Theodora Hendrix and the Monstrous League of Monsters - Jordan Kopy

At this time of year, I love to dive into a good book that involves ghosts, monsters, vampires or mummies, so imagine my delight when I discovered that Theodora Hendrix and the Monstrous League of Monsters has all of that and more!

Left in the graveyard as a baby one Halloween, Theodora is discovered by Georgie the zombie and Bandit his cat who take her to their rather unconventional home, otherwise known as the Monstrous League of Monsters.  Unfortunately, there is a slight problem as the League have a strict set of rules:

1.         Keep monsters hidden from humans
2.         Protect humans from bad monsters
3.         Help bad monsters become good monsters

Strictly speaking, the first rule means that the League should return the baby to the humans; however, as there are goblins who believe she would make a delicious treat and the humans within their locality aren't deemed suitable to bring up the baby, rule two comes into play. The League decide to keep this whole thing a secret, name the baby Theodora and she is brought up by the most unconventional of families.  We then join Theodora when she is ten and find a happy girl who is quite at home amongst Mummy, Dracula, Sir Pumpkin-de-Patch and the others.  But then anonymous letters begin to appear, covered in wax, which threaten to reveal the League's hidden secret ... Theodora!

This book is the perfect recipe for this time of year: full of a brilliant set of quirky characters, a mysterious plot that needs solving, some characters you'll enjoy hating (for me it was Ms Frumple) and just the right amount of eeriness for this time of year.  Combine that with the chatty narration and quirky quips that accompany the main story (which added just enough humour and I personally loved) and you've got one heck of a book that will entice children and capture their imagination (I can see many wanting their own Sherman once they've finished reading!).

Theodora is one of those characters that I absolutely love to see in children's books: she's not afraid of breaking the rules (for all the right reasons, of course!), there's a fiery determination to her, she loves her family and has the best friends!  Sherman the spider is a brilliant character, particularly his attire! (... and I'm afraid of spiders!) and his loyal to Theodora is evident throughout the book.  And Dexter shows us that, no matter how scared you are, you can do anything if you really want to.

With a vibrant, shiny front cover and a host of illustrations by Chris Jevons that help to enhance the story, Theodora Hendrix and the Monstrous League of Monsters will be a monstrous hit this October!

Tinsel (The Girl Who Invented Christmas) - Sibéal Pounder

'It's the tiny, ordinary things that snowball to make life truly magical.'

Blanche Clause is living on the streets of Victorian London and hates Christmas: she's alone and spends the day counting down the seconds until it's over.  But then a stranger gives her a red Christmas bauble, her first ever Christmas present, telling her: 'Never underestimate the gifts you are given.  What you see inside might surprise you.'  Shortly after that, she meets a young girl called Rinki who is thrilled to have found somebody she can call a friend and their friendship becomes something that will change the world forever.  Determined to have her own sleigh and to deliver a present to every child in the world, Tinsel, is the story of how Santa and the Christmas traditions we know and love today came to be.

Ok, so, disclaimer: I love Christmas!  I put the tree up at the beginning of December, play Christmas songs at full volume and will happily read any book to do with Christmas at any point in the year, so I was very much looking forward to diving into Tinsel and starting the festivities early this year (goodness knows, we need it!).  And oh boy, what a book this is!  From learning about the elves to discovering how Santa met Rudolf; from the creation of Tinsel to why Santa dresses in the red suit and beard, this book puts a rather wonderfully feminist twist on things that just make complete and utter sense when you read them!  And as for Santa ... well, I should have known: we women always do have the best ideas!!!

Blanche is a wonderful character, full of spirit and determination, and somebody who knows exactly what she wants and isn't afraid of hard work in order to get there.  She's prepared to take chances and is a wonderfully feminist protagonist who will inspire girls and make them want to go out and change the world.

To be fair, this book is full of wonderful characters: Rinki is a delight and full of positivity; Teddy is following his own dreams of creating costumes and being his true self; Cook is everything you could want and a little bit more (Brussel sprout brew anyone?!) , and as for Mr Krampus - well he's just the bad guy you're going to enjoy! OOOh, and I have to mention the Carols and, most of all Eggnog, who is quite possibly the best Christmas tree in the whole history of Christmas!

From mince pie picnics (yes, they are a thing and I desperately want it to snow so I can enjoy one!) to climbing up and down chimneys, this book oozes festive spirit, is guaranteed to put a big smile on your face, make you laugh and leave you with a warm, fuzzy feeling inside.  Full of magic, Tinsel is like a hug in paper format, a cosy blanket you'll want to wrap yourself in and is an absolute must read when it's released on the 29th October!

Molly Thompson and the Crypt of the Blue Moon - Nick Tomlinson

The sequel to The Ghouls of Howlfair is a book I have been anticipating for just over a year so it was with great delight that I opened Molly Thompson and the Crypt of the Blue Moon last week and moved it straight to the top of my TBR pile!

Molly is back and she is all too aware that her mum is struggling to keep the Excelsior B&B afloat so, when when journalists from Country Wonders magazine arrive in Howlfair to write a piece that could paint the town(and the Excelsior) in a better light and attract more business, Molly feels she has no choice but to help them; however, the journalists, Lucinda and Orson Corches, aren't quite what Molly was expecting.  They unnerve Molly and seem to be obsessed with the legend of The Silentman - a legend that could bring about the end of the town if the hidden crypt is ever opened.

Just perfect for this time of year, the book starts with a night time visit to the local infirmary by Death, involves several ghouls and ghosts, dips into some Indiana Jones-esque scenes, spends time in eerie graveyards in the middle of the night and concludes in rather dramatic fashion!  What more could you want from a book as the darker nights descend and Halloween approaches?

It was great to be reunited with the old gang: Molly is as feisty as ever but is clearly carrying the weight of her mom's worries on her shoulders which is why she ends up embroiled in the Corches' bidding.  Her desperation to save her home and her mum's business, as well as the memory of her father, is clearly at the forefront of her mind with everything she does (thankfully as, without that, I fear we would not have had the book!).  Her friends Lowry and Felicity, have also returned and their differing characters are great to read (particularly Lowry's who does make me chuckle!).  And then there's Carl, seen less than the others but still with an integral part to play; thank goodness he's around!  And, of course, I have to mention Lucinda and Orson Corches who are deliciously devilish and characters you will absolutely love to hate, particularly Lucinda (I'm picturing a mixture of The High Witch from the Roald Dahl film and Meryl Streep in The Devil Wears Prada).

The plot builds steadily from the very beginning of the book, with twists along the way that will keep you on your toes and culminates in an edge of your seat finale that will leave you wanting more!  With family and friendship very much at the heart of this book, Molly Thompson and the Crypt of the Blue Moon is definitely a book to curl up with this autumn.

Zombierella: Fairytales Gone Bad - Joseph Coelho

Having read a sampler of this, I was very excited when the full book landed on the door mat and, by goodness, I wasn't disappointed!

The first thing you notice are the wonderful illustrations throughout the book that Freya Hartas has so lovingly created (please remember to lift the flaps on both covers to reveal even more art work).

And then you begin reading and The Librarian draws you in with his knowledge of all sorts of books, and this begins to give you a taster of what's to come when you hear about what happens to old, unread and unloved books - they go bad, which is what has happened here, and we discover that the tale we know as Cinderella has actually become ZOMBIERELLA! But we are warned that as the librarian began to read this version, he began to change!  It is then that the story of ZOMBIERELLA begins to unfold on the pages.

Told in verse, the tale closely follows the original Cinderella tale but with some oh so deliciously creepy and frighteningly funny twists! As we are swept along with the tale, we encounter an old abandoned mansion, a prince who isn't quite what he may seem, the three FAKE sisters and a FAKE mother, not to mention Death in many different guises (I won't spoil things for you!) and, of course, we find out just exactly how Cinderella becomes ZOMBIERELLA!

This is the sort of book that I think so many children will relish and devour for many, many reasons.  The darkness of the plot and the creepiness of the tale is something that children love to dive into.  They're familiar with the traditional tale but this is a new twist that will capture their imaginations and get them thinking about so many other tales that could receive the same 'gone bad' treatment (teacher hat on here: I can see some wonderful discussions and creative writing being inspired by this book!).

It would be incredibly remiss of me not to mention the vocabulary and the description that has been woven into every part of this book (again, my teacher hat is firmly on here!).  There is a richness that oozes out of the pages from the vocabulary as well as the figurative language, and it is just a joy to read.  It most definitely gives the story an extra quality and allows your imagination to devour the story in a way it may not otherwise be able to.  It's a story that I will definitely be reading in school, both as a reading for pleasure book as well as a book that I can use in various lessons.

ZOMBIERELLA is a feast for the senses in a plethora of ways: the visual aspect is a joy to behold on its own; the story is a new and welcome twist on a tale that I have always loved; the language oozes out of the pages and the deliciously dark and gory nature is a frighteningly pleasurable experience that I want to revisit again and again!

I know, through Tiwtter, that Joseph is already writing the next Fairy Tale Gone Bad and I can't wait to get my hands on it!

Zombierella is perfect for this time of year, as the evenings draw in, the curtains are being closed once again, the lights are turned on; there's a chill in the air and Halloween is just around the corner and I urge you to go out and buy a copy - you won't be disappointed!

Sona Sharma Very Best Big Sister - Chita Soundar

This is a wonderful story about Sona and her family who are preparing for the birth of their next child. Sona has enjoyed being the only child in the family and clearly doesn’t want to share them with a new sibling. The story follows Sona on her journey and shows us what happens once the baby is born, including coming up with the perfect name for the baby.

Set in India, Sona’s house is clearly a busy and happy one, full of chatter and laughter. As well as her parents (Amma and Appa), she also lives with her grandparents (Thatha and Patti), with her other grandmother (The President) living just down the road. The book is full of culture and tradition (showing how they are preparing for the imminent birth) which I really enjoyed reading about. It’s a wonderful way to introduce younger children to different cultures as well as helping them get used to the changes that are to come.

The family are very gentle with Sona, sharing every stage of the preparations with her. It was also good to see Sona’s reluctance to accept what was about to happen as I suspect that this is something many children go through - it will help them to understand that thy are not alone in these feelings. 

I also loved the fact that Sona’s companion was a cuddly elephant named Elephant that spoke to her. I liked the interaction between the two as it allowed the reader to understand her thoughts but I loved it more for the fact that my son had a cuddly elephant named Elephant when he was young who went everywhere but school with him! It brought back many happy memories!

I also cannot fail to mention the illustrations by Jen Khatun, which help bring the characters and the setting to life and add a wonderful visual element to the story.  The glossary of terminology at the end of the book is also incredibly useful as it will not only help children to fully understand the story but will also introduce them to vocabulary in Hindu culture.

This is a brilliant read for younger children, either alone or as a shared read with parents who are preparing for the arrival of a new baby.

 

The Night Bus Hero - Onjali Q Rauf

Hector spends most of his life getting into trouble, both at home and at school; in fact, it's safe to say that he's a bully, and the worst kind - he terrorises children for their sweets and money, he's rude to his nanny and he doesn't care about how others feel about the way he treats them.  But then, when Hector tries to move a homeless man from his bench in the park, things go wrong and suddenly Hector is worried about the consequences.  At the same time, life for the homeless people of London is taking a turn for the worst as parts of famous monuments are being stolen and the homeless are being blamed.  But then Hector sees the homeless man from the park involved in a theft and reports it.  But is he sure that he has the right person?  What if he's wrong?

Having thoroughly enjoyed Onjali's previous books, The Boy at the Back of the Class & The Star Outside My Window, I was very excited to receive a proof copy of The Night Bus Hero and I most certainly wasn't disappointed.  Onjali has a knack of writing books that tackle serious issues in an age appropriate and sensitive way, and she's done it again with this book.  Told from the point of view of Hector, this book gives a real insight into what it's like to be a bully.  We generally see books written from the point of view of the victims, yet we rarely see how the bully is feeling and Onjali allows us to both dislike and then begin to like Hector as the story progresses.  He learns that his actions have consequences and also that the homeless are still people with lives, feelings and a past - something he clearly hadn't thought about (Thomas and Catwoman are wonderful characters).  We see him struggle to negotiate friendships and also his desire to tell the truth.  

Kindness, looking beyond first impressions, friendship & family are all explored within this wonderfully written book that readers will not be able to put down.  A great book that will help readers to see that there is always more to people than we may first see.

 

The Invasion of Crooked Oak - Dan Smith

 

It’s no secret that I’m a HUGE fan of Dan’s books (as are many of the children at school), and I’ve been patiently waiting for the release of The Invasion of Crooked Oak for a long time, so it was with much excitement that I opened the parcel from Barrington Stoke the other day.

Something very strange is happening at Crooked Oak and it all seems to have started with Nancy who noticed that her parents had been acting strangely since the local fracking site, where her mum worked, closed. At first, Nancy’s friends, Pete and Krish, don’t believe her when she tells them but after a visit to her home, their minds are changed. Determined to get to the bottom of exactly what’s going on, the friends decide to visit the fracking site ... at night, but what they discover leaves them in shock. They have to act quickly, but can they sort things out before the parents of everyone in school meet that same evening?

I loved everything about this book! It’s fast-paced, will have you utterly gripped, it’s scary enough to have you hiding behind your teddy at times and its zombie-esque/sci-if/horror theme is just perfect for this time of year: the nights are drawing in, Halloween is coming and you just know that children will gobble up this story.  Add to that, the atmospheric illustrations by Chris King, and the fact that Dan manages to cram all of this into just 97 pages, wrapped up in Barrington Stoke’s brilliant style, this has major hit written all over it and I can’t wait to share it with the children next week when we’re back at school.