All Brains Are Wonderful - Scott Evans, Illustrated by The Boy Fitz Hammond

 

All Brains Are Wonderful is the most remarkable book that explores the intricacies of our brain in a way that children will be able to understand and enjoy.  It combines interesting and important facts with bright engaging illustrations to create a book that will prove both enjoyable and useful for readers of all ages. 

Covering a range of relevant topics, including how our brains are formed, the book guides readers through the essential details and also includes some incredible facts (the book definitely taught me some things I didn't know!).

The sections I particularly love are those about Society and Taking Action.  Section two, Society, is all about neurodiversity; the past, present and future; discrimination and whether neurodiversity is a disability.  Each of these areas is sensitively explained in detail, in a way that both neurotypical and neurodiverse people will understand and appreciate.  The final section, Taking Action, looks at how we can look after our brains,  both in terms of nutrition as well as mental health.  

As a teacher, and as a pastoral lead, I am always looking for books that I can use in school and All Brains Are Wonderful is one that I will use repeatedly, both with individuals as well as with classes. 

Publishing on the 3rd February, All Brains Are Wonderful is a book that should be in every school.

Magicalia: Thief Of Shadows - Jennifer Bell

 

I'm a big fan of Jennifer's books and have been since reading the first Uncommoners book.  The first book in the Magicalia series, Race of Wonders, was a brilliant read (you can read my review here) and I've been waiting as patiently as I can for Thief Of Shadows to be published, so its arrival at the end of last week meant it raced straight to the top of my reading pile! (there may have been dancing round the kitchen when I opened it!)

The book begins with Bitsy and Kosh in the middle of a most unusual lesson at the European Conservatoire of Conjuring, after which Kosh is directed to an area of the school he's never been to before.  With Bitsy for company, he finds several members of staff waiting for him but the meeting is quickly interrupted by the Shadowmith, a notorious criminal.  It is then that things go very wrong and Kosh is accused of being the Shadowsmith, which forces himself and Bitsy into a race against time to prove his innocence and to protect the item the Shadowsmith is deserate to get their hands on.

It was absolutely wonderful to be back with Bitsy and Kosh again.  At the end of Race of Wonders (I won't include spoilers), they were determined to make the most of their conjuring skills and their exploits in Thief of Shadows certainly allows them to do that! Their skills and their ability to stay calm in the face of danger is great to read and, along with Mateo, it's a real race against time to save the day.  

As with Race of Wonders, there are a host of magicores to discover and I loved trying to guess which emotion they were based on as well as discovering their personalities (I'm definitely basing lessons on this is school!). 

The book is a rollercoaster of an adventure that will leave readers gripped and breathless. It's a feast for the imagination and a mythical world that is wholly believable.  It's pure escapism that is guaranteed to brighten even the darkest winter day and I can't wait to see what's in store next for our heroes.

Magicalia: Thief of Shadows publishes on the 6th February and I'm absolutely thrilled to be welcoming Jennifer into school this coming Tuesday to talk to us all about the series and to celebrate the publication of this second book.  Having enthralled the school back in 2018 with the final Uncommoners book, I know that we're in for a real treat.

The Adventures Of Rap Kid - Mc Grammar

 

'Meet Z, he only speaks in rhyme.'

'Teased all the time.'

'But now it’s his time to shine.'

 
Quiet in school, Z thinks and speaks in rhyme which is getting him into trouble.  But when his English teacher tells him about The Royal Rap Rumble competition and signs him and his new best friend, SFX, up, everything could change for Z.  He just needs to win the competition! 

This is the sort of book that I just know is going to go down seriously well at school!  From the layout, the illustrations, the interactive nature of the book and the fast-pace, not to mention the direct chat with the reader and the humour - this book is bound to be a huge hit.  Yes, I know this paragraph makes me sound like a middle-aged bore, but I probably am!!  

Z is the sort of character that readers will be able to relate to: he has so much going on in his head and brilliant ideas, but the teachers just don't see that.  It's not until Mr G approaches him about the competition that Z realises that what he thinks is a problem, could actually be the making of him.  The book is full of humour and fun; Z's raps are dotted through the book and readers are encouraged to create their own (I liked that the author has subtly woven grammar bits into the story in a way that readers will find appealing).   

Yes, there's a bully who is determined to thwart Z's efforts in the competition, but The Adventures Of Rap Kid is full of friendship, fun and being yourself.  It's perfect for fans of Loki and Diary of a Wimpy Kid and I can guarantee that it will be grabbed out of my hand within seconds tomorrow morning when I take it in to school. 

The Adventures OF Rap Kid publishes on the 27th February and I can't wait for the next instalment. 

Dragon Riders Of Road - Jenny McClachlan

 

Rose and Arthur have certainly had some adventures in Roar, but now Rose has started writing a story about Roar whilst she's not there.  In her story, she creates a school for dragon riders and puts herself in the lead role as the star pupil.  However, when Arthur has a sneaky read, he is gutted to discover he doesn't appear at all and sets about correcting that.  This leads to a huge argument between the twins, during which the book is shoved into the folding camp bed which is their entry into Roar.  When the twins next head to Roar, they quickly discover that the school in Rose's book is actually real.  But when they arrive, Arthur is suspicious that an evil character that Rose had killed off may not really be gone, but can he prove he's right to Rose?

The Land Of Roar series is such a wonderful one and is escapism at its best, so when Farshore gave me the opportunity to have an early read of Dragon Riders of Roar, a new book set in the same world, I jumped at the chance.

Like all siblings, Rose and Arthur argue and it's this that leads to the loss of Rose's story book into the camp bed.  Arthur's anger at not being included in the book was vented with a pencil in his hand and the changes he made become apparent as the book progresses.  It's clear Rose has created a school where she is the star and that is full of all of her favourite things (I could quite fancy a buttery where hot chocolate is on tap!), but Arthur needs to find his place and it takes him some time.  However, his bravery and courage become increasingly evident as the plot unfolds and, by the end, I found myself filling with pride at his actions.  With some familiar characters returning and a host of new ones to enjoy getting to know, Dragon Riders of Roar is a wonderful new escape in the Roar series.  It's every child's imagination come to life combined with an adventure that will have you utterly gripped (yes, I did stay in bed this morning until after 9 so I could finish the book!).  Perfect if you've read the rest of the Roar series, but equally wonderful as a stand-alone book, Dragon Riders of Roar is an amazing adventure about working together, believing in yourself and never giving up. 

Publishing 13th February, Dragon Riders of Roar is a must-read and I already have my fingers crossed that there will be more from DRAc.

Vanishing Edge - Zillah Bethell

'One morning Apricot Jones wakes up to graffiti on her front door and a man in a black Jaguar who calls himself the Baglan Giant looking for her mum. Apricot wishes she were anywhere else, maybe heading over the horizon for a new life!

But her best friend Charlie knows she will always be here, cleaning up the mess the others leave behind.'

Zillah's middle grade books, The Song Walker and The Shark Caller, were both brilliantly written and powerful reads, so I was intrigued when a proof copy of her first YA, Vanishing Edge arrived for me.

Like her MG books, Vanishing Edge is very well written novel and is a powerful read. It's a deeply dark portrayal of friendship and life in Port Talbot.  Apricot and Charlie most definitely have a love-hate relationship and their story is told as a dual narrative which adds to the insight.  Life isn't easy for either character and amongst the dark humour there is much grit.

There is warning of this at the beginning of the book explaining that the book contains references to self-harm and suicide and I like that Bethell has done this: the book is definitely one for the upper end of YA and not for those who are just beginning their YA journey. 

Publishing 6th March, Vanishing Edge is a book that will captivate readers aged 14+.

Honeysuckle & Bone - Trisha Tobias

Carina has headed to Jamaica to spend the summer caring for the children of a high profile family, the Halls; she's also trying to reinvent herself.  But what starts as a perfect summer escape quickly changes and Blackbead House starts to reveal a more sinister side, one that could halt Carina's reinvention before it's really begun.

My first read of 2025 (and actually my final read of 2024!), Honeysuckle & Bone is a book that transports you effortlessly to Jamaica and you can feel the warmth of the breeze and the smell of the honeysuckle wafting off the page.  The book is rich in Jamaican culture and Carina, a Jamaican American, is quick to discover that she has a lot to learn.  You realise from the start that she is hiding something big, that she's running from something and trying to start afresh but the truth and the lies becomes tangled ... and then there's the duppy which seems intent on scaring her at every opportunity.  What Tobias does so well is keep the reader hanging: you know something has happened, you just don't know what and it leaves you desperate to find out - for me, this definitely gave the book that 'just one more chapter' feel.

At it's heart Honeysuckle & Bone is a gothic ghost story that weaves secrets, lies, grief and discovering yourself deftly through its pages.  A deliciously dark and gripping YA, it's a book that will banish the January blues when it publishes on the 14th January.