Format: Chapter book

Ice Dancer

Chapter book

A gripping adventure, with the power of friendship at its heart, Ice Dancer is the thrilling new story from Alex Cotter, author of The House on the Edge, WH Smith Travel Book of the Month

Angry and frustrated at having to stay with her miserable aunt in Sheffield, Dina is determined to pursue her lifelong passion for skating – even if it has to be in secret. But being a stranger in an unfamiliar city, far from the remote countryside of her home, is hard to handle. Shy and lacking in confidence, Dina must overcome her misgivings and find a way to be accepted.

Desperate to escape the oppressive atmosphere of her aunt’s house, and feeling the weight of responsibility for her younger brothers, Dina makes her way to the Ice Arena. There, captivated by the skills of the young skaters she sees, she is filled with the overwhelming desire to compete. But it’s only when all the odds are against her, that she finds the courage to follow her dream.

However, dreams can unravel, and when the family’s past starts to catch up with Dina, a chance encounter at the ice rink sets off a series of events that lead to an unexpected discovery.

Perfect for fans of Emma Caroll and Fleur Hitchcock

What Are We Fighting For?: Poems About War

Brian Moses & Roger Stevens

Chapter book

Approximately 100 pages of new poems about war and conflict, written and collated by two well established poets. A contents page by title and an index of first lines help readers to navigate the poems. The collection is split into three sections: First World War, Second World War and the title question of, What Are We Fighting For?

Most pages are thoughtfully illustrated with black and white line drawings by Nicola Robinson. Accessibly written, thought provoking and important ideas are explored in the poems, which differ in length, style and composition. The collection would suit being read aloud and discussed as a class or small group. Some of the poems have extra footnotes to explain the context, or background to the story within the poem, or the people and places that it refers to. This poems may encourage readers to think more deeply about the meaning of war, and the impact of war.

Beastopia

Chrissie Sains & Jenny Taylor

Chapter book

Beastopia is fabulously fun to read from start to finish.

Unfortunately, in Digby’s family, there is a curse where their family pets always disappear on their tenth birthday. It follows the main character Digby and his excitable best friend, Tai, and his sister, Mog, on a mission to find his lost pet mouse, Cheddar. What follows is lots of fun, humour and mild danger.

The book follows the journey of the characters to become apprentice guardians of Beastopia- a haven for magical creatures. Along the way, they take part in challenges with a little bit of danger and mystery and find out about Cheddar and the ‘lost’ family pets. It ends on a cliffhanger that makes the reader immediately want to read the sequel. The book has fun illustrations dotted throughout, which add to the experience of reading.

Mog has diabetes, which is mentioned briefly in the story and can be seen during illustrations, adding to the inclusivity of the story. A great story as a read-aloud story or for independent readers 7+.

Robin

Sarah Ann Juckes

Chapter book

Eddie is the best big brother: he is supportive, understanding and patient. He needs to be these things for his whole family as his little sister Scarlett is poorly. She has been poorly for a long time and now needs a new heart. Eddie is dropped off at Uncle John’s house, which is at the edge of the forest, and has to pretend that everything is ok. His uncle takes him into the forest and introduces him to the great trees. Eddie starts to spend more time in the forest and finds himself befriending a little robin and a girl called Mari. She is fierce, dressed in odd clothes and fuzzy around the edges – almost ghostly. They start to hunt a monster, but soon realise the monster is closer than Eddie thought. Robin, is a story of courage and the importance of finding your voice even if it feels wrong. The main character starts to become bolder as he explores his wintery landscape and finally finds his voice to make sure that he is heard and not forgotten. The story is very powerful and explores themes of illness within a family and the effect it has. It shares an important message through great imagery which is then coupled with the beautiful illustrations, I thoroughly enjoyed the story and its message. It was the perfect time of year to read it too.

The Blitz Sisters

Judith Eagle

Chapter book

Three sisters find their lives turned upside down as war is declared between Britain and Germany. Living in London, the sisters face evacuation, rationing, bombing and loss. Lydia, Peggy and Teddy navigate daily struggles as the war starts to change Britain. The sisters have to stick together as everything changes for them and their loved ones. They find new homes, new foes, new four-legged friends and each of them a passion that brings a spark back into their lives.

The story is split into three sections, and each section tells the story of the sisters in a different part of the war. Lydia (the eldest sister) starts the story in 1939 with the beginning of the war and being evacuated to the countryside to stay with Aunt Phoebe. She tells a story of loneliness and shares a first-hand account of the Blitz when she returns to London, running away. The next section is told by Peggy and narrates from 1943, when the family have relocated back to London. Peggy finds herself befriending a German refugee, and the family have to try and keep safe from the German Doodlebugs that cause major destruction and death. Finally, the last section describes the post-war years and how it is hard for the youngest sister, Teddy, to find a way in the world when all she has known is wartime London.

The story is beautifully and very cleverly written, as you find yourself getting to know the three sisters as you become entwined in their world. Each section is written in a way that shows you how different the sisters are. I really enjoyed reading this book, and it is perfect for a Y6 class when studying World War 2 and a character-driven historical fiction choice for reading for pleasure.

The Not-So Great Escape

Emma Green

Chapter book

12 year old Hedley likes life to be safe and predictable, especially as his own changed completely after the car crash a year ago.

As part of his therapy, he attends Bridlebank Activities Centre every weekend, where the thuggish Aiden takes delight in tormenting him. Things get worse when their support worker, Nic, insists that they both start a weekend job at Farmer Bert’s Petting Zoo. However, Aiden steals the farmer’s prize alpaca, Duke, hiding it at the activity centre, and convinces Hedley to embark on a quest to take Duke to a release site so that he can live free in the wild.

As you’d expect, disasters ensue, including wrecking a petrol station store, accidentally assisting in a robbery, causing a football match to be abandoned, and – of course – all their exploits going viral. With the latter, it will be an interesting lesson for readers to see how much the true course of events in the story differs from the online reports.

There are themes of family, friendship, grief, courage and stepping outside your comfort zone. This is writing at its best, with genuine laugh-out-loud moments (especially in the police station and the football stadium) and a well-crafted and emotional ending – a totally unforeseen one for me! I would highly recommend this for any fans of Jenny Pearson or anyone who enjoys fast-paced comedic adventures.

Magpie Girl

Rowan Foxwood

Chapter book

When she was eight, Lavender Wild went missing in the woods for months. Although her memories are hazy, she knows she was rescued and looked after by Mother Nest – a deity who can transform between an old woman and a giant magpie.

Back home, Lavender has become a Magpie Girl with the ability to find lost things and communicate with birds, whilst also growing feathers – which she hides or plucks out. She still longs for adventure, but her father keeps her close, terrified of another disappearance.

When the father of her childhood best friend, Kit Noble, vanishes during his annual quest to offer tribute to a deity, Lavender is desperate to be involved in the rescue attempt. She runs away and joins Kit on his mission, but they are thwarted by earthquakes, daemons and the presence of the powerful wish-granting Firebird from his mountaintop prison. Lavender realises that Kit’s family history is deeply entwined with local legends and deities and that there is far more at stake than just using her magpie senses to find Lord Noble.

This fabulous adventure gives a little nod at the beginning to Rowan’s previous book, Heartseer, although this is a standalone story. The characters are well-formed and the changes in their relationships are carefully constructed, with a thread running through the story regarding discussing problems and painful memories instead of ignoring them. I loved all the different deities and the author notes at the end, which explained the mythological basis for their characters: my favourite has to be the Nightmare with the ability to take others to visit sleepers in their dreams and affect their future.

I have thoroughly enjoyed both of the author’s books and would recommend her to fans of Sophie Anderson and those who enjoy myths and folklore

Avalanche

Simon Fox

Chapter book

Avalanche by Simon Fox is an exciting children’s adventure novel that combines danger, teamwork, and the power of quick thinking. The story is set around a boy called Tom, who is hoping to spend the holidays with his mum in a luxury ski chalet. Unfortunately, his mum is working, protecting an eminent scientist from those wishing to steal his research at any cost. Tom starts the novel lonely and bored, dropped into ski school and ignored by those around him. This dramatically changes when villains come to call, endangering those at the chalet and triggering an enormous avalanche, cutting off the chalet from any help.

This is a great adventure book which would appeal to those who enjoy the Alex Rider or Bear Grylls mission survival series. The mixture of action and survival against the elements will hook in those children who like adventure or spy novels. It’s relatively short, fast-paced and quite an easy read, so would appeal to more reluctant readers.

Avalanche is an engaging and thrilling read that will appeal to children who enjoy adventure and survival stories. Simon Fox successfully balances excitement with meaningful lessons, making the book both exciting and educational. It is a great choice for readers looking for a short but memorable adventure!

Anisha, Accidental Detective: Christmas Chaos

Emma McCann & Serena Patel

Chapter book

A festive mystery-a festive delight with all the trimmings! Another fantastic book in this wonderful series where friendship, community and family all work together to create the best Christmas fayre that their town has ever seen.

If you thought your family loved Christmas, wait until you read about the Mistry’s celebrations: 50 boxes of decorations; 3 Christmas trees; elf hats; and compulsory Christmas jumpers. However, all of the Christmas spirit could be lost when the sleigh they find then disappears one night, along with Anisha and her dad’s dreams of a grotto, featuring the very special post-box they have borrowed. There are many suspects on their list (Mr Bogof, Smita Smart-Jones, someone with small hands??). Can Milo (her best buddy, aka detective buddy) and she find the sleigh and save Christmas? Can they bring back the festive cheer for everyone, especially her dad?

The mix of text and illustrations makes this a perfect choice for readers 7+. Grab yourself a hot chocolate (with all the trimmings), a mince pie and get cosy to read on and see how the mystery unfolds…