By Sharna Jackson (pub. Puffin Books, 2024)
Continue reading “The Nine Night Mystery | Book Review”I’m at our neighbour Rachel’s house in her room. I just dropped a paintbrush she asked me for on her floor, and she didn’t do or say anything when it rolled under the bed.
Not because she’s asleep or lazy.
But because she’s dead.
Rachel Kohl. Dead in her bed.
Welcome to our third monthly book recommendations post! For some reason, last month was picture book heavy, though with a good mix of non-fiction and fiction – and many of them carry important messages we can all benefit from. Here’s what we read during May 2024!
Continue reading “Monthly Book Recommendations: May 2024”
This month’s review brings together two books that have a similar theme: both are from the perspective of a younger sibling dealing with an older sibling who is missing from their life, though the circumstances around it, and how they deal with it, are approached very differently.
Continue reading “Bringing Back Kay-Kay / The Tree That Sang to Me | Double Review”
Welcome to our second monthly book recommendations post! April was a busy month for us and books, with so many different topics and stories passing through our hands. Here’s what we read during April 2024!
Continue reading “Monthly Book Recommendations: April 2024”
By Rebecca F. John (pub. Firefly Press, 2022)
Continue reading “The Shadow Order | Book Review”Throwing out her arms and tossing back her head, she shouts again. ‘I know what happened! If anyone can hear me, listen carefully. It’s a game. It’s the Unified Government’s game. They’re playing with our lives. They shifted the shadows. I can prove it. I can prove it and they’ll kill me for it. Listen!’ Her voice catches as she strains to bellow as loudly as possible. Effie feels an ache in her own throat, imagining the woman’s vocal chords stretching and snapping. ‘LISTEN! Find the orrery!’
Welcome to our first monthly book recommendations post! We realised that we read SO many books that we simply don’t have time to fully review, but still want to share with the world. So going forward, we’re hoping to do a post at the start of each month, covering what we read last month. Here’s our books from March 2024!
Continue reading “Monthly Book Recommendations: March 2024”
By Maria Kuzniar, with illustrations by Nakul P. (published by Puffin Books, 2024)
Continue reading “The Girl Who Dreamed in Magic | Book Review”‘The girl will dream magic.’ Her lined face drooped. ‘And she holds the fate of the North in her hands.’
By Julian Sedgwick and Chie Kutsuwada (published by Guppy Books, 2023)
Continue reading “100 Tales from the Tokyo Ghost Café | Book Review”“You think you can decide what is real and what is imaginary, what is alive and what is dead. But who is to decide who is alive and who is merely dreamed into existence? I listen to you lot argue about whether ghosts or fox spirits exist, and you forget to check how real you are.”
By Nicola Davies (published by Firefly Press)
The sounds of hard breathing and the scrunch of footfalls enclose them as they run. There are shouts behind, voices yelling orders, more shots. Harlon gives Xeno and Ash a stream of small orders and encouragements to stop them thinking.
In Harlon’s head, her ma’s voice speaks.
When you are in danger, the most dangerous thing is to wish you weren’t. Accept the reality of danger, then you can survive it.
Climb, she tells herself. Get away.
Continue reading “The Song That Sings Us | Book Review for Older Readers”
By Zillah Bethell (published by Usborne Publishing, 2023)
Continue reading “The Song Walker | Book Review”The bottle is removed from my lips. I try calling out for it to be returned, but then a hand – wet with water – runs over my brow, cooling my forehead. It feels so good.
“Wait here,” the voice says. “I will be back soon. A few minutes. Don’t move.”
I hear feet scrunching against the dirt. Running. Away from me. I raise my arms in the air. Please don’t go, I try saying, but nothing comes out of my mouth. Please stay. Don’t leave me alone here.
