Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books: Children's Middle-Grade Book Picks (9-12yrs) October 2017 - UK Post

Alex Bell (Author), Tomislav Tomic (Illustrator)The Polar Bear Explorers' Club - Published by Faber & Faber (2 Nov. 2017) - ISBN-13: 978-0571332540

It sounded like a respectable and worthy enough death for an explorer - tumbling from an ice bridge to be impaled upon a mammoth tusk - but Stella really, really didn't want that to happen, just the same.

Join Stella Starflake Pearl and her three fellow explorers as they trek across the snowy Icelands and come face-to-face with frost fairies, snow queens, outlaw hideouts, unicorns, pygmy dinosaurs and carnivorous cabbages . . . 

When Stella and three other junior explorers get separated from their expedition can they cross the frozen wilderness and live to tell the tale?

Andrew Beasley - Carnival of Monsters (S.C.R.E.A.M #2) - Published by Usborne Publishing Ltd (1 Oct. 2017) - ISBN-13: 978-1474906937

Roll up, roll up if you dare to Doctor Vindicta's carnival! Gasp at the dancing ghosts! Grimace at the creepy clowns! Giggle in the hall of mirrors!

It's all harmless fun and frights... until a young boy disappears. The police believe he's run away, but his sister swears he was snatched by a monster.

Only the cleverest detectives can catch a demon: send for Billy Flint and Charley Steel aka S.C.R.E.A.M. - top-secret investigators of Supernatural Crimes, Rescues, Emergencies And Mysteries.

Kate Saunders - The Land of Neverendings - Published by  Faber & Faber (5 Oct. 2017) - ISBN-13: 978-0571310845

The cat flap opened. Emily thought a wild animal was coming into the house. But the muddy creature that climbed through had four little wheels and a tail. It spoke in a voice like rough sandpaper. 
'Come on, you two - it's nice and warm in here.'

What if there exists a world powered by imagination?

A world of silliness, where humans and their toys live on long after they've left the Hard World . . . and what if the door between that world and this one was broken?

Welcome to the Land of Neverendings.

Moving, raw and funny in all the right ways, The Land of Neverendings is a rip-roaring adventure, but it also gives an honest portrayal of grief for young readers, and shows us that whilst sadness does exist in the world, it doesn't have to cancel out happiness, or silliness, even when you lose someone you love.

Andy Mulligan - Dog - Published by Pushkin Children's Books (26 Oct. 2017) - ISBN-13: 978-1782691716

 

When Tom gets a puppy called Spider, it changes both their lives. Tom finally has a special friend all of his own - which is just what he needs as he struggles with a difficult new school and trouble at home. And Spider has someone to love him. But the course of their love does not run entirely smoothly, as they embark on a gruelling journey of separation and reunion.

Dog is a book about trust, standing up for yourself, and learning to love. By the award-winning Andy Mulligan, author of the bestselling Trash, it is a story that will delight readers young and old.

Chris Priestley - Curse of the Werewolf Boy (Maudlin Towers) - Published by Bloomsbury Childrens (5 Oct. 2017) - ISBN-13: 978-1408873083 - Book Review Here

'We shall be detectives, Sponge!' exclaimed Mildew. 'We shall solve the Mystery of the School Spoon!'

Mildew and Sponge don't think much of Maudlin Towers, the blackened, gloom-laden, gargoyle-infested monstrosity that is their school. But when somebody steals the School Spoon and the teachers threaten to cancel the Christmas holidays until the culprit is found, our heroes must spring into action and solve the crime!

But what starts out as a classic bit of detectivating quickly becomes weirder than they could have imagined. Who is the ghost in the attic? What's their history teacher doing with a time machine? And why do a crazy bunch of Vikings seem to think Mildew is a werewolf?

Hugely funny, deliciously creepy and action-packed by turns, this brand new series from Chris Priestley is perfect for 8+ readers who like their mysteries with a bit of bite. Fans of Lemony Snicket and Chris Riddell will love Curse of the Werewolf Boy.

Jessica Townsend - Nevermoor: The Trials of Morrigan Crow - Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books Review

Morrigan Crow is cursed. Having been born on Eventide, the unluckiest day for any child to be born, she's blamed for all local misfortunes, from hailstorms to heart attacks - and, worst of all, the curse means that Morrigan is doomed to die at midnight on her eleventh birthday. But as Morrigan awaits her fate, a strange and remarkable man named Jupiter North appears. Chased by black-smoke hounds and shadowy hunters on horseback, he whisks her away into the safety of a secret, magical city called Nevermoor. It's then that Morrigan discovers Jupiter has chosen her to contend for a place in the city's most prestigious organisation: the Wundrous Society. In order to join, she must compete in four difficult and dangerous trials against hundreds of other children, each boasting an extraordinary talent that sets them apart - an extraordinary talent that Morrigan insists she does not have. To stay in the safety of Nevermoor for good, Morrigan will need to find a way to pass the tests - or she'll have to leave the city and confront her deadly fate once and for all.

One of this years most hotly tipped and anticipated children's books, Nevermoor: The Trials of Morrigan Crow will be zipped on the brolly line and into publication on the 12th October 2017. Published in the UK by Orion Children's Books and later in the US by Little, Brown Book Group on the 31st October 2017. Written by Austrailian author, Jessica Towsend, this story has been ten years in the making. Finally, this book is ready to fledge and fly into the hands of eager readers and dragon riders alike. 

Jessica started to write this ever-changing book in the year that she left High School. Subsequently, she moved to London and found that the story grew into this fantastical adventure. It will spirit you away on a magical journey that is both for the young and old. As soon as you turn the first page, you'll find yourself plunged into an intriguing and extraordinary world that is . . . . .  Nevermoor. 

The narrative starts with a sombre feel as we are introduced to the main character, Morrigan. Eventide would march on like a drum beat, unstoppable. Morrigan Crow would have no future as she would die on her eleventh birthday; this story will have no happy ending. Tears will flow like little seeds of imagination in this story as you are whisked away on a mechanical spider on an unforgettable adventure like no other. 

This book has all the magical ingredients required to leave you with wonderful memories. You will soak up the atmosphere by being accompanied by a host of quaint, odd and rather endearing characters through a chorus of screechy violins and spooky organ music. Nevermind being transported to a world of infinite pleasure, chased by the deadly Hunt of Smoke and Shadow which will lift the stakes of this bold and brilliant adventure and add a little creepiness that will deliver a shaky hand to Hallowmas night. 

It's such a thrilling read that you will not want to put this book down. Equally, you will not want it to ever end. You will turn every page absorbing the humour and snarky remarks that deliver an icy punch. It's wildly imaginative and full of creativity and personality; a visit to Hotel Deucalion Smoking Parlour must not be missed. I recommend a pinch of excitement, a splash of courage and a little hint of lavender smoke to get you into the mood of the trials and madness that Morrigan Crow will face with her friends.

Stories like this can take time to shape like shimmering shadows that lurk beyond the peripheral vision. They often have other adventures that manifest before the main plot incubates and becomes the actual story that we read. The author's many ideas, feelings, and inspirations, whilst possibly writing in her pyjamas, have shaped this book into a  magical storytelling spectacle. There is so much more that I could mention about this fantastical book, but I won't. Read it for yourself and enter the wondrous world of Morrigan Crow and Nevermoor. This is one of the best books of 2017. 

Chris Priestley - Curse of the Werewolf Boy (Maudlin Towers) - Bloomsbury Kids - Book Review (Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books)

Mildew and Sponge don't think much of Maudlin Towers, the blackened, gloom-laden, gargoyle-infested monstrosity that is their school. But when somebody steals the School Spoon and the teachers threaten to cancel the Christmas holidays until the culprit is found, our heroes must spring into action and solve the crime!

But what starts out as a classic bit of detectivating quickly becomes weirder than they could have imagined. Who is the ghost in the attic? What's their history teacher doing with a time machine? And why do a crazy bunch of Vikings seem to think Mildew is a werewolf?

This is the brand new series from the talented Chris Priestley. The first book, The Curse of the Werewolf Boy, will be published by Bloomsbury and will hit the shops on the 5th October 2017. Book two will soon follow as it is going to be published during the summer of 2018.

You only need amble through the first few pages to see the rising pillars of gloom leading to Maudlin Towers. Here you will enter the weird and wonderful world and meet the unlikely heroes, Mildew and Sponge. 

This amazing adventure is illustrated throughout by the talented author. The pen and ink style complements the gothic appeal perfectly. The black and white illustrations provide an extra dimension to the story and certainly develop the atmosphere. They will definitely appeal to the younger audience.

Chris Priestley welcomes the reader to the weird and wonderful world and delivers a fantastic spooky narrative by bringing together a range of quirky characters. The muddled and varied humour makes for an interesting and funny read. The character gallery is entertaining just by itself, as it introduces each character profile and personality. 

There is a crime to be solved at Maudlin Towers. It is down to Mildew and Sponge to detect who has stolen the school spoon. It is imperative that they catch the thief otherwise the school Christmas holidays will be cancelled. Together they unravel the mysteries, but rather weird events also unfold such as ghosts in the attic, a teacher with a time machine, werewolves and a group of Vikings in the school perhaps. 

This is a hugely engaging and easy going gothic story which is full of action-packed twists and turns, mayhem, madness, and nonsense. It is perfect for readers of 8+. Fans of Lemony Snickett and Chris Riddell will love this book. The mystery adventure has a bit of bite and some atmospheric realism which will captivate readers of all ages. There's never a dull moment at Maudlin Towers so grab a copy now - it is a perfect autumnal read. 

Chris Priestley lives in Cambridge with his wife and son. His novels are brilliantly original additions to a long tradition of horror stories by authors such as M.R. James and Edgar Allan Poe. Chris wrote one of the World Book Day books for 2011 and has been shortlisted for a variety of prestigious children's book awards. Catch up with Chris at www.chrispriestley.blogspot.com.

WATERSTONES CHILDREN’S LAUREATE, LAUREN CHILD TO HEADLINE LOOGABAROOGA 18-24 OCTOBER 2017 (Press Release)

NEW WATERSTONES CHILDREN’S LAUREATE, LAUREN CHILD TO HEADLINE LOOGABAROOGA 2017

Major Children’s Illustrated Literature Festival returns to Loughborough for 3 year from 18-24 October 2017

Newly-appointed Waterstones Children’s Laureate, Lauren Child will be headlining this year’s Loogabarooga Festival of Children’s Illustrated Literature in Loughborough from 18-24 October 2017.

Lauren Child is a multi-award-winning, bestselling writer and artist, and is the creator of the famous Charlie and Lola, and Clarice Bean characters. She was crowned as the 10th Waterstones Children’s Laureate in June 2017 to champion children and reading nationwide.

Lauren will be appearing in her own show at Loogabarooga 2017 to talk about the ‘stories behind the stories’ and there will also be a rare chance to see a selection of original work, specially picked by Lauren Child from her private collection in ‘The Art of Lauren Child – Adventures with Charlie and Lola and friends’ exhibition at Charnwood Museum.

The Loogabarooga Festival is for families who love books and illustrated literature. This year, it will include new book trails, free creative drop-in workshops, storytelling sessions, a comic fair, and advice on how to write and illustrate your own book. There will also be appearances from some of the nation’s favourite children’s authors and illustrators.

The unique, hand-painted Book Benches will also return, featuring cover artwork from some of the nation’s favourite Ladybird children’s stories including Shopping with Mother, Cinderella and Bunnikins Picnic Party. This year will also see a Lauren Child Clarice Bean book bench, on loan from the National Literacy Trust for the duration of the festival. The benches will be located throughout the town centre.

More details of the programme will be published in July 2017 on Facebook at www.facebook.com/loogabarooga, on Twitter @loogabarooga17 or on the website at www.loogabarooga.com

Lauren Child commented: ““I'm thrilled to be taking part in Loogabarooga this year and to be having an exhibition at Charnwood Museum. I'm really looking forward to meeting everyone at the festival."

Chris Traill, Strategic Director for Neighbourhoods and Community Wellbeing at Charnwood Borough Council, said: “This year marks the third annual Loogabarooga Festival in our wonderful town of Loughborough. We’re delighted to announce the appearance of the award-winning author of Charlie and Lola, Lauren Child, appearing here for the first time.

“Lauren’s talk and exhibition are just two of the many highlights at Loogabarooga 2017. We’re also supporting new talent through workshops and have lots of great interactive authors and illustrators, events and workshops to ignite and inspire young imaginations.”

The Loogabarooga Festival will be organised by Leicestershire Promotions and Charnwood Borough Council, in partnership with Leicestershire County Council and supported by Love Loughborough.

Loughborough has had a long association with children’s literature since the very first Ladybird book was produced by a jobbing printer called Wills & Hepworth in the town during the First World War. Ladybird books were printed at Angel Yard in Loughborough from 1915-1973 and the first Loogabarooga Festival in 2015 coincided with Ladybird Books’ centenary.

Lauren Child burst onto the children’s books scene in 1999 and has since published many bestselling and award-winning books, including those featuring the hugely popular Charlie and Lola, Clarice Bean and Ruby Redfort series. She has won numerous awards including the prestigious Kate Greenaway Medal and the Smarties Gold Award. Her books have been made into an award-winning TV series and have sold in many languages with runaway success. In June 2017, she became the 10th Waterstones Children’s Laureate.

This autumn, there is a rare chance to see a selection of original work, specially picked by Lauren Child from her private collection at ‘The Art of Lauren Child – Adventures with Charlie and Lola and friends’ exhibition, to be held at Charnwood Museum in Loughborough as part of Loogabarooga 2017.

People can follow the Town Trail to the Charnwood Museum, where they will see original artwork from their favourite Lauren Child books; Charlie and Lola and their friends, Clarice Bean, Hubert Horatio Bartle Bobton-Trent and more. The exhibition also includes richly detailed collages from the hundredth anniversary edition of The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett.

Lauren’s iconic images and the utterly imaginative worlds she creates with her signature collage technique will fascinate and delight both children and adults.

At Loogabarooga 2017, the multi-award-winning author and artist will also discuss her influences and creative process and some of her best-loved characters. Find out the stories behind Charlie and Lola, Clarice Bean and the amazing spy-kid, code-cracker Ruby Redfort. In an illustrated talk, Lauren will share her fascination with sibling relationships, how watching television as a child shaped her artistic vision and the pleasure of daydreaming.

Lauren will also be introducing her latest Charlie and Lola book, A Dog with Nice Ears

“Silly, surprising, thoughtful and fun, Charlie and Lola are on top form in this fantastically funny story, packed full of dogs of every shape, size and colour.”

Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books - Michael Grant - Monster (The Monster Series) #Gone - Book Review

It’s been four years since a meteor hit Perdido Beach and everyone disappeared. Everyone, except the kids trapped in the FAYZ—an invisible dome that was created by an alien virus. Inside the FAYZ, animals began to mutate and teens developed dangerous powers. The terrifying new world was plagued with hunger, lies, and fear of the unknown. 

Now the dome is gone and meteors are hitting earth with an even deadlier virus. Humans will mutate into monsters and the whole world will be exposed. As some teens begin to morph into heroes, they will find that others have become dangerously out of control…and that the world is on the brink of a monstrous battle between good and evil.

This is the first riveting book in the new trilogy (The Monster Series) by Michael Grant. We are introduced to a range of new, exciting and diverse characters whilst also meeting and catching up with the familiar characters from The Gone Series. Michael has integrated both extremely well to create an exciting and compelling story. It really helps to connect the reader with every aspect of the story and can be read as a stand alone novel. 

Readers will be able to easily relate to one, or a number of characters, through the diversity of personalities which brings the universe crashing down explosively. The dome is down and the story has just begun in a fantastic installment that will change the face of the universe and keep you on your fantasy reading toes.

Set four years after the final book in the Gone series. Michael sets about exploring what it means to be a superhero/villain. The characters' superhero powers and reactions do not always make them a hero. One of the characters, through a series of events, soon find themselves becoming the biggest supervillain. It is fascinating to understand and read the characters' motives. It really highlights and promotes the reader to think about the influences and outcomes on people which can change them.

This is a fantastically articulated story that follows a character you might be all too familiar with called "Shade Darby". She has witnessed events that day, with devastating consequences, and vowed never to feel that powerless again. Now, four years later, she gets her hands on part of the meteor that began it all – and that’s when she changes.

This book features a range of sub-plots that leads the reader down many paths. This helps to connect the reader to the previous series by grabbing the attention of older Michael Grant readers as well as new ones. I really enjoyed reading about, and experiencing, the morphing/mutating from the 'ordinary' character to the one with super-human-powers. The transition was a real eye opener in some cases, as the superhero/villain was a much larger than life destructive force and makes you want to run for cover.

The plot line is very definitely driven by action and dynamic battles with a fantastic narrative that might just blow your fantasy socks off. The character's 'monster' forms are a heady mix of emotions and uniqueness. All are combined to create a fast-paced and heart-pounding sci-fi-thriller. It is incredibly well written but would be equally as effective on the big screen. The high-octane action was dispersed throughout the story rather than just at a particular point. As a result, this really enhanced the characters' interactions and developed the depth of the story.

​This book is not out until October, 19th 2017 (UK) Egmont (US) Katherine Tegen so this is a very early review. However, I loved this book so much that I wanted to let the monster urges out so I could not wait to review it. This is the best teenage book that I have read this year - Michael Grant has excelled himself. I understand from Michael Grant himself that Book Two is to be called Villain (2018) and Book three will be Hero (2018). However, this is a long way away and could all change.

Michael Grant lives in San Francisco with his wife, Katherine Applegate, and has written over 150 books - with Katherine, as himself, under pseudonyms and as a ghostwriter. He is best know for the international multi-million-selling young adult six-book GONE series: GONE, HUNGER, LIES, PLAGUE, FEAR and LIGHT. 

Which is your favourite book cover? 
The top one is the UK book cover.
This one underneath is the US book cover. 
I'm very interested to know what you think! 

Philip Pullman Unveils Epic fantasy Trilogy The Book of Dust - The Chapter in His Dark Materials

Philip Pullman has been writing the Book of Dust for a very long time. He has been writing it for several years. He has just recently announced the exciting plans for the publication. 

The new trilogy will be called The Book of Dust and the first volume is set to be released in October of this year by David Fickling.  It has been 17 years since the release of The Amber Spyglass, the last of Pullman’s His Dark Materials novels.

The new book will return to the worlds and characters of His Dark Materials, Pullman said, and heroine Lyra will be pivotal to the new story — but not in the way she was before. 

The first thing Philip Pullman has to say is that Lyra is at the centre of the story. Events involving her open the first chapter, and will close the last. I’ve always wanted to tell the story of how Lyra came to be living at Jordan College and, in thinking about it, I discovered a long story that began when she was a baby and will end when she’s grown up. 

This volume and the next will cover two parts of Lyra’s life: starting at the beginning of her story and returning to her 20 years later.

So, second: is it a prequel? Is it a sequel? It’s neither. In fact, The Book of Dust is… an equel. It doesn’t stand before or after His Dark Materials, but beside it. It’s a different story, but there are settings that readers of His Dark Materials will recognise, and characters they’ve met before. Also, of course, there are some characters who are new to us, including an ordinary boy (a boy we have seen in an earlier part of Lyra’s story, if we were paying attention) who, with Lyra, is caught up in a terrifying adventure that takes him into a new world.

Third: why return to Lyra’s world? Dust. 

Questions about that mysterious and troubling substance were already causing strife 10 years before His Dark Materials, and at the centre of The Book of Dust is the struggle between a despotic and totalitarian organisation, which wants to stifle speculation and enquiry, and those who believe thought and speech should be free. The idea of Dust suffused His Dark Materials. Little by little through that story the idea of what Dust was became clearer and clearer, but I always wanted to return to it and discover more. Questions about our existence are infinitely interesting to me. There’s always more to explore.

Philip Pullman 

I started writing as soon as I could hold a pencil. I loved the feeling of making marks on a piece of paper, but it wasn't until some time later that I learned to connect that pleasure with a quite different pleasure, that of being absorbed in a story. Because I loved stories too - every kind of story, from fairy tales to Superman, from school stories to horror stories. As a matter of fact I still do.

What I like about being published by DFB is that David Fickling loves stories too. He first published a book of mine in 1985, and we're both still going, and that book is still in print; so that must say something for my luck. The DFB list is so varied and so full of good stories that I feel very privileged to be part of it.

Actually, I feel lucky just to be doing what I do every day. If I were to go back fifty years, or more, and ask the little boy I used to be what he most wanted to do when he grew up, I think he'd say "Write stories!" In fact, I know he would. So he started, and he never stopped. There'll be more coming soon.