Bravepaw and the Fangstone of Flintfall by LM Wilkinson illustrated by Lavanya Naidu

Titch and her friends Huckleberry, Dollop and their new friend a squirrel named Briar are on a quest to heal a crack in the heart of Alluria. Titch has the Heartstone but ...

"It had been a wise old squirrel who told Titch that the Heartstone was incomplete - that there were other gems out there. One of them - the Clawstone - had hung around the nect of the turtle wizard. But there were more to find, which was why they were on their way to the library city of Lexhelm, to learn more about the Gems of Harmony and the history of Bravepaw."

All librarians and Teacher-Librarians will be thrilled that Titch needs to visit a library! BUT how horrid that they are confronted by armoured silversfish and they are holding the head librarian Master Sticklepin, a hedgehog, captive in his own office. Titch, Briar and Huckleberry fight the silverfish but while some are destroyed many just slither away (I hope we don't mee them again in the next Bravepaw book). 

Master Sticklepin explains to the group about the history of Bravepaw - the first was a rabbit princess named Hazel but more importantly they hear about an ancient monster of pure evil called the Deadroot. This monster is responsible for the danger facing Alluria because every hundred years he stirs again.

Titch has the Heartstone on the top of the staff given to her by Prince Vetiver and she now has one of the four Gems of Harmony - Clawstone. The other three are Fangstone, Dreamstone and Songstone. Titch and her group are now on a quest to find the Fangstone and this will involve a journey deep underground to a crystal cavern. It also means their trust will be betrayed. (Spoiler alert) Why is Clover, a very small, white, delicate looking mouse offering to help them? 

The underground scenes in this third installment are so vividly written I felt utterly claustrophobic. Oh and those awful curseworms are at work again and thank goodness the group rescue and meet Raia, the lavender wolf who I am sure will be back again. 

In 2022 I discovered the first book in the Bravepaw series and I fell in love with the characters and these little chapter books. In 2025 I rushed out to buy the second book and it was an equally terrific quest story. Late last week I saw the author LM Wilkinson and illustrator Lavanya Niadu mention the third book had been published early in March - how did I miss this? 

Yesterday I picked up Bravepaw and the Fangstone of Flintfall and I read the whole book as soon as I arrived home. If you haven't found this series you do need to begin with the first book and please take a minute to read my first two blog posts. I wonder how long I will need to wait for the final two installments. If you work in a school library this book set will look so splendid on your shelves. If you haven't added these to your library make sure you do this now - especially because sadly Book One is from 2022 so, unless it is reprinted, copies could become scarce. 

Bravepaw and the Heartstone of Alluria

Bravepaw and the Clawstone of Rotwood Mire

The Lost History by Melanie La'Brooy

"Penthea's name was given to her by the Regent and the Eslit ... Which makes it the only name she'll ever need ... Your kindness towards your lowly knot sister is to be commended, Princess, 

but I am certain no Lost History exists for Penthea, 

for I can't imagine any writer would be a big enough fool to waste their time 

writing down a single word about a Wintrish servant girl."

But there IS a book about Penn and it does tell the truth about her history but finding this book, reading this book and sharing the contents of this book with the 'right' and trustworthy people is where the real danger lies. Eslit Hortense says Lost Histories are impossible to recover but the Regent dislikes the word impossible.

"Lost Histories are difficult to reclaim but it has been done before. I want The Lost Histories of the Grey Ones found."

This is book two in the Talismans of Fate series. Here is my blog post from 2022 where I talk about Book One - The Wintrish Girl (see the cover below). You do need to read the first installment of this series to make sense of the second book. Also do not skip the prologue in The Lost History - it is vital component of the story. 

Here are some text quotes which will give you a flavour of this story:

"Resentfully, Penn opened her copy of The Official History of the Empire of Arylia by Hildegard of Flurrier. Hildegard was an extremely dull Historian ... unlike more exciting Historians, Hildegard never veered off into grim legends about ancient massacres, where the blood and bones of victims had been used for fertiliser, or lurid stories of outcast settlers who turned to cannibalism. Which was a pity."

"Penn stared down at the Inquisitor, sharing in Arthur's surprise. Lex Talionis was the most beautiful woman Penn had ever seen. She had huge green eyes, high cheekbones, and full red lips, and while she was tall, she wasn't a giant like Hair-Raising Histories had said she was. There was no sign of her terrifying creatures either."

(A couple of things to notice about this quote - full red lips and huge green eyes give a hint she is an evil woman but even worse we do need to be worried about her terrifying creatures. There are three - Drowner, Inferno and Rack).

"Because the new ruler of Arylia has always received the Royal Sceptre and Orb during the Talisman ceremony ... what does the Lore say about the legitimacy of a ruler who has not taken the symbols of royal power out of the Casket of Fate?" "Search the entire Lore ... for guidance on what to do when there is no Loreful heir to the throne of Arylia ..."

About halfway through the second book I wondered if there might just be two books in this series but then, with about ten pages still to read, Melanie La'Brooy introduces some more story complications so it is very clear there will be a third book where you can re-enter the world of Penn and Princess Seraphine along with their friends Juniper and Arthur. There are sure to be further clashes between Marvellance and Malevolence. 

Readers aged 10+ will need some reading stamina to complete this book but it is well worth putting in the reading hours (435 pages). The Lost History is set in a complex fantasy world but there is so much humour in this story which meant I could cope with all the changing scenes, settings, rules and characters. Although thinking about characters I would now appreciate a list (please) especially since I didn't go back and read the first installment so I had to keep my mind quite focused to remember all of them, especially the adult ones, a few of whom absolutely cannot be trusted. This excellent interview with Joy Lawn and Paperbark words will give you some really deep insights into The Lost History. 

There is a delicious political layer to this story - in Candlemage for example - citizens are not allowed to own books. "Ideas and knowledge are dangerous for all minds, but particularly young ones ... that is why we Magi sacrifice our own happiness and spend our lives controlling the flow of knowledge. By doing this we keep the peace, maintaining comfortable happy lives for all Candlemagians!"

Here are some of the funny/quirky inclusions in this story which gave me a smile. The family tree for example is a living tree with names scribed on the leaves.

Endora gives Penn a visitor's ring so she has temporary access to the treasure vault. "It'll give you access for forty-eight house. Right hand, second finger."

"To make cheese you need curdled milk ... but guard cows don't produce milk. They produce screams that can curdle blood. That's why they're known as Bloodcurdlers."

"Milk of all different colours poured down one huge wall like a frothy rainbow waterfall. Penn watched as the colours separated into different streams and flowed down into the biggest and shiniest cauldrons she'd ever seen."

As well as being a rollicking adventure The Lost History has a serious undertone, touching on themes that give the reader pause for thought: leadership, how to rule, friendship, how to view history, the lessons of history, the difference between being smart and clever, and class are just some issues explored. Storylinks

Publisher blurb: After rescuing Princess Seraphine from the evil Malevolents, servant girl Penn thought her fate had finally changed. But now her powerful Talisman is gone and Seraphine is ignoring her again. Even worse, the ruthless Inquisitor has been summoned to uncover why Malevolence has returned to Arylia and fingers are pointing at Penn. Her only hope is to find the Lost History, which might be the key to unlocking both the Inquisitor’s and her own mysterious past. But someone else is hunting for it – only they want to destroy it. Even as she races to retrieve the Lost History, Penn knows that if she digs up her past, she might not like what she finds. Because Malevolence has started calling to her and she’s finding it strangely hard to resist …

In this feminist construction of the hero’s quest, Penn, and her friends, embark on a quest to find a lost history, a book that should shed light on what really happened to the Wintrish people who had a curse placed on them. They encounter forces that oppose their search, people who don’t want what really happened to come to light. On the way, they find it hard to know just who to trust ... Reading Time

Thank you to UQP (University of Queensland Press) for my advance copy of this book. It arrived just prior to my trip to the IBBY Congress in Italy so I have only just had time to pick it up - The Lost History was published in September 2024. Here is the website for Melanie LaBrooy where you can find VERY detailed teachers notes and sample chapters. 

The Wintrish Girl

I listed some companion books in my post about The Wintrish Girl. If you are a fan of The Phantom Tollbooth you are sure to also love The Lost Library.

The Phantom Tollbooth

Bravepaw and the Heartstone of Alluria by LM Wilkinson illustrated by Lavanya Naidu

Titch (full name Tithonia Proudleaf) has heard the legends of Bravepaw her whole life. Her home is on a very high plateau and no one ever leaves not even to explore the Great Forest below. Titch has one terrific friend - another mouse named Huckleberry. Titch has one important job - to look after the pufflings and on this day she is supposed to move them to a higher pasture but, on the day of this story, Titch and Huckleberry meet an injured warrior. A hare flying a hang glider. He has flown up to their plateau and he tells the startled mice his name is Prince Vetiver. If this was not amazing enough the prince is being pursued by horrid creatures called curseworms. They feed on colour and life. They want the gem Prince Vetiver has had attached to his staff. This gem (it is called a Heartstone) once belonged to Bravepaw. In the battle the staff is thrown down and in an amazing turn of events it is young Titch who picks it up. She is somehow able to wield the power of this precious stone and she manages to defeat the curseworms although they will attack again. What made this happen? Is this somehow linked to the story of Bravepaw? Could Titch have a destiny beyond her wildest imagination? Is this the beginning of the adventure she once craved and if so what other terrible dangers lie ahead? And what of the Prophecy:

When the sky fills with shadows

And all is turned to grey

Bravepaw will come.

When hope turns to ashes

And all have lost their way

Bravepaw will come.

The Heart will light the dark

Night will turn to day

When Bravepaw comes.

Here are a few text quotes to give you a flavour of this story:

"The crystal at the top of the staff blazed into life. A wave of bright light burst from it, flooding the edge of the Plateau with a rainbow of colours. The curseworms were blown away from the warrior like apple blossom in a strong spring breeze."

"There were a strange band of maybe thirty creatures, many different kind. Titch saw frogs and lizards, a hedgehog, a shrew, a sparrow and even a pair of rabbits. They all looked of a type, though, with matted fur and rough, dirty clothes decorated with bones and insect shells. They shouted and hissed at each other as they walked showing off sharp teeth and clows."

These are the grabbers - they raid villages for valuables to sell at the Midnight Market.

"One of the grabbers - a one-eyed lizard - seemed to be in charge. He wore a toad skull on his head and walked at the front of the group, wearing a coat covered in pockets. Each pocket contained an earthenware flask or jar sealed with wax, and a large iron key hung from his belt."

This book is certain to be a CBCA 2025 Younger Readers Notable. We really need more junior novels like this - easy to read, short chapters, and an engrossing action packed story with very likeable characters and just the right amount of tension and drama. Bravepaw is the full package. I love the character names - even the minor ones like Hyssop Buttonbrow and the invented creatures such as the puffling (not related to baby puffins) named Dollop. Along with curseworms we also meet a huge creature called an eaglebear. I have a feeling the eaglebear will return in the second installment and that he will come to the aid of Titch and Huckleberry.

Here is the web page for LM (Lilli) Wilkinson. The illustrations are terrific too by Lavanya Naidu.

You can see the puffling Dollop in this illustration

This promises to be a fantastic illustrated series. Imaginative and full of fast-paced action, the characters are fantastic with carefully chosen names which makes things more exciting. Kids' Book Review

This enchanting tale is about friendship, bravery, believing in yourself and doing the right thing by others.  Filled with adorable characters, from the lovable Titch and her faithful friend Huckleberry to the oh so cute little Dollop. I'm excited to read the next book to see what adventures and dangers await this little trio as they venture on their quest to heal the heart of Alluria. Little Squirrels Booshelf

In the book, Wilkinson creates a richly imagined fantasy world in Alluria, complete with its own lore, magic, and mythical elements. The Heartstone of Alluria, a central plot device, hints at ancient powers and secrets that drive the story. This detailed setting invites readers to escape into a fully-realised universe that’s full of imagination. Better Reading

Here is book two:

I can see the Bravepaw series working so well as a steppingstone to other more complex animal hero and quest stories such as these:

The Legend of Podkin One-Ear

Poppy

Endling

There are fifteen books in this series (including a prequel)

The One and Only Family by Katherine Applegate

The 'voice' of Ivan as lingered with me for over 12 years since I first read The One and Only Ivan. I remember how shocked I was to discover that this story was based on a true story of a young gorilla captured in Africa, taken to America and eventually kept in a shopping mall as a curiosity.

By now Ivan has been living in a wildlife sanctuary although at the beginning of the book the only gorillas are Ivan and mate Kinyani. The other members of the troop will return but for now they have been moved while the gorilla enclosure is renovated. Kinyani seems to be putting on weight. Then their keepers give Kinyani and Ivan some toy dolls. Have you guessed - yes Ivan is about to become a dad. And if you have read the series you will know Ivan himself was a twin. Sadly his sister Tag died when the pair were first bought to the US but when this part of the story is mentioned in as a recap I was certain twins were on their way.

The aspect of this book that I truly appreciated is the way Katherine Applegate is able to, in just a few words, help the reader recall parts of the plot from the previous books. The School Library Journal reviewer agrees. 

Here are some text quotes to remind you of the way Katherine Applegate tells these stories:

"There was a time when I never dreamed I'd grow up to be a father. There was a time when I never dreamed I'd grow up to be a silverback. There was a time when I never dreamed I'd grow up at all. But the years passed and here I am. When time tells a story, surprises are the one thing you can count on."

"Though I was born in the wild, I've spent most of my life in the company of humans. The older I get the more I realise how much this has affected me. I am a gorilla, yes. But I am also something more. Or perhaps I am something less. ... But I spent almost three decades without seeing another gorilla. I lacked an instruction manual for how to be me."

"It's a baby. It's an infant gorilla. It's a son. It's my son. I let out a noise. I don't know quite what it is or what it means, but it feels like it's coming from somewhere deep inside me. ... I fall back on my rump. I stop breathing. Please, don't let me pass out. Kinyani nods, as if to say, surprise. There in the vet's arms is a second baby gorilla. A girl. Squirming and skinny and beautiful."

This newest book does not disappoint. I read the whole story in one sitting (254 pages). 

"A wonderful farewell tour for these endearing characters and the themes that they have come to embody so well: adversity, resilience, and hope." — Horn Book Magazine

This is a satisfying send off, and readers will want to reread the whole series to share the laughs and the tears surrounding this memorable band of buddies one more time. A must-read celebration of family, natural and found.  Booklist

The One and Only Family is the fourth and final book in the series that began with The One and Only Ivan winner of the Newbery Medal. The One and Only Ivan (2012); The One and Only Bob (2020); The One and Only Ruby (2023); The One and Only Family (2024). I do have to say I really prefer the original US covers.

The One and Only Ivan

When I wrote about this book I said: Books should make us feel things. Being sad is a real emotion and not one we should shy away from or avoid.  Ivan is a hero in the true sense of the word. 

He has wise words to share. At times this book feels like a verse novel.

Ivan

The One and Only Bob

The One and Only Ruby

The Hotel Balzaar by Kate DiCamillo illustrated by Julia Sarda

Begin here with this audio sample from chapter one. When you listen, you will hear the delicious language choices used by master storyteller Kate DiCamillo - beguiling brilliance, the porcelain of the skink, overstuff sofas strewn with cushions of green and gold, the room was fille to overflowing with light almost as if someone were ... pouring molten gold, perpetually occupied. 

Marta and her mother live in the attic of the Hotel Balzaar.

"And on the dresser was her mother's brush, and beside that was an envelope that was stained and worn smooth from handling. Marta's mother's name was written on the envelope - Elena Buchelli. And below her name was Marta's name - Marta Buchelli. The exact words Marta's father had written on the envelope were: And Marta Buchelli too, of course. How Marta loved those words: of course. Of course."

"It had been over a year since they had heard anything from her father. In the meantime, Marta and her mother had moved from one place to another, trying to survive."

 There are hints in the story that her mother, who works as a maid, is not really allowed to have her child living with her. Her father is missing. All Marta has that worn out letter. Almost every day her mother instructs Marta:

"You must be quiet, quiet, Marta. Like a mouse. Do not let yourself me charmed ... 'Say you understand, Marta,' said her mother. 'I understand,' said Marta. But she did not understand. She did not understand at all."

Marta lives in a small world. There is their attic room and the one hundred and twenty-eight stairs, the hotel lobby with a clock that has a cat chasing a mouse and a painting which seems to have one wing that looks like an angel. The hotel doorman Norman does acknowledge and talk to Marta but the receptionist Alphonse pretends she does not exist. Then one day a mysterious guest arrives at the hotel. 

"Right before the clock struck noon, there was a commotion in the lobby. A gust of cold air entered, and with it came an old woman dressed in red - red shoes, a red hat and a red dress. She was leaning on a cane, and on her should there perched a massive green-feathered parrot."

Marta will now break all her mother's rules because the old woman, who calls herself a Countess, invites Marta to come to her room. Marta meets her parrot named Blitzkoff. The Countess says he can speak but Marta never hears him instead the Countess tells Marta a series of six stories. At first it seems these stories are unconnected, and they all seem to be unresolved, but Marta listens carefully and you, the reader, will read carefully, because there are connections that can be made here, and the final untold story will be the most important one of all. 

Readers, too, will enjoy piecing together the connections among the stories and will be encouraged to seek deeper truths about people and the world around them. ... A delightful, thoughtful escape to a magical world. Kirkus

I am not sure I would use The Hotel Balzaar for a classroom study - it feels like such a personal reading experience but if you skim through these teachers notes from the publisher you will gain more insights into the plot and you will see some of the glorious art by Julia Sarda. If you are looking for a present for a keen reader aged 9+ pop this book onto your list - the hardcover edition with a dust jacket would be a very special gift. 

The setting for this heartfelt story is not specified but it feels like a European city and a time perhaps fifty or more years ago. This is the second of a planned set of three books or novellas called Norendy Tales. I previously talked about The Puppets of Spelhorst. The third book will be released next year. I love the way each book features a different illustrator - book one Julie Morstad; book two Julia Sarda. I wonder who will illustrate the third Norendy Tale? Every school and public library should add this set of books to their collection alongside EVERY book by Kate DiCamillo (you probably already know I am a huge fan). Here is a long video interview where you can hear Kate talk about her book. Read this review.

The Puppets of Spelhorst

The Hotel Balzaar uses the Countess for her storytelling prowess, consolidating all stories into her character. The Puppets of Spelhorst, in contrast, integrates a multitude of characters to tell stories. Even with these two different story telling mechanisms, the story within a story pattern is consistent between the two Norendy Tales. Both feature a plot arc stretched out from story to story to story, all culminating in one fell swoop with heartwarming endings. This strategy is extremely tricky to execute, particularly for the short format of middle grade reading material. The ease with which DiCamillo whips out these two editions reinforces why DiCamillo is the supremely successful queen of this genre ... In both of these books the illustrations are abundant and add intrigue and depth to the telling of the story; both the narrative and the images pull equal weight. Both titles, it’s safe to say, are true reader delights. New York Journal of Books

Meet the illustrator Chris Riddell

Images from The Letterpress Project

I was lucky to visit Jersey (UK) last month and by chance my visit coincided with the Jersey Festival of Words. Children's writers speaking at the event included Michael Rosen, Joseph Elliott and Chris Riddell. Chris presented several sessions including one that I attended in the Jersey Public Library. His focus was his book Once Upon a Wild Wood.

As the audience of young children and parents gathered Chris did some drawing which we could watch on a small screen. He drew a selection of familiar fairy tale characters such as Red Riding Hood, Snow White, Hansel and Gretel, Beauty and the Beast and the three little pigs. He then asked the children in the audience to identify the fairy tales. I loved the way he involved the children but also included observations and commentary that gave his adult audience quite a few laughs.  His own favourite fairy tale is The Twelve Dancing Princesses - he wonders what happened to all the shoes! 

You can see Chris drawing on this video. 

Then we were treated to a reading of Once Upon a Wild Wood. 

Bookseller blurb: Little Green Raincape is on her way to Rapunzel's party, deep in the wild woods. The way is long and dark, but Green is a smart girl. Smart enough to turn down apples offered by kindly old ladies, smart enough to turn down travel advice from helpful wolves, and above all, smart enough to solve a wealth of classic fairy tale problems - not least mend a lovelorn beast's broken heart. Once Upon a Wild Wood is a richly imagined story packed full of familiar fairy tale characters as you've never seen them before. Including Red Riding Hood, Thumbelina, Rapunzel, Beauty and the Beast, Cinderella, the three bears, the seven dwarfs and many more!

His final words were music to my ears when he warmly recounted his time working in his own local library as an adolescent and his love of the way library shelves, unlike bookshops, can continue to hold every book treasure even when titles go out of print.

Something to watch out for in books by Chris Riddell - he always includes a hug!

One of his earliest books was published by Faber and Faber - it was a TS Elliott poem and the other two illustrators were Axel Sheffler (who went on to illustrate books by Julia Donaldson) and Errol le Cain. 

Chris Riddell was the Waterstones Children's Laureate from 2015 to 2017. He won the prestigious Kate Greenaway Medal three times: in 2002 for Pirate Diary, in 2004 for Jonathan Swift's Gulliver, and for The Sleeper and the Spindle in 2016. Here is an interview with The London Magazine.

Chris Riddell and his wife live in Brighton. His daughter Katy Riddell is also a children's book illustrator, including of Pongwiffy by Kaye Umansky.

Here is a selection of books illustrated by Chris Riddell:

Oh, and I do need to mention that at the end of this session in the Jersey library, Michael Rosen arrived and he sat down and read his famous book We're going on a Bear Hunt in Jèrriais which is a language previously spoken on the island of Jersey. Read more here. 

My May reading pile

It's been quite a while since I did one of these reading pile posts. I do have books on my pile of course but these days I very rarely have access to advance reader copies of new books and that was often the impetus to share titles in this form. I used to snaffle piles of ARCs from a wonderful local bookshop but sadly that business has now closed.  I now get a few from Three Sparrows Bookstore (take a look at Freddie Spector) and also very occasionally from University of Queensland Press (UQP). Check out the one they just sent me.

One of our very large chain bookshops has been having a sale all through April. I have been there twice and picked up a few novels and a good pile of fifty percent discounted picture books. We also had our Lifeline Bookfair during the recent school holidays. And finally, I do still have few books left over from previous book list posts which have not yet made it to the top of my to-read pile (sigh).

Freewater by Amina Luqman-Dawson

This book won a Newbery award and a Coretta Scott King award and so of course it was on my book shopping list. I have been reading Freewater this week. It is SO good and I am taking my time rather than my usual style of racing through a book. Decades ago, I read another powerful book about slavery - Nightjohn by Gary Paulsen. This story has lingered with me for over thirty years. I also read the sequel - Sarny.

More recently I read Crossing Ebenezer Creek and the Chains trilogy. I live in Australia and the topic of slavery in the US was not covered in our school history curriculum but through these books (and others) I feel as though I have gained a small insight into these horrible events.

Crossing Ebenezer Creek

Chains

And I read and was deeply affected by Stella by Starlight and Running out of Night.

Stella by Starlight

Running out of night

Freewater blurb: Under the cover of night, twelve-year-old Homer flees Southerland Plantation with his little sister Ada, unwillingly leaving their beloved mother behind. Much as he adores her and fears for her life, Homer knows there’s no turning back, not with the overseer on their trail. Through tangled vines, secret doorways, and over a sky bridge, the two find a secret community called Freewater, deep in the swamp. In this society created by formerly enslaved people and some freeborn children, Homer finds new friends, almost forgetting where he came from. But when he learns of a threat that could destroy Freewater, he crafts a plan to find his mother and help his new home. Deeply inspiring and loosely based on the history of maroon communities in the South, this is a striking tale of survival, adventure, friendship, and courage. 

Fly me Home by Polly Ho-Yen

I previously read two books by Polly Ho-Yen - Two sides (which is a junior novel) and How I saved the World in a week.  I saw Fly me home on the 50% off table and the cover looked appealing.

Blurb: Feeling lost and alone in a strange new city, Leelu wishes she could fly away back home - her real home where her dad is, thousands of miles away. London is cold and grey and the neighbours are noisy and there's concrete everywhere. But Leelu is not alone; someone is leaving her gifts outside her house - wonders which give her curious magical powers. Powers which might help her find her way home ...Fly Me Home is an incredibly moving portrait of one family's struggle to adjust to life in a new country. 

The Travelling Bookshop - Mim and the Anxious artist by Katrina Nannestad

I did enjoy the first book in this series Mim and the Baffling Bully. I saw this third book from the series at the Lifeline sale for just $2. It is in mint condition so perhaps the child owner didn't read it which is a shame. These books have such appealing covers by Cheryl Orsini. Book three is set in Paris.

This is the Walker Books Australia cover. The US one is quite different.

Ferris by Kate DiCamillo

I have read this and it is a FIVE star book but before I talk about it here on this blog I have a plan to read it again - this is something I never do. Every tiny idea, phrase, word choice by Kate DiCamillo is liquid gold. 

Blurb by Kate DiCamillo: It’s the summer before fifth grade, and for Ferris Wilkey, it is a summer of sheer pandemonium: Her little sister, Pinky, has vowed to become an outlaw. Uncle Ted has left Aunt Shirley and, to Ferris’s mother’s chagrin, is holed up in the Wilkey basement to paint a history of the world. And Charisse, Ferris’s grandmother, has started seeing a ghost at the threshold of her room, which seems like an alarming omen given that she is also feeling unwell. But the ghost is not there to usher Charisse to the Great Beyond. Rather, she has other plans — wild, impractical, illuminating plans. How can Ferris satisfy a specter with Pinky terrorizing the town, Uncle Ted sending Ferris to spy on her aunt, and her father battling an invasion of raccoons? 

The Upside Down River: Hannah's Journey by Jean-Claude Mourlevat

The first book from this series - Tomek's story was a revelation to me. I gave it five stars and I said: "This book is an absolute page turner. It is such a wild ride. You will never guess what will appear around the next corner. It's all a little like The Phantom Toll Booth but without the silliness. There is a forest where you forget everything and everyone forgets you, giant bears who are desperate for meat and who have outstanding hearing, flowers that cause hallucinations, a village of tiny people who make perfume, a dangerous rainbow and even a friendly panda-like creature who offers warmth and comfort."

I picked this up for 20% off today. I might need to re-read the first book but that's okay these are quite short.

I also have The Strange Library by Murakami on my pile - but I am think it might actually be an adult book. I do love the cover which looks like a library date due slip. 
 

The Shelterlings by Sarah Beth Durst

The name Sarah Beth Durst has been mentioned on blogs and review sites. I have a couple of her books on my bookshop wish list including this one which is now in paperback. 

Publisher blurb: Holly, a grey squirrel, and her animal friends have accepted that they will never be wizards’ familiars. Though they are each magical, their powers are so offbeat—Holly herself can conjure pastries (and only pastries)—that no professional magic-worker would choose any of them as a companion for noble quests. So instead of going on adventures, they languish at the Shelter for Rejected Familiars, where they are known as “shelterlings.” When an old friend appears with a plan for curing the shelterlings’ defective magic, everyone is on board to help him locate and retrieve the ingredients for a powerful spell. But when they learn that his offer is not what it seems, Holly and the shelterlings must fight to defend their magic, discovering in the process that their unorthodox skills may just be what is needed to save the day.

The Monsters of Rookhaven by Pádraig Kenny

Bookseller blurb: Mirabelle has always known she is a monster. When the glamour protecting her unusual family from the human world is torn and an orphaned brother and sister stumble upon Rookhaven, Mirabelle soon discovers that friendship can be found in the outside world. But as something far more sinister comes to threaten them all, it quickly becomes clear that the true monsters aren't necessarily the ones you can see.

This book has a sequel - The Shadows of Rookhaven. I have also read Pog and Tin by Pádraig Kenny. My friend Dr Robin Morrow is currently reviewing another new book by Padraig Kenny - Stitch. It is due out in a few months. 

The Pickpocket and the Gargoyle has been on my pile for a whole year!  I first listed it here in May, 2023. I did start to read it but I think this is the kind of book that needs to suit my mood. Hopefully I will read this before another whole year passes.

When secrets set sail has been on my pile since October last year. I did start this one a couple of times but I just couldn't settle into the complex storyline. I did deeply love a previous book by Sita Brahmachari - Where the River runs gold - so I will get back to this one soon.