Little Bird Flies - Karen McCombie

Little Bird Flies - Karen McCombie

Sometimes, you sit down with a book, not knowing quite what to expect and it grabs you and enthrals you from the very beginning ... Little Bird Flies is one of those books.

Set in the fictional island of Thornish in the Higlands of Scotland in 1861, the story tells us of Bridie MacKerrie and her family whose lives are simple but happy. Having lost their mother, the family work together to make ends meet on an island they call home - it is all they have known and all they ever believe they will know. Bridie (Little Bird) however, dreams of more. Despite the weakened hand and twisted foot she was born with, she dreams of flying away from Thornish to the far off shores of America. This is nothing more than a dream though, that is until the Laird dies suddenly and they realise how hard and cruel the new Laird is.

K's opinion:

Normally, we wait until we've both read a book before we post our blog review; however, I felt a rather compelling need to shout about this book as soon as I had finished it!

Having spent a lot of time in Scotland as a child visiting my grandparents, I have a fondnesss for the place and summers spent around the Highlands were brought back to me as I read. There is a beauty to this part of the world that is perfectly captured within the pages of this book and the lilt of the spoken word could be heard in the characters.  Each with their own distinctive personality, it was Bridie (Little Bird) who most appealed to me: her spirit and feistiness were evident; however, her love of her family and her desire to do the right thing for them certainly shines through. Loyalty, being a good friend and seeing people for who they really are are all strong themes in this this book and ones that will resonate with people.

I absolutely loved this book (I read it in under 24 hours!) and know that O will love it once he begins reading it.

Little Bird Flies is a book worth shouting about and that is what I will most certainly be doing in the classroom once term beings!

Bravo Karen on such a wonderful book. I have just one question: how long do I have to wait until Little Bird Lands and exactly how soon can I get my hands on a copy?!

A Review of the year

Our books of the year.

In the year when O and I began our blog, we thought we'd have a look at some of our favourite books; however, it proved to be far more difficult that we expected it to be!

With much difficulty, here are our top 10:

The Boy at the Back of the Class - Onjali Q Rauf

for being the book that stayed with us for long after we'd finished the last page.

for showing us about acceptance & friendship; that small gestures can have a big impact.

Death in the Spotlight - Robin Stevens

for still being able to keep us guessing until the last page (& making us gasp at the outcome!) & for allowing the characters to show us who they truly are.

Below Zero - Dan Smith

for being the fastest-paced book we read this year that chilled us and left our hearts thumping with the tension!

The Lost Magician - Piers Torday

for being effortlessly written with a gentle elegance which made it an utter joy to read.

Nevermoor & Wundersmith - Jessica Townsend

for bringing magic back into out lives in a way that made us want to live in the Deucalion & travel by umbrella!

The House with Chicken Legs - Sophie Anderson
for showing us a different side to death and for creating a house as a main character!

The Storm Keeper's Island - Catherine Doyle

for addressing mental health in MG fiction & for making us want to learn how to make our own candles.

The Last Chance Hotel - Nicki Thornton

for effortlessly combining magic & mystery whilst also creating the best fictional cat in the guise of Nightshade!

Pages & Co - Anna James.

for brining my childhood dreams to life & for making us both try to read ourselves into books!

Beyond the Odyssey - Maz Evans

for being a book of contrasts:

you made us laugh & cry, and now we're a both looking forward to Against All Gods & dreading it at the same time (in the best way, you understand!)

There also has to be a nod to all the Agatha Christie's that O has read this year.  He loves these books & just can't get enough of Poirot! (He's also becoming a true reader, claiming he prefers to read the books than watch the films!!

The Boy Who Flew - Fleur Hitchock

The Boy Who Flew - Fleur Hitchcock

Set amongst the streets and rooftops of a bygone era, this book tells the story of Athan Wilde and his dream to fly. Along with his friend, Mr Chen, they invent strange and unusual things, including a flying machine; however, when Mr Chen is suddenly murdered, it is up to Athan to find and protect the blueprints for the machine and to try to fulfill his dreams alone. Will he be able to do that without putting his family in grave danger? Is he able to keep his flying machine to himself? What is the Colonel's role in all of this? Who will be the first to fly and win the competition?

K's opinion:

This is a story of family, friendship and loyalty; of perseverance, keeping your dreams alive and trusting your instincts.

With a host of quirky characters, from fiendish villains to unlikely heroes, this book has it all, including a plot of unexpected twists and turns that will enthrall readers.

O's opinion:

This book tells of friendship, kindness and, most importantly, not giving up. I found Athan to be all of those things. I loved how everyone helped him, even if they risked their lives for it. This shows the signs of true friendship and Fleur captures that perfectly. I found this to be action-packed and adventurous. WOW! What a book!

A pacy and gripping read, this is a book that will be a hit come March.

The Star-Spun Web - Sinead O'Hart

The Star-Spun Web - Sinead O'Hart.

This is a book that grabs you from the very first page and keeps tight hold until the very end.

Tess de Sousa loves science almost as much as she loves her pet tarantula, Violet.  Together, they live at Akerbee's Home for Lost & Foundlings ... that is until the day the mysterious Norton Cleat turns up, announcing that he is a distant relative of Tess's.  He takes her to Roedeer Lodge and provides her with a state of the art science lab; so why do Tess and Violet feel that something is amiss? Why is the housekeeper, Mrs Thistleton, so unkind to her? And what on Earth is the mysterious object that was left with Tess by her father as a baby?  So many questions and Tess' inquiring mind is determined to find the answers.

K's opinion:

This is a book about friendship, determination, finding strength and using all of that to travel between different worlds in order to try to save the day!

Tess has a strength of character that comes from the love she has received at Akerbee's and the friendships she has formed there.  Her love of science enables her to think logically through some difficult situations and, with the help of Violet, shows that you should never give up.

Although Tess is undoubtedly the main character, Violet is so well portrayed as a personality in her own right (never has so much been said by one character without actually uttering a word!) and the pair show that friendship can be forged in many different guises.  I'm not a fan of spiders (in fact, it's fair to say I'm rather terrified of them!) but I quickly warmed to Violet and simply loved the bond between her and Tess.

This is a wonderful second novel, Sinead, and one which I know will go down well in school (they're already asking when they can get their hands on it!).  Here's to the next one!

O's opinion

From the start, I loved how Tess's friends all helped her and looked out for her. They all wanted to hear from her and see her again. Sinead has captured a true friendship in this book. Tess's curiosity also helps her a lot in her scientific experiments - especially the mysterious object!

The end of this book is still replaying in my head - a great sign of a fabulous book that will fly off the shelves!

This is an amazing book! I am always gripped by Sinead's storytelling and characterisation and I can't wait to read another of her books.

A Pinch of Magic

A Pinch of Magic – Michelle Harrison.

There’s more than a pinch of magic in this book!

Betty Widdershins longs for adventure and yearns to escape her home on the isle of Crowstone; however, one night, whilst heading for Marshfoot with her younger sister, Charlie, her grandmother thwarts her plans … again.  And it is then that Betty learns of the curse that entraps her and her sisters, and every other Widdershins female on Crowstone.  Along with the curse, the sisters are also each given a magical object (Betty a set of nesting dolls, Fliss a gilt-framed mirror and Charlie an old carpet bag).

Together, the sisters determine to try to break the curse but will they succeed?

K’s opinion:

I have always enjoyed Michelle’s books and was excited at the prospect of a new one, even more-so when I was lucky enough to be sent a proof copy!  It most certainly did not disappoint and Michelle has once again managed to weave her magic and cast her spell upon me!

This is an exciting and unexpected book with a strong story-line and great descriptive vocabulary (I’m always on the look-out for this to use with my class!). The links between the past and the present were well managed, the twists of magic helps to add a pinch of unpredictability and the element of ‘who should be trusted’ within the plot which adds to the tension.

I was particularly fond of the range of characters in the book. The three main female characters were all strong in their own right but for very different reasons: Betty’s determination shone through from start to finish; Fliss’s protectiveness of her younger siblings resonated with me (as an older sister!) and Charlie’s unexpected maturity for her age is a delight to see (and a reminder to us all not to judge people simply because of their age!).

There is already much interest in the book at school and I know that it will be a hit when it is released in February. Another huge success in my eyes, Michelle! When can we expect the next one?!

O's opinion:

This was such an AMAZING book! I love the way Michelle writes her books and how she creates suspense in such a way that keeps you gripped and A Pinch of Magic was no exception. I find the way she writes truly wonderful and I love her characterisation: I find the characters always draw me in and keep me reading. I admire Betty's determination that helps her to keep trying to accomplish her goal, even when she is told she can't do it. This is a wonderful book and I can't wait to see more from Michelle!