Like most books, at the back of this one there’s acknowledgements to various people who have supported Lucy Hope in bringing her debut Fledgling to life. The one that caught my eye was the thank you to her friend for telling her for 30 years to write a novel and that Lucy was glad she finally listened. So am I! Fledgling is a page-turning adventure, totally different in feel to anything I’ve read for ages. Publishing on 4th November by Nosy Crow, this story transports you to a gothic world full of magic and wonder – and some very strange happenings…
Fledgling by Lucy Hope
When a cherub is blown into Cassie Engel’s bedroom during a thunderstorm, triggering a series of terrifying events, Cassie must discover if its arrival was an accident or part of something more sinister. With a self-obsessed opera singer for a mother, a strange taxidermist father, and a best friend who isn’t quite what he seems, Cassie is forced to unearth the secrets of her family’s past. As the dark forces gather around them, can Cassie protect a;; that she holds dear?
There is so much to enjoy in this novel. From the first page you are drawn into Cassie’s world, her eccentric family, her home filled with stuffed owls and her friendship with the enigmatic Raphael. I was fascinated by the cherub too and the strange connection it forms with Cassie as she tries to uncover the truth of it’s arrival. As the plot thickens (and it really does), we see the true genius of her family home which has it’s own engine room and the reality of the sinister Sturmfalken (enough to make anyone get the jitters).
Family secrets abound, and as Cassie discovers more about the past, her future seems more in danger. A truly unexpected plot twist made me gasp out loud and Cassie must summon all her courage to overcome the inevitable and save her family as best she can. I read this story in one sitting; it really is utterly engaging and whilst the dark forces threaten to overwhelm, thankfully there is enough light to give hope. A really brilliant debut.
Find out more at www.nosycrow.com. With thanks to Nosy Crow for sending a proof copy of this book to review.
When Poems Fall From the Sky is a stunning new collection of poems and the first title to publish since Zaro Weil and Junli Song won the coveted CLiPPA prize with their stunning poetry anthology, Cherry Moon.
In exquisitely illustrated full colour pages, trees, birds, animals, rivers, flowers, mountains and insects each share their own magical stories. And the stories they tell, the ‘poems’ that fall from the sky, subtly and powerfully illuminate our hope and collective role as guardians of our earth. Directly inspired by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew,Zaro spent time in the Gardens while writing the collection, spotting gum-drop flowers, listening to bird song, following tiny sun glints and smelling the deep-down earth pulsing its wild mysteries under her feet.
Gina Fullerlove, Head of Publishing at Kew said:“We are delighted to be associated with this beautiful little book inspired by our Gardens. Connecting with and understanding nature is ever more important in these times and this collection provides an enchanting way for children and adults to do just this.”
Zaro Weil commented:“It has been an incomparable thrill to write this collection in association with the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Not only because, like the rest of the world, I stand in awe of Kew’s scientific exploration and guardianship of the natural world, but because I believe that science and poetry are simply meant for each other and that our particularly human appreciation of the natural world is, at heart, poetic. ”
This collection of poems, raps, rhymes, haiku and little plays couldn’t be more timely as readers are encouraged to marvel and wonder at the natural world, and in thought-provoking verse and prose, consider how nature is our friend and should be cherished. Oh Happy Day – A Fig and Wasp Play (A Mother Nature Production), celebrates the incredible pollinating partnership of figs and wasps. Tree’s Story captures the wonder of trees and their power to hold memory – simply stunning. Bug Parade is an absolute delight and I defy anyone who reads this not to look at insects and creepy crawlies differently once they’ve read it! I could list them all but there’s isn’t room – and far better you read the book and discover these brilliant poems yourself!
Each and every poem is clearly crafted with love for nature, showing the joy to be found simply in watching and listening to the world around us. A book to cherish and share, Where Poems Fall From the Sky is an enchanting collection and will inspire all those who read it.
Find out more here. With thanks to Troika Books for sending me this book to review. You can see an interview with Zaro Weil live online on National Poetry Day with Mr Dilly – free to register.
Today I’m delighted to share a wonderful children’s book list in celebration of poetry! A collaboration with Mr Dilly, who is premiering a brand new free film resource for schools, ‘Top of the Poems’ this morning. Thousands of children across the UK will be watching the film, followed by Mr Dilly interviewing wonderful award-winning poet, Zaro Weil.
You can register for free to join this event -find out more here.
The Top of the Poems book list not only includes all the poems Mr Dilly features in his film, but also a whole host of fantastic children’s poetry books as chosen by me! Some old and some new, there’s something for everyone with classics by Spike Milligan and Michael Rosen alongside Joseph Coelho, Amanda Gorman and Laura Mucha.
Poetry has the most amazing ability to transport you to other worlds, capture the imagination and get to the heart of exactly how you feel. Use this book list to inspire readers to discover the wonderful world of poetry and try their writing their own poems too! Download the full list of 22 titles with descriptions below!
National Poetry Day is the annual mass celebration on the first Thursday of October that encourages all to enjoy, discover and share poetry. This year, National Poetry Day takes place on 7 October 2021, and the theme is Choice. Find out more about National Poetry Day here.
Today is my stop on the blog tour for a delightful new picture book, Scaredy Bat by Jonathan Meres, illustrated by Anders Frang published by Little Door Books.
It’s morning in the Dark, Dark Wood and Little Bat can’t sleep. He doesn’t like the light. But when Big Bat and Middle Bat call him a Scaredy Bat, there’s only one thing to do….
Meet Little Bat, a brave little chap who’s out to prove just how brave to his fellow bat friends. This delightful story turns the idea of ‘things that go bump in the night’, on its head and suddenly it’s the daylight that’s scary! Determined to show he’s not afraid of the light, Little Bat takes a leap of faith and discovers it’s not so bad after all. In fact, he discovers the Dark Wood is almost as fun in the day as it is at night!
With a gentle narrative accompanied by charming illustrations bringing nature to life, Scaredy Bat will have young readers asking for more bat-antics! Sure to be a firm favourite at bedtime – and reassure little ones that everyone gets a bit scared sometimes.
With thanks to Little Door Books for sending me this book to review and inviting me to participate in the blog tour. You can follow the rest of the tour here:
I am very pleased to share new reviews on the blog today of some of the books I’ve read over the last few months. For younger and middle grade readers, these titles are ideal for keeping children engaged and reading over the summer holidays! Happy reading!
Madam Squeaker by Pip Jones illustrated by Paula Bowles (Age5+) is a charming tale of a little mouse with a big heart. Minetta is desperate to teach the Ruling Rats a lesson about sharing; just in time a wise old Owl appears and offers her some advice. Lovely colourful illustrations capture Minetta Mouse’s courage as she finds her voice and shows all the animals how they can share together. A Little Gems story, this is a perfect treat for very young readers. Published by Barrington Stoke.
Lottie Loves Nature: Bird Alert by Jane Clarke illustrated by James Brown (Age 6+) is book three in the series which is part of the Summer Reading Challenge 2021- Wild World Heroes. Once again we meet nature-mad Lottie and this time she’s bird watching! But share has to act fast when a hatchling falls out of it’s nest and we learn all about looking after feathered friends in the garden, with handy tips and checklists. Entertaining, informative, Lottie Loves Natures is a great way to encourage young reader’s interest in the natural world and reading. Published by Five Quills.
Flyntlock Bones: The Eye of Mogrod By Derek Keilty illustrated by Mark Elvins (Age 7+) – pirates ahoy! It’s adventure time again with quick-witted Flynn and friends embarking on another mystery-solving quest. With fearsome villains and monsters to face, alongside pirate-y behaviour, be prepared for multiple thrills and entertaining pirate fun, all brought to life by brilliant illustrations. Published by Scallywag Press.
Grace-Ella: Pixie Pandemonium by Sharon Marie Jones Illustrated by Adriana J Puglisi (age 7+) is the third book in this delightful series featuring young witch Grace Ella and her cat Mr Whiskins. This time, Grace-Ella must save the school fair and stop a mischeviuous pixie named Buddy from causing chaos! Great fun, young readers will be enchanted. Published by Firefly Press.
An Escape in Time by Sally Nicholls illustrated by Rachael Dean (Age 7+) continues the adventures of siblings Alex and Ruby as they travel through the magic mirror in their historical family home of Applecott House to another historical destination. This time they meet French Aristocrats who have escaped the Revolution, and must find a way to help them, all the while learning more about the magic mirror, their family history and themselves. Clever plots, engaging characters and fantastic historical detail bring this story to life making the reader wish they could travel in time too! Published by Nosy Crow.
Me and the Robbersons by Sirir Kolu, translated by Ruth Urbom (Age 8+) is a quirky adventure telling the tales of a bandit family, a kidnapping and lots and lots of sweets. Full of madcap mayhem, the Robbersons inadvertently give Maise the summer holiday she’s dreamed of when they kidnap her and she’s soon embroiled in their hilarious escapades! Fun and furious, this adventure will charm the socks off those looking for a Dahl-style story. Published by Little Tiger Group.
Agent Zaiba Investigates: The Haunted House by Annabelle Sami illustrated by Daniela Sosa (Age 8+) stars Zaiba, a girl who can’t wait to become the world’s greatest detective! Who is trying to scare away the new family who’ve moved into Oakwood Manor? Zaiba and her friends are determined to find the culprit in book three of this exciting, well-paced adventure series. Perfect for fans of mystery stories, with friendship and fun at the heart of each one. Published by Little Tiger Group.
We Made a Movie by Charlotte Lo (Age 8+) revisits Luna and her family on their island-home with another madcap adventure in the offing, in this thoroughly entertaining sequel. This time, Luna comes up with a brilliant plan to solve everyone’s business problems and save her home and the town of Wishnook from being turned into ‘The Las-Vegas of Scotland’! Hilarious, heart-warming and full of eccentric and endearing characters, this story is great fun! Published by Nosy Crow.
How to Save the World with a Chicken and an Egg by Emma Shevah (Age 8+) is an absolute delight of a read with characters you’d want to save the world for! With themes on friendship and acceptance we can all be inspired by, and a brilliantly portrayed environmental message we can all learn from, you’ll fall in love with the first story in this series (and I’m so glad there’ll be more!). It’s also full of fascinating facts about animals and the natural world with a list of top tips about how young readers can tackle environmental issues. Published by Chicken House.
Artic Star by Tom Palmer (Age 8+) is a poignant and moving tale by an author who has proved himself again to be a master historical story-teller. It’s 1943 and childhood friends Frank, Joseph and Stephen are about to embark on their first mission aboard a naval ship as part of an Artic Convoy sailing to Russia delivering supplies to the Soviets. You can almost taste the seawater and feel the freezing cold as they plummet into danger and face threats all around. This story won’t fail to move you and shines a light on the brave and courageous naval forces that helped the Allies win the war. Published by Barrington Stoke.
The Secret Detectives by Ella Risbridger (Age 8+) tells the story of orphan Isobel travelling from her home in India to a remote Uncle in England. Little does she realise life is going to take some unexpected turns as she witnesses a murder, grapples with etiquette and expectations and makes some new friends. On board ship, adventure abounds as Isobel and her fellow would-be detectives use all their deductive powers to find the culprit. Plenty of historical detail, well-drawn characters and an engaging plot will keep you hooked on every page! Published by Nosy Crow.
With thanks to the publishers for sending me these books to review – they’ll all be going to a local school as part of the Book Buddy scheme!
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