Jack Cheng - See You in the Cosmos - Book Review (Puffin 2 Mar. 2017) Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books

A space-obsessed boy and his dog, Carl Sagan, take a journey toward family, love, hope, and awe in this funny and moving novel for fans of Counting by 7s and Walk Two Moons.

11-year-old Alex Petroski loves space and rockets, his mom, his brother, and his dog Carl Sagan - named for his hero, the real-life astronomer. All he wants is to launch his golden iPod into space the way Carl Sagan (the man, not the dog) launched his Golden Record on the Voyager spacecraft in 1977. From Colorado to New Mexico, Las Vegas to L.A., Alex records a journey on his iPod to show other lifeforms what life on earth, his earth, is like. But his destination keeps changing. And the funny, lost, remarkable people he meets along the way can only partially prepare him for the secrets he'll uncover - from the truth about his long-dead dad to the fact that, for a kid with a troubled mom and a mostly not-around brother, he has way more family than he ever knew.

See You in the Cosmos is the first book to be published by the outstanding new talent, Jack Cheng. The novel will be jointly published by Puffin Books, here in the UK, and Dial Books for Young Readers in the US. It's a fantastic story that will make its maiden voyage into the cosmos on a golden iPod and beyond from early March 2017. 

The skies will certainly move and the stars will shine brightly with every page turned. It's an uplifting and poignant story which is told with passion. It has been written from deep within the author's heart. As you skip your way through the book, following 11-year-old Alex Petroski (space obsessed boy) through a moving landscape of emotions, his distinctive voice will pull you through a turbulent narrative that is one of the best that I have read for some time. Other people will make comparisons to other books but, in my opinion, that is not really fair. This book and its plot is a unique reading gem and one that I would definitely recommend for you to read. 

When I received this book for review, I initially had my doubts about it. I loved the book cover but the synopsis did not really grab me. It was only when I opened the first page that I became hooked by the internal voice from the main character; it's brilliant, compelling and very special. Alex records everything and the story plays out through a sequence of recordings from his golden iPod. He records the story of how he travels to New Mexico, to a rocket festival, with his best friend, Carl Sagan (his dog), who was named after his hero the American Astronomer. The ongoing transcript of Alex's iPod is brilliant and a really quirky way of telling the story. 

It is a very moving and powerful story. Alex finds out that a man, with the same name and birthday as his dead father, has an address in Las Vegas. From this point forward, the story will move you incredibly as you laugh and cry throughout this amazing journey. One minute you will be flying to Mars on a tank full of LOX immersed in great humour, but then you'll find yourself catapulted onto a rollercoaster full of acronyms and emotions that will hit your senses. It soon brings you crashing back to earth with sadness, a heavy heart and a feeling of emptiness. 

I hope you that you will read this book once it has been published as it will make you look at the world and people around you in a different light. It will pump you full of empathy and humility and should, hopefully, also show you the joy of being alive. It's a fantastically inspiring read that will take you out of the stratosphere and stay in your heart for a very long time. The last time I felt like this was reading 'The Bubble Boy' by Stewart Foster. Fantastic, riveting and I have awarded it five golden stars! 

See You in the Cosmos - SYS! 

Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books: Tahereh Mafi - Furthermore - Book Review

There are only three things that matter to twelve-year-old Alice Alexis Queensmeadow: Mother, who wouldn’t miss her; magic and color, which seem to elude her; and Father, who always loved her. The day Father disappears from Ferenwood he takes nothing but a ruler with him. But it’s been almost three years since then, and Alice is determined to find him. She loves her father even more than she loves adventure, and she’s about to embark on one to find the other.

But bringing Father home is no small matter. In order to find him she’ll have to travel through the mythical, dangerous land of Furthermore, where down can be up, paper is alive, and left can be both right and very, very wrong. Her only companion is a boy named Oliver whose own magical ability is based in lies and deceit—and with a liar by her side in a land where nothing is as it seems, it will take all of Alice’s wits (and every limb she’s got) to find Father and return home to Ferenwood in one piece. On her quest to find Father, Alice must first find herself—and hold fast to the magic of love in the face of loss.

This is the first middle-grade adventure written by the New York Times bestselling author of the Shatter Me series. The author is the wife of Ransom Riggs (author of Miss Peregrine's Peculiar Children) whom you might be familiar with. The book cover illustration is by Iacopo Bruno and reflects the story inside so well and in so many ways. When you first turn the pages you find yourself visiting an amazing story which is full of vibrant colour. This is a middle-grade read where the real magic begins. It is a story of unexpected friendship, humour and character warmth. 

This story is wonderfully enchanting and colourful - so much so that you may need sunglasses in order to read it. The story has been inspired by the author's love of reading as a child. She has taken all of her favourite books and thrown them onto an artist's palette to create a painting that will transport the reader into a magical adventure like no other. As a result, you'll find yourself hiding inside a floating cloud one minute and being attacked by a paper fox the next. 

The book starts very slowly, just like a babbling brook. The language is diverse and flowery creating words which shower down on you like little confetti petals. I loved the language and great use of metaphors. However, at times, the story did feel very whimsical and the humour did not always balance out the serious side of the story. I did wonder whether some of the strong subjects such as cannibalism might be more suited to an older audience than intended.

I really loved reading this book as, from the very first page, it screamed out individuality. It captures your attention and pulls you full throttle through the plot; it is certainly not conventional. The book is based around two main characters (Alice and Oliver) who develop an unexpected friendship. I enjoyed the different perspectives and voices that this brought as well as the author's engagement and dialogue with the reader.

If you are looking for something different and special this year to read, then this is the book for you. It just might take a little time to settle in your brain as you think about what you have read. This is a five star rainbow extravaganza. 

Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books: Dave Rudden - The Knights of the Borrowed Dark - Book Review

The first book in a new series about an orphan boy who discovers he is part of a secret army that protects the world from a race of shadowy monsters.

Grey placed his finger in the middle of the shadow.
'What's this?' he asked.
Denizen frowned. 'It's a shadow.'
'No, it isn't,' Grey said. 'It's a door.'

Denizen Hardwick doesn't believe in magic - until he's ambushed by a monster created from shadows and sees it destroyed by a word made of sunlight.

That kind of thing can really change your perspective.

Now Denizen is about to discover that there's a world beyond the one he knows. A world of living darkness where an unseen enemy awaits.

Fortunately for humanity, between us and the shadows stand the Knights of the Borrowed Dark.

Unfortunately for Denizen, he's one of them . . .

Sorry for the early review. I know that I'm very naughty, but I really wanted to share this book with you .....

What can you expect from this debut Irish author? Well, come a little closer and I will tell you my dear reader. Let's turn the opening pages to this Irish fantasy and walk the thrilling tight rope of The Knights of the Borrowed Dark. This first instalment is an epic 11+ fantasy adventure trilogy based around a boy called Denizen Hardwick. It will be published by the mighty Puffin books in the UK on the 7th April 2016 and much later in the US by Random House Books (16th August 2016). Make sure that you check out the brilliant book cover by Owen Freeman. 

If you put all your favourite Irish childrens' authors into a bowl and give it a mighty whisk, then this is the type of story that I would expect to unfold. There are many trademark features of fantastic authors all under the cover of this great book.The first amazing ingredient is a fantasy plot brimming with great imagination. The likes of such that we would often associate with the great Eoin Colfer. Then there is the creative art of making up the scary monsters - ones that are not your normal mundane type that you may find in some books. I am talking about real monsters that appear on the edges of your subconscious mind leaving you feeling very unsettled. In my opinion, Darren Shan does it better than anyone else, especially within The Demonata series which will always be one of my favourite series and the monsters in this book match up to this quality. Then we mix in a big dollop of dark magic which is topped off with a chilling and skittish atmosphere. Again, resonant of the great Derek Landy, who is a master of this and is incorporated very well into this plot. 

Denizen is an orphan boy, who finds himself caught up in an ancient and secret battle between an order of magic-wielding humans. A shadowy race of monsters, known as the Tenebrous, and their powerful master, the Endless King, are locked in battle with the humans as they try to wreak havoc over the human world. Denizen is not a natural hero; he is very much a loner - he reads far too many books, questions everything and lacks confidence in the real world. 

On a particularly dark night, the electric energy flows and the gates of Crosscaper Orphanage open. A car growls with power into the driveway of the Orphanage and the mysterious adventure begins. The car and the man in it retrieve Denizen with the promise of introducing him to a long-lost aunt. But on the ride into the city, they are attacked. Denizen soon learns that wicked angelic-like monsters can grow out of the shadows. Once you start to read this exceedingly good adventure, you will soon be compelled to turn the pages. Like a maelstrom, you will be swirled and sucked into a vortex of monsters, a magical world and a secret order that might change your perspective.           

This book is very cool. It has a very effective plot which is blended with humour and memorable monsters playing havoc in an atmospheric world of darkness. I loved the aloofness of some of the characters. This leaves you never really knowing them or what they are thinking or doing, which makes you guess what's coming next. This book will have you running from your shadow and fleeing from the darkness of your imagination. It is a story to read at your peril and a fantastic start to a trilogy. Can you keep this high standard and amazing story writing flowing, Dave? I am sure that you can and I look forward to reading the next book in the trilogy.

Marcus Alexander - Keeper of the Realms Book Cover Competition Spring 2015

Marcus Alexander is running a funky fresh competition to produce a one of a kind book cover for the Keeper of the Realms series. Your cover can have any image on the front and produced in anyway that you think best represents Charlie Keeper’s adventures in Bellania. But in order to win any of the truly funky prizes available it’s up to you to let loose both your passion and your creative flow in order to produce an epic book cover that let’s the world see how awesome your imagination is!



For full competition details please go to: http://whoischarliekeeper.com/book-co...

Imagination is King and I’ll always be game to champion it.

WE WANT AN #ARTEMISFOWLMOVIE - EOIN COLFER (DISNEY)

we want an #ARTEMISFOWLMOVIE - FOLLOW THE LINK AND GET IT SIGNED... IT takes a BLINK OF AN EYE.....
It has been 14 years since the first Artemis Fowl book was released, and a movie is still ‘in the works. This petition has been organised to show Disney that the Artemis Fowl Community are so incredibly excited for a movie, and can’t wait for the day when we can settle down in the cinema to watch it. We’re aiming for a whopping10,000 signatures, at which point we’ll deliver the petition list to Disney. http://www.artemis-fowl.com/movie/petition/

Don’t forget to share the petition to your Facebook & Twitter accounts… lets get #ArtemisFowlMovie trending!

                http://www.artemis-fowl.com/movie/petition/ 

Author Interview with Marcus Alexander - Keeper of the Realms (Charlie Keeper) Who is Marcus Alexander?

The only thing that I would like to to say is read this... Thanks Marcus for taking the time out of your hectic jet- setting life to do this Q&A, you are an inspiration to us all!

Who is Marcus Alexander? 

Me. Big, bald and ugly but hopefully making up for my shortcomings with a passion for life, adventure and adrenaline.

Tell us about the Keeper of the Realms series? 

KOTR is a fantasy adventure that follows the dark path of Charlie Keeper as she struggles to survive the attacks of her foes and the betrayals of those she foolishly presumed to be close to her. And even though she doesn’t stand a chance against all that confronts her she continues to use her will and common sense to claw her way forwards.

Bellania is a realm of dragons, twisted giants, greedy daemons, blind mercenaries and assassins spun from shadow. (Heh. What kind of fantasy series would this be without these?)

If you could have superpowers, what would they be?

Don’t smack me for this but I’d have to go with…immortality! The idea of extending my life so I could really go out there and chase everything, try everything, be everything sounds amazing. (I know our lifespans offer a lot of opportunity but I’m a greedy boy when it comes to living life.)

If you could change one aspect about the world, what would it be? 

Balance. There should be more balance or at least a little less greed and a more awareness of consequences.

How much influence does art/travel have on your writing?

Travel has everything to do with my writing! When I was a young teenager I used to devour books. For real I used to read a book a day then get upset with bookstores when I had consumed everything on their fantasy and sci-fi shelves. But it was reading all the adventures of these heroes and heroines that inspired me to go off and seek my own. I started travelling the UK at 14, Europe at 16, then off to the rest of the world at 18. 

Sandboarding in the Sahara, fighting in the Golden Triangle, climbing across frozen waterfalls in the Khumbu Glacier…and now that I’ve had all these manic adventures, now that I’ve chased my fears and lived for adrenaline these in turn have inspired me to turn full circle and start writing my own stories.

(And for my young peeps out there who have not yet thought to start travelling remember that if you stay at home your mind will reflect the small environment that you’re in. If you want to grow, to really expand knock down all the boundaries that stand in your way and travel the world like you only live once…)

If you could own one item, that you don't already own now, what would it be? 

A tour bus so I could take my crew snowboarding and chase fresh powder all season long. Yum*

Or if realism and budget was truly no option…a spaceship! (For some truly epic travelling and adventure. No doubt said spaceship would come with a truly momentous soundtrack, oh-so-fine intergalactic uniforms and 1970s inspired control centre.)

What would you say that would encourage more children to read?

Too many adults offer nice solutions and reasons to read but such an approach doesn’t always work. So when I talk to young students about reading I offer reality and the repercussions of what they can expect if they don’t get to grips with their books.

Sure, if you don’t read you might be able to go out there and carve yourself a slice of life but it’ll always be a small slice and you’ll never maximise your potential. 

You’ll never be all that you could be.

If you don’t read you’ll never make as much money as you could.

If you don’t read you’ll never have as many options as you should.

If you don’t read you’ll never earn as much respect as you desire.

If you don’t read you’ll never build that ability to think outside the box or develop the brightest of imaginations.

I’m a big believer in dreams and it’s one of the themes that I always push the most during author events. Dreams could and should be fulfilled. But dreams never come easy, dreams have to be earned. And for me, as soon as I can illustrate this point to students, as soon as I can get them to see that their dreams will only come to light through hard work and diligence that I can then get them to see books and reading as a building block for their ambitions.

‘Read more, play more, do more and chase life with a furious appetite.’

If you were to meet the infamous Banksy, what would the topic of conversation be?

If we could shoot the breeze for a couple of minutes I’d love to know how many times he’s been busted? And I’d be fascinated to know what tips and tricks he has to avoid detection?

What gives you an adrenaline rush?

Fear! Being on that razor edge between control and total wipeout really does it for me.

What makes your school events the 'talk of the town'?

I’m a breaker of stereotypes, a shatterer of preconceptions and a believer in dreams. I show students that they can take what they love and on the provision that they work hard, that they rely on common sense to overcome obstacles and always pick themselves up when they fall then they can achieve all that they desire.

How cool is cool? How cool are you?

Man, I can’t answer that! In fact if you find anyone fool enough to big themselves up for being über cool give me a shout and I’ll come over there and shake my head woefully in their general direction.

looooooooool

Have you ever been mistaken for somebody else? If so, who?

Nope. Too bald, too ugly.

Is there anything that you would like to share with us?

Fo’ sure. 

Books rockthaspot but every once in a while you’ve got to put them down, get out there and take whatever inspired you between those pages and make it happen. Forget living a little. 

Live a lot.

Librarian Problems? Not any more! Videos for Reluctant Readers, Young Writer's Tips & a huge collection of literacy inspired posters to pimp your library with! All available here: http://whoischarliekeeper.com/library-resources