Author: margaretpemberton

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Star Quest Academy by Adrian Lynch

As I am sure many people have noticed, there has been a rise in the number of science fiction stories that are being published, particularly for young and middle grade readers.  Part of this may well be because of the number of films and TV series that are set in alternative worlds.  I many of these we find a blurring of the lines between science fiction and fantasy, but this provides the opportunity for the authors to play with the plot lines and create something truly original.  Having said that, this particular story brings back memories of a much loved 1980s film that my sons were very fond of.  This is “The Last Starfighter” and it is the story of a normal human boy who finds himself recruited to help save the universe.

In this story by Adrian Lynch, the hero is a young girl  called Amelia, who is a streetwise, smart and also vulnerable orphan.  She lives in an orphanage run by the  disgusting Mr Belcher and he seems to harbour a special grudge against Amelia. However, one night everything changes when Amelia is forced to run away and meets a stranger who says she has been accepted at the Star Quest Academy, as part of a programme to see if Earth is now acceptable as part of the Intergalactic Federation.  Together with three other Earth children, Amelia has to prove herself, but it appears that someone wants her to fail and her life is in danger.  Whilst they are aware of the dangerous Lord Fog, who wants to take over the Earth, they also need to find out who is the secret agent lurking in the Academy; but will they find the correct person?

This is a wonderfully fast paced and exciting story that will be enjoyed by aficionados of the genre (and yes, I have been a fan for many years).   Amelia and the other human children have all come from difficult  situations and they will have to learn to work together and make the most of the ‘powers that they have.  Because this is set in an imaginary version of the Universe we have a multitude of citizens, many of whom would be very strange to those of us on Earth, but they have the same perceptions about us.  So this is really about different races and cultures learning to have respect and understanding of each other.

As we get to the end of the story there are one or two surprises in store, but I can only say that it does leave the plot open for a return to the Academy and the adventures of the four children.  I can’t wait to join them on their next adventure.

 

About the Author

Adrian was born a long time ago in Harrow Weald, North London. He is dyslexic, which wasn’t allowed in those unenlightened times. As a kid, when he wasn’t learning to be ‘normal’, (he failed), he would hang out in the nearby bluebell-carpeted woods. To him, they harboured space aliens, mysterious creatures and the ghosts of Grims Dyke whose mournful songs rustled autumnal leaves. This inspired stories that Adrian would tell eager audiences for pocket money.

Following successful careers within the NHS and as a Company Director, Adrian obtained a BA degree in Creative Writing from the Open University and is now bringing those fantastical stories to life in his novels. The Star Quest Academy – Above and Beyond is the first to be published. Adrian hopes that it will be as exciting and fun to read as it was to write.

Adrian now lives in North Bedfordshire.

 

 

 

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Please Don’t read the Footnotes Please by Rob Walton and Reena Makwana

Collections of short stories appear to be much in demand, but they are not always easily found, especially for the older KS2 children.  This is a very personal collection of stories and some random observations by the author.  If you start off by understanding his quirky sense of humour, then you won’t go far wrong.

What is really fascinating is the comparative length of the stories.  Many of them are only one page in length and I think the longest is about five pages.  This is a story called John Erskine IV and is a delightful story of why you really should listen when homework is given out.  The narrator’s older sister has to write about the character called John Erskine, but because the internet is down and her phone has been confiscated, she is a bit stuck.  In the end they write a totally fictitious account of this person’s life and low and behold the teacher thinks it is great, because they have thought ‘outside the box’.

The author is writing as the narrator of these stories and this really adds to the sense of connection that we have.  We also have the fact that the same area of Winterton appears in many of the stories.  This somehow adds to the feeling that this is all real and we are part of the community.  With some of the very short stories I felt as if they were just introductions and wanted to know a little bit more; this would seem to be a great opportunity to get children involved in creating extensions to these tales.  The author has put a section at the end of the book, about ‘write your own stories’, so this would work really well.

Rob Walton is a Writer, Poet and Performer and this exuberance shows in this new work.  Children are going to love dipping into this  Potpourri of stories and reading them to their friends.

 

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School of Doom by Sarah Harrison

The Times/Chicken House Children’s Fiction Award has been running since 2008 and has been the launch of many successful careers in the world of children’s literature.  The winner in 2022 was Sarah Harrison, with a book entitled “Eddie’s Demons”.  This has since become the story that is known as “The School of Doom” I must admit that I do prefer this new title and I am delighted that the book has now found its way out into the wide world.

The heroine, Eddie, lives with her two very unusual aunts, but then Eddie is not your usual kind of girl; how many people do you know who enjoy snacking on plates and wheelie bins?  The consequence of this being that Eddie had not found any friends at school and was generally laughed at by the other children.  However things change on her twelfth birthday  when she receives an invitation to join  “The School of Doom”, a weird and wonderful floating school that exists in a parallel world called the Outer Realms.  What follows is a fantastic and funny read about being different and accepting others.  I thoroughly enjoyed this book and will be writing a full review in the near future, but at the moment we have a family emergency to deal with.

 

Sarah Harrison was born and raised in Lancashire where she image.pnglives with her husband and two sons. She likes to hide in her writing shed known as the Witch Hut where she writes creepy and silly middle-grade stories away from four distracting pets – having learned that animals and open laptops should never be left alone together. She enjoys listening to loud rock music, repeatedly watching the extended cuts of The Lord of the Rings, never refuses tea or chocolate, and loves having adventures in her little red camper van.

Follow on @SarahHarrisons and find out more at sarah-harrison.co.uk

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The Greatest Stuff on Earth by Steve Tomacek and John Devolle

I was delighted to be asked to take part in this blog tour and the title of the book definitely attracted my attention.  The question is absolutely “what is STUFF”?  The word is a term that just about every person uses and it is not easily defined by the individual.  However, in this book, the author tries to give us a very broad definition of those areas that can be seen as stuff by many of us.

The author of this book is an American scientist and author, who has written 30+ books and works with those in education to help children understand science; he is therefore well qualified to speak about this subject.  The book is aimed at KS2 children and although it deals with some quite complex themes, it is clearly explained and the text is not overwhelming.

The book is divided into three parts; The basics, nature stuff and stuff humans make and use.  Section one looks at concepts such as Matter and Energy, then we move on to  section two and things such as geology, climate, biology and astronomy.  In section three, which is by far the longest, we find a huge range of stuff that mankind needs and has developed over the millennia.  It includes, food, shelter, clothing, power, paper, health and  communication.  This really is a wide-ranging look at how mankind has become the dominant species in the world, but also how we now need so much stuff we need to maintain our lifestyles and place at the top of the tree.

One of the things I really like about this book is the extras that you would expect from an information book and which really add to the experience for the young reader.  The contents pages are clear, well laid out and well signposted.  We also have an excellent glossary and subject index, as well as a list of photo credits.  The author also explains his research methodology and then provides more than two pages of links to online resources.  Whilst these are all well known and respected, it was a shame that less than 10 appeared to be for British Institutions; the main sources being American.  However this book still provides a huge amount of support information and acts as a great starting point for further investigations.  I am sure that it will encourage the young, and not so young, reader to look more closely at the range of stuff that surrounds us and enables us to survive as human beings.

 

Details

Title        The Greatest Stuff on Earth

Author      Steve Tomacek

Illustrator      John Devolle

Publisher     What on Earth Books

ISBN           9781804661413

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Even Lions get Scared by Dr Marcelle Moore and Monika Marzec

We live in a world where mental and physical health are real concerns, and the issues can start at a very young age.  This means that all nurseries, foundation stage environments and primary schools need to have a wide range of materials, that can support children through a variety of situations.

This picture book is about a young lion called Scout, who has always been strong, brave and full of life; but then one day he finds himself in an entirely new and frightening situation.  This is the first time that he has had this strange feeling and he has no idea how to cope with it.  His imagination takes over and he thinks that the other animals will look down on him for being scared.   However a chance meeting with a firefly helps him understand what he is feeling and how he can help himself to calm down and feel better; it also helps Scout to realize that the other animals also feel the way he does and do not see it as a weakness in him.  The sections where the firefly describes the way that Scout is feeling will definitely ring a bell with many, children and adults alike.  We tend to think that we are able to cope with new situations; so it can be quite traumatic when we come across a situation we cannot deal with and which makes us feel out of control and vulnerable.

The author of this book is a children’s psychologist  and has used her expertise to help young children cope with stressful situations.  Particularly useful are the breathing exercises to help the children to calm down.  The fact that this is written as a picture book makes it really accessible to a younger audience and the use of rhyming text makes the whole story really flow.  The illustrator has used a bright and cheerful colour palette which is attractive to the reader and the facial expressions create a sense of the issues that Scout is trying to cope with.

This book has so many lessons for the young reader, but it can also  help adults understand what the child is feeling; it can even help adults understand their own fears and worries.  It will make a great addition to the classrooms and libraries for younger children, but I think it is also useful for older children who struggle to access more complex texts.

 

Book Details

Cherish Editions

ISBN  9781915680679

 

 

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I am Rebel by Ross Montgomery

I am thrilled to be part of the blog tour, highlighting the amazing Top Ten books in this year’s Children’s Book Award.  Once again Ross Montgomery has produced a masterpiece that will pull at your heart strings.

 

The Children’s Book Award is the only national award for children’s books that is voted for entirely by children. It is owned and coordinated by the Federation of Children’s Book Groups and is highly respected by teachers, parents and librarians. It has brought acclaim and strong sales to past winners such as J.K. Rowling, Patrick Ness, Andy Stanton, Malorie Blackman, Anthony Horowitz and Michael Morpurgo, who has won a record four times. The award has often been the first to recognise the future stars of children’s fiction and has the ability to turn popular authors into bestsellers.

 

Ross Montgomery

“I’ve always loved dogs. I was brought up in a “dog family”: there was always a small amount of fur on the surfaces, no matter how many times you cleaned, and the day was broken up by taking them outside and carrying around their poo in a little bag. It meant that you really couldn’t leave food out anywhere: I left a Victoria sponge out once and left the room, and it lasted maybe ten seconds. It also meant that, no matter what, you always had a companion. At the end of the day, you could always come home to find someone who wanted to plonk on the sofa next to you and fall asleep, tail softly wagging.
I was thinking a lot about dogs when I decided to write I AM REBEL. I was thinking about how they love, and how loyal they can be, and how they want nothing more than to be with you. I was thinking about how brilliant they are at existing, at simply enjoying the moment for what it is. If a dog lived the exact same day every single day for the rest of their lives, they would be absolutely thrilled. Change a dog’s beloved routine – a slightly shorter walk than normal, a different treat, sitting on their place on the sofa – and they’ll act like their world has ended.
That’s what happens to Rebel in I AM REBEL. He’s spent every single day of his life on the farm with his young owner, Tom: he has everything that he could ever want. But when Tom runs away to join the uprising and fight against the bad King, Rebel’s whole world is turned upside down. How long will Tom be gone for? What if he gets hurt? What if he never comes back?There’s only one thing he can do: step out into the big wide world for the first time in his life, to find Tom and bring him back home for good.
It’s the first time I’ve written from the perspective of a dog, and I wanted to think about how they would see the world – with open eyes, and an open mind, and an open heart. But I also wanted to write about love: how it can be found in the quietest moments of the day, and how it can bring us strength we never knew we had. And more than anything else, I wanted to write about the power in small things: how the love between one young boy and a dog can still matter in a world that’s falling apart.
I hope you enjoy reading Rebel’s journey, and meeting all the characters he finds along the way!”

 

Children across the UK are encouraged to get involved. Copies of the books can be purchased at a discount from our partner supplier Heath Books here [link https://www.heathbooks.co.uk/federation-of-childrens-book-groups-childrens-book-award-2025/] and online voting will be opened at the conclusion of the blog tour. The deadline for voting is Friday 9th May and category winners and the overall winner of the most popular children’s book published in 2024 will be announced at a ceremony in Birmingham on 7th June, attended by representatives from all our local groups and livestreamed on the FCBG YouTube channel.

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Unicorns in Uniforms: Dragon Inferno by Tracy Curran and Steve Wood

Uclan, 9781916747425

We have been very lucky over the last decade or so to have seen a wonderful growth in the number and quality of  chapter books, aimed at the emerging reader.  Tracy Curran’s new title is a hilarious tale of a magical place called ‘Witchy Wood’.  When two young dragons accidentally set fire to the wood (breathing fire is a hazard!) it is up to the heroic firefighter Blaze, together with her fire engine Quench, to save the day.

As part of the tour to celebrate the launch of this fantastic story, Tracy has very kindly written about five of  the books that have inspired her to write for this age group.  I was more than delighted to discover that they are all books that I have read and reviewed in the past, and I have to agree with her assessment, they are all fabulous reads.

 

MY TOP FIVE CHAPTER BOOKS

Tracy Curran

Chapter books are so much fun! I love everything from their colourful covers to their loveable characters. The joy of a chapter book series is that you can meet your favourite characters over and over again for new adventures and they are short enough to read in one afternoon.

1) Unipiggle by Hannah Shaw

Usborne, 9781474972178

It’s such a treat to read a Unipiggle book. Unipiggle is an hilarious character and Hannah Shaw has put a brilliant spin on a unicorn with stories to suit everyone: a unipig who can turn things into chocolate by touching them with her horn. What’s not to like?

As with Unicorns in Uniforms, the books are illustrated in full-colour throughout which makes them literally leap off the bookshelf. Hannah Shaw has also included seasonal instalments such as Fairy Freeze and Witch Emergency. Each story is action-packed and completely entertaining – it’s my go-to rainbow mood booster!

2) Hotel Flamingo by Alex Milway

Piccadilly Press, 9781848127753

A hotel for animals is such a great concept and Alex Milway has packed this series with great characters and storylines that readers of all ages can enjoy. The main character, Anna – the girl who inherits the hotel – is full of determination and I love the charm and flamboyance of all the animal characters too, especially the flamingos. There’s some great villains in this series including the hotel inspector and the owner of a rival hotel. A special mention goes to Madame Le Pig, the chef, for being a particularly hilarious character.

 

3) Adventuremice by Phillip Reeve and Sarah McIntyre

David Fickling, 9781788453288

Who doesn’t love an adventure on the high seas? Or even on the moon? This chapter book series reminds me of the books and TV programmes I devoured as a child like The Moomins and Button Moon. The mice are brilliantly resourceful, each with different personalities, and each story takes us to a new setting: underwater, into space or onto a ghostly galleon ship (my favourite). The adventures are just great fun with lots of humour and peril and yet, you kind of know that things will be okay in the end because the Adventuremice will save the day.

Bloomsbury, 9781408889312

4) Fabio, The World’s Greatest Flamingo Detective by Laura James, illustrated by Emily Fox

As you can probably tell, I love flamingos but I also love detective stories too! This series is really fun. I’m not sure Fabio is quite as clever as he thinks he is but he always gets there in the end and there are lots of twists and turns in the storylines. Animal characters are great to write (and to read about) because they often have really bold personalities and you can play around with stereotypes. For example, flamingos are usually portrayed as being very outgoing and flamboyant and lions can be quite fierce and scary. So I love it when authors play around with that and come up with something different.

5) Diary of an Accidental Witch by Honor and Perdita Cargill, illustrated by Katie Saunders

Stripes, 9781788953382

I can’t choose another animal story again! Instead, I’m tuning into my love of witches. The Diary of an Accidental Witch series, told in diary format, is a modern day Worst Witch. Bea Black is a human who accidentally ends up going to a witch school. The adventures that follow are full of hilarious mishaps and lots of problems that Bea has to overcome. It’s so well-written and hugely entertaining with great illustrations – I struggled to put the books down.

 

It’s been so hard to choose only five. There are lots of incredible chapter books out there with stories to suit everyone. Happy hunting!

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Black History suggestions

As a judge on the SLA Information book awards for the last five years, I have noted the increase in the number of books which look at the role of Black and Asian people in the history of Britain.  The books mentioned here are just a few of the ones that have appeared in the last couple of years and which are useful for the school library, as well as introducing young people to their heritage and role in this country.  These may be the tip f the iceberg, but there are many more books which can be found on a variety of booklists, and magazines such as “Pen and inc.”, published by Cilip (Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals)

 

Macmillan, 9781529066203

“Black History for Every Day of the Year” by David, Yinka and Kemi Olusoga looks at events and people over each day of the year.  The book covers the whole world and also multiple periods of history.  A pot potpourri of black history that can act as a starting point for further enquiry.  This should be in every secondary school library and will be invaluable for both the pupils and the staff.

“History through the Black Experience” by Simon Hudson  is a two volume book that also covers the black experience through a daily record.  These volumes cover the first and second six months of the year and each day highlights major events through history.  It is richly illustrated and highlights the names of historical characters and events.  There is a comprehensive index.  This is accessible for upper KS2, but probably sits better in a secondary library.

Thames and Hudson, 9780500652923

“Bright Stars of Black British History” by J.T. Williams and Angela Vives  is an introduction to the role of the black community in the history of Britain.  It covers wide time periods and then looks at specific people who have played a central role in many walks of life.  A great read for lower KS2 pupils.

Bloomsbury, 9781526635716

“Brilliant Black British History” by Atinuke and Kingsley Nebechi.  This book is aimed at the lower KS2 reader and is about the history of black people and the role they have played in the creation and growth of Great Britain.  It is richly illustrated and  I particularly like the section about major black figures, who are currently making an impact in our world.

Quarto, 9780711277007

“Young Gifted and Black Too” by Jamia Wilson and Andrea Pippins is the second book about some of the most iconic black figures, both from the past and from the current period.  It also covers people across the world, rather than just from Great Britain.  It can be read by all KS2 children and although many of the people are well known, there are many that we do not know in this country, so it is good to hear about them and their contributions.

Andersen Press, 9781839133398

“Unspoken” by Kwame Alexander and Dare Coulter is a heart breaking picture book, with a poetic text which speaks of the horrors of slavery.  It looks at how the subject can be taught in schools and although it has an American setting, we can learn so many lessons in this country.  It makes a stunning introduction to the subject and is full of emotion and the need to understand and learn.

Magic Cat, 9781913520946

“Lessons from our Ancestors” by Raksha Dave and Kimberlie Clinthorne-Wong  is a broad look at the impact of cultures around the world, particularly before they were altered by the appearance of white men and so-called western culture.  It show young people that whatever their own cultural heritage, they will have contributed to the knowledge held in the world today.  It makes a good starting point when looking at the history of nations around the world.

Quarto, 9780711266933

“Hear Our Voices” by Radhika Natarajan, Chad Tayiana and Alexander Mostov. This book looks at the history of the British Empire, through the lives of 20 figures from across the world.  It is about understanding the importance of the people and their contributions to the world, despite being treated as second class by the ruling elites of their times.  It covers the period from the expansionism of the 16th century up to the present day.

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Skyfleet by Victoria Williamson and James Brown

I am delighted to see a resurgence in the number of science fiction stories being written for the middle grade reader.  The genre allows for a huge range of plots, from those set in this world, but with aliens, to those set in  worlds ‘far far away’.  Victoria Williamson has chosen to send us to an unknown distant colony, far from Earth and in this instance the colony is facing terrible danger.

The heroine of this story is twelve year old Amberley Jain, who was paralyzed in the jet crash that killed both her parents.  Her close friend is Ricardo, a young technical genius, who is blind and depends on the high tech glasses that allow him to see the world around him.  Their home colony has been under threat from giant mutant insects, that were created after a deadly meteor strike.  Because of their young age, the children are not allowed to help in fighting this threat, but they know that they need to do something.  Re-building her parents’ spaceship, the ‘Firehawk’  and its very specialized firepower seems to be the only way to save the world that they know.  However, the two young people face opposition form the adults who do not really believe that they have the skills to complete this enterprise.  But as the mutants get ever closer and even more large and dangerous, the options seems to be diminishing at a rapid rate.  Can Amberley and Ricardo defy expectations, despite the risks to themselves, and save the only home that they know?

What an absolute roller-coaster of a ride this is.  A fast paced and exciting adventure that has you hanging on to your seat.  It is one of those extremely readable stories that is as much about the action as it is about the characters.  In this case the two central characters are having to overcome physical disabilities but they are determined to still be useful, despite the misgiving of the adults.  I love the way that the book is laid out in different sections, with different fonts to designate their purpose.  Firstly there is the old type, that looks as if it is written on an old typewriter and which shows the messages being sent back to Earth from the colony.  We also have other fonts to show different members of the defending pilots and council.  My favourite sections are those where we see the images and technical data for the various ships that are used by the defenders; they feel almost like the descendants of the  Thunderbird’s rescue machines.  Overall this is a wonderful science fiction story that feels as if it reflects elements from the classical sci-fi of the 1950s and 1960s.  It is going to appeal to both boys and girls and maybe even those who have not tried this genre before.

 

About the Author

Victoria Williamson grew up in Glasgow, Scotland, and has worked as an educator in a number of different countries, including as an English teacher in China, a secondary science teacher in Cameroon, and a teacher trainer in Malawi.
As well as degrees in Physics and Mandarin Chinese, she has completed a Masters degree in Special Needs in Education. In the UK she works as a primary school special needs teacher, working with children with a range of additional support needs including Autistic Spectrum Disorder, Down Syndrome, physical disabilities and behavioural problems.
She is currently working as a full time writer of Middle Grade and YA contemporary fiction, science fiction and fantasy, with a focus on creating diverse characters reflecting the many cultural backgrounds and special needs of the children she has worked with, and building inclusive worlds where all children can see a reflection of themselves in heroic roles.
Victoria’s experiences teaching young children in a school with many families seeking asylum inspired her debut novel, The Fox Girl and the White Gazelle, an uplifting tale of redemption and unlikely friendship between Glaswegian bully Caylin and Syrian refugee Reema.
You can find out more about Victoria’s books, school visits and free resources for schools on her website: www.strangelymagical.com

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How to be a Revolutionary by Lucy Ann Unwin

Given the events of the last six months, both in this country and abroad, it is easy to understand that young people will perhaps wonder what the adults are doing and how it will affect them.

The heroine, Natalie, is suddenly aware that her home is being filled by an assortment of people, including her father, and they are spending hours folding leaflets and then going out and putting them through doors.  Her mother calls them ‘revolutionaries’, but as we find out during the story, they are actually local labour party activists.  The situation is not helped when her mother moves out and a couple of days later her father says that one of the female helpers, Kali, and her son Avinash are going to be moving in.    As an addition to all of this, Nat is an avid fan of Rats and all of the campaigning makes her decide to try and improve the image of her beloved pets, both at school and in the wider community.  Of course utter chaos ensues and the rats begin to proliferate at a rapid rate.  Can Natalie and friends find homes for these new additions and how will the situation at home resolve itself?

This is an extremely funny story in parts, but it is then mixed with some very serious elements.  The breakup of a family unit is always traumatic, and in this case not helped when their father springs the situation on Nat and her sister. We also have the election campaigners who are so keen to help the cause, but who were in this scenario, doomed to failure.  It is fascinating that Nat is so unaware of the  world around her;  she is only eleven years old and like many of that age, thinks that she knows a lot about life.  However, as adults we grow to realise that we are always learning something new and that youth has much lower horizons than their adults, but we should be encouraging young people to think about the world they want to live in.  This is one of those books that make a great read for young enthusiasts, but it could also be used as a discussion point for classes looking at the world of politics and how the normal citizen can get involved in a positive way.

The author

Lucy Ann Unwin worked as a music journalist at BBC 6 Music for 10 years, where she was privileged to interview the likes of Paul McCartney, Stevie Wonder and Adele. Brought up in Birmingham, she lived for a year in the Chilean city of Valparaiso and for three years in San Francisco, where she tutored children and young adults in creative writing as part of the 826 Valencia writing programme, set up by Dave Eggers.

Now settled in Sussex, she divides her time between writing, editing and reading as much children’s fiction as she can. Her first Book, The Octopus, Dadu and Me, was shortlisted for multiple awards, including The Brilliant Book Award.