This is the much-anticipated grand finale to the prize-winning ‘Wolf Brother’ adventure series.
The time has come for Torak to go head-to-head with the Demon Naiginn, but could it cause disastrous consequences for him and Wolf? Torak must hunt down the demon before the demon finds Wolf and eats his soul, giving him ultimate powers. Naiginn also has a new tool to help him – Wolfbane – also known as the wolf killing plant. Protecting Wolf becomes even more of a challenge when he gets lost on the ice. Will Torak find him before it’s too late? Will they escape the newly discovered Kelp clan?
This is the last book in the suspenseful adventure series that follows Torak and his companion Wolf. Having read most of the books in the series, I was excited to read the final adventure and I was not disappointed. You do not have to have read every story in the series to be able to enjoy the narrative. There are links to the other story lines in the final book so that it is easy to understand. The story is filled with drama, adventure and cliff-hangers, which keep the reader engaged. The plot ends with a satisfying conclusion, which I will not divulge so as to keep the ending a secret for new readers.
I would recommend this book to anyone who loves an adventure story and it is most likely to be enjoyed by children in Upper KS2, either as a standalone adventure or as part of the well-loved series.
Reviewer: Natasha Kendrick
Flick adores her older brother Jack. She loves his sense of fun, his passion for puzzles and riddles and the feeling that she gets from the special sibling bond they share. There’s been an empty space in Flick’s heart ever since Jack headed off to Peru on a gap year trip, but at least Flick knows that Jack is immersed in exciting adventures. When the shock news arrives of an earthquake in Peru, nobody is able to contact Jack and Flick’s world falls apart. Through a blur of panic and confusion, Flick pieces together fragments of a puzzle to try to find Jack – centred around a special key that Jack left behind with the initials S.F. written on it.
As the family anxiously waits for news of Jack, Flick sets the wheels in motion for her own investigation, desperately trying to track down the mysterious S.F.. Along the way, she discovers a host of other friends and family members who are meaningful in Jack’s world, each with their own tale to tell of how kind and special her brother is to them.
True to style, Ewa Jozefkowicz weaves a multi-layered narrative of self-discovery that explores the riches of family bonds and the value of listening to the stories of other people. There’s a mystery to solve, a story-within-a-story and plenty of intrigue, and I particularly enjoyed how beautifully the sibling relationship was portrayed. This is a heartwarming third novel from Ewa Jozefkowicz that will resonate with middle-grade readers who enjoy delving into stories with a real-life feel or are looking for a bit of a mystery to get stuck into.
Stella Martin can remember how happy everything seemed at home before her mother died but now she feels increasingly alone and isolated. When a new girl called Cam arrives, Stella is happy to enjoy a blossoming friendship.
Stella is pleased to have a friend to confide in as there is a lot on her mind, especially when she begins to suspect a highly unusual secret about her mother. Why is there such a strange family relationship with water? Are Grandma’s odd comments about mermaids just part of her dementia or is there more to them? What does the picture of a mermaid drawn by her mother mean and why had it been hidden away? Stella decides it is time to investigate her suspicions and she sets off on a mission to uncover the truth.
What follows is a thoroughly gripping adventure with dark twists and turns, fascinating characters and just the right amount of suspense to keep readers’ eyes glued to the pages until a resolution has been reached (I read this in one sitting). The difficult themes of bereavement, dementia and abusive relationships are handled with due sensitivity and there is nothing too frightening in this unusual story, with plenty to feel optimistic about at the end.
With a highly original concept, mesmerising storytelling and a beautifully portrayed exploration of character identity and relationships, I highly recommend this for Years 5-6.
As a fan of Ewa Josefkowicz’s debut The Mystery of the Colour Thief published last year (see our review here), I was pleased to hear about the arrival of her new newest story. This one shares a number of themes with the first book – friendship, bullying, finding courage to do the right thing and valuing the stories and experiences of other people – but this time weaves in a new thread of World War II history into the mix.
Kat is a young teenager who uses her spare time to create comic strip stories based on her fictional superhero ‘Girl 38′. At school, things become tricky for Kat with friendship issues. Meanwhile at home she strikes up a friendship with her elderly neighbour, Ania, and begins to learn about Ania’s experiences of growing up in Poland during World War II. Kat listens intently to each instalment of Ania’s story, from the time soldiers forced her to separate from her family and leave her village to the time she hid in a bakery near to where her best friend was being held in a concentration camp. As Ania’s powerful history unfolds, Kat feels challenged to find courage of her own to stand up for what is right and confront Gem’s bullying behaviour.
The three strands of Kat’s story, the Girl 38 plot and Ania’s tale weave together beautifully and mirror each other in a way that demonstrates how valuing the stories and experiences of others can enrich our own lives. With convincingly drawn characters, relatable issues and important values at its heart, this is a thoroughly enjoyable read that would suit readers transitioning from Upper KS2 to Lower KS3.
A gently unfolding detective story that delicately unpacks themes of food poverty, friendship and the importance of community spaces. Author Ewa Jozefkowicz says of the book, ‘The pandemic has had a huge impact on food insecurity, with as many as 2.3 million children now affected. So through my book, as well as telling a story, I wanted to highlight the importance of community and to show all readers that they shouldn’t be afraid to ask for help if they need it.’
This is a relatively quick read – but a deeply satisfying one – that will appeal to readers who enjoy true-to-life stories, a mystery to solve and gentle storytelling that explores real-world issues.
An authentically-told story that poignantly portrays life during dark times for twelve-year-old Izzy. After a traumatic car accident, Izzy’s mum is in a coma in hospital and Izzy struggles to keep up good relationships with family and friends. While Izzy tries to act bravely and hold everything inside, something even darker is happening inside her mind. Sometimes emotions become so tangled that they are too difficult to put into words and what I liked about this book is how the author weaves into the plot a number of ways of visually representing some of the associated feelings, like the painted mural on Izzy’s bedroom wall whose colours fade one by one. Powerful emotional experiences are handled in a compassionate way, characters are authentically nuanced and the plot is compelling. I recommend this book for Years 5-6+ for opening up important conversations about mental health.
Magical interlinked stories about what one girl learns from talking to trees throughout Time and from around the world. Olive’s best friend is a four-hundred-year-old oak tree, and it is in danger. As she tumbles into its magic world, she makes it a promise. From deep roots to high branches, a Persian garden to an underwater forest, from tulip trees to wild apple to vengeful box, she listens to the trees telling stories for all time. And she keeps her promise. With a conservation message and facts about tree science alongside the magicand wonder of seven beautifully imagined original stories, this full-colour book enchants and reminds us of the importance of trees in our lives.
Eleven year old Elsie leads an unremarkable life; overshadowed by everyone and everything around her. In her daydreams and the stories which she writes though, she is Kelsie Corvette- a brilliant adventurer who can turn her hand to anything and who dazzles anyone she meets. During the summer holidays, Elsie finds herself being sent to stay with her ancient Great Uncle for what she anticipates will be an extraordinarily boring week. Then, she meets the tiger in his spare room.
It’s a tiger skin to be exact and Elsie’s great uncle explains his great regret at shooting it whilst living in colonial India as a boy. His love of India is shown by the greenhouse in which he grows many exotic plants from his childhood home. Elsie is captivated by an empty pot, which soon transports her to India in I946. Upon meeting the child version of her great uncle, Elsie realises that her mission is to stop him from shooting the tiger- the act which has brought him so much sadness. So Elsie introduces herself as Kelsie and seizes the chance to live the life of her alter ego. In her adventure with John, she faces great danger and adversity through the challenges of the Indian jungle and the encounter of a particularly deadly hunter named Sowerby.
The Time Traveller and The Tiger provides an excellent adventure story and also opportunities to discuss themes including endangered animals, hunting, the treatment of the natives of the British Colonies and attitudes towards women in the 1940s.
Read our guest blog post from the author to find out more about the background of the story.
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Year group(s) the book is most suitable for:
Year group(s) the book is most suitable for:
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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