The love of reading and collecting Children's Books.
About the Blog
Reading, rumbling and reviewing and collecting all children's books . . . from J.K Rowling to Philip Pullman, as well as up and coming authors. This is for like-minded enthusiasts, who are as passionate about modern-day children's authors as we are. So enjoy, communicate and share the love of books with us.
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The book is set in Scotland; deep in the Forest of Tay. There are no modern distractions in the story as it has been set in simple times when folklore, myths, and word of mouth ruled the day. Instead, all the cinematic action happens under the cover of darkness. We walk and run the gauntlet of fear and mystery as the locals are attacked and begin to disappear. Farmers' sheep are ravaged by a beast summoned by the mysterious people called 'Walkers in the Woods'.
The villain is a wealthy landowner, who chopped down large parts of the forest to build a hunting lodge. Whilst the two main protagonists (Callum and his master Fraser) hopefully come to save the day. Although, this does not quite go to plan!
The story is brilliantly fine-tuned with distractions, mayhem, and a slightly romantic involvement that pulls the story together. It's a great earthy story with a moral in the tale and a read that comes with a warning; Don't go into the FOREST. Enter at your PERIL. Do you DARE? What more can you want from a great Halloween read? So don't hesitate, buy yourself a copy and get stuck in. Maybe read it in a forest near you.
Welcome to Mr. Ripley's Enchanted Books and the chance to read our wonderful interview with debut author and illustrator Tim Tilley. Harklights has been published by Usborne Publishing and is our favourite book of May 2021. It is a fantastic illustrative delight. We've recently reviewed the book so if you fancy taking a look you can find the link HERE.
We are running a competition to give away a free copy on Twitter @Enchantedbooks please see the pinned Tweet. The competition ends 20th May 2021 and is open to the UK only.
We would like to thank Tim Tilley and Jacob Dow (Usborne Publishing) for taking the time to put this post together. We hope you enjoy it and have a great week.
Harklights is a fantastic debut novel. How would you describe it without using any part of the synopsis?
Harklights is full of nature, adventure, heart, and wrapped in magic. It is also filled with a message of hope, that you are never too small to make a difference.
How did you select the names for your characters?
The idea to give the orphans new names when they arrived at Harklights came from a trip to the Foundling Museum in London. Back when the place was the Foundling Hospital, mothers would leave their babies with swatches of fabric – cut from their dresses – which would fit into place if they were reunited. Mothers would also leave unique tokens. Some of these tokens were keys, rings, buttons, engraved coins, flattened thimbles, and padlocks.
The Hospital gave the babies new names too. There are some fantastic ones, such as John Tempest, Molly Lightfoot, Admiral Benbow, and Inigo Scotland.
If you were to write a spin-off about a side character, which would you pick?
I think all of the characters have their own stories to tell. I’ve already written a short story with Nissa, which is set before Wick arrives at Oakhome. But there are definitely opportunities for others. Petal is one of the few orphans who remembers her parents, so there’s lots to explore there.
There is an environmental element throughout this book. What was the influence of nature on the story?
I grew up with a love of getting close to nature. Some of my favourite places include The Forest of Dean, where my dad grew up, and Bradgdate Park, a medieval deer park north of Leicester. Bradgate has ancient oaks, many of which are hollow but still alive. My younger brother and I used to crawl inside and climb them, imagining they were wooden castles.
I’m a huge fan of the Usborne Spotter’s Guide series – field guides full of facts and information on the natural world. I remember one time, aged ten, filling an old fish tank with pond water and frogspawn, so we could watch the spawn turn from full stops into commas, then tadpoles and tiny frogs.
You studied illustration at Anglia Ruskin University. Did you ever think you would be writing and illustrating your own children's book?
I hoped so. The course had strong leanings into children’s books (this was before the fantastic MA Children’s Book Illustration course). We had children’s book authors and illustrators who came to visit and worked with us on a range of projects. Harklights itself, originally started life as a picture book.
The story sparked on a return trip to Bradgate Park. I was amazed to see that the hollow oaks, my brother and I had played in, half my life ago, were still alive. As we left, in the fading light, what appeared to a distant tree, stood up and revealed itself to be a stag. The moment burned in my mind and gave me the idea for Half Crown.
As a picture book, the story revolved around a boy meeting a tree-stag, but then a match factory orphanage came along, and then a baby in an acorn-shaped cradle, and suddenly the story grew and grew.
You have a magical theme in the book which in my opinion is not overly used. Was this the intention when you started writing the book?
Growing up, I always loved fairy tales and stories with magic in them, so it was inevitable that magic would wind up in some of my own stories. I loved The Box of Delights, the Narnia books, and James and the Giant Peach.
One of my favourite non-fiction books was – and still is – The Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable, that belonged to my grandmother. Brewers is packed full of history, myths, folk tales and legends. I loved going on afternoon adventures poring over the mottled pages.
Brewers wove its way into the roots of Harklights – the Hobs take their name from Hob, a Scottish household spirit. And Nissa’s name comes from Nisse, meaning gnome in Norwegian.
What comes first for you, the words or the illustrations?
Images always come first, whether I’m writing or illustrating. When writing, I always see the scenes as a movie playing out in my mind. Visualising the scenes comes easy, it’s putting them into words, and finding the perfect word, that takes time. When rewriting Harklights – after I decided it wasn’t a picture book – I made sketches along the way, but I didn’t set out to fully work on the illustrations until I’d finished the manuscript.
Are there any significant ways in which your book has changed since the first draft?
Lots of the story bones I set in place in the first draft still remain. However, the introduction of Nissa in the second draft, opened up the story in so many ways. Suddenly, Papa Herne had a daughter, who was quietly jealous that she was being side-lined when Wick arrived at Oakhome. Nox, the Hob who is wary of humans, was also introduced in the second draft. Both of these characters deepened the story and added lots of extra dimension to the plot. Not everyone wants to embrace change.
I'm a massive fan of illustrations. What do you think makes an illustration effective and why?
Growing up, I loved illustrated books and losing myself in their details. I especially loved Jill Barklem’s Brambly Hedge series, which took the magic miniaturisation of dolls houses and brought it to the countryside. Another favourite was The Troll Book by Michael Berenstain, an illustrated history and guide to trolls, filled with myths and information on their family life. One of my favourites illustrations was of a tall fir tree that was used as a look-out tower.
For me, an illustration is effective if it adds something to the text. This could be showing character action, reaction and interaction, but it could also show the setting and establish a mood.
I really love the book cover. Were you involved with the development or production of this? If so, how did it start life e.g. as a series of sketches or was it all done digitally etc? (It would be amazing if you could share any of these images with us!)
Thank you. I worked closely with Will and Sarah, the wonderful designers at Usborne, but we had feedback from everyone in the team, so the cover really took a village to raise. Interestingly, the cover illustration altered the story. The idea to have some of the Hob homes up in the branches was something that was evolved when developing the cover illustration. I then went back to the text and found ways to bring this into the story.
In terms of the process, everything started out as pencil sketches, then developed into final pencil drawings. I like to work with lots of drawn elements and textures, and then bring everything into Photoshop to work on.
We had lots of ideas for the cover, but we settled on the final design as we wanted to show Wick in the forest setting. I also developed the lettering for the cover, inspired by the tiles at Postman’s Park, near St. Pauls in London.
Could you tell us a bit about any of your upcoming projects?
I’ve just finished a new draft for Witchstorm. The story is set in the same world as Harklights, and focuses on a cast of new characters, but there’s a crossover. There’s a surprise appearance from ... I can’t say more, without giving anything away.
I'm delighted to be able to introduce another new title published on 6th May 2021 by Nosy Crow. This is the third middle-grade book by Kirsty Applebaum and for me the best one so far. The brilliant book cover has been illustrated by Matt Saunders and makes it very appealing. This for me has an intriguing premise and from the very start asks a lot of questions. What if you could save animals or human lives with the touch of your hand but every time you healed someone you got older? What if you got older more quickly if you saved a larger life, would you still do it? I thought this was a really interesting concept.
Of course, the quicker you got older would mean you had less time for yourself. How would you feel and what would you think as an older person looking at yourself in the mirror? I wonder how many people would actually forfeit some of their life if this was a possibility in the real world? Is it a gift or a curse? You have to decide as you walk the tight rope of tension and daily life.
Lonny, the main character, is a lifeling that is passed down from generation to generation. He has the power to heal any living creatures, but he has to be VERY careful and stay hidden with his family in the forest. Midge is his smaller brother but the relationship between them is rather sad and slightly bitter. Life has taken its toll on the family. Lonny dreams of travelling to amazing places and meeting new people. At this point, the buzzing starts again as his jaw vibrates which tells him something is dying nearby. How is he ever going to get the chance to visit these places when this keeps happening? Lonny is a very endearing and well-written character.
What can you expect from the story? The first thing is that it's a very earthy story that belongs to nature and human emotions. In my opinion, it is also a modern-day fairytale told with thought and emotion in a folkloric way. You'll find yourself investing your emotions in each of the characters as they make you think about yourself as a reader in the real world. Grandad made me particularly smile as he never leaves his bedroom and is always looking out of his bedroom with his binoculars.
The author has done a fantastic job of teasing the fantasy strands out of her head and applying them onto paper. She has a very creative and unique way of telling the narrative which is full of mystery, family secrets, and a yearning to have a normal life. It takes a philosophical look at how stories can shape us as readers and takes us on journeys without even leaving our home. I would have loved to have seen the story expanded upon in some areas. However, by keeping it trim, readers can fill in the gaps and develop their own opinions. It would be a really fantastic book to discuss as a group with so much to ponder over. I had no idea how the story would pan out - it kept me guessing throughout!
This is a chocolate delight of a book that will make waves in the literary world. It's a great seed for thought so grab a copy, read it and talk about it. Let the story fully blossom into a profound place in your heart.
This Easter we are Running wild with Wolf Brother in a Stone Age world we all want to be a part of again. The Eight Book will paw its way into the world published by Zephyr on the 1st April 2021. This is another great book in one of the best long-running series. Torak, Renn and Wolf are back in a dangerous and magical world. A mouth-watering adventure in their beloved forest.
It has been very well researched and is packed full of fantasy and adventure. All of which, is told in rich detail that makes your heart sing and your wolf soul dance in such a way that time disappears in no time at all. A dark shadow rises to a meteorite crescendo that will have readers hooked until the very last page. I'm looking forward to possibly the last book in the series in 2022. Another brilliant read!
In the Dark Time of midwinter, disaster strikes the Forest. Chaos rules. Bears woken from their dens prowl the shadowy valleys. Desperate clans battle for survival. Only demons thrive.
With their world in turmoil, Torak, Renn and Wolf are tested as never before. And as a new evil haunts the devastated land, Torak must risk his sanity, his life and even his souls to save everything he loves...
Skin Taker carries you back to the Stone Age, to nature, drawing you deeper into an astonishing environment and adventure which began with Wolf Brother.
Looking into this book cover is like looking into the star-lit future. Harklights will be published on 13th May 2021 by Usborne Publishing but it needs mentioning early so you can pop it on your pre-order list now. The author and illustrating duties are both by Tim Tilley, who has accomplished a dual spectacular from the illustrative and narrative point of view. A former Winner of the Joan Aiken Future Classic prize, Tim has now made his foray into a middle-grade fantasy where he will be noted for a truly reflective story. The proof copy is gorgeous but, of course, is missing some of the illustrations so I'm really looking FORWARD to seeing them in the finished copy.
The story feels like a Dickensian tale that meets the Borrowers with an environmental overtone. I thought it really worked and loved every minute of this book. In fact, I read it in virtually one sitting. It all begins at Harklights which is an Orphanage and Match Factory. All the children work for an old tyrant called Old Ma Bogey which is a fantastic name for a character. All the characters have new names to reflect the factory. Wick is one of the unfortunate characters who lives in this dark and dreadful place. They really are dire living conditions where the children work tirelessly with no way out. However, one day something happens out of the ordinary, a bird drops something beyond belief - a tiny baby in an acorn cradle.
From this point forward, the narrative takes on a wild turn of magical events that are both imaginative and captivating. Wick dreams of escaping but as midnight chimes he is visited by the Hobs (miniature protectors) and the guardians of the forest outside the factory. His dreams come true and he escapes on a magical tree stag where he finds happiness and love like he has never known. If this was a HAPPY fairytale the story would end here. However, that would not do as Old Ma Bogey woman has something else to say. With wickedness, a shotgun, and the willful destruction of the forest she leads us down a path that will leave you shivering with fear and trepidation as the story further unfolds.
This is a thrilling tale about the importance of looking after nature and the environment. It has a moralistic view of future innovation vs mankind's greed and cruelty. This heartwarming story is about family, friendship, and a message filled with hope. The amazing setting has a sparkling, magical theme that is not overly used.The only thing to ask is: are you ready to strike that match to pursue a fantasy bonfire that you will want to escape into? If so, then what are you waiting for? This is a story I would fully recommend - it's a real treat.
Viper's Daughter by Michelle Paver is out now, published by Zephyr (an imprint of Head of Zeus) priced £12.99 in hardback.
Viper's Daughteris the seventh book in the award-winning series that began withWolf Brother.
Selling over 3 million copies with a million copies sold in the UK
Published in 36 languages
Winner of The Guardian Children's Fiction Prize
WOLF BROTHER began the literature journey back in 2004 when the world was a different place for you, I and even the characters. The series continued with another five books, ending in 2009 with GHOST HUNTER. All explored the adventures and the troubles of Torak, Renn, Wolf, their friends and, of course, their enemies. I'm sure that many avid readers (like me) have held the characters in their fantasy hearts for all those years; they have lived on in spirit within us as we have not wanted them to disappear. Eleven years have now past and, finally, the characters have been brought to life once again. We have an exciting new adventure full of courage, hope and another dramatic quest to follow and indulge in. On opening VIPER'S DAUGHTER, my heart beat a little faster as I found myself at home once again. The spirits were awoken and continued to live on through another amazing adventure.
The sense of adventure and the human soul are captured with maturity. Michelle Paver's sense of adventure is an absolute joy to read; the landscape and the characters have come of age with her great passion for the outdoors and a great sense of history. The plot has a wonderful sense of drama that is captured in this new episode and could easily be read as a standalone story or as a continuation of this wonderful series. So, if you have not read any of the other books in the series then what can you expect?
A setting that is set deep in the past that will have you engrossed and intrigued;
Brilliant descriptive detail that transports you to that place and time;
Characters that are full of warmth, realistic, complex and yet still very relatable;
A plot full of action, drama and suspense.
The story is driven by morals, giving the reader a real sense of emotion and dilemma as it pulls the threads tightly through the eye of a storm. Especially, as the darker side of the story deepens and situations become more tricky to deal with. The book has been brilliantly researched - you can tell the author has visited the places depicted in the book. It really helps the readers to resonate with the setting as you visualise the places. The detail is really astounding and, at a time like this, it makes you feel as if you are outdoors in the wilderness living and breathing the story.
This is your chance to enter a world that will captivate and enthrall you with a large body of work that has already found many readers across the world. The book covers are all wonderful and look brilliant on any bookshelf! I believe another book in the series will be published midway in 2021. These are already a classic (in my opinion) but perhaps they will become even more widely known and cherished as they are being adapted for TELEVISION.
As part of this post, I have included the synopsis to give you an idea of what this book is about. There are also some YOUTUBE Videos for you to watch including an author talk and a reading by Sir Ian McKellen. Finally, I have embedded a link to obtain free readers' notes which are very useful, fun and a great tool for learning. I hope you really enjoy this post and extra materials. Please stay safe and be kind to each other.
A boy. A wolf. The legend lives on.
The world of Torak and Renn is that of six thousand years ago: after the Ice Age, but before farming spread to north-west Europe when the land was one vast Forest. The people looked like you or me, but their way of life was very different. They lived in small clans, some staying at a campsite for a few days or moons, others staying put all year round. They didn’t have writing, metals or the wheel – but they didn’t need them. They were superb survivors. They knew all about the animals, trees, plants, and rocks around them. When they wanted something they knew where to find it, or how to make it. Like the previous books in the series, Viper’s Daughter takes place in northern Scandinavia. The wildlife which Torak and Renn encounter on their adventures is appropriate ➔
And don't forget to check out the rest of the blog tour! Details are below:
Viper's Daughter Readers' Notes
Free download perfect for home learning - Download for FREE HERE
Kidnapped and drugged, Ash wakes up on a remote tropical island. His mum - a genetic scientist - has been imprisoned and infected with a deadly virus. Where is he, and what's he doing there? He sets out to cross the jungle to find out and rescue his mother. Soon he realises he's quicker and sharper than before. But there's something else ...why are the animals watching him, and how can he use the jungle to his advantage?
I'm a big fan of Dan Smith's previous books, so my expectations of Boy X (his new book) was very high. Especially as his previous book, Big Game, was an absolute smasher. I found a lot of similarities between the two books, which made me very excited as I turned the pages. I was not let down in anyway, as it had everything that I wanted in a story and more. This is another classic read that will stop time as you hurtle through the pages - all 287 of them.
No sooner will you start reading and you will be asking questions about what is happening. Ash McCarthy wakes up in a small and unfamiliar white walled room, with fluorescent light bulbs flashing in his eyes. He has no idea how he got there. He hears a voice inside his head. What could be happening? As you follow him through the door, you will find a gigantic mystery that will keep you on your toes. As you walk along the corridor, this will lead you on a deadly path of friendship, gunfire and mayhem.
You are cleverly placed inside an action packed bubble that does not let up one ounce of a Howler monkey's toe. You'll follow an explosive mission impossible that will rock you to the jungle core and, believe you me, this jungle is crazy beyond believe. It really makes the story come alive; breathing wild danger and battling strange creatures. The excitement is palpable as Ash and his new found friend, Isabel, scrape danger in pursuing a deadly virus that could wipe out the human race in a blink of a boar's eye.
The story provides just enough detail to rattle the imagination. Ash and Isabel are great characters, in my opinion. Ash is a normal twelve/thirteen year old or he thought he was, but he develops some unknown skills that suddenly come in useful and add to the mystery. Isabel is my favourite character; she is jungle savvy, very feisty and courageous. She also is a crack shot with a rifle - I really did rally behind her, hoping that she would survive.
This is a great adventure with a race against time that boys and girls will equally love. There is a splash of terror, untold dangers and a
mysterious black research facility. All of which take place in a mega jungle wonderland, on an even stranger island.
As your heartbeat thumps wildly, you'll try and second guess what is going to happen and especially the end of the book. However, you'll find this difficult as it throws up some unexpected twists and turns. There is a totally unexpected cliffhanger of an ending which could easily lead to a follow up book. At least that is what I am hoping as it would be a very welcomed sequel to read.
Book Synopsis - Twelve-year-old Moll Pecksniff wakes one night in the middle of the forest, lured there by a recurring nightmare - the one with the drums and the rattles and the masks. The Dreamsnatcher is waiting. He has already taken her dreams and now he wants her life. Because Moll is more important than she knows...The Oracle Bones foretold that she and Gryff, a wildcat that has always been by her side, are the only ones who can fight back against the Dreamsnatcher's dark magic. Suddenly everything is at stake, and Moll is drawn into a world full of secrets, magic and adventure. Book Review: The first thing that I'm going to mention is the book cover, which is an absolute peach. With its simple design and bold bright colours, it screams pick me up and read me. This has to be one of my favourites - a book cover that will appeal to many. Well done to Thomas Flintham and the team at Simon & Schuster. You never know, it could well be a contender for my book cover wars, but what do you think? It was really great to read such a fantastic book that oozed passion and breathed a magical feeling from every page. After reading the first few chapters, I could feel that the plot was inspired by the authors enjoyment of reading. I could feel a number of influences creeping through from the dark earthness, which I frequently associate with Michelle Paver, to the amazing world building of Philip Pullman. The other aspect I particularly liked about the story was the main character, Moll, and the insight into her Romany gypsy heritage. It really enhanced Molls character and brought her history to life. It gave it a realistic edge within a fantasy plot. The author's travels and adventurous spirit sparkled through the story and helped to set it aside from other books. I did perhaps have a slight issue with the ending of the book, as I was perhaps hoping for a slightly different ending. Something a little more complex, perhaps with a dramatic twist. Instead it all fell into place a little too easily for me. Nevertheless, it was very enjoyable and kept me engrossed until the very end of the book.
The plot content is dark with a supernatural element that will leave a little chill running down your spine. The main protagonistis written as an infectious character - you will be rooting for her as you follow the story. Friendship and family issues will leave you contemplating about what will come next. This is a brilliant debut book full of magic and imagination which, in my opinion, is in short supply at the moment. I have a big feeling in my oracle bones that this book will become a smash hit and will find many a happy reader. This is another cracking Middle Grade read that I thoroughly endorse. I'm looking forward to the sequel 'Soul Splinter' already. Watch what you dream, something might take you away in the night...
