Guest Post by M . G. Leonard - Why Beetles? (Beetle Boy)

Why Beetles? 

I spent my young life frightened of creepy-crawlies. My fear has ruined countless picnics, barbeques and showers. And then one day, after getting two degrees and feeling pretty confident in my own cleverness, I was stunned to discovered that I didn’t know what a beetle was. 


I didn’t know that beetles fly, pollinate more plants than bees, control disease, fertilize the soil and are the most essential creature to the health of our planet.

When I discovered that beetles breathe through tiny holes in their exoskeleton called spiracles, I wondered if, on a subconscious level, my fear was routed in the illusion that these creatures appear not to respire? They appear to be dead, then shock the hell out of you by moving. Your brain screams WALKING DEAD! ZOMBIE! And before there’s time to process the information you’re running away, or, if you’re feeling brave, imprisoning the poor unthreatening invertebrate in a glass whilst your heart is hammering in your chest.

I can’t overstate the impact of these revelations. How could I be an educated grown-up and not know what a beetle is? My fear of insects had prevented me from ever looking at them properly, and in turn my ignorance had fueled my fear. I wondered if I could have avoided twenty years of the screaming heebie-jeebies dance if I’d learned more about insects when I was young?

My life has been guided and informed by stories. It is a form of information sharing that has a sustained impact on me. I find it hard to retain facts on their own, but put them in a story and I’ll remember them for the rest of my life. So, I looked to see if there were any good stories about insects, which showed them in an appealing light. Actually, invertebrates get a pretty bad press in fiction and in film. Remember the creepy-crawly scene from Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, or the flesh-eating scarabs in The Mummy? The only stories I could find that embraced mini-beasts were Charlottes Web and James and the Giant Peach. 


I wanted Beetle Boy to exist, but the only way that was going to happen was if I wrote it myself. 


We experience the pendulum swing between biophilia and biophobia acutely when we watch a David Attenborough show, but it is there in our everyday lives. I embraced it, and as I did the research for Beetle Boy, I found my fascination with the natural world grew, and my fear reduced.

My fear has now reduced to the degree that a week ago I went to The Bug Farm in Pembrokeshire and let flower beetles crawl up my arm. It was wonderful. So wonderful that I have purchased a pair of rainbow stag beetles, and am eagerly awaiting the arrival of our new family pets. My boys are beside themselves with excitement. No other kids at school have pet beetles.

I won’t pretend I’m not proud of Beetle Boy. I am. This crazy adventure story about a boy and a beetle has changed my life. But I don’t feel the success of the book, which has so far been a bestseller in two countries and is being translated into twenty-seven languages, is down to any cleverness on my part. I feel like the story was waiting for me, under a rock, till I was brave enough to pick it up and confront my fear and ignorance.

‘Bug me! This is as good as it gets! This book will have you scuttling with joy! Beetlelicious, fantastic fun for everyone. I was crawling with joy from every page that I read. Gross, funny and heart warming - a flapping great read, this book has imagination with wings.’ MR RIPLEY’S ENCHANTED BOOKS for more Beetle goodness check out the authors website: http://www.mgleonard.com 
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Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books: Philip Caveney - The Calling - Book Review

A boy wakes up on a train to Edinburgh. He is shocked to discover that no idea who he is or how he came to be on the train - and once off it, he finds himself immersed in the chaos of the Edinburgh Fringe. After a day of wandering the crowded streets, he falls asleep and is woken by the sound of bells tolling midnight - only to discover that is the night of The Calling - a magical yearly event when all the statues of the city come alive. He is the only human ever to witness it. He quickly makes a couple of allies - the Colonel, the bronze cavalryman of the Scots Grey's monument, and the intrepid explorer David Livingstone. They christen the boy 'Ed Fest' and take him to Parliament Square to meet Charles II, the king of the statues, who isn't particularly fond of 'Softies' (humans).He assigns Sherlock Holmes to investigate the boy's case, to discover his real identity and to get back to his home and family. But as the bronze detective begins to decipher the clues, he discovers that 'Ed' is on the run from a sequence of terrible events; ones that could threaten his very existence.The Calling is a magical story set during Edinburgh's most exciting event - and nearly all of its characters can be observed, standing on plinths in the heart of the city, waiting for next year's Calling.

The Calling is a magical story that you are all going to love. Yes, you really are dear readers. The story to me is a nostalgic look at one of the best cities in the UK. Can you guess where that might be? From the veery first pages that you turn, you are soon asking questions about the mysterious character. You can not help follow the character with wide eyes and a buzzing mind as he leaves Waverley train station into the chaotic streets of Edinburgh. The Fringe is in full swing and performers are strutting their stuff on the streets. A rocked-up Scottish folk tune leaks from the pages as Philip sets up the backdrop and atmosphere like a seasoned pro. 

When day time moves over to night time, Edinburgh comes alive with a secret past. The bells toll midnight and the streets secrets soon come to light. Ed discovers something amazing as the statues come to life for twenty-four hours (known as the Calling) and he is the only human to witness the event. It's a great concept and Philip takes this idea and runs with it. He brings many famous dead characters to life; those who normally stand so silently and are sometimes forgotten when walking around the city.  

This is a brilliant adventure loaded with historical characters. It is a fantastic introduction to the city for young readers and a fantastic advert for Edinburgh, in my opinion.  He weaves a story within a story as Ed struggles to find out who and where he comes from. The statue of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle comes to his aid, in the form of Sherlock Holmes, with the help from James Clerk Maxwell (scientist). There is also an unlikely Scottish hero as well as a terrier called Bobby.

The narrative gets very interesting and the plot thickens as the detective works his elementary sleuthing magic in true style. It's a cracking epic adventure full of period detail. One minute you're munching on Starbuck's treats and the next minute you're travelling through a portal to a pub in Manchester. It's a fantastic eclectic hit of ideas and history with some great witty banter between the characters which will definitely make you chuckle. 

This is the fourth book set in the city of Edinburgh and one of the best that Philip has written for Fledgling Press to date, in my opinion. I really think that there is scope to develop this idea into further books which would be a fantastic delight.

This is a brilliant five star entertaining read that will make you look at the city of Edinburgh in a new and different light.... 

Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books: Ali Benjamin - The Thing About Jellyfish - Book Review

It's peculiar how no-words can be better than words. How silence can say more than noise, or a person's absence can occupy even more space than their presence did. 

Suzy is 12 when her best friend, Franny, drowns one summer at the beach. It takes two days for the news to reach Suzy, and it's not something that she can accept: Franny has always been a strong swimmer, from the day they met in swim class when they were just 5. How can someone all of a sudden, just no longer be there?

Suzy realizes that they must have got it wrong: Franny didn't just drown - she was stung by a poisonous jellyfish. This makes a lot more sense to Suzy's logical mind than a random drowning - cause: a jellyfish sting; effect: death. 

Suzy's journey to acceptance is quiet - she resolves to either say something important, or say nothing at all. But it's also bursting with bittersweet humour, heart-breaking honesty, big ideas and small details.

Suzy is haunted by the loss of her former best friend due to a final argument that passed between them before she died. As a result, she retreats into the silent world of her own imagination. This is a thought provoking and striking read which will make you think from the very first footprints that you take into this brilliant and creative plot. The narrative strikes a natural voice deep inside your head and heart; you will easily be drawn into the mindset of a child. The main character makes a number of incredibly painful and socially awkward choices which leaves the reader with much to talk and think about. 

Suzy embarks on a quirky plan to prove the truth about Franny's death. There might be another and more logical solution to her best friend's death, rather than it being a random drowning. The deep fascination for jellyfish in this book sparkles and shines its way to the heart of the book. This part of the book is written exceptionally well. Science and logic is used factually, in a detective sort of way, to prove a theory which is really well researched and works very well, in my opinion. It makes this book a magical experience for me and stands out to everyone who reads it. The thought process and the character's journey is heartbreaking and truly gripping to read. 

I read this book in super quick time as it's a wonderful book for 8+ age. It is one that would be amazingly good to read out loud in a classroom or book group, so that everyone can talk about it and discuss the topics within the book. It's sensitively told through a strong and believable main character. This debut story focuses on acceptance, despair, grief and wonder. It is a fantastic read for anyone who has suffered the loss of a loved one, especially from the perspective of a child. It is not depressing, but shines with a deep undercurrent of hopefulness and has some uplifting moments of humour. 

This book pulsates like a jellyfish; the beating transparent heart will resonate deep into your fantasy brain and stay with you for a very long time. It's very sad through its brutal and honest look at friendship and family. It is an extraordinary view of the world through the eyes of Suzy, as she realises that life can be scary, but if you look hard enough there's also beauty there too.

This is another brilliant read and is Mr Ripley's recommended read for March 2016. It is published by Macmillan Children's books and is available now. Thank you to Macmillan for sending this to me to review...

How can someone all of sudden, just no longer be there? 

Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books: Children's/Teenage US Published Book Picks For March 2016 - Post Two

Brandon Mull - Death Weavers (Five Kingdoms Bk4) - Published by Aladdin (March 15, 2016)
Cole is about to face his biggest peril yet.
Since arriving in the Outskirts, Cole and his friends have fought monsters, challenged knights, and battled rampaging robots. But none of that has prepared them for Necronum.
In this haunting kingdom, it’s hard to tell the living from the dead, and secret pacts carry terrifying risks. Within Necronum lies the echolands, a waystation for the departed where the living seldom venture.
Still separated from his power, Cole must cross to the echolands and rely on his instincts to help rescue his friends. With enemies closing in, Cole risks losing everything to find the one thing that might save them.

Ted Sanders - The Keepers #2: The Harp and the Ravenvine - Published by HarperCollins Children's (March 1, 2016) 
IN THE WORLD OF THE KEEPERS, IT'S BEST NOT TO SPEAK IN TERMS OF THE IMPOSSIBLE.
Horace F. Andrews, Keeper of the fabled Box of Promises, knows that nothing is impossible. After all, he has the ability to see into the future, and his friend Chloe can walk through walls. But before either of them can master their Tan'ji--their talismans of power--a new threat looms over all Keepers, and they must prepare to battle their eternal enemies--the Riven.

Far away, drawn by an irresistible summons, a mysterious girl is making her way to the Warren, the Keeper stronghold. She wears the Ravenvine and is learning to wield its fascinating power; but this Tan'ji is damaged. There's no telling what will happen to the instrument or its Keeper if it cannot be made whole again. April's journey is long and dangerous, with strange new companions at her side and a pack of sinister hunters tracking her. Will she reach the Warren in time, and is it a safe haven, or will it offer only more danger?

Ted Sanders's magical series began with The Box and the Dragonfly and continues with this powerful sequel that expands the extraordinary world of the Keepers, where nothing is ever ordinary and three words rule: Curiosity. Discovery. Possibility.

Marina Cohen - The Inn Between - Published by Roaring Brook Press (March 22, 2016) 

Eleven-year-old Quinn has had some bad experiences lately. She was caught cheating in school, and then one day, her little sister Emma disappeared while walking home from school. She never returned.

When Quinn's best friend Kara has to move away, she goes on one last trip with Kara and her family. They stop over at the first hotel they see, a Victorian inn that instantly gives Quinn the creeps, and she begins to notice strange things happening around them. When Kara's parents and then brother disappear without a trace, the girls are stranded in a hotel full of strange guests, hallways that twist back in on themselves, and a particularly nasty surprise lurking beneath the floorboards. 

Andrew Brumbach - The Eye Of Midnight - Published by Delacorte Books for Young Readers (March 8, 2016)

A cross between Indiana Jones and The DaVinci Code for kids, you won’t be able to put down this classic adventure set in 1920s New York City with an Arabian twist!

 
On a stormy May day in 1929, William and Maxine arrive on the doorstep of Battersea Manor to spend the summer with a grandfather they barely remember. Whatever the cousins expected, Colonel Battersea isn’t it.
     Soon after they settle in, Grandpa receives a cryptic telegram and promptly whisks the cousins off to New York City so that he can meet an unknown courier and collect a very important package. Before he can do so, however, Grandpa vanishes without a trace. 
     When the cousins stumble upon Nura, a tenacious girl from Turkey, she promises to help them track down the parcel and rescue Colonel Battersea. But with cold-blooded gangsters and a secret society of assassins all clamoring for the same mysterious object, the children soon find themselves in a desperate struggle just to escape the city’s dark streets alive.

Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books: Bryony Pearce - Phoenix Burning Blog Tour 2016 (Book Cover Design Process)

I am really pleased to be apart of this blog tour for Bryony Pearce’s second book in the "Phoenix" young adult novel series, which was recently published on 10th March 2016. I really enjoyed reading this book, so why not find out more by reading my review HERE. 

I swear my allegiance to the #BansheeCrew!  We are feared and fearless!  Come and join the crew and find out more about the process of book cover design. 

I was very excited when I was given the brief to design the cover of Phoenix Burning by Bryony Pearce. After really enjoying working on Phoenix Rising, I couldn't wait to start work on the sequel. 


I was asked to create a strong cover which would sit well next to the first title. Ruth, the editor, explained the main themes of the book – the importance of the sun, in particular – and explained how Toby and Ayla's relationship develops. I then went on to read the manuscript. It was a thrilling read, so I knew I also had to express this tension and suspense on the cover. 


As a starting point, I revisited the cover of Phoenix Burning. This cover design also focuses on three main elements – Toby, Ayla & the skull and crossbones. These were integrated in a clever way and the cover also fitted the YA genre. 

I then progressed to researching sun icons and experimenting with these, working out how best to show Toby and Ayla. I found that Ayla looking straight ahead was really effective, and contrasting this with the figure of Toby running also worked well. It was at this stage that I started adding more elements to the design – I chose to focus on the monks, who are a crucial and sinister element of the plot. 


My next step was to share my design with the rest of the Stripes team and with Bryony Pearce, the author. I wanted to make sure that the cover design fitted with their expectations, and that Bryony felt it was true to her story. I was also interested to find out which of the design elements caught their attention first. Some people were drawn to Toby running, others picked out Ayla's face first and others saw the monks’ faces within the sun's flames. From this, I made the decision to emphasise the sun itself, making it much clearer. This refining stage was key – once the sun was clearer, everything seemed to fall in to place. 


Once you read the book, the relevance of each of the elements becomes clear. However, without any knowledge of the story, they work together to convey the book’s energy and excitement. I hope you agree!

Bryony Pearce was born in 1976 and has two young children. She completed an English Literature degree at Corpus Christi College Cambridge in 1998 and was a winner of the SCBWI anthology 'Undiscovered Voices' in 2008.

Website: http://www.bryonypearce.co.uk
Twitter: @BryonyPearce 

Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books: Children's/Teenage US Published Book Picks For March 2016 - Post One

Raymond Arroyo - Will Wilder: The Relic of Perilous Falls - Published by Crown Books for Young Readers (March 8, 2016)
Fans of Rick Riordan’s Percy Jackson and the Olympians and Peter Lerangis’s Seven Wondersseries will embrace this first epic adventure in a rollicking new series by a New York Times bestselling author.
 
Will Wilder is a mischievous, headstrong twelve-year-old with an otherworldly gift—he alone can see the nefarious creatures encroaching on Perilous Falls. For nearly a century, a sacred relic has protected his hometown from the raging waters surrounding it. But when Will “borrows” the relic for his own purposes, he accidentally unleashes an ancient evil.

Jaleigh Johnson - The  Secrets of Solace - Published by Delacorte Books for Young Readers (March 8, 2016)
From Jaleigh Johnson, the acclaimed author of The Mark of the Dragonfly, comes another thrilling adventure in the magical world of Solace.
    Lina Winterbock lives in the mountain strongholds of Solace. She’s an apprentice to the archivists, the wise men and women whose lives are dedicated to cataloging, studying, and preserving the objects that mysteriously fall from the sky in the scrap towns.
    Lina should be spending her days with books, but the Iron War has changed everything. The strongholds are now a refuge, and the people Lina once counted on no longer have time for her, so she spends her days exploring the hidden tunnels and passages of her home. The strongholds are vast and old, with twisting paths, forgotten rooms, and collapsed chambers, some of them containing objects that have been lost and forgotten even by the archivists.
    And in one of the forgotten chambers, Lina discovers a secret.
    Hidden deep in a cavern is a half-buried airship like nothing she has ever seen before. She’s determined to dig it out and restore it. But Lina needs help, and she doesn’t know anyone she can trust with her secret.
    Then she meets Ozben, a mysterious boy who has a secret of his own—a secret that’s so dangerous it could change the course of the Iron War and the world of Solace forever. 

Janet Fox - The Charmed Children of Rookskill Castle - Published by Viking Books for Young Readers (March 15, 2016)
That’s what Katherine Bateson’s father told her, and that’s what she’s trying to do:  when her father goes off to the war, when her mother sends Kat and her brother and sister away from London to escape the incessant bombing, even when the children arrive at Rookskill Castle, an ancient, crumbling manor on the misty Scottish highlands.
 
But it’s hard to keep calm in the strange castle that seems haunted by ghosts or worse.  What’s making those terrifying screeches and groans at night?  Why do the castle’s walls seem to have a mind of their own?  And why do people seem to mysteriously appear and disappear?

Linda Sue Park (Author) & Jim Madsen (Illustrator) - Forest of Wonders (Wing and Claw) Published by HarperCollins (March 1, 2016) 

Raffa Santana has always loved the mysterious Forest of Wonders. For a gifted young apothecary like him, every leaf could unleash a kind of magic. When an injured bat crashes into his life, Raffa invents a cure from a rare crimson vine that he finds deep in the Forest. His remedy saves the animal but also transforms it into something much more than an ordinary bat, with far-reaching consequences. Raffa’s experiments lead him away from home to the forbidding city of Gilden, where troubling discoveries make him question whether exciting botanical inventions—including his own—might actually threaten the very creatures of the Forest he wants to protect.

The first book in an enchanting trilogy, Forest of Wonders richly explores the links between magic and botany, family and duty, environment and home.

Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books: Bryony Pearce - Phoenix Burning (Phoenix Series) Book Review

Toby and Ayla have to infiltrate a sect of sun worshippers to steal the equipment their ships need. They enter a trial to be chosen as the Sun and the Moon, a position of great honour for the sect. As the trial commences, Toby and Ayla discover the true cost of failure. But there are other young couples who are equally desperate to win...Can Toby and Ayla survive days without sleep, hours sitting in the blistering sun and a deadly maze? They'll need to work together to win - their mission depends on it...

This is the second book in the anticipated Phoenix series by Bryony Pearce, which will be published by Stripes Publishing early March 2016. We set sail once again, a month later, on another perlious voyage with Toby and the Phoenix crew, as they set course cross the junk-filled high seas into the unknown. The mission is to find an island where they can settle, but life is never that easy for the Phoenix crew, as their ship has a missing crucial component. They also have to decipher a map which reads like bizarre poetry, what could possibly go wrong?

The fun and games rise again in another action adventure romp that will superglue your fantasy imagination to every page that you read. The Banshee crew are still lurking, offering to cut a deal with the feisty Alya at the centre of the mischievous plan to steal the equipment their ships need. All of this leads to a crazy encounter on land with the sun worshippers, which is so far removed from the first book, that it feels like you are reading a standalone novel, which might be good if you fancy popping head first into this book first. 

The plot has a very brutal and dark side as the trial commences. Toby and Ayla cannot fail, as there are deadly consequences, but all the young couples are equally desperate to win ..... what will happen then? This part of the story is so captivating to read; the cruelty and the challenges that lie ahead are very creative and enjoyable to read. You will be sucked into the adventure with a keenness of an olympic swimmer where only the best couple will survive. They need to survive days without sleep, sit in the blistering sun without water and endure days without food. Never mind the daily gruelling tasks which are a battle of the mind and strength.

It was nice to dip my toes back into a good Young Adult read, as most of the books that I've recently been reading and enjoying have been middle grade stories. This filled a nice gap between the ages with a clear creative plot, quick easy dialogue and just the right amount of world building and description to get your imagination working. Once you get past the first few chapters, this is a great book to escape into. It has an exotic location and dystopian/junkpunk setting which is full of action; a high sea pirate adventure with an eco twist.  

The cryptic puzzles to solve are very cool, so much so that they might even just get your brain going. Check some of them out at the back of the book. The ending will have you hooked with the surprise twists and turns which will lead you nicely into the third book. This is a great series that I'm really enjoying reading; it is something slightly different from other mainstream books that are being published at the moment. 

Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books: Favourite Book Picks: Children's/Teens - March 2016 - UK Post Three

Ross Montgomery - Perijee & Me - Published by Faber & Faber (3 Mar. 2016)

When 11-year-old Caitlin discovers a shrimp-like alien creature on the shores of her island home, she takes responsibility for teaching it about the world. Mostly, this just involved stopping little Perijee from eating everything! Caitlin becomes increasingly close to her alien friend, treating him like a brother. 

There's only one problem - Perijee won't stop growing. 

Then the authorities try to hunt him down and through his fear, Perijee disappears and starts causing trouble. Caitlin must leave home and travel across the country to try and convince Perijee to stop destroying everything before it's too late.

Tania Unsworth - The Secret Life of Daisy Fitzjohn - Orion Children's Books (10 Mar. 2016)

11 year old Daisy has never seen the outside world. 

She has lived with her mother in their family home, the splendid but crumbling Brightwood Hall. But when one day her mother doesn't come home and a strange man arrives at the house, Daisy must use her wits to survive.

This enthralling story of a young girl's physical and mental journey is beautifully imagined by Tania Unsworth, and readers will be completely transported by the unique magic of Daisy's world.

Benjamin J. Myers - The Grindle Witch - Published by Orion Children's Books (10 Mar. 2016)

When Jack Jolly moves from the city to the tiny Northern village of Grindle, he thinks his life's just become a lot more boring. But then he finds himself plunged into the middle of a terrifying mystery, and confronting an ancient evil - the Grindle Witch.

But when Jack and his new friends, Paddy and Leila, take drastic measures to stop the Grindle Witch, they realise that they may have unleashed more than they bargained for.

A creepy supernatural tale that will have readers on the edge of their seats.

M G. Leonard - Beetle Boy (The Battle of the Beetles) - Published Chicken House Ltd (3 Mar. 2016)

Darkus is miserable. His dad has disappeared, and now he is living next door to the most disgusting neighbours ever. A giant beetle called Baxter comes to his rescue. But can the two solve the mystery of his dad's disappearance, especially when links emerge to cruel Lucretia Cutter and her penchant for beetle jewellery? A coffee-mug mountain, home to a million insects, could provide the answer if Darkus and Baxter are brave enough to find it.

Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books: Favourite Book Picks: Children's/Teens - March 2016 - UK Post Two

Robin Stevens - Jolly Foul Play: A Murder Most Unladylike Mystery - Published by Puffin (24 Mar. 2016)

Daisy Wells and Hazel Wong have returned to Deepdean for a new school term, but nothing is the same. There's a new Head Girl, Elizabeth Hurst, and a team of Prefects - and these bullying Big Girls are certainly not good eggs.

Then, after the fireworks display on Bonfire Night, Elizabeth is found - murdered.

Many girls at Deepdean had reason to hate Elizabeth, but who might have committed such foul play? Could the murder be linked to the secrets and scandals, scribbled on scraps of paper, that are suddenly appearing around the school? And with their own friendship falling to pieces, how will Daisy and Hazel solve this mystery?

Ali Benjamin - The Thing about Jellyfish - Macmillan Children's Books (10 Mar. 2016)

Suzy is 12 when her best friend, Franny, drowns one summer at the beach. It takes two days for the news to reach Suzy, and it's not something that she can accept: Franny has always been a strong swimmer, from the day they met in swim class when they were just 5. How can someone all of a sudden, just no longer be there?

Suzy realizes that they must have got it wrong: Franny didn't just drown - she was stung by a poisonous jellyfish. This makes a lot more sense to Suzy's logical mind than a random drowning - cause: a jellyfish sting; effect: death. 

Suzy's journey to acceptance is quiet - she resolves to either say something important, or say nothing at all. But it's also bursting with bittersweet humour, heart-breaking honesty, big ideas and small details.

Julian Clary (Author), David Roberts (Illustrator) - The Bolds to the Rescue - Published by Andersen Press (3 Mar. 2016)

More wildly funny animal madness from dream team Julian Clary and David Roberts!
The Bolds are a family of hyenas living as humans in a suburban house. But now their kindness to animal waifs and strays has become legendary, and more and more animals keep turning up to stay! Roger the sheep flocks to their house, and Fifi the poodle turns up to learn some new tricks, whilst Sheila the crocodile decides to stay for a while.
But when the Bolds take in a couple of race horses who are on the run, they worry their animal magnetism is getting to be too much. Have these hyenas bitten off more than they can chew?

Lucy Coats - Chosen (Cleo) - Published by Orchard Books (10 Mar. 2016)

Continuing the story of Cleopatra before she became the legendary figure we think we know, this fast-paced adventure story is perfect for teen girls. Will Cleo - marked and chosen at birth by the goddess Isis - prevail against the evil forces who would gain power? 

Meticulously researched, Lucy Coats's CLEO books vividly evoke the drama and intrigue of Ancient Egypt.

Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books: Favourite Book Picks: Children's/Teens - March 2016 - UK Post One

Paul Durham - The Luck Uglies #3: Rise of the Ragged Clover - Published by HarperCollins Children's (Mar. 2016)

The exhilarating conclusion to the critically acclaimed THE LUCK UGLIES series.

“The Luck Uglies has it all: a feisty heroine, monstrous creatures, and a brimful of humor, and horror, to keep the readers turning the pages.” Joseph Delaney, Author of the Spook’s Apprentice series

Rye feared her father, Harmless, might be lost forever after he was driven into the forest Beyond the Shale by his deadly enemy Slinister Varlet. Now Slinister is making moves to claim leadership over the Luck Uglies. Can Rye find her father, save her village and put an end to the fighting for good?

Anna Wilson - The Parent Problem - Published by Macmillan Children's Books (24 Mar. 2016)

Skye Green's mum is driving her insane! When she's not posting EMBARRASSING pictures of Skye online or experimenting with BIZARRE clothing, she's forever taking up new hobbies - and her latest obsession is ballroom dancing! It's only a matter of time until she waltzes down the street in spandex and sequins - and to make matters worse, Skye's younger brother is wildly (and irritatingly) enthusiastic about Mum's new hobby, and about wearing Mum's sparkly new outfits!

As if this wasn't HORRIFIC enough, Skye's mum has also enlisted the new neighbour's son to come and 'babysit' when she's at dance class, and he's only a year older than Skye! Talk about MORTIFYING in the EXTREME! At least Skye's best friend, Aubrey is there to help Skye cope with her family's madness. They've been friends since before they can remember, and nothing will ever, EVER change that . . . right?

Curtis Jobling - The Tower of Trials (World of Warriors Bk 2) - Published by Puffin (3 Mar. 2016)

The second book in a new fiction series by Curtis Jobling, based on bestselling global game sensation, World of Warriors!

After the events of A New Hero, Trick and his team of warriors must continue their quest to bring down Boneshaker. The journey resumes through the mystical Wildlands, a place where the greatest warriors throughout history have been summoned to fight in a battle for survival - from Romans and Vikings to Knights and Samurai!

They pass a village terrorised by an evil necromancer - the heroes jump in to the rescue, but Mungo is badly wounded. To save his friend, Trick must fight through the Tower of Trials and defeat the mysterious Gatekeeper.

But there's more at stake than they realised. The Gatekeeper holds a key with the power to travel between realms. A key that Boneshaker wants. 

And if it falls into Boneshaker's hands, his reign of terror could spread far beyond the Wildlands...

Wesley King - Dragons vs Drones - Published by Razorbill (15 Mar. 2016)

A young computer genius is chased by sleek, high-tech drones into a land populated by Godzilla-size dragons, setting off a war that only he can stop. Part Eragon, part Transformers, with a magical beating heart at its centre.
Marcus Brimley was just four years old when his CIA analyst father went missing and the world branded him a traitor. Eight years later, searching for clues to find his father and prove his innocence, Marcus breaks a complex code that sends him shooting through a storm into an alternate realm . . . but he didn't travel alone. When Marcus lands in this new world, Dracone, he finds that he has been followed by government drones. And they're out to destroy Marcus and all of Dracone. 
 
While fleeing the drones, Marcus meets Dree, a 12-year-old Draconian girl who comes from a family of dragon riders. Dree explains to Marcus that while humans and dragons used to be friends, Dracone's new prime minister has turned them into enemies, with humans hunting dragons for sport and dragon-riding families like Dree's pushed to the poorer outskirts of the city. 

But the drones are firing on both the dragons and the people of Dracone. Soon, Marcus and Dree discover that they must get help from the dragons if they want to stop an all-out war that will leave the incredible realm of Dracone decimated.

Chris Callaghan - The Great Chocoplot - Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books Book Review

Jelly and her family live in Chompton-on-de-Lyte, where everyone loves a Chocablocka bar or two. So when the end of chocolate is announced, she can't believe it. Determined to investigate, Jelly and her gran follow a trail of clues to a posh chocolate shop and its owner, the pompous Garibaldi Chocolati. Gari's suspiciously smug, despite his failing business and yucky chocolate. Is it really the chocopocalypse, or is there a chocoplot afoot?

The Great Chocoplot is a fantastic debut book that will hit bookshops across the chocolate landscape early March 2016. The book was written for the author's 8 year old daughter as a Christmas present, and what an amazing present to give her. The adventure was then entered into Chicken House's open coop, which is a one-day amnesty for unpublished writers and was immediately chomped up for publication.

This is a fantastic Easter treat for all the family to get their hands on. With the teasing shiny Dairy Milk-like cover (other brands are available) produced by the amazing Steve Wells, it will certainly get your literary tastebuds going and enhance your low calorie diet. You will also find some fantastic illustrations by the talented Lalalimola, so check out more of her great work here: http://www.lalalimola.com 

The plot is like dipping your hands into a tub of Quality Street, as you never know what is going to happen from page to page. It is a brilliantly fast paced and funny rampage of chocolate madness. Just think about a world without chocolate, can you imagine that?  If it all was to disappear - NO MORE CHOCOLATE - what would you do .....? Would you grab a bag of cheese and onion crisps instead?

The story is so infectious that everybody and everyone will fall in love with this book, regardless of their age. It's very quirky and so immersive that it will make you smile and laugh out loud. Jelly is a plucky heroine - she's very well written and can be related to. Jelly and her crazy grandmother, who lives in a caravan on the families front driveway, take on an evil villain. Can they foil a devilish plan filled with a cataclysmic cocoa catastrophe? You'll have to buy a copy and read it, as I'm certainly not going to tell you. 

You will fly through this plot like a trolley dash in a sweet shop. It is an amazingly imaginative story, which is told with the heart and emotions of daily life struggles whilst still instilling a large slice of realism  You will hurtle head first into a chocolate fountain of mayhem and ride the non stop nightmare.  

This is another cracking book from Chicken House - the home of good stories told with creative ability. It is my recommended enchanted read this Easter... so go and grab yourself a copy.

M. G. Leonard - Beetle Boy (The Battle of the Beetles) Book Review

• Paperback: 336 pages
• Publisher: Chicken House Ltd (3 Mar. 2016)
• ISBN-10: 1910002704
• Age: 9+

Darkus is miserable. His dad has disappeared, and now he is living next door to the most disgusting neighbours ever. A giant beetle called Baxter comes to his rescue. But can the two solve the mystery of his dad's disappearance, especially when links emerge to cruel Lucretia Cutter and her penchant for beetle jewellery? A coffee-mug mountain, home to a million insects, could provide the answer. 

Darkus and Baxter are brave enough to find it.

The diversity of beetles is very wide; they are found in all major habitats and this one can be picked up from all good bookshops from March 2016. I know this is an early book review, but when a book is this good it's so hard to keep quiet about it. It is such a flapping great read that it left me feeling flighty just even thinking about it. This book is already destined to be one of the greatest middle grade children's reads of this year.

You may have seen the book cover before, as it was a recent winner of "Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books" annual book cover wars for 2015/2016, and has been fantastically illustrated by Julia Sardia. The finished copy has been lovingly embellished inside with small black and white illustrations which adds a really nice touch to the story inside. The paper edges are very eye catching with images of small beetles; no expense has been spared as this is very rarely used in production. I would like to congratulate Chicken House on a great production of the overall book; it makes it a book to pick up and cherish. 

Beetle Boy is the first book in the trilogy written by M.G. Leonard, who works in London as the senior digital producer for the National Theatre. Her fondness for coleoptera has transpired into a fantastic family read that will have you feeding on the nectar of some great fantasy moments. From the first page you are richly transported into a Dahl-esque adventure that will have you addicted with every

page that you turn.

The story is deeply heartfelt, but has a clear mystery to solve involving a cornucopia of bugs. With a cast full of lovable and relatable characters, who are all up against the evil Lucretia Cutter (mad scientist/bug exterminator), the plot will have you hooked. Her eccentric character and gross shenanigans are all entertaining and delicious thrilling to read. 

You start out on a brilliant adventure with the characters, but in a heartbeat you find yourself visiting Furniture Forest hiding behind a wardrobe with Darkus and the gang. Then the next minute you are scuttling to Beetle Mountain in search of Humphrey and Pickering spying on their mad thieving scheming plans. It's all delivered in a Disney-like cinematic world, which will be loved by all ages and genders. 

The narrative explores aspects such as family and friendship by following the children's bold and gross plans. No stone is left unturned and no beetles are harmed when faced with the wings of one's imagination. You will laugh and cry as you are strapped in this rollercoaster of an adventure. The science-fiction twist will have you buzzing with delight right until the last page is turned and will leave you wanting more. This is one of the best debut reads that I have read in a very long time. Imagination with wings, fantastic.