Meeting Meg: A Whistledown Farm Adventure - Nicola Baker

 

Ava and her friends are looking forward to a long summer holiday but time away from school means more time to help out on the farm, but also means more time spent in the den with friends.  When Ava begins to help look after a little of new puppies, things turn out slightly differently than Ava had imagined.

The Whistledown Farm series is a wonderful set of books that brighten my mood every time I read them and the arrival of Meeting Meg put the biggest smile on my face!  

It was great to be back with Ava and her family, and the warm sunshine of the summer oozes out of the pages.  Long days helping out with sheep shearing and hay baling make me want to head to my nearest farm!  It was lovely to see Ava spending more time with her parents and to see her sharing her love of animals with them, but when she begins to help look after the litter of puppies for Joe, things become rather more complicated.  The plot will certainly open up discussions about responsibility, caring for a pet and consequences.  

The book also looks at sibling relationships and what happens when a younger sibling wants to tag along - I'm sure there are many readers who will be able to relate to this.  I also liked the gentle was in which bullying is also broached.

The third book in the Whistledown Farm series, Meeting Meg is a joyous story that will encourage readers to explore the outdoors, and it's a book that is guaranteed to uplift and make readers smile.  I'm now very much looking forward to see what winter will bring to the farm when Saving Snowflake publishes in October.

Oops, I Kidnapped A Pharaoh! - Luan Goldie

 

'When Skylar and best friend Dana accept a ride in Nana’s new tuktuk, they don’t expect to travel through time – nor to accidentally kidnap Ancient Egyptian Pharaoh King Tut and turn him into a K-pop sensation! Soon Skylar and Dana are on a whirlwind race through time to put things right before they change history for ever…'

Having already read great reviews about this book from some of my blogging friends, I was really looking forward to reading Oops, I Kidnapped A Pharaoh! and I wasn't disappointed.  The book is fast paced and full of humour and excitement.  With Skylar's Nana's tuk-tuk masquerading as a time-travelling machine, she and her best friend Dana unexpectedly end up on the adventure of a life-time.  A trip to collect ingredients turns out to be more than nipping to the supermarket and they end up in Ancient Egypt meeting Tutankhamun!  When the Egyptian King decides he needs to escape his responsibilities for a bit, he hides in the tuk-tuk and ends up in modern Britain attending a K-Pop convention!  And that's only the beginning!  

Readers will love exploring time travel and meeting a host of historical figures in this hilarious book that would make a great read aloud in class or at home.  With themes of friendship as well as the butterfly effect to explore, the book is guaranteed to prompt some interesting discussions, not least of which would be where would you go and who would you want to meet?

Oops, I Kidnapped A Pharaoh! is a thoroughly enjoyable read that will leave readers with a big smile on their face. 

Pia's Pet Club Puppy Problem - Serena Patel

 

Pia adores pets and is desperate for one of her own, so much so she's read everything she can about them.  She'd prefer a dog but would be happy with any pet; however, with her parents separated, the chances of her getting her dream are looking slimmer by the minute.  Then she meets Hari in the garden of her dad's apartment building.  He's trying, rather unsuccessfully, to train his puppy Luna before Nani arrives.  With Pia's help, can they train Luna in time?

I love Serena's Accidental Detective series so I was thrilled to see that she's written the first in a new series.  The book is a delightful read that is full of humour but also weaves in some important topics that will help readers.  As well as the responsibility of own and looking after a pet (I also liked that there was mention of why people might be wary of pets), there are also issues around parental separation and Pia getting used to moving between two homes.  As well as that, sibling relationships are explored.  

Pia is a completely relatable character and one readers will enjoy getting to know.  She makes mistakes and gets things wrong, and it's important that readers understand that this is part of life.  

With illustrations by Emma McCann that perfectly compliment the story, Pia's Pet Club is a perfect chapter read for children in Years 3 and 4.  I'm already looking forward to the next book in the series.

Oliver's Great Big Universe Volcanoes Are Hot! - Jorge Cham

 

Oliver is back in his second book.  After his best friend, Sven, barfs epically in the school canteen and Oliver slips and falls in it, the pair become known as the 'Epic Barf Kids'.  To counteract this, Oliver decides that he needs to find a way to take people's minds off the event.  With his first book having been a big success, he decides that writing a second book will be the key to success so sets about discovering everything he can about volcanoes.  But is the book good enough for him to win first prize and to ensure that everyone forgets that epic barfing incident?

This is a thoroughly enjoyable book that brilliantly combines laughs and science.  I really enjoyed the wealth of facts that Cham had managed to deftly weave into the book, all explained in a way that will be easy for readers to understand.  From facts about lava to continental drift; the layers of the Earth to different types of rocks - I think I may have even learned something new myself!  The illustrations compliment the book perfectly and enhance the understanding of the facts that are being explained ... and add to the humour too!

With messages about taking care of the planet, friendship and being kind, Oliver's Great Big Universe: Volcanoes Are Hot is a book that will go down well in school and is perfect for fans of Wimpy Kid and Louis Stowell's Loki.  Great as part of the series, but also great to read as a stand alone, I really hope there will be more from Oliver.

Exit Stage Death - Ava Eldred

 

Livi Campbell is heading to spend the summer in her favourite place: Camp Chance, a musical theatre summer camp where she will be a senior and will finally get the coveted staring role in the end of season performance.  However, she didn't bank on two famous people being at camp this summer; nor did she bank on a camper showing up dead.  Suddenly, her summer has taken a very different role and, along with a group of friends, she finds herself embroiled in hunting down a killer before they strike again.

This was a wonderful book and one that kept me guessing until the very end!  My theories changed with every chapter and I had so many people as the culprit at various stages as the plot unfolded and twists were revealed!

Set in America, readers will adore the setting, especially anybody with dreams of a career on stage, or those who dream of long summers at camp without their parents!  From sharing dorm rooms to after hours parties, the book has it all.

The story is told from Livi's point of view and readers will quickly get to know her and understand her desire to make this her best year yet; however, everything seems to be working against her.  When Chloe is found dead, everybody believes it's been a tragic accident; it's only Livi and her immediate friends that know otherwise, and that's down to the cryptic note that is left for them to find...

Exit Stage Death is a brilliant read that will grip and entice readers.  It's perfect for those who are beginning to make the move from MG to YA, and it's already being coveted by members of my class; so much so that one girl approached me every day last week to ask if I'd finished the book and raced to my office to borrow it on Monday morning! She's had her head buried in it ever since!

Publishing 5th June, Exit Stage Death makes for a perfect summer mystery.

Dork Diarie's - Sister Showdown! - Rachel René Russell

 

'Lately, Nikki’s little sister has been a TOTAL BRAT! But while Brianna is busy raiding her closet and taping a HIDEOUS drawing of Nikki on her bedroom door, Nikki has more important things to think out. It’s the end of summer and she has only 72 hours to completely reinvent herself before starting at Westchester Prep&hellip.

SQUEEEEEEE!! Nikki is determined to be the COOLEST, CUTEST, SMARTEST, MOST INTRIGUING girl at school. But when disaster strikes and Brianna gets hold of Nikki’s most cherished items… her phone AND her diary, her world is turned upside down. Will an unexpected emergency ruin Nikki’s fabulous start to the new school year or, worse, ruin her relationship with wacky BFFs, Chloe and Zoey, and cute crush Brandon?'

Okay, it's time for me to confess that I have never read a Dork Diaries book!  I know; I'm sorry!  So with a sunny Saturday afternoon to spare, I stretched out in the garden and jumped in.

I have to say that I really enjoyed the book.  The chatty style makes the book relatable and an easy read, and I loved the combination of illustrations and text.  

There's a lot going on in Nikki's world, not least of which is making sure she has the right outfits to create the best impression at her new school.  But then disaster strikes and Nikki's world comes tumbling down, and her little sister takes control of her diary.  

With strong themes about friendship, fitting in and family life, Sister Showdown is guaranteed to be another success in this hit series, and I'm now heading off to find the other books in the series to read. 

The House At The Edge Of The World - Nadine Aisha Jassat

 

Amal and her family have just lost their home and the library they ran so it's with a huge amount of luck that they receive a letter saying that they have inherited a house from a long-lost relative.  However, when they get there, somebody else believes that the house it theirs and gives them 30 days to prove they have a claim on it.  With a race to find proof, Amal and her family begin to learn exactly what the house means to them.  As strange things begin happening, is it possible that the house is leading them to the truth?

Nadine's first book, The Stories Grandma Forgot was the first book written entirely in prose that I'd read (you can read my review here), and I really enjoyed it, so I was excited when The House At The Edge Of The World arrived.

Amal and her family are facing huge changes in their lives with the closure of Honeydew Library.  Together, they know they will get through this one way or another but the house is something they don't expect.  When they arrive, things are almost spooky and rumours in the village suggest that there is more to the house than they know.  As Amal begins to explore, she starts to wonder whether the house is listening to her and magic weaves its way into the book.  With Victoria and Hector breathing down their necks, there is intrigue and a race against time that creates a tension within the prose and will keep readers guessing.

I have to give a nod to Flavia's illustrations that wonderfully compliment the story.

With a host of characters to get to know (both wonderful and evil), including Hope House itself, The House At The Edge Of The World is a book that readers will delight in.  It is a wonderful story of magic, family, perseverance and hope that will enchant readers and open their lives to the world of books in prose.