The Wizards of Once

Once there was a boy who had been brought up as a Wizard, believing that all Warriors are bad. However, Xar (the wizard) had no magic- and would do anything to get some.

Once there was a girl who was a warrior- people who believed that ALL magic was bad and should be destroyed. However, Wish (the warrior) owned a magical object that she really didn’t want to give up- and she wasn’t a very good warrior.

Once there was a book which was full of fantasy, adventure and humour…

Thrown together by chance, Wish and Xar are each misfits in their own worlds. Xar is taunted for his lack of magical ability; Wish constantly fails to live up to her mother’s high expectations of perfection. Through knowing each other, these two very different characters- Xar is arrogant and self-centred whereas Wish is loyal and caring- learn so much about themselves, forming an unusual alliance and friendship.

Cressida Cowell creates a fantastic world, populated with fabulous characters and creatures. The narrator’s voice is witty and engaging, injecting comments and observations- and keeping the reader guessing which character they might be!

The story is full of sketchy drawings by Cressida Cowell, liberally illustrating the story and adding to the humour. ‘The Wizards of Once’ is a series set to be just as wonderful and popular as the 'How to...' series.

Which is where book two of the series comes in! The magic continues as Xar and Wish join forces once more. Xar has been infected with witch blood and a stain is rapidly spreading up his arm, and, having escaped prison, he is keen to search for ingredients to counteract the spell. Wish is trying to come to terms with magical powers that will not make her any more popular with her mother and together they must try to defeat the Witch king. In this story, they learn much about themselves, each other and that even their parents were young once!

Full of fun and frolics, this series is essential reading for those who enjoy fast paced, funny adventures with a touch of magic! Wonderful stuff!

The Wizards of Once     Cressida Cowell

Hodder     ISBN: 978-1444936728

The Wizards of Once: Twice Magic   Cressida Cowell

Hodder      ISBN: 978-1444941401

The Huntress: Sea

Mouse knows her destiny; 'the great green fire spirits dance and ripple' telling her Tribe the future and Mouse is destined to be a captain just as her brother, Sparrow, is a whale-singer.

Since the death of their Ma, she and Sparrow have grown up aboard The Huntress, their grandmother's ship, as their father is a trader, spending much time away from the family. Then Da goes missing and Grandma brings a new navigator on board. Things rapidly change and Mouse embarks on a quest to save her family and her ship.

From the first line, Sea is an amazing adventure story, set in a beautifully crafted world of fantastical creatures, people with magical talents and well drawn characters with their own customs and belief systems.

Mouse is full-on and feisty, always in the thick of the action, ready to take on the world to protect her family and her home. Strong and capable, she can run roughshod over others, making her not entirely likeable initially, although she develops over the course of the story. Her bother, Sparrow, is her opposite- 'little too-soon' is vulnerable, prone to shaking-fits, yet he sings with power and beauty, his high voice rising 'like a bell, to chime along with the whales.'

Written in beautiful, lyrical prose, the speech of the characters clashes against this like waves against the side of the ship. The use of kennings as part of this adds to this mix, creating a 'heart-bright', 'sizzle-bolt' of a story.

Perfect for children at the 'Moving On' stage, 'Sea' is a fantastic read with much to recommend it. Can't wait for the next part!

The Huntress Sea   Sarah Driver

Egmont     ISBN: 978-1405284677

The Monkey Who Fell from the Future

The world in 2425 is a very different place. After a meteor struck the earth, technology has been lost and nature has reclaimed the land. London is now a hellish flooded wasteland, but a few cities, like Newcastle where Ocean Mooney lives with her Nanny Moo, still stand. When she meets Deucalion Smiff-known as Duke- and his monkey, Pierre, Ocean finds herself pulled into an adventure involving a 400-year-old computer tablet.

Meanwhile, in the present day, Thomas Reeve is coming to terms with the fact that his super-brainy cousin, Kylie, from Australia, has come to live with his family. Due to her invention, The Time Tablet, he finds himself on Andy and Des’s Ministry of Mystery, a television show which explores mysteries. But when the Time Tablet malfunctions, they find themselves in 2425 whilst Ocean- and Pierre- are in 2023 with only 24 hours to put things right.

From the prologue to the epilogue, ‘The Monkey Who Fell from the Future’ is a fast-paced, action-packed adventure with much to enjoy. As readers have come to expect from Ross Welford, the plot is cleverly constructed with plenty of humour – and plenty to think about.

The world of 2425 has been skilfully constructed, with evidence of ‘The Wonder Age’ (as life before the catastrophic events of 2044 is known) blended into their daily lives, making Ocean curious about the past and the stories she is told, but happy with the life she leads with her Nana. As the story moves between dates, landmarks and locations are shown in contrast, layering what the children know of each period, showing Thomas and Kylie’s present as it will become in the future and Ocean’s present as it was in the past.

The story is full of wonderful characters, not least of which are Deucalion- ‘better known among me more hintimate acquaintances as Duke’, his Uncle, travelling showman, Monsieur Lumiere and Pierre the monkey whose Caravan of Astonishments is bursting with ‘the most miracu-laculous marvels of the Wonder Age’. Popular television presenters, Andy and Des, are sure to make readers smile as readers will recognise their thinly veiled alter-egos and the villain of the piece, Duke’s step father Pinker, is extremely easy to loathe!

Home- and what it really means- is central to the story as the children try to get back to where they belong, realising the importance of the people they have left behind. Ocean finds herself in ‘The Wonder Age’, but longs to be back with Nanny Moo. Duke has found a home with his uncle and Pierre, safe from his cruel stepfather. The future is not what Kylie and Thomas expected, making them appreciate – and want to save- the home they know.

Perfect for those looking for something a bit different, with plenty of humour and excitement, ‘The Monkey Who Fell from the Future’ is a great read!

The Monkey Who Fell from the Future

Ross Welford

Harper Collins ISBN: 978-0008544744

A Jigsaw of Fire and Stars

Saved as a baby from a terrible shipwreck, Sante lives with her adoptive family of Mama Rose and her circus performers and a golden eagle named Priss. They live ‘off the grid’, roaming from country to country, performing as they travel and, although hard, life is good. With Cat- wild and feisty knife thrower- and Cobra- snake charmer and her possible future husband- Sante is the star of the show.

A ‘mind whisperer’, Sante can tune into the thoughts of others and has a mystical connection with those who died in the wreck she survived, the unquiet dead in search of peace. When the children rescue a young girl called Scarlett, tension mounts as they become mixed up with evil, and past and present collide.

No synopsis of this book can even begin to do it justice. It is the most original, amazing read, painful in places, but beautifully written. Haunting brutality and exploitation contrast starkly with the magical and supernatural.

Quite simply- this is one you must read.

A Jigsaw of Fire and Stars

Yaba Badoe

Zephyr ISBN: 978-1786695482

Strangeworlds Travel Agency

The Strangeworlds Travel Agency

Flick has recently moved to a new house in Little Wyverns with her parents and new baby brother, Freddy. Whilst exploring the village, she comes across a tiny, squashed-looking shop called The Strangeworlds Travel Agency. She finds herself invited to become a member of The Strangeworlds Society and is amazed to discover that each of the suitcases on display in the shop leads to another world. With Jonathan Mercator, Head Custodian, Flick is able to use the cases to explore the multiverse. But everything is not quite as it seems…

I loved this book so much! The idea of travelling through suitcases to lots of different worlds is so appealing and the story is fresh and exciting! Lapinski’s world building is second to none and each location fizzes with life and detail. There is much still to learn about this multiverse and its inhabitants and hopefully, there will be more adventures for Flick as she explores different worlds and Jonathan continues his search for his father.

Flick and Jonathan are wonderful characters- very different, but each well rounded. Jonathan neglects to tell Flick the whole truth, leading to trouble, but friendship wins through in the end and these two make a team to be reckoned with. Nicc is another appealing character, resilient and daring.

The Strangeworlds Travel Agency is an excellent read, full of magic and adventure. This is a must read to share with my class as soon as I can. Top marks for this one!

The Strangeworlds Travel Agency: The Edge of the Ocean

When an urgent summons arrives from the world of The Break, Flick and Jonathan leap into action- and the right suitcase- and go to offer assistance. Pirate Queen Nife, her crew and all the other people and creatures who live there are in grave danger as their world is shrinking. Somehow, Jonathan and Flick must find a way to sail ships and squeeze giant mer-people through a suitcase to save them- before it’s too late.

Here at JAB HQ, we adored the first book in this series so much and have thoroughly enjoyed introducing our classes to this amazing world and its characters. ‘The Edge of the World’ is no disappointment, being every bit as exciting and magical as the first.

Flick is now a fully-fledged Strangeworlds Travel Agency member and comes into her own in this adventure, taking the lead as Jonathan battles with his emotions after some news about his father. Her initial distrust and jealousy of Avery, Jonathan’s cousin, who joins them on this adventure, quickly develops beyond bickering and together, the three make a formidable team. Jonathan’s duel with Captain Burnish is wonderful, adding humour as well as action.

A sense of impending danger is maintained throughout this story, keeping a tight feeling of suspense and tension. It is not clear whether they will be able to save all the inhabitants of this world and Flick experiences real personal conflict about the possibility of leaving some behind. It is wonderful to see her triumph. The importance of friendship, family and support is woven through the story, but is so poignant when Flick needs it most.

The concept of the travel agency and its suitcases is an absolute gift to teachers looking to inspire children to write. It offers the perfect framework for a voyage and return story where the most magical and creative worlds can be invented while writing additional adventures. Children (and adults!) love these stories and the worlds they inhabit!

This second visit to The Strangeworlds Travel Agency, ‘The Edge of the Ocean’, is every bit as enjoyable as the first, offering a compelling, exciting adventure. Can’t wait for the next one!

You can read my review of ‘The Secrets of the Stormforest’ in the main reviews section.