Punch by Barbara Henderson is the story of Phineas, or Phin for short, who lives and works in Victorian Inverness with his “Uncle” Ewan, a cruel man with “hands the size of spades” who treats Phin like a slave. When Phin is sent to the market after hours to fetch some sausages from the ice… Read More
reviews
Alfie Bloom and the Talisman Thief is the sequel to Alfie Bloom and the Secrets of Hexbridge Castle (hereinafter referred to as SHC) which I reviewed back in July. I thoroughly enjoyed SHC, especially the humour and the pacy smart writing, but TT surpasses it in every way imaginable. SHC had the burden of the setup,… Read More
Review: The Royal Rabbits of London by Santa Montefiore and Simon Sebag Montefiore, illustrated by Kate Hindley
The Royal Rabbits of London, by Santa Montefiore and Simon Sebag Montefiore, illustrated by Kate Hindley, is the story of Shylo, a small, timid, rabbit, the runt of his litter, who rises above his limitations to save the Queen from a fate worse than death: being photographed in her nightie. Shylo’s quick-witted and has more bravery… Read More
The Railway Mice of Countesthorpe by Sharon E Laker is an old-fashioned tale of mice and their adventures in the Leicestershire village of Countesthorpe. This book appealed to me for several reasons. First, I’ve always loved animal stories for children, from The Wind in the Willows through Mrs Frisby all the way to Redwall and Watership… Read More
Fir for Luck, by Barbara Henderson, is a tale of the Highland Clearances, based on the true story of the township of Ceannabeinne in Sutherland. The Highland Clearances were a dark time in the history of Scotland, when the landowners acted with high-handed callousness in evicting tenants who had worked the land – some of… Read More
Jinks & O’Hare Funfair Repair is another madcap adventure from the dream team of Philip Reeve and Sarah McIntyre. What’s more fun than a funfair? A funfair in space, populated by weird aliens and stuffed with bizarre rides! When things start to go wrong, and even ace alien repairmen Jinks and O’Hare can’t keep up,… Read More
The Wrong Train, by Jeremy de Quidt, is an anthology of deliciously dark stories to keep you spooked as the nights draw in. There’s a framing narrative to the stories. A boy, rushing for the last train, manages to get on the wrong train and end up on a platform in the middle of nowhere…. Read More
The Comet Seekers, by Helen Sedgwick, is the story of Róisín and François, their travels, and the people they leave behind as they travel the world. We meet them on an Antarctic Survey expedition where Róisín, an astronomer, is studying comets, and François is a chef. But that’s not where they met, although they don’t… Read More
The Revenge of Tirpitz, by M.L. Sloan, is a thrilling action-packed WWII adventure across the generations, featuring spies, ships, and Nazi gold. The book interweaves stories from two eras. In Norway, in 1944, young Norwegian Erik becomes friendly with the German radar operator Hans, and soon becomes embroiled in a plot to help the allies… Read More
Defender of the Realm, by Mark Huckerby and Nick Ostler, is the story of a reluctant superhero – a very British reluctant superhero. Alfie is a normal fourteen-year-old boy. He hates school, particularly the bullies, feels like he’s a disappointment to his Dad, and feels in the shadow of his more athletic, better-looking, more confident… Read More