The Frost Goblin - Abi Elphinstone & Fiona Woodcock

Bertie Crash-Wallop lives in a very noisy home where he often feels that, as a quiet child, he wouldn't be missed if he wasn't there.  So one evening, he ventures out and stumbles across a family of goblins living under the house next door.  It's their job to scatter the frost and, as it's winter's coldest night, the frost needs to be scattered before dawn.  Bertie is keen to help and, in doing so, perhaps he can find his place in the world.

Oh, this book is simply gorgeous!  The writing will lull you with its soothing tone and style whilst wrapping you in a a warm embrace (despite it being set on the coldest night of winter) and the illustrations are a feast for the eyes.  Abi has a way of conjuring up the best names for characters and places, and The Frost Goblin is no exception: set in Clatterstomp, the book follows Bertie Crash-Wallop who lives in Muddle Lane.  The names add to the magical feel the book exudes and, along with the phrasing and vocabulary, make it the perfect book to read aloud (I seriously found myself reading it aloud to myself and cannot wait to read it to classes at school). 

The perfect book for families and children of all ages, The Frost Goblin will show readers that even the quietest members of the family are loved, that being quiet can be a good thing and friendships can be found in the most unexpected of places.

I hugged the book at the end and simply sat and basked in the glow it left inside me.  It's an uplifting, magical book that will have you longing for the sparkle of frosty evenings, fudge and milkshakes!  

Released in the 27th October, The Frost Goblin is a book you will go back to again and again both to hear the story and to gaze at the illustrations.  I promise, this is the book you need this winter. 

The Vanishing of Aveline Jones - Phil Hickes

The Christmas holidays have just begun and Aveline is heading to her uncle's house with her mum and Aunt Lilian.  After years of being missing, they are going to sort out his things, including putting his house on the market.  With Harold keeping her company, Aveline is determined to get to the bottom of why and how her uncle vanished and why he was researching a an ancient burial ground close to his home as well as other local disappearances.  But, by investigating this themselves, could Aveline and Harold be putting themselves in danger?

I've been a big fan of the Aveline Jones book since I read The Haunting of Aveline Jones in the summer of 2020.  The deliciously spooky atmosphere that is built has always enticed me (I remember reading book 1 on a gloriously sunny evening and dropping the book in fright as my phone pinged next to me whilst I was reading it!).  And The Vanishing of Aveline Jones is no exception.  The opening page details the journey on the train and the description sets the tone immediately with 'black clouds billowed like clenched fists' and 'grim mires of water pooled in the fields' - it's not your typical Christmas holiday journey and I loved it!  The atmosphere continues to build when they arrive at Uncle Rowan's house, with its musty, unlived-in feel and and then even further with the Scarbury Long Barrow entering the plot.  I was definitely spooked on more than one occasion but felt an absolute thrill at the tension the Hickes has built, yet again in this book.  

What I also love about this book is that there are some great nods to the previous books but the book can also be read without having first enjoyed books 1 and 2.  

Keith Robinson has, once again, done a wonderful job with the illustrations, which further enhance the enjoyment of the book.  

The Vanishing of Aveline Jones is brilliantly atmospheric and deliciously spooky and a book to read whilst curled up under a blanket as the nights grow dark.  Publishing on the 27th October, it's perfect for Hallowe'en.

 

Saving Neverland - Abi Elphinstone

Martha Pennydrop and her younger brother, Scruff, have just moved into the top floor apartment at number 14 Darlington Road, Bloomsbury.  It's just them and their father after their mother left when they were very young.  As Mr Pennydrop is consumed by his job, Martha feels responsible for Scruff, especially after the Terrible Day.  And now, as she is ten, she feels she needs to grow up and stop having adventures.  However, the room she shares with Scruff seems to have different ideas: the window simply refuses to close, there are unusual leaves on the floor every morning when the children wake and there is some very mysterious dust in one of the drawers.  And then, one night, a visitor arrives at the window: Peter Pan has returned (for this house was once owned by the Darlings) and is desperate for Martha and Scruff's help to save Neverland from a curse that is threatening to completely destroy the island.  But can they succeed where Peter Pan has failed, will Martha cope when Scruff is kidnapped and will she be able to rediscover her imagination to save the day?

I have always loved the story of Peter Pan and used to dream of being able to fly round my bedroom with my teddy! I'm also a big fan of Abi Elphinstone's writing so when Saving Neverland arrived, there was great excitement (there may have been squealing and book hugging!).  It jumped straight to the top of my reading pile and made the perfect companion whilst I recovered from being unwell.

At ten, Martha has reached an age where she feels that she should no longer be involved in anything considered childish; she sees her other friends growing up and feels that she has to do the same.  She also feels responsible for her younger brother and is clearly taking on the role of the parent (she even has a list of jobs that need to be completed every day).  It is this that means that she no longer wants to bounce on the bed or play their invented game of Raiders, and even Armageddon, her beanbag shaped like a woolly mammoth, has been consigned to the attic - life has become very serious for Martha.  Scruff, by contrast, is a bundle of adventure and he seems to enjoy nothing more than jumping on the bed and regaling his sister with unusual animal facts.  He seems unfazed by his asthma and leaves his sister to worry about that for him.  When Peter turns up, it's no surprise that Martha wants nothing to do with him and it's only Scruff's excitement at the thought of a real adventure and Muddle finding the dust and swirling it around that results in the start of the adventure.  I think Scruff is my favourite character but I adored Martha's fierce independence and absolute drive to save her brother at all costs - she rocked!

The world building within Saving Neverland is simply wonderful.  Whilst staying true to the original Neverland, Abi has managed to update things to reflect the world in which we live today: the Lost Boys are now Lost Kids and there is a more culturally appropriate feel to the island whilst loosing none of the magic - I love that the Lost Kids are all named after vegetables and they live in the Burrow.  Some of the original features of Neverland remain such as Mermaid Lagoon, but the map reveals new areas of the island that are begging to be explored as the team head out on their adventure.  Hook's curse means that the island has become a land of snow and ice and frostbears and snowtigers roam the land.  This is an island that you will adore exploring.

Beautifully written, Saving Neverland has a real feel of a classic to it whilst feeling modern at the same time.  The phrasing and writing style is a joy to read and wraps you in a hug whilst the adventure is thrilling and perilous in all the right places, which means you won't be able to put the book down (at first because you are enchanted by the magic and then because you simply have to know whether everything is going to work out in the end).  I marked so many pages with phrases I loved that my book is now littered with tiny pink post-its and I know I'll go back to them again and again (I also love the idea of always having a fork in your pyjama pocket so you're ready for invites to midnight feasts!).

In short, Saving Neverland is a simply gorgeous and wonderfully readable book perfect for children and adults who want to read it alone, or for parents to read aloud to their children (I'm already planning to read this aloud to my class).  In a world where so many things appear to be wigglysplat (yes, that is a word from Rumblestar that I use regularly in my life!), this is a book that reminds us all, no matter our age, that it's important to grow down and sideways as well as up; we must remember that we are never too old to have adventures and we should always keep the window open ... just in case.

Due for release on the 5th January, Saving Neverland is guaranteed to chase away the January blues and leave you with a warm glow in your heart... Now, how do I go about curing the massive book hangover I have?!

The Ministry of Unladylike Activity - Robin Stevens

It's December 1940, World War II is underway and Britain is feeling the effects.  Meanwhile May Wong is stuck at Deepdean School for Girls, frustrated at being trapped there as a result of the war and determined to do her part to end it.  She wants to become a spy and prove to everyone that she isn't too young (ten but nearly eleven) to do what her elder sister, Hazel is doing.  As Hazel wouldn't help her (and wouldn't even admit that she was a spy), May sets out to do this her own way.  Finding a note in Hazel's handbag which gives details of training in London, she runs away from Deepdean and heads to the capital to attend the training herself.  On the way, she meets Eric who also happens to be heading to the same place and so they arrive together, but the pair are instantly turned away amid claims they are too young.  However, May is not to be deterred and, discovering new information on the back of the note from Hazel's bag, she decides that she is off to solve a mystery on her own to prove herself worthy.  Dragging Eric with her, she heads to Elysium Hall in the countryside and the pair pose as evacuees.  But is there more to this mystery than meets the eye?  And can May and Eric get to the bottom of things before it's too late?

It's a well documented fact that I am a HUGE fan of the Murder Most Unladylike series and it was with more than a few tears in my eyes that I said good bye to Daisy and Hazel at the end of Death Sets Sail.  I have to say though, that knowing something new was coming definitely helped to ease the pain. After two years of patiently waiting, I am delighted to say that I have been reunited with Robin's writing and have been able to immerse myself in a new mystery series.  

We were first introduced to May in A Spoonful of Murder and then again in Death Sets Sail.  Time has passed since then and she is now ten years old (but nearly elven as she proudly declares at the beginning of the book).  She is very different to Hazel in that she is feisty and adventurous, which is what drives her on right from the beginning of the book.  She isn't about to let her age stop her doing what she wants to do.  Eric becomes May's partner in this investigation and he's quiet, thoughtful and seems to be able to stand back and notice things that are often missed by others.  Finally, we are introduced to Fionnuala (or Fiona as her English family insist on calling her) who lives at the Hall and with whom May shares a bedroom.  We meet her as May and Eric arrive at Elysium Hall and it is her diary entries, along with May's report, that provide the dual narrative of the novel.  Fionnuala is clearly adapting to life in England after some major changes and this influences her character - I found her an intriguing person to get to know.

I have a weakness for books set in WWII  so I was thrilled that The Ministry of Unladylike Activity is set during this time.  Robin had clearly done her research and I loved reading the little details such as the description of the streets of London and the details of the Andersen shelter.  The book touches upon some of the horrors of the war but does it brilliantly and in a way that is appropriate to the readers, giving them an insight into what people went through without scaring them - I highly advise you to read Robin's Author's Note at the end of the book.  In addition, the country house setting added to the mystery perfectly and I found myself imagining myself wandering the hallways and hiding behind the blackout curtains as I read.

There are plenty of twists within the book that kept me guessing and I found the book difficult to put down.  The Ministry of Unladylike Activity is the start of another stunning series and I, for one, can't wait for book 2. 

The Other Ones - Fran Hart

Sal lives in a small town in a house that everybody knows is haunted - it has quite the reputation and has even appeared in the press before.  Sal is somebody who hates to stand out and simply wants to keep his head down and get on with things.  He has a small group of friends (Dirk and Elsie) and has no interest in expanding that part of his life.  And then Pax, a new boy, arrives in the village and he seems determined to befriend Sal, despite his usual surliness.  

With very distinctive autumn vibes, The Other Ones drew me in with the lure of spookiness combined with romance - perfect as the nights draw in.  And whilst there is a definite ghost element to the book, I really enjoyed the fact that this was not the primary focus.  Instead it is Sal and his friendships that take centre stage, with the ghost story woven in between.  The house in which Sal lives sets the scene perfectly with its reputation, the atmosphere and the descriptions.  Combined with Pax's love of graveyards and his home being on the edge of the church grounds, you get a real feel of wanting to curl up under a blanket whilst you read.

There are four very different main characters within the book: Sal is clearly a loner; he doesn't seem to care what others think outside of his immediate friends but he obviously cares deeply for his sister (& coffee which he seems to drink in copious amounts).  Dirk is his best friend and quite the opposite of Sal: he loves to be the centre of attention and seems to be popular in school; however, his loyalty is with his best friend (& his best friend's sister with whom he has the biggest crush!). Elsie is the female of the group and used to love heading out and about but, after her recent break-up, she is happier being with Sal and Dirk.  And then Pax comes along, and I think I love him the most: he seems completely comfortable in his own skin and doesn't appear to be bothered about what anybody else thinks of him.  He is quirky, especially in the way he dresses, and very quickly declares himself a self-taught ghost hunter who believes he can help Sal vanquish the ghosts haunting Sal's house. 

The friendship and eventual relationship that develops between Sal and Pax is the main thread of the book and one I loved.  An unlikely pair, it was lovely to read their friendship grown and blossom into more, and the more it develops, the more I found myself rooting for them.  I love the differences between them and the fact that the relationship isn't forced.  I often find that relationships in YA books that I read quickly become sexual and I loved that this one took its time, doesn't go too far and feels more natural, making it perfect for those who are just starting to dip their toes into the YA market.  

The Other Ones is a cosy read, it's a book that wraps you in a warm hug and leaves you with a glow inside and a smile on your face.  It's a perfect read for October when the leaves are crunchy, so grab a blanket to curl up under, a mug of hot chocolate (or coffee if you're like Sal) and enjoy - this is a book I couldn't put down and one I will definitely be reading again.

The Other Ones is out on the 13th October.

Anisha Accidental Detective: Fright Night - Serena Patel; Illustrated by Emma McCann

 

Anisha is back in her fifth book and this time it's Hallowe'en, and for the first time in years, the school is having a disco.  Lessons seem to all be based around preparation and disco fever is in the air; however, strange things start happening and, before long, everybody is convinced there is a ghost trying to scupper their chances of holding the disco.  Mr Graft, the headteacher, has said that if these things keep happening then the governors won't give the go-ahead for the disco, so it's up to Anisha to put her detective skills to good use.

This is a brilliant book and I thoroughly enjoyed reading it.  Fast paced and with some laughs along the way (I loved seeing what antics the ghost had come up with), you are quickly swept up into the disco fever that has infected the students (well, most of them).  

I also liked the additional story thread of Anisha's parents deciding to move and Granny Jas's attempts to thwart them.  Anisha is a character that will appeal to readers as she is a strong, determined character but also has worries which make her feel very normal.  However, I think it's Granny Jas who is may favourite character and I can imagine her ruling the roost in any household!

A fab book, perfect for this time of year.  I can't wait to see what's in store next for Anisha.