Imagine the cold, grim and violent world of Beowulf, the sylvan charm of Tolkien’s woodland spirits and the timelessness of the coming-of-age story. Tucholke’s book knits them all together with the imaginative intensity of a first-person adventure narrative.
As the title suggests, this book is a collection of stories about inspiring boys throughout history and from around the world. It covers a wide range of different young men who achieved wonderful things. From Thomas Alva Edison to Stan Lee, Vidal Sassoon to the Dalai Lama, Pelé to Tony Hawk, there is sure to be someone to inspire every young reader.
Ellie Frias is dead, but it seems like very few people care – apart from her struggling single dad, no one seems bothered that the invisible girlfriend of the most popular boy in high school disappeared. The police think she ran away, but Ellie’s spirit lingers in the room where she was murdered, watching as her killer lures other girls there to assault and rape them. She can’t stop him, but she also can’t look away.
From the author of Girls Who Rocked the World comes another volume of inspirational narratives for girls. Its overall message is that anything is possible. As she says on the cover: ‘Going after your dream doesn’t have to wait – be empowered by these incredible women and start changing the world now.’
Sky Song is a dramatic, action-packed and original adventure full of magical creatures and happenings that will grip the reader. Trapped within a glass musical box in an ice palace and in her own body by an evil enchantment, Eska struggles to even remember who she is. When her world collides with Flint, a boy completely sure of himself, of who he is and of the tribe he comes from, the adventure begins. I could not put this book down and can only imagine how much my ten-year-old self would have loved it.
This is a simply beautiful book that starts slowly but delivers a bright burner of a message.
Caro and her mum move to a new place where she is finding herself a bit lonely. She explores the new house, but life isn’t as fun without a friend. Her imagination soon comes to the rescue as a white lion appears and becomes her new playmate. Together they have wonderful adventures playing hide and seek, chasing and racing about. Caro soon has to venture out on her own, though, which is daunting.
Izzy Gizmo is a brilliant inventor. She’s constantly using the materials around her to construct complex gadgets. Sometimes they don’t work perfectly and she gets upset, but her grandfather always encourages her to keep making her work better. When Izzy finds an injured crow, she’s determined to invent a machine that will help him fly again, but it will be her greatest challenge yet.
This book, by a new Irish writer for children, has an intriguing and strong voice, a main character whose language is rich with pure and authentic Dublin-speak, and some witty and charming turns of phrase. The unnamed young protagonist tells her own story, full of imagery typical of a country rising from the wreckage of recession. It presents an original and fresh perspective on poverty and homelessness amid construction cranes, shiny new apartments and hi-tech businesses.
Sam Lyttle has a colossal gift for lying. Whether it’s to get out of scrapes, to impress the school belle or just to pass the time, he’s the emperor of fibbery. What he’s not so good at is extricating himself from his inventions, especially when the bully of Parsley Primary, Pete Feeney, has got his number. One more run-in with Pete and it’ll be curtains for Sam: Carl Curtains, to be precise, Sam’s former classmate and the wraith-like victim of Feeney’s wrath. How can Sam protect himself and his cat Pudding from Pete’s almighty fist?
