Man-Man and the Tree of memories by Yaba Badoe and Joelle Avelino

Carnival has become part of life in towns and cities across the UK and together with the parades held especially in the winter they are now part of the cultural scene.  The first one in the UK (and still the largest) is the Notting Hill carnival, which began in 1966 and this is the centre of Man-man’s story.  I became much more aware of the importance of carnival when I worked in Bristol and St Paul’s was one of my libraries.  I remember a gentleman coming to the library and having a discussion about a children’s book written about 1970 and telling the story of the St Paul’s carnival, using photos of the preparations and event; we were able to find a copy of the title in the store and he was able to show us pictures of him and his friends taking part.  At the time, there were very few books covering the subject, but I am pleased to say that the situation appears to have improved, with a good range of both fiction and information books covering the topic.

This latest title is a wonderful evocation of the power of carnival and the way that people react in different ways to the culture and energy of the event.  Man-man and his sister Pan, together with their friend Kareem, are practicing their dance moves, so that they can be part of a carnival float at Notting Hill; however with Man-man’s mother being ill and his visiting grandma grumbling about the way they dance, things are not going well.  On the day of the parade they are all wearing their costumes and ready to enjoy the moment, although Man-man is still worried about his mother.  As he dances on the float, he asks the  spirit “Queen of Revels” to help his mother; what he does not expect is for the spirit to answer him and carry both him and his companions back to the African past and to the Tree of memories, which was a symbol for those being taken into slavery.  What they learn there has a profound impact on them and makes Man-man believe that his mother will get better; so that when they return to the carnival it is with a much more optimistic attitude.

This really is a fabulous story of family, culture, history and community.  It is beautifully illustrated with an exuberant use of colour and a real sense of energy and movement.  I particularly love the relationship between the three main characters and especially the sibling backchat, which hides their real affection for each other.  The author has given us a real sense of the excitement that leads up to carnival and the wonderful spirit that is shown through the community working together to make it all a success.  Whilst this is an exciting and overall positive tale, it does introduce the young audience to aspects of west African history that are so important and which can then be discussed in class, or with family.  There are definitely five stars shining for this one.

 

Yaba Badoe is a Ghanaian-British documentary filmmaker and writer. A graduate of King’s College Cambridge, she was a civil servant in Ghana before becoming a general trainee with the BBC. She has taught in Spain and Jamaica and worked at the University of Ghana. Her short stories have been published in Critical Quarterly, African Love Stories:an anthology and New Daughters of Africa. Her first adult novel, True Murder, was published by Jonathan Cape in 2009. Her first YA novel, A Jigsaw of Fire and Stars, was shortlisted for the Branford Boase Award in 2018 and nominated for the CILIP Carnegie Award 2018. The Secret of the Purple Lake, a collection of interlinked fairy stories for children aged 9 to 12 was published by Cassava Republic in October 2017. She lives in London.

 

Joelle Avelino is a Congolese and Angolan Illustrator who grew up in the United Kingdom. She obtained a BA (Hons) in Illustration with Marketing from the University of Hertfordshire. She is particularly motivated by the need for people from all races and backgrounds to see themselves in the world around them.

Her most recent children’s book, written by best selling author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, ‘Mama’s Sleeping Scarf’, will be published in September 2023. It is a tender story that celebrates the simple joys of family life.

She has also worked on several other titles including Hey You! Written by Dapo Adeola, a 2022, British Book Awards winner. An empowering celebration of growing up black and she worked on the 25th anniversary edition of Baroness Floella Benjamin’s classic memoir Coming to England. Her animation project with the Malala Fund was featured as one of Design Week’s favourite International Women’s Day projects of 2020.

 

Other titles of interest

“The door of no return” by Sarah Mussi (Hodder, 2007) is the first story that I read about this infamous door in Ghana, which led captives out to the slave ships and the hideous consequences.  It is unfortunately now out of print, but I do recommend getting your hands on a second-hand copy if possible.

“The door of no return” by Kwame Alexander , Andersen press, 2023 is a new title set during the period of the slave trade.  It has received very positive reviews and is by a fantastic author.

Getting reading for Christmas

What an absolutely stunning collection of stories to add to your Christmas shelves.  I hope that there is something for everyone to enjoy and many will become firm favourites for future years.

Middle grade reads

Farshore, 9780008666583

The Christmas Carrolls, The Christmas Club” by Mel Taylor-Bessant and Selom Sunu is the final part of the trilogy featuring the Christmas Carrolls, a family so fixated by the festive season that they try and include it in their lives for the whole of the year.  Having won a competition in the previous book, they find themselves in New York, to take part in the Christmas parade; but then they receive a mysterious invitation to try and join the “Christmas Club”, something that they thought was just a fairy tale.  A totally fantastic and exciting story that sees the family facing some of  their greatest challenges yet.  It is a totally fabulous series to get you into the Christmas spirit.

Orion, 9781510112933

Step Father Christmas” by L D Lapinski is about siblings Harper and Will, and what happens when their mother invites her new boyfriend to stay for Christmas.  His name is Nick and he has grey hair and beard, which leaves Harper wondering whether he could actually be Father Christmas.  This is a brilliant story for getting you in the festive mood and it has been written in 25 chapters, so you can use it as an Advent calendar to be read every day.

Simon & Schuster, 9781398515840

Adventures of a Christmas Elf” by Ben Miller, illustrated by Chris Naylor and Daniela Jaglenka Terrazzini is the third in the series featuring Holly Claus and Tog, the Elf. After the excitement of book two, things seem to have settled down at the Workshop.  But when Santa starts feeling tired and decides to take a short holiday, problems start to happen and the two young heroes step up to the challenge and save Christmas, yet again.  It is a tale of redemption (for some) and also how important family can be.

HarperCollins, 9780008475536

“Juniper’s Christmas” by Eoin Colfer and Chaaya Prabhat is set in a world where Father Christmas has not been seen for ten years and children are forgetting about him.  Some do remember the stories told by parents and long for Santa to reappear.  Juniper lives with her mother, near one of the London parks, where her father had worked, but when her mother disappears she ask for help from one of the homeless people who find shelter in the wood.  But then she discovers his secret, he is Father Christmas.  This is a story about helping each other, friendship and evil people who are only interested in themselves. what a fantastic story and so very relevant in the world we inhabit at the moment.

Penguin, 9780241595879

A Christmasaurus carol” by Tom Fletcher and Shane DeVries.  this series featuring the hero William and the last Christmasaurus is fast becoming one of my treats for the Christmas season.  There is a mix of fun and also some serious  subjects.  In this story, the spirit of Ebenezer Scrooge is transported to our time and is determined to get rid of Christmas (as you can guess it is the character, BEFORE the three spirits of Christmas visited him).  The question is whether William and his friends can save the day and send Scrooge back into the book “A Christmas Carol”, so that he can change his ways.

Scholastic, 9780702330827

The Great reindeer Rescue” by Stephen Mangan and Anita Mangan is one of those totally silly yet lovable stories, where really quirky things happen.  In this case, Dave, the newest reindeer is startled by Rudolph farting (!!) and accidentally un-clips part of the harness, so Rudolph continues his journey whilst the others are left behind with the sleigh, and then due to a malfunction, Santa and the others are sent to different parts of the globe.  At this point, a young girl called Holly enters the scene and  endeavors to find the missing sleigh and contents, with a bit of ‘help’ from Dave.  A really great bit of fun for the holiday season.

Macmillan, 9781035028177

“The Nutcracker and the Mouse King’s  Christmas Shenanigans” by Alex T Smith.  Well the author has done it again.  Another of his Christmas stories which are meant to be read over the Advent season.  This is his interpretation of the famous ballet, “The Nutcracker” and features many of the same characters, but with a modern twist.  It is absolutely fabulous and a future classic.

Macmillan, 9781035014217

“The Ice Children” by M G Leonard is a truly magical story, with echoes of the “Snow Queen” and even “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe“.  When her young brother is found frozen in the local park, and then each day more children become victims, Bianca faces some incredible dangers to try and release them from their frozen prisons. It is a wonderful tale about imagination, family love and needing balance in our world.

Usborne, 9781803704357

“The Snow Girl” by  Sophie Anderson is about a young girl Tasha, who builds a snow girl with her grandfather.  When the sculpture comes to life in the image of a girl called Alyana, it looks as if Tasha has achieved her wish of a best friend.  But what will happen if spring does not arrive, and is Alyana to blame for this change in the seasons?  A wonderful story of friendship, but also a cautionary tale about the way that we interact with nature, and the impact it can have on all our lives.

Pushkin, 9781782694205

“The Secret of Helmersbruk Manor” by Eva Frantz and Elin Sandstrom (translated by Annie Prime) is a wonderful surprise of a book.  It is a translation from a Finnish book, but inspired by the stories of ghosts at Hampton Court Palace.  When Flora and her mother move to Helmersbruk for Christmas, they don’t know that there are hidden secrets and mysteries to be solved.  This is a creepy and yet inspiring story for the Christmas season

David Fickling, 9781788452694

“Adventuremice: mice on the ice” by Sarah McIntyre and Philip Reeve is the third in the series featuring the delightful and very adventurous mice.  This time they face frozen seas and lots of danger, but as always, they work as a team and win the day.

Macmillan, 9781529070415

“Winnie the Pooh at the Palace” by Jeanne Willis and Mark Burgess is a beautifully illustrated story of Pooh and Piglet going on a visit to the Palace with Christopher Robin.  They have lots of fun in the snow and then find the king’s gold crown in a snow drift. They are then invited in for tea and honey, as a thank you.  A delightfully whimsical story with a much loved bear, and friends.

Penguin, 9780241652541

A very curious Christmas” by Maddie Moate is one of those brilliant pot-potpourris, full of fascinating facts about Christmas.  We all know that children ask the most bizarre questions about the festive season, so this book attempts to answer as many of them as possible.  It is full of fun and facts and would make a brilliant present

Picture Books

Macmillan, 9781761180675

Pink Santa” by Tanya Hennessy and Ben Whitehouse is a super funny tale of what happens when Rudolph accidentally turns Santa’s coat PINK.  Everyone is getting very worried, but Santa is not fazed by events and even paints his sleigh and all the decorations, to match.  It has a lovely message about how good things can happen by accident

Walker books, 9781529507126

“Bunnies in a Sleigh” by Philip Ardagh and Ben Mantle is a new adventure for this set of fun loving bunnies.  When the elves eat too many sweets on Christmas Eve, the bunnies have to help Santa deliver all of the presents and they do so; even if there are some hilarious escapades on the way.  A great rhyming story by a delightfully funny author.

Tiny Owl, 9781910328934

Christmas Cobweb” by Pippa Goodhart and Ema Maliauka is a delightful story about not forgetting that the joy of Christmas can be found in many things.  When old bear decides to have a party for her friends, she spends time cleaning the house and making everything look lovely, but the pesky spiders keep spinning their webs and creating a mess.  So bear is horrified to see webs hanging all over her tree, but then her friends point out how magical it looks and she learns to appreciate the beauty of a cobweb.

Penguin, 9780241489048

The robin who stole Christmas” by Rachel Morrisroe and Richard Merritt brings a very different Robin to our attention; this is one that has close links to Ebenezer Scrooge and the Grumpus.  To spoil Christmas for everyone, Rotten Robin decides to steal all of the presents as well as  FATHER CHRISTMAS himself.  How all the other robins save the day makes for a great fun story, with a lovely underlying message about kindness and sharing.

Little Tiger, 9781801045025

“Santarella” by Suzy Senior and Lucy Semple brings a delightful twist to the story of Cinderella.  When her sisters are out at the ball, Cinderella is surprised by Santa falling down the chimney.  Unfortunately he hurts his back and is going to have problems carrying sacks of gifts, so our adventurous heroine volunteers to help him deliver all of the gifts.  When she is finally delivered to the palace, she decides that life has more to offer than being a princess and goes of on multiple adventures.

HarperCollins, 9780008497606

The Winter Wish” by Helen Mortimer and Rachel Dean is the story of William, who lives in a small bookshop with his parents.  Like many shops they are struggling to make end meet, so can a bit of Christmas magic turn things around and save the shop?  A gorgeous tale about the importance of reading and books.

HarperCollins, 9780007197149

Merry Christmas Blue Kangaroo” by Emma Chichester Clark  was first published in 2004 and has been re-printed to celebrate 25 years of this favourite toy.  It tells the story of preparing for the big day, from decorations to presents.  When Blue Kangaroo magically comes alive, he sneaks downstairs to meet Father Christmas and asks if he can help find a present for Kangaroo’s owner.  A delightful tale that has stood the test of time.

HarperCollins, 9780008413323

“The Three Little Monkeys at Christmas” by Quentin Blake and Emma Chichester Clark  is full of anarchy and humour, as the three mischievous monkeys find ways to amuse themselves, on a visit to Hilda’s uncle, for Christmas.  However, perhaps they can redeem themselves, when a burglar tries to steal a priceless golden teapot.

HarperCollins, 9780008552954

“The Burpee Bears, a Christmas Adventure” by Joe Wicks tells how the bears save their Christmas, when the weather gets so bad that they think grandma bear will not be able to reach them for Christmas.  So they all decide to load of their sledge and go to visit her instead.  things are proving difficult until Santa Bear appears on the scene and helps them get sorted. this is a charming story about the joy of family at Christmas.

HarperCollins, 9780008626013

“How the Grinch lost Christmas” by Dr Seuss tells of what happens when the Grinch comes second in a Christmas tree competition, which makes him lose his Christmas spirit.  However, the winner, a small girl called Cindy-Lou shows him that sharing is what is important and that he is part of the community of Who-ville.

Scholastic, 9780702312281

“Santa’s Marvellous Mechanical Workshop” by Vashti Hardy and Katie Cottle is about moving house near to the Christmas holiday and how to keep the festive spirit.  Lily has been unpacking all of her books and useful tools into her new room, when she finds an unknown wrapped parcel.  It is an empty book that magically takes her to Santa’s workshop, so that she can help to re-purpose some broken toys.  When she wakes up she can’t find the book or the elfbot who she had met in the workshop, however she soon sorts that out.  A delightful story that will please those who are into STEM and recycling.

Nosy Crow, 9781788006903

“A House for Christmas Mouse” by Rebecca Harry is a warm and cuddly story of a young mouse who arrives in the forest, on Christmas Eve, looking for a new home.  He meets a variety of animals on his travels and is able to help them with a variety of tasks, but then he has to go and find this home.  When he eventually finds somewhere, it is cold and empty and frankly not very inviting.  When he tries to ask for help, the other animals don’t seem to hear him, but when he get back to the new home, it has been magically transformed by his new friends. This leaves a warm glow, thinking about the true meaning of Christmas.

Start Small, Think Big

It is always a delight to welcome a new publisher to the world of children’s books, so I am very happy to be asked to take part in this blog tour for the relatively young publisher ‘Mama makes Books‘, which started in 2020.  They are celebrating the launch of the first two titles in a new series  called “Start Small, Think Big“.  This is a series of factual books aimed at the  young newly confident reader, but which can be shared with those who are slightly younger.  The launch of these titles also celebrates the fact that this is National Non-Fiction November.

As someone who has been involved with Information books over many years (it is a lot, I promise you) I am thrilled by the wonderful books that are being produced today.  These two beauties are no exception and they really do focus the attention from the moment you catch sight of the covers.  Physically the books are just the right size for a child to hold and the number of pages (18, +foldout) means that they are not tiring for the reader.  I particularly love the use of a cut-out on the front cover, so that the reader is instantly drawn in to the inside pages.

“Little, Brown Nut”  by Mary Auld and Dawn Cooper takes us into the magical world of the Amazonian rainforest, where we follow the life cycle of the Brazil nut.  Until now I had only thought of these nuts in relation to Christmas and tins of chocolates!  However, their life cycle is absolutely fascinating and particularly the fact that the Agouti is one of the only animals that is able to actually crack the shell of the nut.  This led me on to wonder whether the animals are endangered by the loss of rainforest and what impact that would have on the nut trees.  Luckily the book explains about the ‘castaneros’; these are natives of the Amazon who harvest the nuts, whilst also maintaining and protecting the trees from the large logging companies.  I love the vibrant use of colour in the illustrations, which seem to perfectly reflect the vivid and wide ranging vegetation and animal  life in the environment.

 

 

 

“Small, Speckled Egg” by Mary Auld and Anna Terreros Martin is set in a totally different part of the world and shows us the life cycle of an Arctic tern.  These beautiful birds live in some of the harshest environments that you can imagine and they are the target for a wide range of creatures, from polar bears to seagulls and foxes.  The illustrations for this book are absolutely beautiful and show the life process, from the egg to the moment when the new terns follow their parents as the migrate south in the autumn.  There is a delicacy in the line drawings and the subdued use of colour, which really emphasizes the world that these birds live in.  I particularly love one page, where the bird shows how it can glide, hover and dive; the illustrator has managed to really capture these movements, especially the hovering.

A feature of this series is that the final page layout consists of a foldout , which expands into a map and shows not only the migration of the birds and the location of the rain forests, but also gives information to further our knowledge of the areas.  Because these books are aimed at a young age group and do not have a huge number of pages, they do not have any of the added extras such as index or glossary.  However, these are books that are going to work perfectly on a one to one basis, both in school and at home.  They are full of information, but can also be read as narrative non-fiction, where the story is just as important.

These books are delightful and have raised high expectations for future titles in the series.  They really need to find a home in every primary school.

‘Wonderful Water’, celebrating National Non-fiction November

I am delighted that I have again been asked to share some fabulous Information books with you, as part of #NNFN2023.  The theme of this year’s blog tour is “Wonderful Water” and if you check out the hashtag  you will discover a fantastic selection of books for both home and school.  the two books that I have been asked to review are from Flying Eye books and although they are written for different series, they both have the same author; however, there are two different illustrators, which brings a variation to the look and feel of the books.

Flying Eye, 9781838740931

Scientist in the Wild: Galapagos by Helen Scales and Romolo D’Hipolito

This gives us a look at one of the most inaccessible areas of the world, although this is less the case than it was even 30 years ago.   The book is framed around the work of 7 scientists, aboard the research ship Sula and it seems to be aimed at KS1 and lower KS2.  The book is full of illustrations and the sections of text are short, with an overview and then more detail about specific creatures or environments.  Some of the facts that we see are quite shocking; for instance there used to be a population of about 1,000 on the islands, but this has grown to about 30,000 and there are around 250,000 visitors (tourists) every year.  In the book we get to see the work of the scientists and to build our understanding of the changes that mankind is bringing to the area.  There is a fascinating section about how they tag Tiger Sharks and I was really taken by the description of something called “tonic immobility”, where the shark is turned on its back and  goes into a trance like state.  The whole book is full of amazing information about the wildlife, flora and history of the Galapagos.  We always think of the islands in relation to Charles Darwin, but this title shows us that adaption to the environment is still going on and that we have lots of valuable lessons to learn about saving the natural world.

Earth’s Incredible Places: The Great barrier Reef by Helen Scales and Lisk Feng

Flying Eye, 9781838741471

This second title is about one of the most incredible natural wonders of the world and one that is suffering because of the climate change that is affecting water temperatures in the oceans.  Again, this is aimed at lower KS2 and also KS1 , with the same clarity of text, but with longer sections which require a bit more reading stamina.  The author has not limited herself to the coral and fish who live in the reef, but also covers the links with Aboriginal people throughout history and then the arrival of westerners and the impact that they made on the environment.  The sections about plastic pollution and about the use of fossil fuels brings the story up to date and highlights the issues that need addressing urgently.     The illustrations are so full of colour and life, but they are all very different, depending on the subject that is being discussed.  For example the section about the Aboriginal people and some of their beliefs, is very subdued with a sense that they hark back to the wonderful rock drawings that are found in tribal lands.  In contrast, we have the bright, vivid colours of creatures such as starfish and octopuses, whilst the cover itself uses extremely bright, almost fluorescent colours, that really catch the eye.

Both of these books make wonderful introductions to the oceans that surround us and the immense diversity of wildlife, both flora and fauna that are found there.  However, they also highlight the importance of trying to improve the quality of the environment and not destroy the world in which we live.  These books will make an excellent addition to the school or public library and will spark discussion about  “Wonderful Water”.

 

 

 

 

The Spirit Snatcher by Cat Gray

I absolutely loved Cat Gray’s first novel “Spellstoppers”, with its mix of magic and normal life; so I was delighted when I got the opportunity to read and review this new book.  Of course, I was hoping that it could meet the high standard of the first; well, I need not have worried as it surpassed my high expectations.

Usborne, 978-1801310048

This story is set in central London, where Pip and his parents have moved to, from Norwich, because of his scientist mother’s new job.  Things do not start out well as they find the flat and shop they have rented is down a side alley that looks as if it is out of a Dickens novel.  The alley is dark, seedy and the flat itself is very run down and things do not get any better when a young girl tells Pip that they should leave  because “IF YOU STAY HERE, SOMETHING EXTREMELY BAD IS GOING TO HAPPEN”  Well, she turns out to be perfectly correct.  The very next morning Pip discovers his parents have totally change personality; no longer are they Tofu eating, TV hating and anti-mobile type people, now they are sitting in front of the TV and ignoring everything around them, so what has happened and what can Pip do?  When he meets the young girl again he discovers that she is called Fliss and she lives next door in the “Ragged Hare” pub.  He also finds out that this is a very unusual alley in that it is the home of some very unusual inhabitants.  There are vampires, werewolves, banshees and ghosts amongst others and the alley is closer to Diagon Alley than it is to anything else.  What he also discovers is that there is a mysterious character called the spirit snatcher, which feeds on people’s spirits, leaving them as shadows of their former selves and his parents are the latest victims.  Not only that, he is likely to be the next target when he reaches his 13th birthday in a few days (at Halloween actually).  The race is on to find the spirit snatcher and to find a way to reverse the effects on Pip’s parents.

What a wonderfully dark and magical story this is, with an excellent cast of characters representing many of the folk tales from our islands.  However, we find that beneath their unusual appearances and habits, there are people who just want to live their lives and not have to be looking out for danger all of the time.   Above all, there is the element of trust; when his parents are not there, who can Pip actually trust to help him get things back to his ‘normal’ and will Fliss learn to trust Pip enough to tell him her own dark secret?  I really loved the way that the author has built up the atmosphere in the alley, but also the  roller coaster of expectation as we think that the villain has been unmasked, only to have the arguments dashed.  Thankfully there is a denouement, but how can the villain be stopped and what, if anything will reverse all of their evil doings?

This will make a tremendous addition to a Halloween collection, either in school, or at home.  I can’t wait for more fabulous tales from this really excellent author.

The Author

Cat Gray is an author and journalist, based in London and Ireland. She started her journalism career at the age of 19, interviewing musicians and celebrities in between attending classes, then went on to be an editor at a series of glossy magazines, including Harper’s Bazaar and Town & Country.
Since she was very young, she’s always believed that there’s an adventure just around the corner, and this is reflected in her magical fantasy stories. Spellstoppers was her first book.

Feast of Ashes by Victoria Williamson

Neem Tree Press, 9781911107873

I will freely admit that dystopian novels are not my favourite genre, perhaps because I have been reading them for a VERY long time.  However, I have read and enjoyed Victoria’s middle grade work, so I wanted to see what she imagined in this first YA novel.

As you would expect, the story is set in a dystopian future and where the population live in sealed domes, to protect them from the lethal environment outside.  The central character, Adina  is a teenager with all of the frustrations and longings of her age; what she does not expect is that her desire for a ripe apple will lead to the explosion that destroys her home and kills most of its inhabitants, including her parents.  The small group of survivors have a matter of days to find refuge at Sanctuary Seven, the nearest habitation,  before their bio filters stop working and they succumb to the deadly atmosphere.

This is a story that reminds me of the conflicts that have happened during my life around the wishes of big business, especially when genetic modification is the focus.  The story is set in an African landscape that has basically been destroyed by the desire of multinationals to provide food as cheaply as possible, using non-western countries as test beds for their ideas.  This need to feed the population, together with the pressing issues around the environment, is something that is very much at the heart of the eco-movements that are voicing concerns today.  In contrast to this theme, we have the much more personal issues around Adina, her attitudes and the way that she has to deal with her guilt after the disaster.  The story is set out in a simple timeline; dealing with life and attitudes before the event and then following the survivors as they face the natural dangers and also the potential threat to them, if they do not reach safety in time.  We see the interaction of the characters and how they all react to their circumstances; in particular we see the gradual shift in the way that Adina thinks and acts, until we have the final scene that really packs a punch.

This is one of those stories that I cannot say I ‘enjoyed’, but that is perhaps not the purpose.  It does however, make you think very long and hard about what we are doing to our world and in particular those parts that are still seen as ‘developing’.  The author has given us a book to be mindful about and which will hopefully give its young readers a lot of food for thought.

About the Author

Victoria Williamson is an award-winning author who grew up in Scotland surrounded by hills, books, and an historical farm estate which inspired many of her early adventure stories and spooky tales. After studying Physics at the University of Glasgow, she set out on her own real-life adventures, which included teaching maths and science in Cameroon, training teachers in Malawi, teaching English in China and working with children with additional support needs in the UK. Victoria currently works part time writing KS2 books for the education company Twinkl and spends the rest of her time writing novels, and visiting schools, libraries and literary festivals to give author talks and run creative writing workshops.
Victoria’s previous novels include The Fox Girl and the White Gazelle, The Boy with the Butterfly Mind, Hag Storm, and War of the Wind. She has won the Bolton Children’s Fiction Award 2020/2021, The YA-aldi Glasgow Secondary School Libraries Book Award 2023, and has been shortlisted for the Week Junior Book Awards 2023, The Leeds Book Awards 2023, the Red Book Award 2023, the James Reckitt Hull Book Awards 2021, The Trinity School Book Awards 2021, and longlisted for the ABA South Coast Book Awards 2023, the Waterstones Children’s Book Prize 2020, and the Branford Boase Award 2019.
Her latest novel, The Pawnshop of Stolen Dreams, is a middle grade fantasy inspired by classic folklore. Twenty percent of the author royalties for this book are donated to CharChar Literacy, an organisation working to improve children’s literacy levels in Malawi.
You can find out more about Victoria’s books, school visits and free resources for schools on her website: www.strangelymagical.com

Sunshine Simpson cooks up a storm by G M Linton

Usborne, 9781801313353

This is the second book featuring the delightful Sunshine Simpson and her school friends, as they negotiate the dangerous waters of Year 6.  Expectations are high and they always have the issue of ” which BIG SCHOOL” should they choose lurking in the back of their mind

Sunshine and her family are slowly recovering from the loss of her beloved Grandad Bobby a few months before, while at school she is still mending bridges with her friend Evie; they are even part of the same group running a stall at a school fund raising event.  Just as everything seems to be settling down, Sunshine and her siblings are told that her dad will be working away from home for the next six months and will only be home at the weekend.  This is the final straw as far as our heroine is concerned and she decides to write a letter to her grandma in America, asking her to come back to England.  What happens next is a mix of good and bad luck, but which feels like a tangled bowl of spaghetti.  The reader really has a sense that things might not turn out well, but of course they do in the end.

This story brought back so many memories for me, although I do not share the same heritage as Sunshine.  Scattered throughout the book there are references to people of colour who have made an impact in their day (for a wide variety of reasons) and who are still working hard to bring equality to the country.  I feel that I was lucky to have worked in Bristol for 20 years and had the opportunity to bring books and information to schools, about the heritage that different communities bring to this vibrant city.  I was also lucky enough to be at Tilbury Docks on the day that commemorated the arrival of the “Empire Windrush”, 75 years ago and the references to the way some of the immigrants have been treated, really does resonate.  However, what really struck me is the wonderful sense of family that we are shown, despite the friction between Sunshine’s mother and grandmother.  We also have the way that heritage can be remembered through music and food in particular.  So as part of the school fundraiser the children choose to bake cakes or biscuits from their own cultures; we have the recipe for the one that Sunshine made at the back of the book and I think I may well have to give it a try, it looks quite scrummy!  Overall this is one of those joyous books, where problems are faced and overcome and where the strong bonds of family and friendship are so important.  Hopefully we will have more adventures for this band of friends in the future.  A five star, feel good story.

The Author

G.M. Linton lives with her family in the West Midlands and can often be found happily snacking on stuffed green olives or hunting out a slice of cake. She enjoys nothing better than snatching time to read a good book and losing herself whilst imagining characters and storylines. The Sunshine Simpson series is particularly inspired by G.M.’s parents, who arrived in Britain, from Jamaica, as part of the Windrush generation, in the 1950s.

Twitter: http://twitter.com/glintinhereye

Adia Kelbara and the Circle of Shamans by Isi Hendrix

Usborne, 9781803706542 Cover by Godwin Akpan

There seem to have been quite a few books recently which reflect on the ancient beliefs of African cultures.  Central to many of these stories is the character of a Shaman; those people who have a magical ability, often connected to the natural world surrounding them and able to act on behalf of the ordinary people around them.  I was delighted to be asked to take part in this blog tour for this fabulous story about the amazing Adia Kelbara.

The story begins with Adia as the unwanted niece of a family of farmers; in fact she is often considered to be an Ogbanje or child demon, someone who needs to be kept under control by the missionaries who basically rule the countryside.  In order to try and rid herself of all of this bad power she manages to get herself accepted as a servant at the Academy of Shamans, hoping that they can cleanse her of the evil.  However, when Adia arrives at the Academy she finds that it is a shadow of its former self and there are no true Shamans left among the tutors or students.  What follows is the start of an amazing adventure and a quest to save the world that she knows.  Whilst exploring the rooms below the school Adia discovers the unused library; then she overhears three immortals talking about the danger from the evil demon Olark, who has re-appeared after being defeated by the gods five hundred years before. Not only that, but Olark has been inhabiting the country’s emperor for the past year and becoming increasingly warlike.  Adia ends up following the goddess Ginikanwa (or Gini to her friends!) as she attempts to find a way to overcome the demon.  With the help of several companions they meet on their way, they endeavour to succeed in their quest.  The question is whether they will win and can Adia discover the secrets of her powers and whether they are for good or evil?

Map by Adam Rufino

This is a brilliantly realized fantasy with strong themes which echo the colonization of many countries by religious groups and what in this book are called the “Sunless Empire”, but whose people speak English.  What is so dreadful is the way that the people of the swamplands (like Adia) who have darker skins, are looked down on and are being manipulated and controlled by those outsiders.  Whilst this is supposedly set in a fictional country, it is very easy to feel the resonance with our own colonial past.  However, while this is a major element of the book it does not overwhelm the fast and exciting pace of the story.  The characters are a very broad range of personality and whilst we gradually warm to some of them, there are others that are something of an acquired taste.  Without a doubt Adia is a person that you really want to succeed, although it is frustrating that she really believes what she has been told about her powers.  Thankfully over time she begins to understand that we can have some control over our behaviour and that maybe she can be more self confident.  The ending of this story gives us some unexpected twists, which bring a positive feel to the outcome.  I hope that we might see more adventures for Adia, as there still seems to be some work to repair her country.  What a fabulous story, definitely a ‘keeper’.

Monique Cooper Photography

The Author

Isi Hendrix is a Nigerian American children’s book author who has been lucky enough to live and work all over the world, from the Himalayas to the Amazon rainforest, during her past life as an anthropologist. Now she’s based in her hometown of Brooklyn, NY, where she lives with a rotating roster of foster kittens and a stubborn refusal to accept that she is highly allergic to cats.

Thank you to the author’s website for the biographical information.

The world of Ivy Newt by Derek Keilty and Magda Brol

The allure of books about witches is something that is still attracting thousands of young readers.  The sub-genre is one that has fans from the very earliest age, with stories about ‘Meg and Mog‘ and ‘Winnie the Witch‘.  However it is that slightly older age range, where they are just gaining confidence in their reading, where witches have become something of a favourite.  Most children will come across series such as “Witch Wars“, “The Worst Witch” and “Diary of an Accidental Witch“, but these are still quite difficult for some readers.  However, this new series by Derek Keilty is a perfect bridge between the age ranges.

Scallywag Press, 9781915252180

I have been a fan of Derek’s work for a few years now and have followed him from the magical wild west, through pirate adventures and now into the world of witches.  There are two books in the series, so far and they are both a delight. The first book is called “Ivy Newt and the Storm Witch” and introduces us to the intrepid heroine of the books.  Ivy is the daughter of the King and Queen of the Sand Witches (yes it has lot of this kind of humour!) and she is just about to celebrate her birthday, but a violent storm means none of her friends can attend.  However, her parents have a prepared a spectacular piece of magic, where they both disappear; the problem is that they don’t re-appear.  Luckily Ivy and her ‘familiar’ Tom (part human and part wolf), are made of stern stuff and start out on a mission to find and rescue her parents.  After many trials and tribulations they finally reach the cave home of  Clawdelia Thorn, Queen of Grotland,  a true villain who has ambitions to take over other kingdoms.  Of course she gets her comeuppance and Ivy manages to save the day.

Scallywag Press, 9781915252333

The second book in the series is called “Ivy Newt and the Time Thief” and is set at Halloween, a special time for all witches, but it is especially important at Newt Castle as a every year a mysterious house appears, for one day only, and then disappears for the rest of the year.  Ivy and Tom are typically inquisitive children and decide that they have to know whether the building is a phantom or real.  What they find is a grumpy old witch called Meg, who had a spell cast on her for stealing a clock belonging to a very nasty sorcerer.  In order to break the spell, Ivy will have to find someone to mend the clock before midnight, which of course sends her on a quest to solve the problem.  As always we have a very satisfactory outcome to the story but it is the reason behind the original disagreement that give us all pause to consider how our word and actions can be interpreted by others.

This is a truly delightful series of books for those who are just gaining confidence in their reading. The stories themselves are enhanced by the magical illustrations of Magda Brol. Ivy is an adventurous young person and her friend/familiar Tom is a strong balance to her.  Together they form a great team, one that usually thinks its way through difficult situations.  In the second story I particularly felt for  Meg and the Sorcerer as we discover that one small moment of misunderstanding has lead to years of anger and regret; it really is a lesson for all of us, one where we need to be more concise about comments that we make.  This is highly recommended and I can’t wait for more adventures from this wonderful duo.

About

Derek Keilty lives in Belfast. Author of over ten books for children and shortlisted for the Children’s Books Ireland Book of the Year, Derek takes storytelling and creative writing workshops to local schools.

Magda Brol was born in Wroclaw, Poland, and now lives in South London. Her books include When Crocodiles Came Town, Story Time, The Great Hamster Getaway and Pirates Don’t go to School.

Scallywag Press launched in 2019. Their books have won and been shortlisted for many awards and translated into over 15 languages. They love distinctive, amusing and quirky art, and publish talented newcomers and established book creators. Three times short listed for The Bookseller Small Press of the Year, and Youth Libraries Group Publisher of the Year 2022.

 

Meg and Mog series                 Helen Nicoll and Jan Pienkowski                          Puffin

Winnie the Witch series               Valerie Thomas and Korky Paul                         OUP

Witch Wars                                     Sibeal Pounder and Laura Ellen Anderson      Bloomsbury

The Worst Witch                           Jill Murphy                                                               Puffin

Diary of an Accidental Witch    Honor and Perdita Cargill and Katie Saunders     Stripes

Ember Shadows and the lost desert of time by Rebecca King and Raquel Ochoa

Most of us assume that we have a right to self-determination and the idea that we are restricted by a fate that is given to us at birth, is something that we might have real problems with.  This is the idea behind the adventures of the feisty Ember Shadows.  In the first book she is looking forward to receiving her fate card, which will decide if she can follow her dream of being an inventor; however, things do not happen as she hopes.  Firstly, there is no fate written on her card and then her younger sister receives her card, saying that she only has a short while to live.  This leads to a fantastic adventure as Ember tries to change the way that the fates work.

Thankfully the second book sees our heroine very much alive, as is her sister Juniper.  At the end of the first book Ember manages to solve the riddle of the fate cards and gives everyone back the freedom to choose; however, for many people, especially the adult this is proving to be a very difficult option.  There had been safety in the old system and they have problems coping with having choice. Someone is taking this fear to an extreme and they are gathering the strands of fate and cutting them, so that the owners are killed.  Ember and her brilliant sidekick Hans (yes, he is a hand from a clock, brought to life by magic) decide that they need to try and stop any further disasters taking place.  They meet a wide variety of characters on the way, from giant spiders to mon-keys (who manage the weather patterns), but there is always the lurking menace of the line cutter.  The author manages to throw a lot of red herrings in our path and especially in Ember’s way, so that she is often caught out in her thinking about the culprit.  The denouement sees an unexpected villain and an upsetting discovery about someone she had thought was a friend.

I absolutely love the main theme of this book , about letting people make their own decisions and allowing ourselves to make mistakes, learn from them and then try again.  These are very important life lessons and together with the thoughts around family (and what that really means) there is a lot to make us think and to act s a start from some very important discussions.  However, there is also a theme around Ember’s love of inventing and this is such an important message to be passing on to young girls especially today.  Science and Engineering are equally as important for girls and boys, yet we still have a conscious or unconscious bias against this choice.  This really is a superb series for the middle grade and I can’t wait for book three to appear next year.  A five star series.

About the author

Rebecca King was born in Wolverhampton and spent her childhood in a
village called Sound in Cheshire.
She studied Journalism at the University of Portsmouth and has worked
as a reporter and a primary school teacher, including three years
teaching in China. She was inspired to write Ember Shadows and the
Fates of Mount Never after visiting Mount Everest, in search of her
Tibetan heritage.
She now lives in Bratislava, Slovakia, with her partner and her Chinese
rescue dog, Mushu.