Linda Newbery
Orion  

The Treasure House is a wealth of gems and mystery. The eponymous shop is a second hand jumble shop run by Nina’s two Aunts. Nina loves spending time there but when her Mother disappears and her favourite items turn up in the shop as items to be sold she’s determined to find out what’s happening. Unhelpful texts from her Mum promising she will return only encourage her to delve deeper and when her Dad leaves on a wild goose chase around the country Nina turns detective to uncover the truth about her Mum’s past in the hope she can bring her family back home.

New teachers and new surrounds don’t help as Nina struggles to contend with some petty school bullies in her first week at High School but when she finally trusts her friends with the problem that’s been consuming her she finds that everyone is willing to help in their own way.

A great supporting cast of characters and a curiosity shop full of memories make this mystery story almost too much fun considering what poor Nina’s going through. I’m afraid I never really warmed to the Mother Nina was so desperate to get back; I couldn’t believe any loving mother would put their daughter in such an infuriating position. But as in the excellent, Lob, Linda Newbery proves she is particularly adept at presenting difficult situations to younger readers in a way that summons the idea of pain without devastating the reader with the real trauma of the events. Her stories are as full of shiny ideas and colourful trinkets as The Treasure House itself and a beautiful production from Orion ensure this little gem will stand out on bookshelves, glinting like a precious jewel waiting to be discovered.

 Thank you to Nina and Louise at The Orion Star for sending me a copy

KCC 

Tanya Byrne
Headline

I carried Heart-Shaped Bruise around with me for a couple of days – snatched a few pages here and there and then devoured the majority of it in one sitting in the garden on my afternoon off. I couldn’t put it down… to the point where the sun pocket had completely disappeared from my reading spot and I was reading huddled, shivering, despite the warm house being right there with its radiators and slippers and tea-pot and everything. Thanks to Sam Eades at Headline for sending me a proof.

Emily Koll is in Archway Young Offenders Institute because she’s done something bad, or she is something bad; those lines have been blurred.  Emily’s got a Dr-therapist who answers questions with questions and she’s living with girls who are each fragile and dangerous in their own way. She’s telling her story – the real story that wasn’t in the papers – to the only person who’ll listen properly; an empty diary on top of a dusty wardrobe.  “I’ll be me and you be the stranger on the bus.”

Emily’s story unravels in an echo of her universe, which has shifted around her, altering her atmosphere and unbalancing the ground. The catalyst was a single knife in the dark but for Emily the repercussions meant she simply didn’t exist as the same person anymore. I’m not going to tell you the story because it’s important to hear it from Emily and you’ll want to hear her tell it her way… And then find her and ask her more questions - but those will have to wait for your book club or whoever it is you pass the book onto, which you’ll want to do immediately.

There’s love and violence, lies and painful truths and a girl who doesn’t know if her choices are her own. It’s got enough gush to tempt die-hard YA romantics and a bit more grit for the readers who are bored of break-ups being the most devastating thing to ever happen to any teenager. What’s frightening about Heart Shaped-Bruise is that we’re left as confused as Emily as to where the blame really lies; yes, a gangster father with wads of cash isn’t going to the main factor readers relate to but despite that, Emily is relatable in her own teen angst-fuelled way and that might be the scariest thing of all….look where she ended up!

A contemporary voice, a surprising story and genuine tension. Heart-Shaped Bruise is a refreshing book I’ll be excited to direct my teen customers to. Looking forward to see what Tanya Byrne does next!

KCC

For older readers

Abby McDonald
Walker Books

Despite spending a fortune on dresses, impractical shoes and small handbags, despite the fact that it is built up to be one of those life-changing events that require months of preparation; Bliss, Jolene and Meg are doing the unthinkable – they’re abandoning their junior Prom. This isn’t too radical for outcast Jolene; she’s a borderline criminal, who no one expected to be there in the first place – especially in a pink ruffled dress. Nor is it too much of a stretch for geeky Meg, who was pinning all her hopes on a classy black ball gown to help her finally get noticed. But for Bliss Merino, prom was a rite of passage, her natural environment as the most popular girl in school – she had a killer dress, the perfect boyfriend and an invite to the hottest after party. So why is she leaving the biggest night of her life with two people she wouldn’t be caught dead with at school?

That The Anti-Prom takes place over one night is its best feature. Not many stories dare to remain so isolated without needing flashbacks or epilogues to restore the characters to everyday life. This is helped by the fact we get three viewpoints – our three unlikely allies, each with their own miseries and frustrations steering them through the night – despite this the voices aren’t so different that it didn’t help to have the character name at the top of the chapter.  For a bad-ass, Jolene is quite emotional and for an airhead, Bliss is as easily upset as pushover Meg. It reads less like a lesson in unfair stereotypes typing and more like over-ambitious excitement on the author’s part in pot-holing the character in the first place. None of the characters are particularly likeable – Meg’s appeal is lost when she admits her whole world revolves around a crush on one of Bliss’s clique and Jolene’s tortured romance makes her more of a drama queen than Bliss! The scenarios with their break-in and high tech-gadgets seem far-fetched and unnecessary compared to the party scenes which are drawn convincingly (to the shape of popular American TV shows on which we base all our knowledge of all things Prom). This is impressive as Abby McDonald grew up in England and I guess spending time at an all-American prom with an all-American clique with their outrageous after party in the hills is something we Brits are interested in. Try as UK teens might, A/The Prom does not hold the same importance as it does in the States (it still requires its definite article) and consequently it is a magical event that remains full of intrigue for UK readers. The Anti-Prom is all about what happens when the girls leave the party but maybe I’d have preferred to stick around for a few more songs.

KCC

Elen Caldecott

Bloomsbury

Paige is on a school trip but she’s been paired with the new kid from a posh school and her friends are off having fun in another group. Luckily, Paige has got the mystery of the Wickworth Boy to keep her busy and brainiac Curtis is the perfect Watson to her Sherlock - or should that be the perfect Scully to her Mulder as its Paige who’s working on instincts and auras and Curtis who looks to reason and science for answers.

A painting of an 18^th century slave is the catalyst to a gripping hunt for cryptic clues that reach out from the past and dusty ghosts with dark secrets. For Paige it’s a chance to finally use some of her own psychic abilities for a real purpose and together with Curtis she’s willing to risk the wrath of all the teachers and housekeepers to unveil the secrets of Wickworth Manor.  

Elen Caldecott’s thrilling adventure is perfect for children who have outgrown Enid Blyton and want to get their teeth into something a little more gritty. It’s great to find a historical mystery story that includes the witty banter of realistic children and modern technology (Curtis’s smart phone comes in very handy!) rather than the usual goody-goodies and their dog. Paige and Curtis have to take some real risks to find the truth and it just goes to show that sometimes the best stories are the ones about real people, even the ones that time has forgotten.
 
It’s a lovely read with neat chapters and the single setting of the Manor gives it a slight theatrical feel. Writing inspired by a picture is a brilliant idea and it’s clear that Caldecott has had as much fun as her characters discovering the story of the boy in the painting. 

KCC 

Thanks to Bloomsbury for sending the proof! Extra thanks for including a CURLY WURLY in the envelope - it didn’t last as long at the book….nom nom nom sticky fingers. I’ll defintely be looking at some more Elen Caldecott for use with my junior book club.

Siobhan Curham

Electric Monkey

Stories told through correspondence, whilst notoriously difficult to pull off convincingly, are not a new thing.  Whilst the brevity of the form can mean any potential dull bits are skipped over, it’s always more interesting to hear the relay of the events with the opinion of a stimulating narrator. They summon a barrage of questions and problems; what happens between letters, why would anyone commit such lengthy details to letters, who reports word-for-word dialogue?
What makes Dear Dylan so brilliant is that this format never seems forced. It is entirely credible that a teenage girl would put so much detail, even dialogue into an email (we’ve all experienced that feeling of automatic typing and ending up with something epic). Sweet, enthusiastic Georgie is a wonderful ‘e-mate’ who writes long, lively emails that has her reader laughing one minute and crying the next. Her voice is hilarious and realistic, from the frantic punctuation to the anxious questions and backpedalling ‘I hope you don’t think I’m a weirdo mentalist?!!’

 Similarly, a lonely widow who has become internet-savvy is the perfect recipient; Nan has the time and the space to hang on every word that the cyber world can deliver. She’s delighted by Georgie’s dramatic stories of how arguments with her step-dad, the race for the lead in a local production of Bugsy Malone and getting the attention of the coolest boy at school are ruining her life. But as Georgie and Nan confide further in each other they reveal the dark secrets that keep them awake at night and they come to rely on the strange friendship that has formed.

It is a quick and easy read that deals with difficult subjects in an accessible way. The choppy style of the emails could easily entice reluctant readers; like the story, it lends itself perfectly to ‘just one more page’ – I devoured the book in one sitting. Whilst not quite as harrowing as the recent and superb Moon Pie, Dear Dylan is perfect for 12+ readers who are looking for a witty narrator to befriend through first romances, turbulent friendships and difficult parents. Georgie is a brave and trusting heroine and we share Nan’s pride in watching her grow-up and overcome some terrifying obstacles, and the ending is a perfect treat.

KC

 John Boyne
Doubleday

Barnaby Brocket floats. It really can’t be helped. It is just the way he is and it is a great inconvenience to his parents, who have dedicated their lives to being absolutely normal. As you know, there is a truly Terrible Thing that happens to Barnaby and what you will find out is that it means he must leave his home and his family in Sydney (the greatest city in the world FYI) and discover that being ‘normal’ isn’t quite as common as his parents would have him believe.

Barnaby’s travels cover some serious air miles; his journey home is re-routed around the world and the characters he meets are as varied as the landscapes. But Barnaby is eight years old and scene of a Terrible Thing or not, Sydney is home – he wants to get back to his brother and sister and his beloved dog, Captain W. E. Johns. Barnaby learns that the world contains all shape and size of strange, but can any of them give him the confidence to be proud of who he is?

As a huge fan of Noah Barleywater Runs Away I was delighted to find another Boyne novel for children, particularly as the perfect relationship with artist Oliver Jeffers is maintained. Boyne’s story is a great example of how exciting it when a writer takes a simple idea and just goes with it, revelling in the freedom that story worlds allow. A little boy floats and his parents are uptight; it’s a magical problem with real world consequences and Barnaby is no less loveable than any gravity-abiding little boy trapped in an unforgiving home. Like Noah, Barnaby is particularly adorable in his simple understanding of right and wrong, good and bad, ways to live and ways not to live. He has a genuine care and interest in the people around him. Whilst not quite as difficult (nor upsetting) as Noah Barleywater, this gentle fable has an easily transferable moral that children will enjoy in its absurdity and sweetness. I will be recommending Barnaby Brocket wholeheartedly to children and their parents; it’s an ideal book to read together and should provoke some interesting discussions. Like Barnaby, children are ready to meet new people and have new adventures and a book like this is the perfect way to travel.

KCC

Thanks to Random House for the ARC - I will be buying myself a copy on release to enjoy the rest of the illustrations; I am in no doubt that they will be joyous.

Al MacCuish

Thames & Hudson

Charlie Foxtrot is having trouble learning the alphabet. It’s his first week at school and he’s going to be tested on his letters on Friday! After falling asleep on his comfy desk in class, and getting nowhere studying by himself; how will he ever learn them in time?

Luckily, assistance is on hand. The Secret Government Agency specifically dedicated to all things alphabetical, The Ministry of Letters, is sending out its strike force team The Secret Alphabet Service to visit Charlie directly. The S.A.S. has to travel by post to get to Charlie and as we learn that alphabets letters are a particular favourite of hungry cats, getting there isn’t going to be easy. Luckily there’s a savvy Duchess in the know and the letters can find their way to Charlie on time and in good shape to sing a song and save the day.

The set-up is brilliant, the premise is fantastic, if only to underline the point that every word an English speaking child will encounter will be a combination of these 26 shapes. It is a great lesson for any child to shrink the size of our overwhelming language that seems to stretch beyond comprehension into something as simple as a sequence of patterns. Also these letters have faces, and they walk and talk and work! They could leap off the page and mix and match themselves to create and re-create word after word showcasing the building block technique they describe. If anything this is my qualm with this story, it’s just getting started! The Ministry of Letters is a wonderful place to start but I want to spend more time there, getting to know these letters and seeing how they work. Again, when we finally make it to Charlie after avoiding the perils of the cat attack and seeking royal assistance, I want to see the way the S.A.S. help Charlie in full. The song we hear the start of only covers ABC but I want to sing it with children I know. However, it does inspire me to add my own verses for the rest of the alphabet and could prove a fun game for families to finish off together. The story hints towards the playfulness of language and I think the clever use of the onomatopoeic words, RAT-TA-TAT!, VROOM! SCREECH! BOING! And PSSSSSHHHH! are a useful visual examples of the way letters can make new words. I love the idea that anything can be described by simply concocting the right potion of letters, or should that be calling in the right troops and ordering the right line-up.

This book has giant potential for expansion; alphabet flash cards, handwriting stories (the technique of drawing the symbols themselves is something they comment on for the first three letters and is a useful way to remember!), visual examples of the way the letters stand together in different formations to create words and in fact the story owes it to the beautiful illustrations by Luciano Lozano and the stunning production and design (Jim Bletsas) to continue the mission of the Ministry of Letters. I’m a huge supporter of the theory and love the physicality of the idea. As an introduction this is a delight but like a cat I’m hungry for more from the Ministry of Letters.

KCC

Well, I got a lovely envelope the other day from the wonderful Spill The Ink team at Harper Collins who make sure I’ve got copies of their brilliant forthcoming books. This was the first time I had ever been sent proofs of picture books which is really very exciting so let me tell you all about them.

First out was Sebastien Braun’s new book Whoosh and Chug! (Great title)

It’s part of Braun’s brilliant transport series that tells little tales about things that go. We’ve had ‘Toot and Pop!’ and ‘Digger and Skip!’ in the shop before and they are perfect to show to parents who come in saying ‘my little boy loves cars/trains/diggers etc’ - delete as appropriate. (Apologies to girl digger fans but it is generally a request we get from little boys! Though I should mention we do have a 2 year old little girl who comes to the shop who can point our a narrow-gauge engine, Hi Lucy!)

The illustrations are clear and bright and the colours are lovely, cleverly avoiding garish tones. The pictures really pop!  The characters with their useful black outlines seem to cry out to be traced or copied and making drawing trains look easy and fun - a great idea for a follow-up activity.

The story is short and packs a good moral in clear, concise text. Chug is a delivery engine with a crane function who sets off early in the morning to make his rounds. Whoosh, the hi-tech passenger engine brags that he will catch up with Chug even if he sets off later. Whoosh’s need for speed gets him into trouble when he runs a red light that Chug is waiting for safely. It’s up to little Chug to save the day and prove that slow and safe is best.

It will work brilliant as a read aloud - the engine sounds throughout can be said together and the beautiful scenery will make for lovely viewing. A delightful book that little train enthusiasts will want to hear again and again! Perfect for pre-schoolers, I’ll be sharing this my toddler story time group for sure. Hooray for Chug!

Foxy by Emma Dodd

A Magical Tail indeed, Foxy has a wonderfully impressive tail. Not only is it huge and bushy, it’s magical! When Emily wakes up in a worry about starting school the next day, Foxy is on hand to help her get her things ready.  Unfortunately, Foxy’s magic doesn’t always turn out as expected and before she knows it Emily’s room is filled with all sorts of things that you don’t need for school! ‘Not a penguin – a pencil!’

Children will love turning the page to see what Foxy has conjured up next. His magical mistakes are hilarious and Foxy is a great character, strolling into her room to solve all her problems and looking particularly suave when he magics a big purple hat, ‘never mind, I’ll wear it myself’.  The penguin looks very impressed. Chaos ensues and Emily starts to wonder if she shouldn’t just wait to see what happens at School instead of getting Foxy to make sure she’s clever enough. It’s a sweet tale to make and pre-school anxiety vanish, and with the last swish of his tail Foxy is there to wave brave Emily off to school with the final message that she definitely won’t need his magic to make people like her, she’ll make lots of friends.

Perfect for little ones getting ready to go to school who might think they need a visit from Foxy before their big day. As always Emma Dodd’s illustrations are fun and chunky, with clever page pacing to make the most of the jokes. Lends itself brilliant to Storytelling, I can’t wait to use it and hear the children shout in dismay when Foxy mistakes an eraser for an elephant!  Another lovely title to point out to school starters and fans of Emma’s brilliant illustrations. Between the lovely ‘Baby Animals’ Collection and the fantastic ‘I Thought I Saw A Dinosaur’, there’s now an Emma Dodd picture book perfect for every age.

Simon Mason
David Fickling Books

I bought it because it said ‘If only all problems could be solved with pie’, which made me think of my Dad, who thinks that if not solved, at the very least, most things are improved with pie. In fact the book turned out to be a story about Dads. Unlike my Dad, whose problems are mostly to do with a lack of pie, this is the story of Martha’s Dad whose problems overspill the bottles he cannot see beyond. It takes eleven year old Martha half the book to say it, but her father is an alcoholic.

Martha and her five year old brother, Tug are confused by their Dad’s erratic behaviour. ‘Although he was full of great plans for things to do, he general stayed in his dressing gown until lunch time.’ He’s tired, then hyperactive; he’s clumsy and silly then angry. He’s sneaking out in the middle of the night, he’s spending too much time in the shed by himself. Tug thinks Dad is strange, and there is never any pie.  Luckily, Martha is an exceptionally sensible girl. She’s going to fix things for her family and make her Dad well again, right after she tidies the house, makes Tug some dinner and puts him to bed with a story.

Despite this story’s heartbreak, there is much joy to be in the character and writing. Tug never failed to raise a smile with his cutie pie comments in all their inappropriate naivety and Martha is a heroine in the truest sense of the word. There is an important surrounding cast; the severe Grandparents who want what is best for the children, Martha’s best friend the ever-theatrical and super savvy Marcus and the space that Martha’s mother left. There are scenes that are haunting me days after reading – some that are funny, some that shouldn’t be and some that are terrifying. I’ll try not to spoil it but Dad at the Grandparents house was a truly upsetting experience.

It is so gracious of Mason to allow a young audience such emotional responsibility. This kitchen-sink realism, with all terrible moments is told with such clarity and sincerity I wanted to bundle up those children and drag them from the pages.  I stayed up til the early morning, sobbing into my pyjamas – I had to find out what would happen to them. Like another dysfunctional family story told from the child’s perspective – it brought about the same power as Annabel Pitcher’s ‘My Sister Lives on the Mantelpiece’. I am glad there are such brave writers about, and am in no doubt should this be republished with an adult-friendly cover it would find similar cross-over success. Personally, I love the cover illustration – I hope Jacqueline Wilson fans will take note of her recommendation and pick up this book. Mason has pushed the boundaries of Wilson’s Ken Loach-lite style stories. I was a big fan of Jacqueline Wilson as a young reader myself, but I cannot say I was ever brought to tears at one o’clock in the morning by one of her books. I will certainly be seeking out more of Mason’s books, and recommending this one to anyone who’ll listen.

KCC

ps. this is the first book of 2012 I read - so this has set a REALLY high standard!