Reviews

Storm child by Michael Robotham

The 4th in the Cyrus Haven series following Good girl, bad girl, When she was good and Lying beside you sees the return of Cyrus Haven and Evie Cormac. The first three books unfolded some of the secrets of Evie’s past and in Storm child the reader will finally learn more about what happened to her as a child. They are best read in order.

Evie and Cyrus have visited a Lincolnshire beach, when they see the horrific scene of bodies of immigrants washing up on the beach. A teenage boy is the only survivor and Cyrus becomes involved in the investigation when the boy reports that the boat was deliberately rammed and the immigrants left to drown. Evie is traumatised by the drownings and spends some time in hospital with Cyrus realising that somehow there is a link to this tragedy and Evie’s past. With Cyrus working hard to solve the case and Evie getting flashes of her past, the reader is kept rivetted to the book. Everyone they interview is afraid of The Ferryman, but is he real? Does he really kill the refugees who don’t pay to be transported? What happened to Evie’s mother and sister? And what happened to her if she was an illegal immigrant?

I was fascinated to see the growth of Evie while reading Storm child. She works at a shelter for abandoned dogs, has a bank account and even goes on a date with her neighbour Liam. Witnessing the death of so many people is a blow for her, and it is during a trip to Scotland searching for the origins of the trawlers that might be transporting illegal immigrants that her memories of what has happened to her return. The pair face some breathtaking danger while they search for the truth.

As usual, Robotham writes a mystery that is hard to put down. Themes of human trafficking, rape and child abuse are difficult to read about; however, I was satisfied to see how the threads of Evie’s childhood were drawn together, and the emotional growth of both Cyrus and Evie was positive.

Themes Mystery, Thriller, Murder, Child abuse, Forensic psychologists, Truth, Illegal immigrants.

Pat Pledger

Pages & Co.: The last bookwanderer by Anna James

"From outside on the busy north London high street, Pages & Co looked like an entirely normal bookshop. But once inside it didn't quite make sense how everything fitted inside its ordinary walls. The shop was made up of five floors of corners and cubbyholes, sofas and squashy armchairs, and a labyrinth of bookshelves heading off in different direction. A spiral staircase danced up one wall, and painted wooden ladders stretched into difficult-to-reach corners. Tall arched windows above made it feel a little like a church when the light spilled in and danced on the air. When it was good weather the sun pooled on the floor and the bookshop cat - named Alice for her curious nature - could often be found dozing in the warmest spots. During the summer the big fireplace behind the till was filled to bursting with fresh flowers, but as it was October, a fire was roaring there."

Does this not conjure up every booklover's dream of a magical place, a bookstore where magic and mysteries, adventures and escapades beckon? And for it to be the home of Tilly who prefers the company of book characters to the people in real life and, although not having been outside London, is a seasoned traveller within the pages of the books that abound on the shelves just shouts that this is going to be a series for booklovers and readers that will deliver all that is expected and more.

But what if your favourite characters could not only come out of the books and have real-life conversations with you but could also take you back into the book to have your very own adventure within the story? Tilly discovers that this is part of her relationship with her books and that, unlike other series where it is a secret power, this one is shared by her family. There is much more to her grandfather and grandmother and the family's history and lives than she ever imagined. Bookwandering is what this family does, and it might explain the mysterious disappearance of her mother and the absence of her father.

Keen readers have followed the adventures of Tilly and her friends since 2018, and if Ms Now 13 is an indication, they will be as eager to read this final instalment as they were the first, for it is, indeed, "as comforting as hot chocolate" as the blurb says. In this last adventure, Tilly, Oskar, Milo and Alessia venture into King Arthur's realm in search of the wizard Merlin, and discover that the magic of bookwandering is not at all what they thought. Together, they must journey into myth and legend - to bargain with the trickster Loki and unlock their destinies with the help of the Three Fates - and find a way to untangle the Alchemist's grip on the world's imagination. To save Pages & Co. and the very foundations of bookwandering, Tilly and her friends will have to learn the true power of imagination in a thrilling final adventure, but an unexpected enemy stands in their way . . .

If you don't have the series in your collection, it is available in a variety of formats including a boxed set, but you may have to search beyond your usual suppliers for the five earlier books because it is a series that is best read in order. It will be well worth the effort because this is one of a handful of series that I have sought out all the additions to review over the years, and one which my granddaughters yelled "yes please" when I told them I had the final, even though they are so much older now. This is a series that, like The Magic Faraway Tree and Harry Potter, will be kept for their own children to enjoy. It is for independent readers with a penchant for magical bookshops and being able to really delve into the world of stories and become part of them. And for those who have to wait their turn, or those who ask, "What next?" you could suggest The Bookseller's Apprentice and The Grandest Bookshop in the World. For those a little younger, suggest The Travelling Bookshop series.

Themes Literary characters. Booksellers, Mystery.

Barbara Braxton

ABC disability by Sarah Rose with Alley Pascoe. Illus. by Beck Feiner

ABC Disability written by Sarah Rose with Alley Pascoe is a vibrant, engaging book sharing the ideas of understanding how special and unique we all are. The forward by Sarah Rose is an honest and open letter to all explaining her thoughts on her journey as a person with a disability, and what she has discovered.

Written in an A to Z format, this book is a guide to asking questions and opening up conversations around what it means to be a person with a disability. Beginning with A for ability, it is important to note that our different abilities make us unique. We all have some things we can do better than others and being disabled does not make us less. We all deserve kindness, respect and recognition of our abilities.

 As the book progresses it covers the following topics in alphabetical order:

Each topic is thoughtfully discussed in easily accessible language with bold bright illustrations by Beck Feiner. Also included on each page is the Auslan sign for each alphabet letter. 

With the Paralympic Games coming up soon, this would be a valuable book to share with students as it provides so much information that young children will be able to understand and appreciate.

Themes Abilities/Disabilities, Diversity, Differences, Understanding, Uniqueness.

Kathryn Beilby

Return to sender by Lauren Draper

When Warwick’s famous Adder Stone was stolen from its display case in the town hall, suspicion fell on Brodie McKellon, something of a wildcat, prone to a bit of shoplifting. When she left the small town soon after to go to boarding school, the blame settled on her and destroyed her friendship with Levi, who was convinced she had taken it, knowing that their friend Eli had lied, saying she was babysitting his cousin when she wasn’t. Three years later 17-year-old Brodie is back in town staying with her Nan in the post office and dead letter store. In the past the three friends had spent many hours puzzling over some old unclaimed letters between another three friends, August, June and Winnie, trying to identify the locals and find out what happened to them. Brodie and Eli pick up the search and Levi is drawn in despite the tension over the Adder Stone incident. Brodie has a lot to deal with, her mother’s death, her father’s absence, her Nan’s health and financial problems, so the hunt for clues is a good distraction. Also distracting are her growing feelings for Levi as the letter clues reveal the developing relationship between August and Winnie.

The mystery of the plot is rather contrived and the reader is asked to suspend disbelief a lot but at its heart this is a touching story of the power of friendship. The three unconditionally support one another while respecting boundaries and they have good old fashioned adventures in this little time warp of a country town which feels far more like America than I would expect from an Australian author. With almost no alcohol (except for Nan’s tippling) and romantic attraction without sex scenes it would suit younger teen readers and school libraries.

Themes Friendship, Mystery, Romance.

Sue Speck

The Seven by Chris Hammer

Detectives Ivan Lucic and Nell Buchanan (Treasure & dirt and The Tilt) are called to Yuwonderie, a country town that has been founded by The Seven, seven rich and powerful families that have been leaders in the community for decades. Now one of their own has been found in an irrigation canal. Who is responsible for the murder of Athol Hasluck, a financial advisor? Could it be linked to the story of a servant girl from the early 20th century, or the execution-style murder of another member of The Seven, thirty years ago? As Ivan and Nell probe into the background of the diseased they uncover secrets spanning the lifetime of the town.

The reader immediately becomes familiar with the layout of Yuwonderie; the illustrated map at the beginning of the book is beautifully drawn and is one that can be referred to often. The setting is reminiscent of NSW irrigation towns, and the availability of irrigation water is central to the plot. Ivan and Nell need to go back to the town’s roots in search of the money, uncovering some unsavoury secrets on the way.

One of the features of the narrative is the voice of Miss Bessie Walker, who comes to the Titchfield’s property to work as a domestic servant. She writes letters to her mother Mrs Elizabeth Walker at Worthington Point Mission telling of the family she is working for, the neighbours who visit and the young men who go off to the First World War. Other chapters are written from 1993, when Davis returns from university to his grandfather’s property. Later his body is found lying as if he had been executed. Still more chapters relate the ongoing investigation that Ivan and Nell are pursuing, their relentless attention to detail and desperate need to find the killer who is still at large. All three strands are managed brilliantly by Hammer, who always had many threads as well as twists and turns in his storytelling.

The authentic country vibes with details of squatter aristocracy and Bachelor and Spinster Balls keep the reader engrossed, and there is a nice touch towards end with the appearance of Martin Scarsdale (Scrublands) who rounds off one of the mysteries. Chris Hammer’s books are not to be missed by fans of Australian noir, and The Seven is outstanding.

Themes Murder, Family secrets, Irrigation, Detectives, Country life - Australia, Crime.

Pat Pledger

Emma Memma: Little library by Emma Memma

The highly popular Emma Memma books are offered here in a small board book version of four little books within a small cardboard box: a little library of books.

Opening the little packet the toddler will find four Emma Memma books; Aslan, Numbers, Colours and Animals. Each little book has twelve solid pages, easy to fit in a child’s hand, and with brightly coloured, recognisable illustrations. The Number book for example has twelve pages showing numbers from one to ten, each decorated with the appropriate number of things: three butterflies and four boats for example, while ten has ten friends. Turning the page, Emma congratulates the reader for getting to the end then encourages them to start all over again.

Emma encourages the audience to sing, dance and sign as they read along with her. The Aslan book shows a range of popular signs, hello, drink and food, for example, then several that require a movement of the hand: how are you, and please, for example. Each of the little books asks the child to go back to the beginning and practise.

Attractively produced, the little books will be very popular and support work being done in the early childhood centres at home or in and school.

Themes Emma Memma, Animals, Colours, Aslan, Numbers.

Fran Knight

The big book of Little Lunch by Danny Katz and Mitch Vane

That break known as "little lunch" or "recess" is only 15 minutes in the school day so really, what can happen in such a short time? Ask any teacher who has ever been on playground duty and you will discover the answer is - a lot! And in this collection from the Little Lunch series are 18 stories that are perfect for those venturing into the world of novels because of their relatable characters and events and text/image balance, the reader discovers what teachers already know - it can be the most significant 15 minutes of the day.

Set in a suburban primary school in Australia each highlights the adventures of a class of Year 5 students Manny, Debra-Jo, Tamara, Rory, Atticus and their friends and their teacher Mrs Gonsha during morning recess as relationships ebb and flow over what seems like the most innocuous events. And whether it's Tamara Noodle hogging the monkey bars, fighting over what kind of sandwich Manny was eating or Batty becoming SUPER BATMAN GUY, each provides an engaging read that not only has heads nodding but also offers opportunities to discuss how the issue was or could be solved without argument or violence.

The series was first released 20 years ago, was made in to a TV series, still available on iView, in 2015-2016 and is as popular now as it was then because the characters and the things that happen essentially don't change. The issues a teacher deals with on the playground today at recess will be similar to those I dealt with all those years ago. Now bound into a big book, it also includes all sorts of bonus activities to stretch the brain.

Apart from just being a fun read, Danny Katz shows that writing about every day stuff, the stuff you know about and have done can be just as entertaining as the most far-fetched fantasy, and thus the stories in the book could be a basis for a writing exercise for a class. Start as a class exercise by posing a common problem and then asking, "What if ABC said or did XYZ instead?" "How else could the situation have been dealt with?" offering scope for individual scenarios and responses. Then have them really observe what happens in the playground, analyse the relationships among those involved and how the dynamics made the incident worth watching, show them how to disguise real-life by giving the characters new identities and then have them create their own story for an extra addition to the series.

Themes School.

Barbara Braxton

Norse Myths: Tales of Odin, Thor and Loki by Kevin Crossley-Holland. Illus. by Jeffrey Alan Love

Through movies like Thor and Thor Ragnarok, and the television series Loki many of our emerging readers are familiar with and interested in the gods of Norse mythology (whose names are remembered in our days of the week). And while there are many online resources discussing and debating the similarities and differences between the legends and their screen interpretations - indeed between the modern and ancient stories themselves - nevertheless, interest is high and this book is the ideal way to capitalise on that.

The author of this collection, Kevin Crossley-Holland is viewed by the likes of Neil Gaiman as being an expert in translating and retelling these tales of old, having translated Beowulf from the Anglo-Saxon and his stories of King Arthur have been translated into twenty-five languages.

These stories tell of Odin, with his one eye (the other in order to see everything that happens in the world), who is the god of both war and death and the ruler of Valhalla, a place of near-perpetual food, drink, pleasure, and battle where fallen warriors go in the afterlife; his son Thor who, with his mighty hammer Mjölnir is the god of thunder and lightning; and Loki the god of mischief, trickery, and deception.

With its dramatic illustrations, this is one for independent readers with an interest in the stories behind the stories, ancient myths and legends, the Vikings themselves, even those from the north of the UK whose past ties with Scandinavian countries are strong. A dip-and-delve book, it would be an excellent one to share in those odd moments when a good story that will captivate even the most rambunctious boys is required.

Themes Norse legends, Gods and goddesses, Icelandic myths.

Barbara Braxton

Into the mouth of the wolf by Erin Gough

Erin Gough, author of Into the mouth of the wolf, is a Sydney based writer, whose award-winning books The flywheel and Amelia Westlake have been published internationally. Into the mouth of the wolf is her third novel. Into the mouth of the wolf is a tightly structured, bingeable book that will keep the YA reader up late at night. It's murder mystery, queer romance, eco-lit., dystopian futures, parallel universes, family and friendship all wrapped up together and defying single genre categorisation. It is a strange and disturbing book. In bocca al lupa is the Italian way of wishing courage to a person. It translates as into... the mouth of the wolf. Courage is a constant requirement for characters throughout the storyline.

The setting of Into the mouth of the wolf evokes a mounting sense of unease; of threat of an unknown origin. The story opens with one of the central characters, Iris, and her mother, escaping Sydney in a Kombi and leading an on-the-run lifestyle set some time in the not too distant future. The sense of the Australian interior being one of ruined towns and infrastructure is evoked. The physical, social and cultural landscape, wracked by constant earthquakes, has undergone a terrible transformation with people leading vagrant, desperate lifestyles. Chillingly, every town features a 'Clean machine' billboard with a yellow circular logo and every citizen knows the ad... the 'Clean Machine takes your rubbish and disposes of it with care...using the everyday pressure of  natural water... delivers the harmless side product into underused spaces far beneath the surface of the earth.' The earthquakes - why?  Perhaps Gough is subliminally combining the Australian bushfire disasters with the recent Italian earthquakes as these environmental catastrophes figure largely in Into the mouth of the wolf. It is a dystopian landscape, somewhat reminiscent and just as harrowing as the shattered dystopian world of Bren MacDibble's Dogrunner. The town of Vardo however appears untouched. This is where Iris first meets Kazumi and where her mother disappears. There is another town - Glassy Bay. Are these towns mirror images of each other? Questions for the reader and the characters emerge around the strange parallel existences of these towns. Online maps that feature one town do not feature the other and vice versa. The once bush covered ridge behind Gough's Glassy Bay township and the streets once full of houses are now charred and bare. There is a beautiful bay with a hostel on one headland and a new 'packaging' factory eyesore on the other. A new addition is a watchtower on stilts and patrol boats in the bay. Why? This is just a town known for its oysters...  

There is a growing sense of the wanton and greedy activities of small town players and their possible links to international corporations and their role in environmental destruction, with the earthquakes being one of the symptoms. Iris's mother is a marine biologist and geophysicist and she is on the run - there are earthquakes, people are after them, there are murders, there is hiding and a network of previously unknown allies over and against an emergent sense of a network of evil, linked perhaps with the clean machines and the earthquakes.

Characterisation is a strength of this novel. The parents, who have been forced to lead a life on the run with their children, pass on valuable survival tools to their children. Their values seem to have been inculcated well as subsequent actions of their children in their absence reveal. The children (young adults) are each well developed characters. The representation of the growing attractions that they have for one another represent examples of differing sexual orientations quite naturally. Kazumi, a 'they' plays a more ambiguous but nevertheless crucial role in the story.  

The plot is structured into four parts; Fish don't cry, The volcano, The crossing and Into the mouth of the wolf. The Crossing is literal and symbolic too - the tear in the fabric of the world being reminiscent of Madeleine L'Engle's A wrinkle in time. Into the mouth of the wolf is neatly concluded. Almost all of the threads are tied up to the reader's satisfaction.

Into the mouth of the wolf is amongst other things a clever and funny queer coming of age story where 'going into the mouth of the wolf' is necessary in both romantic and life/death situations. It is a necessary process and living demands that you do it. Crucial perspectives are put forward about mankind and the world through Iris's pondering questions at the conclusion of the story... Will destruction continue unabated until nothing is left or... Will humanity 'limp on trying to stem the flow of greed, but almost always failing or...' Will somebody fix the world?

Into the mouth of the wolf is a strange and complex book which taps into important concerns  of Young Adults. A riveting and thought provoking, 'genre-bending' book, it will  stay with the reader's thoughts for some time. 

Themes Climate change, Queer romance, Coming-of-age, Alternate worlds, Dystopian futures, Greed, Corruption, Hope.

Wendy Jeffrey

A warlock in a cursed kingdom by Nathan Taylor

Immediately following on from the Aurealis Award nominated The Non-Magical Declan Moore by Nathan Taylor, A warlock in a cursed kingdom finds Declan Moore in the kingdom of Vedmark, where Ava has left him. It is a land of myths and legends, a land where eagles soar overhead and where a demon prowls in the forest. Declan is a warlock but has no notion of how to use his power and no one in the kingdom wants to know him or teach him. However, he is determined to stop the Fatesmiths and rescue his friends. His country Euryma needs him.

I picked this up at once after reading the first book as I wanted to find out what had happened to Declan and his friends. (It is important that the reader starts with the first in the series as it is a direct continuation of the action and characters from the first book.) The reader is taken on a thrilling ride as Declan finally finds someone to teach him his powers. Meanwhile Ava has much to do both in Vedmark and Euryma, and readers will learn about her background and magical abilities. Leading members of the Kings College are slow to realise the danger that their country is in and find that the countryside is being destroyed.

I enjoyed A Warlock in a Cursed Kingdom. Taylor builds a world that is complex and magic that is unique. There are many twists and turns in the book and a stunning surprise at the end which will have readers avidly waiting for the next in the series.

Themes Fantasy, Magic, Coming of age, Witches and wizards.

Pat Pledger

Lucy to the rescue by Carley Browne. Illus. by Kayla Lee

Lucy to the rescue is a picture book about a little girl who tries to rescue her toy kangaroo from an imaginary fire by dressing as a firefighter and trying and failing with different methods before succeeding. The author, Carley Brown is an Australian children's author who enjoys writing bright and happy narratives for small children with the idea of sparking the imaginations of young readers. The illustrator, Kayla Lee, is an Adelaide based artist and designer who enjoys creating colourful illustrations for children. The three protagonists (Lucy and her parents) have disproportionately large heads and eyes, reminiscent of the Blythe dolls of the seventies and/or Japanese manga and anime characters.

Lucy to the rescue follows the rule of three for children's stories.  Lucy tries three times to extinguish her imaginary fire before she succeeds on her fourth attempt. She tries by physical means: a hose, a spray bottle and then there is an odd attempt to ride a bike. It might have been more consistent for the reader if she had tried a third physical method for example using a fire blanket. After three failures, her father, an at-home Dad, comforts her and suggests that she creates her own fire engine. Lucy is re-energised. She creates her own cardboard fire engine and, with the help of a big pile of cushions, climbs up to rescue her toy. She runs into the arms of her firefighter mum who returns from work just in time for Lucy to tell her all about it.

The action occurs in the familiarity of Lucy's house. Lucy wakes from her safe slumber and is shocked to discover that Kanga is not there. This is the central problem. Lucy looks everywhere and finds her in a dangerous spot in need of rescue from the imaginary fire. The illustrations accompany the story well except for on page 4 where Lucy says, "Kanga! What are you doing up there?" and the illustration depicts Lucy looking underneath a pot plant stand.

This is a warm and engaging little story with an active little protagonist who is full of ideas, wants to help and has two loving parents in non-traditional career and family roles. The language is rich which is of VITAL importance for  the vocabulary development of our young children. There is plenty of dialogue between Lucy and her Dad and a warm narrative voice. There are opportunites for this story to be read with LOTS of expression indicated by very large print and extra bolded words. The child could interact and have fun as the words Nee Nawww, nee Naww, etc.  bounce out as part of the text design inviting interaction and the making of loud noises and exclamations etc. If read with the expression that this book invites and if children are encouraged to interact, there could be demands for this book to be read over and again. That is the test of a good picture book.

Themes Firefighters, People who help, Solving problems.

Wendy Jeffrey

Listen, Hippo! by Gabriel Evans

Intrigued by the cover depicting an exuberant Hippo, waving his arms and a sad little boy looking at him, I turned to the story of Billy, who, when feeling sad, wants someone to talk to. Hippo, however, is convinced that he knows just what Billy needs to overcome his sadness and takes him on extravagant adventures like sitting high in a wind-swept tree listening to the leaves rustling in the wind, or flying through the sky on a magic carpet, eating chocolate-chip cookies and then chasing other magic carpets in a wonderful magic carpet race. But what Billy really needs is someone who will listen to him and it is only when Hippo realises that, that Billy can talk and talk about how he feels.

Children will enjoy the wonderful pictures of the exciting activities that Hippo dreams up to help Billy overcome his sadness, but the illustrations of Billy who still looks depressed will remind them that Hippo may be mistaken about everything. A further perusal of the illustrations will show readers a collection of toys on the title page that Hippo uses to try and help Billy, while the use of black outline and yellow highlights to depict Billy and Hippo is very effective. The application of gorgeous watercolours to show the things that Hippo finds help him feel happy will engage children's imaginations. The final illustration of Billy lying on the couch, covered with a fluffy rug and hugging his toy is gorgeous.

Other than enjoying a lovely story, readers may learn about sadness and friendship from Listen, Hippo! Hippo comes up with lots of suggestions that help him when he is feeling sad, and children could come up with their own suggestions for lightening their moods. However, readers will realise that some people just want someone to listen to them talk about their feelings and it is the listening that helps them make the sadness ‘a distant echo’.

Themes Depression, Friendship, Comfort, Listening.

Pat Pledger

Can't spell treason without tea by Rebecca Thorne

In her acknowledgement, Rebecca Thorne states that Can’t spell treason without tea is directly inspired by Travis Baldree’s Legends & and Lattes which was followed by Bookshops & bonedust. Fans of the cosy fantasy genre will be happy with this easy-to-read sapphic romance starring Reyna and Kianthe, who wish to leave their difficult lives and open a bookshop that serves tea. Reyna works as one of the Queen’s guards, and after an attack by an assassin, decides she doesn’t want to risk her life again for the vicious Queen. Meanwhile Kianthe, the Mage of Ages, wants nothing more than to run away with her girlfriend. Together they flee to the little town of Tawney, on the edge of dragon country, find an empty warehouse and set about realising their dreams. But of course, the Queen is determined to find Reyna, there are bandits in the area, and Kianthe still has duties to perform as Mage of Ages. Not to mention that dragons attack Tawney in search of precious eggs that have been stolen.

I enjoyed following the work that Reyna and Kianthe put into setting up their bookshop, sourcing tomes for the townspeople to read and making delicious tea and scones.  The vivid description of a cosy fire, comfortable armchairs and beautiful plants made the shop feel very appealing, especially to book lovers who also enjoy tea! All of the characters were well described and the romance between Reyna and Kianthe felt authentic. And the danger of prowling dragons added to the atmosphere.

Readers who enjoyed Can’t spell treason without tea will be pleased to know that the next in the series A pirate’s life for tea will be available.

Themes Cosy Fantasy, Adventure, Friendship, Romance, LGBT, Dragons, Books, Tea.

Pat Pledger

The dinosaur did it by R. M. McGurk. Illus. by Aleksandra Szmidt

The planning for Imogen’s circus act gets a little beyond her as she practises making mud pies, and covers the walls with her paintings. When dad looks in, astonished, he asks for an explanation. Imogen blames a dinosaur. Dad asks how big this animal is, and Imogen answers, enormous. And its teeth he asks, the sharpest, she responds. Dad asks why it did not clean up. Because it ran away, says Imogen, as she walks out of the room. But walking down the corridor, she hears loud footsteps behind her.

The dinosaur wants to know why she blames him. Imogen ignores him. He interrupts her reading, then eats one of her puzzle pieces. And even tries to get into her blanket fort with her.

Finally she admits that the dinosaur did not do it, it was her. She owns up. She cleans up the mess she has made, helped by the dinosaur, but when he drops something and it smashes, he passes the blame onto someone else.

Being honest and taking the blame are wrapped around this cute story. Imogen is like most of the readers, wanting to blame someone else rather than take the blame for something that has gone wrong. Many children will identify with Imogen, and will be able to offer excuses they have used in the past. But being honest is the purpose of this tale which includes an imaginary friend who is made to take the blame.

Themes Imaginary friend, Honesty, Family.

Fran Knight

Our Lady of Mysterious Ailments by T.L. Huchu

I loved The library of the dead, an Alex Award winner 2022, and couldn’t resist picking up Our Lady of Mysterious Ailments, the next in the Edinburgh Nights series. I wanted to see what Ropa, a tough ghostalker, her pet fox River, and her friends Jomo and Priyanka, would get up to next.  She has attracted the attention of Sir Ian Callender, Scotland‘s leading magician and has been given the opportunity to be examined as his paid apprentice. Unfortunately, she doesn’t meet the requirements of the Society of Sceptical Enquirers examiners and becomes an unpaid intern instead, leaving her to find a way to fund her family, her grandmother Melsie and cheeky little sister Izwi. Her friend Priya is working as a healer at Our Lady of Mysterious Ailments, an exclusive clinic, and offers her a job investigating a baffling illness that Max Wu, a student at the Edinburgh Ordinary School for Boys has contacted. She needs the money, but her investigation will reveal dangerous historical secrets, a lost fortune and an evil spirit.

Ropa is a feisty girl who always puts her family first, finishing school early to earn a living as a ghostalker to feed her family. It is easy to relate to her bravery and her cheeky outlook on life told with witty repartee and observations about other people and incidents had me chuckling out loud. The plot surrounding the mysterious ailment that some schoolboys have contacted is intriguing and keeps the reader absorbed as Ropa and her friends fend off danger.

A fabulous group of characters and wonderful setting in Edinburgh plus great humour ensure Our Lady of Mysterious Ailments is just as good as the first in the series.  Readers will want to follow Ropa in her next adventure in The mystery at Dunvegan Castle, the third in the series and may like The rivers of London by Ben Aaronovitch, and The sinister booksellers of Bath by Garth Nix, for their sense of place and fans of the Scholomance series by Naomi Novik will enjoy the dark academia.

Themes Fantasy, Supernatural, Psychic ability, Ghosts, Libraries, Magic, Edinburgh (Scotland).

Pat Pledger