BfK 8 – 10 Junior/Middle continued New Talent Brightstorm HHHH


Vashti Hardy, Scholastic, 978-1-4071-8170-7, 343pp, £6.99pbk


Arthur and Maudie are twins, they are


Brightstorms, their father a


famous explorer. He has died in an attempt to be the first at South Polaris and evidence suggests he was involved in criminal activities. His reputation is ruined; the Brightstorm name degraded. Arthur and Maudie determine to find the truth and restore the family fortunes. In the company of the butler, Forbes and Harriet Culpeper with her flying ship, the Aurora they set off on a race to reach the Polaris. They are embarking on a journey that will see them facing real and terrible danger. But will they succeed? Lively


storytelling, an attractive


cast with interesting characters – Maudie is the genius engineer, Arthur, despite having lost an arm, the imaginative thinker, while Harriet Culpeper brings energy and optimism – these combine to draw the reader in ensuring pages are turned. The villains


are suitably wicked and


duplicitous; Eudora Vane might be a relative of Cruella de Vil. The setting


Horace and Harriet Take on the Town


HHH


Clare Elsom, ill. Clare Elsom, Oxford University Press, 117pp, 978 0 19 275874 3, £5.99 pbk


In this funny farce by Clare Elsom, a pompous, egotistical statue comes to life and strikes up a very unlikely friendship with a seven-year-old girl. Horace is a lord commander; a seventeenth century hero who has been stuck on a plinth for centuries and is sick of graffiti and pigeon poo. Harriet is bored and impatient to grow up, and eager to take on more responsibility...though a three hundred and fifty-year-old, belligerent noble is perhaps a little more than she was hoping for. It is hard for Horace to understand


why the public no longer adore and serve him. Harriet has to stop him from renovating her grandad’s shed into a galleon, and from eating all the food in a cafe without paying, and from storming Mayor Silverbottom’s mansion. She also has to help Horace navigate his way round mobile phones and cappuccinos and public libraries, all of which provide moments of hilarity as Horace buffoons about all over town. Everything about


Horace is


ridiculous. He talks like a medieval knight, he owns a pet pigeon, and he is made of stone. Many younger readers will love how silly he is, and


is imaginative. Here is a world that is recognisable in many respects but one that can accommodate sky ships, sapient creatures and enormous telepathic wolves. Society is dominated by explorer families intent on taming the unknown – to its detriment. Well crafted, full of humour, excitement and jeopardy, Brightstorm is a welcome debut for that KS2 audience. Vashti Hardy is a talent to watch and I look forward to meeting Arthur and Maudie and friends in future adventures. FH


the moments of slapstick (mostly


involving pigeon poo) that he delivers. There is a classic quality to Elsom’s farce (there are even flying custard pies in one chapter) and, though Harriet’s first person narrative provides a few rare moments of lucidity, the silliness never lets up. Though there are


mentions


an entertaining and amusing jaunt through over 1000 years of Roman history. Each double-page contains


information about


spread one


specific aspect of Roman life: the beginning of the Roman Empire, famous emperors, life in the army and as a slave, gods and goddesses, entertainment and much more. Inside the back cover, there’s a simple timeline of Ancient Rome and some information about life in the modern- day city. There’s


mixture of the usual information that appears in every children’s


an interesting book


about the Romans (how the planets were given their names, how Roman numerals work, etc.) as well as plenty of lesser known trivia. I certainly had no idea that Julius Caesar was never officially a Roman Emperor, that Caligula once put his horse in charge of the government or that a Roman century consisted of only 80 soldiers! The book is extremely eye-catching,


as it’s printed on bright red paper throughout. white


illustrations labelling but,


The bold, black and are


in style and could use slightly more informative


cartoonish on


those who have read Greek myths in the past or even Percy Jackson, you gradually begin to get hints of who some of the main characters are; it is a good moment when you are proved right in your guesses. For those who have not read Greek myths then this is a great introduction and hopefully will encourage younger readers to discover the amazing tales that have stood the test of ages. The story is full of atmosphere and we have a real sense of what life was like for the


household staff in Victorian


England and there is the underlying ‘creepiness’ about the island and the butler Mr Grey as well as the Hawk family.


It is a really great read,


especially for fans of authors such as Robin Stevens, Katherine Woodfine and Janine Beacham. MP


Usborne Politics for Beginners HHHHH


Alex Frith, Rosie Hore and Louie Stowell, ill. Kellan Stover, Usborne, 128pp, 978 1 4749 2252 4, £9.99 hbk


the


whole, work effectively alongside the text. The irreverent style of writing, quite similar to that of the Horrible Histories series, ensures that serious matters are covered in a way that is accessible to younger children. This book serves as an ideal introduction to Ancient Rome and would definitely fire up a child’s enthusiasm for further reading on the subject. The author and illustrator, James Davies, also


produced Meet the...Ancient


Egyptians, which was published at the same time and is of a similar high- quality. Bene factum James! JBid


The Lost Island: A Silver Service Mystery


HHHH of


Harriet’s best friends, and Horace’s historical arch enemy makes a brief appearance, the story rarely shifts focus from the two title characters, and potential storylines are somewhat underdeveloped in favour of keeping it simple – and silly. There are plenty of laughs to be


had in this story, and many readers would be enthusiastic to see Horace and Harriet in further episodes. The illustrations are engaging and original, in two-tone emerald and white, and Horace’s Dictionary at the end of the book is an affable way to introduce young whippersnappers to language from days of yore. New characters, particularly villains, would be welcome additions if the improbable companions are to undertake new adventures. SD


Meet the…Ancient Romans HHHH


James Davies, Big Picture Press, 978-1-7874-1052-7, £9.99 hbk


Beginning with the legend of Romulus and Remus and the creation of the city of Rome, this book provides


24 Books for Keeps No.229 March 2018


Laura Powell, Macmillan, 281pp, 9781509808922, £6.99 pbk


This is the second in the ‘middle grade’ series starring thirteen year old Pattern, who has found herself recruited into a clandestine detective agency. In this adventure she finds herself working as a housemaid on the mysterious island of Cull; where a house party is being held by the owner Lady Hawk. It is being held for all of the suitors for her daughter Cassandra’s hand; however when guests start disappearing and there are no clues as to why, Pattern finds herself caught up with some supernatural


goings on. Whether


Pattern and her friend Nate can solve the mystery before all of the guests have vanished leads to some nail biting moments. Laura Powell has created a very


sympathetic and resourceful main character who gains our sympathy from the beginning. Whilst it is helpful to have read the first book in the series, it is not vital as this story is totally self-contained. The combination of a crime story mixed with a hint of the supernatural and even mythical tales really makes for an exciting read. For


This is a fascinating, user friendly, thorough


and well-presented


introduction to politics for children and young people. The starting point is politics in everyday life, making collective decisions as part of a group or team, before moving onto politics at national and international level. Different kinds of governments are introduced, from the first democracy in Ancient Greece. There is a strong historical


perspective (such as the throughout


the book. Key figures (for example Lenin and Mao Zedong) and key events


importance of Boston Tea


Party and genocide of Bosnian Muslims at Sreprenica) are included, emphasising the


understanding the past. The authors quote philosopher George Santayana on this: ‘Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it’. We find out about political systems including communism and the rule of empire.


There is a particular focus


on the democratic system and how it works within the UK on national and local levels. We find out about the role of the monarch, how the two Houses of Parliament operate and the role of civil servants. The democratic system in the USA is outlined too, with the role of the President, Congress and the Supreme Court. A section on international


politics introduces


significant organisations including The United Nations and The European Union. Differing electoral


systems


and approaches to holding elections and voting are outlined. There is an interesting timeline highlighting when the vote was first given to women and people of all races throughout the world.


such


Current as


issues the are difference is discussed


addressed between


immigrants and refugees. Terrorism


and what


radicalisation, fundamentalism and white supremacism means. We find out about key ideas and political ideologies such as capitalism and socialism. Readers can begin to explore where they stand on some of


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