Spellboda by J C Clarke

The relationship between humans and birds is something that has been around for generations, although the appearance of “A Kestrel for a Knave” by Barry Hines probably bought it in to focus for many.  This book is both heart breaking and yet full of hope for the future.  The impact of his mother’s death on both Trevor and his father is something that we really feel, but the relationship that develops with the birds allows for healing and change.  I am delighted that I was asked to take part in this blog tour and this book is going to be a firm favourite for those who love to feel close to nature.

1st September 2021, The Book Guild

“Trust, belief and a little magic… then maybe they could both fly free Since Trevor’s mum died his dad can barely look at him without yelling. Home is awful, school is worse. People just let you down, and Trevor only talks to Mrs. Bingo-Wings, his mum’s cat. But then he meets Midge, a peregrine falcon in danger, and finds out he has a gift that could change his life forever. Trevor is thrown into the heart of a magical adventure that could promise freedom – for Midge and for himself – but can he overcome his doubts and fears, and take on the destiny he’s only just discovered?”

Previously a falconer, consultant and writer-presenter of CITV’s Wild World, JC Clarke is now loving the writer’s life and is also a script consultant and copywriter. She’s been involved in falconry and conservation industries for over twenty years and is passionate about protecting wildlife. An alumna of the Curtis Brown Creative Writing for Children Course, Jo was shortlisted for Best Opening Chapter for Spellboda at the 2019 Jericho Writers Festival of Writing. She lives in Ashford, Kent with her family – and a large number of animals!

For publicity requests, please contact info@literallypr.com
Online media folder: bit.ly/JCClarke_PR

 

In short, what is Spellboda about?
Spellboda is a magical animal adventure about Trevor, a boy struggling with grief and who doesn’t ‘fit in’, but discovers he has a magical gift. He can talk to Midge, a peregrine falcon, who desperately needs his help. Can Trevor work out who wants to steal Midge, why, and most importantly, can he believe he’s worth something, stop the thieves and save Midge from a life in captivity?

What inspired you to write the book?
I’ve worked with birds of prey for much of my career and I’m passionate about animal conservation. Some of my work has also been with young people, and helping them to transition through difficult situations and times in their lives, and I wanted to write a story that would also help young people to be confident in their unique abilities and strengths, and to believe in themselves.

What are some of the key themes that you explore in the book?
Key themes are animal conservation and education, handling grief and relationship dysfunction, finding self-confidence, self-belief and self-esteem, and being brave enough to live life in colour – with a touch of magic!

Is Spellboda your first book? When did you start writing it?
Although I have several manuscripts gathering dust in my cupboard, Spellboda is the first book I was brave enough to take forward to publication. I started writing it in 2014, but I was working full-time at this point so it took a while – especially as I put it through six re-drafts before I was even close to being happy with it. I should have listened to the themes in the story sooner and believed in myself a little more!

Who, or what, are some of your literary influences?
CS Lewis has been a huge influence and inspiration to my writing, as has Alan Garner, who is my hero! I have a love of older classics – including The Water Babies, The Hobbit, Lord of The Flies, and many more, and as I child I used to read Dickens’ A Christmas Carol every December without fail!

What inspired you to write for children / young adults, as opposed to adult fiction?
I’ve always read children’s fiction as a preference to adult fiction, and feel drawn to write it. Imagination is a superpower, and I feel that children aren’t able to let theirs go as much since the advent of tablets, mobiles, gaming and social media… and that books can still give them a chance to let their imaginations go wild.

You were an alumna of the Curtis Brown Creative Writing for Children Course; what was this like, and how did it impact your writing?
The course was hugely helpful to me mid-way through writing Spellboda. It inspired yet another re-draft and also helped me to develop a thicker skin for critical review! Working with respected authors and agents was a great way to gain valuable new perspectives on story writing.

How do you think your story can impact readers?
My hope is that Spellboda helps anyone, no matter their age, to feel worth something when they doubt, to feel they can be brave enough to step up and grab their chance when it comes. I hope awareness is raised for conservation – both in the UK and worldwide – and the belief that making a difference is possible, no matter how small the act.

How long did it take you to write Spellboda, and why?
It took me 6 to 7 years to write Spelloboda, but this was partly because I was working full-time alongside writing, and I wanted to keep re-drafting and working on the manuscript until I felt it was as good as I could make it.

What were some of the challenges when writing the book?
Time and self-confidence were my biggest challenges. Next was finding a place where I could write uninterrupted! I discovered many coffee shops along the way!

And what were some of the highlights?
I vividly recall finishing the book, after the last edit. I think it was because I knew I had got as far as I could at being happy with the manuscript, as much as writers ever can be anyway! I sat at my computer and had tears pouring down my face; happiness at the sense of achievement, but actually more for Trevor, and for his falcon friend, Midge, who have become so real in my life. Other highlights include taking time away to ‘retreat’ to Derbyshire, where Spellboda is set, to walk the peaks and live and breathe in every aspect of the setting I was writing.

You were previously a falconer and have a passion for wildlife; could you tell us more about this?
I fell in love with birds of prey aged 7, when on a trip to Scotland. Sitting in a hide for three hours, at last I watched the UKs only breeding pair of ospreys (at the time) fly over the loch to their nest with fish to feed their babies. I was fascinated, hooked. Even now, every time a bird flies overhead I stop to watch it… especially birds of prey. I spent 18 years as a falconer and my fascination with raptors only got stronger. I’ve been lucky enough to travel more in recent years, and I always seek out the wildlife elements of any place I visit, no matter what or where they are. The natural world is a gift for us all to marvel at and enjoy, and I’ve just felt more and more strongly the responsibility to play my part in protecting it.

How can readers make a difference when they read your story and engage with the messages of conservation and self-belief?
Even the smallest positive act in any area of life will make a difference. My hope is that readers will look at wildlife in a new way, and be more aware of the ways they can help. Even getting involved in local initiatives, such as the work being done at The Wildwood Trust, and many other amazing organisations, will help, and the more of us that get involved, the more difference we will make collectively. I always remember the starfish story!

Why it is important to try to engage with young people in this age bracket (9-15) that often falls between the gaps of middle grade and YA, particularly in light of your youth work?

I believe that ages 9 – 14 are an increasingly crucial stage in development for a young person. It’s a concern to me that so many are exposed to all kinds of material on social media at this age, and the increasing pressure for an unrealistic expectation of some idea of ‘perfection’ that only filters can bring! It’s harder than it’s ever been to be a young person, and to navigate the challenges. I’m sure we can all relate to the teenage years as being a stage we were grateful to survive! Today we see issues relating to personal control, brought about by feelings of inadequacy, and this often seems to manifest in general feelings of hopelessness, a lack of direction and confidence, and sometimes heart-breaking cases of emotional trauma and pain, which can then result in very distressing reactive behaviour. I believe our young people are up against it in a way like never before, and that we need to help them, empower them to believe in themselves, and give them confidence again.

Why do you particularly support charities such as Wildwood and Vulpro? What is it about these charities in particular that stand out for you?

I’m passionate about animal conservation, and supporting Wildwood and Vulpro is hugely important to me. Wildwood’s mission to conserve indigenous species, the work they are carrying out on breed and release projects, is amazing, and they were the obvious local choice for me to support a UK charity. As a worldwide issue, many people are unaware that huge numbers of vultures are dying, and many species are now critically endangered. Vultures are a vital component in our ecosystem and their loss would be catastrophic. I adore vultures, and so this was again a natural choice for me. Vulpro are doing the most amazing work out in South Africa, and they need all the help they can get!

Do you have any trigger warnings on or in the book? The book deals with emotional abuse from a parent – what sort of feedback have you had around this theme?

Some feedback has been that it was a struggle to read about Trevor’s relationship with his father, but some has also been that it was too tame, so I know it’s a very emotive area. It’s hard to acknowledge but many people have gone through some element of abuse or dysfunction through their childhood at some point, so my hope is to face it head on and show different perspectives may help a reader feel reassured and not alone if anything like this was to happen / has happened to them.

What’s next for Trevor and Midge?
Trevor and Midge are fully immersed in the adventure of Book Two now, which is in progress. I’ve also been lucky enough to be asked to write a film script for Spellboda, and I’m currently working on this with an Emmy award-winning writer in LA as my editor – so I’m feeling very grateful!

Do you plan on writing any more books in the future?
I’m planning a set of three books for the Spellboda series, and already have ideas for other books!

And finally, what do you hope that readers will take away from the book?
I hope readers will take away that satisfied feeling that comes from reading a story written with passion, that connects and resonates with them and lifts their spirits. I hope they can lose themselves in the story, and believe amazing things are possible in life, if they believe in themselves!

 

Autumn Moonbeam: Dance magic ! by Emma Finlayson-Palmer and Heidi Cannon

Uclan, 9781912979769

It is so delightful to see the growth in the number and quality of books for the younger reader.  There was a time when it felt as if it was only reading schemes that were available.  thankfully this is no longer the case.

This is the first in a series of stories featuring the young witch Autumn Moonbeam and her love of all things to do with dancing.  This young heroine really want to make a success of her dancing, but she is unfortunately one of those people who are always accident prone.  she hopes that she will eventually make it big and her real wish is to be accepted into a dance team.  When her friend Leif, who attends Sparkledale Dance Academy, brings a flyer into school, Autumn gets very excited; the Academy is about to hold trials for young people to try out for their competitive dance team, The Black Cats.  However, Autumn’s nasty neighbour Severina is also determined to make the team and she is willing to go to great lengths to achieve her end, even putting a spell on Autumn that turns her into a black cat.  The question is, will our heroine achieve her dream?

What a delightful story that will really resonate with so many young children.  The characters are at that age where they are wanting to branch out and do things, but they are also very vulnerable and worried about whether they can fulfill their dreams.  It is great to see a story where the friends and adults are all very supportive and even the ‘nasty’ Severina is made to understand the consequences of her behaviour and starts to mend her ways.  It is a great read for fans of series such as Amelia Fang and Leonora Bolt.

Sister to a Star by Eloise Smith and Federica Frenna

If you are looking for a story full of glamour, adventure, mystery and sibling rivalry then this is definitely the book for you.  The two sisters, Evie and Tallulah are as different as chalk and cheese, with Tallulah having ambitions to become a famous film star;  Evie on the other hand wants to follow in her grandfather’s footsteps and become a stage sword fighter.  When they find themselves in Hollywood, it looks as if their dreams might come true, but Evie finds herself being constantly pushed aside by her sister’s ambitions.  Things change when it looks as if Tallulah is kidnapped and Evie sets off with some new friends in a bid to find her sister.

I hope that this has whetted your appetite for this exciting tale and that this post from the author Eloise Smith will bring the characters to life.  Thank you to Chicken House and Eloise Smith for this and for the opportunity to take part in the blog tour.

 

SISTER TO A STAR: A book for girls?
By Eloise Smith

Sister To A Star by Eloise Smith

Middle grade books tend to be highly gendered. Titles beginning ‘The boy who . . .’ or ‘The girl who . . .’ are fearsomely popular amongst 9 – 12 year olds. Common wisdom dictates that girls will happily read books with boy protagonists, whilst boys reject books with female protagonists.

However, when I set out to write Sister To A Star, I didn’t want to write a ‘book for girls’. Growing up, I loved action adventure movies: Indiana Jones, Star Wars, James Bond, even Ghostbusters. So all my favourite characters were male. I imagined myself escaping pits of snakes like Indy, fighting with light-sabres like Luke Skywalker and electrocuting villains like Bond, before delivering witty one-liners like Peter Venkmann.

Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom

 

 

 

 

 

Princess Leia waiting to be saved in Return of the Jedi

I could never get very excited about their female sidekicks, who seemed so passive and dispensable as they waited to be saved.

 

 

 

So I decided I wanted to write a high-octane action adventure, full of fights, duels, dare-devil stunts and narrow escapes. What the traditionalists might call a ‘book for boys’. The only difference of course, I was that it would have a girl lead. She would be just like my action heroes – really physical, driving the action, fighting, climbing, jumping, tight-rope walking, escaping fire, wild animals and any number of thrilling horrors. Hell, she could even save her own female sidekick. And so emerged my protagonist, Evie.

Evie and Tallulah from Sister To A Star
I balanced Evie with her more conventionally feminine twin, Tallulah. She can dance and act, loves pretty dresses, hair and make-up and dreams of being a movie star. She’s as girly as Evie is tomboyish. Neither is positioned as a better or worse way to be a girl – just different.

Ultimately, it’s only by embracing each other’s skills can the twins win the day. So this is neither victory for the clichés of girly girls nor tomboys. It’s about encouraging readers to avoid gender stereotypes traps, and be their best self. In the words of the stunt fencing coach in Sister To A Star:

“Just be the best you, don’t worry about everyone else.”

Sister To A Star by Eloise Smith is available at Amazon, Waterstones, WH Smith and The Book Depository. Happy reading!

A Head full of Magic by Sarah Morrell

Hashtag Press, 9781913835156

This is a strikingly original look at magic and the various ways that it is perceived and understood in different cultures.  Thank you to Hashtag Press for giving me the opportunity to read this and to be part of the joyous celebration for its publication.

The heroine, Fleur is just a normal year six pupil, who lives with her English Mother and West India Nan.  The only unusual thing is that she doesn’t like birds, especially the parrot (called Sir Barclay Wigbert Titus Smythe) who shares Nan’s room in the attic.  Apart from that, she is focused on surviving the last term at her school and avoiding the bully Celeste, who seems to have taken a dislike to her.  But strange things are happening in the community, with mysterious flying figures, lost slippers in the road and even more strange, Nan seems to be part of this.  The final, and really disturbing occurrence is when  Fleur discovers she can understand what the animals are saying.  It starts off with Sir Barclay, but she soon finds that she can communicate with everything from insects to large animals.  After finding the courage to talk to her Nan about all of this, she discovers that she is a Hexter (someone with magic) and her  version makes her an Animalator.  Nan explains about many of the other versions and says that she is able to fly invisibly, hence the  lost slipper.    It turns out that the rather nasty Celeste has the ability to recognize magic, but does not have any skills that she can use, hence her dislike of Fleur.  But can Fleur deal with this problem, help her Nan and come to terms with her amazing new powers; above all, can they manage to reunite Sir Barclay with his lost love Dame Genevieve?

What a fabulously funny story, with some really feisty and  smart characters.  You can’t help but love Nan with her wonderful spirit and sense of family;  despite being 89 years old, she is the glue that holds everyone together.  However, for me, it is Sir Barclay who really steals the show;  he is a totally snarky parrot, with a wicked turn of phrase but he also has the determination to help the family in any way he can.  I do hope that we will be treated to more stories as Fleur learns to control her powers and perhaps find her father, who had left home when his father died.  This is definitely aiming to be a five star story.

 

Thanks to Literally PR

About the Author
Sarah lives in Yorkshire and worked as a Criminologist until
she fell in love with writing and quickly swapped a life with
crime for a life with rhyme! She is married with three awesome
kids who keep her on her toes whilst she is plotting and
sharing her latest stories.
Sarah has self-published two picture books. The King and
the Cockerel was a finalist in the Wishing Shelf Book Awards
in 2018 and Molly’s Magic Brolly picked up a Silver Award
in 2019. She is currently working on a number of middle
grade and children’s picture books and has a couple of book
club novels up her sleeve too. When she is not writing, she
loves nothing more than to run, bike or swim in the hills
of Holmfirth and recently entered her first Triathlon. Next
New Year’s Eve, she will not be making any sports related
resolutions.
Sarah is an active SCBWI Member and a Volunteer
Ambassador for Candlelighters Charity.
Follow Sarah @SMorrellAuthor
www.sarahmorrellauthor.co.uk

Hedgewitch by Skye McKenna and Tomislav Tomic

I admit to really loving books about magic, witches, and the mythology surrounding the Fae folk.  This belief in the fairy people has its roots in Celtic myths, as far as I know and you can forget any thoughts of pretty little fairies with tinsel and wings.  The characters in this story are human sized, powerful and have a very strong dislike for humans, although they have a fondness for young children and often kidnap them.  In the land of fae there are also creatures ranging from goblins to pookhas, all of which are a danger or at least an irritation to the human world.

Cassandra, or Cassie Morgan has been at the really awful Fowell House School for seven years, ever since her mother left her there at the age of five.  When she is told that her mother has been declared officially dead, she does not believe it and runs away, to avoid being sent to an orphanage.  But that is when things become very strange; firstly she is attacked by six very small men and then she is saved by a talking cat (yes, really!) and a flying broomstick.  The cat, Montague, tells Cassie that he has been sent by her unknown Aunt Miranda, to bring Cassie to the family home and when she arrives she discovers a world that she had dreamt about, but had not really believed existed.

Aunt Miranda is a witch, as are some of the locals in the village of Hedgely and her duty is to protect the ‘Hedge’, a dense wood that creates a barrier between the human and faery worlds.  It seems that creatures are trying to break through the barrier and they have been stealing children to take them back to sell to the ‘Lords and Ladies’ as the Fae are called.  Cassie finds that life has become very complicated; not only is she is starting lessons at the witch version of the girl guides, trying to navigate between several friends and getting to know her new family, but above all she is trying to find clues about her mother’s disappearance.  As you can see from the brilliant map, this is a small and tightly knit community, but it is still wonderful to be able to visualize it in this way.  There are also some marvellous illustrations throughout the book.

This is a truly fantastic story of witchcraft and magic, mixed with that slightly dark version of Celtic mythology.  Cassie is one of those characters that you can’t help but like, even though as an adult I find her very frustrating at times.   The friction between her and her aunt  is caused by the difference in the way they see the world.  Cassie, like many young people sees the world in fairly straightforward terms, unlike her aunt, who has learnt that there are all kinds of nuances and you often need to tread carefully.  Mixed with the search for the missing children and mother we also have multi-layers of friction between individuals and witch families.  You can see that there are echoes of other stories featuring young witches, but of course it is what the author does with the story that makes all the difference.  I first read this story in preparation for attending the Federation of Children’s Book groups’ Conference last month; as you can see from the photos, I had the pleasure of meeting Skye, as she launched her book with a selection of cakes.  I have now re-read the book ready for this blog and I am really delighted to say that the book is even better the second time around.  We are treated to adventure, intrigue, family and some fascinating characters, although I think that my favourite is that cat with attitude, Montague; he has that hint of sarcasm in his comments and yet we feel that he would do anything for the Morgan family.

This is one of those books that you give 10 out of 10, or even 5 stars, but if you bring it all to a basic level then this is a brilliant read and I can’t wait for the follow up, “WoodWitch” due to be published in April 2023.  It is a must have for any lover of fantasy stories.

 

The Author

Skye McKenna grew up in a mining town in the Australian outback. Surrounded by the red dust of
the Pilbara, she developed a healthy respect for wild things and wild places at a young age. Seeking
adventures of her own, she travelled to the UK and fell in love with the British countryside.
Skye now lives in Scotland and works for a heritage charity, with whom she recently curated an
exhibition on medieval magic. When she’s not reading and writing, she goes looking for stories in
the hills and forests of her new home.

Hedgewitch is Skye’s first novel.
For further information, images please contact Lorraine Keating
Head of Children’s Marketing and Publicity at lorraine.keating@welbeckpublishing.com
@KidsWelbeck @WelbeckKids

Cover illustration  Saara Katariina Soderlund

Interior illustrations   Tomislav Tomic

Big Sky Mountain by Alex Milway

We seem to be in a really great period for those books aimed at newly confident readers. Not many years ago, this was an area that seemed to suffer from a lack of titles and a real sense that publishers were too concerned with the academic side of the reading process.  Luckily there is now a much better understanding of  the fact that if you want children to read, then they will do so if they really enjoy the stories that are being presented to them.

This is a delightful new series by Alex Milway, featuring a young girl Rosa, who has to go and live with her grandmother in the Canadian wilderness; you can tell it is wild because Rosa arrives in a seaplane, which is delivering Nan’s winter supplies, before the weather freezes.  Nan seems somewhat grumpy to begin with, but accepts that Rosa is family and they settle into the small cabin that is now home to two of them.  Rosa gets a great surprise when a moose puts its head through the open window, but the greatest shock comes when he actually starts talking to her!  What follows is totally fantastical, but Rosa finds that she is surrounded by amazing talking creatures such as a very grumpy hare, a bear and newcomers, the beaver sisters.  We follow all of the characters as they discover the balance that is required to make the environment work for everyone; they need to consider the others in the area and not just think about their own wishes.

The second story in the series has several new characters and the action starts when Rosa discovers a wolf cub who has become lost in a great storm.  This leads Rosa and her Nan to go in search of the pack and find out why they have moved from their old home.  We also get to met a group of Moose, an owl called Little Pig and a family of hedgehogs, all of whom have to work together to try and repair the damage that has been done to the river bank and surrounding area.  At the same time Rosa and her Nan are extending the cabin, so that Rosa will actually have her own bedroom, a move that really emphasizes how he has become part of her grandmother’s life.  We are promised  third title in the series so I look forward to reading about adventures with “The Sea Otters”.

These are a really great read for younger readers, with brilliant illustrations full of humour and energy.  The underlying themes about the environment and living with nature mix with the need for family and friendship.  There is also the need to try and understand those who are different and not to just go with the public perception, as with the wolves.  this series is highly recommended and I can’t wait to read more about our bold heroine and even more feisty Nan.

The Boy in the Post by Holly Rivers

Every now and then you find a book that really hits the mark in terms of the plot and the characters you are presented with.  I was delighted to find that this book went beyond the high expectations that I had.  It really is a case of buckle up and prepare for the ride of your life.

Chicken House, 9781912626045

This is the story of three siblings who find themselves at the start of a grand adventure when they apply for a summer job at a local enterprise run by the quirky Grandy Brock and his assorted adopted children.  Grandy is an ex-postman, who lives in an old windmill, and is busily trying to train a wide range of animals to deliver the post;  he calls them the ‘animail’ and hopes they can be a fantastic addition to the postal service.  The three Shalloo children, called Orinthia, Seafra and Taber really want something to do in the summer holidays as their mother is always busy at work, selling high class motor cars; so when they realize this is not a joke, they jump at the chance to help train the animals and are soon looking after a Pelican called Geronimo and her youngster, Gungho. When Geronimo is sent off to New York on a test flight (to visit Grandy’s brother) everyone is really excited, but as the days and weeks pass, they become increasingly worried.  It is at this point that we begin to understand the title of this book;  yes, 6 year-old Taber (the youngest of the children) decides to hide out in a crate and have himself shipped to New York.  His siblings are totally horrified by this and decide that they will have to follow him. They take a very rare stamp from the local post office, put themselves in a crate for antiques and set off on their adventure.  However, as you can imagine, things do not turn out to be very simple and we get to join the children as they career from one situation to another,just managing to avoid capture thanks to some very helpful young people that they meet on their way.  We follow them through the streets of London, on the high seas aboard a Mail Ship and along the east coast of the USA, as passengers in a balloon. All of this time they are being chased by a very weird policeman and people who think that they are criminals.  The grand finale occurs in New York and there are some very surprising discoveries to be made.

I remember reading a while ago that a suffragette had posted herself to the Prime Minister as part of their campaign for women’s rights; in fact this happened in 1909 and officials at Downing Street declined to accept delivery of the’parcel’.  So when I had finished reading this gorgeous book, I decided to have a look online and was frankly amazed (!) by the sheer number of people who have attempted to travel by post. The vast majority seem to have had some success, but with modern courier firms limiting the weight of items, it is more difficult for people to travel in this way.

This story takes us on a real roller-coaster of a ride, both literally and metaphorically, as our heroes try and catch up with the very young Taber.  There are adventures on trains, boats and planes (well, a balloon anyway) as the children also try to evade the law and a very secretive villain.  It is a story about family and friendship; where non-traditional families share strong bonds and where friendships can be created when sharing danger and a fight against wrongdoers.  It is fantastic to discover a 5 star book so early in the year and I really hope that we might see the children having some further adventures in the future.

About Holly Rivers

Holly grew up in a real-life children’s book, playing the part of Drusilla in ITV’s The Worst Witch alongside Felicity Jones. She spent her childhood in Wales, wishing that she was Pippi Longstocking, and after graduating spent time working as an actor, broadcaster and cheese-seller, until one day she had the idea to pen a story about a tenacious young inventor named Demelza. Holly’s days are now spent penning new stories as well as leading drama, craft and bushcraft classes for children. She lives in Brighton with her girlfriend and still wishes that she was Pippi Longstocking.  (from Chicken House website)

The Big Christmas Collection from Little Tiger

I don’t think that I have written about a collection of books by one publisher before, but I have been asked to look at this collection by the supplier Books2door and as it is a group of stories about Christmas (my favourite time of the year, despite the weather), I agreed.  The publisher is also one that I am very fond of; Little Tiger was founded in 1987 and ran as an independent publisher until 2019, when it was bought by  Penguin Random House, but it still maintains its ethos and individualism.  There are ten picture books in this collection and they are a mix of traditional stories and modern tales.  Interestingly there are only two titles that actually have human characters, with the other eight featuring a wide, but familiar range of animals.

“When Granny saved Christmas” by Julia Hubery and Caroline Pedler is the story of  two small mice, named Bubble and Squeak, who are visiting their Granny for Christmas. But how will Father Christmas know where to deliver any presents and even more worrying, how will he get in the house?  Granny doesn’t have a chimney, but she comes up with an exciting alternative that they can all enjoy.

“Waiting for Santa” by Steve Metzger and Alison Edgson  shows us the power of believing and of friendship.  Little bear is convinced that Santa will bring presents at Christmas, but badger is very sceptical as they have never had presents before.  Despite this the friends all decorate a tree, with a star on top and snuggle up to wait for Santa, but will they get the surprise they wanted?  Well it is Christmas and dreams can come true.

“One Snowy Night” by M Christina Butler and Tina Macnaughton has been a firm Christmas favourite since it was published over a decade ago.  When little hedgehog is woken from his winter sleep he is too cold to go back to sleep, but then out of the sky falls a parcel and it is addressed to him!  Inside is a red woolly hat, but as it doesn’t fit, he decides to give it to his friend.  The hat is passed to several animals before it finally finds its true home and everyone can snuggle down and keep warm.

“The Night before Christmas” by Clement C Moore and Mark Marshall.  This is a re-telling of the now classic story of Christmas eve and is probably how most young children have learnt the names of Santa’s reindeer.  As always, this story leaves a nice warm glow.

“The magical Snowman” by Catherine Walters and Alison Edgson tells the story of young rabbit, who has spent the morning building a very special snowman.  When he is asked to pick some berries for tea, he sets off and enjoys it so much, he doesn’t see the now start to fall and the visibility disappear.  Magically he is rescued by the snowman and gets home safely.

“A Christmas Wish” by Julia Hubery and Sophy Williams is the story of Gemma and her little brother Ty.  When Ty accidentally breaks her favourite tree decoration, Gemma is very upset  and angry.  But then she remembers all the nice things about her brother and when she finds that he has left some glue and a note saying ‘I’m sorry’ outside her door, she realises that the ornament can be mended and she wants to make up with her brother.

“The magic of Christmas” by Claire Freedman and Gail Yerrill  is about the wonder and joy of experiencing your first Christmas celebration.  Little Mouse has never had a Christmas, so he asks his large family what it means to them.  Parents, grandparents, siblings, cousins and other relatives all share their favourite things.  This can vary from making snowmen, sledging, and snowball fights, to Christmas dinner, presents and keeping warm around a fire.  All of the things that we imagine a magical Christmas to be, but mainly it is about sharing with family and friends.

“Big Bear, Little Bear” by David Bedford and Jane Chapman is the delightful story of a polar bear and her cub.  The latter wants to grow up as big and strong as his mother and to be able to do all the things she does, but she explains that when he is big, she won’t be able to give him a ride on her shoulders.  So he decides that growing up is a long term aim, as he loves sharing adventures with his mother.

“A long way from home” by Elizabeth Baguley and Jane Chapman  tells the story of a young rabbit called Moz, who is being squashed by his siblings in the burrow.  He decides to go outside and  meets his friend Albatross, who offers to take him for a flight.  Unfortunately Moz falls off and ends up in the snow and then inside a huge ice hall.  At first it is exciting, but then he gets scared and misses his family, so he manages to escape from the ice.  Luckily Albatross finds him and he is soon back in the warmth of the burrow and the cuddles of the family.

“When will it Snow?” by Kathryn White and Alison Edgson  features another young bear who is longing to see snow.  However his mother tells him that bears hibernate when the snow arrives, so he will not be able to seethe winter.  So little bear asks his friends, mole and squirrel, what snow is like and they explain about the way it falls, goes slushy and how you can make snow angels.  They also confirm that they will be out playing in the winter weather and bear is worried that they will forget about his during the winter and that he will lose his friends.  But as we all know, true friends do not forget about you over a short period of time and all is well in the end.

All of these stories have been published over the last couple of decades, but I think this shows the enduring love and fascination that we have with winter and specifically Christmas. There  are themes around friendship and family, but the stories often also address some of the fears that young children have about whether Father Christmas needs a chimney any more.  this collection is one of several from this publisher and they have always provided a solid basis for school collections about this time of year; they also work brilliantly with individual families as they build their own winter traditions.  Reading these stories has really helped start my preparations for the festive season, although decorations will have to wait until December!

 

Aarti and the Blue Gods by Jasbinder Bilan and Margaux Carpentier

This is the latest book from yet another fantastic graduate of the Bath Spa course on Writing for Young People.  It is Jasbinder Bilan’s third book and this time she takes us to a remote Scottish Island, which is hiding a secret.  Aarti has lived on the island for most of her life and can remember little else.  She is looked after by her ‘Aunt’ and life is extremely hard.  they are totally self sufficient, living off the vegetables they grow, the eggs from their hens and anything they can find on the island; the only friend that Aarti has is a fox that she calls Chand, although she doesn’t know where the name comes from..  However, as she grows older, Aarti begins to wonder if she is being told the truth about what happened to her parents and whether they are really dead.  There is also the mystery of a locked room that she is not allowed to enter, but when it is left unlocked one day, she goes in and discovers an old stuffed toy that brings back some long-lost memories.  One of the few things that Aarti has is a collection of stories about Hindu deities, hence the reference in the title to blue Gods; although why she has this is a mystery.

Unfortunately life takes a horrendous turn, when Aunt is killed as she tries to collect some sea bird eggs from the cliffs and Aarti is left totally on her own.  To begin with she thinks she can manage, but then her supplies are ruined by rain and she realizes that a young girl cannot live by herself.  Just as she is beginning to give up all hope, she finds a young boy floating in the sea and manages to save him.  Euan is a young Scottish boy and talks to Aarti about his family and whether they will be able to leave the island and get back to more inhabited land.  This raises the question of whether there is a boat on the island.  Aarti has never seen one, but they realize that Auntie would have needed some means to get her and Aarti to the island in the first place.  After lots of exploration they are finally successful in finding a small boat hidden away in a cave and eventually manage to bring it around to the small harbour.  The pair manage to escape from the island and head in what they think is the general direction of other islands and the mainland.  Thankfully the boat is rescued during a storm and the youngsters saved; however, that is when things take a very strange turn, because Euan is nowhere to be found and none of the rescuers had seen him on the boat.  What happens next totally changes Aarti’s life and  helps explain so much of her past, but it is her discoveries about Euan that will probably have the most profound impact on her future.

This is one of those books that keeps growing in its impact on the reader.  When you start thinking of the stresses of living in that environment and then the questions about family and lack of communication, it really does make you understand just how bleak the whole way of life would be.  This is definitely a five star read, for a whole host of reasons and I have become a great fan of Jasbinder’s work.  we also have a fabulous cover and inside  which draws together the two mythologies that are represented in the book.  Hopefully it will encourage the young readers to explore these and see how different cultures share connections.

The Peculiar Tale of the Tentacle Boy by Richard Pickard and Maxine Lee-Mackie

I know that I am biased about this, because they are based in my part of the world, but anything published by the fabulous Chicken House is going to get my attention.  This title was even more noteworthy because it was the inaugural Chairman’s Choice prize winner at the 2019 Times/Chicken House competition.  Added to this is the totally original concept that we find in this heartwarming story, it is a real must-read for this summer.

Marina lives in the fishing port of Merlington, where there are probably more fish shops that anything else; unfortunately Marina really dislikes fish, but particularly since her beloved father (a fisherman) went missing 6 years before.  Life in the town appears  boring, so Marina resorts to storytelling to liven things up; unfortunately she can’t seem to limit the scope of her tales and it ends up with her being called a ‘liar’ by one of her classmates.  When she discovers  a mysterious young boy, with claws for hands and hair made of tentacles, no one believes her; not until the boy is found asleep on the beach the following day.  What follows is a quest to discover where the boy, called William, comes from and whether there is any link to her missing father.  There are are mysteries and a very evil villain, who is hiding in plain sight.

The first thing that came to mind when I started reading this story was that Marina was a little bit like ‘the boy that cried wolf’.  She was so in love with telling stories that she did not know when to stop and the consequences threatened to ruin her life in the town.  We all love stories, after all that is why we read books, but it is about recognizing  fact from fiction and also knowing how our stories will impact on our listeners.  This is a lesson that Marina has to learn and we are lucky to be able to follow her on this journey of discovery.  This is also a story about the importance of family and friends; as Marina needs the support of her mother and close friends to overcome the disbelievers and find the answers to her questions.

This is a fabulous book for middle grade children.  It is full of adventure and some amazing characters, especially Marina and William.  Not only will you want to visit Merlington for the various fish dishes, but you might even give Japanese ‘Sashima’ a try.  You will have to read the book to discover these delicacies if you don’t already know what they are!

******************************************************************

I am delighted to say that Richard Pickard has agreed to provide a guest blog about this book and I know you will enjoy it as much as I did.

 

MY WRITING SPACE

A short walk from Westbourne village, where you’ll find a gorgeous bookstore and the best fish and chips in the world, there is a small path that punches a shapely hole through a thick wall of hedging… This is the doorway to Alum Chine – a steep-sided valley that guides you down through the cliffs and toward a Bournemouth beach hut, where much of The Peculiar Tale of the Tentacle Boy was written.

Spending most of my time in London, where space is a premium and my own desk is the stuff of dreams, I find myself writing wherever I can – on trains, in cafés (pre-pandemic) and on my bed propped up by pillows. But my favourite place, where I’ve found much of my inspiration, has always been the beach hut.

The walk down Alum Chine is the perfect way to find the right headspace – the scent of damp pine needles filling your nose as a canopy of trees obscures the sunlight. Further along the pathway, a black iron fence shielding its steepest edge, a weathered bridge comes into view – the teal green paint flaking as it stretches across the deepest section of woodland. We call this ‘Summer’s Bridge’, a place to remember my dad’s beautiful border collie who was possibly the only being to love Alum Chine quite as much me.

The journey to the beach hut is punctured with memories such as these at every step. From the small hole at the base of a now-felled tree (my Granny Pat taught us this was the Dorset home of Winnie-the-Pooh), to the secret archways and snug stone staircases that twist through the undergrowth and lead up to unknowable places. An army of invisible birds call out through the trees which cover the steep banks at the mouth of the Chine, which we’d run down at full pelt and still would if it weren’t for the tightly packed vegetation that has claimed the slopes over the years.

Once the deep blue of the English Channel appears on the horizon, the most eager person calls out: “I saw the sea first!” and the sunlight breaks through at last. Sand mingles with a row of wild poppies as you pass the sprawling playground which felt so impressive at 3ft tall, and the newest beach huts rise from the promenade where an old stone amphitheatre once circled our childhood paddling pool.

Past the cloisters and three huts down you’ll find it. The place where my story took shape. A small, terraced cabin facing out onto the golden sand of Bournemouth’s prize-winning beach. Here I would sit, come rain or shine, in a squidgy deck chair with my leatherbound notebook from Portobello market and a thick mug of tea – which I’d brew on the small gas hob inside.

After the death of my beloved Granny Pat, this spring was sadly our last with the beach hut. But for more than thirty years it was the scene of so many happy moments. Eating bacon sandwiches on the morning of my dad’s wedding. The long evenings sat drinking a beer with my boyfriend Rob. The countless childhood summers spent visiting Granny Pat and Grandad, and of course, those happy days writing my novel. So, now that I’m drafting a second story for Chicken House, I’ll need to make do with a towel on the sand and a large thermos of tea. I’ll pack an umbrella, in case of weather-related disaster, plus extra jumpers in those colder months and a pack of biscuits to munch on after emerging from the sea to write…

Which actually, when I think about it, sounds like a pretty great alternative.

THE PECULIAR TALE OF THE TENTACLE BOY is out now, priced £6.99. Read chapter 1 on the Chicken House website!