When Emba hears a thump from outside, a dragon is the last thing she expects to find. Convinced it’s just her imagination running wild, her friend Fred has no option to tell her truth and her world will never be the same again. A baby girl with yellow eyes and scaly limbs – born from…
Feeling very lucky to have the wonderful Katharine Orton on the blog today, sharing a piece she has written about the theme of nature and the natural world in her latest novel, Mountainfell. The majestic mountain in this magical story is as much a character as misfit-protagonist Erskin. And the journey towards its summit is…
I’m delighted to welcome the wonderful Pip Jones to the blog today as part of the Faber Book of Bedtime Stories tour. It’s our turnWe’ll hear more about it from the author herself, and about the stories Pip loved as a child! The Faber Book of Bedtime Stories is a beautiful collection of modern tales, all…
After seven years at boarding school where the food is not much better than gloop and the other girls constantly go out of their way to be mean to her, Cassie Morgan runs away into the night. Searching for her mother she enters a world of magic as she discovers her true identity in the…
Thrilled to be able to share an interview with author Philip Caveney as part of his Stand And Deliver blog tour today. I found the premise and setting of this historical high-stakes adventure refreshingly original, and thoroughly enjoyed being whisked back in time by Philip’s smooth and immersive storytelling. Stand And Deliver is the story…
Delighted to be sharing an extract from the wonderful TIGGY THISTLE AND THE LOST GUARDIANS by the brilliant Chris Riddell today. The second and final book in The Cloud Horse Chronicles duology is generously sprinkled with stunning two-colour illustration’s in the author’s inimitable style. The artwork and character portraits marry beautifully with the written…
Two dueling witch families, one month of powerful magic showered down from the stars. Every October, something magical happens to the graduated witches in the Merlyn and Morgan families. For the whole month of October, magic descends on them all, stirring up forgotten powers, bitter arguments and ensuring both their homes are filled with fun…
Feeling very fortunate to have the Uber-talented Sophy Henn sharing her favourite comic strip baddies with us today! Her Pizazz series has plenty of them, and the latest book – Pizazz VS Everyone – sees our reluctant superhero turn to the dark side herself, all because of a litter bug and a spot of toxic gunk. I…
I am a huge fan of M.A.Bennett’s The Butterfly Club and am delighted to feature her guest post on the blog. In line with the spirit of her time-travelling adventure, it’s smoothly written and chock-full of fascinating historical snippets. The book itself has all of this, plus a gripping storyline that sees time-theives…
Gabe doesn’t believe in ghosts. He also thinks his job at the lighthouse is boring so he likes to scare the tourists by telling them stories about the unexplained deaths at Gibraltar Point. All that is about to change when he accidentally awakens the ghost of sixteen year-old Rebecca Strand. Her and her…
With its illustrious author and illustrator pairing, CRESS WATERCRESS by Gregory Maguire & David Litchfield is sure to delight book lovers young and old. Cleverly written and designed to be read aloud or read alone, the nimble chapters take us quickly into the depths of Hunter’s Wood, and into the life and heart of a…
Hank loves summer. Hoog loves winter. When autumn arrives and the leaves begin to fall, they both know that the weather is about to change. Hank isn’t looking forward to the cold. Hoog is excited to play in the snow. Hank doesn’t want to play on the ice and Hoog doesn’t want to stay inside.…
It all started with an anonymous post on social media. A scandal, they said. Things like this don’t happen in our school, said another. But they were wrong. Rape is not something to laugh about or to ignore and hope that it goes away. But that’s what they thought would happen. Cassie’s rage seems to…
Autumn is a little nervous for her first day at Sparkledale Academy but with her love of dance and help from her friends she overcomes her fears and she can’t wait for the sleepover that’s been organised. When things don’t go as expected, Autumn and her friends investigate who’s behind the magical elements that are…
Magical things happen in the kitchen when it’s time to make a cake for the Twelfth Night. With Christmas Day over with, there’s only twelve days to get all the ingredients together for the big bake! There’s lots of animal friends to help out – the cat maids balanced precariously on a cart with their…
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