starts to hiccup, the strongest, loudest hiccups he's ever had.

Frank tries everything he can think of to get rid of them, but nothing helps. When he literally runs into the new girl from school, Daisy, she tries to help him out, and the two of them try even weirder and weirder tricks to get rid of the hiccups. And after a while it looks like they might be gone, but when they come back Frank has to try and force his way through the day hiccuping the whole way.

The Day The Hiccups Took Over is a book with a lot of silly humour to it, and Frank's hiccups lead to more than a few fun scenarios that younger readers will have a lot of fun with. Both the ways in which Frank and Daisy try to cure him, and the things that happen as he tries to go about his day have a number of moments that will make you chuckle. But the real hart of the book is Franks love of knitting. The book ultimately has the message that you need to embrace who you are and the things that you love, and to not worry about who might judge you for that because there will always be people who end up supporting and encouraging you. The latter part of the book, where Frank essentially 'comes out' as a knitter is actually quite sweet, and has some wonderfully affirming messages that I think younger readers will take to heart.

The book also has a number of illustrations by Lee Cosgrove, who also provides the cover art for the book. Cosgrove's art has a really nice feel to it, and it's less realist, more cartoon-like style lends itself great to the events of the book. Moments such as Frank spitting juice all over the wall whilst hiccuping, or Frank biting his Dentist by mistake are all fun to read, but when accompanied by Cosgrove's art these moments become even more delightful.

There's a lot of fun to be found in The Day The Hiccups Took Over, and it was enjoyable to read. Younger readers will have a blast with how humerus the story is, whilst also learning a pretty solid lesson too.

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Nightjar by Katya Balen - Book Review

 

'When Noah’s dad visits from New York, he and Noah come across an injured nightjar during a walk in the countryside. Noah is determined to save the bird, but his dad believes they should leave it alone to let nature take its course. As father and son argue, it becomes clear that Noah is angry about more than just the bird. He feels abandoned and misunderstood by his dad, who has moved to the US and started a new family there that doesn’t seem to have room for Noah. Can they find a way to build a new relationship and rediscover the common ground between them?'

When I was a younger reader there seemed to be two types of lead characters in books, the confident, almost brash boys who were always up for adventure, and the girly girls who were the sensitive souls of the world. Obviously, this wasn't a hard and fast rule, and there were books that did things different, but a lot of the stories I was given when a kid were split this way, reinforcing rigid gender roles and stereotypes. One of the things that I love about Barrington Stoke's books is that they don't do this, and more often than not, end up going against the grain somewhat. Nightjar does this, and does it wonderfully, as it delivers a story about a kind, caring, and sensitive young boy.

Nightjar tells the story of Noah, a twelve year old boy living in London with his mother. Noah's father left a number of years ago, and has made a new life for himself in New York, along with a girlfriend and her kid. But, this doesn't bother Noah too much, as he's forged a good life for himself, with his best friend, his mother, and his passion for birds. Noah loves watching birds, and his room is covered in his drawings of birds that he's seen. But more than that, he also likes helping birds, finding sick and injured birds and nursing them back to health to be released into the wild.

Noah's carefully constructed life is thrown slightly off-kilter when his father arrives in the city for a week in order to spend some time with Noah leading up to his Bat Mitzvah. The two of them struggle to really fins common ground, and their relationship becomes strained. However, when the two of them come across an injured nightjar when out on a walk, and Noah insists on helping the bird, their relationship might just get pushed to breaking point. 

I really liked Noah as a protagonist. He's not your typical thirteen year old boy. He's quiet, has a love and passion for nature, a deeply caring side, and enjoys his own company a lot of the time. He's not the kind of protagonists I was used to seeing when I was growing up reading, but he's the kind of protagonists I'd have loved to have seen. His passion and his caring side are wonderful qualities, and it makes him into a boy willing to stand up for what he believes is right.

As someone who enjoys nature, and adores animals, I loved seeing that kind of passion in Noah. I'm the kind of person who would put myself out to try and help a sick and injured animal, and my own pets have cost me many of thousands in vet bills over the years, so I absolutely understand the drive to help that's at the heart of Noah's story here.

But the book isn't just about his love of birds, as it also deals with his relationship with his father. Noah and his father don't really get on very well; not because they don't like each other, but because they don't really understand each other, and don't know how to communicate well. This is something that I think a lot of readers will understand, and something that a lot of people are trying to correct for the next generation. Parents are trying harder to fix those old stereotypes of the detached father who doesn't know how to connect with his kids, and I've seen a lot better parents in my peers; but not every family is going to be like that, and kids can still feel isolated from a parent, especially if they're separated. 

Over the course of the book there are a few times where we see the relationship between Noah and his father going back and forth in a kind of tug of war as the two of them try to figure out how to be around each other. And whilst it would be easy to have the mostly absent father be the villain of the piece, to be unwilling to change or grow over the course of the book, Balen makes Noah somewhat at fault too. Noah sticks to his guns, refuses to shift his position or think about the point his father is making because he feels like his is the only right way; and Noah has to learn that that's not the way the world works, and that he's going to have to grow as a person.

Despite not being in the book as much, Noah's mother also plays an important role, and is a big figure in his life. Noah's mother is something of the neutral party between the two of them. She understands the kind of person Noah is, she loves his passions and encourages him, but she's also there to help him see that maybe he's not always as right as he thinks he is. She has a sense of serenity and calm to her that's very much needed in the book. She's also clearly a very creative and caring person too. Not only does she nurture Noah's connection to his Jewish heritage, spending time preparing him for his Bat Mitzvah and cooking Jewish food, but she also helps other too, with her business being carefully crafting funerary dresses for babies. There's a wonderful passage in the book, after she gives Noah is Bat Mitzvah suit that describes her beautifully, 'My mum can stitch life together and death and heartbreak and hope and beauty and the past and the future. She is brilliant.'.

The book also contains a number of illustrations, provided by Richard Johnson. These are often used at key moments in the narrative, such as Noah finding the nightjar, of him nursing it back to health, his big blow-up with his dad, the emotional ending; these moments are important parts of the book, and the illustrations help with their impact. It helps the younger readers to get into these moments more, to visualise them, and I think that these scenes, accompanied by these illustrations, will be the moments that stick out in young readers minds. The fact that they're beautifully done as well only helps with this impact.

Nightjar is a delightful read, one that feels like it has a lot of heart to it, that isn't afraid to show a teen boy as sensitive, caring, and kind, yet also flawed. It explores both strained parental relationships, and strong, well connected ones. It gives insight into the life of a wonderful young boy who is clearly going to go on to become an amazing man; and it just leaves the reader with this fantastic sense of hope and goodness.

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