The Beast and The Bethany Child of The Beat - Jack Meggitt-Phillips

Bethany, Ebenezer and the Beast are back and this time, Ebenezer and Bethany are trying to educate the beast into becoming a better creature by vomiting up good things.  However, when the beast is left to its own devices, it decides to vomit up all of its worst parts which it successfully does ... and inadvertently creates another beast from this.  The beast's 'child' is truly evil and thrives on other people's misery, Bethany's in particular, so when it discovers that Ebenezer has information about Bethany's parents, it decides to use it to its advantage. 

I love this series of books and was thrilled when an early copy of Child of The Beast landed on my door mat.  It obviously zoomed up my tbr pile and I began reading it in the car whilst waiting for the teenager to finish his cricket match (spoiler alert: the match finished too quickly and the teenager lost!).

I have loved to see the growth of both Bethany and Ebenezer over the course of this series, and it's evident at the beginning of the book that the pair are continuing on this mission (albeit with mixed results).  The battle, in particular with Bethany, between being nice and reverting to her default attitude was fun to read but the underlying messages about friendship are evident.  Readers will also love the Beast's child: a truly evil creation that appears to have no redeeming qualities - I loved it!

Like the rest of this series, Child of The Beast is a joy to read: deliciously dark and peppered with just the right amount of humour, it is perfectly pitched to entertain readers of all ages whilst also imparting messages on friendship, family and doing good deeds.  With wonderful illustrations to enhance the plot, I gobbled up the book and am already desperate to see what the trio get up to next.

The Midnight Switch - Samuel J Halpin

Lewis is moving to the small town of Barrow with his family as his father is desperate for him to gain a scholarship to Elksbridge Collegiate School (or 'THE Elksbridge Collegiate School' as his dad says).  Lewis is less keen on the idea, especially when they arrive at their new home (which is far from ready to live in) and he can't escape the strange feeling that he has, not to mention the mysterious rooks keen appearing.  Not long after their arrival, Lewis and his family attend The Peering of the Goblet ceremony, an annual tradition in the town which forecasts the weather due to a curse the villagers believe had been put on the town by the Barrow Bogwitch.  Shortly after, Moira, a friend of the family unexpectedly turns up in the middle of the night.  Lewis' parents take her in but Lewis feels there is something unusual about her, however, puts it down to the fact that he hasn't seen her for years.  It quickly become apparent to Lewis that Moira doesn't know her own name or where she is from.  Together, they are determined to get to the bottom of what is going on, but time is running out - can they the answers they need before it's too late?

The Midnight Switch is the sort of book I love reading: full of mystery with just the right amount of adventure and a good sprinkling of darkness thrown in to keep the reader gripped.  Having been part of the cover reveal, I was excited to dive beyond and find out exactly what was going to happen.  

Lewis clearly doesn't want to move house and certainly doesn't seem to want to join Elksbridge School but his father's desperation for him to do makes him unable to say anything.  The relationship between Lewis and his father is an interesting one: they are clearly a close family but his father is grieving the loss of his own father and is just trying to do what he thinks is best for his son; however, he fails to do one thing: ask Lewis what he wants.  The result is the adventure that unfolds in the book.

Like The Peculiar Pegs of Riddling Wood, Samuel knows how to include just the right amount of darkness in the plot: a small town with annual rituals; legends of old woven into the pages; a character who doesn't know anything about themselves, not to mention an ending that will have you literally hanging on to the edge of your seat.  The Midnight Switch is a book that drew me in and kept me gripped until after I'd finished the book.

Perfect for fans of the Eerie-on-Sea series or Michelle Harrison book, The Midnight Switch publishes on the 12th October and is begging to be read under a cosy blanket with a hot chocolate.

The Weatherwell - Vashti Hardy

 

Grace and Tom are in the Griffin map room, desperately trying to ignore the heat of the summer whilst finishing off projects they have been working on.  When a call comes in from Oakwell requesting help from wardens, Grace jumps at the chance as she loves the market there (and hopes to get herself a cooling ice cream) and Tom goes with her.  When they get there, however, they are perplexed to find the town gripped in the middle of a snowstorm in the middle of summer, meaning the summer fair can't take place.  Using their investigation skills, can Grace and Tom get to the bottom of the problem and save the fair?

Like the rest of this series, The Weatherwell transports you to immersive worlds and captivates readers.  Oakwell sounds like a delightful place to visit (when it's not snowing in summer!) and the descriptions enticing - I'd love to visit Samuel's Snowglobes!

The STEM theme runs through this book as it does through so many of Vashti's books and is one that will be loved by all readers.  Grace and Tom are determined and work well together which is a joy to see (as is that fact that their problem isn't solved immediately).  Persistence, teamwork and owning up to our mistakes are all strong themes in the book, wrapped up in Barrington Stoke's trademark publishing.  Along with wonderful illustrations from Natalie Smilie, this was a joy to read.

Out on the 7th September, The Weatherwell will be another guaranteed hit in school next term.

Anish Accidental Detective Beach Disaster - Serena Patel; illustrated by Emma McCann

Anisha is back and this time she's off on a school trip to the beach in Wales to take part in a habitat project that will help to save the beach; however, things don't go as smoothly as they should: first, Granny Jas has managed to get herself a place as a chaperone; and also somebody is trying to sabotage their competition entries.  As well as that, Anisha's Aunti Bindi is expecting a baby imminently.  With Anisha feeling a little left out at home, she hopes the time away will give her a bit of independence, but why does she feel so unsettled?

I love this series and know how popular it is in school.  The book is well-paced and dives straight into the action which I know goes down well with readers; as do the wonderful illustrations by Emma McCann.

Anisha is worried about her first trip away from home and this will resonate with many readers.  The excitement of what they will be doing becomes Anisha's focus but she gets quite a shock when she finds Granny Jas hiding in the luggage compartment!  Residentials are an exciting time for many children but for some, like Anisha, they can be the cause of worry; coupled with the imminent arrival of Anti Bindi's baby, the book looks at two events that readers will be able to resonate with.  The detective element of the book will always hook readers and clues and red-herrings will leave people guessing.

With humour weaving its way through the book, Beach Disaster would be a great stand-alone read and a great book to add to the collection for those who are already fans. I can't wait to see what's install next for Anisha.

Play - Luke Palmer

Play follows the lives of four teenage boys, Luc, Johnny, Matt and Mark, as they manage their way through secondary school.  Despite their differing personalities and backgrounds, the friends spend their free time together, hanging out in the Lanes, coming up with new games (most of which would be considered anti-social), drinking and taking drugs.  Each has their own hopes for the future but when Mark starts helping out one of his brother's friends, things change.

Having read Grow when it was published, I knew that Play would pull no punches and I was right.  This is a straight-talking novel that takes four very different friends who are trying to navigate their teenage years and shows what can happen to them.   The writing is realistic and the dialogue brings depth to the characters.

One of the main themes of the book is county-lines and how easy it is to become embroiled in drug dealing.  It happens almost without Mark realising; he's simply helping out one of his brother's associates, but the lure of expensive phones, plenty of cash and a bit of status very quickly snowballs into something much more serious and dangerous.  It's chilling to read but something that is very real, as the book shows.   

Navigating friendships, drinking, drug taking, sexuality, relationships and pushy parents are all covered in the course of the book.  Each topic is believably woven into the plot and is done in a way that is relatable and things that many teenage readers will be able to associate with.  There are points in the book that can make for uncomfortable reading (Luc on holiday; many of the things Mark becomes embroiled in...) but this is all the more reason for the book to be read for they are incidents that teenagers (boys in particular here) can get themselves into and the book highlights the consequences of their actions.  My teenage son read this before me and said that he feels it needs to be in every school library and is an important read - I couldn't agree more.  

The end of the book is thought-provoking and sobering.  When I finish a book, I generally simply close it and move on, but with Play, I sat for quite a while just thinking about the book and the boys within its pages.  This is a book that needs to be in every secondary school in the country and will show teenagers and adults alike the dangers that our teenagers face today.

Publishing on the 5th October, Play is a hard-hitting, important read that is an important read for older teenagers.

Stuntboy In-Between Time - Jason Reynolds, drawings by Ralph The Third

When I met Portico in Stuntboy In The Meantime, he was developing his skills as the newest superhero in the building, alongside his best-friend, Zola. Whilst his parents fought over their belongings in their divorce, Zola helped Portico with his frets.

In book 2, Stuntboy In-Between Time, Portico has been living in his mum's new apartment for 6 days but has to spend the following night at his father's apartment two floors below.  The whole thing seems to be bringing Protoco's frets to his dreams as well as his waking life.  He is supposed to head straight to his dad's place but gets diverted by Zola and their new friend, Herbert.  When Herbert tells them he's found an empty apartment on the top floor that's open and they head up and it proves to be the perfect hangout for them.   But can the apartment prove a big enough distraction for Stuntboy?

Like book 1, In-Between Time was funny and a great read; I loved the combination of illustrations/graphic novel style that married perfectly with the written story (as do the commercial breaks which I loved!). The plot is fast-paced and engaging as well as visually a joy to look at which I know will appeal to readers; it would be especially good for those who find novels more daunting.

In amongst the humour in both books, there are strong messages about issues that children regularly face: anxiety, parental separation, friendships and bullying.  It is clear that both Jason and Raúl understand what many children experience and have been able to write this in a relatable way that will allow children to know they are not alone.  They wrap the issues into the comedy so that readers will absorb the messages without realising they are doing so.

Stuntboy In-Between Time is a captivating read about a character that every child needs in their lives. 

The Ice Children - MG Leonard

When five-year old Finn Albedo is found frozen in the park near his home at the beginning of December, adults are bamboozled by how this has happened.  Alive but unable to be revived, people can only wonder what is going on.  And when more children are found frozen every morning, parents grow increasingly concerned; however, Bianca, Finn's older sister is convinced she knows what is happening and is determined to help Finn and all the other frozen children.  A book, a reindeer and a magical winter wonderland hold the answers to her problems, but can she save everyone before it's too late?

I always enjoy MG Leonard's books and love the variety in them, from Beetle Boy, to the Adventures on Trains, not to mention the Twitchers series, and now The Ice Children, a book set in the middle of winter that sparkles and shines.  With environmental messages singing from the pages as well as family and love, this is a book that will enchant readers as the nights draw in and the temperature drops.  A celebration of winter in all its shimmering glory, The Ice Children will be a perfect family read in the run up to Christmas with a mug of hot chocolate (it felt slightly strange reading it on a sun-bed in the middle of August!).  I can't wait to share this in school when it publishes on the 2nd November.