Catch up

A hectic month has meant I am way behind with my reading log - so here's a catch up...

Feather and Bone by Lazlo Stranglov (Matt Whyman in disguise) - scary story of a village cut off from everyone except the rather threatening Mister Petri. Why is he so odd, and what is happening in the deserted chicken sheds, and why is there only the food brought in by Mr Petri and his thuggish sons? An interesting and scary read for children.

Don't Cry for Me Aberystwyth by Malcolm Price - there were a couple of really laugh out loud moments in this amusing thriller, a pastiche noir novel, but it was generally just an OK read.

Solace of the Road by Siobhan Dowd - a tale of a runaway who takes on the persona of Solace to try to journey to Ireland and find her birth mother. Written with heart wrenching honesty and a real insight into the lives of children in care. Read it with compassion.

Fever Crumb by Philip Reeve - the prequel to the Mortal Engines books. The tale of Fever Crumb, a foundling in the times before all the cities became traction cities, when stalkers were little known in London. Fever knows she is different, but it is not until events unfold that she realises just how different she actually is. A wonderful adventure, full of heroics and sorrow, violence and caring. Watch out for this when it is published in May.

Rowan the Strange by Julie Hearn - set just as war breaks out in 1939, exploring the life of a scizophrenic boy and his role as a guinea pig for the newly discovered electro convulsive therapy. Beautiful, gripping, sad and totaly involving. Hearn's best novel to date.

Warriors of Ethandun by N M Browne - the third novel in the Warriors Trilogy, but can be read as a stand alone title. Dan and Ursula find themselves in AD 878 - King Alfred's time, when there is distrust and magic in the air. Will they survive the horrors and trials of life in Wessex? Well written and involving.

A Miscellany

The last few months have been hectic - here's just a few books worth reading and enjoying

Tim Bowler - Bloodchild - William wakes from an accident with little memory and a dread that something is seriously wrong - but what should he be afraid of. When you can't remember even your parents faces how do you know what is true and who to be scared of? A really gripping thriller, you're never quite sure if William is mad, or if he has uncovered something really, really terrifying. Read it to find out...

David Walliams - The Boy in the Dress - Footballer Dennis is a little different - he likes colour and poetry, and enjoys wearing a dress. A gentle humourous exploration of being different - and wonderfully illustrated by Quentin Blake.

Morris Gleitzman - Then - Felix and Zelda are trying to escape from Nazi Germany at the height of the worst of the Jewish attrocities and witness horrors which should be beyond belief. This is the their story - and the tragedy of the world. Heartbreaking in it's simplicity.

Philip Reeve - Mothstorm - Continuing Arthur Mumby's adventures in space during the steam driven Victorian age. Wonderful fun, a ripping yarn!

Starcross by Philip Reeve

Follows on from Larklight - but can be read perfectly well by itself. The idea of the Victorians in space and the adventures that the family get up to are totally believable and thoroughly involving. The wicked moob try to take over the world from a resort hotel near Mars - a real space based ripping yarn, wonderfully told. Enjoy! More info here -
http://www.bloomsbury.com/childrens/microsite.asp?id=1177&section=3&mscssid=ADF9B3VP7LX08KR9BC8Q62MFB0GT09XF