Publisher: Oxford University Press

The Cosmic Atlas of Alfie Fleet

Chapter book

Fasten your seatbelts and brace yourself for a rip-roaring adventure into the cosmos. Brimming with humour, imagination and all things wacky, The Cosmic Atlas of Alfie Fleet is reminiscent of the stories of Douglas Adams written with a younger audience in mind. With a plot that feels like anything could happen next, this is the kind of story that will appeal to readers who love to laugh at the wacky and the unexpected. Read our full review on the blog.

Alfie Fleet’s Guide to the Universe

Chris Mould & Martin Howard

Chapter book

Alfie Fleet and the Professor are on a planet-hopping quest-keep up if you can! With the Universal Travel Agency about to open its doors, Alfie’s adding the last few entries to his Guide to the Universe when disaster strikes in the form of an old adversary. Alfie needs help fast… and he only has to travel through a few galaxies to find it!

The Girl with the Shark’s Teeth

Cerrie Burnell

Chapter book

Young fans of stories set in fantasy worlds are in for a treat with The Girl with the Shark’s Teeth, a middle grade debut from former CBeebies presenter Cerrie Burnell. The cover alone (illustrated by Sandra Dieckmann‏) is enough to make you want to dive right in, but if you are anything like me you’ll be hooked from the first paragraph of this magical adventure that leaps straight into action.

Minnow knows that she is different from most of the other children in town. She lives on a boat called The Seafarer and has always found herself drawn to the water, as if she belongs deep below the surface. Her body is intuitive and dextrous when it comes to swimming, almost as if it is better adapted to moving through the water than running on land, where she often feels lost.

One evening, three strangers appear near Minnow’s boat and kidnap her mum, Mercy. With her mum in trouble, Minnow sets sail alone to find her grandmother in Reykjavik. Not content until she has uncovered the truth about her family history and found a way to rescue her mother, Minnow demonstrates courage and determination as she embarks upon a journey that will lead her to discover the magical underwater world of the Wild Deep.

Minnow is a strong-minded and courageous protagonist who is not afraid to follow her heart. A major theme in the book is identity, as Minnow works through questions about what her dual heritage means in a way that will feel relatable to a lot of young readers.

In The Girl with The Shark’s Teeth, Cerrie Burnell has created an exciting and richly-imagined fantasy world that is sure to hold a high appeal to readers in Upper KS2.

The Maker of Monsters

Lorraine Greogry

Chapter book

A wild, romping adventure with nods to Frankenstein, The Maker of Monsters is a joyfully imaginative children’s story with very human themes of friendship and acceptance at its heart.

Young Brat lives as a servant in Lord Macawber’s castle. Having been on the castle’s remote island ever since he was washed ashore as an orphaned baby, Brat is quite used to his master’s strange experiments. Without human friends around, Brat’s only company is Lord Macawber’s army of ‘creations’; stitched-together creatures brought to life through the act of necromancy. Most of the monsters are terrifyingly dangerous and locked in cages on the various floors of the castle, but Brat forms loyal friendships with a couple of the more placid mini monsters.

When Lord Macawber brings to life his most fearsome monster ever and intends to send his army on a vengeful attack of a nearby city, it falls to Brat to find a way to warn and save the inhabitants. What follows is a fast-paced adventure as Brat races against the clock (and against a whole heap of other obstacles, including prejudice, imprisonment and a city that creates outcasts at every opportunity) to stop the monsters wreaking havoc.

I enjoyed the mix of magic and mayhem, the harmless humour and the breadth of imagination poured into the characters and setting. But the real heart of the story is Brat’s own journey to face the metaphorical monsters within himself. Never having been met with true acceptance or kindness before, Brat’s story demonstrates the transformative power of positive human connection for both individuals and wider society.

A fun, gothic adventure filled with thrills and imagination, The Maker of Monsters will surely be a winner for readers in Years 3-6.

The House of Light

Julia Green

Chapter book

The House of Light is a gorgeous book, which skilfully blends stirring descriptions of the natural world with the drama and excitement of a dystopian adventure and a deep emotional meditation on the value of those we love, those we lose and those we leave behind.

Bonnie lives with her Granda by the coast in a not-so-distant future Britain where freedoms have been curtailed and the right to travel has disappeared, along with much of the technology we currently enjoy. Despite the loss of her mother at a young age and a hankering for adventure, Bonnie is generally happy in her loving home with Granda; growing their vegetables, tending their hens and telling stories. Until the arrival of a boat and a boy widens her mind to the possibility of following her mother over the sea and escaping to a better life.

The relationship between the boy, Ish, and Bonnie develops beautifully from mistrust and fear between two damaged children to a deep empathy and indestructible bond. They are young, they are resilient, and they will risk anything to seek wider horizons. Granda, however, is at the opposite end of his journey, his physical horizons narrowing but his yearning for freedom as strong as ever. The final chapters of the book are heart-breaking and uplifting in equal measure.

The House of Light is a beautifully crafted work, one of Julia Green’s best yet, and my favourite book of 2019 so far. The accessible and well-paced writing, the poignant characters and storyline make it almost impossible to put down. I will be pressing it fervently into the hands of KS2 readers who need to believe in the ability of compassion and hope to overcome darkness and fear.

Reviewed by: Carol Carter, Librarian

The Last Spell Breather

Julie Pike

Chapter book

A unique take on the magical world, The Last Spell Breather is an intriguing adventure that will appeal to many readers. Rayne finds herself in a predicament; she adores her mother and desperately wants to please her but finds it difficult to live up to her mother’s expectations to become a Spell Breather. Like any other young girl, she longs to be with her friends, not stuck inside as her mother’s struggling apprentice. Rayne soon finds that her clumsy ways put the people of her village, and her friends, in grave danger and she is forced to embark on a dangerous journey to attempt to rescue them.

I really enjoyed reading this book and can see that it would easily appeal to many children. With pupils often citing ‘Harry Potter’ as one of their favourite series, this is a great book to continue their love of magic. The main character, Rayne, is endearing and will resonate with lots of people as the reader gets a real insight into her insecurities and can go on her journey with her. Readers will see her flourish and root for her through her journey as she steps into her own. Many of our children have their own insecurities or lack self-confidence and will easily to relate with the character.

This is definitely one to add to your to-be-read pile and a great choice for KS2 classrooms or school libraries.

Reviewed by: Christine Ivory, Y6 Teacher

Me and Mister P: Maya’s Storm

Maria Farrer & Daniel Rieley

Chapter book

Maya’s Storm is the latest instalment of the ‘Mister P’ series of insightful stories about a polar bear who unexpectedly visits different families facing a range of different real-life situations, from living with physical disabilities to being young carers. Each brilliantly entertaining story works as a standalone and is well pitched for readers in lower KS2 or as a read-aloud to be shared together.

This story features Maya, who once lived in another country but now lives with her new family in a coastal village in England. She lives with Mum, Dad and an older brother and sister. Granny Anne lives in a cottage not far away and helps Maya to create a memory box when she was feeling sad about losing her family. She says that as you get older your memories sometimes disappear so it is important to keep them somewhere safe. Maya thinks Granny Anne is joking, but her Mum and Dad are worried about her as she keeps forgetting things.

One evening, Maya sees something strange out of her bedroom window in the sea. After following some clues, they find a polar bear whose luggage tag tells them that his name is Mister P. Now Maya and Granny Anne must work together to keep Mister P a secret from Mum and Dad, whilst still having many adventures along the way!

Although we are never told exactly what happened to Maya’s family, the book subtly alludes to the fact that she is a refugee and has lost her family. After just the first two pages, children may have many questions about Maya’s past: What happened to her family? Why did Maya have to leave her family? Will she see her family again? The story also sensitively deals with a family member having dementia. The more time that Maya spends with Granny Anne, the more she realises that Granny Anne does seem to be forgetting things. Will she tell Mum and Dad about Mister P and get Granny Anne the help she needs?

Charming illustrations coupled with the short chapters make Me and Mister P: Maya’s Storm accessible and appealing to independent readers experiencing their first chapter books.

Reviewed by: Kirsten Hopwood, Year 3 Teacher

Walls

Emma Fischel

Chapter book

Nominated for Favourite Books of 2018 by: Fleur Hitchcock (@fleurhitchcock), bookseller and author of children’s books including Murder At Twilight (available here) and Murder In Midwinter (available here)

Smoothly written, clever, warm and funny, this story about families, friendship and divorce really stood out. A quiet book that should have been louder.

Me and Mister P: Joe’s New World

Daniel Rieley & Maria Farrer

Chapter book

There are times when only a polar bear will do . . . So Mum and Dad have decided we’re moving house, but not just down the road, not even in the same town . . . not even in the same COUNTRY! Not only that, but now they expect me to try and fit in and make new friends. Don’t they understand that I just want my old friends who love and accept me the way I am – bad jokes and all. It would seem that the only friend I CAN make is this enormous POLAR BEAR who has come to stay. I didn’t ask for him, but I ended up with him at the airport instead of my missing suitcase . . . Meet Joe as he tries to adapt to his new life. And meet Mister P, the world’s most helpful(ish) polar bear. Packed with gorgeous illustrations throughout, readers will love this fun and heartwarming story.

Bear Shaped

Dawn Coulter-Cruttenden

Picturebook

Inspired by the true story of Jack and his beloved Bear, this is a gentle and tender picture book exploring the relatable experience of treasuring a toy and touching on themes of loss, growing up and helping others.

Jack and his well-loved teddy bear are inseparable. Bear helps Jack to calm down when the world around him seems a bit too much, and provides both comfort and companionship through each day’s up and downs. When Jack loses Bear after a trip to the park, he is inconsolable. Such is the impact of the loss, that Jack’s family go to great lengths to find the missing toy, putting up posters and making appeals to friends and strangers online.

Jack feels a bear-shaped hole inside of him and there are reminders about Bear everywhere – the clouds, the puddles, the bus stop sign, the front door. Strangers respond to the appeal in kindness by sending Jack all sorts of replacement bears – old bears, new bears, big bears and small bears arrive in the post, but none of them are Bear. Over time, Jack begins to come to terms with his loss and decides to re-gift the bears to others in need.

This is a beautiful picture book made all the more poignant by being based on a true story of an autistic boy’s search for his missing bear. Many children hearing the story will have come across enough missing toy stories to quickly predict that Jack will lose the bear – but the resolution takes a less expected path when Jack never gets his own Bear back. The delicate and detailed illustrations portray Jack’s emotions closely and the details in the background are delightful (we spot more brilliantly concealed ‘bear-shaped’ items each time we read it).

Despite Jack’s disappointment at losing Bear, the story is an uplifting one and Jack’s decision to share the new bears with other children is both touching and inspiring.