Reviews
There are so many incredible books available at the moment that it is impossible to read them all, no matter how hard I try! Here are my thoughts about some of the books I have read and how I think they could be used in school as well as Q and A sessions with authors and illustrators.
Fireblood: The First Flight
Dragons don’t exist. But they used to…
Discovering that the magic of dragons flows through your veins is frightening – and liberating! But with the powers of dragonkind comes a desperate quest: siblings Finn and Tula must travel to a hidden island fortress to help save their father – and the world they know; and discover the truth of their incredible fireblood heritage.
‘Fireblood’ is a compelling, absorbing read, full of magic and adventure. Finn and Tula have been sheltered from the world by their father, but when he disappears, they find themselves caught in a web of danger, magic and adventure as they embark on a quest to save their father, the world- and find their true selves.
The plot is brilliantly constructed with the reader being offered glimpses and hints which come together as some final revelations are made in a very satisfying conclusion to the book which still allows for more adventure to follow. Evocative descriptions vividly bring the settings to life as the children set off on their perilous journey to save their father, travelling from Bristol to the mysterious island of Portaldor and on to Iceland. Sam Stewart’s world building is second to none, full of creative, imaginative details.
Finn and Tula have a wonderful relationship, sharing a close bond of affection and understanding, developed during their unorthodox upbringing. They are courageous and determined and each flourishes over the course of the story as they gain both understanding of what they are and confidence in what they can be. Errol, who they meet on Portaldor, has an affinity with all manner of creatures and is a staunch and loyal friend whilst Charlie, who they also meet on the island, is brooding and full of anger for reasons which emerge later in the story.
Sam Stewart also draws on myths and legends with appearances from St George and Patrick, and creatures like griffins and wyrms. Welsh is also used in the book, this ancient language adding to the feeling of magic and mystery. ‘Fireblood’ is a most excellent adventure- can’t wait to find out what happens next!
Fireblood: The First Flight Sam Stewart
Firefly Press ISBN: 978-1915444196
Fireblood Launch in Bath
It was a very wet and windy evening as I set off for Waterstones in Bath to celebrate the launch event for ‘Fireblood’, a fantastic new story by Sam Stewart. The warmth of welcome more than made up for the awful weather and soon a large crowd had gathered, all keen to hear from Sam and find out more about her book!
Penny and Karen from Firefly Press made sure the evening flowed smoothly and their enthusiasm for, and belief in, ‘Fireblood’ was infectious. Firefly was founded in 2013 (how can it have been that long?!) and have gone from strength to strength, winning award after award, and publishing a wonderful catalogue of books- such as ‘Fireblood’. Once Penny had made her introduction, Sam and Karen settled down for a brief chat about the book with before Sam gave a reading. And what a reading!
There’s something very special about hearing an author read their own work and Sam is one of those who performs as much as reads, keeping the audience hanging on her every word! No wonder there was such a long signing queue!
‘Fireblood’ is a great read- my review will follow soon- and it was a lovely event with a very warm, friendly, book-ish crowd. Many thanks to Sam and the Firefly Press team for inviting me!
Fireblood Sam Stewart
Firefly Press ISBN: 9781915444196
An evening with Firefly
Yesterday, I headed to Waterstones in Bath for a wonderful evening of book-ish delght with the lovely people from Firefly. Bath was just how I like it best- not too busy and looking beautiful in the winter sunshine before developing an air of mystery in the twilight.
A very warm welcome awaited as the Firefly team greeted everyone with enthusiasm and it was lovely to see so many familiar faces! There is nothing quite like being with other book lovers and indulging in a bit of book-babbling! Once we had settled, Penny introduced the evening before Karen guided us through the incredible selection of books Firefly have in store for 2023. Her enthusiasm was infectious and her genuine passion for the books just made me want to read each and every one of them! We were also treated to short videos from some of the authors, including Roderick O’Grady (Were there really sasquatch in those woods?!), Terrie Chilvers (accompanied by a gorgeous dog!) and Nicola Davies (always an inspiration!).
Three authors from the list- Jo Clarke, Sam Stewart and Cathy Faulkner- then spoke about their up-coming titles. We were given a sneak preview of the cover for Cathy’s book, ‘Digging for Victory’ and she told us how she had come to write this verse novel which is due out in May. Jo Clarke explained how she had come to create the travelling school in her ‘Libby’ stories, emphasising the importance of offering children stories that they want to read simply for pleasure. An incident with matches, the Clifton suspension bridge and a mysterious building were all elements which fulled Sam Stewart’s imagination and led to her writing ‘Fireblood’. Three very different stories from authors united in their desire to present children (and adults!) with the exceptional reads, offering them escape and adventure through a good book!
Sadly, the evening was over all too soon, but we were all delighted when we were presented with a goodie bag containing proof copies of ‘Fireblood’ and ‘Digging for Victory’ and other treats. I am proud to say that my copy of ‘Digging for Victory’ is the FIRST one which Cathy has ever signed! I feel very special!
Many thanks to the lovely team at Firefly for inviting me to come to this evening. It was a brilliant event- and their selection for 2023 is fabulous. So many treats to look forward to!