The Umbrella Mouse - Anna Fargher

Set in 1944, during WWII, Pip (a mouse) lives with her family inside an umbrella in a shop in Bloomsbury, when one night a bomb directly hits the shop, killing her entire family.  Devastated and lost, Pip takes the umbrella (the first in England) and vows to take it to Gignesse in Italy to the umbrella where her mother's family live.  And so her adventures begin.  In order to make her journey, she must join Noah's Ark, a band of animals fighting alongside the resistance in France.  Where will her adventures take her?  Will she make it to Italy?  You'll just have to read the book to find out!

Brave and feisty, you soon forget that Pip is a mouse and become completely absorbed by the fast-paced adventure within this book.  The band of animal characters really feel quite human in many respects and, although their animal qualities are still very much evident, their different characters are relatable and you very quickly find yourself routing for them.

This story is a great way to portray the events of WWII, D-Day and the French Resistance in a way that will appeal.  Full of tension and with a host of heroes (none more-so than Pip), the book captures the war-time spirit and imparts many positive messages within its pages.  We highly recommend this book and completely understand why it was chosen as Waterstones book of the month.

The Galaxy World Cup - Alan Joyce

 

Following an after-school detention where they were used as football target practice, Nick and his classmates are accidentally mistaken for being the best footballers in the world (probably due to the names on the back on their football tops) and are abducted by aliens in order to compete in an intergalactic football competition.  But can these misfits, who happen to be terrible at football, actually win a game?

This book is a great read.  Full of fun and laughs, there are also some important messages about friendship, working together and resilience woven into the action.

Nick and his fellow detentioners (probably not a real word!) really haven't had the best day, and when they are told they have to run laps of the park, they are even more fed-up than they were. And that is when they discover that there is actually an invisible space ship standing in front of them!  Within minutes they are abducted and transported to the planet Bigpu where they will face football teams from other planets in a major competition that could have dire consequences for Earth if they lose!

This team really are the worst footballers ever and now they have no choice but to compete against teams of different aliens in conditions that would test even the best footballer.  They have no choice but to learn to work together and, as the tournament unfolds, friendships begin to form.

Nick, Mia, Eddie, Sanjay and Phil are all very different but wonderful characters whom I enjoyed getting to know.  They made me laugh and also made me think at times; each have their own things they are dealing with and it reminds readers not to judge people until you know know them.  

From bouncy pitches to exploding team tops, The Galaxy World Cup is a great read that will appeal to fans of football as well as fans of Oliver's Great Big Universe and the Sam Wu series.  

The Galaxy World Cup is out now. 

Will Shakespeare Mysteries: The Stinky Stolen Toenails - Kaz Penney

 

Will Shakespeare is a young boy solving crime in Tudor Stratford-upon-Avon.  In his first case, he and his best friend, Tybalt, are on the hunt for Henry VIII's incredibly smelly toenail clippings which have been stolen from the Moundsofgoo family.  If they aren't found and returned then Ronaldo won't be able to marry the love of his life, Judy Catapult, for the toenails (also known as the Moundsofgoo Treasure) are required as the dowry.  Can Will and Tybalt find the magic toenails with their mysterious healing properties before its too late?

The Stinky Toenails is a whole heap of fun from beginning to end.  Whether it's Will and Tybalt's antics, the character names or the humour that is woven through everything, I know that the book is going to be a big hit, especially with fans of Loki and Wimpy Kid.

Will is a master at avoiding doing his chores and helping out at home which is why he ends up trying to help Ronaldo in his quest to marry Judy.  Together, Will and Tybalt are a force to be reckoned with as they try to discover who the thief is.  Readers will be able to guess along as they laugh their way through the book.  With bits of history in the mix and wonderful illustrations from Sammy Elgie, The Stinky Stolen Toenails is a book that is bound to be a huge hit when it publishes on the 26th March.

Pearl Beach - Beth Steiner

Billie has spent every summer she can remember at Pearl Beach at the seaside home that belongs to her elderly Aunt Edith.  Days are spent in the pool with her friend Andy, her best friend, and Billie is very excited to be heading back there.

However, this year everything is different: Andy is now more into fashion, make-up and boys, and Billie feels uncomfortable with the changes. On top of that, Aunt Edith has decided to spend the summer at the beach with them.

Written entirely in verse, Pearl Beach is a beautifully written book that looks at the challenges of growing up. Despite being teenagers, Billie still prefers to wear board shorts and isn't interested in make-up so discovering a more glamorous Andy who is keen to make an impression with the boys is difficult for her to navigate. All she wanted to do was spend the summer as they usually do and the change in their friendship isa shock to her.

Add to that, Edith's arrival: a holocaust survivor, Billie doesn't know how to talk to her, so when she is expected to accompany her places she once again feels awkward. However, time and the discovery of one of her aunt's old diaries changes everything.  The relationship that builds between the pair is heart-warming to read, and the insight into Edith's experiences sobering and heart-breaking.

Pearl Beach is a beautiful tale of friendship, love and discovering yourself; it's a story of understanding the past and learning to brace the future, and it's a story of resilience.

Pearl beach publishes in the 7th May.

Always Angel - Kimberly Whittam

 

Angel is struggling at school: her temper gets the better of her and she either lashes out or storms out; however, all she really wants is to be good.  So when she accidentally gets involved in a school bake-off competition, this be the help she needs to turn things around before it's too late.

I read Kimberly's first novel, Quiet Storm, back in 2023, and gobbled it up in a morning, with my heart reaching out to Storm (you can read my review here) and so it was on another Saturday morning, that I sat down to read Always Angel.  This may be a shorter middle grade book at 230 pages, but by goodness does it pack a punch!  

It quickly becomes apparent that Angel has so much more on her plate than just finding school difficult: she has been a young carer for her mother who has bipolar disorder and is currently in foster care whilst her mum gets help.  Angel has so much swirling through her brain that she doesn't know where to begin explaining what she is feeling.  She feels so lonely, confused and out of the loop that she resorts to lashing out when she feels overwhelmed - and, I have to say, that I had so much sympathy for her.  She stumbles into the baking competition following a detention and quickly discovers that she has a talent, and this becomes an anchor for her: the prize of an afternoon tea is something she is desperate to win so she can take her mum.

Through the book, we discover that it isn't just Angel who is hiding part of herself, and as she gets to know her classmates, she begins to understand that others are harbouring things abut themselves that they find difficult too.  There are certainly ups and downs for Angel, and she is no stranger to detentions and her head of year, but with time, she begins to find her feet.  But is it enough?  

Like Quiet Storm, Always Angel is a book full of emotion and empathy.  Readers will quickly feel like they are right beside Angel, wishing that things would go right for her (on so many occasions, I just wanted to reach into the book and help her).  There will definitely be readers who see themselves in the characters, whether that be as a young carer, as somebody in trouble at school who doesn't quite know how to make the right choices, as somebody in care, or as somebody struggling to make friends.  It's important that they see themselves and understand that it's ok to talk and to reach out for help.

Out now, Always Angel is a book that will leave a lump in your throat and a warm glow in your heart.  Like Storm, Angel is somebody who will stay with me. 

Strike - Mitch Johnson

 

All Owen has ever wanted to do is play football professionally, so when he is recruited to Hollwell Park youth team, he feels as though all his dreams have come true.  But when his dad presents him with new boots to celebrate, he discovers a note hidden inside revealing a cry for help, everything changes and suddenly football doesn't seem to be as important any more.  But now Owen needs to choose whether to play football or to help those working in awful conditions making football boots.

I have to admit that I'm not the biggest football fan, but the blurb for Strike really appealed to me and I knew it would be a book that would appeal to lots of children at school (in fact, there was a queue for the book before I'd even finished reading it!).

From the start, it is clear that Owen and his dad are a tight unit, and their relationship is a special one (the reason for mum's absence becomes apparent later in the book and I would advise tissues!).  Despite Owen's dad's injury years ago meaning he couldn't follow the football career he started, he isn't a father who is intent on living out his dreams through his child.  All he wants is for Owen to be happy and he is clearly doing everything he can to ensure that happens.  He's a really supportive parent.  The discovery of the letter really throws Owen, especially having heard Budi, one of Hollowell's players, talking in post-match interviews.  Suddenly, worrying about whether he's really good enough to be in the youth team is the least of his problems.

Owen has some big decisions he needs to make, not least being whether he is prepared to act upon the note and risk his place on the Hollowell youth team.  It's a book that would make a perfect daily read in a Year 5 or 6 classroom, and I can just imagine the discussions that it would provoke.  

At first glance, Strike is a book about football, but it doesn't take long to realise that the book is so much more than that.  This is a book about family, dealing with grief, friendship, doing the right thing, standing up for what you think is right, being brave, trusting your instincts ... and football.

Publishing on the 4th June, Strike is a book that I loved.  It's going to be a huge hit and I know that there will be a queue of children outside my office on Monday morning, desperate to get their hands on it.

Otherland - Louie Stowell

I'm a big fan of The Dragon in the Library series so I was hugely excited when Otherland dropped through the letterbox... in fact, it jumped to the top of the TBR pile, and I wasn't disappointed!

Myra and Rohan have known each other since the day they were born, and spend every birthday together.  However, they appear to be complete opposites so their celebrations end in disaster every time, and this year is no exception as Myra manages to set fire to the shed!  It is this event that leads to Rohan's sister being stolen and taken to Otherland, where the Fairy Queen is going to turn her into a changeling unless Myra and Rohan can complete 3 tasks. 

This is a brilliant read!  Portals, fairies, quests to conquer and dresses with pockets!  What's not to love about this book?  Nothing, that's what!  I absolutely adored the relationship between Myra and Rohan who seemed to bicker constantly in a very real sibling sort of way, and Mabs was an absolute joy!  With lots of twists and turns to keep you gripped, this is a guaranteed hit.  It's not often I finish a book mid-week during term time but I stayed up late one night to finish this as  I couldn't put it down.