Clare Povey - The Midnight Sweet Factory - A Wanderdays Adventure - Book Review - Usborne Publishing

Published by Usborne Publishing Ltd, 11 Sept. 2025. Illustrated brilliantly by Davide Ortu. 

"HELP! Trapped in the Midnight Forest. Come before the lollypops run OUT!"

This enchanting, sugary sweet book whisks readers away on an adventure through a vivid, magical landscape where every page bursts and buzzes with excitement and wonder. Here are some highlights of this spellbinding tale:

Engaging Storyline: The narrative is rich with twists and turns, ensuring that readers remain on the edge of their seats throughout the journey. The story balances heartfelt moments with pulse-quickening suspense, making it a perfect blend of fantasy and adventure.

Vibrant World-Building: The author has crafted a mesmerising world filled with mystical creatures, enchanted forests, and ancient secrets. Every setting feels alive, encouraging readers to lose themselves in the intricate details of this realm.

Dynamic Characters: The protagonists are multi-dimensional and relatable, facing challenges that test their courage, loyalty, and resilience. Their growth over the course of the story adds a layer of depth, making the emotional stakes as important as the physical ones.

Themes of Hope and Discovery: Beyond the adventure, the book explores themes of self-discovery and the timeless battle between light and darkness. It reminds us that even in the face of overwhelming odds, hope and friendship can light the way.

Captivating Writing Style: The lyrical prose and imaginative descriptions draw readers deeper into the fantastical world. The balance between detailed descriptions and brisk pacing ensures that the narrative feels both expansive and personal.

Overall, this book is a delightful escape into a magical world where adventure awaits at every turn. Whether you're a long-time fan of fantasy or a newcomer to the genre, you'll find this tale to be a captivating journey that's both heartwarming and exhilarating.

Happy reading!

Piu DasGupta - The Golden Monkey Mystery - Book Review - Nosy Crow Books 2026

Are you ready for an exotic jungle adventure? Well, it's time to inhale this riveting adventure that promises to captivate readers from the very first page. With exquisitely woven narrative threads and a vivid setting, this book takes us on a journey through the enchanting jungles of India, perfectly blending themes of bravery, discovery, and the fight against adversity.

In this imaginative tale, we meet the indomitable Roma Moreau, who aspires to break barriers and become the first woman to study at the Bengal Medical College. Her unwavering determination leads her to uncover the elusive golden monkey, a creature shrouded in mystery and myth. The stakes rise as Roma embarks on a dangerous quest to return the monkey to its home in the majestic Himalayas, armed only with a mysterious map and her fierce courage.

The characters are richly developed, with Roma’s journey reflecting not only her personal ambition but also the broader struggles faced by women in a patriarchal society. The supporting characters add depth and dimension to the story, including bandits, a talking cat, and mystical elements that transform them into a shimmering golden quest that you will absolutely love.  

The author’s descriptive prose invites readers to visualise every scene: from the lush greenery of the forest to the suspenseful moments that keep readers on the edge of their monkey pants. The interplay of reality and magical realism in the narrative invites young readers to dream, ponder, and engage with the world around them.

Beyond entertainment, the book also imparts valuable lessons about female history, conservation, resilience, and the importance of following one’s dreams, making it not just a story but an educational tool for young minds.  

In this outstanding second book, Piu Dasgupta skillfully crafts a personal tale that resonates with readers of all ages. *The Golden Monkey Mystery* is not just a book; it is an invitation to explore, learn, and believe in the magic of adventure. Mark your calendars—this literary treasure is one you won’t want to miss!

**BOOK Release:** Coming January 15, 2026, *The Golden Monkey Mystery* is highly anticipated and certain to leave a lasting impression on all who embark on this journey.

For more information and to preorder, visit [Nosy Crow]

New Children's : Dirk Jones is NOT the Chosen One - Gatlin Perrin - Firefly Press Ltd

Firefly Press Ltd - 9th October - Paperback | £9.99 | YA Dirk isn’t the chosen one. Not even close. So how did they end up in the middle of a potential apocalypse?  All Dirk wanted was to escape another argument with their parents and go for a nice quiet coffee. Instead, they’ve been kidnapped by agents, attacked by mal-realmers and forced to wear a boiler suit that they’re pretty sure someone died in.  When Dirk is taken to Base, a secret underground …well … base, they learn way more than they need to. More about other realms, more about the battle between good and evil, and more about the absolutely terrifying Violent Jack, an evil mal-realmer determined to bring about the end of the world.  Both sides need the chosen one. But there’s not a lot Dirk can do about it, is there? It’s not like it’s them.   Unfortunately for Dirk, not everyone knows that.   COMING 09 OCTOBER

Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books - Favourite Children's/kids Book Picks - OCTOBER 2025

 

• Author: Dominique Valente
• Title: Witchlight (Witchspark)
• Publisher ‏: Usborne Publishing Ltd
• Publication Date: 9 Oct. 2025
• ISBN-13 ‏: ‎978-1805316800 - Paperback
• Reading Age ‏: ‎ 9 - 12 years

Return to the magical world of witches, royalty and curses in this spellbinding sequel to Witchspark. 

Miss Hegotty's Secret Society of Witches has a lot of work to do. The Department of Isle-Spark Regulation is up to no good.

For Princess Victoria at the palace, this means possibly losing her powers forever. And for Eglantine Bury, her magical home can't stop sneezing, causing total chaos with each "ACHOO!".

As if that wasn't enough to worry about, Eglantine's house isn't the only magical being falling mysteriously ill. With dragons and gargoyles getting sicker and sicker, the witches will have to use time travel, disguise spells and genie wishes to uncover the truth...before it's too late.

https://uk.bookshop.org/a/10860/9781805316800

• Author: Phil Hickes 
• Illustrator: Oriol Vidal
• Title: The Last Day of October
• Publisher ‏: ‎Barrington Stoke
• Publication Date ‏ : ‎ 9 Oct. 2025
• ISBN-13 ‏: ‎978-0008748517
• Reading Age ‏: ‎9 years and up

• A spine-tingling middle-grade horror perfect for Halloween! (Dyslexia-friendly)

Bored with trick-or-treating, three friends venture into the woods on Halloween night to hunt for the haunted McBride House in this spine-tingling horror story from Phil Hickes.

If you go down to the woods today, you’re in for a nasty surprise …

Seeking creepy thrills instead of candy, Cody and his friends set out on Halloween to search for the ruins of the haunted McBride House in the woods near his home in Oregon.

The house has taken on a sinister legendary status after it burned down a hundred years ago with tragic consequences, and it’s said that the ghosts of the family who lived there return each year on the last day of October.

But when they find the house, the truth of what is happening on this eerie autumn night is more terrifying than the three teenagers could ever have imagined …

https://uk.bookshop.org/a/10860/9780008748517

• Author: Frank J. Camacho 
• Title: The Monsters They Made Us (The Heirs of Driftmoor) BK 1 
• Publisher: FJC Books
• Publication Date ‏: ‎1 Oct. 2025
• ISBN-13 ‏: ‎979-8998781810
• Reading Age ‏: ‎15 - 18 years

For fans of supernatural dramas and dark academia comes a new tale of salt-soaked secrets, blood-bound legacies, and a coastal town where every wave carries the weight of centuries-old curses.

Some monsters are born. Others are made. But the worst are inherited.

Long before Driftmoor was a town, it was a threshold where the veil between the natural and supernatural ran thin. Where wicked bargains were struck in the dark. Bargains that cursed four bloodlines forever.

Dorothy arrives at Driftmoor Academy hoping to leave her past behind and become someone new. But after a car crash leaves her teetering between life and death, dark abilities awaken inside her. Whispers through the halls. Nightmares claw at her sleep. And death follows wherever she goes.

As Dorothy is pulled into the gilded world of Driftmoor’s elite, pieces of a forgotten legacy begin to surface—along with a power she doesn’t understand and a past someone tried to erase. And she’s not the only one marked by what came before.

There’s the boy touched by the sea, who’s drawn to a song no one else can hear. The socialite carved from gold and expectation, clinging to perfection before it shatters. And the son born in shadows, raised by a family that never intended to keep him.

Linked by the bargains of their ancestors, the heirs of Driftmoor must each decide: will they surrender to their curses, harness the power they’ve inherited, or let it destroy them?

• 
  
• Author: Katherine Child
• Title: The Notted Island 
• Publisher: ‎Flying Eye Books
• Publication Date ‏ : ‎ 9 Oct. 2025
• ISBN-13 ‏: ‎978-1913123147 - Hardback
• Reading Age ‏: ‎ 9 - 11 years

Before 1861, the world was black and white. As Colour reached the end of his job, world-weary he stopped to rest on Last Island: the last uncoloured place. The people of the island are believed to be the reason for this and seek to better themselves, in the hope that Colour will recognise their efforts and bring colour to the island. To make matters worse, the islands Nott - a deity responsible for drawing the curtain of night - begins to make more and more mistakes. As the islanders grow restless, they send a letter threatening Nott. However, when the letter finds itself in the hands of Tisky, a young islander with pockets full of cake, she tasks herself with bringing unity back to Last Island.

https://uk.bookshop.org/a/10860/9781913123147

Alex Horne - The Last Pebble Book Review - Mr Ripley’s Enchanted Books

A stone spinning and a natural wonder. A debut children's novel from comedian and Taskmaster creator Alex Horne, The Last Pebble (Walker Books, July 3, 2025) tells a heartwarming and beautiful, and poignant story about family, friendship, and the joy of discovery and a bucket and spade full of invention. 

Trader and his grandpa share a beloved tradition of collecting pebbles on the beach at Bognor Regis.  One day, Trader finds a particularly special pebble, uncovering a secret that was meant to stay hidden. With the help of his new friend Charlotte, Trader must unravel the mystery surrounding the treasure and return it to its rightful place.

Horne's writing is as warm and witty as his on-screen persona. The first-person narration captures the wonder and innocence of childhood, while the atmospheric descriptions of the British seaside evoke a sense of Ice cream, deck chairs and summer time nostalgia. Educational as much as emotional and deeply absorbing and felt 100% realistic and relatable. 

The Last Pebble is a celebration of childhood summers, special interests, and the enduring bonds of family and friendship. A story that had me hooked from the very first page. Sad and uplifting like the waves crashing against the shore. You will bond with the plot and the characters in equal measure a delightful and memorable read for children and adults alike. Top children's middle-grade book pick for 2025. 

Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books - Favourite Children's Book Picks - JULY 2025 UK

 

Pil Van Martin - The Spick and the Span - Published by HarperCollins Children’s Books (31 July 2025) - ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0008724788 - Paperback - Age: 8+ 

Imaginative, magical, wildly funny, and with a truly unique world, The Spick and the Span is an extraordinary, exciting fantasy middle grade adventure – perfect for fans of Jessica Townsend's Nevermoor, Jonathan Stroud's Lockwood and Co, Diana Wynne Jones' Howl's Moving Castle, and Terry Pratchett's Discworld.

Thanks to many generations of careless magicians, the city of Helm is overflowing with magic, which has made it a very dangerous place to live. Leave anything alone for too long and it will transform into something else: your house will turn to gingerbread, your teapot will start pouring pond water or – if you're really unlucky – your floor will turn to lava.

The magicians liked to pretend it’s them who keep the worst magical hiccups in check, but the real heroes of the whole sorry situation are of a wholly different occupation: equally well known but decidedly less respected.

The heroes of the city of Helm are the cleaners.

Ward, an ambitious twelve-year-old cleaner, wants nothing more than to belong to the League of Cleaners, who will grant him the prestige and popularity he's been looking for all his life – if only he can pass three near-impossible tests. Struggling toward this goal with a team he doesn't trust, Ward's world is upended when his friend disappears and mysterious magic-eating monsters appear all over the city and start tearing holes in the fabric of reality. Suddenly his ambitions are the least of his problems…

Hugely funny and exciting, and with an incredibly imaginative, original story, The Spick and the Span is the unmissable fantasy middle grade debut of 2025 – you'll never look at magic the same way again…

Marie-Louise Fitzpatrick - The Museum of Lost Umbrellas - Published by Faber & Faber (31 July 2025) - ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0571385720 - Paperback - Age: 8+ 

Discover a magical island where the houses grant you wishes and the alleyways are secret portals . . .
Faber is proud to launch a show-stopping debut fantasy middle-grade series, The Cloud Witch Chronicles, from award-winning Marie-Louise Fitzpatrick!

When Dilly arrives on the island of Ollipest, she is unsure what to expect from her new life . . . She certainly doesn't expect to find magic!

Until now, the magic of Ollipest Island has been a well-kept secret. Then the Museum of Lost Umbrellas opens after many years of closure . . .

And when the museum attracts some unsavoury anti-magic outsiders, Dilly must unlock her ancestral powers to help keep the island safe.

A dazzling, epic adventure where witches fly with umbrellas, magical dogs walk out of the sea and pet parrots suddenly become humans. This will keep readers on their edge of the seats and leave them desperate for the next instalment.

Ross MacKenzie - The Uninvited - Published Andersen Press (31 July 2025)  - ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1839133176 - Paperback - Age: 10+ 

When the Faerie folk flee their world and come to ours, running from the nightmare of war, nobody in the everyday knows what to do. So they are locked away.

Thirteen-year-old Samm Wolfback lives in Glass Forest, a sprawling Faerae refugee camp in England. Life in Glass Forest is hard, poisoned by disease and crime and poverty. But Samm has a unique gift that lines his pockets – he can find lost things.
When Samm is thrust into the centre of a plot to escape Glass Forest and return home, he must use his gifts to unearth two treasures lost in the everyday: a relic that will end the war back in Faerae; and the only person with the power to reopen the door between worlds – the Locksmith. The task will take Samm to dark places filled with danger, from a grimly enchanted circus of nightmares to a museum housing a murderous exhibit, and he will have to use all of his skills to stay alive.
Meanwhile, in the human world, a kidnapped boy with a dark secret begins to realise that he might hold the key to the Faerae folks’ fate. Before all is said and done, destiny’s web will entangle him with Samm and send them spinning towards a showdown with the great evil that lurks in the world beyond the door.

Bali Rai - Escape From Amritsar - Bloomsbury Education (3 July 2025) - ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1801997720 - Paperback - Age: 8+ 

Amritsar, India, 1919. A city on the brink of violence, as tensions between the local people and the British colonial rulers explode.

12-year-old Arjan Singh learns that his father has been falsely charged with serious crimes. But there has been a terrible massacre in the city, as British troops fired on unarmed Indians, and the city is under curfew. Anger and fear have left the population seething and danger lurks around every corner.

Arjan sets out on a perilous mission to save his father, in the face of armed troops, martial curfew, and vicious local bandits. Can he escape and get to his father before it's too late?

The Best Children's Book Picks: JUNE 2025 US POST Edition - Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books

 

Lauren Magaziner - The Incorruptibles - Publisher ‏: Aladdin - Publication date : ‎June 10, 2025 - ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎978-1665968669 - Hardback - Age: 9+ 

A girl joins the human resistance against sorcerer tyranny in this “breathless” (Kirkus Reviews, starred review) first book in the exciting upper middle grade fantasy series The Incorruptibles that’s Keeper of the Lost Cities meets The Marvellers.

Fiora Barrowling lives in a world where sorcerers rule over humans. After surviving an encounter with The Radiance—the very worst of the sorcerers—she’s whisked away to the incredible Incorruptibles (“Inc”) Academy, a school for resistance fighters in training. But most of the other students think Fiora hasn’t earned her place there, and when things start to go wrong and it seems the sorcerers have a spy in the academy, all eyes are on Fiora. With all odds stacked against her, can Fiora prove that she belongs?

Amber Chen - The Blood Phoenix - Publisher:  Viking Books for Young Readers - Publication date ‏: ‎June 17, 2025 - ISBN-13 ‏: ‎ 978-0593622780 - Hardback - Age: 10+

The sequel to Of Jade and Dragons, a thrilling and epic silkpunk fantasy inspired by the legendary Qing dynasty. Perfect for fans of Elizabeth Lim and Xiran Jay Zhao.

Two years after Ying leaves the Engineer’s Guild and the ghost of her father’s unjust death behind, life seems to regain a semblance of normalcy. But the winds of unrest continue to stir within the Nine Isles, and the aftermath of a horrific pirate attack by the mysterious Blood Phoenix fleet forces Ying back into the tense political world of the new High Commander, Ye-yang. And soon, Ying, Ye-yang and her former friends from the guild must work together to find a way to outsmart the cunning pirates who terrorize the straits—and the elusive mastermind who’s controlling them.

Meanwhile, Ying’s sister, Nian, now lives in the capital, awaiting the day she will finally marry the High Commander. While her relationship with Ye-yang remains distant, she finds company in her friendship with the fourteenth prince, Ye-kan, and discovers her unexpected affinity for governance and strategy. But the capital is more dangerous than she expects, and when a dark conspiracy arises, Nian and Ye-kan must unravel the mystery in time to prevent the High Command from collapsing from within.

New dangers arise at every moment, threatening to tear the Nine Isles apart. In order to sail through this storm, Ying and her loved ones must make difficult choices amidst terrible betrayals. With the world on the brink of destruction, will they find a way to defeat their enemies and survive? And will it be worth the cost?

• Rosalyn Ransaw - Smoke & Mirrors Publisher : ‎Amulet Books - Publication date ‏: ‎June 10, 2025 - ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎978-1419770135 - Hardback - Age: 8+ 

An exciting and twisty middle-grade debut mystery novel—perfect for fans of From the Desk of Zoe Washington and The Parker Inheritance—about the disappearance of a famous magician, and one boy’s quest to find the truth

Spending the summer with his aunt as the only Black kid in a small Midwestern town was bad enough, but now Andy Carter’s summer has been effectively ruined.

His dad’s parole hearing is postponed, he misses his friends, and—when an old barn burns down—he’s stuck taking the blame. Andy is sentenced with helping the barn’s owner, a cantankerous old man, renovate his crumbling mansion—a mansion that hides a mystery.

It was once owned by the famous magician the Red Knave. In 1954, the Knave was a wanted suspect in the town’s most infamous murder before disappearing without a trace.

The whole town is sure the Red Knave is guilty, but to Andy, things just don’t add up. Investigating a mystery from the ’50s isn’t the same as spending time with his dad, but Andy can’t help but be drawn into the Red Knave’s exciting world of magic and illusion. To solve the Knave’s final vanishing act, Andy teams up with another boy he doesn’t quite trust. Secret by secret, they try to uncover the Red Knave’s identity and learn why his last performance came to such a tragic end.

With a gripping combination of hidden doors, shocking twists, and deep emotional heart, Smoke & Mirrors asks the question: How much of the truth is what you can get people to believe?

Rachel Hartman - Among Ghosts - Publisher ‏: ‎Random House Books for Young Readers - Publication date : June 24, 2025 - ISBN-13 : 978-0593813720 - Hardback - Age: 10+ 

A few things to know about the town of St. Muckle’s: It’s too out-of-the-way to interest greedy lords, and too damp and muddy for marauding dragons to burn. And anyone, from a humble serf to a runaway nun, may earn their freedom by living for a year and a day within the town walls. Seven years ago, Charl and his mother fled to St. Muckle’s and made it their safe-haven, building a new life in this so called Peasant’s Paradise. But when Charl sees something impossible—a ghost—soon the embers of his past are threatening to engulf his world in flame. A tragic accident is quickly followed by murder, a deadly plague, and a mercenary dragon.

Charl manages to escape to an abandoned abbey outside of town, but finds no safety within those ruined walls. A treacherous nun, a chorus of murdered girls, and the fearsome Battle Bishop await, ready to ensnare him in a complex web of history, magic and fate. For some things should never be forgotten, however much they haunt us, and Charl will need all his wisdom and resiliency if he is to fight for the world he knows…and the people he calls home.

Christopher Edge - ESCAPE ROOM: Game Zero - Book Review - Mr Ripley’s Enchanted Books

Get ready to enter the Escape Room: Game Zero! This thrilling new vibrant middle-grade novel by Christopher Edge, author of the bestselling Escape Room series, is an absolute must-read for young adventurers and lovers of virtual reality games. 

When a swirling flock of birds plunges the sky into darkness, Eden finds herself transported to The Escape, a virtual world unlike anything she's ever imagined.  This is no ordinary game; it's a place where the impossible becomes possible and nothing is as it seems.  Teaming up with the enigmatic Ted, Eden must navigate treacherous landscapes, solve mind-bending puzzles, and overcome escalating challenges to unlock the secrets of this captivating and absorbing digital realm. Edge wonderfully crafts a world brimming with suspense, intrigue, and heart-pounding excitement.  The fast-paced plot keeps readers on the edge of their seats, while the richly detailed virtual landscapes pop and spark the imagination.  Eden and Ted's burgeoning friendship adds a touching layer of camaraderie to their perilous quest.

"Escape Room: Game Zero" is more than just an adventure; it's a celebration of the power of games to transport us to new worlds and unlock the hidden potential within ourselves.  A true testament to Edge's talent as a storyteller, this book is sure to be a massive hit with young readers and leave them craving more.  Don't miss out on this extraordinary escape room experience – it's a game-changer!

Published by Nosy Crow Books 5.Jun 2025. Book Cover Illustration by David Dean. Book Series Escape Room. 

Check out these other brilliant books from Christopher Edge:

• Black Hole Cinema Club - Book Review HERE
• Escape Room - Book Review -Book Review HERE
• The Many Worlds of Albie Bright - Book Review HERE
• The Jamie Drake Equation - Book Review HERE

Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books - Favourite Children's Book Picks - JUNE 2025 UK

Janice Hallett - A Box Full of Murders - Published by Puffin Children's Books 5. June 2025 - ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0241636183. - Paperback - Age: 9+

The first children's murder mystery from number-one-bestselling author of The Appeal, Janice Hallett, perfect for fans of Robin Stevens and Rhian Tracey.

When Ava and Luke discover a mysterious box of papers in their attic they are instantly curious about secrets it might hold. As they read through letters, diary entries, newspaper cuttings and listen to secret recordings, they realize that a decades-old, still unsolved, murder mystery is unfolding right in front of them . . .
Ava and Luke decide to try and crack the case themselves. But as they work through the clues, it soon becomes clear that the mystery isn't something left in the past: the killer is still out there - and might be closer than they think...

Peter Burns - Shadow Thieves - Published by Farshore 5.June 2025 - ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0008667818 - Paperback - Age: 9+

SKANDAR MEETS OLIVER TWIST IN THIS BLOCKBUSTING NEW MIDDLE-GRADE ADVENTURE SERIES – PERFECT FOR FANS OF PERCY JACKSON!

13-year-old Tom Morgan and his friends live on the streets of an alternate London, shining shoes and picking pockets – until one day Tom’s friends are caught and sent to a brutal workhouse.

Frantic and without a way to save them, Tom bumps into the mysterious Corsair, who offers him an opportunity to train at an elite international boarding school for thieves. Seeing a glimmer of hope, Tom lets himself be whisked away to the snowy Alps in a zeppelin. Swept into a thrilling world of danger and intrigue, the more secrets he learns about the Shadow League, the harder it becomes for Tom to leave. But there are dark forces at work and real danger is coming…

Can Tom save his fellow pupils from disaster – and ever be able to get home again to rescue his friends?

Get ready for the stunning debut in what is guaranteed to become every reader’s favourite new series! Heart-pounding adventure, thrilling heists, remote boarding schools full of ancient secrets waiting to be discovered and much much more…

Corrina Clarke - TraeLoc The Search for the Societies - Published by Olympia Publishers 12. June 2025 - ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1800742703 - Paperback - Age: 9+

Imagine finding out you're an heir to the throne and destined to rule a kingdom... Well, that's exactly what happens to Iris. On her thirteenth birthday, her world gets turned upside down. A stranger, the elusive Ezlard reveals the life-changing secret; something her father has managed to shield her from up until now. Iris has a choice to make; leave her ordinary life behind or take on the biggest challenge she'll ever face... But is she ready to swap school books for a world filled with magic and uncertainty?

Emily Randall-Jones - The Scream of the Whistle - Published by Chicken House 5.June 2025 - ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1915947147 - Paperback - Age: 8+

All aboard for a new middle-grade paranormal adventure from 2024 Branford Boase-longlisted author of The Witchstone Ghosts, Emily Randall-Jones.

Ruby is miserable. Her parents have split up, and now she’s stuck in a creepy village. At night, she decides to escape and follow the ancient train track home.

Her journey has barely begun when she hears the eerie scream of a whistle – and an old steam train appears out of the darkness . . .

Is Ruby ready for the ghost ride of her life?

READ THE FULL EXTRACT HERE

Jenny Pearson - SHRAPNEL BOY'S - Book Review - Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books

Shrapnel Boys, by Jenny Pearson, is a historical fiction novel set in London during 1939.  The story follows Ronnie Smith, a young boy both thrilled and terrified by the onset of World War II.  While excited by the nightly bomb raids and the morning's shrapnel collecting with his friends, Ronnie also faces battles closer to home. His little brother is mixed up with a secret job and dangerous new friends, leading Ronnie into a situation that could alter the course of the war.

Pearson, known for her humorous children's books, takes a more serious turn with this novel while retaining her signature wit and heart.  The narrative is praised for its fast-paced and compelling portrayal of the realities of war through the eyes of children. The book has received positive reviews, with comparisons drawn to Robert Westall's *The Machine Gunners* for its depiction of brave children in wartime.  Pearson’s experience as a primary school teacher shines through in her authentic characterisations and understanding of children's perspectives.  

Published to coincide with the 80th anniversary of the end of WWII, *Shrapnel Boys* promises an action-packed and thought-provoking read for young audiences, bringing history to life with accuracy and sensitivity, having been reviewed by the Imperial War Museum. 

Pacy, memorable and a Second World War novel to read in your life time. Get your piece of SHRAPNEL now and give it a read.  Published by Usborne this May 2025.