SOUTH WALES EVENING POST CHILDREN'S BOOK REVIEW SEPT 29-30

This week my children's book reviews include a welcome return to a magical emporium, an imaginative bedtime story, an adventure full of chocolate and dragons and a contemporary spin Lord of the Flies

Also in the Weekend section of The South Wales Evening Post. Enjoy!

BOOK OF THE WEEK

THE ELSEWHERE EMPORIUM BY ROSS MACKENZIE
CHILDREN 9+
The enchanted Nowhere Emporium has been stolen. Daniel, it's new young owner and his friend, Ellie must search magical bookshops, hunt for a witch and battle evil forces so he can save it. Children will be spellbound as they plummet back into this extraordinarily imaginative and wondrous sequel. A dazzling adventure, a colourful cast of characters including magician detectives (both dead and alive) and a terrifying curse. For fans of Narnia, Harry Potter and The Faraway Tree.
ISBN 9781782505198 PB Kelpies £6.99

TIME FOR BED, MIYUKI BY ROXANE MARIE GALLIEZ & SENG SOUN RATANAVANH
PICTURE BOOK 5+
Miyuki's has too many things to do before bedtime but with gentle encouragement from her grandfather and a bedtime story will she finally go to sleep? The evocative and fanciful illustrations lead you into Miyuki's dream-like world reminiscent of Alice in Wonderland. Children will be enchanted by looking at the abundance of nature, animals, fish and birds. The poetical text centres around the bond between child and grandparent. A beautiful gift to treasure.
ISBN 9781616897055 HB Princeton Architectural Press £12.99

THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON HEART BY STEPHANIE BURGIS
CHILDREN 9+
Silke lives in a city famous for chocolate and protected by dragons. To defend it she must use her gift for story-telling while spying on a dangerous fairy royal family. But will she risk exposing her own secrets? This magical adventure is full of intrigue, led by a tough heroine while exploring the different dynamics between family and friends. An utterly delicious sequel that is perfect for fans of Cressida Cowell and Cornelia Funke.
ISBN 9781408880777 PB Bloomsbury £6.99

THE ISLAND BY M.A.BENNET
YOUNG ADULT 12+
When new boy Link is stranded on an island with six classmates whom he loathes he must fight to survive. The social pecking order of their elite school is no longer relevant so who will lead and who will follow? A fascinating psychological thriller about how different people deal with crises, power struggles and revenge. This contemporary spin on Lord of the Flies has lots of interesting discussion points for a book club.
ISBN 9781471407536 PB Hot Key £7.99

SOUTH WALES EVENING POST CHILDREN'S BOOK REVIEW SEPT 15-16

This week my children's book reviews include a haunting ghost story set in Wales, an environmental picture book about friendship, a book of adventurers and a supernatural adventure for middle grade readers. 

Also in the Weekend section of The South Wales Evening Post. Enjoy!

BOOK OF THE WEEK 

SEAGLASS BY ELOISE WILLIAMS
CHILDREN 9+

Whilst Lark is holidaying with her troubled family on the Welsh coast, she finds herself at the centre of a disturbing mystery. Who is the girl in the green dress that her sister keeps drawing? A coming of age ghost story full of long-buried family secrets and set against the vivid imagery of wildest Wales. This supernatural tale will thrill and intrigue kids until the final haunting and shocking twist is revealed at the end.

ISBN 9781910080801 PB Firefly Press £6.99

LONESOME BOG AND LITTLE DOG BY IONA TULLOCH & HARRY WOODGATE
PICTURE BOOK 4+

When Little Dog finds sanctuary with Lonesome Bog, they strike up an unlikely friendship. Can they show others the beautiful wildlife that lives within their glorious peaty world? This quirky environmental tale highlights this often overlooked but incredibly important landscape. The richly textured collaged illustrations bring the bog land's flora and fauna to life as well as it's gentle message of friendship. A lovely book for the whole family to share.
ISBN 9781999992101 PB Little Forest Publishing £6.99

ALASTAIR HUMPHREYS' GREAT ADVENTURERS ILLUSTRATED BY KEVIN WARD
CHILDREN 7+

A showcase of incredible expeditions undertaken by some of the most heroic explorers who have ever lived. From Ibn Battuta, a 14th-century explorer to the Apollo Moon mission astronaut Michael Collins this book introduces its young readers to an eclectic range of explorers from young to old, male and female and with a variety of abilities. These genuinely inspirational tales highlight ordinary people who have sought extraordinary lives with only an insatiable curiosity as their guide.
ISBN 9781783708143 HB Big Picture Press £16.99

THE BLACK AMULET BY J.R. WALLIS
CHILDREN 9+

Jones and his friends must find the Black Amulet, a magical artefact to help them with their new lives in Badlands, a hidden world full of monsters, vampires and my particular favourite a rather bossy talking gun! This supernatural adventure is bursting with excitement, danger and fraught friendships. Kids will love the excellent glossary of magical terms at the back. Perfect for boys and girls who are fans of Harry Potter.
ISBN 9781471157943 PB Simon & Schuster £6.99