Mr Ripley's Children's Book Picks Jan 2024 UK - Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books

 

Mary Averling - The Curse of Eelgrass Bog

Published by Razorbill (2 Jan. 2024)

Hardback - ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0593624906

Age: 8+

Dark secrets and unnatural magic abound when a twelve-year-old girl ventures into a bog full of monsters to break a mysterious curse.

Nothing about Kess Pedrock's life is normal. Not her home (she lives in her family's Unnatural History Museum), not her interests (hunting for megafauna fossils and skeletons), and not her best friend (a talking demon's head in a jar named Shrunken Jim). 

But things get even stranger than usual when Kess meets Lilou Starling, the new girl in town. Lilou comes to Kess for help breaking a mysterious curse--and the only clue she has leads straight into the center of Eelgrass Bog. 

Everyone knows the bog is full of witches, demons, and possibly worse, but Kess and Lilou are determined not to let that stop them. As they investigate the mystery and uncover long-buried secrets, Kess begins to realize that the curse might hit closer to home than she'd ever expected, and she'll have to summon all her courage to find a way to break it before it's too late.

Jess French - Beastlands: Race to FrostFall Mountain 

Published by Piccadilly Press (18 Jan. 2024)

Paperback - ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1800784062

Age: 9+ 

• BEFORE THERE WERE PEOPLE, THERE WERE BEASTS . . .
  
  The island of Ramoa was once luscious and populated with mighty beasts. Now though, it is home to barren and tamed cities, where nature is locked out and trouble is brewing.
  
  When Kayla's beloved animal companion, a rare winged pangron, is stolen, she's determined to get him back. But to do so, she'll have to leave her city and journey into the wild and forbidden Beastlands. 
  
  There, she meets Rustus, an exiled young warrior, and Alethea, a healer desperately seeking a cure for a mysterious disease. As their quests unite them, they'll adventure across the lands they know so little about, leading them to discoveries both great and terrifying. Not least that the beasts they've always been taught to fear might not be so terrifying after all...

Iszi Lawrence - City of Spies

Published by Bloomsbury Education (4 Jan. 2024)

Paperback - ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1801991014

Age: 8+

It's 1780 and the struggle for American independence is raging. In New York, twelve-year-old Aiden
Blaise is sure that the British will win soon. How can a few rebel colonies hold out against the might of the British crown? And anyway he's more concerned with somehow managing to rise above his lot in life and make his fortune. 

But New York is a powder keg of soldiers and spies, and soon Aiden will be drawn into the fight for freedom in a way he could never have predicted...

Packed with historical detail and tales of the Culper Spy Ring, Benedict Arnold, James Rivington and George Washington, this page-turning thriller about the American War of Independence will have young readers gripped.

Anna Rainbow - Diamond Jack: Your Magic or Your Life

Published by Chicken House (4 Jan. 2024)

Paperback - ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1913322724

Age: 8+

An action-packed swashbuckling tale for readers aged 8 and up! 

While helping in Grandpa's shop, Bramble discovers a strange scarlet mask. A tingling in her fingers tells her to try it on, but when she does she can't take it off . . .

And when she looks in the mirror, the face of a famous highwayman Diamond Jack stares back. 

It seems Bramble has been chosen for a mission. Time to stand and deliver – your magic or your life! READ EXTRACT HERE! 

Lindsey Whitlock - The Collective - Book Review

This is the debut book by American author Lindsey Whitlock. The Collective will be published by Pushkin Children's Books on the 29th of August 2019. The book supports an interesting book cover but, in my opinion, this does not really reflect the story inside. Nevertheless, after reading the synopsis I was subtly intrigued about the plot. This book is not something that I would normally choose to pick up and read for pleasure, however, I'm very glad the publisher sent me a copy to review - thank you. 

The book is set in America after a civil war in which the country becomes very much divided. The narrative is evocative and set in the traditional community of Badfish Creek. It is a coming of age novel centered around a young boy (Elwyn) who longs for change and the chance to leave his a rural background behind him. When his uncle offers him the chance to leave his rural roots behind, he jumps at the opportunity as he is eager to move to Liberty to gain an education and become part of a flourishing world. 

I loved the historical snapshot from a time period so far removed from our very own. It really depicted the differences and traditions between urban and rural life at this time. For me, it captured the essence really well which trickled over me like droplets of freshwater over the tongue. It quenched the fantasy thirst whilst hurtling along the climatic journey of Elwyn - dazzled by the promise of a bright future. The book really tackles the important issues of responsibility, belonging and growing up in a world where things do not always go according to plan. 

This is a fantastically engaging and thought-provoking novel; it's very different from traditional books published in the UK. The book is emotionally charged and will easily suck you in with its charming setting and naive outlook on life. Has Elwyn been blinded by his new future as events threaten the world and the people he has left behind? The story soon becomes a great fight for survival against the powerful and the rich highlighting the true meaning of home, family, and loyalty.

This is a great teenage read; deep and meaningful that will leave a residue of feelings and emotions behind. It's a book that raises a lot of topical questions in a world of displacement. A highly recommended read if you are looking for something different and interesting.  

Adam Gopnik - The Steps Across The Water - Book Review

                       


Then one day in Central Park, Rose sees something truly extraordinary: a crystal staircase rising out of the lake, and two small figures climbing the shimmering steps before vanishing like a mirage. Only it's wasn't a mirage. Rose is being watched--recruited--by representatives of U Nork, a hidden city far more spectacular than its sister city New York. In U Nork, Dirigibles and zeppelins skirt dazzling skyscrapers that would dwarf the Crysler building. Impeccably dressed U Norkers glide along the sidewalks in roller skates. Rose can hardly take it all in.


This book is beautifully written. It's a heart-warming tale of Rose, a young girl caught up in a mystery, from the moment she sees a crystal staircase rising out of the lake. The book is reminiscent of the last book that I read by Adam "The King In The Window", which was equally as good. However, in this book the world of U Nork is a habitation of imaginable skill, it's so wonderfully detailed that you feel like you're in your own bubble, as you take a trip through familiar landmarks, but of course with a twist.


It has a fairytale-like quality - in fact it's like wandering through an old classic book written by one of the great writers. However, the book also focuses on the darker elements, through the Ice Queen who sets out on a revenge mission to destroy the city. Whilst evil continues to play a significant role within the Sin Trail Park, which is actually based on Central Park.


However, the book also has a wacky side to it through the character of Mr Murphy, who is a crazy person seeing the world through different eyes. This craziness is also developed through the city of U Nork, where the waiters fire meals directly into your mouth. These are fired across the street, from air pressured cannons, to the awaiting customer.


However, the book also deals with serious issues - the feeling of being different. Rose and her brother having to save the world that they know little about and the issue of her being adopted, when she was just two years old.


This book shows an inventive world that has been captured by a great talent. Adam tells such a great story that it will have everyone hooked. The beautiful illustrations created by Bruce McCall, capture and feed the imagination alongside the narrative. 


Book Published by Hyperion Books - November 2010