Sky Pirates is the first middle-grade title from Alex English – and what a story it is to launch her into the children’s book limelight! The first in the Sky Pirates series, this story introduces us to Echo Quickthorn, who lives in the kingdom of Lockfort. Echo is an orphan, but lives inside the castle after being taken in by the King. Echo yearns for adventure and to find out about her real family. There is one major problem: the people of Lockfort know that nothing exists outside of the Kingdom’s wall apart from barren wasteland, an idea that the King supports entirely, and no-one would ever question the thinking of the King. One evening, a mysterious airship carrying Professor Daggerwing lands within the castle grounds, just outside Echo’s window. The Professor talks of his home and adventures from distant lands, which begins Echo’s journey into the unknown wasteland, all in pursuit of the truth about the world outside of Lockfort and her family. However, Echo’s journey may not be as straight forward as she expects, with rumours of formidable Sky Pirates and their tyrant leader nearby… This was such an enjoyable, well-paced book and I found the story idea to be really refreshing. Echo, as the main character, is likeable and relatable: her confidence and self-belief grow as the story progresses, even when she faces tricky challenges or tough decisions to make. There are plenty of memorable secondary characters too, but one that really stands out is Gilbert, who is Echo’s best friend. Gilbert is a lizard who he acts as Echo’s moral compass and I really liked how Alex English brought him to life through his expressions and quirky actions. Gilbert is bound to be as huge-a-hit as Echo and a favourite character for many readers. This book is highly recommendable for upper Key Stage Two and I cannot wait to read the next instalment of Echo’s adventures! Reviewer: Hayley Warner