December Review

December was a great month for books for us (holiday time meant that we had a lot of time for reading and boy did we make the most of it!).  Here's our review of the books we read.

Twelve Minutes To Midnight - Christopher Edge.

Penelope Tredwell is the successful author of the stories in The Penny Dreadful, the magazine that she owns; however, in Victorian Britain 13 year old girls weren't supposed to do such things so Penelope hires Monty to act as her pseudonym Montgomery Flinch.

One day, the magazine receives a request from Bedlam, the local asylum, where patients are waking every night at 12 minutes to midnight.  Stumped as to why this is happening, they turn to the mystery writer to help solve the problem.  Using Monty as cover, Penelope (posing as his niece) begins to investigate.

This is a great Victorian mystery set in the heart of London with a strong, feisty and doggedly determined girl at the heart of it all.

Combined with a dastardly villain and a host of accompanying critters to make your skin crawl, this is a page-turner of a book.  1/2 way through, things take a sinister turn and, just when you think the mystery's been solved and you can't think of how the story can last another 1/4 of a book - bam!  The plot thickens!

Mystery, adventure, daring and just a drop of science in this page-turner from Christopher Edge.

Rose Campion & The Christmas Mystery - Lyn Gardner

Rose performs at Campions Palace of Varieties & Wonders where the top of the bill performer is killed one evening.  Whilst trying to uncover the murderer, the mysterious Madame de Valentina, a hypnotist who can talk to the dead, suddenly turns up but why?  Will the Duchess (the notorious ruler of the London underworld) get her hands on the priceless emerald necklace she's set her sights on?

I haven't read the previous 2 Rose Campion books but the back story was easy to pick-up.  It's a good, easy-to-follow mystery with plenty of action and adventure (especially in the final third of the book).  A good mystery book for younger readers (Y4+)

Vote For Effie - Laura Wood

Effie Kostas has just moved house and is having trouble making friends in her new school.  Lunch-times alone are particularly difficult, especially the day when Aaron Davis jumps the queue and takes the last slice of chocolate cake.  Discovering that Aaron has a pass which allows him to skip the line, just because he's Student Council President infuriates Effie and she determines to rectify things ... by running against Aaron (previously unrivalled & the most popular boy in school) in the upcoming election.

With a newly found group of friends, can Effie defy the odds and win the election?

This is a brilliant read about being yourself, friendship, standing-up for what you believe in, being brave and having a voice.

Effie is a wonderful character (opinionated and a complete stationery nerd!) and feels so very real and relatable: she can talk too much; she's conscious about her hair; she's thoughtful, determined and thinks of others. .

Vote For Effie is a feel-good, uplifting and empowering read.

Winter Magic - Various

This is a collection of wonderfully wintery short-stories from some of my favourite authors, all curated by Abi Elphinstone.  Dip in and out or curl up and read them all together, either way, this is a must-have collection and I'm so pleased O bought it for me for my birthday - he has good taste!

The Boy, The Mole, The Fox & The Horse - Charlie Mackesy

This is a truly beautiful book, both in its presentation and in its messages.  A collection of wonderful ink drawings with accompanying text which will warm you and make yo feel better about everything, regardless of how you feel.  This is a book to live by and one I will use repeatedly in my classroom and assemblies.

If you do not have this book in your life, you absolutely have to!

A Sprinkle of Sorcery - Michelle Harrison
(Release date: 6th February)
https://kandobonkersaboutbooks.blogspot.com/2019/12/a-sprinkle-of-sorcery-michelle-harrison.html

Darkwhispers: A Brightstorm Adventure - Vashti Hardy
(Release date: 6th February)
https://kandobonkersaboutbooks.blogspot.com/2019/12/darkwhispers-brightstorm-adventure.html

The Boy Who Fooled The World - Lisa Thompson

Cole's family struggle to make ends meet - Mum is about to loose her job and Dad is a stay-at-home dad - their home is in need of repairs and Cole is known as Poor Kind Cole at school.  Then, during a visit by a famous artist, Cole's painting is spotted and taken by the artist to sell in her London gallery.  Suddenly, Cole thinks his family's problems are over, but what happens when Cole is asked to create more paintings to sell?

This is a situation that a lot of children will be able to relate to - money is tight at home, Cole doesn't have the latest gadgets or the cool clothes, and his parents can't afford to send him on school trips, so when the chance for Cole to help comes out of the blue, he grabs it and thinks of his family before himself.  It's also good to get Mason's perspective on life - the boy who seems to have it all - I liked the different perspective.

At the end of the day, Cole is simply trying to do the right thing and the book shows us that it's ok to make mistakes; he is a determined and resilient but ultimately caring character.  I also think it's interesting to see the pressure Cole feels he's under; the pressure he puts on himself to try to sort out the family's financial worries - there will be many children who feel the same burden as Cole so it's good to show them that it's not their responsibility.

Lisa is a wonderful story-teller - she always manages to grip the reader, include relatable characters and situations that children will be able to associate with.  Her books are always a joy to read and this one was no exception.

Little Bird Lands - Karen McCombie

(Release date: 6th February)

When last we left Little Bird (Bridie MacKerrie) she, her brother and father had set sail from Glasgow to carve out a new life in America.

We catch-up with them 2 years later in 1864 in New York and join them on their journey west as they carve out a new life for themselves, making new friends along the way and trying desperately to make sure their past doesn't catch up with them.

Bridie continues to show her strength of character and spirit in this book but we also see her where she gets it from in her father's character in this book.  In fact, there are so many characters to admire in this book (and some to enjoy hating).

This is a book about new beginnings, family and friendship and is definitely worth reading (Read Little Bird Flies first which is the first book and brilliant!).

 The Space Between Lost and Found - Sandy Stark McGinnis

(Release date: 28th April)

Set in America, this is the story of Cassie whose mum has Alzheimer's disease.  Her once adventurous and fun-loving mum is changing as her memories fade away and Cassie is struggling to come to terms with that.  Determined to help her mum remember, Cassie uses her love of art to try to unlock the memories and also decides to help her mum fulfil one more item on her bucket list.

Both heart-warming and heart-breaking, this is an honest look at Alzheimer's from a child's perspective (including glimpses into the past with chapters on grey pages to indicate the time shift).

Cassie shows strength of character and determination throughout the book and shows how her friendships change as well as her relationship with her mum - she has now become the carer/parent along with her dad.

It become apparent that Cassie needs to retreat from her own life in order to support her mum and dad; however, she's much stronger than she believes and infinitely patient.

This story is a reality for so many children and seeing themselves within the pages of a book will help give them strength.  It will also help to raise awareness and understanding of the effects of Alzheimer's on families.

A great debut novel about love, family, friendship and strength that will warm and break your heart but ultimately give you hope.

The Strangeworlds Travel Agency - L.D. Lapinski

(Release Date: 30th April)

When Flick and her family move away from their flat in the city so they have more space, Flick thinks she's in for a long and boring summer looking after her little brother whilst her parents are at work; however, whilst exploring the new town, Flick stumbles across a shabby little shop full of suitcases and meets Jonathan Mercator whose family own the place, and her summer suddenly looks far more exciting.  With a huge desire to travel, Flick is thrilled to learn that there are hundreds of other worlds waiting to be explored and each one can be reached by simply stepping into a suitcase.  But what is Jonathan not telling her and why is Five Lights in danger?

This is an exciting book that fizzles with magic and expectation!  I loved the idea of the suitcases being used as a device to travel to other worlds and the thrill of what would be waiting there ... the elements of danger help to build the tension and excitement.

The shop conjured up images of Diagon Alley whilst the worlds brought back wonderful childhood memories of The Faraway Tree but with the pleasure of added tension and adventure to get stuck in to.

Flick is a lonely but determined young lady whose sense of adventure drives her ever onwards from the beginning of the book; whilst, in Jonathan, we see the burden of responsibility weighing on him and this gives him a bit of darkness which I enjoyed reading.

A book about friendship, family, fun and excitement - sign me up now for membership to the Strangeworlds Society!

Explorers on Black Ice Bridge - Alex Bell

An amazing return to Stella's work and we are suddenly immersed in the trial that will decide whether Felix will keep his membership at the Polar Bear Explorer's club. This doesn't matter to the group, as the four children, plus Beanie's mother, Joss, and Felix himself, journey to the Black Ice Bridge on a quest to save Shay from turning into a witch wolf. Will they succeed?

From the very beginning, I was hooked on the adventurous nature of Stella and her friends and how they coped with all circumstances. I loved how their resilience and courageousness helped them along the way. An amazing third novel; I can't wait for more!

Shadowsea - Peter Bunzl

The fourth instalment in the Cogheart series, Lily, Robert and Malkin arrive in America with Lily's father, John, as they meet Robert's mother and sister in New York. At the hotel they are staying at, they meet Professor Milksop and her nephew Dane. At dinner, Dane sends his pet mouse to Lily and Robert with a note saying "Help me". Immediately, they are alarmed and try to help him. Read the book to find out what happens...

From the start, I loved the curiosity that Lily and Robert possess: it gets them into so much trouble! I found their desire to help Dane to be very persuading, even though their father said no. Throughout the entire book, I couldn't leave their side never stopping to pause, as the adventure was so enticing!
An amazing book!