SOUTH WALES EVENING POST CHILDREN'S BOOK REVIEW JULY 27-28

This week my children's book reviews include  a science fiction adventure for middle grade, a summery sticker book perfect for the holidays, an emotional second world war thriller and a teen romance set in the Tuscan hills. 

Happy Summer Reading!

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

BOOK OF THE WEEK 

THE STARLIGHT WATCHMAKER BY LAUREN JAMES

CHILDREN 8+

Watchmaker Hugo is an android working in an elite academy. When a pompous Duke demands he mends his watch they uncover a sinister mystery while forming an unlikely friendship. An enthralling sci-fi adventure that has shades of Star Trek while exploring themes of discrimination and class. Hugo's journey to find his place in the world is uplifting. Perfect for book clubs and reluctant and dyslexic readers. I was whisked away into another universe.

Barrington Stoke PB £7.99

CLAUDE EVER-SO-SUMMERY STICKER BOOK BY ALEX T. SMITH

ACTIVITY BOOK 5+

Join in the seaside shenanigans with Disney Junior star Claude, Sir Bobblysock and their friends in Pawhaven. Packed with fun games, intriguing puzzles and 250 sunny stickers this is guaranteed to keep children busy in the holiday. From drawing sandcastles to creating a picnic, the joyful illustrations will put kids in a summer mood even on a rainy day! A perfect companion to Claude's new picure book, Anyone for Strawberries?

Hachette PB £4.99

ANNA AT WAR BY HELEN PETERS

CHILDREN 9+

Young Jewish girl Anna must leave her family to flee persecution in Germany to the safety of England but the war follows her. Trapped in a web of betrayal can Anna prove whose side she's on without exposing her own secrets? Full of historical facts children will be riveted by Anna's journey to freedom. A nail-biting and affecting adventure which explores themes of the plight of war refugees and prejudice. For fans of Emma Carroll.

Nosy Crow PB £6.99

UNDER A DANCING STAR BY LAURA WOOD

YOUNG ADULT 12+

Seventeen-year-old Bea is sent in disgrace to Italy in the 1930s for being too outspoken. She'd rather study insects than look for a husband. Can Bea enjoy a lazy summer romance with handsome artist Ben without falling in love? Will the creeping onset of fascism ruin their plans? Be transported to the Tuscan hills and see this delightfully geeky and adorable heroine transform into an independent young woman. The perfect holiday read.

Scholastic PB £7.99

SOUTH WALES EVENING POST CHILDREN'S BOOK REVIEW JULY 20-21ST

This week my children's book reviews include a range of out of this world books celebrating the 50th anniversary of the moon landing and also a feminist fantasy adventure perfect for teens for the holidays. 

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

BOOK OF THE WEEK 

BALLOON TO THE MOON BY GILL ARBUTHNOTT & CHRIS NIELSEN

CHILDREN 8+

In 1969 humans walked on the moon for the first time, but how did we get there? This superb book will supply you with all the answers. Each chapter describes a key stage of flight from the first aircraft to rocket science. Learn about the space race and what space technology is used today. The vintage-style illustrations reflect the 1960's and give atmosphere to the stories. A gift that is out of this world.

Big Picture Press HB £16.99

ODD SCIENCE: SPECTACULAR SPACE BY JAMES OLSTEIN

CHILDREN 5+

An entertaining and fact-filled hardback book filled with eye-catching retro illustrations. It is brimming with weird and wacky facts that will intrigue and engage children. Did you know Earth is not a perfect sphere? Or that Uranus is the coldest planet? It is also impossible to cry in space! A great book to celebrate the moon landing and share with family or in the classroom. Part of the Summer Reading Challenge 2019.

Pavilion HB £9.99

TRAILBLAZERS: NEIL ARMSTRONG BY ALEX WOOLF

CHILDREN 8+

Marking the 50th anniversary of the first moon landing discover the story of the man who took 'one giant leap for mankind.” Find out why Armstrong wanted to become an astronaut. How did he train? Discover the dangers of space travel. The illustrations on every page really bring his fascinating story to life. A must for young budding astronauts and reluctant readers. Look out for more inspiring biographies in the series including Einstein and Beyonce!

Stripes PB £6.99

QUEEN OF RUIN BY TRACY BANGHART

YOUNG ADULT 12+

Sisters Nomi and Serina must find freedom from their oppressors and join forces with a betrayed Prince to fight for a better world. Sisterhood and family underpin the explosive finale to Grace and Fury. I was intrigued to see the emotional journey of the divided sisters and the trials they are forced to endure. A strong feminist streak runs through this epic adventure as it's the girls which call the shots. For fans of Hunger Games and Melinda Salisbury.

Hodder PB £ 7.99

SOUTH WALES EVENING POST CHILDRENS BOOK REVIEW JULY 13-14 2019

This week my children's book reviews include a captivating middle grade magical quest, a picture book celebrating imagination, an exciting middle grade crime caper and a romantic fantasy for teens. 

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

BOOK OF THE WEEK

THE LAST SPELL BREATHER BY JULIE PIKE

CHILDREN 9+

Rayne does not want to be a Spell Breather like her mother. She hates the hours of practice and the snapping mud devils. But when Rayne unleashes a curse she must go on a quest to mend the spell before it's too late. Can Rayne save her world and become whom she is meant to be? Children will adore this enchanting fantasy adventure with family and friendship at its heart. It swirls with magic, mayhem and humour.

Oxford University Press PB £6.99

MY ISLAND BY STEPHANIE DEMASSE-POTTIER & SENG SOUN RATANAVANH

PICTURE BOOK 4+

A young girl imagines herself on an island full of birds and animals. She can play games, read and collect flowers. Anyone is welcome who knows how to share and to dream. Children will love exploring the decorative and richly detailed illustrations. Spot the fox; duck and the koala as well as a myriad of birds. It encourages the young to use their imagination and is a beautiful book to give and to share.

Princeton Architectural Press Hb £11.99

THE GOOD THIEVES BY KATHERINE RUNDELL

CHILDREN 9+

Vita's grandfather has lost everything he owns to a notorious conman. To save her family fortune Vita she must find a way to break into an impenetrable castle and steal back her family's emerald. With the help of a pickpocket and two boys with unusual skills can they pull off her death-defying heist? A fast-paced crime caper with chills and spills, hidden treasure and a dastardly villain set in New York. Children won't want to put it down.

Bloomsbury HB £12.99

SORCERY OF THORNS BY MARGARET ROGERSON
YOUNG ADULT 14+
Elizabeth is an orphan raised in a library of magical grimoires that have secret personalities and can change into monsters. When the most dangerous is released she must join forces with handsome young sorcerer Nathaniel Thorn and his demonic servant to solve a century-old mystery. A spellbinding fantasy set in an intriguing gothic setting. Elizabeth is a relatable flawed heroine who is a combination of Lyra and Hermione. Harry Potter meets Shadowhunters.

Simon & Schuster HB £12.99

SOUTH WALES EVENING POST CHILDREN'S BOOK REVIEW JULY 6-7 2019

This week my children's book reviews include a middle grade First World War mystery in a country estate, a picture book sensitively explaining memory loss, a picture book adventure with best friends Mouse and Mole a contemporary teen romantic drama. Perfect for the holidays.

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

BOOK OF THE WEEK

THE GARDEN OF LOST SECRETS BY A.M HOWELL

CHILDREN 9+

When Clara is sent to stay with her Aunt and Uncle on a country estate during World War One she becomes entangled in its secrets and intrigue. What is in the locked room? Who is the strange boy who appears at night? This is a gripping and evocative mystery with family at its heart. For fans of The Secret Garden and Emma Carroll and ideal for book clubs with questions at the back and web links to follow.

ISBN 97814749 59551 PB Usborne £6.99

THE TIDE BY CLARE HELEN WELSH & ASHLING LINDSAY

PICTURE BOOK 3+

A family are going for a day out at the beach but Grandad is becoming very forgetful. Can his granddaughter help? A sensitive way to explain the difficult subject of dementia to young ones without upsetting them. An empathetic story full of sunny playful pictures that use the tide as an analogy to understand memory loss. It is full of charm, comfort and heart that is ideal to share with family or in the classroom.

ISBN 9781788810852 HB Little Tiger £11.99

MOUSE & MOLE BY JOYCE DUNBAR AND JAMES MAYHEW

PICTURE BOOK 5+

Join Mouse and Mole, the best of furry friends on their adventures. Whether it's planning for a picnic or toasting muffins or tidying their chaotic house, children will be charmed by the series of gentle and witty stories. Children will recognise the familiar ups and downs of friendship and immediately relate to their breakups and makeups. The richly illustrated book is perfect for fans of Wind in the Willows and Brambly Hedge.

ISBN 9781912050406 HB Graffeg £12.99

TULIP TAYLOR BY ANNA MAINWARING

YOUNG ADULT 11+

Fifteen-year-old Tulip is a make-up vlogger who finds herself on a 'survival' reality TV show. Can she prove to an annoyingly cute fellow contestant, her momager and herself that she is not just a pretty face? A hilarious contemporary tale of the pitfalls of living in the digital age where so much of life is on social media. The family dynamic is pitched perfectly to those with annoying siblings! An entertaining modern-day romance.

ISBN 9781910080979 PB Firefly Press £7.99

#LoveReadingBookBuzz for Queen of Air and Darkness by Cassandra Clare

BOOK REVIEW IN ASSOCIATION WITH 

Love Reading Uk

QUEEN OF AIR AND DARKNESS  BY CASSANDRA CLARE

Young Adult  12+

The epic conclusion to a sumptuous shaddowhunters novel.

 Shadow hunters Julian and Emma must save their world before the parabatai curse destroys them all. A fast paced multi-layered fantasy with an ensemble cast that has a wide appeal . Several story lines are expertly crafted together leading to the explosive finale. Who will survive?  I love the way Cassandra Clare mixes the contemporary with the faerie world. I am rather partial to the Faerie King!

The Breathtaking final book of this series is a decadent and seductive fantasy by a master storyteller.

 PB Simon & Schuster Ltd £12.99

5/5 Stars

#lovereadingbookbuzz #queenofairanddarkness #thedarkartifices 

SYNOPSIS
Dark secrets and forbidden love threaten the very survival of the Shadowhunters in Cassandra Clare’s Queen of Air and Darkness, the final novel in the #1 New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling The Dark Artifices trilogy. Queen of Air and Darkness is a Shadowhunters novel.

What if damnation is the price of true love?

Innocent blood has been spilled on the steps of the Council Hall, the sacred stronghold of the Shadowhunters. In the wake of the tragic death of Livia Blackthorn, the Clave teeters on the brink of civil war. One fragment of the Blackthorn family flees to Los Angeles, seeking to discover the source of the disease that is destroying the race of warlocks. Meanwhile, Julian and Emma take desperate measures to put their forbidden love aside and undertake a perilous mission to Faerie to retrieve the Black Volume of the Dead. What they find in the Courts is a secret that may tear the Shadow World asunder and open a dark path into a future they could never have imagined. Caught in a race against time, Emma and Julian must save the world of Shadowhunters before the deadly power of the parabatai curse destroys them and everyone they love.

Innocent blood has been spilled on the steps of the Council Hall, the sacred stronghold of the Shadowhunters. In the wake of the tragic death of Livia Blackthorn, the Clave teeters on the brink of civil war. One fragment of the Blackthorn family flees to Los Angeles, seeking to discover the source of the disease that is destroying the race of warlocks. Meanwhile, Julian and Emma take desperate measures to put their forbidden love aside and undertake a perilous mission to Faerie to retrieve the Black Volume of the Dead. What they find in the Courts is a secret that may tear the Shadow World asunder and open a dark path into a future they could never have imagined. Caught in a race against time, Emma and Julian must save the world of Shadowhunters before the deadly power of the parabatai curse destroys them and everyone they love.Innocent blood has been spilled on the steps of the Council Hall, the sacred stronghold of the Shadowhunters. In the wake of the tragic death of Livia Blackthorn, the Clave teeters on the brink of civil war. One fragment of the Blackthorn family flees to Los Angeles, seeking to discover the source of the disease that is destroying the race of warlocks. Meanwhile, Julian and Emma take desperate measures to put their forbidden love aside and undertake a perilous mission to Faerie to retrieve the Black Volume of the Dead. What they find in the Courts is a secret that may tear the Shadow World asunder and open a dark path into a future they could never have imagined. Caught in a race against time, Emma and Julian must save the world of Shadowhunters before the deadly power of the parabatai curse destroys them and everyone they love.