Author Archives: thebookactivist

About thebookactivist

Celebrating children & young people’s reading through all sorts of book-ish activities.

New review: Call Me Alastair by Cory Leonardo

With a beautiful feather-covered book jacket, Call Me Alastair caught my attention in more ways than one. I’ve never read a book where one of the central protagonists is a parrot! An impressive literary middle grade debut by American author, Cory Leonardo and published by Scholastic, Call Me Alastair will tug at your heart strings.

Call Me Alastair by Cory Leonardo

Born in the back of a pet store, Alastair the parrot dreams of escape. But when his sister Aggie is purchased by a big-hearted boy, and Alastair is adopted by a lonely widow, his hopes for the future crash-land. In between anxiously plucking his feathers, chewing a few books, and finding his own poetic voice, Alastair plots his way back to Aggie and their flight to freedom.

Call Me Alastair is a moving and quirky tale, unlike anything I’ve read before. Told through the eyes of three characters: Alastair, the literary parrot who has never known freedom and is fiercely protective of his sister; Fritz a twelve year old boy who helps in the pet store and recently lost his grandfather; and Bertie, a feisty widow trying to find purpose after the death of her husband. Each character is struggling to find their freedom – whether this be literally, in Alastair’s case, or freedom from grief and loneliness. Alastair has a habit of eating books, and often ‘regurgitates’ these literary snacks in the form of poetry, reflecting much about his state of mind as he comes to terms with being separated from his sister. Fritz’s voice is heard through a medical log, sharing his desire to be a doctor and giving glimpses into the daily grind of life and being a bit different. And Bertie’s story comes through the beautiful letters she writes to her husband of many years who has passed away; whilst trying hard to maintain a jovial attitude, it is clear just how much she misses him. Their stories intertwine and each helps the other find acceptance and friendship.

The lingering narrative draws you in, tugging at your heart, creating empathy and understanding in a truly unexpected way. There is also light-hearted humour – particularly from the other residents of the pet shop who have many and varied views; a brilliant insight into what the world of domestic pets might be like! You can’t help but love Alastair, despite his crankiness and moments of melancholy; after all wouldn’t we all feel like that if we were separated from the one we love most in the world? Fritz is just the most gorgeous boy, full of love and care and trying hard to make amends for things that just aren’t his fault. And Bertie, well, I just wanted to give her a great big hug and be her friend.

Call Me Alastair is a story to make time for; a wonderfully written tale of three very different characters who inadvertently help each other see they are not alone in the world. Help and happiness can come from the most unexpected places but that is often one of the joys of life. I think Call Me Alastair demonstrates this beautifully.

Find out more at www.coryleonardo.com and www.scholastic.co.uk

With thanks to Scholastic for sending me this book to review.

New review: When Good Geeks Go Bad by Catherine Wilkins

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This funny, coming-of-age story kept me company on the commute, bringing a smile to my face and reminding me of the precarious nature of teenager-dom! From the author of the My Best Friend and Other Enemies series, Catherine Wilkins, When Good Geeks Go Bad published by Nosy Crow, will have you rooting for the main character Ella, as she navigates school and family life.

When Good Geeks Go Bad by Catherine Wilkins

When Ella’s Dad refuses to buy her cool school shoes or let her stay up later than 9.30, Ella decides to take things into her own hands. Being good hasn’t got her anywhere, so why not try being bad? But rebelling is a slippery slope and soon things spiral out of control. Can Ella get back on track? Or will she end up with egg on her face?

Ella is a pretty normal thirteen year old – she’s good at school, has a steadfast best friend Jas who’s she’s known for years and goes swimming with every Sunday. But things aren’t great at school – she gets teased relentlessly by the pretty girls for supposedly being ‘lame’ and a ‘povvo’ (poor) and bullied by the bad kids for being too ‘good’. Ella feels like she can’t win. Coupled with things at home not being great either, now that her parents have separated, it’s no wonder she starts to feel all over the place. Especially as her attempts to be more grown-up, spread her wings a little and be a bit more ‘cool’ are well and truly thwarted by her strait laced father. With her Mum seeming to have abandoned her, bit by bit Ella starts to respond to her situation differently. Instead of grinning and bearing it; she fights back. Not with her fists, but with attitude.

Told through Ella’s eyes in first person narrative, When Good Geeks Go Bad is witty coming-of-age, middle grade story with some important themes at its heart. Readers are bound to identify with the sometimes relentless navigation of trying to fit in at school, avoid being noticed too much for the wrong reasons and making a good impression with your peers. Ella’s reaction and decision to start being ‘bad’ is totally understandable and provides for some very funny and possibly a bit cringe-worthy moments when it doesn’t pay off. The insights into Ella’s own thoughts and feelings are often amusing but also moving as you feel her pain at not being understood. Ella is not without conscience as she realises the consequences of some of her actions. As her Mum comes back into her life, we see the difficult dynamic of two very different people trying to ‘parent’ their daughter in totally different ways. Ella is lucky to have her understanding and steadfast friend Jas by her side, who helps her see what true friendship really is. With a thoroughly believable narrative, When Good Geeks Go Bad portrays teen rebellion with wit and wisdom and makes for a great read about friendship, family and believing in yourself.

Find out more at www.catherinewilkins.co.uk and www.nosycrow.com

With thanks to Nosy Crow for sending me this book to review.

Book of the Month: The Midnight Hour by Benjamin Read and Laura Trinder

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Published on 7th February from Chicken House, The Midnight Hour, is the much anticipated new book from Benjamin Read and Laura Trinder and our current Book of the Month! Described as a ‘sparkling modern take on fantasy’ it’s sure to delight fans of fantasy fiction young and old alike.

The Midnight Hour by Benjamin Read and Laura Trinder

Emily’s parents have vanished into the secret world of the Midnight Hour – a Victorian London frozen in time – home to magic and monsters. Emily must find them in the city of the Night Folk, armed only with a packed lunch, a stowaway hedgehog and her infamously big mouth. With bloodthirsty creatures on her tail, Emily has to discover the truth to rescue her parents. What family secret connects her to the Midnight Hour? And can she save both worlds before she runs out of sandwiches?

Eleven year old Emily has a rather tempestuous relationship with her mother – possibly understandable given her mother’s eccentric nature and maddening ways. One particular day having been sent to bed after a row, Emily overhears a strange conversation between her parents referencing a mysterious letter that has arrived in the post and her mother’s estranged family. First her mother disappears and then her father, leaving Emily behind to try and save them both. So begins a fantastic adventure catapulting Emily into a world she didn’t even know existed, discovering unfathomable truths about not just her parents, but also herself and all those around her.

The Midnight Hour is children’s modern fantasy fiction at its best with a feisty heroine in Emily and a dazzling array of supporting characters. Emily is a bit of a troublemaker at times but at her heart, loves her family. The city of the Night Folk is brilliantly described creating a strangely believable world with some of our most famous landmarks taking a central role in the narrative. Some seriously scary creatures and a particularly evil villainess make formidable foes for Emily to face, along with the help of her new found friends. The plot is well-balanced with equal amounts of humour, hair-raising scares, magical mayhem and a little bit of love. Described as ‘Coraline’ meets ‘A Wrinkle in Time’, The Midnight Hour is a thoroughly enjoyable story for children aged 9+ and I’m already looking forward to reading the next adventure!

Find out more at www.chickenhousebooks.com

With thanks to Chicken House for sending me this book to read and review.

New review: Little Bird Flies by Karen McCombie

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Karen McCombie’s fantastic books were always a popular choice when I was in the school library, with many pupils eagerly awaiting the latest title. I expect the same will happen with Little Bird Flies, the first in a new middle grade series published by Nosy Crow, which will no doubt delight readers – especially if they happen to be fans of stories with a determined heroine and beautiful, historical settings!

Little Bird Flies by Karen McCombie

Bridie lives on the remote Scottish island of Tornish, the youngest of three sisters. Although she loves her island, with its wild seas and big skies, she guiltily nurses a secret dream of flight – to America and the freedom of the New World.

But her family are struggling under the spiteful oppression of the new Laird, and it seems that even some of the Laird’s own household are desperate to leave. When the Laird’s full cruelty becomes apparent, there’s no more time for daydreams as Bridie needs to help the people she loves escape to safety.

Instantly compelling, with a bold and brave heroine, Little Bird Flies is a gripping and beautifully told historical drama. Bridie, or Little Bird as she is known, is a determined soul who dreams of escaping the life that is mapped out before her. Even though she is surrounded by a loving family and good friends she cannot help but feel there is adventure to be had away from her island home. Resigned to the fact her father will always keep the promise he made to her dying mother, that her and her sisters will stay safely on the island, Bridie lives a simple life, never complaining. This is an admirable fact particularly in the light of her disability, having limbs that were damaged at birth. But little does Bridie know that the death of their kind and generous Laird will bring about more changes than even she could have dreamt of. With a new Laird in place and new people on the island bringing a taste of the outside world with them, it seems that Bridie might have her thirst for adventure and new experiences quenched. Sadly, this is not to be; Bridie and her family draw together to escape what is a tyrannical regime, leaving everything they know behind them.

This is such a lovely story, with so much to admire. A wonderful narrative and utterly absorbing plot weave together a rich tapestry of life with a wonderful young heroine at it’s heart. Bridie is a passionate young girl, determined to deal with everything life throws at her – there is much to learn from her spirit! The love she and her family have for each other, despite their differences and in spite of the hardships they face, is so real. Evoking the beautiful simplicity of a crofter’s existence alongside the harsh reality of Victorian times, Little Bird Flies is the start of what will be a very special series.

Find out more at www.karenmccombie.com and www.nosycrow.com

With thanks to Nosy Crow for sending me this book to read and review.

BLOG TOUR: The Truth about Martians by Melissa Savage

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I’m delighted to be hosting today’s stop on the blog tour for The Truth about Martians by Melissa Savage. A brilliant story set against the backdrop of 1940s UFO sightings and featuring a wonderful cast of quirky characters, it’s packed full of Melissa’s trademark warmth and wit. You can read my full review here. Melissa is a writer and therapist for children and families and today joins the blog to share a wonderful post with her thoughts on the healing power of stories. Welcome to the blog Melissa!

Story for Healing Hearts and Souls

By Melissa Savage

In today’s everchanging world, anxiety is an increasingly prevalent diagnosis happening in our children. Which is why developing coping skills is more important today than ever before. How do we develop adaptive coping skills to traverse life’s difficulties and even more important make positive change in the world around us? There are many ways, one of which is through story. Story is who we are and how we heal. It is how we process being human on our journey through life and it always has been.

As a former child and family therapist, I’ve always been a proponent of bibliotherapy as a tool to use with children of all ages. It is the use of story for insight, growth and healing. I think as parents and protectors of children our first instinct is to shield them from all the negative things that go on in the world. However, in this information age, shielding them has become a somewhat impossible task. They live in a world that is anything but predictable or controllable or even stable or safe at times. How do we prepare our children at an appropriate age level, yet continue to protect them from what they are not ready to know? Stories can provide a safe environment to learn the challenges of finding solutions to our problems, coping with change or even standing by someone else who may be going through it. And story can inspire us.

In third grade I ordered a novel from the Scholastic book order form in school. It was called Don’t Hurt Laurie and it was a book about child abuse. I didn’t know about child abuse up until that point and the book reached me to my soul. In fourth grade I became a tutor for young children in our elementary school and in sixth grade I became a peer counselor. It was this story that also inspired me to become a child and family therapist later in life where I specialized in trauma and abuse of children.

I believe that through the safety of story, children can be exposed to life lessons in such a way that they are given the opportunity to gain insights, build coping skills, assist others and even be inspired to make a difference in the world. I see this concept being grasped by teachers, librarians and the publishing industry as well. Both Random House Children’s Books and Scholastic Books have developed resources for teachers to help enhance the learning experience when sharing issue driven books with the young reader. Whether it’s book clubs, book trailers and even empathy bingo, these resources are aimed at acceptance, insight into the differences of others, healing from loss, standing up to bullying and many other issues kids face.

I wish we lived in a time in which children didn’t need to know the things they do, however, they are exposed more now than ever. And it’s up to us to make sure they have the best tools in their toolbelt to endure, overcome and even be inspired to create positive change in the world around them.