CATS AND CURSES, by Elen Caldecott. Reviewed by Saviour Pirotta

Title: Cats and Curses [The Marsh Road Mysteries, Book 4]
Author: Elen Caldecott
Published by Bloomsbury
Format p/b and ebook
Publication date: 11th August 2016

I am a big fan of the Marsh Road Mysteries, and of Elen Caldecott's books in general, which are brilliant page turners that weld Enid Blyton and Malcolm Saville's sense of mystery with twenty first century sensibilities and values.

This is the fourth book in the series and the five members of the crime-busting gang are back for another adventure. Meet Piotr, Andrew, Flora and the beyond-cool Sylvie.  Andrew's mum is recovering from the shock of being involved in a fire and ready to go back to work, helping out at the local junk shop. But things don't go according to plan. On her first day, she takes delivery of a mysterious package - a mummified Egyptian cat. The gruesome artefact seems to have put a curse on the shop. Strange things start happening: glass objects shatter in locked cabinets, eerie shadows appear. It has an adverse effect on Andrew's mum, and her friend the junk shop owner.

The fab five suspected human intervention and they are soon uncovering clues and tailing suspects, each member of the gang bringing their own unique skill to the investigation. The climax, in a builder's yard is a fantastic mis-en-scene and the resolution truly satisfying.

It's not just the story that makes this book a joy to read, it's the sense of friendship the characters have for one another, and the celebration of family in its various guises. The scene where Andrew gives his mum a special hairdo to cheer her up is a gem. A highly recommended read.

Saviour Pirotta
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'Animal Magic' by Liz Brownlee reviewed by Elen Caldecott

I am not a regular contributor to the reviews section, but when I read this book I wanted to shove it in the hands of complete strangers; so I could hardly let the chance to shove it in front of ABBA readers slip by!
I have known about Liz's work for a while as she studied alongside me on our MA, and her work has appeared in many anthologies and magazines (and on the walls of Bristol Zoo!). This is her first book of collected poems.

And what a thing of beauty it is.

The cover illustration by Rose Sanderson is of two red-crowned cranes dancing. It is elegant and graceful, as this collection is. To give it its full title Animal Magic: Poems on a disappearing world, it is both a collection of poetry and a work of non-fiction.

The structure of the collection is brilliant: each animal is given a double spread; on the left spread there is the animal's scientific name and an illuminating non-fiction entry which includes lifestyle facts, range and threats to its survival; on the right hand side are Liz's precise, delightful poems. Many animals are also illustrated (again by Rose Sanderson). Incidentally, Liz acknowledges the help of a huge array of species experts in her references - no wikipedia research here!

The best way for me to convey how wonderfully this structure works, is to show you.

The first spread (above) introduces Pongo pygmaeus and Pongo abelii, Bornean and Sumatran orangutans. We're told that many young orangutans suffer bone fractures as they learn to climb. They can grow to between 50-90kg and spend most of their life up in trees. They are critically endangered as 80% of their habitat has been destroyed in the last 20 years. Then, we have an illustration and a poem:

'A heavy bulk and tum like mine,

in shades of hairy clementine,

means when I'm up my forest tree,

I live my whole life - gingerly!'

The facts and poem dovetail pleasingly; but more than this there is the painful, factual set-up and then the glorious celebration. Throughout this collection, it is the celebration that matters: these animals are endangered, but they are still here, they still exist and they should be marvelled over. And protected.
Rose Sanderson's accompanying illustrations are charming, without being sickly sweet.

The poems themselves have a clean simplicity and conversational tone, while still being able to surprise. Many of them are funny, but others are very moving. Snow leopard, for example, catches a frozen moment in time that may not be with us much longer.

The design of this book may put off younger readers. As noted, it is very elegant and not the usual bold primary colours used for children's poetry. This design makes it more likely that the collection will find crossover appeal (which it deserves), but you might have to start a younger reader off by reading some of it aloud with them.

Have I shoved it into your hand enough? I do hope so. It's a wonderful collection and it deserves to find a keen audience.

Animal Magic by Liz Brownlee is published by Iron Press. ISBN: 9780956572530, RRP £10

Elen Caldecott's latest book isThe Mystery of Wickworth Manor published by Bloomsbury 5th July 2012

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Pirate House Swap by Abie Longstaff and Mark Chambers

Reviewed by Elen Caldecott

The Clark family never go on holiday; their summer is usually spent doing d.i.y. That is, until they see an advert for the perfect get away - a house swap. The advert reads:

"Lovely timberhome. Picturesque views. Right on the sea - fish, swim and sail! Sleeps four."

The Clarks set off and find that their new home is more in the sea than on the sea - it's a pirate ship, complete with ship's parrot and crow's nest.

Rather than being daunted, the family actually embrace the pirate's life. Soon enough they are navigating by the stars and having the time of their life. Back at the Clark's home, the pirates too are getting used to landlubbing ways.

This picture book is witty and inventive. There are visual jokes running through it (for example, even the mice have to learn new skills alongside their resident families) which will please children. There are also some great jokes for adults too - in the wanted ads in the newspaper we see the notice:

"For Sale: magic beans. Not for eating. May cause giants. One cow o.n.o."

At its heart, this is a story about resilience and bravery in the face of new experience. It is also a light-hearted look at how people with different cultures rub along together. I particularly liked the Clarks' return home, where they discover that the pirates have been doing some d.i.y. of their own. Lots of the damage can be repaired, but some changes are permanent. Next door's cat, for example, won't be giving up his earring any time soon.

Pirate House Swap is a great book to share with the top end of picture book readers who will enjoy decoding the pictures alongside the words. It's a great, gender-neutral companion to Abie Longstaff's The Fairytale Hairdresser which had a same delightful humour, but was a bit pink to be shared with boys.

www.elencaldecott.com
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Dark Summer by Ali Sparkes

I first came across Ali Sparkes work when I kept losing to her on regional book awards. You might think that that would sour me to her, but that wasn't the case at all. The more I heard about her, the more intrigued I became. Young readers would tell me that Ali Sparkes was like Enid Blyton, but more real; like Susan Cooper, but happening now; like Alan Garner, but with contemporary children. Then, when Frozen In Time won the Blue Peter Book of the Year Award in 2010, I realised it was time to get her back-catalogue and start reading.

I'm reviewing Dark Summer, but I could equally have recommended Frozen In Time or Wishful Thinking, her other standalones. Or indeed, her series fiction. They're all great reads.

Dark Summer is the story of Eddie who is forced to spend the summer with seriously annoying, self-serving relatives. His mother is ill and until she's better, he can't go home. His only ally at his aunt's house is Great-Uncle Wilf, who is also long-suffering at her hands.

It is all set to be the worst summer of Eddie's life, until a day out at Wookey Hole caves changes everything.

Eddie meets a girl who is perfectly at ease in the darkness, who appears and disappears at will and seems very interested in Eddie's home life and in Uncle Wilf in particular.

As I live in the West Country it was great to see a local attraction get such a starring role. But I would have enjoyed the descriptions of the caves anyway. Caves have always been gateways in stories: to faery realms, to hades, to chaos and confusion. Sparkes makes full use of the claustrophobic and panic-indusing nature of darkness. I had cause to remember a visit to a cave system in Australia, where I crawled through a very small fissure in order to reach the next cave. For one moment, I felt the crush of the bedrock above me on the small of my back and the insanity of what I was doing was suddenly laid bare. A proper horror moment. Well, this book took me back there. I found myself reading with sweaty palms more than once.

Eddie's discoveries below ground, with the mysterious Gwerren are mirrored by discoveries above ground about just how dastardly his aunt has been. It is a very clever structure and both stories dovetail into very satisfactory and complimentary conclusions.

Dark Summer is a book I would heartily recommend to children who are confident readers, especially those with a taste for mystery and adventure.

OUP 2009
ISBN: 9780192710987
RRP: £5.99

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