Raised by Wolves by Tristan Bancks

Tristan Bancks you need to know the power of your story. There is a sentence early on this story that set me up to feel so much pain. Olive leaves her home to chase after her criminal father.

"If Olive lets dad go now, they'll never see it (the money) again, which could mean very bad things for their family. ... She slides the door closed behind her and leaps over the giant puddle at the back door, splashing down at the edge of it, bare feet snap-freezing. If she goes back for shoes, she'll talk herself out of this. ... She squints her eyes shut, musters every ounce of courage she has, then closes the gate behind her and sets out into the night." pg 45

Wait a minute! Go back a re-read this. Olive has no shoes on. I think I felt every step, every rock, every horrible surface over that terrible night as Olive chases her father across the dark, rainy city. Oh, and her phone battery is nearly dead too! How will she contact Ben, her brother. Ironically, he is training to be a police officer, but things are spiraling out of control and Olive really needs his help. 

Just to back-track a little. Mum is working hard to support the family so she is often late coming home. Olive is always on the alert checking the house and locking the doors and windows. Then one day she sees her Dad - the dad who stole over $900,000 five years ago. She follows him, talks to him and even shares a donut with him. Then dad asks her for money - $10,000!

At the heart of this story there is a theme of love and belonging. Olive knows her father committed a dreadful crime and that he put their family in terrible danger but she just wants to know - does he love her?

"Do you love me?' she asks and immediately wishes she could gobble the words back up. Dad looks surprised. ... 'Course I do,' Dad says. Olive feels a rush of blood from her chest to her cheeks. She has never heard Dad say this before. Technically, he didn't actually say it, but pretty much." pg 18

"She thinks of Dad. He's a bit rough around the edges, and he smells weird, but he's nicer than she remembers. And he loves me. She feels like an idiot for thinking it. Judges and lawyers need to be good at picking lies, but she believes him. She really does." pg 23

Maybe this is why Olive offers to give her father the $10,000 and why he finds their house and why he takes the bag with all the money that mum has been hiding and why Olive then decides she has to go after him to get that money back so that she and mum and Ben can possibly, perhaps, maybe, find a happy 'normal' life.

I read Raised by Wolves late into the night and continued into the early hours of the morning. I turned to the last page at 1.21am. It is very early in the year but I am absolutely certain Raised by Wolves will be a CBCA 2027 Notable title (fingers crossed the judges agree with me that it can stand alone because there is an awards rule about sequels). I highly highly recommend you add Raised by Wolves to your library - add it to your shopping list today. 

Publisher blurb: Twelve-year-old Olive Silver knows how to check every room with a knife when she gets home from school, how to survive alone and how to keep secrets. She’s had to – ever since her criminal dad abandoned her family five years ago and let them pay for his crime. But now, he’s back.

The day she spots him outside her school, everything tilts. Olive calls her big brother Ben, who’s two days from graduating the police academy, and follows Dad through rain and darkness, across railway tracks and through wrecking yards, desperate for answers. Does Dad love her? Or is he only back for the money? As the night spins out of control, Olive faces a choice: let Dad go or hunt him down and bring him to justice. Raised by Wolves is a tense, heart-stopping thriller about loyalty, betrayal and finding out who you really are when the people you trust most let you down.

There is a scene towards the end of Raised by Wolves at the airport - I suggest you use part of this as a way to book talk this thrilling story with your students. 

Raised by Wolves is the sequel to Two Wolves (2014) but this new installment can stand alone. That said, though, your reading experience of Raised by Wolves will be a richer one if you are familiar with Two Wolves. I read Two Wolves in 2015 and so I could only remember fragments of the plot but now I am keen to go back and read it again. In the US Two Wolves has the title 'On the Run'.

I highly recommend all of these other books by Tristan Bancks - we are so lucky here in Australia to be able to share books with our readers by this very talented creator. Pop each title into my search bar or go to this post.

Middle Grade Musings writes on Instagram about Raised by Wolves: I had high expectations for this book and they have been blown away. It’s incredible that Tristan was able to fit so much into 215 pages. It’s a book of 2 tales: the non-stop thrilling action that puts lives in danger and keeps you completely hooked - dodging trains, gun toting cowboys, barefoot pursuits, vicious dogs and much much more (no spoilers here). Then there is the portrayal of Olive’s inner turmoil, as her world falls apart around her and she is completely torn in 2 by the moral dilemma that she faces. Tristan so powerfully portrays the internal struggles of Olive as she deals with the ramifications of her father’s arrival back into her life. You can feel her genuine anguish throughout. It’s a credit to Tristan that he could capture this internal battle in a storyline so fast-paced and filled with action.

Worth a Thousand Words by Brigit Young

You can see Tillie (Matilda) with her camera. Tillie is an observer and through this she has become almost invisible to her classmates until they need things found. The kids have labelled Tillie "Lost and Found". She can find lost objects and her camera sometimes helps when she reviews the images she has captured through the day. Lost objects, are easy to find, and safe but what about a lost person? At times this story feels like a detective or mystery television program. Tillie and Jake gather clues, visit places linked with Jake's dad, and Tillie takes heaps of photos but then she takes one of Jake's dad in a compromising situation and this whole lost and found adventure becomes very serious. Tillie is about to lose her first and only friend since her serious accident but it seems impossible to tell Jake what she has seen.

The kids in this book uncover some adult behavior - the kind of behavior I don't think I have ever read about before in a middle grade book.

I have a suggestion of how to book talk Worth a Thousand Words with your readers aged 10+. Read the blurb. Talk about how Tillie loves her cameras, she has four different types, and talk about how they have helped her cope with her now complex relationship with her father who feels enormous guilt over the accident that left her with a painful disability. Now read chapter 18 - it will break your heart to read the scene where Tillie smashes all of her precious cameras. This scene should leave your library group with a heap of unanswered questions and make them keen to dive into this book.

You can hear an audio extract from Chapter One here.

Publisher blurb: Ever since a car accident left Tillie Green with lasting painful injuries, she's hidden behind her camera. She watches her family and classmates through the lens, tracking down misplaced items and spotting the small details that tell a much bigger story than people usually see. But she isn’t prepared for class clown Jake Hausmann’s request: to find his father. In a matter of days, Tillie goes from silent observer to one half of a detective duo, searching for clues to the mystery of Jake’s dad’s disappearance. When the truth isn’t what Jake wants it to be, and the photographs start exposing people’s secrets, Tillie has to decide what—and who—is truly important to her.

There are some hilarious scenes mixed in with some quite serious and scary ones!! Tillie is a smart and courageous young girl who, although hiding behind her camera lens, finds her inner self once she steps away from it. A great story of family and friendship for all ages!! Miss Mahee's Library

Worth a Thousand Words was published in 2018. I am not sure how I came to have my copy but it probably came from a recent charity bookfair. Worth a Thousand Words was a debut novel for Brigit Young. You can read Chapters One and Two here. I think the ebook might still be available. 

Companion books (I read both of these decades ago):

Half a Chance

Queen of Thieves by John Rundberg translated by Annie Prime

“They’re going to live in a place called the Apple Farm,” whispers Margit. “They call it that because the house is surrounded by apple trees. In May the trees are white with flowers, and by summer, they’re covered with apples as sweet as sugar. They’ll all live together in a big house. The ground floor is Henrietta’s. Rufus, Kristina, and Ossian each have a room upstairs. The sea is so close you can smell it, and it’s light blue and crystal clear, not gray like the water here. And no one will ever go hungry ’cause there are chickens on the farm and wild raspberries growing everywhere.”

First off, I suggest you go back and take a look at my post about the first book from this series - The Moonwind Mysteries. I think this second book (2024) can stand alone but your reading enjoyment will be made all the richer if you can meet the characters and setting in Stockholm in the first book. 

The Night Raven

Mika lives in an orphanage. She has been there so long that now she is given responsibility for care of the young children. The kids trust her and usually tell her everything but then she sees two of the young children sneaking away. She follows them into the city and sees them enter a building only to emerge some time later in finer clothes. Ossian is being sent away to work for a foster family but he has run away, Rufus has found an apprenticeship as a chimney sweep, Kristina is acting very strangely - she clearly has a secret, and baby Nora is not well. 

As a reader I was sure the woman who promised a kind of utopia (described above) to the orphans should not be trusted but I had no idea about the diabolical robbery she had planned and of course no reader will ever guess the amazing way Mika working with Constable Hoff will manage to thwart her.

Here are a few text quotes:

“As previously reported, the Vega expedition is on its way home and currently located near Copenhagen. The scientist Nordenskiöld was the first explorer to sail through the so-called Northeast Passage. In addition to many scientific discoveries, it is rumored that the expedition has collected spectacular gifts from the many nations it has visited.

“Sweetheart, all I have to do is look at you; you’re like an open book. I see you sitting at the edge of your seat, as if you have no right to be here. And I know you work night shifts for a pittance with a wicked drunkard. But that’s not why I’m curious about you. I want to know why Constable Hoff sought you out in the first place. And what happened when your little mission ended? Were you hoping it would lead to something more?” The hairs on the back of Mika’s neck stand on end. It feels like Henrietta is looking straight into her. Reading her thoughts, the ones she’s never dared speak aloud. “Such a pity that Constable Hoff wasn’t who you thought he was,” says Henrietta sympathetically. 

“I knew you’d come.” While they are hugging, Mika notices a familiar figure behind Kristina. A tall, thin boy with dark, curly hair is sitting at the table in the living room. It’s Ossian. He briefly raises a hand in greeting and then turns away in shame. Mika wants to tell him she’s not angry with him, but then she hears the clacking sound of high heels, and Henrietta appears. As always, she’s wearing one of her long-sleeved dresses with lace trim. When Henrietta sees Mika, she is suddenly on her guard. Collectedly, she leans forward and whispers something to Kristina, who disappears into the living room and closes the door. With one quick snap of her elbow, Henrietta conjures a knife out of her left dress sleeve and holds the handle in her palm. With her back against the wall, she leans forward and vigilantly scans the stairwell.

Valdemar listens intently all the while. When Mika is done, he sits quietly. “How can she steal the gem in a room full of guests?” he asks finally. “The House of Nobility is always guarded. There will be guards inside and outside the hall.” “I don’t actually know,” admits Mika. “The kids are helping Henrietta with the performance. My job is to pick the lock to the Great Hall and steal the coat of arms.” The kitchen chair wobbles under Valdemar’s weight as he leans back and pensively strokes his beard. “So, in summary: you have no evidence and no idea how the theft is actually going to take place.”

The Vega crew are sitting at the head table; she recognizes Nordenskiöld from the newspapers. The king and queen are sitting at the head of the table closest to Henrietta. Next to the royal couple is a lower table displaying some of the items from the expedition. Mika sees sculptures, parts of a suit of armor, a bow, bowls, and various kinds of tools. In the middle of the table is a velvet pillow, and on top of the pillow sits a magically shimmering gemstone—the Magatama. ... She sees Kristina’s hair standing up straight from the centrifugal force. The blue line of a bulging artery in her throat. The white tablecloth on the head table. A disturbance to distract the audience. In that moment, Mika realizes the extent of Henrietta’s diabolical plan. The distraction isn’t going to come from a spilled wineglass. But from a torrent of blood.

Here is a review with more plot details.

A captivating game of cat and mouse. Kirkus

Listen to an audio sample here. This book was previously published as Tjuvdrottningen.

Bookseller blurb: After a merciless winter, spring has sprung in 1880 Stockholm, and the city awaits the arrival of the SS Vega, the first ship to have sailed the Northeast Passage. Life is busy at the orphanage, but twelve-year-old Mika quickly notices that the older orphans are up to something—and it doesn’t look good. When Constable Hoff approaches her with information about thefts around the city, Mika becomes even more concerned about what the other kids are up to—and what they might be planning for the Vega celebration. The police will have no sympathy for orphans, and she’d hate to see her friends condemned to life in jail. But Mika soon finds herself in a bind she can’t get out of—one that could condemn her own life. Can Mika uncover who is really behind the thefts in the city and keep her friends safe, without getting caught?

Johan Rundberg is an award-winning author of children’s books who lives in Stockholm. He has written picture books, early readers, and middle grade, including Kärlekspizzan, Knockad Romeo, and the series Häxknuten. In 2021, he was awarded Sweden’s most prestigious literary prize, the August Prize, in the children’s and YA category for Nattkorpen, the original edition of The Night Raven, the first book in the Moonwind Mysteries series. Nattkorpen was also the winner of a Swedish Crimetime Award in the children’s and YA category. There are now four books in this series published in Sweden.

Runaways by EL Norry

Visiting Gleebooks the other day I spied this book which was published in 2025. I had not heard of the author EL Norry but the cover looked intriguing.

I would call this a collision story. Dreadful things have happened to these two kids who come from very different backgrounds, but life events mean that they do meet or as I have said collide.

July has been in foster care on and off but recently she has moved back with her mother. Mum was caught up in drugs and alcohol, but she has been on a program, now has a job and has a plan for further study. Things should be good for July but then her mum invites an old (and dangerous) friend to stay and July is sure her mother will go back to her old habits, so July runs away hoping to find the last foster carer who was kind and understanding.

Jamie's dad has recently left the family and now his mum has moved in with a wealthy man called Garrett. Jamie is sure Garrett does not like him and now his mum has decided he will attend a posh school which means he won't be with his true friends. As the story begins Mum has gone away for a few days and Jamie is left with Garrett. Things do not go well and then Garrett bluntly tells Jamie that his dad is not just away - he is in jail. Jamie is furious and he pushes Garrett down the stairs at home. Convinced Garrett is now dead, Jamie runs away.

The voices of the two kids in this book are set out in two different fonts. It does take a long time in the story for these kids to meet each other and of course neither of them is prepared to share the truth about why they are now in Bournemouth. As is often the scenario for stories involving running away, over the course of the story July has her belongings stolen and later Jamie's money, bag and shoes go too. 

I read Runaways in one sitting. It is an action-packed story that races towards an expected but not too predictable or saccharine happy ending. 

Publisher blurb: Jamie and July are both eleven-year-olds living in London – but they have very different lives. They meet for the first time at Waterloo Station in the last week of the holidays. They are both desperate to get away from home. July is really worried about her unreliable mum - she needs to get help. Jamie has done something terrible - and left in a panic. Despite their worries, the sun is shining and, as they escape everything they've left behind in the city, Jamie and July can't help but sense adventure in the air. But running away isn't just harmless summertime fun. What are they really trying to escape? And will either Jamie or July find a place that finally feels like home?

July and Jamie learn some hard truths about life, love, the fallibility of parents and the strength of those they can really trust. Friendship and finding your way in life isn’t necessarily easy but there is always hope. Scope for Imagination

Alternating chapters gives each child a voice, allowing the reader to empathise with their actions as they experience the potential pitfalls and dangers of leaving home- being exploited, robbed, finding somewhere safe… E L Norry manages to handle these threats in an age appropriate way yet leaves the reader in no doubt as to how real these dangers are. However, this story is ultimately one of hope, one with a (two!) happy ending which leaves the reader uplifted and optimistic for Jamie and July’s futures.  I really hope this book gains the recognition it deserves. Beautifully written, deeply moving, it is essential reading for everyone.  Through the Bookshelf

About EL (Emma) Norry: I’m an author based in Bournemouth. I write fiction and non-fiction for 8-14 year olds (sometimes called MG, middle-grade). I also write many other things, including a couple of episodes of the UK soap opera, EastEnders. ... As a child, I grew up in the care system. I was born in Cardiff, Wales but moved around a lot. .... I’m passionate about diversity and inclusion and showing children that authors can come from different backgrounds.

Companion books:

Bird and Sugar Boy

Raven Winter

Charlie and Me 421 Miles from Home

Runaways

Talking to Alaska

Summer of the Gypsy Moths

Runt and the Diabolical Dognapping by Craig Silvey

"How are you feeling?

Annie looks down.

Nobody looks back up at her.

Because there is a Runt-shaped hole in her world."

Recently Craig Silvey spoke at an event here in Sydney and a few days later I bought myself a copy of his new book (sequel to Runt). I started my reading that day but after just 31 pages I stopped. I first read Runt back in 2022 and since that time I have read hundreds of other books and so many small plot details from Runt have evaporated from my memory. Thank goodness the library where I work as a volunteer had a copy of Runt and so on Tuesday last week I revisited the first installment of Runt. With 342 pages, and a few detours into other books on my enormous to read pile, I finished Runt for the second time on Sunday morning. It is now Tuesday afternoon and I have just finished Runt the Diabolical Dognapping which has a whopping 406 pages. Readers do need knowledge of the first book about Runt to really appreciate all the twists and turns and motivations and drama of the second installment. 

Craig Silvey has done it again. He kept me reading and reading desperate to discover how all his disparate story elements could possibly reach that all important happy ending. This is also one of those books where the clock is ticking - Annie only has one month to win another competition and hopefully be reunited with her precious friend. 

This latest book is filled with heroes, tales of past deeds, deceptions, new friendships, puns, jokes, determination, and of course it culminates in another all-important dog competition. The story rips along because it stars Annie who we all adore from the first book but in this tale Runt is missing. As the title tells you - he has been dognapped. Of course, this new story does need a dog - we met this puppy at the end of the first book. She arrived with Bernadette Box - her name is Little Annie. Oh, and there is also a new competition - have you heard of this - it is called "dances with dogs" and yes, it is a real thing. Craig Silvey explained in his Sydney talk that he watched hundreds of hours of competitions so that he could include accurate details in his story.

BUT wait there is more to Runt and the Diabolical Dognapping. If you have read Runt you may have been left with a few questions - the answers to all of these and many more form the framework for the second book. I wonder if Craig Silvey is a plotter - did be map all his story threads out before writing his book?

Here are some of the questions that you might want answered (but there are lots more):

• Where was Runt before he met Annie?
• How did Runt learn to perform 'tricks'?
• What makes Runt such a loyal friend?
• Why does Runt adore Mush dog food?
• And there is question (spoiler maybe) about the real fate of the terrible villain - Earl Robert- Baron?

I love the cast of characters from Upson Downs. The policeman Detective Bayleaf reminded me of the bumbling policeman in the television show Doc Martin: Joe Penhale the local police officer in the town of Portwenn. The Mayor Barry Casserole made me think of the local politician Bill Heslop from Muriel's Wedding and also one of the pompous judges from Strictly Ballroom - Barry Fyfe with (in the movie) his silly toupee. It is easy to see that this second book is very cinematic - I know there is a movie of Runt and a play will be presented in 2026. After reading this second installment I'm sure there will be a second movie. 

In this book I also enjoyed all the puns, funny names with double meanings, foreshadowing, subplots, flashbacks and side stories, and the way Rupert Broadsheet sounds like he has swallowed a thesaurus. 

Another thing that Craig Silvey includes in his book are heaps of wonderful descriptions of clothing - they are all so 'over the top' and yet it is funny that at every author event Craig himself always wears the same plain long-sleeved navy tee shirt. Here are a few examples:

"Camilla is resplendent in a cream satin dress and a silver necklace. Doreen is vividly tropical in a teal polyester pantsuit, neon mango lipstick and polished brass seashell earrings. She has a fresh perm, a teased fringe and a voice like a started macaw."

"Barry wears a yellow shirt tucked into high brown shorts. His head is host to a thick and conspicuous toupee. His large glasses slide slowly down his nose, causing him to periodically scrunch his face in a manner that reminds Annie Shearer of a nervous rabbit."

"He wears a peach short-sleeved shirt, a eucalyptus green tie, mustard coloured shorts, white knee-high socks, black leather sandals and his official chain of office."

"The man wears a powder blue seersucker jacket, plum corduroy pants, a crisp cream shirt and leather loafers. He is tall, with ivory skin and a sensible haircut."

If you are looking for a fantastic present for a young reader why not buy both books about Runt. I adore their cover illustrations by Sara Acton, and the publisher has added a dust jacket which is a rare thing here in Australia, and the end papers are perfect and if you pop these two books side by side on your bookshelf they will look very impressive. Here is the Instagram account for Sara Acton where you can see some illustrations from the second book about Runt.  Note if you are in the US Runt has a different cover, title and a different illustrator. 

IBBY Australia are holding an online auction as a fund raiser. If you are reading this post in Australia between 14 and 28 November 2025 take a look at our Auction page. This is the illustration kindly donated to the auction by Sara Acton.

There is a link to the very detailed teaching notes on the publisher web page and also an interview with Craig Silvey and the notes also have some video links to explore.

Publisher blurb: Six weeks have passed since Annie Shearer and Runt competed valiantly at the Krumpets Dog Show. The town of Upson Downs is rejuvenated. The grass is green. The rivers are flowing. And a Tournament of Champions has just been announced, with the world's best canine talent invited to showcase their skills in the Grand Ballroom of the abandoned Robert-Barren estate. But as preparations for the event get underway, Runt mysteriously goes missing, and a trail of suspicious clues surround his doghouse. Annie's worst fears are confirmed when she discovers a ransom note with a peculiar demand: she must win it all to see her friend again. It's up to Annie and her brother Max – now an intrepid investigative reporter with the Upson Downs Speculator – to rescue Runt before it's too late.

This sequel also delivers in spades Silvey’s trademark sharp wordplay and clever wit. This story is a shining example of the power of unwavering kindness, selfless compassion and empathy. It illustrates how these virtues can be a catalyst for profound change to embrace the gift of second chances and experience life with a renewed purpose and richness. Reading Opens Doors

With a cleverly constructed plot, hilarious, corny characters, and more mysteries than you can shake a bone at, this sequel left me with warm fuzzies from top to toe. There are stories within the story which are wonderful themselves, which are then effortlessly woven into the heart wrenching finale. What Book Next

The Last Resort by Erin Entrada Kelly

"She went up one step. Two. She felt Teddy's breath on her neck. Another step. Another. Was it her imagination or was it getting darker and darker? Up another step. And another. The stairs creaked and moaned. She imaged herself as a brave, brave warrior, completely unafraid. She reminded herself that fear was what red them ... She thought of herself covered in blood ... She felt the fear growing in the pit of her stomach, sprouting and growing, and tried to damp it down. I'm not scare. I'm not scared."

I am not really a fan of ghost stories but one thing that the story needs to have is motivation. I need to know why the ghosts are there. In this case it is due to several crimes. One hundred and fifty years ago the circus that had come to town burned to the ground and all of the performers were killed. Investigators also discovered the ring master had been shot.

The second crime is more recent. Lila along with her brother and mother and father have moved into their grandfather's home. It was actually once run as an Inn. On the first night Lila is visited by the ghost of Grandfather Clem. He tells her he did not die from a heart attack - he was murdered. All he wants now is to go back through the portal so he can be reunited with his wife who died many years ago.

Now that we have the problem we can assemble the team to solve this - Lila, her brother Caleb and the boy from next door - Teddy. 

As with all mysteries (in books and on television) I tried to solve this before reaching the end. I thought I had worked out the murderer and his motivation, but things sure did get way more complicated in those final scenes. If you have readers aged 10+ who enjoy ghost stories and like books where kids solve a mystery then this is a book you can recommend. The writing is very atmospheric and Erin entrada Kelly does conjure some very tense scenes. Erin talks about her book in this video.  Ms Yingling includes lots of plot details in her review. 

Kirkus gave this book a star review: Hauntingly good and sure to possess any horror aficionado. It wasn't quite at that level for me but as I said I am not a huge fan of ghost stories and also I found it a little odd that Lila did not recognise the circus performers even though Teddy had already told her about the fire from last century. 

This book is the first in series and it contains extra materials which you access via a QR code. Decades ago I read another book from Scholastic that included an element like this but of course over time the link has disappeared. (The Skeleton in the Creek and The Ghost in the Machine). 

I love that the kids went to the library to read old newspaper reports about the circus fire. I also enjoy books that refer readers to other books - here is the one Teddy is reading when the kids go over to talk to him:

Here is the Goodreads blurb for Wait till Helen comes (1986): Heather is such a whiny little brat. Always getting Michael and me into trouble. But since our mother married her father, we're stuck with her ... our "poor stepsister" who lost her real mother in a mysterious fire. But now something terrible has happened. Heather has found a new friend, out in the graveyard behind our home—a girl named Helen who died with her family in a mysterious fire over a hundred years ago. Now her ghost returns to lure children into the pond ... to drown! I don't want to believe in ghosts, but I've followed Heather into the graveyard and watch her talk to Helen. And I'm terrified. Not for myself, but for Heather...

Companion book (just because it contains a mirror and the quest for immortality):

Masterminds by Gordon Korman

Korman is awesome. This book was not only exciting, but thought provoking as well. 

Definitely buying a copy and waiting avidly for the sequel! Ms Yingling

This town is very small. The parents either work at the plastics factory or work in the town as the teacher, doctor, mayor or as shopkeepers. The other group of men are security guards called the Surety. The kids call them Purple People Eaters.

As the story opens one of the kids named Randy convinces Eli (his father is the local doctor) to travel outside the town perimeter but as they reach the edge of town Eli becomes very unwell. Helicopters arrive and he his taken to hospital. Not long after this Randy is sent away but the reason does not sound feasible. Eli enlists the help of three other kids from the town - Malik, Tori and Hector. There is something strange about the factory which 'supposedly' makes plastic traffic cones. Who are these kids? What is really going on in that factory? Why did Eli get so sick? Surely there is something strange about the street names and even the local newspaper does not seem entirely trustworthy. Then Eli is somehow able to access the 'real' internet and so the kids begin to unravel a set of lies that will upset everything they think they know about their lives and families. 

Boy oh boy this book is a wild ride! I was totally engrossed from beginning to end following the lives of these four kids and the weird-sounding community where they live with the prophetic name of Serenity. I do need to warn you this is book one in a trilogy and the ending of book one is a cliffhanger - I plan to borrow book two from the library on my next visit. 

Blurb: Eli Frieden lives in the most perfect town in the world: Serenity, New Mexico. Everyone has a great house, with a pool. Money problems and crime are unheard of. Honesty and integrity are valued above all else. The thirty kids who live there never lie. They know it’s a short leap from that to the awful problems of other, less fortunate places. Eli has never left Serenity … until, one day, he bikes to the edge of the city limits and something so crazy and unexpected happens that it changes everything. Eli convinces his friends to help him investigate further, and it soon becomes clear that nothing is as it seems in Serenity. The clues mount to reveal a shocking discovery, linking their ideal community to some of the greatest criminal masterminds ever known.

This review has lots of plot details: This amazing book is perfectly paced, building in tension as Eli, Tory, Hector, and the other children discover the truth about their town and their lives, and as they try to figure out what they should do about the incredibly difficult situation they have been put in. The chapters alternate between the characters so that we get to see things through several different pairs of eyes, which gives us a wonderful insight into the feelings reactions of Eli and his friends. Readers will be eager to find out if children who have been living in a controlled environment all their lives will be able to truly be who they are. 

Companion book:

Eventown

Which cover do you like? I prefer the second one. This book was published in 2016 but it is still available. 

Here are the covers of books two and three:

Update: Here's my blog post about Criminal Destiny

Criminal Destiny: Follow Eli, Tori, Malik, and Amber as they try to discover the truth of their origins and carve a life for themselves in an outside world that is unfamiliar, baffling, and dangerous. But Project Osiris and its enforcers, the Purple People Eaters, are hot on their trail. They’re free for now. But for how long …? (Here is the review from Ms Yingling)

Payback: After a serious betrayal from one of their former friends, the clones of Project Osiris are on the run again. Now separated into pairs, Eli and Tori and Amber and Malik are fighting to survive in the real world. Amber and Malik track down the one person they think can help them prove the existence of Project Osiris, notorious mob boss Gus Alabaster, also known as Malik's DNA donor. But as Malik gets pulled into the criminal world-tantalized by hints of a real family-his actions put him and Amber into greater danger. Eli and Tori get sucked into even bigger conspiracies as they hunt down Project Osiris's most closely guarded secrets-who does Eli's DNA come from? With a surprising new ally and another cross-country adventure, the four will have to work together to overcome the worst parts of themselves if they are going to end Project Osiris once and for all. (Take a look at this review from Ms Yingling)

Gordon Korman writes thrilling stories that are sure to appeal to readers aged 10+. Years ago I read books from three of his trilogies - Island; Everest and Dive. Each of these have around 175 pages and are perfect for reluctant readers. Look for this one too:

The Unteachables

The Emperor's Egg by Rae Tan

It is my hope that little readers will learn that heroism isn’t just about grand gestures or having superpowers. A true hero is also someone who is honest and brave enough to stand by their values 

even in the face of challenges and temptations. Quiet heroism is also often found in our everyday efforts – whether it is standing up for a friend or sharing your toys and snacks, 

these little actions speak of bravery and kindness! Rae Tan Good Reading

Looking for a worthy successor to his throne, an ageing emperor gives all the children in his kingdom an egg. After thirty days, he will judge what each child delivers to him and choose his heir. Ren brings his egg home and takes the best care of it. He reads to it, sings to it, sleeps with it and keeps it warm. Ren waits and waits, but his egg never hatches, while all around him wondrous hatchlings are emerging from other children's eggs. In a hall full of magical creatures, how can Ren present his unhatched egg to the emperor? Teacher's Notes

Image source: Instagram Rae Tan

... a reimagining of an ancient Chinese folk tale about integrity, courage and patience. Queensland Reviewers Collective

The author Rae Tan, who was born in Singapore but now lives in Perth, is also the illustrator. Her particular art style, which is mainly in pastels and watercolours, displays the Asian culture and highlights moods and emotions through her figures. She holds a BA in international politics from King’s College London, and performance diplomas for both the piano and violin from Trinity College London. Currently, she is a music teacher working with young children. She is passionate about creating beloved characters and imaginative stories.

Here is an interview with Rae Tan where she talks about her book Pancakes for Plum.

My brain often thinks about book pairs and so as soon as I read this book a couple of months ago while browsing in a city bookstore I knew the perfect companion book. You could read the three books from this post as a part of a mini unit with your Grade One or Two students. And perhaps then add in another wonderful book by Julia Donaldson (that is not as well-known as her famous titles) The Magic Paintbrush. I also have a Pinterest of Picture Books with an Asian focus. 

The Empty Pot

You might also look for this one:

In a faithful retelling of an ancient Chinese folktale, Peng faces a dilemma. The emperor is old and childless, so he has decided to choose a successor from among the children. Calling them together, he gave each child a single seed and instructed them to nurture it for a year. After that time, they were to return to the palace and show what had grown. Despite careful and loving care, Peng’s seed has failed to even germinate. To avoid public humiliation, he tells his parents he doesn’t want to return to the palace. They tell Peng he should go and tell the emperor that he tried his best but failed. Each of the other children arrive carrying luxuriant plants with colorful flowers. The emperor inspects each one, but when he sees Peng’s vase and hears his report, he declares Peng his heir and discloses that the seeds he distributed could never sprout. Honesty and bravery are the qualities he sought in his successor. Only Peng had the courage to bring an empty vase and tell the truth. Source

The Magician's Elephant by Kate DiCamillo illustrated by Yoko Takana

“You must follow the elephant,” said the fortuneteller. “She will lead you there.”

This is the second time I have read The Magician's Elephant.  This time I noticed:

• The inventive character names: Peter Augustus Duchene; Vilna Lutz; Madam La Vaughn; Leo Matienne; Hans Ickman; Count Quintet; and the dog Iddo. 
• The rich vocabulary: gesture, audacity, honorable, midst, excruciating, and sleight for example
• I had forgotten about the importance of dreams in this story
• The city and the winter cold feel like additional characters.
• The way Kate DiCamillo builds the story so that a reader just knows there will be a very happy ending. I was so happy to discover Leo and Gloria longed for a child of their own.
• Readers have to 'join the dots' in the final scenes to work out that this does come true and the two children are now living with and loved by Leo and Gloria Matienne.
• There is an important minor theme in this story about the futility of war.
• It is wonderful that this book is designed with lots of white space and a larger font size.
• The short chapters and rapid scene changes make this a perfect book to read aloud.
• The way the people in the town became obsessed about the elephant reminded me of the books I talked about in a previous post that tell the story of the arrival of a giraffe in France. 

Blurb from author page: When a fortuneteller's tent appears in the market square of the city of Baltese, orphan Peter Augustus Duchene knows the questions that he needs to ask: Does his sister still live? And if so, how can he find her? The fortuneteller's mysterious answer (an elephant! An elephant will lead him there!) sets off a chain of events so remarkable, so impossible, that you will hardly dare to believe it’s true. With atmospheric illustrations by fine artist Yoko Tanaka, here is a dreamlike and captivating tale that could only be narrated by Newbery Medalist Kate DiCamillo. In this timeless fable, she evokes the largest of themes — hope and belonging, desire and compassion — with the lightness of a magician’s touch. On this page Kate talks about her book too (5 minutes)

Awards and Honors

• ALSC Notable Children’s Book
• American Booksellers Association Indies Choice Book Awards
• American Library Association Notable Children’s Recordings
• BookBrowse Awards, Best Young Adult Book
• Booklist Editors’ Choice: Books for Youth
• Chicago Public Library Best Books for Children and Teens
• Colorado Children’s Book Award
• Delaware Diamonds Booklist
• Hudson News Best Book of the Year
• Indie Next List
• Kentucky Bluegrass Award
• Maine Student Book Award
• Minnesota Book Awards
• Parents’ Choice Award
• Publishers Weekly Cuffie Award
• Washington State Scandiuzzi Children’s Book Award, Picture Books

Tonight, I have discovered there is now a movie of The Magician's Elephant. After watching the trailer the movie looks very, very different from the book. 

This page from Candlewick has a wealth of activities and an audio sample to use with The Magician's Elephant. 

Reading like a fable told long ago, with rich language that begs to be read aloud, this is a magical story about hope and love, loss and home, and of questioning the world versus accepting it as it is. Brilliant imagery juxtaposes “glowering and resentful” gargoyles and snow, stars and the glowing earth ... Kirkus

Here are a couple of text quotes:

He stood in the small patch of light making its sullen way through the open flap of the tent. He let the fortuneteller take his hand. She examined it closely, moving her eyes back and forth and back and forth, as if there were a whole host of very small words inscribed there, an entire book about Peter Augustus Duchene composed atop his palm.

Not far from the Apartments Polonaise, across the rooftops and through the darkness of the winter night, stood the Bliffendorf Opera House, and that evening upon its stage, a magician of advanced years and failing reputation performed the most astonishing magic of his career. He intended to conjure a bouquet of lilies, but instead, the magician brought forth an elephant.

The questions that mattered, the questions that needed to be asked, were these: Where did the elephant come from? And what did it mean that she had come to the city of Baltese?

I first read and talked about The Magician's Elephant (published 2009) back in 2010. Today on my train journey I re-read and devoured the whole book again and I absolutely loved it. I think I have read nearly every book written by Kate DiCamillo. She recently visited Colby Sharp's school in Parma - I loved reading about the visit and also I loved the way all of the staff embraced this visit and shared many of her books with their students.

You can see the gentle art from inside The Magician's Elephant on the illustrator web page. Here is another book illustrated by Yoko Tanaka:

Dandelion's Dream

Sparrow Girl

Hester Hitchins and the Falling Stars by Catherine Norton

Hester's mum has died giving birth to her twin siblings. Dad is a sailor and they have received a message that he is missing presumed dead. The five children are sent to live with a tyrannical uncle. Hester holds onto the word 'presumed'.  Surely her clever father is not actually dead but in order to find him she needs to sail across the world and to do this she needs navigation skills. In a timely coincidence she sees a sign for the placement test to attend a naval navigation school, but it is for boys. Hester is a maths genius. She disguises herself and takes and test and gains the top place and a scholarship, but the school authorities think she is a boy. Her sister works out a way for her to travel to the remote school which is part of a large estate but when she arrives, she is forced to become a maid - a servant with the lowest ranking. You will grimace as she is forced to empty very full chamber pots and carry heavy buckets of coal up many flights of stairs. She does make friends with one of the maids named Mildred and as they clean Mildred sings so beautifully this makes the tasks slightly less awful. 

One of her duties is to clean up the mess in the tutor's bedroom. It is soon clear this school master, Captain Slingsby, is a fraud. Hester is not keen on blackmail or dishonesty, but she now has some important knowledge she can use to her advantage. Her dream of attending the school can come true but then she discovers the lessons are all nonsense. 

Meanwhile the owner of the school and estate Lord Addington is building the biggest telescope. His wife is grieving the death of their only son, and she is clinging on to the hope of seeing him again because a swindler named Mr Ittish has arrived. He claims the impending meteor shower is actually the souls of the dead he is also sure the earth is flat. Lady Addington falls for all of this nonsense. 

There are 41 short chapter in this book, and you can read the first five chapters on the publisher webpage. I do appreciate the book design for Hester Hitchings and the Falling Star. Both of Catherine Norton's books are presented in sturdy hardcover editions with textured covers. 

In this interview with Kids' Book Review Catherine Norton talks about her books. 

Curious readers will want to know more about how a lodestone works, and more about Janet Taylor who was a woman astronomer in 1835. Also, they are sure to want to discover more about steam powered cars and the Leonid meteor storm "which it is estimated that thousands of meteors fell every hour." For myself I need to discover more about these two things - an orrery and an azimuth.

This is an Ornery. An orrery is a mechanical model of the Solar System 

that illustrates or predicts the relative positions and motions of the planets and moons

Girls in particular will relate to the story of Hester who must prove herself better or at least equal to boys at every turn. Her willingness to help other girls – particularly the songstress maid, Mildred – is also admirable. Science-inclined kids will also enjoy the story which includes astronomy and is linked to the development of the first telescope. Reading Time

As well as being a cracking story rich in incident and suspense, there is much fascinating detail that never overpowers the story but makes Hester’s journey all the more immediate and real. I so enjoyed reading about lodestones, star charts, an orrery, mourning clothes, shooting stars, cat-o-nine-tails and smuggling crinolines. ...  Themes of family grief, class, racism are present but the overarching theme that drives the story is the struggle for equal opportunities for girls, something that still resonates today. Story Links

Here is a detailed review from The Book Muse and also one from The Bottom Shelf. 

Blurb from the author webpage: Determined to find him, eleven-year-old Hester wins a place at Addington’s Nautical Navigation Academy, where she will learn to navigate by the stars. But the academy is just for boys, and what’s more, no one seems to be in charge. Bumbling schoolmaster Captain Slingsby doesn’t know anything about navigation. Lord Addington is obsessed with building the world’s biggest telescope and Lady Addington believes that falling stars are the souls of the dead. With the help of a lodestone, her new friends Pru and Nelson, and a dazzling meteor storm, can Hester set things right – and find her own place in the universe?

I saw an image of the cover of this book somewhere on the internet. I previously LOVED this book also by Catherine Norton but I wrongly listed it as a book the CBCA missed adding to the 2025 notables list. This first book by Catherine Norton - The Fortune Maker was published in 2023 this means it SHOULD have been a 2024 CBCA Notable!

The Fortune Maker