Author & Illustrators
The Beanstalk Murder may have elements of a traditional fairy story – a beanstalk and a land of giants – but this is so much more than a fairy tale! Full of plot twists, double-dealing and peril, it is a real page-turner.
When the dead body of a giant falls out of the sky and flattens the village of Old Stump, Anwen Sedge knows that there is a mystery to solve: a mystery in the form of murder. Anwen is a meadow witch who aspires to train at the Academy of High Magic; what she lacks in talent, she makes up for in determination and optimism. Her attempts at conjuring spells always end in disaster, much to the amusement of her rival Cerys Powell.
Anwen uses an ancient bean seed to magic a passageway to the Sky Kingdom, which is the land from which the dead giant had fallen. What then ensues is a series of breathtaking disasters, nail-biting near-misses and laugh-out-loud blunders.
The Beanstalk Murder has a plot that twists like tendrils. It has mystery, intrigue and red herrings in giant helpings and the reader will be guessing right up until the end. This would be a great read-aloud, each chapter ending on a cliffhanger will ensure that there will be groans when the book is closed for the day. It is also an enticing chapter book for those who are reading independently.
The Train to Impossible Places is a whizz-pop-bang of an adventure story that will make readers young and old want to jump on board!
From the moment the Impossible Postal Express crashes unexpectedly through Suzy’s living room, the plot hurtles on at a hundred miles an hour as it twists its way through imaginative realms. The postal workers on the magical train whisk Suzy along with them on their mission to deliver top-secret packages to impossible places, encountering villains, heroes and everything in between along the way. The story is also brought to life by Flavia Sorrentino’s eye-catching illustrations that perfectly capture the spirit of adventure in the narrative.
Super imaginative, action-packed and filled with exciting new worlds and fantastical characters, this book has all the ingredients to be a massive hit. Full steam ahead to the sequel!
review
Year group(s) the book is most suitable for:
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Does the book contain anything that teachers would wish to know about before recommending in class (strong language, sensitive topics etc.)?
Does the book contain anything that teachers would wish to know about before recommending in class (strong language, sensitive topics etc.)?
Would you recommend the book for use in primary schools?
yes
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Curriculum links (if relevant)
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