I realised as I was planning some middle-grade reviews, that a whole host of them were fantasy and or sci-fi based. So today I’m sharing five of the best I’ve read in recent weeks, available now (and would make great gifts for the middle-grade readers in your life!)

The Ten Riddles of Eartha Quicksmith by Loris Owen has an intriguing title and equally intriguing plot. A debut middle-grade novel and the first in a new series, this is an exciting race-against-time adventure telling the story of Kip Bramley and the Quicksmiths College of Strange Energy. Kip receives an invitation to join the College and finds himself drawn into a world of chasing riddles and solving puzzles to find the mysterious Ark of Ideas. Dark forces are working against Kip and his friends, with a combination of science and magic creating a thrilling adventure. The Ten Riddles of Eartha Quicksmith is totally inventive and utterly entertaining, and is very likely to be the next BIG series on your bookshelf! Published by Firefly Press with a dedicated website at www.quicksmiths.com

The Griffin Gate by Vashti Hardy has all the hallmarks of Vashti’s signature steampunk, fantasy style and atmospheric illustrations by Natalie Smillie. Featuring the story of Grace, whose family are wardens of the Griffin map invented by her Grandmother, and use it’s teleport technology to protect the people of Moreland. Grace, a brave and determined heroine, can’t join them on their missions yet as she is too young but one day, responds to a distress call and finds herself transported to a remote village, where treachery seems afoot! With her mechanical bird Watson by her side, Grace courageously embraces the adventure and readers are treated to an exciting tale, full of fantastic characters, set in a world they’ll wish they could visit! Published by Barrington Stoke, this is first in the series and a dyslexia-friendly, accessible read.

The Thing in Black Hole Lake by Dashe Roberts is the second book in this fast-paced sci-fi series, set against the backdrop of the strange town of Sticky Pines. After the events of The Bigwoof Conspiracy the two central characters, Lucy and Milo, are no longer friends. But this doesn’t stop them being drawn into another sinister adventure together, when Milo discovers a frightening creature at Black Hole Lake whilst on a trip with his father. With Lucy continuing to investigate the strange history of Sticky Pines and Milo trying to find out just what lurks beneath the water, they’re bound to need each other’s help! The question is, will they realise how important friends really are and rekindle their friendship? A perfect balance of weird, scary and mysterious with lots of humour to lighten the mood, this adventure will have you laughing out loud and gripping the edge of your seat! Move over Mulder and Scully, the new kids are on the block! Published by Nosy Crow.

Donut the Destroyer by Sarah Graley and Stef Purenins is a lively graphic novel with an unlikely heroine at its heart, who lives in a world where everyone is born with a special ability which they can choose to use for good or evil. Donut is an unlikely heroine, because she’s is born into an infamous family of villains – the Destroyers! But unlike the rest of her family, she wants to use her powers for good, much to the annoyance of her best friend, Ivy. And when Donut enrols in the Lionheart School for Heroes, Ivy is determined to persuade Donut to change her mind – no matter what. Even if it means using her villain powers against Donut and her new friends! Fun, full of humour and super-heroic deeds with some nasty villains thrown in, this is a great read for graphic novel and fantasy fans and will leave you with a big smile on your face. Published by Scholastic.

My Life As A Cat by Carlie Sorosiak is the brilliant, heart-warming tale of Leonard, a 300 year old alien who mistakenly ends up in the body of a cat. He should have been a park ranger! All aliens from his home galaxy get the opportunity to spend a month in the body of an Earth creature. But something goes wrong and Leonard ends up as a cat. Miles from where he needs to be to get home, Leonard is adopted by a young girl, Olive, who is a little lost herself. Together, they embark on a journey of discovery and soon find out what is means to be human, the reality of true friendship and just how precious life is, even when you feel (or are) out of place! Leonard is a wonderful protagonist and his cat-behaviour is absolutely spot-on. A delightful, funny and well-observed story, My Life As A Cat has wonderfully positive messages about what home really means. Published by Nosy Crow.

With thanks to Barrington Stoke, Firefly Press, Nosy Crow and Scholastic for sending me these books to read and review. They will be going to very good homes via my local food bank.