New Children's Book - Picks For The Month Of March 2011

                                 

Andy McNab - DropZone:Terminal Velocity - Published by Doubleday - 3 March 2011

The Raiders are a talented young skydiving team - with a secret. They are also a highly trained group of covert operatives, carrying out deniable missions for Britain's intelligence services. Under the demanding guidance of their ice-cold leader, an ex SAS explosives expert with many live covert special ops missions into active war zones behind him, the Raiders are developing into an impressive unit.

This time, the mission lands Ethan and the team in the most perilous adventure of their careers. The bodies of homeless teenagers are turning up dumped on the street, having been beaten to death. At first no one really seems to care, but then one survives long enough to talk of being forced to fight in a cage, and the authorities suspect organised crime. But they have no luck cracking the impenetrable wall of silence surrounding the organisation. They need a teenager, trained in hand-to-hand combat, to go in undercover. Ethan's the obvious choice...

                                 

Jonathan Maberry - Rot & Ruin - Published by Simon & Schuster - 3 March 2011

Nearly fourteen years ago a freak virus swept across the world turning those infected from the living into the undead. Benny Imura has grown-up never knowing anything different; his last memories of his parents tainted by the image of them becoming zombies. Now Benny is fifteen, and his brother Tom wants him to join the "family business" and train as a zombie killer. The last thing Benny wants is to work with Tom --- but at least the job should be an easy ride. Then the brothers head into the Rot and Ruin, an area full of wandering zombies, and Benny realises that being a bounty hunter isn't just about whacking zombies. As he's confronted with the truths about the world around him, Benny finds his beliefs challenged and makes the most terrifying discovery of all, that sometimes the worst monsters you can imagine, are human...

                                   

Frances Hardinge - Twilight Robbery - Published by Macmillan Children's - 4 March 2011

Mosca Mye and Eponymous Clent are in trouble again. Escaping disaster by the skin of their teeth, they find refuge in Toll, the strange gateway town where visitors may neither enter nor leave without paying a price. By day, the city is well-mannered and orderly; by night, it’s the haunt of rogues and villains. Wherever there’s a plot, there’s sure to be treachery, and wherever there’s treachery, there’s sure to be trouble – and where there’s trouble, Clent, Mosca and the web-

footed apocalypse Saracen can’t be far behind. But as past deeds catch up with them and old

enemies appear, it looks as if this time there’s no way out . 

                              

                                   

Alex Woolf - Chronosphere Book1:Time out of Time - Published by BookHouse - 1 March 2011

Is your life rushing by too fast? No time to stop and smell the roses? Ever wanted a little time out? What if you could buy a year out of time, free to relax, play and party all you liked, safe in the knowledge that at the end of it all you'd be returned back to the moment you left? Ask Raffi Delgado. He knows all about it. Set in the late 22nd century, Chronosphere is a science fiction series which follows the adventures of teenager Raffi and his friends Dario, Jonah, Lastara and Sal in the Chronosphere, the place you go when you've bought time out of time. At first all is well, but something disturbing bubbles beneath the glossy exterior of the 'paradise' that is the Chronosphere. In Book One, 'Time Out of Time', teenagers go missing and the Secrocon Police start arresting people by dilating them to normal time, causing them to freeze. When Dario and Raffi are arrested and sent to a horrific subterranean gulag, they discover a girl who is living her life backwards, but why? And how? With mystery, fun, danger, twists and turns, Chronosphere is a esmerising glimpse into a dark future where the fun of hoverbiking, air-tennis and trips to the holoplex are all held in check by the firm grip of a police state. For fans of the sci-fi genre and also those who are looking to get started.

                                   

Mark Robson - The Devils Triangle - Published by - Simon & Schuster -  31 March 2011

The Bermuda Triangle has cast a shadow over Sam and Niamh Cutlers' lives since their mother vanished nine years ago. Her whereabouts remains a mystery and every year they return to the Florida Keys with their father, Matt, who is obsessed with solving the haunting puzzle. But Sam is bored with lazing around by the pool while his father hunts for the truth. Craving excitement, he and his friend, Callum, "borrow" Matt's boat. At first it's great fun, but when they find themselves marooned in a terrifying land, the boys realise they too have fallen victim to the Triangle's 

mysterious effects. Can they find a way home, or will they be......

R.L Stine - Nightmare Hour - Time for Terror - Book Review

                                       

• Pages - 160
• Publisher -  HarperCollins 
• Date - 1999
• Age -  10+

At the age of nine, R.L Stine just wanted to write, and write he did. This author is a writing machine and is known within the literary world as the Steven King of Children's Literature. He is the best selling children's author of all time and has, in the process, sold over 400 million books. In my opinion, he's not as famous as he should be within the UK. Even though most people may have heard of the "Goosebumps" series, which sold in over 40 countries, and contained 25 books in the series. From here, he then went on to write "Give Yourself Goosebumps" and many more chilling stories.

Nightmare Hour consists of ten short stories of the most delicious nature. The author has a natural ability like no other writer. He can weave a tale that will leave you spell bound. These spine-tingling encounters will send a shiver down your spine, no matter what age you are. The author will take you to the dark depths of his genius mind and leave you there. He evokes such a bag of mix feelings that you won't be able to shake them off.

The first story is entitled Pumpkinhead which sets the mood for the following other stories.
The sun went down as I continued my search. The air grew cold. I stopped when I heard a soft thudding sound. I watched as a pumpkin came rolling towards me. It rolled over wilted vines, over the flat, dark field-and stopped at my feet. I stared at it. What had made it roll?
As you start to read, the story gently leads you down the garden path before thumping you on the head; leaving your heartbeat to quicken as the story unfolds.

My favourite story from this collection is entitled "Alien Candy". It is highly original and provokes a feeling of shock, leaving you to run around the room screaming. But as Walter calls his first meeting to order, he begins to wonder if he's made a big mistake. Maybe he should have checked the last minutes of the last Alien Club meeting.


In the next coming months I will be reading many more Stine books on the strength of his short stories.  I will be starting with the "Fear Street Saga" and hopefully, will get into double figures by the end of the year!

*** Interview with Robin Jarvis (author of Dancing Jax)***

I would like to start by thanking Sam, at HarperCollins, for making this post happen. I'd also like to thank Robin Jarvis, of course, for taking the time to answer these questions for my little blog - I really appreciate your time and responses. 


Today is the publication day for Robin's latest book "Dancing Jax", which in my opinion, is long overdue and one of the best books published this year. If you want to find out more about this amazing book then please check out my book review.

1. How would you describe your new book Dancing Jax to potential readers?

 It's a supernatural thriller, very much set in the here and now - and it's a warning.

2. Where did you get the inspiration for the characters for this book?

 Unlikely as this sounds, back in 2005 I had the most detailed, realistic dream of my life. It gave me the entire final chapter of the book, with the knowledge of what had gone before. It was all there, complete with names and even what everyone was wearing: the minchet, the Ismus, Paul dressed as the Jack of Diamonds shouting "Give me your jools, give me your jools!" Martin dragging him away and encountering the Jockey and the title of the book itself. I woke up with a jolt and ran straight into my study, switched the computer on and wrote down 2 and a half pages worth of synopsis and characters. I wish I could remember what I'd eaten before bed that night.

3. Are there any other books in the series to follow? if so, can you let us into any secrets?

 There are going to be two more. I've almost finished book two. Its set a few months after Dancing Jax is published in this country and just about everyone in the UK is affected by it. This tells the story of what happens to the children over whom neither it nor the minchet have any influence.

4. Do you share any similar traits with any of the characters in the book?

 There's a lot of me in Martin I 'suppose- but then I found myself agreeing with certain things the Ismus was saying, which is a bit scary.

5. The story is developed through so many different characters. Therefore, how do you piece everything together and make it all fit?

 I just knew the story I wanted to tell and so tailored the characters to suit and to get me to that final scene in the subway. One of the best aspects about writing is putting yourself into the heads of so many different characters and working out what drives them. I love doing that.

6. Could you describe any element of the editing process that this book went through in order to reach the final stage?

The editing process is usually pretty painless. I always go through the book so many times before the editor gets to see it, there isn't much needs doing. The only thing I can think of for Dancing Jax was the late addition of the chapter in the hospital ward, which served a number of purposes, one of which was to have a really powerful and violent chapter in the middle of the book, but it also introduces Mauger properly and something else which appears again in the second book...

Originally there wasn't any artwork either and every chapter was headed with an extract from Dancing Jacks but we thought it would be more interesting to include other elements from Austerly Fellows' evil work, such as the tune, dance steps, areas of map etc. Oh and I updated certain pop culture references within the text.  

7. Who inspires you to write?

 Nobody really. I think it has to come from within yourself. Thats how it works for me anyway. I get excited by ideas and want to write stories around them. 

 8. If you found yourself with a spare afternoon what book would you choose to read?

 I've got a stack of books I haven't gotten around to reading yet. Top of the pile is Wolf Hall so it'd be that.

Book Choice For February 2011 - (Books Published In U.S)

                                       
M.L Forman - Adventurers Wanted, Book Two: The Horn of Moran - Published By Shadow Mountain - 2 Feb 2011
The land of Norsland is on the brink of war as two men have each claimed the throne. Only the true king can sound the Horn of Moran and prove his nobility. But the horn has been lost for years. If it is not found and soon it could mean the destruction of an entire nation. Young Alexander Taylor joins a band of seasoned adventurers who have been called up to retrieve the legendary Horn of Moran. Their journey to the mysterious Tower of the Moon will take them through an enchanted forest, into battle against a goblin army, past the watchful eyes of griffin guards, and face-to-face with a sphinx and her deadly riddles. With his sword, Moon Slayer, and the wise counsel from his wizard mentor, Whalen Vankin, Alex must use all his wizard and warrior skills to slay a darkness that may consume them all. Sequel to the bestselling Slathbog's Gold. The perfect series for boys of all ages. Teaches moral lessons. A clean adventure for the whole family.

                                          
James Dashner - The Blade of Shattered Hope (The 13th Reality) - Published By Aladdin - 22 Feb 2011
Things have changed for Atticus Higginbottom. After the near catastrophe in the Fourth Reality, Tick’s being homeschooled in the fields of science, trying to master the mysterious Chi’karda. But just as he begins to make progress, Mistress Jane reappears, now hideously scarred and much more powerful. She has tapped into the universe’s darkest secret to create the Blade of Shattered Hope, and in her quest to attain a Utopian Reality for the future of mankind, she’s ready to risk billions of lives—including those of Tick’s parents and sisters—to set her plan in motion. Her vengeance knows no bounds and when rumors begin to circulate about the secret scientific experiments taking place at the Factory, Tick and his friends—Sato, Sofia, and Paul—are faced with their most dangerous task yet. And they must not fail; for if they do, the entire universe could cease to exist.

                                                                                 
Shannon Delany - Secrets and Shadows: A 13 to Life Novel - Published By St Martin's Griffin - Feb 15 2011

Nothing's simple when you run with werewolves. Jess Gillmansen thinks she's seen it all but her eyes are about to be opened to even more danger and a reality far more paranormal than she's suspected. With Jess' realization that the Rusakovas' mother is still alive and imprisoned, the group's choices become harder and trust more important. Lines are drawn and relationships change as the broken Rusakova family struggles to reunite to free their mother - and those who Jess thought to be normal people show themselves to be much, much more...

                                  
Rusalka Reh & David Henry Wilson - Pizzicato: The Abduction of the Magic Violin - Published By AmazonCrossing - 8 Feb 2011
Nonstop fun with a dizzying amount of mystery, Pizzicato: The Abduction of the Magic Violin is a lighthearted whodunit featuring a fair-haired orphan named Darius Dorian, who has a sly wit and a curious way of approaching most any predicament. Darius is none too pleased to be paired with Archibald Archinola, a master violinmaker, for a school project, especially when he thinks about his rival—fellow orphan and constant nemesis Max—being surrounded by Porsches at Auto Frederick for the same assignment. But when Darius discovers an old violin in a glass case and strikes the chords, a cut on his hand magically disappears, and suddenly studying with the violinmaker proves to be anything but dull. As a greedy doctor works to get his hands on the magic fiddle, Darius is forced to pull a few strings to save the magic violin’s power.

+++ Will Hill - Department 19 - Book Review +++

                                              
                                

• Pages - 352
• Published By - HarperCollins
• Publication Date  - 31 March 2011
• Age 13 +

Department 19 is a book that you're going to love............

HarperCollins have started the year 2011 by publishing some fantastic books - this is the second book to blow me away by them, already.  I don't want to give away too much about the story, as I think you should pick up a copy, and read it for yourselves. However, this is a really exciting series that has been written by the debut talent of Will Hill.

Check out what he has to say about the book below.



This book is a fast-paced, rampage of action which is full of entertaining story writing told in two parts. The first part is through modern day life but this then interchanges with the Victorian era. At this point, it develops into a traditional, gothic horror; bringing some of the legendary characters into play like Van Helsing, Frankenstein and Dracula. The story is based around the telling of Bram Stoker's Dracula but taken one step further with a sprinkling of embellishments. However,  you'll be able to see how this develops for yourself.

The historical detail of the story sucks you in like a Vampire's thirst. In fact, as the plot keeps returning to the past, each time it has a greater impact on the present! The result of this, is that it has a profound effect which will leave you to think more about what could have been.

At times, as I was reading this book, I found myself clutching the book so hard that my fingers had turned numb. This book is an absolute, non-stop blood bath, of gore and guts. Especially through some of the epic battle scenes that are played out within. They will certainly entertain your pulse rate as they're quite graphic at times, but nevertheless, written tastefully. 

The book also has an emotional element attached to it through the desperation faced by Jamie to find his kidnapped mother. As well as the strong bond that he feels between himself and a Vampire girl. He also has to fight through his teenage anger, which is depicted frequently, as well as trying to come to terms with the force of violence and sudden death that surrounds him. All of these elements are skilfully dealt with and give great strength to the book.

This book will leave your head spinning, especially at the end, as there is so much to take in. Will has really laid down the foundations to a great series. Until the next time.................

Deborah Abela - Grimsdon - Book Review

• Pages - 304 
• Published - Random House Australia 
• Date - 1 Nov 2010
• Age - 9+

Grimsdon is in ruins. Three years ago a massive wave broke its barriers and the sea flooded this grand city. Most were saved, others were lost and some were left behind.
Isabella Charm and her best friend Griffin live with three other children in the top of an opulent mansion. They've survived with the help of Griffin's brilliant inventions, Isabella's survival skills and their vow to look after each other.
But what will happen when a thrill-seeking newcomer arrives in his flying machine? When bounty hunters attempt to capture them? When Byron P. Sneddon, the self-appointed protector of the flooded harbour, demands obedience?
What if the danger is even greater? Something they can't see coming - something below the floodwater's?

I love the cover for this book as it gives off a great sense of feeling. It shows a vibrant and exciting world that is full of mystery. The author has written a highly imaginative story, which is full of friendship and hope, as well as wonderful inventions. The book is based in Grimsdon, a place blended with fantasy and adventure, which is set in a post-apocalyptic world. 


The book starts off quite slowly but after the first two chapters or so, the story line and the characters begin to weave together producing a magical picture. They create a world that has been turned upside down, by a tragic flooding, which engulfs the city of Grimsdon. Therefore, the story becomes a fight for survival for a group of children, who try to make the best of a bad situation. However, you make up your own mind as to whether they achieve this or not. Nevertheless, the courageous children have to overcome many hidden perils such as collapsing buildings, coming face to face with deadly sea monsters and fending off nasty kidnappers. They also get the occasional slap in the face from a fish or two along the way! 


The characters are easy to relate to and certainly make for a good read. The main character of the group is the feisty heroine 'Isabella', who fights like a tiger and can duel well with a sword. The brains of the group is Griffin - his inventive skills help to create a power source with the help of tidal waves. Whilst the two twins (Raffy and Bea) plus their friend Fly, make up the rest of the group. That is until the day when a mysterious boy brings the flying machine called 'Aerotrope' into their lives and shows them the bigger world.

The story is generally fast paced - uncovering the mysterious world inside Grimsdon and the challenges that are faced for survival. The ongoing friendships between the group are poignant and produce many memorable moments within the book. As a result, you will find yourself laughing and crying, both in equal measures, as you travel along their path of discovery. 


This was such an enjoyable read, that when I came to the final page, I was left feeling sad that I had reached the end. I would really love to see another adventure involving all the characters, as they left a small, but memorable imprint and therefore, I would like to meet up with them all again.                                                   

++++New Books Picks For February 2011++++

                                                                      
Andrew Mulligan - Return to Ribblestrop - Published by Simon & Schuster - 3 Feb 2011
It's a new term at Ribblestrop and the headmaster is hoping for a bit more organisation. But secrets remain under the ground, the new Chaplain is not all that he seems, and a truck load of circus animals has taken refuge in the school grounds. Amongst the new intake are a footballing protegee and a trainee psychopath not to mention a pregnant panther and an escaped crocodile. Things are about to go from bad to worse at Ribblestrop can Millie, Sanchez and the gang help save the day once more?

                                         
Alex Scarrow - Timeriders:The Doomsday Code - Published by Puffin - 3 Feb 2011
Liam O’Connor should have died at sea in 1912. Maddy Carter should have died on a plane in 2010. Sal Vikram should have died in a fire in 2026. But all three have been given a second chance – to work for an agency that no one knows exists. Its purpose: to prevent time travel destroying history . . . In 1993 British computer hacker Adam Lewis finds his name in a coded manuscript that is almost one thousand years old. How did Adam's name get in there . . . and why? Confronted by Adam in 2001, the TimeRiders travel back to Sherwood Forest in 1193 to discover the origins of the ancient message. But when a strange hooded man appears interested in the same thing, they begin to wonder what terrible threat this cryptic link from the past holds for the future . . .

                                   

                                          

Barry Hutchison - Invisible Fiends - The CrowMaster - HarperCollins - 3 Feb 2011

After Kyle's ordeal at school, his mother packs him off to the safety of the countryside, where there will be no temptation to use his powers, and he can forget the bad things - like the fact that his dad is a monster determined to destroy the world.
But here's the thing about the countryside: it's full of nature, and nature sometimes has claws.
Followed by a spindly figure in the woods and attacked by crows, Kyle is about to discover that NOWHERE is safe from the invisible fiends…
 

                            

                                                                  

Kate Saunders - Magicalamity - Published by Marion Lloyd Books - 7 Feb 20111
Tom doesn't know he is a demisprite - the child of a fairy and a human - until he meets his three fairy godmothers. They've been summoned to protect him, but they can't stop bickering, and two of them are hardened criminals. Tom must survive their botched magic spells, learn to fly and enter the dangerous Fairy Realm to save his parents...

                                               

Chris Ryan - Agent 21 - Book Review

                                     

   

• Pages 320
• Published By Red Fox
• Date 6 January 2011
• Age 14+                          

When Zak Darke's parents die in an unexplained mass murder he's left alone in the world. That is until he's sought out by a mysterious man: ‘I work for a government agency,’ the man tells him. ‘You don’t need to know which one. Not yet. All you need to know is that we’ve had our eye on you. There’s a possibility you could help us in certain . . . operational situations.’

Zak becomes Agent 21. What happened to the 20 agents before him he'll never know. What he does know is that his life is about to change for ever . . .

Finally, a new series is in the offering from Chris Ryan, former SAS soldier, who avoided capture for 7 days and covered 188 miles of desert in subzero temperatures with no food, and little water. His remarkable escape was the longest in the history of the Regiment and earned him a Military Medal. The author has used some of his real-life experiences to good use. These certainly appears to help him in writing high-octane, fuelled action combat/spy books. Each book gives an authentic touch to the story - they will certainly capture the interest of any reluctant reader and encourage them into the power of a good story.

Agent 21 is definitely a book more suitable for the teenage market - it deals with some very strong issues. To be honest, the cover itself suggests that this book has an older reader in mind as well. However, the plot is very well thought out and written - it was a very enjoyable book to read. 

Zak Darke's parents die under mysterious circumstances, in Nigeria and that becomes the driving force behind Zak. However, a mysterious stranger follows Zak, leading him to eventually discover that they actually know more about his parents mysterious deaths. Zak needs to know more. As a result, he is whisked away to a secret location in the north of England and becomes highly trained in the skills and arts of becoming an Agent. 

The story itself is quite simply written especially for a teenage book. At times, I found that there was just not enough detail included. Although, the drug factory encounter had a lot of detail threaded throughout and was particularly engaging.

Another aspect about this book was that there didn't appear to be a sub-plot weaved into the storyline. It is based really around a simple storyline but it told through a frank and no nonsense approach. However, the ending leaves a great potential for the next book in the series and perhaps this will be further developed.

This book is a good read - Chris Ryan's military background shows throughout the book and definitely makes it a more enjoyable read then most. I will continue to keep reading the other books that he's written in the series - they are certainly filled with many great action moments. 

Rick Riordan - Kane Chronicles:The Throne of Fire - Book Cover

                                                      

The next exciting instalment now has now been given the title "The Throne of Fire" the second book in the Kane Chronicles, a three-book series, Carter and Sadie, offspring of the brilliant Egyptologist Dr. Julius Kane, embark on a worldwide search for the Book of Ra, but the House of Life and the gods of chaos are determined to stop them. This is one of the best book covers,I have seen so far this year. The book will be published on 3 May here in the U.K by Puffin and Hyperion in the U.S. Looking forward to that!
You can also read the Exclusive first chapter of the book over at usatoday

Waterstone's Children's Book Prize 2011 Shortlisted Books

The shortlist for the Waterstone's Children's Book Prize 2011 was announced yesterday. As a result, I have compiled a list of the final nine books which can be found below. This year is one of the strongest line-ups of debut talent with some of the best writing seen yet. I would love to hear which are your favourite books from this list.                              



Candy Gourlay - Tall Story - Published By David Fickling Books - 27  May 2010

Be careful what you wish for . . .

Andi is short. And she has lots of wishes. She wishes she could play on the school basketball team, she wishes for her own bedroom, but most of all she wishes that her long lost half brother, Bernardo, could come and live in London, where he belongs.

Then Andi's biggest wish comes true and she's minutes away from becoming someone's little sister. As she waits anxiously for Bernardo to arrive from the Philippines, she hopes he'll turn out to be tall and just as mad as she is about basketball. When he finally arrives, he's tall all right. But he's not just tall ... he's a GIANT.

In a novel packed with humour and quirkiness, Gourlay explores a touching sibling relationship and the clash of two very different cultures.

                      
Jon Mayhew - Mortlock - Published By Bloomsbury - 5 Apr 2010
The sister is a knife-thrower in a magician's stage act, the brother an undertaker's assistant. Neither orphan knows of the other's existence. Until, that is, three terrible Aunts descend on the girl's house and imprison her guardian, the Great Cardamom. His dying act is to pass the girl a note with clues to the secret he carries to his grave. Cardamom was one of three explorers on an expedition to locate the legendary Amarant, a plant with power over life and death. Now, pursued by flesh-eating crow-like ghuls, brother and sister must decode the message and save themselves from its sinister legacy.

                        

Ruth Eastham - The Memory Cage - Published By Scholastic - 3 Jan 2011

Alex's grandfather keeps forgetting things, and Alex has overheard his adoptive parents say that they're going to put granddad in a home. His grandfather begs Alex to save him from that, and it's a promise Alex is desperate to keep But Alex once promised his little brother that he would save him, and in the terror of the Bosnian war, he failed As Alex struggles to protect his grandfather, he uncovers secrets that his family and the village have kept for two generations.nravelling them will cause grief, but will they save grandfather, and perhaps help Alex come to terms with his own private war.

                               

                        

Irfan Master - A Beautiful Lie - Published By Bloomsbury -  4 Jan 2011

An extraordinarily rich debut novel, set in India in 1947 at the time of Partition. Although the backdrop is this key event in Indian history, the novel is even more far-reaching, touching on the importance of tolerance, love and family. The main character is Bilal, a boy determined to protect his dying father from the news of Partition - news that he knows will break his father's heart. With great spirit and determination, and with the help of his good friends, Bilal persuades others to collude with him in this deception, even printing false pages of the local newspaper to hide the ravages of unrest from his father. All that Bilal wants is for his father to die in peace. But that means Bilal has a very complicated relationship with the truth...

                              

Anna Kemp - Fantastic Frankie and the Brain-drain Machine - Published By Simon & Schuster -  6 Jan 2011

When Frankie Blewitt brings home yet another F-for-failure school report it's the last straw for his overachieving parents and they decide to send him to the Crammar Grammar boarding school. At first he is just relieved to be away from home, but he soon realises that there's something really weird going on at Crammer Grammar...As Frankie tries to find out the secrets of the school he discovers that the headmaster, Dr Gore, has plans to turn all the students into robot-like super-brains using his Brain-drain machine! With the help of his new friends Neet and Wes, Alphonsine his crazy French nanny and a poodle named Colette, can Frankie save the day before it's too late and change the F-for- failure to F-for-fantastic?

                                 
Rebecca Stead - When You Reach Me - Published By Andersen - 6 Jan 2011

Four mysterious letters change Miranda’s world forever.By sixth grade, Miranda and her best friend, Sal, know how to navigate their New York City neighborhood. They know where it’s safe to go, like the local grocery store, and they know whom to avoid, like the crazy guy on the corner.

But things start to unravel. Sal gets punched by a new kid for what seems like no reason, and he shuts Miranda out of his life. The apartment key that Miranda’s mom keeps hidden for emergencies is stolen. And then Miranda finds a mysterious note scrawled on a tiny slip of paper: 

I am coming to save your friend’s life, and my own.
I must ask two favors. First, you must write me a letter.
The notes keep coming, and Miranda slowly realizes that whoever is leaving them knows all about her, including things that have not even happened yet. Each message brings her closer to believing that only she can prevent a tragic death. Until the final note makes her think she’s too late.

           

                            

Curtis Jobling - Wereworld:Rise of the Wolf - Published By Puffin - 6 Jan 2011

YOU’RE THE LAST OF THE WEREWOLVES SON. DON’T FIGHT IT . . . CONQUER IT.’ When the air is clear, sixteen year-old Drew Ferran can pick up the scent of a predator. When the moon breaks through the clouds, a terrifying fever grips him. And when a vicious beast invades his home, his flesh tears, his fingers become claws, and Drew transforms . . . Forced to flee the family he loves, Drew seeks refuge in the most godforsaken parts of Lyssia. But when he is captured by Lord Bergan’s men, Drew must prove he is not the enemy. Can Drew battle the werecreatures determined to destroy him – and master the animal within?

          

                 

                                            

Janice Hardy - The Healing Wars 1 - The Pain Merchants - Published By HarperCollins - 6 Jan 2011
Nya has a secret she must never share…
A gift she must never use…
And a sister whose life depends on both.This astonishing debut novel is the first in the epic dystopian fantasy adventure trilogy, THE HEALING WARS.

Fifteen-year-old Nya is one of Geveg’s many orphans; she survives on odd jobs and optimism in a city crippled by a failed war for independence.
Nya has a deadly secret. She is a Taker, someone who can extract pain and injury from others, but with unusual differences. Her sister Tali and other normal Takers become Healer’s League apprentices and put their extracted pain into enchanted metal, pynvium. But Nya can’t dump pain in this way. All she can do is shift it from person to person.
When Nya’s secret is revealed to the pain merchants and the Healer’s League she is flung into danger. Then a ferry accident floods the city with injured, Takers start disappearing from the Healer’s League and Nya’s strange abilities are suddenly in demand. Her principles and endurance are tested to the limit when Nya’s deadly powers become the only thing that can save her sister's life.
 

                  
Sita Brahmachari - Artichoke Hearts - Published By Macmillan Children's - 7 Jan 2011

Twelve-year-old Mira comes from a chaotic, artistic and outspoken family where it’s not always easy to be heard. As her beloved Nana Josie's health declines, Mira begins to discover the secrets of those around her, and also starts to keep some of her own. She is drawn to mysterious Jide, a boy who is clearly hiding a troubled past and has grown hardened layers - like those of an artichoke - around his heart. As Mira is experiencing grief for the first time, she is also discovering the wondrous and often mystical world around her.

Ben Horton - Monster Republic:The Judas Code - Book Review

• Pages 304
• Published By Corgi Children's
• Date 6 January 2011
• Age 12+      

The explosion at the Prime Minister's visit to Long Harbour means the cover of the Monster Republic is blown, and they are forced deep into hiding. Lazarus Fry turns his tactics to infiltration, and is confident of their swift crushing. Plus his new pets, the Blood Hawks, are hungry to get their talons into some fresh kill...
But Fry hasn't counted on this band of rebel kids' awesome will for survival. When your back is against the wall, the only option is to come out fighting...     


This is the second book of the eagerly anticipated series, Monster Republic. After my previous glowing review of the first book; I was looking forward to discover how the storyline would develop through The Judas Code. I can start by saying that I was not disappointed, as the book immediately started with the continuation of events from book one, where a group of genetically modified kids (with special abilities) are found hiding, from both the world, and the reaches of the evil, Dr Fry.

This book can be read as a stand alone novel, as the author has carefully hand-picked parts of the previous story to enable the reader to get up to speed with events. Equally, the start also builds into an interesting and enticing beginning which enables the reader to rattle through the pages. Its fast-paced action and timely organised twists, bring both old and new characters together. Although the story is mainly told through the eyes' of Cameron, who has an extremely impulsive nature, which therefore develops into an intense and interesting adventure.

The book has a number of superb scenes which have been written particularly well and will have you wanting more. My favourite section within the story involves the band of Monster Republic, who find their food supplies are running low and need to stock up incredibly quickly. As a result, they set off on a mission to break into a supermarket, which in turn sets off a chain of events that shape the story towards its final outcome. The book is filled with many heart-stopping moments, which are perhaps more evident in this book than the first one. Therefore, there's a lot of running tension felt between the children and the decisions that they have to make in the fight for survival.

I loved this book, in fact equally as much as I loved the first. The end is left hanging in mid-air and so the next book will have many questions to answer. For example, will Cameron continue to be recognised as a hero or will he turn into a villain? The line between the two roles is becoming ever thinner, and with the fight for survival, this might just be final the tipping point. I'm really looking forward to the next slice of action . . . . .

About the Author
Ben Horton was born in Buckinghamshire,grew up in Norfolk,went to university in Cambridge and now lives in London,making him by far the best-travelled children's writer in his immediate family. When not writing ,Ben runs a theatre company,enjoys cooking and watching films like Batman and X-Men.