BfK 8 – 10 Junior/Middle continued New talent Bigfoot Mountain HHHHH


Roderick O’Grady, Firefly, 272pp, 978913102418, £6.99 pbk


Minnie lives in a remote coastal area of the United States together with her stepfather Dan. They are both struggling to come to terms with the death of Minnie’s mother and with learning to be a family of two. Their home is a small group of holiday cabins that was the dream project of Minnie’s Mum. The only other people around at this late end of the season are Billy and his mother Connie, who live in one of the cabins. Subtle changes start to happen in the area after major forest fires devastate the land on the other side of the mountain. This leads to wild animals moving territory and coming closer to habitation. However, one day Minnie and Billy find footprints that are way too big to be human, leading them to consider the


possibility that the ‘Bigfoot’


might actually exist. The other side of the story is told through the eyes of a young ‘Sasquatch’ called Kaayii, who guards the family’s sleeping areas during the day. He becomes aware of the humans and tries to keep them away from the rest of his family, or clan. What becomes clear through this story, is that the humans have unknowingly built over the historic migration route of the Sasquatch. The problem is how can this be resolved without either group being threatened by the others? This is an extremely powerful story


that looks at the idea of family and how important that is in our lives.


Inspired by Earth Day, award


winning poet John Agard’s narrative poem is full of humour and perfectly matched by acclaimed illustrator Piet Grobler’s striking, quirky and detailed illustrations. Steeped


in creation mythology


from around world, this is a trickster tale with an important theme – human responsibility for the state of the Earth. SMc


Rainbow Grey HHHH


Laura Ellen Anderson, Egmont, 294pp, 9781405298728, £6.99, pbk


Ray Grey lives in the city of Celestia in the Weatherlands a kingdom high above our world where clouds really do have silver linings and the inhabitants, or equipped


‘Weatherlings’ with powerful are weather


magic they use to protect Earthlings. All that is except for Ray who has no special powers and feels woefully inadequate,


frustratingly even her


Each set of characters are having to come to terms with great change in their lives, which leads to changes in the dynamics of their relationships. What particularly impresses me is the way the author has created the characteristics of the Sasquatch; they are not a version of a human being, but are very much their own race. Language is mainly non- verbal and they often communicate through thought. The way they hunt, build dwellings


and mark their


territory is all beautifully explained and we get a real sense of how traumatic having to move has been for them. At the same time Minnie and Dan are having to learn more about each other and the enclosed community they are in does not allow them as much space as they would like. This is a wonderful and thought-provoking book and one that I would highly recommend. MP


or transport themselves by becoming puddles. Against instructions, Ray decides to become an Earth Explorer like her hero La Blaze Delight. She travels


to earth by cloud cat


(how else?) and finds an amazing treasure which proves instrumental in enabling her to become Rainbow Grey, a Weatherling with her very own amazing powers and mulitcoloured hair. Her problems are just beginning however as before she has a chance to get to grips with her new powers, she has to put them to use to save the world from a terrible storm and simultaneously


contend with an


unexpected foe. This is a lively story with a fully imagined alternative world,


an


entertaining collection of characters and a brave heroine.


The glimpses


of artwork available in the proof copy reviewed suggest a similarly lively style in the illustration too. The first of a brand-new series


own friends can create snow spells 26 Books for Keeps No.248 May 2021


from Laura Ellen Anderson likely to be eagerly received by fans of her popular Amelia Fang stories. Mc


Rumaysa: A Fairytale HHHH


Radiya Hafiza, illus Rhaida El Touny, Macmillan Children’s Books, 240pp, 978-1529038309, £6.99 pbk


Three interlinked fairytales form


the heart of this sparkling story, all reimagined in fresh and exciting new ways. It opens with the Rapunzel story, adapted to become the tale of Rumaysa, spirited away and locked in a high tower by wicked witch, Cordelia. A prince arrives to rescue her but by then Rumaysa has already made her escape, weaving a hijab long enough to reach the ground and climbing down it to freedom. With newly discovered magical skills and a magic necklace passed on by the prince, Rumaysa next finds herself helping Cinderayla, oppressed by a wicked step-mother and longing to go to the ball. Again Radiya Hafiza makes the story her own, so that by the end we feel sorry for the step-mum, despite her cruel behaviour, while Ayla has decided that the prince isn’t nearly as nice as he seemed at the ball and far too much of a snob to marry (even if she was old enough). The final story is another adaptation, this time


of Sleeping


Beauty, in which the sleeping princess is stolen away by a dragon, rescued by Rumaysa and returns home realising that, if you want to govern people properly, it pays to make sure you know them and understand how they live their lives. Hafiza puts a definite 21st century spin on the stories and the last thing any of these girls want is a husband, but it’s refreshing and welcome too that the central characters are Asian and the setting a glorious mix of magic and South Asia. Full of humour and charm, and a real page-turner too, this fairytale retelling is highly recommended. LS


Digger and Me HHHH


Ros Roberts, Little Tiger, 180pp, 9781788953207, £6.99 pbk


This moving, warm-hearted story


explores the importance of family, love, friendship and finding a way to communicate emotions and fears. The narrator, 11-year-old James, has had a lot to deal with; his parents have split up and both have new partners, his Uncle Bobby has died of cancer and he is soon to start a new school. The constant in James’ life is his beloved dog Digger, his support through challenging times. So, when James finds a lump on Digger’s leg and his dog faces cancer treatment, James’ world falls apart. James’


feelings of isolation are powerfully anger and conveyed;


however, he does have a network of support, a loving family, a close friend, and an inspirational teacher who encourages


James’ class to


write poetry thus allowing James to express his feelings in a creative way.


Ros Roberts skilfully portrays


the complexity and strength of family relationships and the importance of a pet as James is gradually supported through a period of anxiety and


change. The poems written by James and his classmates are included and contribute greatly to the power of the story, showing the impact that an empathetic, inspirational teacher can have. Free writing is close to the author’s heart and the book ends with some blank, lined pages to encourage readers to write their own poems. This poignant, empathetic, and


well-observed tale of a boy and his dog should appeal to 8+ fans of family and animal stories. SR


Harklights HHH


Tim Tilley, ill. Tim Tilley, Usborne, 304pp, 978147966603, £7.99, pbk


It would be hard to find a story more up to the minute than this. Harklights is a fantasy, written and illustrated by Tim Tilley, in which the organic and mechanised world are in archetypal conflict. Wick lives in an orphanage which doubles as a match factory ruled over by the dreadful Ma Bogey, who feeds the orphans a staple diet of porridge and whose punishment for those who get out of line is to throw them down the bottomless well. Wick escapes with the help of the Hobs, a tiny people who live in the surrounding woodland and are led by Pa Herne. The Hobs call themselves a tribe. They look after the forest and its creatures, talk in an appealing, possibly rural, accent, travel by blackbird, and welcome all comers, big or small; not unlike a friendly band of HS2 protestors (apart from the blackbirds and talking to wood sprites, I assume). They quickly become a new family for Wick, teach him the ways of the forest, including that even small people can make a big difference, and to observe the two forest laws: protect the forest and never harm a living thing. He even has the promise of earning the green cloak of the “Forest Keeper”. Of course, life doesn’t continue to be so pleasant for too long. A monster is chewing up the forest (and the Hobs). It must be tracked down and stopped; and the other orphans are still to be rescued from the match factory and the threat of the bottomless well. So, there’s a lot happening in the last few chapters to sort these things out. To some jaded (old) adult sensibilities (well mine anyway) this might all be a bit pat and worthy. But you can hardly disagree with the sentiment and, as a way of introducing the under tens to enjoying and looking after nature, it’s an enjoyable magical adventure. CB


Me and the Robbersons HHHHH


Siri Kolu, trans Ruth Urbom, Little Tiger, 160pp, 9781788953177 £6.99 pbk


“I was stolen the first week in June…” – Maisie on the way to what promises to be the worst family day out ever, is suddenly snatched from the car and finds herself travelling into an amazing summer of heists, mayhem, friendship – and sweets! She has


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