FOXCRAFT: THE ELDERS by Inbali Iserles; reviewed by Gillian Philip

CHRISTMAS IS ALMOST HERE SO AWFULLY BIG REVIEWS IS TAKING A SHORT BREAK. WE'LL BE BACK AGAIN AT THE START OF JANUARY 2017

UNTIL THEN, MUCH HAPPY READING TO YOU ALL, 

AND THANKS TO ALL THE AWFULLY BIG (AND BRILLIANT) REVIEWERS

FOR ALL THEIR POSTS DURING 2016.

Meanwhile, here's Gillian Philip, writing about Inbali Iserles FOXCRAFT series:

I've been looking forward enormously to the second instalment of Inbali Iserles' magical series FOXCRAFT, and from the moment I dived into the first chapter of Book Two, THE ELDERS, I knew the wait had been worth it. It's the kind of story that starts with an earthquake - or at least, the mystical tremor of malinta in the ground beneath Isla's paws - and builds to a spectacular climax. 

When we left her at the end of Book One (THE TAKEN), Isla - a former urban fox whose family were torn from her in a brutal act of violence - was venturing into the unknown Wildlands in search of her lost brother Pirie. She's little more than a cub, but Isla is blessed - or perhaps cursed - with a strong talent for Foxcraft, the magic that enables foxes to vanish, to mimic other creatures, or even to shapeshift. Foxcraft itself is an enthralling and exciting creation - one that is entirely believable to fox-watchers - and Iserles does not flinch from giving her magic a bad side. Like all strong charms, there are negative consequences to using Foxcraft's power, and Isla finds out much more about those  downsides in this breathlessly-paced adventure.

In Book One, Isla managed to shake off the charismatic, artful, but treacherous Siffrin - my favourite character of the series. But as Book Two opens, she is responding to the scream of a fox in distress, and when she runs to his rescue, she soon finds herself reluctantly entangled with another young fox, Haiki. He too is searching for his lost family, and he wants them both to travel together in search of the legendary Elders. Isla is not so sure - but Haiki soon proves a loyal and dependable companion, even if his cowardice sometimes gets the better of him.

Isla and Haiki journey in search of their families through forest, river, cliff and wasteland, and their trials are more than enough to keep a reader on the edge of her seat. They face dogs, coyotes and 'furless' hunters - but their most fearsome enemies have followed Isla since Book One: the Taken, mindless slaves of the sinister and unseen Mage. These menacing, relentless, yet strangely pitiable foxes pursue Isla and Haiki with barely a let-up, and our heroes' escapes are frequent, terrifying and breathtakingly narrow.

Inbali Iserles adds her own beautiful illustrations to the chapter headings 

Iserles writes landscape into life, and populates it with characters who range from endearing to terrifying, but who are always multidimensional and real. The skulk who take in Isla and Haiki at a moment of extreme danger are a family you can instantly love, with all the personalities and conflicts of any family. I loved them all, from the weakling Mox to his grumpy grandmothers, and my heart was in my mouth as the Mage's hench-foxes prowled ever-closer. Two of the family, Tao and Simmi, join Isla and Haiki in their quest to find help and foxcraft-skills from the Elders; as a crisis forces them to set out from the safety of their den, the book begins to climb towards its chilling, thrilling denouement.

Inbali Iserles has created a world of incredible beauty, terror and believable magic. The sheer physicality of the descriptive writing takes the reader directly into the mind and skin of a fox. I could feel the frost on my paws - and that spine-tingling quiver of the earth at the summer malinta, when day and night are in balance. I don't think it's a spoiler to say that Isla and Haiki find the Elders at the very moment it matters - but they find much, much more, and not all of it what they hoped for.

In this second instalment we discover more about Foxcraft itself, and about the dreadful Mage and his motives. The horrors of this 'Tailless Seer' are creeping remorselessly across the land, and there is a distinct sense that time is running out for all foxes. 

More happily, I am delighted to say, we meet charming, conflicted Siffrin again.

There are three books in the Foxcraft series. I'm back to waiting, and I'm more impatient than ever. 

Foxcraft: The Elders by Inbali Iserles; Scholastic £5.99

www.gillianphilip.com

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Christmas with the Savages by Mary Clive review by Lynda Waterhouse

Evelyn is an only child; a serious little girl who lived ‘in a tall London house which you would have thought rather grand and very dull.’ Separated from her parents she is dispatched to Old Lady Tamerlane’s where she will spend Christmas with her and all of her grandchildren.

This story was written by Mary Clive, Lady Mary Katharine Pakenham. It was first published in 1955 and is a sharp and funny description of an aristocratic Edwardian family Christmas. Think Roald Dahl meets Downton Abbey with a sprinkling of Daisy Ashford’s Little Visiters.

Evelyn first encounters the Savages on the train where she is faced with the question, “Are you a Cavalier or a Roundhead?”

Evelyn is flummoxed by Lionel, Harry, Rosamund and Betty and with their noisy and wild ways. As well as the Savage children there are also the Glens and the Howliboos each with their own Nana. Each Nana is competing to rule the nursery with hilarious consequences.

Evelyn finds herself taking part in a series of adventures and misadventures.

Everyone hangs up their stocking on Christmas Eve;

‘We were all excited but in different ways, from Tommy who was so horrified and revolted by the idea of a dreadful old man coming down the chimney in the middle of the night that they had to hang his stocking outside his door, to Lionel who had put a wet sponge beside his bed with the worst intentions. I was in that state when you don’t know what to expect or whom to believe…’

This is a perfect bedtime read for the holiday season.

Published by Puffin Books

ISBN 978-0-141-36112-3

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STILL FALLING by Sheena Wilkinson. Reviewed by Ann Turnbull.

"The rain was still falling, but the darkness had parted..."  This quote from F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby illustrates the themes of Sheena Wilkinson's moving story of teenage love.

Troubled Luke has been in care for several years. He moves to Esther's school - a challenge for him, as standards are much higher there and he struggles to keep up. Luke is insecure and suffers from epilepsy. Esther feels like a misfit among the girls at school. But when Luke has a fit on his first day, she is the one who knows how to help him.

Esther and Luke instantly connect, and Esther falls in love. But Luke has secrets in his past that threaten their relationship, and she can't understand what it is that troubles him, and blames herself. Both young people have a fragile self-image. Can they overcome their troubles and find a way through to love?

Sheena Wilkinson's writing has a beautiful clarity and freshness, the dialogue is convincing, and the main characters have such a strong emotional presence that it's impossible for the reader not to connect with them and care deeply about what happens to them. The adults - in particular Esther's parents and the couple who become Luke's new carers - are interesting, rounded characters in their own right. The story is perfectly paced and revealed. You won't want to put it down.

Published in 2015 by Little Island Books.  ISBN: 978-1-908195-92-0


www.annturnbull.com



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STONE UNDERPANTS by Rebecca Lisle and Richard Watson. Reviewed by Saviour Pirotta

Title: STONE UNDERPANTS
Publisher: Maverick Books
Pub year: 2016

Rebecca Lisle has written some fantastic books for young and older readers but this is his first picture book, and it's a gem.

The story is very simple.  We're in the stone age. Pod wants to go our and play with his mates but it's too cold to venture out in his birthday suit. His parents suggest he could make himself a pair of undies. He tries various materials, including leaves, feathers and wood but nothing work until he has a brainwave: stone underpants.

Rebecca tells her story in a funny, direct style that compliments Richard's bright, cartoony style. This is a great, endearing little book that will have children in giggles, and would also work well in a classroom when doing the 'stone age' as a topic.

Reviewed by Saviour Pirotta

Follow me on twitter @spirotta



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THE MARVELS by Brian Selznick, reviewed by Jackie Marchant

Reviewed by Jackie Marchant

With my review slot imminent, I walked my dog to the library, tied him to his usual spot outside and went in to find a book to review.  Something small, I thought, a mid-grade paperback that would fit in my little back-pack for the journey home.  I came out with the biggest, heaviest book on the children’s shelves.  A whopping hardback with gilt edges.

But how could I resist?  I’ve read both of Brian Selznick’s previous books and absolutely loved them. Yes, they are big books, but they are what reading is all about.  They are books you have to really hold to read, they are heavy and feel like, well – Books (but with a capital ‘B’).  And please don’t think the paperback would do – these books are works of art and belong in hardback.  If you’ve not come across Brian Selznick’s wonderful books before, then get ye to a library (with something suitable to carry it home in) – you have no idea what you are missing.

Like the other two (The Invention of Hugo Cabret and Wonderstruck in case you really don’t know, but I can’t believe that) this one is told in a mixture of illustration and text.  As ever, the illustrations are beautiful, drawing you into the wonders of the story.  Not a single word for nearly 400 pages, but an absolute pleasure to read.  And yes, illustrations do have to be read, just like words.

This is a story within a story.  It’s the story of shipwreck, of lost love, a long line of actors and a theatre.  It’s also a contemporary story of the wonders that live under your own roof, if only you could see them.  Based on a real house (18 Folgate Street), it’s about a man who buys an old house in Spitalfields and turns it into the real, living yet imaginary home of the family in the story.  It’s about the runaway nephew who seeks sanctuary here and discovers the story for himself. 

It’s a lovely book – with an added bonus.  18 Folgate Street is open to the public so you can see the inspiration behind the story for yourself.  Enjoy!

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