Caleb Krisp - Anyone but Ivy Pocket Guest Blog Tour ( THE BIRTH OF AN ANTI-HEROINE )

Many thanks to Caleb Krisp for dropping by Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books to tell us about the THE BIRTH OF AN ANTI-HEROINE. What a character she is.....what do you think?


How I came to write IVY POCKET is actually a heartwarming tale - for years I had devoted myself to writing. I lived and breathed my work, crafting stories that were heartbreakingly moving, bone shatteringly brilliant and entirely in Latin. Naturally, it was a cruel shock when the publishing world rejected one book after another. At the very moment I was struggling with my latest literary failure - a nine hundred page masterpiece on the history of butter - my beloved housekeeper, Mrs Cuttlefish, took a creative writing course via correspondence. The deluded fossil was convinced she had a gift for writing and from time to time she would ask for my expert opinion. Her stories were terrible. Until last winter, when Mrs Cuttlefish presented me with the first five chapters of a new novel - the tale of a twelve year old maid by the name of Ivy Pocket. To my amazement, it wasn't completely awful. In fact, it was rather good. 

A few months later she showed me the finished manuscript. What she had written needed work, but it was fresh and funny and slightly wicked. Here was a character who was plucky and optimistic, but also incorrigible, delusional, loose with the truth, infuriating and utterly bonkers. I knew that with my help, my bone-headed housekeeper was destined to find great success with "Anyone But Ivy Pocket" Was I jealous? Not at all! I was delighted for the haggard old bat.

Mrs Cuttlefish confessed she hadn't showed her manuscript to a soul, apart from me. Which was frightfully interesting. One evening I decided to do a little gardening - digging and whatnot. It took several hours, but I managed to dig a rather impressive hole. By a remarkable coincidence, it matched the exact dimensions of Mrs Cuttlefish. 

Unfortunately, my watch must have fallen off as I was gardening. So I asked Mrs Cuttlefish to come outside and help me find it. She seemed to have misplaced her glasses, which was regrettable. She stumbled about in the dark for at least fifteen minutes, before plummeting into the hole. What are the odds?  

I shone the torch into the hole, fully prepared to rescue the kind-hearted nincompoop. Which was terribly selfish of me. For as I watched her lying there, I couldn't deny how remarkably contented she looked. And as she was old and had a vast collection of ceramic frogs, I felt the kindest thing to do was cover her over with some soil and plant a rose bush (which is flowering beautifully, by the way)

Being a magnificent sort of person, I quickly decided that the only way to honour Mrs Cuttlefish's memory was to make a few improvements to her book, remove her name from the manuscript and replace it with my own. Then send it out into the world. The rest is literary history. And I know for a fact that Mrs Cuttlefish is delighted by my success, for she haunts my cottage with great enthusiasm. In fact, I am hoping that once she stops shaking the walls and throwing pots at my head, she will help me write the next adventure of Ivy Pocket. A happy ending all around.

Other blog tour posts: Caleb Krisp - Author Interview - My Book Corner 
John Kelly, the illustrator for Anyone But Ivy Pocket - MinerrvaReads
You can read my review of Anyone But Ivy Pocket - HERE

Kerr Thomson - The Sound of Whales - Book Review (Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books)

Book Synopsis: Three children are spending their summer on a wild Scottish island. Fraser is desperate for adventure; Hayley is fed up she's even there; while Dunny spends his days staring out to sea. He hasn't said a word in years. But everything changes with the discovery of two bodies on the beach: a whale and a man. Fraser and Hayley see a mystery-adventure to be solved, but Dunny is inconsolable. And in the end, it will take someone who listens to the sea to put it right.

Book Review: This book was the winner of The Times/Chicken House Children's Fiction Competition 2014. I may not have read all the entries, most of them might not even have the chance to be published, but I'm really glad that this was given the opportunity. It is a deserved winner in my eyes as it is beautifully written. 

Immediately, I felt a strong connection with this book as it brought back many great memories of my personal time exploring remote Scottish Islands. Nothing beats this experience, in my opinion. I was immersed in landscape and natural beauty portrayed particularly well by Kerr. The setting is a very important element of this book. 

Following the narrative, I was gently placed into the lives and place of the characters. The story could be set at any point in time, even though some of the issues explored in the book might be more relevant today. Many important themes are encountered in this book, which will actually make you think about the world. The focus on the love of whales, exploration, the importance of the environment and our relationship with animals. 

As you ramble along the Scottish coast in this book, a mystery thriller unfolds for the three children. A body of a deadman washes up on the shore and changes their lives dramatically . . . . . forever!

There are so many great things that I enjoyed about this book. The slight romantic and carefree feel; an innocent outlook that gently caresses the mind - just like the sea lapping at my feet on a warm sunny day. The three main characters worked really well, even though they are all so different. I was drawn particularly to the character of Dunny who hasn't spoken in years and suffers from mild autism. Each page that you read the more unpredictable his actions and reactions become, this gives a slight psychological edge to the story that I really loved.

How would I summarise this book in order to encourage yo to read it? Well, it's a mystery thriller on a Scottish Island. An atmospheric and magical tale of friendship but with serious issues explored in a cruel world of humanity. Inspired by nature, this book encompasses many great twists and turns. This is a very original debut read and one not to be missed. This is a book that should be read and will be loved by many - my recommendation for April 2015. 

Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books: New Middle Grade Children's Book Picks - April 2015 UK Post Two.

Piers Torday - The Wild Beyond (Last Wild Trilogy 3) - Published by Quercus Children's Books (2 April 2015)
The final heart-stopping instalment of the bestselling, award-winning The Last Wild trilogy.
This is the story of a boy named Kester. He has brought the animals of his world back from the brink of disaster, and he believes there is hope on the other side. And, he might just be right, because:

1. The last blue whale on the planet is calling to him.

2. His animal allies are ready for one last fight.

3. Out there, somewhere, a brave mouse holds the key to the future…

Victoria Scott - Salt & Stone - (Fire & Flood) - Published by Chicken House Ltd (2 April 2015)
One hundred and twenty-two began. Only forty-one remain. Tella's made it through the first terrains of the Brimstone Bleed - but the contest isn't over yet. If she wants to save her brother, she must face oceans and icy mountains, all for the chance of winning the Cure. And even if Tella survives these deadly places, the greatest threat will still be her fellow Contenders - even the ones she trusts the most.

Melissa Grey - The Girl at Midnight - Published by Atom (28 April 2015)

Beneath the streets of New York City live the Avicen, an ancient race of people with feathers for hair and magic running through their veins. Age-old enchantments keep them hidden from humans. All but one. Echo is a runaway pickpocket who survives by selling stolen treasures on the black market, and the Avicen are the only family she's ever known.

Echo is clever and daring, and at times she can be brash, but above all else she's fiercely loyal. So when a centuries-old war crests on the borders of her home, she decides it's time to act.

Legend has it that there is a way to end the conflict once and for all: find the Firebird, a mythical entity believed to possess power the likes of which the world has never seen. It will be no easy task, but if life as a thief has taught Echo anything, it's how to hunt down what she wants . . . and how to take it.

But some jobs aren't as straightforward as they seem. And this one might just set the world on fire.

Alan Snow - Worse Things Happen at Sea - Published by OUP Oxford (2 April 2015)

The people of Ratbridge are going crazy for the amazing miracle medicine, Black Jollop. But disaster strikes when it looks as though the powerful pick-me-up is running out! It's up to Arthur and his friends on board the Nautical Laundry to journey afar to gather the secret ingredient.  It's excitement ahoy in this madcap story, full of hilarious and outrageous characters, including the loveable Boxtrolls who are now the stars of a major film The Boxtrolls.

Caleb Krisp by Anyone But Ivy Pocket - Book Review (Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books)

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Book Synopsis: Ivy Pocket is a twelve-year-old maid of no importance, with a very lofty opinion of herself. Dumped in Paris by the Countess Carbunkle, who would rather run away to South America than continue in Ivy's companionship, our young heroine (of sorts) finds herself with no money and no home to go to ... until she is summoned to the bedside of the dying Duchess of Trinity.

For the princely sum of £500 (enough to buy a carriage, and possibly a monkey), Ivy agrees to courier the Duchess's most precious possession - the Clock Diamond - to England, and to put it around the neck of the revolting Matilda Butterfield on her twelfth birthday. It's not long before Ivy finds herself at the heart of a conspiracy involving mischief, mayhem and murder.

Who can you rely on to deliver a priceless diamond to a revolting aristocrat?

Book Review: You'll never feel the same again once you've read this book. Following the unfortunate events of Ivy Pocket will surely leave you feeling unhinged in a rather odd way. Miss Exaggeration is a feisty twelve-year-old full of grand delusions on a massive scale. I still can't help thinking about her days and days after I've finished reading the book. She is certainly a one of a kind character; her exuberant personality is very infectious. I think that all of these attributes may make her one of my favourite new characters of the moment. 

The story is pure mayhem containing a rip cord of crazy events that will skip by you in a blur of pure imagination and great storytelling. This book is full of mild violence which is timely interspaced with some bizarre action moments.You will find yourself laughing one minute at the absurd things Ivy Pocket says and does. The next thing you will be cringing at her brutal honesty and bitter words. However, this creates brilliant reading and is really engaging.

It's very whimsical - full of irony and wicked intentions. I loved the gothic feel that came through which is very reminiscent to Lemony Snicket. Fans of these books will surely love reading this one as well. 

This is a very quirky read and will surely be a future bestseller. It's already been scooped up by many publishers up and down the country. I loved every page of this book. It is a journey full of self discovery both for the characters and readers alike. 

In my opinion, this is a book that any reluctant reader will sink their teeth into and enjoy. The finished copy includes a superb collection of illustrated images by the talented illustrator John Kelly, which adds to this book to create an overall great reading experience. 

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  UK Hardcover: 320 pages - Publisher: Bloomsbury Childrens (9 April 2015)
• ISBN-10: 1408858630 Age: 8-12 yrs

Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books: New Middle Grade Children's Book Picks - April 2015 UK Post One.

Joe Ducie - Crystal Force - Published by Hot Key Books (2 April 2015)
On the run after escaping from what was supposed to be the world's most secure juvenile facility (and blowing it up in the process), Will Drake knows it's only a matter of time before the sinister Alliance catches up with him. But Drake is in need of an alliance of his own - knowing who to trust is becoming increasingly difficult, and after having been exposed to the highly unstable (and potentially deadly) Crystal-X whilst fleeing from the Rig, it looks like time might be running out for him all together. His arm has started to mutate into an impenetrable black crystal, and although it gives him a superhuman-like ability to fight, it might also be causing him to lose his mind. Surrounded by enemies and desperate for help, Drake and his escapee comrades are forced to form an uneasy partnership with a mysterious group who also claim to have been exposed to Crystal-X. They say they know how to use its powers for good - but can Drake really keep running forever? And who should he trust more - his supposed friends, or the voices in his head...?

Julie Hunt - Song for a Scarlet Runner - Published by Allen & Unwin Children's Books (9 April 2015)
Peat is on the run - forced to flee for her life when she's blamed for bringing bad luck to her village. She heads for the endless marshes, where she's caught by an old healer-woman who makes Peat her apprentice and teaches her the skill of storytelling. But a story can be a dangerous thing. It can take you out of one world and leave you stranded in another - and Peat finds herself trapped in an eerie place beyond the Silver River where time stands still. Her only friends are a 900-year-old boy and his ghost hound, plus a small and slippery sleek a cunning creature that might sink his teeth into your leg one minute, and save your life the next.

Django Wexler - The Mad Apprentice (Forbidden Library 2)  - Published by Corgi Childrens (7 May 2015)

Old Readers are supposed to live for ever, magically inhabiting the spaces between stories. They’re not supposed to die. But they can be murdered. When an ancient Reader is killed, seemingly by his own apprentice, the hierarchy of the magical world tumbles and its spider web of alliances begin to unravel.

Now it’s up to Alice and the remaining apprentices to sort out the mess and catch the murderer. But the world is changing all around them. Things are not as they seem. It’s almost as if they are trapped in a strange sort of labyrinth . . .

Sam Gayton - Hercufleas - Published by Andersen Press (2 April 2015)

Greta is a girl on a mission: to venture to Avalon and bring back a hero who can save her home from destruction by the monstrous giant Yuk. Many heroes have tried before now. Many have failed. What Greta needs is a hero whose courage and self-belief are greater than himself. She needs Hercufleas. The only problem: he is a flea, no bigger than a raisin. But the smallest person might just have the biggest effect . . .

Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books: M . G. Harris - Gerry Anderson's Gemini Force 1: Black Horizon - Book Review

GERRY ANDERSON’S GEMINI FORCE ONE is soon to be published by Orion Children’s Books in April 2015. After a fantastic Kickstarter campaign, 600 loyal Anderson fans made this project a reality. The material remained untouched, but not forgotten, after the sad death of Gerry Anderson in 2012 until Jamie and his family approached M.G. Harris. She was tasked to continue the fictional world of rescue writing. As a result, the vision of Gerry Anderson's creations have been brought back to modern day life.

This has to be the one of the most anticipated books this year. Gemini Force is the first book in a trilogy to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the first broadcast of THUNDERBIRDS. There are two more books to come: 'Ghost Mine' in September 2015 and the final book in Spring 2016. Hopefully the book will be turned into a screen project, so that Anderson's legendary and iconic pioneering skills are shared with the world once more. 

GF1 is a fantastic mix of new and old. M.G. Harris has done an amazing job developing Anderson's trademark formula of ADVENTURE and RESCUE to inspire a new generation of fans. Whilst also enabling old fans like me to buzz back to my childhood days. It has everything that you would want and expect from a five star book. You'll soon find yourself rocketing to Tracey Island once you start this epic adventure. 

Ben Carrington is a 16 year old boy who is coming to terms with the death of his father. His grief propels him into the biggest adventure that a boy could ever imagine. In my opinion, the main character is written quite vaguely and may need to be further established in the next book. 

Gemini Force is an elite organisation that has been established by a rich entrepreneur. It is a secret organisation with the key aim of providing rescue services. Ben is determined to become part of that team, but he needs to prove to his mother first that he has got what it takes. 

The story arc in the first book is true to Anderson's magical ethics in every way. There is ACTION and drama in abundance. The cool technology is written particularly well and contains lots of detailed information. In other books this can sometimes be missed out or only briefly mentioned, but M. G. Harris utilises the opportunity to enhance the story effectively. 

The other quirky characters find themselves in a race against the clock - human limits are pushed through many exhilarating missions. The author holds no punches in the plot; things don't always go well and happy endings are not necessarily guaranteed. However, this is what makes this book so good - don't expect the expected! 

This series will definitely appeal to readers who love fast-paced action. Readers of the Young James Bond series and Alex Rider series should definitely search out this book. Older readers will find themselves reminiscing about the brilliant creations from Stingray, Captain Scarlet, UFO and the Terrahawks. I remember watching and enjoying all of these many years ago; each still have a little part to play in the book, but with a modern day update. This book will keep you on all of your toes as it full of many nail biting moments.  

LET THE ACTION GO....

Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books: Children's Middle Grade Book Picks - April 2015 - US Post Two

Holly Grant - The League of Beastly Dreadfuls - Published by Random House Books for Young Readers (April 28, 2015)

A creepy Victorian house, secretive aunties, and a great escape combine in this debut that is part Mysterious Benedict Society, part Roald Dahl, and all quirky, smart, hilarious storytelling. Join the League. . . .
 
Anastasia is a completely average almost-eleven-year-old. That is, UNTIL her parents die in a tragic vacuum-cleaner accident. UNTIL she’s rescued by two long-lost great-aunties. And UNTIL she’s taken to their delightful and, er, “authentic” Victorian home, St. Agony’s Asylum for the Criminally Insane.

But something strange is going on at the asylum. Anastasia soon begins to suspect that her aunties are not who they say they are. So when she meets Ollie and Quentin, two mysterious brothers, the three join together to plot their great escape!

Kate Hannigan - The Detective's Assistant - Published by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers (April 7, 2015) 
The incredible tale of America's first ever female detective and her spirited niece!

Eleven-year-old Nell Warne arrives on her aunt's doorstep lugging a heavy sack of sorrows. If her Aunt Kate rejects her, it's the miserable Home for the Friendless.

Luckily, canny Nell makes herself indispensable to Aunt Kate...and not just by helping out with household chores. For Aunt Kate is the first-ever female detective employed by the legendary Pinkerton Detective Agency. And Nell has a knack for the kind of close listening and bold action that made Pinkerton detectives famous in Civil War-era America. With huge, nation-changing events simmering in the background, Nell uses skills new and old to uncover truths about her past and solve mysteries in the present.

Based on the extraordinary true story of Kate Warne, this fast-paced adventure recounts feats of daring and danger...including saving the life of Abraham Lincoln!

Stuart Gibbs - Evil Spy School - Published by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers (April 21, 2015)
When Ben gets kicked out of the CIA’s spy school, he enrolls with the enemy. This companion to Spy School and Spy Camp is rife with action, adventure, and espionage.During a spy school game of Capture the Flag, twelve-year-old Ben Ripley somehow accidentally shoots a live mortar into the principal’s office—and immediately gets himself expelled. Not long after going back to the boring old real world, Ben gets recruited by evil crime organization SPYDER.

And he accepts.

As a new student in SPYDER’s evil spy school, which trains kids to become bad guys with classes like Counter Counterespionage and Laying Low 101, Ben does some secret spying of his own. He’s acting as unofficial undercover agent, and it becomes quickly apparent that SPYDER is planning something very big—and very evil.

Ben can tell he’s a key part of the plan, but he’s not quite sure what the plan is. Can Ben figure out what SPYDER is up to—and get word to the good guys without getting caught—before it’s too late?

Fonda Lee - Zeroboxer - Published by Flux (April 8, 2015) AGE 12+

A rising star in the weightless combat sport of zeroboxing, Carr “the Raptor” Luka dreams of winning the championship title. Recognizing his talent, the Zero Gravity Fighting Association assigns Risha, an ambitious and beautiful Martian colonist, to be his brandhelm––a personal marketing strategist. It isn’t long before she’s made Carr into a popular celebrity and stolen his heart along the way.

As his fame grows, Carr becomes an inspirational hero on Earth, a once-great planet that’s fallen into the shadow of its more prosperous colonies. But when Carr discovers a far-reaching criminal scheme, he becomes the keeper of a devastating secret. Not only will his choices put everything he cares about in jeopardy, but they may also spill the violence from the sports arena into the solar system. 

Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books: Children's Middle Grade Book Picks - April 2015 - US Post One

Michael Northrop -  Amulet Keepers (TombQuest BK2) - Published by Scholastic Press (April 28, 2015)
Strange things are happening in London. Red rain is flooding the streets. People are going missing. And someone's opening graves in Highgate Cemetery . . .
 
Only Alex and his best friend, Ren, suspect the truth: a Death Walker, a powerful ancient Egyptian evil, is behind the chaos. Their quest to bring him down takes them from New York to London, and from the land of the living to the deep underground tombs of the long dead. Will they be in time to stop the Death Walker before he gets too powerful . . . or will the tombs claim them, too? Read the book, then continue the adventure online! Build an Egyptian tomb of your own, hide treasure and protect it with traps, then challenge your friends to break in.

Sharon Cameron - Rook - Published by Scholastic Press (April 28, 2015)
Centuries after a shifting of the Earth's poles, the Sunken City that was once Paris is in the grips of a revolution. All who oppose the new regime are put to the blade, except for those who disappear from their prison cells, a red-tipped rook feather left in their place. Is the mysterious Red Rook a savior of the innocent or a criminal?

Meanwhile, across the sea in the Commonwealth, Sophia Bellamy's arranged marriage to the wealthy René Hasard is the last chance to save her family from ruin. But when the search for the Red Rook comes straight to her doorstep, Sophia discovers that her fiancé is not all he seems. Which is only fair, because neither is she. 

As the Red Rook grows bolder and the stakes grow higher, Sophia and René find themselves locked in a tantalizing game of cat and mouse.

Ursula Vernon - Castle Hangnail - Published by Dial Books (April 21, 2015)
From the creator of Dragonbreath comes a tale of witches, minions, and one fantastic castle, just right for fans of Roald Dahl and Tom Angleberger.

When Molly shows up on Castle Hangnail's doorstep to fill the vacancy for a wicked witch, the castle's minions are understandably dubious. After all, she is twelve years old, barely five feet tall, and quite polite. (The minions are used to tall, demanding evil sorceresses with razor-sharp cheekbones.) But the castle desperately needs a master or else the Board of Magic will decommission it, leaving all the minions without the home they love. So when Molly assures them she is quite wicked indeed (So wicked! REALLY wicked!) and begins completing the tasks required by the Board of Magic for approval, everyone feels hopeful. Unfortunately, it turns out that Molly has quite a few secrets, including the biggest one of all: that she isn't who she says she is.

This quirky, richly illustrated novel is filled with humor, magic, and an unforgettable all-star cast of castle characters.

R. L. Stine - Don't Stay Up Late: A Fear Street Novel - Published by St. Martin's Griffin (April 7, 2015)

In the small town of Shadyside, don't stay up late, because horrible things can happen...Both day and night, Lisa Brooks is plagued with nightmares and hallucinations. Could they be caused by the horrifying accident that landed her in the hospital for weeks? When Lisa finds out that a neighbor is looking for a babysitter for her little boy, Lisa jumps at the chance to keep busy and take her mind off of her troubling thoughts. But then the murders start -- and her friends begin dying one by one. Are Lisa's nightmares coming true? Find out in the next installment of R.L. Stine's Fear Street series, Don't Stay Up Late.