reviews 8 – 10 Junior/Middle continued


bullies and a reputation as a wimp at school. However amazingly Sam is allowed to go and he is really excited. Unfortunately, he is put in a group with the worst of his tormentors for an orienteering activity. The ring leader, Brandon, decides to break the ‘keep to the path rule’ to try to win putting the whole group in danger. Should Sam tell the adult group leader his companions have re drawn the map? The situation becomes life threatening when Brandon falls into a freezing and fast moving river and for Sam too when the conditions and his efforts to rescue his erstwhile tormentor trigger a medical emergency. An exciting story from former Children’s


Laureate Malorie


Blackman. With themes of bullying, bravery, inner strength and resolve, it also provides an insight into the perspective of a sick child struggling to lead a normal life. In addition, there is the indication that what may seem annoying rules are often in place for a very good reason! With super


readable text and


presentation from Barrington Stoke, specialist publishers in this area, this is an accessible and exciting independent read for


children 8+


who need to develop confidence and reading stamina. SMc


The Pony with No Name HHH


Tracey Corderoy, Simon and Schuster, 220pp, 9781471170416, £6.99 pbk


This is a thoughtful book which will appeal to horse lovers and, I think, non-horse lovers alike.


It is about


warmth and love in a family, a move from a different place and coming to terms with changes and sadness. Bryony has moved to the coast with


her Mum and brother to be nearer her Grandad after her Dad has died. She


is exploring her surroundings one day when she comes upon a frightened pony. Calming the pony down she makes an instant bond with the horse only to discover that the horse has an owner (Georgina) who, it transpires, doesn’t like the pony at all. The story moves on as Bryony tries


to re connect with the pony and also with the girl she saw with the pony who is not the owner. The story then develops with good


pace and storyline incorporating lots of themes about family, friendship and kindness. The connection between Bryony and her ‘pony with no name’ is written in a very touching way and would appeal not just to somebody who


rides but also with animal


lovers everywhere. There are more layers to the story than just the girls’ friendship. The story also touches upon bereavement and bullying but in a subtle way. It isn’t forced but just fits in with the whole story itself. It’s a good read and definitely one to curl up with- you’ll probably want to read it in one go like I did to find out what happens. SG


Picklewitch and Jack HHHH


Claire Barker, ill. Teem Juhani, Faber & Faber, 228pp, 9780571335183, £6.99 pbk


Picklewitch and Jack is an endearing book


about a very proper, high


achieving boy called Jack who begins attending a very academic school when he moves house. His ordered, neat and tidy


life soon begins to


unravel when he comes across a strange little character living in a tree in his garden. Picklewitch is the opposite of Jack,


lives life as it comes up in a tree. She completely turns Jack’s life upside down and starts


to sprinkle some


magic around with lots of interesting consequences. She manages to get


herself a place at Jack’s school-much to his dismay-where she then weaves her magic in and out of the school and adds pizzazz and sparkle. The story is actually quite touching.


It takes a while for Jack to find out what a true friend is because of all the twists, turns and funny events that happen along the way but when he gets there it’s great. It is funny and quirky with the contrast of characters being particularly well written. There is some great imaginative language which children will enjoy reading out loud - I also liked the handy glossary at the back. I might even take on some of the words like Fudgenuts! The warmth and wit is bought to life by the illustrations too. All in all I think I’d quite like a Picklewitch in my garden - I think she’d bring a lot of happiness and natural joy to everything. SG


The Magical Unicorn Society Official Handbook


HHHH


Selwyn E. Phipps (Jonny Leighton), ill. Harry and Zanna GoldHawk and Helen Dardik, Michael O’Mara books, 120pp, 9781782439639, £9.99hbk


This is a delightful book for all lovers of Unicorns and provides a guide to the different types of the mythical creatures and their history.


It is


written by the President of the Magical Unicorn Society, Selwyn E. Phipps, in the guise of Jonny Leighton and gives the folklore behind the seven types of creature and the different parts of the world that they live in. The author has created a wonderful history and geography which really allows the reader to identify with the wonderful animals.


The tale of the Silver and


Gold Unicorns is really the creation myth of these creatures and sets the scene for a range of topics including Unicorn


symbology, a spotter’s


guide, Unicorn beliefs and Guardian Unicorns.


10 – 14 Middle/Secondary The Clockwork Crow


HHHHH


Catherine Fisher, Firefly Press, 978- 1910080849, 200pp, £6.99 hbk


Beautifully written in prose perfect


sparkles like the snow that provides its backdrop, this fantasy novel practically


in every way.


Young orphan Seren (it’s Welsh for star) is travelling alone through a winter’s night to her godfather and his family. They live in a big house in the heart of Wales and though she’s never met them before, a lifelong reader, she knows how this sort of story should go. Waiting for her next train on a freezing platform she meets a stranger. He’s flustered, clearly frightened of something, and leaves a bulky parcel in her care. When she finally arrives at her destination, to


that is


The book itself is a great read.


The text is aimed at the KS 2 reader, although those younger aficionados will love to read this with some possible help. The illustrations are magnificent, with slightly different colour palettes depending on which type of Unicorn.


There has been a


huge amount of thought that has gone in to the design of the book with varying page colours, wonderful jewel like colours for some of the animals and the plants and even the way the text has been integrated into the illustrations.


This is a very readable


book and is also something that you can just dip into when you want to feel close to these magical animals. The obsession that many young people (girls in particular) with the Unicorn does not look as if it is going to abate anytime in the near future. When the book Dragonology by Dugald Steer came out it lead to a series of novels that


carried on the adventures of


the main characters; I do wonder if we may see more stories about the Magical Unicorn Society in the future. This will make a great present or a popular read in the school library. MP


find that her godfather, his wife and young son Tomos are absent, and only a skeleton staff of servants to meet her, she assembles the contents of the parcel to stave off boredom and loneliness. It’s a clockwork crow – an awkward, clumsy-looking


thing,


yet magic: wound up it comes alive. Psammead-grumpy the crow becomes her ally as together they try to find out what has happened to Tomos, who disappeared mysteriously one frosty night a year ago. The story is rich with the sense old magic and fairytale,


of yet a


totally original and particular bit of storytelling. At a time when books often sprawl over 300 pages


or


more, it is wonderfully concise too, and even better for that. A delight, and thankfully there should be more adventures for Seren to come. AR


The Way Past Winter HHH


Kiran Millwood Hargrave, Chicken House, 239pp, 9781911077930, £10.99 hbk


From the opening page of this


ambitious novel it is clear that Kiran Hargrave is a born writer. Her prose is packed with energy and her imagination commands instant belief. Set in an indeterminate time in an unspecified part of the frozen North, her story describes how teenage Mila and her six-year old sister Pipa set out along with a young mage named Rune to rescue Oskar. He is her older brother, kidnapped by a fearsome bear in the shape of a pitiless man. So far so captivating. But as their journey grows more descriptions


of atmosphere Books for Keeps No.233 November 2018 29


dangerous, start


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