My Top Picks: Magical Middle Grade Books

This week I am picking three magnificent magical middle grade reads. All Out Now!!

WILDE BY ELOISE WILLIAMS

CHILDREN 9+

Wilde is forced to live with her aunt in Witch Point and start a new school. She is desperate to fit in but strange things keep happening. Why do birds follow her? How is the legend of the witch called Winter connected to her family? Who is threatening the pupils with curses? Children will love the rebellious Wilde and her quest to find her place in the world. A spookily good adventure that will hold children spellbound. Bewitching.

Firefly PB £6.99

VIPER'S DAUGHTER BY MICHELLE PAVER

CHILDREN 9+

A much anticipated return to the Wolf Brother adventure series. Torak and Renn having being living peacefully in the forest with their pack brother Wolf. But Renn must go in search of the truth of her heritage before she destroys them all. Michell has again created a riveting and atmospheric adventure set in a primitive and feral world. You will love the adventure, the friendship and the poetic description of the worlds along their quest. The author clearly takes a great interest in the natural surround and it is fascinating to read her descriptions of the wilderness as they seek their friends and try to escape evil demons. It can be read as a stand-alone as well as part of the wolf brother series. Highly recommended .

 Head of Zeus HB 12.99 

THE CUT-THROAT CAFE BY NICKI THORNTON

CHILDREN 9+

Seth and his talking cat Nightshade arrive in a magical town of Gramichee to learn magic. But when apprentices are attacked will he be next? Seth always seems to trust the wrong people! I was enchanted by the magical town and its curious shops and intrigued by the cauldron of eccentric characters. This whodunnit will keep you guessing until the end as it casts its spell. Lots of red herrings! This can be read as part of the magical mystery series of a stand alone. Perfect for fans of Harry Potter. 

Chicken House PB £6.99

SOUTH WALES EVENING POST CHILDREN'S BOOK REVIEW NOV 18-19

This week my children's book reviews include an adventure full of magical tricks, a little girl who finds an enchanted reindeer, a book full of unicorns and Christmas classic which is accessible to all. 

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

BOOK OF THE WEEK

THE GREATEST MAGICIAN IN THE WORLD BY MATT EDMONDSON & GARRY PARSONS

CHILDREN 6+

Elliot loves magic and wants to follow in his great grandfather's footsteps; The Amazing Dextrini! He is determined to find the Greatest Magician in the World to learn how to perform magic tricks. On Elliot's adventure young readers can also learn amazing tricks whether it's how to make an object vanish; perform a card trick or predict the future. This interactive book is certain to be a big hit at Christmas for the whole family.

ISBN 9781509806188 HB Macmillan £14.99

LAST STOP ON THE REINDEER EXPRESS BY MAUDI POWELL-TUCK & KARL JAMES MOUNTFORD

PICTURE BOOK 3+

When Mia's dad can't come home for Christmas, she takes a ride on an enchanted reindeer so she deliver her card to him. Join Mia through peek-through pages and hidden flaps, that will envelop you in the warmth of the festive season. It reminds us that family makes it special however far away they are. This is perfect for little ones who are anxious about spending time apart from a family member, for the first time.

ISBN 9781848696938 HB Little Tiger £12.99

PRESS OUT AND DECORATE UNICORNS BY KATE MCLELLAND

CHILDREN 6+

Create beautiful flying unicorn decorations to hang or give to friends. Press out each piece; colour and slot together to make twenty sparkling decorations. Also available from Nosy Crow is 'The Colouring Book of Cards and Envelopes, Unicorns and Rainbows” by Rebecca Jones allowing kids to personalise their own unique stationery. Two magical gifts for creative children who love mythical horses. Ideal to share and lots of fun!

ISBN 9781788002172 HB Nosy Crow £9.99

A CHRISTMAS CAROL BY CHARLES DICKENS

CHILDREN 9+

A Christmas classic of virtue and transformation in Barrington Stoke's signature, dyslexia-friendly format. The book includes a clear typeface and pale yellow pages to lessen visual stress. Follow the miserly Scrooge, as he is visited by three ghosts warning him to change his ways before it's too late! The series includes The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde and Of Mice and Men especially designed to be accessible to all.

ISBN 9781781127537 PB Barrington Stoke £7.99

Book Review The Sin Eaters Daughter by Melinda Salisbury

Synopsis

I am the perfect weapon.
I kill with a single touch.

Twylla is blessed. The Gods have chosen her to marry a prince, and rule the kingdom. But the favour of the Gods has it's price. A deadly poison infuses her skin. Those who anger the queen must die under Twylla's fatal touch.

Only Lief, an outspoken new guard, can see past Twylla's chilling role to the girls she truly is.

Yet in a court as dangerous and the queen's, some truths should not be told...

My Musings

Kept seeing this gorgeous cover on Instagram and was immediately drawn to it so was glad the book lived up to expectation! Twylla has been chosen by the Gods to marry the prince but before they come of age she is the Queen's executioner carrying poison in her skin and with one touch can kill. 

Twylla is complex, she is proud to be chosen but is isolated and when the Queen orders her to kill her only friend for being a traitor she becomes more withdrawn and begins to doubt her role and life. 

Her new guard Lief is suddenly the only one guarding her as no one else dare take the job. He also happens to be both hansome and charming. They form a close friendship as the Queens rule becomes more and more cruel so when her betrothed, Prince Merek starts to reacquaint himself with her it forms the obligatory love triangle, or does it? 

This book has a way of keeping you off balance all the way through. The plots, the characters, the very essence of the book keeps you guessing and on the edge of your seat. The plot is fascinating and complex twisting and turning up until the very end. 

This is also a much darker book than I expected. Melinda's interesting use of the old fairy tale the Pied Piper and the smattering of historical reference nodding to certain Royal family's incestuous marriages to keep the blood line pure certainly added an extra edge to the story.  It has real depth of character and I was totally taken aback by the ending. No Spoilers but I didn't see it coming at all! Was actually quite shocked by the turn of events and yes, a little upset. However even though you are left on a major cliffhanger there is hope for Twylla and I can't wait to see what happens next. 

Official website for Melinda Salisbury

www.melindasalisbury.com

Her Twitter Account

AHintOfMystery

Book Review: Uprooted by Naomi Novik

Synopsis

Agnieszka loves her valley home, her quiet village, the forests and the bright shining river. But the corrupted wood stands on the border, full of malevolent power, and its shadow lies over her life.

Her people rely on the cold, ambitious wizard, known only as the Dragon, to keep the wood's powers at bay. But he demands a terrible price for his help: one young woman must be handed over to serve him for ten years, a fate almost as terrible as being lost to the wood.

The next choosing is fast approaching, and Agnieszka is afraid. She knows - everyone knows - that the Dragon will take Kasia: beautiful, graceful, brave Kasia - all the things Agnieszka isn't - and her dearest friend in the world. And there is no way to save her.

But no one can predict how or why the Dragon chooses a girl. And when he comes, it is not Kasia he will take with him.

My Musings

A fantasy novel drawing deeply from the fairy tales of old and ancient magic seeded in nature itself. I loved the feisty heroine Agnieszka who is certainly not a damsel in distress.A plain girl always in a delightful mess, running in the wild and best friends with the beautiful and capable Kasia I was immediately involved in her character and wanted to know where her journey led. Their local wizard, known as Dragon keeps the  evil and magical wood at bay from the villages and in return he picks a girl every ten years for, we don't know what. This time surprising everyone,  he picks Agnieszka and whisks her off to his castle

I loved the beginning of their relationship where they are both polar opposites, she is messy and unpractical while he is unsociable, clinical and clever. His calm ordered life is totally upset by her chaotic natural and wild spirit.They are totally perplexed and irritated by each other.  It is only when he finds that it is that very spirit that is able to tap into a form of natural magic that he cannot they begin to work together. I would personally have loved to see their blossoming romance given more depth and more importance in the story but for some readers they will find it a relief. I never really engaged with the Dragon as I felt he never truly left his guard down which was  a shame. Kasia however really grew in character as, being the only one without magic had to be extraordinarily brave and was therefore the true heroine of the story.

When Agnieszka saves Kasia from the evil wood it starts a chain of events neither girl could have foretold. Hearing of their rescue Prince Marek, demand they go back to the wood and rescue his mother who has been kept prisoner there for years and years. This doomed rescue sees them fight for their lives and stir up a hornets nest of trouble back in court. Machiavellian plots and untamed magic set the scene for an epic adventure of two girls plucked from obscurity to play a major part in the country's future.

 I felt the first half of the book really takes you on a roller coaster ride but as the plot and descriptions get more complex it really slows the reading down and at times I felt it muddied the novel. I just wanted to see what happens next. However, saying that I really feel Novik is a true storyteller that sweeps you along to a faraway place full of strong and colorful characters. My small niggles are really down to reader preference and I know that a lot of lovers of fantasy fiction will truly love this book from a very talented writer.

If you like this you might like
The Hobbit by Tolkein