The Hatmakers
By Tamzin Merchant Illustrated by Paola Escobar Reviewed by Sarah Custance Tamzin Merchant is a British actor best known for playing period roles. The Hatmakers is her first novel and the start of a series with the second book, The Mapmakers, due to
The Golden Tower
By Belinda Murrell Reviewed by Sarah Custance Belinda Murrell is a popular Australian author known for her many middle-grade time-slip novels such as The Ivory Rose, The Ruby Talisman, The Locket of Dreams, The Forgotten Pearl, and many more, as well as
Tinsel
By Sibeal Pounder Reviewed by Sarah Custance Sibeal Pounder is the award winning author of the Witch Wars series as well as the Bad Mermaids books. Her newest book, Tinsel, puts an imaginative twist to the classic ‘Santa Claus’ story by asking
Tinsel: The Girls Who Invented Christmas
By Sibeal Pounder Reviewed by Sarah Custance Sibeal Pounder is the award winning author of the Witch Wars series as well as the Bad Mermaids books. Her newest book, Tinsel, puts an imaginative twist to the classic Santa Claus story by asking
Elvis Eager and the Golden Egg: Monty’s Island #3
By Emily Rodda Reviewed by Mia Macrossan The third and latest novel in the Monty’s Island series written by Emily Rodda is chapter book for a beginning readers profusely illustrated by Lucinda Gifford. Monty lives on a magic island with his friends, the
Little Elephants
Written and illustrated by Graeme Base Reviewed by Dajo Finlayson Young Jim, his pet mouse Pipsqueak, and his mother live on a wheat farm in rural Texas, USA where the crop is ready to harvest but the harvester is broken, and a
Future Friend
By David Baddiel Illustrated by Steven Lenton Reviewed by Junior Reviewer Leonard Cavallaro This interesting tale of time travel, cloning, friendship, compassion and environmental care entertains the reader through regular humour and unique characters. Rahul Agarwal is a lonely genius. He creates inventions with
Little Gem
Written and illustrated by Anna Zobel Reviewed by Mia Macrossan 'All Gem wanted was to be a good witch who helped people, but every time she tried a spell it went wrong somehow.' This is main idea in Anna's debut novel about a
The Fowl Twins – Deny All Charges
By Eoin Colfer Reviewed by Sarah Custance Eoin Colfer is a name recognised by any good book worm as the author of the bestselling Artemis Fowl novels along with over a dozen other children/middle-grade books. Deny All Charges is the second book
The Left-Handed Booksellers of London
By Garth Nix Reviewed by Mia Macrossan Garth has been a hugely successful writer for many years and his YA books include the Old Kingdom fantasy series; SF novels Shade’s Children and A Confusion of Princes; and a Regency romance with magic,
The Boy, the Wolf and the Stars
By Shivaun Plozza Reviewed by Mia Macrossan This foray into fantasy is the first middle grade novel by Shivaun who has previously written the YA novels Frankie, a CBCA Notable Book and Tin Heart. At the centre of most fantasy novels is a
The Wizard in My Shed: The Misadventures of Merdyn the Wild
By Simon Farnaby Illustrated by Claire Powell Reviewed by Leonard C. This is Simon Farnaby’s first children’s book. He has written and starred in various family TV shows and films including Horrible Histories, Paddington and Paddington 2. Rose lives with her mother and brother
A Clock of Stars: The Shadow Moth
By Francesca Gibbons Illustrated by Chris Riddell Reviewed by Mia Macrossan Welcome to a brilliant new voice in middle grade fantasy fiction. Francesca Gibbons' debut A Clock of Stars is the first in a trilogy titled The Shadow Moth. It is brimming with
Willow Moss and the Forgotten Tale : Starfell #2
By Dominique Valente Illustrated by Sarah Warburton Reviewed by Sarah Custance British author Dominique Valente had her first novel Starfell: Willow Moss and the Lost Day published last year in 2019 and now the sequel Starfell: Willow Moss and the Forgotten Tale has
The Strangeworlds Travel Agency
By L.D. Lapinski Reviewed by Sarah Custance L.D. Lapinski is a British author and The Strangeworlds Travel Agency is her first published novel. It is so popular that it is currently being translated into twelve different languages and the sequel The Strangeworlds
The Silver Arrow
by Lev Grossman reviewed by Mia Macrossan A refreshing debut children’s book by Lev Grossman, an American who usually writes adult fantasy. It’s Kate’s birthday and she isn’t expecting much so when her wealthy uncle gives her a huge life size steam train
The Widow’s Broom
by Chris van Allsburg reviewed by Mia Macrossan This has recently been reprinted in a 25th anniversary edition and it’s a thing of beauty. Did you know witches’ brooms don’t last forever? They grow old and lose the power of flight. This happened to
Nevertell
by Katharine Orton reviewed by Sarah Custance There have been a number of authors over the past few years that have made remarkably strong debuts and I will absolutely be adding Katharine Orton to that list. ‘Nevertell’ is her first novel but
The Midnight Lie
by Marie Rutkoski reviewed by Mia Macrossan A midnight lie is one told for someone else's sake - a lie that sits between goodness and wrong, just as midnight is the moment between night and morning. This story, about forbidden love in a
The Republic of Birds
by Jessica Miller reviewed by Sarah Custance Jessica Miller is the author of the award-winning debut novel ‘Elizabeth and Zenobia’. Miller is Australian born but currently living in Berlin where the rich folk tales seem to have taken a grasp on her
The Fabulous Cakes of Zinnia Jakes: The Crumbling Castle
by Brenda Gurr reviewed by Sarah Custance Brenda Gurr is an Australian writer who has worked on several educational resources and picture books. ‘The Fabulous Cakes of Zinnia Jakes: The Crumbling Castle’ appears to be her first early reader chapter book and
Zelda Stitch Term Two: Too Much Witch
by Nicki Greenberg reviewed by Sarah Custance Nicki Greenberg is a double banger author who both writes and illustrates her novels. Her works include the graphic novel adaptions of ‘The Great Gatsby’ and ‘Hamlet’; the younger readers series ‘The Naughtiest Reindeer’, and
The Race for the Red Dragon: Children of the Dragon 2
by Rebecca Lim reviewed by Sarah Custance ‘The Race for the Red Dragon’ is the second novel in the ‘Children of the Dragon’ series by Rebecca Lim, the first being ‘The Relic of the Blue Dragon’. Rebecca Lim is the award-winning author
Nevertell
by Katharine Orton This debut novel is an interesting and unusual combination of historical novel and fantasy for readers of 8 to 12. Nevertell is set in Siberia in a prison camp during Stalin’s rule of Russia. 12-year-old Lina knows no other
The Time of Green Magic
by Hilary McKay reviewed by Mia Macrossan Hilary McKay is a popular writer in the UK who has won the Costa Children's Book Award for The Skylarks' War, the Guardian Fiction Prize for The Exiles, and the Smarties and the Whitbread Award
The Little Grey Girl (The Wild Magic Trilogy, Book Two)
by Celine Kiernan reviewed by Sarah Custance Celine Kiernan is an Irish author famous for her work The Moorehawke Trilogy. The Wild Magic Trilogy is her first time writing for a middle-grade audience. A quote on the cover describes Kiernan as Ireland’s
The Troll Heart #2 The Witching Hours
by Jack Henseleit illustrated by Ryan Andrews reviewed by Sandy Driessens WARNING: DO NOT look for fairies. You will not find them. And if you do. YOU WILL REGRET IT. In this, the second book of The Witching Hours series, this warning still
Jane Doe and the Cradle of all Worlds #1 The Jane Doe Chronicles
by Jeremy Lachlan reviewed by Mia Macrossan This debut novel just won the Australian Book Industry Book of the Year for Older Readers 13+ . I think that a good reader of 10+ would cope and really enjoy this rollicking fantasy adventure. Jane
The Rogues #1 Accidental Heroes
Written by Lian Tanner Reviewed by Danielle Freeland Lian Tanner has delivered an action-packed fantasy adventure story with plenty of suspense, you will be turning the pages and wanting more. The Accidental Heroes is the first book in The Rogues series which
Children of Blood and Bone
Written by Tomi Adeyemi Reviewed by Renee Hills This YA fantasy tells the story of Zelie’s quest to retrieve magic for her people and to rid them of the king’s ruthless and implacable dominion over the Maji or as they are contemptuously
