Completely Cassidy by Tamsyn Murray, reviewed by Tamsin Cooke

Completely Cassidy is a fabulous book filled with such humour, warmth and heart.  Straight away you’re drawn into Cassidy’s world, sharing her hopes and fears as she starts secondary school.  And you can’t help but feel sorry for her. On her first day she has to turn up wearing her ‘stinky’ brother’s hand-me-down blazer and an old pair of shoes since her dog ate her new ones.

Cassidy is desperate to shine at school. At first she thinks she’ll have a go at the talent show. Her talents consist of being able to lick her elbow (which is actually harder than it sounds – and yes, I have tried!), annoying her older brother and being a snake charmer - although she’s scared of snakes so she might have to be a hamster charmer instead.

But then she takes a test that is so hard she has to guess the answers randomly, and suddenly the whole school seems to know who she is. Her results make her one of the cleverest students St Jude’s has ever seen. Her pregnant mother and Elvis impersonator dad are over the moon.  And now she gets to join a quiz team alongside the boy she fancies. But as you can imagine, life doesn’t run quite as smoothly as she’d like…

All the characters are so well thought out, often surprising you. And there are so many funny touches in this story. There’s a toe-curling incident with a dog and a pair of knickers. And Cassidy actually writes to the prime minister hoping for a return to the Victorian school leaving age so she can go down a coal mine rather than have double maths.

Tamsyn Murray has created a fabulously fun heroine with a really strong voice. You root for Cassidy as she navigates friendships, family, school and haircuts. It's the perfect book for children about to start secondary school as I bet many will see a little bit of themselves in Cassidy.

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Silent Saturday by Helen Grant - Reviewed by Tamsyn Murray

The bells are not ringing in seven year old Veerle de Keyser's Flemish village. It's Silent Saturday, the only day of the year when the church bells don't ring, and she's running away from an argument at home. She creeps into the church next door and is dared to climb the tower by schoolmate Kris Verstraeten. From there, they see the most horrific sight - a blood-drenched killer, exulting over the body of a child. Veerle starts screaming.

Fast forward ten years and Veerle doesn't think about that day much. She's too busy trying to cope with her anxiety-ridden mother, whose obsession with everything Veerle does is both oppressive and suffocating. So when she meets Kris again, and he invites her to join a secret group called the Koekoeken, she doesn't need much tempting. Exploring unoccupied properties gives her the kind of rush she hasn't felt for years and the fact that it's illegal only raises the thrill factor. But there's a killer on the loose: someone is stalking the Koekoeken, picking them off one by one. He is The Hunter and it's only a matter of time before he turns his attention to Veerle and Kris...

Silent Saturday is the first in the Forbidden Spaces trilogy, aimed at teens (and adults - oh yes, adults) aged 14+. It had me hooked from the very start - Helen Grant's prose is beautifully spare, not a word wasted but still deliciously elegant and descriptive. For example, when she first introduces Kris, she writes:

'The local telephone directory was full of Verstraetens but everyone knew who you meant if you talked about those ones...'

which sums his black sheep background up perfectly. He's exactly the kind of character I love: mysterious, brooding, daring and flawed. He brings out the best and the worst in Veerle, with whom I had huge sympathy and liked very much too, as she struggles against her mother's tightening cocoon. Kris and Veerle make some very bad choices but they are always logical, always plausible, even if I was willing them not to do some of the things they do. And the killer made my skin crawl - a truly terrifying monster.

I originally wanted to review all three books in the trilogy - The Demons of Ghent and Urban Legends are both just as thrilling and make the kind of breathtaking journey I wanted to begin again the moment I'd finished. But I couldn't review all three without spoiling the first and so I've settle on Silent Saturday as a taste for the other books. They are all equally brilliant. I especially enjoyed knowing that there were two more books to come - quite often, I don't want to reach the end of a story because I don't want my time with those characters to end. With Silent Saturday, I found myself gobbling up the pages, desperate to know what happened next, with the delicious safety net of knowing there was more to come. I read Urban Legends with a kind of sadness, unwilling to say goodbye to its characters. But the moment I picked up Silent Saturday to write this review I was hooked again, so I know I'll be revisiting them, admiring the unusual settings that made me want to visit Belgium and no doubt shivering with fear all over again. And of course I'll be recommending these books to everyone over the age of fourteen - although I don't like to stipulate an age normally, there are a lot of exquisitely described but by their very nature quite graphic crimes in the books which I feel makes them unsuitable for younger teens.

The Forbidden Spaces trilogy is published by Random House.

Tamsyn Murray writes for all age ranges, from picture books to teens. Her latest book is Completely Cassidy: Star Reporter and her website is tamsynmurray.co.uk




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The Dreamsnatcher by Abi Elphinstone - Reviewed by Tamsyn Murray

There is a magic, old and true, that shadowed minds seek to undo...

Twelve year old Moll Pecksniff has always known she was different from her gipsy family. There's the dream for a start - a recurring nightmare that drags her sleeping body into the Deepwood. And having her very own wildcat protector, Gryff - that's not normal either. But it isn't until Moll dares to cross the river and venture into Skull's camp that she discovers how different she is. And the mortal danger she is in...

The Dreamsnatcher starts with a dark ritual that had me on the edge of my seat, hand on mouth, and that was where I stayed for the entirety of the book. It's a breathless adventure incorporating black magic and evil deeds and heart-stopping bravery, with one of the most memorable baddies I've met for quite some time. I loved the wild feel to Moll's nature, the way that this is reflected in both her relationship with Gryff and with the woods around her. The story has a timeless quality too: it could be here - now - tucked away in the deep woods that still cover parts of our country. Or it could be five hundred years ago, or even another world entirely. I wanted to walk with Moll through the Ancientwood, Gryff at my side, unravelling riddles. And on the subject of Gryff, I rather wish I'd dreamed him up myself because who wouldn't want their very own wildcat? I also enjoyed the strong family feel to the story too; even though Moll has no direct relatives, she never really feels alone.

The character of Alfie, the mysterious boy Moll encounters in the Deepwood, had me intrigued and I'm looking forward to finding out where his story leads in the next book in the series. Overall, I thought The Dreamsnatcher was an accomplished, fabulous debut - a standout story perfect for readers aged 9+.

The witchdoctor will see you now...

The Dreamsnatcher by Abi Elphinstone, published by Simon and Schuster, out 26th February 2015




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Glimpse by Kendra Leighton, Reviewed by Tamsyn Murray

I do love a good ghost story. And Glimpse by Kendra Leighton promises a lot. It's the story of Liz, a girl who has had more than her fair share of troubles in her sixteen years of life, and her battle to overcome the terrifying visions - the Glimpses - that plague her. When Liz and her father inherit The Highwayman Inn and move into its time-worn rooms, she hopes it will be a fresh start - the chance to leave the Glimpses behind and become normal. But it soon becomes obvious that Liz hasn't left anything behind her. The Glimpses have followed her and they are angrier than they have ever been.

Struggling to make sense of what is happening, Liz befriends a boy called Zachary, who tells her he can help her to understand why she is under attack and asks for her help in locating his missing girlfriend, Bess. But the Glimpses don't want her to uncover the truth and they will stop at nothing to ensure Liz stops digging around. Can Liz put the pieces of the puzzle together and help Zachary to find his lost love before the Glimpses manage to silence her forever?

Based on the poem The Highwayman by Alfred Noyes, Glimpse is part mystery, part ghost story with more than one haunting tragedy at its heart. It's a clever, modern-day re-imagining of the classic poem, with a twisting plot that will keep readers guessing. I worried for poor Liz, falling head over heels for an unsuitable boy, and wanted to hug her when she thought about her dead mother. Most of all, I wanted her to find happiness and I couldn't for the life of me see how that could happen until the very last pages, when the mystery is finally revealed. Those last few chapters whizzed by and I really couldn't read them fast enough - I had to discover what had happened to Bess, and what would become of Liz and Zachary. I wasn't disappointed.

I found Glimpse to be an accomplished debut and a cracking ghost story. I would recommend it for readers aged 11+

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DEAR THING by Julie Cohen, Reviewed by Tamsyn Murray

Claire and Ben and Romily have known each other since university. Claire and Ben are married, Romily and Ben are best friends, and Romily and Claire - well, they tolerate each other for the sake of Ben. Things might have gone on that way forever if Ben and Claire hadn't been desperate to have a baby and Romily hadn't offered to give them one...

On the surface, Dear Thing is about motherhood; one woman's need to have a baby of her own and another's well-intentioned offer to help, no matter what the personal cost. And certainly the subject of pregnancy is an integral part of the story: surrogacy, hormones, societal norms, stretch marks and ultrasounds all feature. But don't be fooled, this book is about so much more than that. It's about fatherhood, too, and marriage and family, about the secrets we keep and the lies we tell ourselves. It's about growing up and letting go and understanding our own parents better, about protecting ourselves and accepting failure. And most of all, Dear Thing is a book about love.

Every character is perfect and complete, from the protagonists down to Max, a boy in Claire's music class who engages her professional and maternal instincts. The details of Romily's work as an entomologist fit beautifully with her metamorphosis from Ben's friend into the mother of his child, a change that ripples out into every area of all their lives. And all the way through the story, we are subtly reminded that it isn't simply the act of giving birth that makes a woman a mother.

I knew that Dear Thing would make me cry, but it wasn't the most obvious places that moved me - Claire's despair at her body's failure or Romily's anguish as she battles her own demons - it was this paragraph, where Claire is at a concert, listening to some music:

When the mother theme came at last, she recognized it: slow and soft, warm and sweet, full of the smell of a baby's head, a cheek tilted against hers, the brush of eyelashes. The papery skin of her mother's hand, which had once been the most beautiful hand she had known.

Julie Cohen effortlessly captures the hardest part of parenthood; how we love and cherish and ultimately let our children go, just as our own parents did before us. It made me think when I read that last line, reminding me of my own children growing up now and of my mother, whose hand and face really were beautiful to me. In fact, I am still thinking about them now and I have a lump in my throat.

Dear Thing is more than a book about motherhood - I challenge you to read it and find out what it means to you.

Published by Black Swan, out in paperback 8th May 2014.

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Frost Hollow Hall by Emma Carroll, Reviewed by Tamsyn Murray

As anyone who has read my Afterlife series will know, I'm a sucker for a ghost story. I have a particular soft spot for Victorian ghost stories (M R James, Edgar Allen Poe and Wilkie Collins are favourites). So when I heard about Frost Hollow Hall by Emma Carroll, it ticked all my Fabulous Gothic Read boxes.

When Tilly Higgins and Will Potter sneak into the grounds of the forbidding Frost Hollow Hall to skate on the frozen lake, they have no idea what misery they are about to unleash. Frost Hollow Hall hasn't been a cheery place since the death of young Kit Barrington, ten years earlier, and after Tilly encounters a mysterious golden-haired boy at the lake, things at the hall get worse. China dishes leap from the kitchen tables, the servants are twitchy and some of them are too terrified to sleep. Desperate to find out more about the stranger she met, Tilly takes a job at the hall and soon finds herself embroiled in a nightmarish mystery. Why must the fire in the front bedroom always be kept lit? Whose are the footsteps that haunt the attic rooms in the night? And what is the secret hidden within the housekeeper's notebooks?

I adored this book from start to finish. Tilly was a very well-drawn character who I sympathised with immediately and I really felt for her as the outsider in her family. Will Potter, Tilly's partner in crime, was equally likeable. But it's when Tilly goes to Frost Hollow Hall that the story really get into its stride and the ghostly goings on had me gripped. I found it to be a very quick read but that's partly because I was loathe to put it down and really wanted to know what happened next. The setting of the hall and surrounding village is deliciously spooky and was the perfect backdrop the creepiness of the plot. This book has everything - an action-filled story, excellent gutsy protagonists and a brilliant supporting cast of bereaved parents, a sinister gamekeeper and a cold, distant housekeeper. As Rhian Ivory said on Twitter, the BBC needs to hurry up and adapt this one, because I can totally see it on TV at Christmas.

I did have some trouble deciding on an age range for this book - I initially thought it was for 9-12s but my opinion changed as I read and I decided Frost Hollow Hall would suit the lower end of YA best - 12-15, probably. It's a romping, squeak-inducing ride with what is easily one of my favourite covers of the year and I heartily recommend it to everyone.

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THE MEMORY BOOK by Rowan Coleman - reviewed by Tamsyn Murray

By complete coincidence, I've also chosen an adult book to review this time around as well. My choice is The Memory Book by Rowan Coleman, published by Ebury Press and out on 30th January 2014.

The Memory Book opens with Claire and Greg. On the surface, they seem like a perfect couple but it soon becomes apparent that there’s a shadow hanging over them – Claire has been diagnosed with an illness, one that she’s all too familiar with – Early Onset Alzheimer’s. Claire’s mother knows the disease too - it took the life of Claire's father years earlier. So both women are dreadfully aware of what the future holds – bit by bit, Claire’s memory will be stolen away, until she can no longer remember her name, her husband or even her own children.

The story is split between Claire and her teenage daughter, Caitlin. Interspersed between these two narratives, there are extracts from the memory book, a record of stories and events involving Claire over the years. Some of them are by Claire herself, written while she can still access her memories. These provide a poignant counterpoint to the unfolding story and give great insight into each of the characters, especially Greg and Claire’s mother.

As Claire’s condition worsens, her family struggle to keep her safe and tensions increase, especially as Caitlin is facing demons of her own. When Claire blurts out a long-held secret about Caitlin’s father, the family begins to disintegrate. Can Claire hold onto herself long enough to pull everyone back together? Or will her illness tear all of them apart?

I suspected from the very first chapter that The Memory Book would make me cry and I wasn’t wrong. It's a moving, compassionate, heart-rending account of an illness that must be desperately hard to live with - I defy anyone to read it without sobbing in places. But it’s also a compelling read that is uplifting in so many ways. As the mother of a toddler who hasn’t got the hang of sleep yet, I rarely allow myself the luxury of reading into the early hours these days but with this book, I couldn't help myself; the urge to find out what happened next was overwhelming and I couldn't put it down. And even though you know there can be no happy ending for Claire, The Memory Book still manages to end on a high, which is a major tribute to the skill of its author, Rowan Coleman. Once I’d finished reading, I immediately wanted to go back to the start and begin again to pick up all the subtle clues that lead eventually to that beautiful, clever ending.

Look, I know it's only January, and I never usually say things like this, but seriously, you can call off the search already – I’ve found my book of the year.

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PLUNGE INTO THE PIRATE POOL by Caryl Hart and Ed Eaves, reviewed by Tamsyn Murray

Young Albie gets home from a long day at school and no sooner has he settled down to read his book than Mum tells him it's time to go swimming. But this is no ordinary trip to the pool - when Albie dives down into the dark depths, he discovers the seaweed is hiding all kind of watery delights. Soon, he's hunting for treasure with Captain Cuttlefish and his crew in a shark-shaped submarine and whooshing around on a sea-scrambler.

Plunge Into The Pirate Pool is the fourth picture book offering from Caryl Hart and Ed Eaves to feature the adorable Albie and the fun just keeps on coming. Kids will love the colourful illustrations, full of piratical and undersea detail, and the text doesn't skimp on the action. Fans of Albie will be glad to see that he's making more new friends and exploring his fertile imagination in a new and exciting adventure. My little one certainly loves seeing the same character across the different books and the first book in the series, Supermarket Zoo, is a firm favourite in our house. I have no doubt that Plunge Into The Pirate Pool will soon become just as well thumbed and look forward to seeing what this pairing come up with next.

Aimed at 3+ years (although my 20 month old loves it)



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Eleanor's Eyebrows by Timothy Knapman and David Tazzyman, Reviewed by Tamsyn Murray

I'll be honest, I didn't intend to review Eleanor's Eyebrows at all today. But from the moment I saw the cover, complete with some of the most amazing eyebrows I've ever seen, I was sold.

The eponymous Eleanor knows what all the parts of her face are for. But her eyebrows bother her - they're just 'silly, scruffy, hairy, little bits of fluff'. Affronted by her lack of faith in their abilities, the eyebrows high-tail it off into the world, where they try out various new and often dangerous careers.

Eleanor, meanwhile, has realised that a face isn't quite the same without eyebrows and starts noticing them everywhere. She tries a range of hilarious replacements before deciding that she might have been a little hasty in dismissing her little bits of fluff and launches a campaign to bring them back.

Timothy Knapman's text is delightfully silly and even without the pictures, I could imagine Eleanor re-drawing her eyebrows. The story is cute and funny and skillfully weaves in a message about accepting yourself (and your eyebrows) for who you are. David Tazzyman's illustrations are everything you'd expect from the man responsible for bringing us the face of Mr Gum and they made me giggle just as much as the text.

Eleanor's Eyebrows has something for everyone because, as I commented on Twitter the other day, who hasn't fallen out with their eyebrows at some point? Just make sure you keep the Sharpies out of reach of small children once you've read it to them.

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THE BATTLES OF BEN KINGDOM: THE CLAWS OF EVIL by Andrew Beasley, reviewed by Tamsyn Murray

It's 1891 and, behind the exclusive doors of London's Sinistra Club, evil is gathering its forces. The Council of Seven, rulers of a shadowy society known as the Legion whose hand stretches back over two thousand years, are readying themselves for action and control of the city of London is their goal.

Standing in their way are the Watchers. Living on the city's rooftops, their vigilance has protected London for thousands of years. They believe in an ancient prophecy which predicts a saviour will help them finally defeat the Legion.

When a vital ingredient of the Legion's plan falls into the hands of a cocky street urchin named Ben Kingdom, he finds himself thrust into the midst of a deadly battle and struggles to know who to trust. Ultimately, he has to chose a side - good or evil - and it's by no means certain which way he will decide to go.

This accomplished debut novel, aimed at readers aged 9+ , is jam packed with danger and excitement. The story races along at breakneck speed, introducing and dispensing with a brilliant array of well-drawn characters as it goes. I loved the ambivalence of Ben - his brash exterior conceals an uncertain naivety which I found very appealing. I also liked Lucy Lambert, whose thankless task it is to watch over Ben and try to keep him out of trouble. But really, it's hard to pick out one or two characters because they are all intriguing, even the sickeningly evil ones.

I especially adored the design and feel of this book. The cover in particular encapsulates the Heaven v Hell theme of the story, with Ben caught between the two and leaves a potential reader in no doubt about what they are getting; an urban steampunk fantasy. Inside, there's a map showing Victorian London, with key locations picked out in greater detail and I must admit, I am a sucker for a beautifully designed map. The action is split over five days and each section (comprising a day) has a gorgeous line illustration to accompany it, giving a rich feel for the fantastical characters and creatures of the book.

I can't wait to discover what battles Ben Kingdom faces next. Bring on the second adventure!

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Little Red by Lynn and David Roberts, reviewed by Tamsyn Murray

Little Red is described on the cover as 'A favourite tale with a twist' and that pretty much sums this attractive picture book up. As you might guess, it's a retelling of Little Red Riding Hood and stars a boy called Thomas (AKA Little Red) as the eponymous main character. The action has been relocated to an unnamed land 'much like our own', in a time 'not too long ago'. Little Red's parents are innkeepers and brew the finest ginger beer for miles around. The action begins with Little Red heading off to see his grandmother, who lives in the woods, and the story treads a well-worn path. I won't spoil the surprise but the ending has a delightful fizz about it.

What makes this picture book stand out is the gorgeous illustrative style of David Roberts' artwork. Reminiscent of pre-revolution France, with big wigs and ballgowns, they are exquisitely done and really give the familiar story a fresh feel, not to mention an element of darkness that's usually missing in books for this age range. There's an illustrator's note at the back of the book explaining his inspiration, which makes interesting reading.


The are two other retellings in the same series, Cinderella and Rapunzel, and I'll be keeping an eye out for both. Little Red stands out in our book box as something visually different and I'm sure it will be a favourite for years to come.

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A Year Without Autumn by Liz Kessler - Reviewed by Tamsyn Murray

If you could see into the future - would you look?

That's the question twelve year old Jenni Green finds herself facing when she jumps exactly one year into the future and finds things are very different. Her friendship with her best friend Autumn is almost unrecognisable, changed by a terrible tragedy. Other things are different too, not least of which Jenni herself. As she figures out what she's missed in her year without Autumn, she also comes to realise that she has the power to change things. All she has to do is find a way back to her twelve year old self...

I do love a time-travel story, especially when it's as clever and gripping as this one. Jenni is the kind of character I adore, too; the kind whose story arc is so brilliantly mapped out that you can see her growing almost page by page. I love the sub-plot involving Mr Barraclough, and all the lovely little touches which combine to make this such a charming book. If you've ever wished you could go back and undo the past, this is a story for you. But as Jenni finds out, some things you just can't change.

Fans of Liz Kessler's other books, Emily Windsnap and Philippa Fisher, won't be disappointed by this standalone tale of action and reaction.

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Jack and the Flumflum Tree by Julia Donaldson, Reviewed by Tamsyn Murray

Jack has a granny and his granny has spots. Not any old spots, either - she's covered from head to toe in enormous purple lesions and the doctor's prognosis is grim. There's only one cure for Granny - she needs the fruit of the flumflum tree and she needs it NOW. Otherwise it's curtains for the old dear.*

Instead of packing her off to the mercies of the NHS, intrepid Jack builds a boat and sets sail for the only place where the flumflum grows - the remote and dubiously-named island of Blowyernose. With him are his hastily-assembled crew of Stu and Rose, who I suspect were chosen for their conveniently lyrical names - they're certainly not much help on Jack's quest and get him into all kinds of difficulties. Luckily, he has a sack full of seemingly-useless-but-actually-quite-handy household objects to ensure the success of the mission. I won't spoil the ending but let's just say there's one less flumflum fruit in the world.

This is another pretty much perfect picture book by story-teller extraordinare, Julia Donaldson. Teamed with David Roberts' distinctive illustrative style, the rhyming text bounces along at a cracking pace. There's the kind of wordy repetition that little ones adore, plenty of glorious detail in the pictures and fun galore in Jack's adventures on the way to Blowyernose. You may wonder whether the danger-filled journey is all in Jack's head; I couldn't possibly say but I can't help noticing that Granny recovers from her illness suspiciously fast. What I do know is that I've set sail for Blowyernose with my fourteen month old son approximately 345 times in the last week and it's still our most popular destination.

So, Jack and the Flumflum Tree gets a big thumbs up from us. Did you ever doubt that it wouldn't?

*OK, he doesn't actually say she's going to croak but it's definitely implied.

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