February 14, 2025 by margaretpemberton

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!

August 15, 2024 by margaretpemberton

Let Sleeping Gods Lie by Thiago de Moraes

David Fickling, 9781788453202

I was thrilled to be asked to host this article by Thiago de Moraes. I absolutely loved the first story, “Old Gods, New Tricks”, which introduced us to Trixie and a host of Gods from around the world; notably Loki, who has actually turned out to be a good friend, despite his tricks. In this second book, the world is having to get used to the fact that magic has started to re-appear and that creatures from mythology are turning up and causing havoc. When Trixie’s grandmother dies, the family travel to Norway to sort things out, but there are some unusual changes going on and a large metal cauldron has gone missing. The issue is that the family legend says that water from the cauldron can bring people back to life, so Trixie decides to try and find the pot and use it to bring back her grandmother. With the help of her friends Loki, the Monkey King and Exu she embarks on a dangerous journey though the underworlds of several mythologies in the hope of solving the problem.

This is an absolute roller-coaster of a story that has the reader holding their breath as we meet some really frightening characters. We are familiar with some of the underworlds, but we are also introduced to others, all of which have extremely daunting gods in charge of them. Once again the author has produced a tour de force which will only increase the fan base for these books and I can’t wait for Trixie to have some more adventures.

My thanks to the author Thiago de Moraes and the publisher David Fickling Books for the article about the different versions of the underworld; it makes fascinating reading

From the author

On Underworlds and Afterlives.

Awful Afterlives and Dreary Underworlds

I love a good mythological afterlife. I don’t mean good as in cosy and quiet, but good as in exciting and unexpected. The most uncomfortable, outlandish and baroque these afterlives are, the more I enjoy reading (and writing) about them. Still, I wouldn’t want to end up in any of them.

Most cultures have a view on what happens after we die. Often the deceased person, or a part of them (soul, spirit, ba, etc,) travels to a place whose main purpose is housing the dead. In some mythologies these places can be happy and joyful but, in many others, they are either miserable or downright horrid.

Laverna, goddess of thieves

Trixie, the protagonist of Let Sleeping Gods Lie, travels through many afterlives of myth in a quest to save the world from a horrible fate. Whilst developing the book I researched many realms of the dead from different ancient mythologies, and picked a few for the settings of the story. Trixie spends quite a lot of time trying to get into and, inevitably, trying to escape from these places in the book. Here we’ll go on a whistle-stop tour of a few:

Hel

Ancient Norse warriors who died in battle could expect to end up in Valhalla, Odin’s great hall, and spend the rest of their lives feasting and fighting (which we can only hope was their idea of a great time). Almost everyone else ended up in Hel, a dark, grey place, where the shadows of the dead crept, moaning among swirling mists. Hel is ruled by Hel – daughter of the trickster god Loki (one of Trixie’s good friends). The name thing can be confusing, but the ancient Norse underworld is also sometimes called Niflheim. Whatever we call it, it wasn’t super fun.

Kur

Some ancient Mesopotamian cultures believed a person’s soul ended up in Kur. It was a long journey, down a very long ladder and past many gates where fearsome guardians – huge half-man, half-beast creatures – were posted. You’d imagine that, after all this hard travelling, Kur would be a place worth arriving at. It wasn’t. The dead spent their days covered in feathers and starving (unless their relatives offered them food in the living world). If that wasn’t enough, a scary goddess called Ereshkigal was in charge. Not worth a visit.

Mictlán

In ancient Aztec mythology, most of the dead went to live in a place called Mictlán. Like Kur, getting there was a bit of a palaver. The dead person had to cross lots of dangerous places: crashing mountains, winds of whirling knives, and a bloody river filled with jaguars. Unsurprisingly, all the effort led to a rather dreary place too. Skeleton god Mictlantecuhtli and his wife Mictecacihuatl ruled over the land with little joy. It wasn’t all bad, though. Once a year the gods let all the dead residents out so they could visit their families in the world of the living.

Duat

Osiris, Egyptian ruler of the underworld

The afterlife of ancient Egyptian belief looked very much like the world of the living, a landscape of sands, rivers, houses and all sorts of other everyday things. Some other aspects of Duat weren’t usual though. On arriving, a soul would be judged by dozens of gods, one for each possible misdeed they committed in life (anything from killing someone to talking too much counted). After that their heart would be weighed on scales against a feather. If the weights didn’t match, the heart would be eaten by a creature called Ammit, who was part-lion, part-hippo, part-crocodile (that’s three scary animals into one). Osiris, the King of the Dead and the first mummy, was the top boss of it all.

There are other underworlds and plenty of dead, undead and almost dead gods and monsters in Let Sleeping Gods Lie. I really enjoyed imagining these worlds and creatures, and I hope readers enjoy reading the book as much as I did writing it.

July 6, 2023 by margaretpemberton

Old Gods, New Tricks by Thiago Moraes

Like many people of my generation I grew up reading about the various mythologies that were common at the time. These included Roman, Greek, Egyptian and Norse myths and gods, but what was missing were the mythologies of other parts of the world. It was only when I became a teenager that I began to hear about South American, Asian, African and then American stories. However, these are not myths that are widely known or written about and it is only in the last few years that people have felt able to write about their cultural beliefs and histories; or at least that is my perception, so I apologise if I am wrong about this. I was delighted to read this wonderful story of the Trickster gods, a concept that seems to appear in so many mythologies but about whom I had little knowledge, apart from Loki who is a favourite character at the moment.

The main character, Trixie dos Santos definitely lives up to her name and as the story begins she is getting a final warning from her headteacher and is threatened with expulsion. At that moment all electricity stops functioning and the world is without lights, computers and in fact anything that depends on this source of power. As life becomes increasingly difficult for everyone, Trixie decides that it is the old gods who have taken the electricity away an she needs to find a way to trick them into giving it back; the answer is to get the trickster gods to help, something that is a huge challenge, even if she can get them to answer her pleas. What follows is something of a roller-coaster ride as Trixie and her companions follow the trail that will lead them to the other gods and hopefully success in giving electricity back to the world.

What a fabulous take on the world of myths and legends. The trickster gods all have their own little quirks and a real sense of attitude, so that we really enjoy their antics and the interaction between them. We also see these gods develop a real feeling of friendship with our young heroine, which means they start working together as an approximation to a team. Trixie is a really feisty young girl who learns a lot through the adventures that she goes through. There is a lot of growing up and an understanding that life does not always change in the ways you imagine when you start on a journey. The author is also a very talented artist and his illustrations for the book really focus on the wide ranging cultures that are represented; the black and white images really add to the overall sense of foreboding that we feel as the world begins to descend into darkness. This story also highlights the dependence that this world has on the use of electricity. Even for those of us who grew up without computers, mobile phones and other digital resources , it is still difficult to imagine going back to the days before this source was available. In a real sense this book provides a call to look after our natural resources and not squander what we have.

Thiago de Moraes

I’ve been fascinated with myths and legends since I was a very young kid in Brazil. I was fortunate to grow up in a house where there were lots of books lying around, on all sorts of subjects. Most weren’t children’s books, but my parents didn’t mind me reading them, and that’s how I discovered a lot of the mythologies that still captivate me today. Since then, my curiosity and respect for these extraordinary worlds has only grown; I have read many other books, spoken to lots of people and tried to visit and experience as many sites from different cultures as I can.

The first book I remember becoming obsessed with as a child was a large, illustrated edition of ‘Lendas Africanas dos Orixás’*, by Pierre Verger. He was a photographer, anthropologist and ethnographer who studied the myths of the Yoruba people from Western Africa and their counterparts in the African diaspora in the Americas. It was a collection of legends of the Orisha, Yoruba deities, which I found both awesome and a quite frightening. That’s where I first met Exú, also known as Eshu, Elegba and many other names, the god of beginnings, crossroads, mischief and much more. He was the first trickster I thought about having in the book (as it’s his right) and a lot of the plot developed from his presence.

Loki, Maui and Sun Wukong are there for the same reason. I’ve known them for a long time, so I felt like they were old friends that I could invite to join in an adventure (much like Trixie, the book’s protagonist, does.) What attracts me to tricksters, beyond their rebellion and creative force, is how fun their stories are. Humour can sometimes be hard to find in myth, so these tales have always stuck with me. Finally, I learned of Huehuecóyotl (and countless other gods I hadn’t know about) whilst researching a non-fiction book I wrote called Myth Atlas, which features lots of stories from different societies.

All the cultures from which the trickster tales that inspired Old Gods New Tricks come from – Yoruba, Ancient Norse, Polynesian, Chinese and Aztec – are immensely rich and culturally complex. They’re also very different from each other; it’s impossible to sum up all the things that drew me to them, but a common aspect, which I was mesmerized by, is the sense of vitality we get from them. Even though they have deeper meanings and play important roles in religion and ritual, they are also brilliant stories, full of the wonder and confusion of life, and present us with worlds that, although supernatural, are also instantly familiar.

I hope that readers that enjoy Old Gods New Tricks will continue on their own adventures and discover more about these cultures, their myths and legends. There are lots of brilliant places to start, but few are better than your local library or bookshop.

*African Legends of the Orisha

Thank you Thiago for this insight into your work, it is totally fascinating and will hopefully inspire readers to look deeper into the characters you have used.

“Old Gods, New Tricks

David Fickling Books, 9781788452953, £7.99

March 2, 2023 by margaretpemberton

Moonflight by Gill Lewis and Pippa Curnick

As a fan of books by Gill Lewis, I was delighted to be asked to take part in this blog tour. The book itself is a fabulous tale of adventure and overcoming the limits that are placed on us (often by those who love us best). Thank you so much to Gill for agreeing to answer these questions for me and many thanks to everyone at David Fickling books for publishing the book and asking me to be involved.

Moonflight is a very different story to those that we often associate with you. Have you always wanted to write this type of book and if so, have other authors been an influence on this?

My other stories are very grounded in the real world and are often about conservation with the human characters telling the story. I ventured into anthropomorphism with A Street Dog Named Pup, but Pup does live essentially as a dog in the modern human world. I suppose as a writer one can get pigeonholed into one genre, but I think most writers have a variety of stories they want to tell. I did enjoy being released from detailed factual research and building the world of the highly anthropomorphised Dockland Rats.

As a child, the stories I wrote were about small people or animals having adventures, and it has been wonderful to immerse myself in these worlds again. I have always enjoyed stories such as Despereaux by Kate Di Camillo and the world of the mice she created. As a child I loved Paul Gallico’s book Jennie, about a boy transformed into a cat after a car accident. I also love the Disney films of The Rescuers. I think children can relate to small creatures being the heroes of the story.

What gave you the idea for a hero who was so restricted in his lifestyle? Did lockdown have any impact on your thought process?

Lockdown had a huge impact. I was lucky that we had a big garden and access to local walks, but our lifestyles were so restricted in the first lockdowns. I remember feeling claustrophobic with a need to escape. And so, I escaped into Tilbury’s world, following him on his adventures, the twists and turns of the story happening organically as I wrote. I think I needed a change from my usual stories that are based in the real world, and to travel to new unexplored worlds. The infinite realms of the imagination were my portals out of reality. Lockdown also made me feel a little institutionalised, and anxious to venture out when Lockdown was lifted. A trip to London seemed a huge undertaking. I really felt I understood Tilbury’s paradoxical desires for adventure and yet to stay at home and never leave.

A main element of the story is about family and the importance of allowing the young to find their own way in life. Does modern life make us more wary of giving freedom to young people?

This is a hard one to answer – yes and no, I suppose. I think my early childhood had more freedoms than that of my own children’s – I lived in a suburban street and I played outside all the time, at friends’ houses, in local woodland even when we were really quite young. I didn’t have to say where I was going or what time I’d be back, I just had to turn up before dark or for tea. I think parents are more worried by stranger danger and dangerous traffic on roads these days. But also sadly, a problem of modern life, especially in urban areas is that are fewer places to play outside as many places may be developed for housing. My own children grew up in a rural area, but the small roads were so busy, and used as cut-throughs for local traffic, that cycling and walking were not very safe. Like all mothers, Tilbury’s Ma wants to protect her little son as much as she can, but of course, she cannot protect him forever. She must be brave and let him begin to find his way in the world, letting him test his own boundaries. Even Tilbury’s Pa must remind Ma that they were young rats once in search of adventure. But Ma will always there for Tilbury with a hot dinner and a warm bed if he should need it.

There are several very strong themes around greed, trust, cultural history and beliefs. Were they part of your original plans, or did they develop as the story grew?

These themes developed as the story grew. Part of the story was inspired by the myths behind the Koh-i-Noor diamond, a priceless diamond in the Crown Jewels. Queen Victoria gained this diamond by deception from the then 11-year-old Sikh Maharaja, Duleep Singh. This diamond has many stories woven around it, and different claims to its ownership. Queen Victoria would never have wanted to admit to the deception and may indeed have convinced herself she lawfully gained it. But this diamond also holds a curse such that no royal male ever dares wear it. Maybe the curse itself is a story, a hidden narrative of guilt, lies and bloodshed that cannot be ignored.

In Moonflight, I wanted to explore the stories we tell ourselves, those narratives we weave around our own lives to protect us and validate who we are. Sometimes it can be difficult to challenge those stories. I wanted to put Tilbury, a timid little rat, into a tale where he has to search for the truth, and in doing so, gain a greater understanding of himself too.

Finally, are we likely to see more stories set in this magical world?

At the moment I don’t have any plans, although if there were to be a spin-off I think it would follow Nimble-Quick on her travels. The first draft of Moonflight had other rat groups that ended up being cut from the story. I’d particularly like to revisit the City Rats, large domestic fancy rats that live in the top of the Shard and collect shiny watches and other bling. I’d also like to delve into the Elders’ possessions in the Tower of London, acquired and stolen over the centuries. An earlier draft of Moonflight included a rather mature piece of cheese from the original piece that Samuel Pepys buried to protect in during the Fire of London. So will there be more stories? Not right now, but maybe watch this space!

This really is a highly recommended story and gets five stars from me. I do so hope that we will have more stories from this magical world.

June 17, 2020 by margaretpemberton

Surviving lockdown

The last couple of months have seen huge changes in my ability to see forthcoming titles. First we had London Book Fair cancelled and then the wonderful Federation of Children’s Book groups Conference. This month I should have been attending the School Library Association Conference, but that is now online. All of this has meant that I could not meet up with the fabulous friends in publishing and look at the amazing books that they bring to the various exhibitions. However I will say thank you to the many publishers who have kept on sending review copies when requested, it is greatly appreciated. It has also been great to keep up with those books that appear as e-galleys on Netgalley and Edelweiss, this means that I am able to still read and promote the books that I think everyone will enjoy.

I am starting off with this look at some titles for younger readers and I hope they will enjoy this small group of titles featuring ghouls, vampires and witches.

Guppy Books, 9781913101060

“Ghoul Scouts, Welcome to Camp Croak!” by Taylor Dolan is the first in a new series about Lexie Wild, who finds herself at a summer camp called ‘Camp Croak’, because her grandma took a wrong turning on the road. Finding herself sharing a cabin with a ghost, a zombie and a werewolf definitely was not what she expected, but turned out to be great fun. This is a fast and furious story of a truly evil teacher and how the girls foil a plot to take over and then sell the camp. I loved the amazing illustrations, they are totally weird and wonderful.

Egmont, 9781405293921

“Amelia Fang and the Lost Yeti Treasures” by Laura Ellen Anderson is the latest adventure of everyone’s favourite vampire and her assorted friends. When they are all invited to the 350th birthday party of Florence the yeti’s great grandmother they did not anticipate that there would be a thief about, but finding the perpetrator and saving the Yeti mountain from collapsing will take all their ingenuity and see them facing great danger.

OUP, 9780192773579

“Victoria Stitch, Bad and Glittering” by Harriet Muncaster is not due for publication until September but it brings us a new heroine from the author of the ‘Isadora Moon‘ series; in fact we get two for the price of one, because Victoria Stitch has a twin sister called Celestine. Victoria thinks she should be in line of succession to the throne of Wiskling Wood but finds herself in all sorts of trouble, especially when a strange girl called Ursuline offers to help her. This is a delightful story about two girls who discover that, in general, people are a mix of good and bad and they just need to have the right motivation. the author has produced some wonderful illustrations that have a truly witchy and gothic feel.

David Fickling, 9781788450522

“King Coo, the Curse of the Mummy’s Gold” by Adam Stower is the second adventure for young Ben Pole and the unlikely hero King Coo who lives in the woods near his house. When an ancient treasure is stolen from the local museum Ben’s mother is under suspicion as she is a security guard; so it is up to Ben to try and find the real thieves and save the day. Yet again we have a hysterical tale of intrigue and adventure, where the totally incredible King Coo helps in their own inimitable way. This is definitely for those who love to laugh their way through their adventures.

Piccadilly, 9781848127654

“Beatrix the Bold and the Curse of the Wobblers” by Simon Mockler introduces us to an exciting and feisty young heroine called Beatrix. She has spent her life cooped up in a castle with her aunt and uncle, neither of whom seem the least bit interested in her. She know that there is some mystery surrounding her but doesn’t know what, so eventually she decides to leave the castle and discover who she really is. Of course we have all guessed the secret well before Beatrix cottons on to being the QUEEN; the problem is her aunt rather enjoys running the country and Beatrix soon finds that she is in danger. This is a funny fast paced and very enjoyable read for adventurous young people.

Andersen Press, 9781783448388

“Mermaid School, the Clamshell Show” by Lucy Courtney and Sheena Dempsey joins the surge of titles that have mermaids as their central characters. this series is aimed at younger readers and centres around Marnie Blue and her two best friends as they get used to attending mermaid school. This title tells us what happens when they are all auditioning to take part in a show, but then a new girl appears on the scene who wants the starring role by fair means or foul. This is great fun and also is a good way to help young people understand the dynamics of school life.

Gecko Press, 9781776572717

“Hattie” by Frida Nilsson and Stina Wirsen is the story of a young Swedish girl and her first year at school. It shows a very different life from that in the UK but the challenges of finding friends and learning about the wider world seem to reflect issues found around the world. This is a charming look at a young person just finding their feet as they start school.

Usborne, 9781474972178

“Unipiggle, Unicorn Muddle” by Hannah Shaw tells the story of how Princess Pea (Peony) has to choose a unicorn to become the Royal Unicorn. But Pea would rather be out playing and getting muddy instead of being dressed up in all her finery and sitting on a stage with her parents. Things take a hilarious turn as a pig joins the parade of unicorns, but he also has a horn, and most importantly he seems to have a great sense of fun. Of course Princess Pea decides that this creature, she calls the Unipiggle, has to become her companion. What follows is a lot of humour and the beginning of a delightful relationship between the princess and her magical pig.

Five Quills, 9781912923045

“Bug Belly, Babysitting Trouble” by Paul Morton is definitely a hilarious story for those just beginning to read alone. The main character is a frog called Bug Belly, who is called upon to look after his large number of nephews and nieces (tadpoles and froglets) whilst their parents are off at a frogspawn conference. The story follows his adventures as he tries to avoid numerous enemies whilst also moving the young offspring to a safer lower pool after he accidentally created a hole in the upper pond. Not only is this a great adventure but it also enables young children to understand some of the dangers that frogs encounter. There are great illustrations and lots of fun.

Piccadilly, 9781848127753

“Hotel Flamingo” by Alex Milway tells the story of young Anna Dupont who finds herself the owner of the Hotel Flamingo; unfortunately the hotel is rundown and the animals who are running it have run out of energy. They are also facing competition from the hotel on the hill, called “The Glitz” This is a great story about friendship, sharing and creating a sense of community. There are some delightful characters and charming illustrations that bring the story alive.

OUP, 9780192773630

“Mickey and the animal spies” by Anne Miller is a fabulous story for those who like mystery, spies and some very unusual characters. Mickey is a great fan of codes and spies and longs to follow in the footsteps of her hero Hildegarde L McTavish, so when she discovers a code taped to a bus window she just has to investigate. Cracking the code leads her to a mysterious office where she discovers a spy unit consisting of animals and called Cobra. Further adventures follow as they try and save the pet of a famous pop star as well as preventing a jewel robbery. This is an excellent first children’s book by the author and I was lucky enough to attend the book launch in London earlier in the year.

I do hope that you find some books in here that you would like to share with young readers. At a time of such uncertainty it is good to have books that we can really enjoy and which take us away from the restrictions that we have to face. I sincerely wish that we all have a happy and peaceful summer and that we can return to a new normal in the near future.

October 3, 2019 by margaretpemberton

Picture books for Summer – Part 1

“The Golden Cage” by Anna Castagnoli and Carll Cneut can only be described as a stunning piece of art, but it is also a salutatory lesson in how not to behave towards humans and birds. The story itself is a cautionary tale of a very nasty princess who loves collecting birds, but kills off servants who don’t bring her exactly what she wants. This is very much about what happens when there are no rules, because Princess Valentina is totally spoiled and no one tells her that there are limits on what is possible. The illustrations are amazing; they are vibrant, sophisticated, full of emotion and bring the story to life. There is a very limited colour palette and the strong use of the colour yellow highlights the title of the book and the importance of the ‘golden cage’ as the place where her most treasured acquisition will be held captive. The ending of this fairy tale has been left open, so that we can imagine a variety of plots, to suit our mood. Somehow this reminds me of the Brothers Grimm and I think it will be a great read with older children despite the small amount of text.

“Tomorrow” by Nadine Kaadan is a story about living in a war zone and there are moments when it is quite heartbreaking. The young hero Yazan loves going to the park to play but life suddenly changes and he doesn’t know why. He gets bored not going to school, not meeting his friends and not going out to play, so one day he decides to take his bike to the park; but nothing is as it should be and thankfully his father finds him before anything happens. The illustrations often have a darkness about them that reflects the reality of life that the family are living and Yazan is shown as being a very young child caught up in a dangerous world. This thought provoking book really adds to the collection that is developing and which helps young children understand what it has been like to live in some of the war zones around the world. It will also hopefully help them develop their empathy with those who have lost their homes and had to move to another country.

“Julian is a Mermaid” by Jessica Love is a delightful story about being true to yourself and about others accepting that we are all different. When Julian is walking home with his grandma they see a group of ladies dress as mermaids and Julian decides that he want to be one too. At home he finds an assortment of clothes to help in his transformation and even put on some make-up. His Nana reacts in a very supportive way and gives him a bead necklace to finish his look and then they go off on a walk. During this stroll they see a range of very individual and vibrantly dressed people and finally they start to see lots of mermaids; much to Julian’s delight. This is actually a carnival and people are allowing themselves the pleasure of dressing up.It is a delightful way to show the way that a wide range of people can live in harmony and enjoy life.

“Somebody swallowed Stanley” by Sarah Roberts and Hannah Peck is a very unusual but very relevant look at plastic waste and the effect on the sea. Stanley is a striped plastic bag and he finds himself blown into the sea where he is in turn swallowed by a Whale, Seagulls and a Turtle; luckily they were able to free themselves, but the Turtle need the help of a young boy. The boy then tells Stanley that he should not be in the sea, because creatures think he looks like a jellyfish. The boy then turns Stanley into a kite which is much more appropriate. This is a very simple story but it acts as a perfect introduction to looking at our environment as well as being a great story.

“Clem and Crab” by Fiona Lumbers is another story that helps us look at our environment and in particular the issues that we find along our beaches. Clem loves visiting the beach with her sister and fishing around in the rock pools, searching for wildlife. One day she finds a small crab and although she puts it back into the water, it somehow manages to get caught in her clothing and end off back in the city. Clem would love to keep her new friend but knows it must be returned to the beach; but how can she help make that a safe place for the crab? This is a lovely book at friendship and helping others and would be fantastic if you were planning on visiting the seaside.

“I am a Tiger” by Karl Newson and Ross Collins is a delightful story of a mouse who wants everyone to believe that he is a tiger. The absurdity of such a claim becomes apparent as he wanders along and meets a wide range of animals, none of which are correctly identified; this leads them to be sad and frustrated as they try and make this small creature understand who they are. In some ways this has the feel of the Gruffalo as the mouse is walking though the landscape and is telling ‘stories’ to the animals he sees. It is also a story about identity and perhaps about not being limited by our physical appearance. Most of us know who we are but often like to imagine that we have a different persona. I am delighted to find that a follow up called “I am not an Elephant” is scheduled to be published early in 2020, I can’t wait to read this as well.

“Walk on the Wild Side” by Nicholas Oldland is the third in a series of adventures featuring Moose, Bear and Beaver. In this story they decide to climb a mountain, but find that it is much harder than they had imagined. After lots of danger and obstacles they discover that the only way to succeed is by helping each other, and then they finally achieve their objective. I love these very simple, humorous stories that each give a very strong message and look forward to many more adventures for the intrepid trio.

“The New Neighbours” by Sarah McIntyre tells the story of the what happens when the residents of a block of apartments discover that a family of rats have moved in to their building.The bunny children are the first to find out and they are looking forward to going and meeting their new neighbours. But as they tell more people, mainly adults, we see attitudes change as people believe the stereotypes they have heard in the past. Thankfully when they finally meet the neighbours they realize that they are just the same as everyone else. This is a charming story with a strong and very important message about not listening to gossip and not judging people because of their backgrounds. As always Sarah McIntyre’s illustrations are colourful, energetic and funny and it is a great story for reading aloud.

“Cyril and Pat” by Emily Gravett tells the story of Cyril, a grey squirrel who finds himself living alone in the park. Then one day he meets another ‘squirrel’ called Pat and suddenly he has a friend to share adventures with; however we can see that Pat is actually a rat, not a squirrel. Eventually the other creatures tell Cyril the truth and Pat is forced to leave the park, leaving his friend alone again. The story does have a happy ending and the two are able to resume their friendship despite being different. Emily Gravett has given us a wonderful story of friendship, acceptance and empathy. It is full of humour but also has its fair share of pathos; it is a wonderful tale.

“Flat Stanley” by Jeff Brown and Rob Biddulph was first published in the UK in 1968 and since then it has become a perennial favourite with young children. They love the quirky and imaginative story of a young boy who is squashed flat, but then goes on to have amazing adventures. In this version Stanley saves the museum from robbers and is flown as a kite, however he has to cope with people being mean because he is different. Luckily his brother comes up with a solution and Stanley is pumped back into shape with a bicycle pump. This version of the story is illustrated by Rob Biddulph with his characteristic

“Sweep” by Louise Greig and Julia Sarda tells the story of Ed and what happens when he allows his dark and angry feelings to get out of control. There is the wonderful analogy of sweeping up dead leaves, but what do we do when they become too many for us to cope with and begin to effect those around us? Luckily a wind comes along and blows away his bad mood and he learns to think twice before allowing it to take over again. This is a very dynamic book with energetic illustrations which really help us visualize the issues that Ed is facing. The story is very simple but absolutely gets its message across; it will be great for helping young children come to terms with their own emotions as well as those of others around them.

“There’s Room for Everyone” by Anita Teymorian is a very thought provoking story about our world and about sharing the space that we have. This is something of a philosophical look at our world and how we seem to always want more space, yet this book reminds us that there is always room for all of us; this includes humans and animals. At a time when there are refugees across the globe, forests are being cut down and housing seems to be at a premium, perhaps we need to remember some of the ideas in this story. The illustrations are sophisticated and get also naive but manage to convey the meaning of the text in a way that we can readily relate to. I am sure this will find its place in the discussions about our world and the way we all live.

There are so many amazing new picture books out there that this is just the beginning of my selection. I am busily working on another collection and then there will be some brilliant books for Middle Grade that I hope to highlight in the near future. I have not forgotten about information books and my collection to share with you is growing, so look out for the next selection.

December 18, 2016 by margaretpemberton

It must be Christmas!

Well, for the last couple of months we have been showered by lists of books that we should be reading this Christmas and I thought that as in previous years I will pick a few of the ones that I have really enjoyed. Yet again it has been quite a bumper year for Christmas stories and this year they cover a large range of genres as well as age ranges. So let us start with those for what is now termed the ‘independent’ reader.

Puffin, 978-0141369723

“Mistletoe and Murder” by Robin Stevens is the latest in her series about the two young sleuths Daisy Wells and Hazel Wong. I have been an avid reader of all her works and this definitely lives up to the superb standard of the others. Daisy and Hazel find themselves spending Christmas in a Cambridge college and then they become embroiled in a murder enquiry which really tests their skills. Robin Stevens has used her love of ‘Golden Age’ crime to link this story to the works of Dorothy L Sayers and in particular to ‘Gaudy Night’ which is set in an Oxford College. As the girls might say, this is a “really spiffing read”.

Macmillan, 978-1509832583

“The Road to Ever After” by Moira Young is a total change from her earlier work and is for a slightly younger audience. It is the story of young Davy David who scrapes out a living in the small town of Brownvale and re-creates pictures of angels on the ground. Life changes when the mysterious Miss Flint hires him to driver her to an unknown house on the coast, despite the fact that he is only 13 years and cannot drive. What follows is a magical journey, with unexpected consequences. There is a sense of being on a quest as well as there being a nod in the direction of “A Wonderful Life”. This is a story to re-read and treasure and I know it will be with me for a long time.

Canongate, 978-1782118572

“The Girl who saved Christmas” by Matt Haig is the follow on to last year’s best seller “A Boy called Christmas”. Whilst the central character is still Father Christmas, this book is set at a later period. People are beginning to not believe in Father Christmas and the magic is starting to disappear. It needs someone who really believes, to save the day; but even she is beginning to have doubts.

Nosy Crow, 978-0857636386

“Murder in Midwinter” by Fleur Hitchcock. When Maya thinks she might have seen a murderer, the police send her to stay with her aunt in Wales. But the danger follows her in this exciting story.

Puffin, 9780141373324

“The Christmasaurus” by Tom Fletcher is about a dinosaur searching for his identity and a young boy who loves dinosaurs and Christmas; add a nasty villain to the mix and get set for a fantastically magical adventure

Simon & Schuster, 9781471159800

“Winter Magic” edited by Abi Elphinstone is a collection of seasonal stories curated by Abi. the authors are a range of the top children’s writers that are in the UK today. They include Piers Torday, Michelle Magorian, Jamila Gavin and Lauren St John. There is bound to be something for everyone in this collection

Hodder, 9781444926491

“Santa Claude” by Alex T. Smith. When Claude accidentally locks Santa in handcuffs and can’t find the key (don’t ask) he faces the problem of trying to deliver all of the presents himself. This is a great story for those who are just beginning to read by themselves or who want to share with others.

With picture books we are always inundated by a host of new titles every year, however there are also some favourites that make a welcome re-appearance. I have included some that have come back this year and which I have not written about on previous years.

Simon & Schuster, 9781442496736

“Click Clack Ho! Ho! Ho!” by Doreen Cronin and Betsy Lewin. This is the Christmas offering about the animals on farmer Brown’s farm and how they ‘cope’ with Christmas Eve and the arrival of Santa. As usual it is extremely funny and will be a great read.

Scholastic, 9781407109053

“The Lion, the Unicorn and Me” by Jeanette Winterson and Rosalind MacCurrach. This is a truly beautiful rendering of the Christmas story which really touches the heart. A absolute classic of the future.

Floris books, 9781782502944

“Mary’s Little Donkey” by Gunhild Sehlin and Helene Muller. This is a story of the Nativity for younger Children. It is translated from the Swedish and then it has been abridged. The illustrations are sympathetic to the tale and evoke the feel of the occasion. A lovely version to read to young children.

Puffin, 9781780080116

“Otto the Book Bear in the Snow” by Katie Cleminson is the magical story of two book bears whose book is borrowed from the library and then left whilst the readers go on holiday. But the bears need to get back to the library for the Christmas party, unfortunately things do not go as planned, so will they get back in time?

Puffin, 9780141373706

“Dream Snow” by Eric Carle. A delicious little lift the flap book about preparing for Christmas on a farm. It is great for recognizing the animals and getting into the festive spirit.

OUP, 9780192747372

“Winnie and Wilbur meet Santa” by Valerie Thomas and Korky Paul. When Santa gets stuck in Winnie’s chimney he asks her and Wilbur to help him deliver the rest of the presents. They have a great adventure but also lots of problems, so in the end Winnie uses a bit of magic to make sure that all the presents are delivered. As always the illustrations are sumptuous and this time there is a pop-up at the back, which is sure to be a great hit with everyone. I particularly like the use of Greek for names etc in the pictures, I wonder how many children will recognize the language?

Bloomsbury, 9781408859155

“Robin’s Winter Song” by Suzanne Barton is a beautiful story of the Robin discovering Winter for the first time and seeing what a great time he can have with his friends. The illustrations are positively jewel-like and add to the sense of joy and excitement about the time of year.

Walker books, 9781406365955

“The Christmas Eve Tree” by Delia Huddy and Emily Sutton is the story of a small and unloved Christmas tree that was saved from destruction by a young homeless boy and of the joy at Christmas as people gather around the tree to sing carols and to forget the problems of their everyday life. The ending shows that there is always hope and we need to believe in the goodness of people around us. There are beautiful illustrations with a feel of the 1960s to them, which really adds to the atmosphere of the story.

Simon & Schuster, 9781471119989

“The Storm Whale in Winter” by Benji Davies is the second story about a young boy called Noi and the young Whale that he had rescued in the summer. This is a winter’s tale and a wonderful coming together of man and nature to save one another. It is a simple but very heart warming story.

Red Fox, 9781782955504

“Lucy and Tom at Christmas” by Shirley Hughes have, together with “Alfie’s Christmas”, become symbols of what we might call a traditional Christmas. It was first published in 1981 and the world has changed a great deal since then. However the story gives a lovely sense of family, friendship and the meaning of the occasion. Sometimes it is nice to wallow in nostalgia and think of the simple enjoyments of life.

David Fickling, 9781910200803

“Coming Home” by Michael Morpurgo and Kerry Hyndman (illust.) is the story of a Robin as he migrates to his winter home, all the time thinking about his partner who should be waiting for him. It is full of trials and tribulations but also kindness and hope. Definitely a story full of the meaning of Christmas.

I can’t believe it is only a week until the big day but I am sure that there is still time to do a bit of reading or to get some stocking fillers for the family. I know I will be reading some of these stories to my grandson when he comes to visit and i might even treat myself to a re-read of one or two favourite stories. The Christmas season has definitely started as I was telling Christmas stories in my local primary school last week and I have also been to a performance of Messiah. There is just “The Muppet Christmas Carol” to go and then all will be ready. Have a wonderful Christmas everyone and enjoy your reading.

Margaret's reading shelf

a personal look at a reading life.

David Fickling