The Seal's Fate, written by Eoin Colfer and illustrated by Victor Ambrus, reviewed by Pippa Goodhart

This is a beauty of a book both as a physical object and as a short story with depth and punch.

            Thirteen year old Bobby Parish is faced with a choice, to follow his family and community’s wishes that he kill the baby seal in front of him, or to disappoint them and to follow his conscience and let the seal live.  Set in an Irish fishing village when a ‘plague’ of seals is breaking nets and eating the fish on which the people’s livelihood depends, Bobby’s dilemma is real and urgent, and resonant for all of us facing situations in which right and wrong are not clear to see.  I’m not going to give the story away, but I will say that the end of the book made me cry … in a good way. 

            Eoin Colfer has written this story in bite-sized chapters, but his writing is in no way compromised in order to fit the Barrington Stoke brief of writing for eight to twelve year olds who struggle with reading.  Swearing is there, as in real life, and challenging vocabulary is also there (‘quay’, ‘rapport’, ‘telepathic’, ‘effluent’, for example), but supported by clear context.  Supported too by the design of the book.

            Chunky and handsome, this book feels and looks special.  The good quality (slightly grey rather than the usual Barrington Stoke cream) paper is nicely heavy to hold, and the cover is trimmed with shiny gold.  Victor Ambrus’s illustrations are in full colour throughout, and we’re treated to full colour endpapers that set the fishing village scene before the story even starts.  The whole production is generous, giving plenty of space for the text to be set out clearly, and use is made of page turns to dramatic purpose in the way more commonly seen in picture books. 

            I loved Hester Burton’s historical novels illustrated by Victor Ambrus when I was a child, and my heart flipped when I recognised his style on this book’s cover.  It’s so good to see him illustrating still, and at his very best, into his eighties. 

            This book is one of Barrington Stoke’s new Conkers imprint, bringing top storytellers and illustrators together to create high quality and very readable books.  I look forward to seeing and reading more of them!  

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Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! by Mo Willems. Reviewed by Sarah Hammond

As a Brit who has recently moved to the United States, I was very curious to find out what sort of books are especially loved by American children. 

“Which are your most popular picture books?” I asked the lovely librarian of my local library in a southwest suburb of Chicago.

There was no hesitation. I was taken straight to the “W” section. 

“Have you read this?” She handed me Mo Willem’s Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! “It is checked out all the time.”

I hadn’t read it. 

And when I did, I realised exactly why it was such a favourite. 

The premise of the book is extremely simple. At the outset, on the inside cover title page, the driver of the bus speaks directly to the reader. He tells us that he is going on a break and will we keep an eye on things? There is only one rule: no matter what happens, don’t let the Pigeon drive the bus. 

Page turn and right on cue, the Pigeon pokes his head around the corner in the first full spread of the book. He confides in us — “I thought he’d never leave.”

What great characterisation in this short sentence! A cheeky, rule-breaking, lovable character has walked into the story.

From here on in, using similar simple, short sentences, Pigeon begs us to drive the bus. He pleads. He persuades. He argues, dreams, cajoles, bribes, blackmails and sulks, all the while using language that is deliciously familiar to the young reader. “I never get to do anything!” “C’mon, just once around the block!” 

This, in my view, is a stroke of genius. What a seductive story for a very young person who lives in a world of adult rules, and who often resorts to his most skilled powers of persuasion to obtain sweets, stay up late, watch a particular TV programme just one more time…

In Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! this young reader is the boss. He enforces the rules. He is in charge of a bus! No matter what the Pigeon says, the reader role-plays the adult and refuses to let the wheedling charismatic character get behind the wheel, right until Pigeon has a full-out tantrum on Spread 11. 

The pictures, drawn by Willems, add to the hilarity. The style is modern, accessible and simple. 

It is no surprise to me that the picture book was awarded a Caldecott Honor and has spawned various sequels, Don't Let the Pigeon Stay up Late!, Pigeon Wants a Puppy! and so on. It also inspired many other picture books which invite reader participation. Over a decade after Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! was published, the School Library Journal suggests that this vogue for new meta picture books is only now slowing down.

Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! is also available in the UK. 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Mo Willems’ works in children’s books, animation, television, theatre, and bubble gum card painting have garnered him 3 Caldecott Honors, 2 Geisel Medals, 6 Emmy Awards, 5 Geisel Honors, a Helen Hayes nomination, and multiple bubble gum cards. 

He is best know for his characters Knuffle Bunny, The Pigeon, and Elephant and Piggie and his work as a writer and animator for PBS's Sesame Street.  He is worst known for his work on Cartoon Network's Sheep in the Big City and Nickelodeon's The Off-Beats. Mo also makes sculptures and writes plays. More information about Mo’s past, present, and future can be gleaned at www.mowillems.com

ABOUT THE REVIEWER

Sarah Hammond is an author. She has published a picture book for very small people, Mine!, and teen fiction too. She is a Brit abroad, now living happily in Chicago, with strong ties to the UK which regularly pull her back across the Pond.

You can find her online at:

web: www.sarahhammond.org

facebook: SarahHammondAuthorPage

twitter: @SarahHammond9

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The Sword of Kuromori by Jason Rohan. Reviewed by Tamsin Cooke

The Sword of Kuromori by Jason Rohan is such an adrenalin ride of a book and a fantastic introduction to Japanese culture.

15 year old Kenny Blackwood thinks he’s going to spend the summer with his father in Japan. But even before the aeroplane lands, Kenny starts seeing strange creatures that no one else seems to notice.  And once in Japan, everyone appears to be after him – wanting him dead. Not knowing who to trust, Kenny finds himself in the middle of a war. Unless he can fulfil his destiny (he never knew he had), millions might die.

No pressure then!

The reader is taken on a thrilling journey through Japan. Kenny is a funny likeable hero, but completely out of his depth. Luckily he befriends Kimoni, a biker girl who teaches him the secrets of Japan and how to fight! Their dialogue and relationship made me laugh so much, as did the Tanuki (the fat Japanese racoon dog who appears mysteriously at Kenny’s side).

Rohan’s love of Japanese culture shines through his writing. Having never been to Japan, I feel as though I have experienced the food, the land and met the utterly bizarre mythical creatures. There are demons in business suits and headless vampires!

I recommend this book to children of 9+ and above.  The adventure is past paced, very funny and terrifying all at the same time. He weaves ancient mythical monsters into contemporary life flawlessly.

The second book in the series –The Shield of Kuromori is already out, and I love it just as much as the first. I can’t wait for the final instalment in the trilogy. The Stone of Kuromori is out in January 2017 (tbc).

Tamsin's book The Scarlet Files: Cat Burglar is out now. 

Follow me on twitter: tamsincooke1

Website: tamsincooke.co.uk

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Amongst other things Christmas is a time for giving books, reading books, sharing stories and telling tall tales together by Rhian Ivory

Christmas is the best time for me as a reader because I can't write with three children, two dogs and a husband at home, never mind all the visits from family and friends.

This Christmas I have read a wide range of books to the children and also to myself. Instead of writing one review this month I thought I'd show you photos of all the beauties I have spent time with, some were Christmas presents (ok, a lot were Christmas presents) but some were old and worn and equally treasured, if not more.

All the books we've read between us over Christmas

 

Old and loved and worn copies we always reread at Christmas

 

 

 

 

Books we were bought and have yet to read.

Someone discovered Graphic Novels.

 

Books I was bought and am currently reading and loving.

The book that I am currently reading with the 8 and 11 year old.

 

 

It's a three chapter a night book, you have been warned.

 

 

 

 

 

The book that won't be put up the attic with the Christmas tree (photo bombing in the background) but will be kept out to read all year long.

And now my reading time is up and I need to go and edit my new book. I may be gone some time and I will be pulling this face a lot.

 



 



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ELEN'S ISLAND by Eloise Williams. Reviewed by Saviour Pirotta

Eloise William's middle grade debut is the story of a feisty girl called Elen. When her parents decide to jet off on holiday without her, she is packed off to spend the summer with a granny she's never met, on a small Welsh island called Aberglad.

Understandably, Elen feels betrayed and is determined to make her summer as miserable as possible, both for her granny and for herself. But the island soon starts weaving its summery magic spell on her and before long she is pitched headlong into an adventure involving a treasure hunt, secret caves and skeletons in the family cupboard.

When I started the book I had no idea whether Aberglad is a real island or the product of the author's imagination. I resisted the tempation to google before I finished the story. Williams conjures up such a magical, enchanting idyll I did not want to see the real island, if there was one. It might not live up to its wild beauty on the printed page. Thankfully there isn't. Aberglad is safe for ever from ruthless developers within the pages of the book, and in readers' imagination. It reminds me a bit of Kirrin Island in the Famous Five Books. Not that this book is anything like Blyton. True, it's primarily a rollicking adventure with some exciting set-pieces, and a delightful summer read, but it's also an insightful tale about growing up and finding yourself. About learning to recognise what is truly precious.

The characters, including Gran, her eccentric friends and the two main characters - Elen and her puffin-taming friend Rowan  - are sharply drawn. Gaby Grant's line drawings are delightful. This is a first rate book I shall be giving out for Christmas and birthdays. Eloise Williams is a writer to watch.

Saviour's latest book, THE GHOSTS WHO DANCED - SPOOKY STORIES FROM AROUND THE WORLD is out now.
Follow me on twitter @spirotta
Like me on facebook https://www.facebook.com/spirotta
Website http://www.spirotta.com

  

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Closing the page for now . . . and Happy Christmas to all our readers.

If you’ve just visited the Awfully Big Blog Adventure, you’ll know that our Scattered Authors Society blog has just begun its annual holiday. 

However, Awfully Big Reviews is sneaking away too, so that there will be time to read and eat and do all sorts of nice things so everyone is bright & fully refreshed for the first of January, and ready to bring you a mix of book suggestions during 2016.

Huge thanks to all the wonderful ABR reviewers who between themselves make sure that a new choice appears here every fourth day. I know that writing a book review demands a good amount of time: first to read the book well and thoughtfully and, secondly, to find the best words to describe what the book is “about” and also what it is about this particular book that makes it so appealing or interesting or clever or insightful or amusing or any or many of the ways in which a book can speak to a reader.

So many, many thanks to all the Awfully Big Review team:

 Pippa Goodhart, Adele Geras, Pauline Francis, Jackie Marchant, Julia Jones, Dawn Finch, Ann Turnbull, Lynda Waterhouse, Damian Harvey, Tamsyn Murray, Gillian Phillip, Sue Purkiss, Saviour Pirotta, Rhian Ivory, Tamsin Cook and Sarah Hammond.  

Thank you all for your work, help, reliability and patience. I’ll look forward to reading more of your suggestions and recommendations in 2016. 

Meanwhile, it’s time to close the blog until that January arrives. I hope that everyone, especially all the ABBA & ABR contributors and readers, has a happy holiday and a fine New Year, and all manner of good times, lovely things and wonderful books to enjoy in the year to come. 

Warmest wishes, Penny Dolan

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Muddle and Win, by John Dickinson: reviewed by Sue Purkiss

I recently met John Dickinson at a writers' conference, henceforth to be referred to as Charney. All sorts of things took place at this conference, including serious (well, not very) writers masquerading as Tudor market traders, innkeepers and thieves; a savage and snarling quiz, a great deal of talking and eating; and one of the most effective and funny talks I've ever listened to. This last was given by John Dickinson. It was on the not-obviously-riveting topic of publishing and finance, and it was brilliant.

Another thing we do at Charney is that we take some of our books with us, and swap them or buy them or - if we're very desperate - bribe people to take them away. Curious, I looked at John's books, to see what kind of thing someone so clever and so funny would be writing. Not surprisingly, the answer was - something very clever and funny. Muddle and Win, in fact.

There were other books by him for older children, and they looked good too. But I liked the format of this one. It was a hardback, smaller than the average size, with nice cream paper and a beautifully clear font. Just right, somehow.

Now, you need to know what it's about. It's not all that easy to say. The battle between good and evil? Well, yes, but so's Paradise Lost, and it's not much like that. A cross between Terry Pratchett, Horrid Henry, and that new Disney film called Inside Out? Hm, that's closer. It has the comic fantasy of Pratchett, it has - like HH - a perfectly horrid character and an annoyingly virtuous character, and a lot of the action takes place inside a character's head. By that, I mean it actually takes place; we aren't talking about thoughts here, we're talking about a rather dear little devil called Muddle, and a very cool guardian angel called Windleberry, who are fighting it out for the soul of the practically perfect Sally Jones - inside the complex, beautiful and well-ordered chambers that make up her mind. The consequences for either of them of losing will be dire, so the stakes are high.

And the resolution involves muffins.

I don't think I can put it any more clearly than that. It's witty, it's funny, it's beautifully written, and it's full of characters such as you'd meet almost nowhere else. Here's a little taster: introducing Windleberry, guardian angel and celestial super-agent.

He had served in every heavenly department and was thorough in everything he did. Other angels marked the sparrow's fall, but Windleberry gave it marks out of ten, and made it fall again if it scored less than three. Other angels counted the hairs on a human's head, but Windleberry clipped a tiny numbered label to each one and offered them round for sponsorship... He never carped, he never questioned, he never came back to complain about how difficult it was...The only thing with Windleberry was that you had to remember to shout 'stop'.

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DARKMOUTH by Shane Hegarty: reviewed by Gillian Philip

He's a young apprentice in a world of dark magic, he's destined to battle world-threatening monsters, and he's not very good at it.

It's a tale-as-old-as-time, and that's as it should be. One of my favourite things in this world (and all the others) is reworked legends, and Shane Hegarty's twist on the fabulous creatures of myth is as quirky and smart and funny as you could wish.

Finn (who doesn't have a surname – yet) lives in the Blighted Village of Darkmouth, where he and his father - Hugo the Great – are just about tolerated by the inhabitants. The village itself is a kind of nightmare combination of insular rural small-town and Buffy's Sunnydale; people with any sense can't wait to leave, and that includes the local police sergeant.

For many generations, Finn's family of Legend Hunters has protected Darkmouth and the world beyond it from the monsters – the Legends – who have a habit of slipping through the barrier between the worlds. An occasional car or boat might get crushed, but the locals can live with that so long as the minotaurs, basilisks and manticores are stopped in their tracks.

Luckily, Dad Hugo is enormously good at his job: he's practically a legend himself. This is galling for poor Finn, who has to live with the stories of his father's prowess (usually told by his father) while being thoroughly incompetent himself. All Finn wants, really, is to leave Darkmouth and become a vet. He's a sweet, clumsy but very brave young hero, and enormously relatable for any young reader.

Not only is Finn expected to graduate to full-fledged Legend Hunter like yesterday; he discovers that his father will shortly be promoted to the governing body of their order, and will be leaving Darkmouth under Finn's sole protection. Of course this has to happen just as a major Legend incursion is threatened. And Finn has to deal not just with that, but with bullies, school, and intriguing newcomer Emmie – who seems to know more about Darkmouth than she's letting on.

Hegarty sets a cracking pace, but the increasing tension and the sometimes brutal scares are nicely offset by a dry and punchy humour. Stunning illustrations by James de la Rue are a gorgeous and atmospheric enhancement to the story. It's the first book in a series, and it ends on something of a cliffhanger – but not without some satisfactory resolution to the first episode.

Any child who loved Beast Quest will be thrilled to graduate to this dark, funny and complex tale of monsters and mayhem; it will enchant lovers of myth, legend and a rattling good story. I gulped it down – appropriately enough – in a single bite.


Darkmouth by Shane Hegarty: Harper Collins £6.99

www.gillianphilip.com

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Anything That Isn't This by Chris Priestley review by Dawn Finch

First the blurb...

Seventeen-year-old Frank Palp lives in a grim little apartment, in a grim little building, in an exceedingly grim city. This is a city full of contradictions, and Frank is no exception. He mostly hates his life, he definitely hates the ludicrous city he is forced to live in and he absolutely with complete certainty hates the idiots he's surrounded by . . . and yet he is in love. A love so pure and sparkling and colourful, Frank feels sure it is 'meant to be'. His love is a reward for all the terrible grey that he is surrounded by - which would be great, if the girl in question knew he existed. And then one day, the perfect sign lands in his lap. A message, in a bottle. A wish, for 'anything that isn't this'. The girl who wrote this is surely his soulmate - and now he just needs to find her.

Frank is as grim as the city in which he lives and is a rather pretentious self-obsessed teenager. (That sounds terrible - stick with me....) He lives under the cold grip of The Grey which he feels sucks the colour and life out of the world. He grumpily blunders through his life feeling that he has no choice, no control and no options. He hates everyone, and the people around him are gradually losing patience with him as his life is slipping past. Then he finds those glorious words that someone else wishes for "anything that isn't this" and he sees a glimmer of light at the end of the Grey tunnel.

This book is, quite frankly (no pun intended) one of the best books I've read this year. The tale of Frank, his life and his family is curiously compelling and the book is impossible to put down. I was reminded of classics such as Peake's Gormenghast, and even Walpole's Castle of Otranto, such is the detail of the Castle and the City that dominates Frank's life.

The book is visually stunning too as the text is supported by Priestley's own illustrations. These inky images drive home the chilling and suffocating atmosphere of Frank's world and provide more than just support to the text. They are an important element in the delivery of the story and I'd love to see more of them. In fact this would make an extraordinary graphic novel or animation, and I very much hope that someone is considering doing just that.

I have read all of Priestley's books, and I feel that this is his finest work to date. I am very envious of its effortless flow, cool style and Gothic elegance. In fact I only have one complaint - Chris, don't introduce me to something as completely fabulous as invisible lizards and then only give me a little bit! More lizards please.

Anything That Isn't This is published by Hot Key Books 

• ISBN-10: 1471404641

Reviewed by Dawn Finch

YA author, librarian (President of CILIP) and CWIG committee member

@dawnafinch

www.dawnfinch.com

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Once Upon a Northern Night by Jean D Pendziwol and Isabella Arsenault, Reviewed by Tamsyn Murray

First, a confession: I was persuaded to buy this gorgeous picture book by the lovely Polly Jaffé, of Jaffé and Neale bookshop in Chipping Norton. Without Polly's enthusiastic recommendation I might never have discovered Once Upon a Northern Night, and my life would have been a tiny bit poorer without it. So thank you, Polly!

Once Upon a Northern Night is a poetic, beautiful love letter to a sparkling winter's night. The words dance across each page, introducing us to a sprinkling of delightful nocturnal characters and personifying the elements. The book opens with a child tucked up in bed and leads through the night as he/she sleeps. Each spread adds to the magic: the words paint pictures just as beautifully as the illustrations do, with breathtaking descriptions and imagery that really conjures up the spirit of winter. We have softly tumbling snow, footprints to follow, all the usual residents of a snowy night, splendid and stately trees, the Aurora Borealis and of course a breath of frost. The end is lovely, perfect for bedtime (where parents might like to echo the idea that the moon gives gentle kisses and the wind whispers 'I love you.')

The illustration style is muted but no less sumptuous than brighter picture books. In fact, the subdued colours made the flashes of orange and red and green stand out even more. The illustrations evoke the delicious freshness of a snowy night, where everything feels reborn, and every detail is perfectly observed. The combination of the illustrations and text make such a delectable book - a real joy to read and one that I am sure will become an immediate Christmas tradition for us. Just magical.

Published by Walker, I think this book would appeal to older children as well as the more usual pre-school readers.

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the Phoenix - The Weekly Story Comic reviewed by Lynda Waterhouse

I spotted the Phoenix in WH Smith. It was surrounded by a sea of plastic wrapped, shiny pink and glittery offerings with nasty plastic gee-gaws stuck on the front to tempt you into buying them. Four words on the cover of the Phoenix tempted me –The Weekly Story Comic.

My first rather pompous thought was of Charles Dickens and his weekly instalments of stories. Then I had a flashback to the delight I felt on of the arrival of my comic every Friday. It was Twinkle or Bunty for me and Sparky or Victor for my brother. Sometimes I would treat myself to a copy of Romeo.  I also borrowed my friend’s DC Lois Lane comics. Reading them always felt like a treat. As it says on the back on the Phoenix …it’s like getting a present every week!

But what would tempt a person between the ages of 6-12 to buy this comic? They have gaming, e-books, tablets and iPads and Netflix all vying for their attention. What does the Phoenix have to offer?

Issue 204 contains Chapter Five of Saint Georgia - And the Ends of the World by Robin Boyden, an episode of Looshkin…the maddest cat in the world and Battlesuit Bea by Jamie Smart, Part five of Mega Robo Bros by Neill Cameron and Evil Emperor Penguin in :The Yay-Factor by Laura Ellen Anderson. There is a Von Doogan Danger Maze to complete with the chance of winning a prize .Jess Bradley’s hilarious Squid Bits page. The editorial team led by Tabs Inkspot and Chops Piggerton discuss if it is too early to celebrate Christmas in Tis the season…tisn’t it. There is a pull out poster in the middle, a chance to point out errors in The Ministry of Mistakes and an invitation to send in jokes and see if you can make The Guv laugh .Readers are also invited to send in their art work.

The Phoenix is a delight. It is a clever blend of what made comics work in the past mixed with a 21^st century child’s cultural experiences. The variety and quality of the art work is stunning. The stories are exciting and are either truly terrifying or wildly hilarious. It has strong female characters. The production values of the magazine are high so it is pleasure to collect, store and re-read. It makes you feel valued and part of a community. There are no adverts ( apart from for books).  A subscription to the Phoenix would be the best Christmas present ever!

  www.thephoenixcomic.co.uk

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A LILY, A ROSE by Sally Nicholls. Reviewed by Ann Turnbull.

Elinor is fourteen. She's in love with her cousin Dan, and he loves her. But this is the early 1300s, and neither Elinor nor Dan can choose who they marry. Dan must marry a girl with money, and Elinor must marry an old friend of her father's, a man who is connected to the new king and will keep her and her family safe in unsettled times.

It's not easy to write a historical novel with believable characters in just 65 pages of accessible prose, but Sally Nicholls has achieved this. With some deft name-dropping (Roger Mortimer, Robert the Bruce) she places the story in time. The settings contain just enough descriptive detail to create the atmosphere of life in a medieval castle. Elinor and Dan play chess, read and learn languages, ride and hunt. They speak French with their social equals and English with their servants.

Elinor is a lively, intelligent girl. She's stroppy and she answers back and quarrels with her father, but she never seems too modern for the story. Her fury and feelings of powerlessness will resonate with teenagers of any time:

"We glared at each other. I hated him. I hated him. I wanted to throw him on the rubbish-heap. I wanted the castle to fall down on his head and kill him. I wanted ravens to peck his eyes out, and dogs to eat his bones."

But the problem is resolved, and in a surprising way that is both realistic and satisfying, even though happiness for everyone concerned is never going to be possible.

The title comes from a medieval poem, The Maiden's Song, about a young girl on her wedding morning, and I'm glad to say that this lovely poem is quoted in full at the end.


Barrington Stoke Teen, 2013.  ISBN: 978-1-78112-196-2.


www.annturnbull.com





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The Drop in my Drink By Meredith Hooper & Chris Coady reviewed by Julia Jones

A few months ago I used this space to write about Meredith Hooper's A Pebble in my Pocket.  I was inspired by the motivating effect it had on my grandchildren -- they were outside at once, collecting and comparing pebbles, then they clustered back indoors to draw and paint their pebbles and create their own volcanos.  I bought myself a copy and felt I was closer to understanding certain basic geological facts and sequences than I'd ever been. As I read it aloud to the youngest child I admired the energy with which this dramatic story was narrated. Millions of years roll past and the pebble is formed and endures and finds its way into our pockets. I'm still amazed by this.
The Drop in my Drink is the natural sequel to the Pebble and has just been re-issued by Frances Lincoln. The challenge this time is slightly different: to express the changeableness, the fluidity and yet the eternal nature of water. "All the water we have is all the water we've always had."
     It's an extraordinary concept -- can it be right? we may ask ourselves during our period of anxiety about climate change: about droughts and flood and over heating. The overall quantity of water remains the same -- where else could it go?  -- only its state changes.
    The changeable nature of water inspires Hooper's imagination and consequently her language. She begins with the simple explanation that every drop of water is constantly different both from every other drop and from itself because the water molecules are always on the move. Water trickles and seeps, flows, freezes, floats. Illustrator Chris Coady supplies a contemplative image of a child watching drops from a tap splashing into a tumbler: "Where do you come from, drop of water?"
     The language of the answer is gloriously vigorous. "Water dribbles down rocks. Water churns along rivers and fills great oceans. Water tumbles inside clouds, drifts as snowflakes, collects in puddles. Water creeps up the stems of sunflowers and slips down the throats of tigers."  (I especially love "tumbles".) This rush of verbs and images carries carries the reader along to the simple central statement: "It's all the same water."
     In one sense that's all there is to say and the rest of the book explains and expands. Yet the sense of drama as well as the sense of wonder is never far away. We feel the paradox of the weight of water that floats above us in the sky "hundreds of millions of millions of tonnes", then we are ripped from this magical altitude and "howled" above the mountains in icy jet streams.
    The sense of time and the passing of geological ages is not as powerful in this volume as in the Pebble but it's still there. Water has been the essential nutrient from the first simple life-forms, through the earliest plants to the increasingly complex vertebrates and on into the luxuriant growth of the rainforest. Continuity and diversity is the theme of the Drop and Hooper's intellectual excitement at this combination is memorably conveyed through her language as well as Chris Coady's vibrant paintings. Another great example of science writing for children which can engage and challenge adults as well.





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THIS BOOK IS GAY - by James Dawson

Reviewed by Jackie Marchant

This book, as well being gay, is important.  It’s an important book because it deals in an open an honest way with a subject that should be, but isn’t, covered in schools.  It deals with the bit they miss out in sex education – the fact that some people are not heterosexual, but still need to know what’s what in regard to themselves and their relationships.  And it deals with this information in an open, honest, sometimes funny and, most importantly, factual, way. 

It is also a very sad book.  Sad because there is a whole chapter about the prejudice people face if they are not heterosexual.  Or, as a lot of people put it, not normal.  But, as the book quite rightly points out, being in a minority does not make you not normal. 

It's an alarming book.  Alarming in its list of countries that carry the death penalty for gay sex, some of which are popular holiday destinations.  (Might make you want to change your plans for that dream vacation).   Alarming in the way religion is used as an excuse to terrorise those who happen to fall in love with someone of the same gender, or decide that they were born in the wrong one.

But it is an upbeat book.  It’s a celebration of being allowed to be who you are and what you are.  It’s a book that says it’s OK to be different, that it’s OK to love and be loved in a relationship that may fall outside of the statistical average.  And, more importantly, it offers support for anyone who is discovering their sexuality and a lot of sage advice on how to go forward.

 

It’s a book that should be available to young people, in school libraries, accessible by those who need a friend at what can be a difficult and confusing time.  And it should be read by everyone else as well, so they can understand their own prejudices and accept, support and celebrate those who are different.  As the author himself says  ‘I want young LGBT people to know they're not alone, and we're here – everywhere – and ready to help.’

Unfortunately, I think this may also be a book that is sneaked out and read in a brown paper bag.  But, having been read, maybe it will one day come out with its reader. 

This book is a thank you to those in the majority who accept the minority for being who they are – and how important it is to carry that message of support. 

In other words, it’s a book for everyone.

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FIVE CHILDREN ON THE WESTERN FRONT by Kate Saunders, reviewed by Pauline Francis

I know that Kate Saunders is a huge fan of E. Nesbit’s classic Five Children and It so – in addition to the fact that her novel won the 2014 Costa prize and has been short-listed for this year’s Guardian Fiction Prize – I wanted to see how she would weave these two books together, especially since I didn’t enjoy the original.

The Prologue begins in1905, when the Psammead (an ancient sand fairy) takes Cyril, Robert, Anthea and Jane twenty five years into the future (1930) to meet their old friend, the Professor. It’s only when they’ve left that Anthea wishes that she’d looked at his photographs more clearly. She remarks: “I didn’t see any grown-up men who looked a bit like you boys – I wonder why not.”

She doesn’t know that the Professor is crying after they’ve left – and so am I!

This story is wonderfully done. The Psammead re-appears just as the First World War is breaking out. By this time, Edith, aged nine, has been born and she is our link to the original story.  

“Everything interesting happened before I was born,” Edith sighs when she sees the Psammead for the first time. She’d heard the wonderful stories of magic and flying adventures from her older siblings. And what about this marvellous sentence? Edith again: she could almost smell the wave of magic that had suddenly swept into her life and the bigguns almost forgot they were grown up.

How the reader wishes those children hadn’t had to grow up. The tone of the novel slowly darkens as Cyril is sent to France, thinking that the war will soon be over; followed the next year by Bobs and then Anthea as a nurse at the front. The war goes on and on, as does the Psammead’s stay with the family.

The tour de force of this novel is the back-story that is given to the creature – “I’m a senior sand-fairy, not an animal!” he protests. A complicated and humorous investigation by the children in the British Library reveals that this grumpy sand fairy was once a desert god who had killed thousands of people. He snaps, ‘I don’t know how many of them died. Numbers aren’t important.’ Who will forget the vision of the skeleton, pointing with its bony arm at the Psammead, crying, “REPENT.”

This is a marvellous device, weaving the Psammead’s predicament with the terrible war, which comes to the reader through letters, home leave and occasional flying visits, with the Psammead, to the Western Front. Before the poignant ending, Cyril asks the sand-fairy, ‘Since when have you cared about dying?’

In this brilliant anti-war novel, there is no attempt to imitate E. Nesbit – just pages full of humour and pathos, peopled by characters who are individuals that we care about, and whom we desperately hope will survive the war.

It is the Psammead in the end who sums up war. “Wars never change. It’s basically two sides trying to kill each other.”

The Epilogue, set in 1930, in which we meet Anthea’s daughter, assures us that “once magic is with us, it never disappears.”

Do I need to tell you that I’m now reading Five Children and It?

Pauline Francis www.pf@paulinefrancis.co.uk

                                    

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THE WILD SWANS by Jackie Morris Reviewed by Adèle Geras

"It was a book so beautiful that she felt at any moment the painted characters would leap out of the pages and come to life."

So says Eliza, the brave and resourceful heroine of Jackie Morris's THE WILD SWANS. That sentence sums up my feelings about this retelling of one of my favourite fairytales. 

Anyone who reads my reviews regularly will know that I always say, right up front, that I know this or that writer; that I can't help it if some of my best friends write super books and so on. With Jackie, I can truthfully say that I've only met her once briefly in person. But she's a Twitter chum and anyone who takes part in that online cocktail party will know that such relationships can be a great deal of fun. I have followed Jackie and because I've been an admirer of her work for years,  I did actually ASK to review this book.

I had another reason for doing this. It's this: I myself wrote a version of this fairytale for David Fickling's collection of stories, which sold for £1 each back in 1998. My story was called THE SIX SWAN BROTHERS and it was beautifully illustrated in black and white by Ian Beck. 

There are twelve swans in Morris's version. The whole book is so beautifully produced and presented that it's worth pausing to pay tribute to those who made the decision to publish it in this format. It's a square-ish hardback, with full colour illustrations and turning every page is a pleasure.

Morris has written the text as well as providing the haunting illustrations. I am always deeply envious of anyone who can do that. It seems to be the most perfect way of creating a book and here the writer has managed to produce such a rich story,  so full of pleasurable language that actually, it would be possible to read it with no pictures whatsoever and still have the images in your head. Take, for example the painting below. It shows Eliza after she's been enchanted by the White Queen.

 The text reads thus: "...the queen now pulled and backcombed and filled her hair with things.  Eliza saw jewelled combs where there were only tangled twigs and thorns and ragged nests of birds."

And yes, the picture adds to the words but they are poetic and vivid in themselves, even without the help of an illustration.

The story is well known to many  in one version or another. What Morris adds to it is nature and detail. The story is told at much greater length, with many more layers of story for  readers to enjoy. It's told well, with good pacing and gorgeous choice of language. I've also tried reading the text aloud and that works very well, so I hope there will be an audio version. Morris is one of the best illustrators of  creatures: bears, cats, birds and hares. She shows us the world as a beautiful place but also one where cruelty is constantly present, always there waiting to catch us unawares.

In this book, the two creatures who matter are a dog and a hare. Shadow is Eliza's companion and friend. She is a big, grey, skinny animal, but also very gentle and loving.  The White Hare,  (the animal embodiment of the Queen who turned Eliza's brothers into swans) is both sinister and lovely. And the swans themselves are magnificent: white and powerful and crowned with gold.   

 This book will doubtless appear in paperback in the fullness of time but  the very competitively-priced  hardback  would make the most wonderful Christmas present for anyone who loves fairytales, and nature and the joys of holding in their hands something that will go on giving pleasure for years and years. John Keats said it and he's quite right: A thing of beauty is a joy for ever.

THE WILD SWANS is published by Frances Lincoln

Hbk: £10.99

ISBN: 9781847805362

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