The Hive

Having picked this one up at FCBG Conference, I couldn’t wait to read it!

Feldspar awaits execution. As shield to an ascendant, a member of the Hive’s royal family, she should have died when her charge, Euphemie, was murdered, but she survived. Expecting no clemency, Feldspar is surprised when a member of the royal family, Niko, comes to her defence and starts investigating. They have three days to prove Feldspar’s innocence, three days to catch a killer- and in doing so, destroy everything she has been raised to believe.

‘The Hive’ is an excellent murder mystery, set in a dystopian society which bases its structure on that of a bee hive. At the top are the queens, the Apex or council made of of members of the royal family, and their children, ascendants, known by the position of their birth. Each ascendant has a shield, with whom they are bonded at birth. Shields are conditioned to protect their ascendant above all else- the death of an ascendant results in the death of their shield. So when Euphemie dies, Feldspar should have died as well. Her survival is seen as treason. This chilling society is well imagined and developed.

Feldspar is a compelling and complex character. Initially racked with guilt and grief over her survival and Euphemie’s death, her feelings gradually change as she learns more about her world and begins to question everything she has been brought up to believe. It is easy to empathise with her turbulent emotions, making her a very sympathetic character, challenging readers to reflect on her situation and the importance of individuals being allowed to choose for themselves, rather than live in restricted dictatorships.

The murder mystery is extremely well handled and as the days pass, the reader is kept guessing to the very end, with various false starts and red herrings along the way. My only quibble with this story is the ending. For me, everything ended very quickly so I hope that there will be another story set in this world, showing what happens to Feldspar and Niko next.

A gripping and pacy read!

The Hive

Anna February

Chicken House ISBN: 9781915947277

The Bear-Shaped Hole

Gerda and Orlo share a wonderful friendship. Kind and wise, Orlo always has time to listen to, and spend time with, young Gerda, but then things change. Gerda notices that Orlo has become slower and less strong. When she asks him what’s wrong, Orlo explains that he is very ill and is going to die. Heartbroken, Gerda is filled with anger and runs away, trying to escape her grief and pain. On her return, Orlo offers a reassuring bear hug, validating her feelings and assuring her that she will feel happiness again. They spend time together, creating memories and when Orlo dies, Gerda grieves, but his wisdom has prepared her for the loss.

Deeply poignant, ‘The Bear-Shaped Hole’ is a wonderful book to support those facing an impending loss. The rhyming text shares the early experiences of Gerda, the bear who offers comfort to Bertle on the loss of his friend, Hertle, in the story, ‘The Hare-Shaped Hole’, written by the same team. The story sensitively explores Gerda’s reaction to the news that Orlo is going to die, validating her feelings at each stage, and offering the perfect starting point for conversations around loss. However, the book is also perfect for sharing with anyone, at any time, as it reminds readers of the importance of valuing time with others, living in the moments we have and creating special memories.

As with ‘The Hare-Shaped Hole’, the illustrations play a powerful role in sharing Gerda’s story and expressing her feelings. As Gerda flees from Orlo, a spiking, swirl of black trails her; another picture shows this black chaos surrounding her, almost consuming her, brilliantly expressing her feelings in visual form, perhaps helping children to show their emotions in the same way. The love between the two characters is also beautifully captured through their tender looks and joyful memories. Adults guiding children in this situation might suggest that they capture some of the special memories they create using photographs or drawings in the same way that Gerda and Orlo’s are shown in the story.

Those familiar with ‘The Hare- Shaped Hole’ will enjoy spotting some of the characters from that story in the illustrations in this book. Deeply moving, ‘The Bear-Shaped Hole’ is a stunning, comforting and much needed book.

The Bear-Shaped Hole

John Dougherty, illustrated by Thomas Docherty

Frances Lincoln ISBN: 978-0711296602

You can read my review of ‘The Hare-Shaped Hole’ here.

Under a Fire-Red Sky

Stuck on a train full of younger children being evacuated, there are four who do not want to go. Gradually, each comes to realise that they could simply get up and leave the carriage- and so they do. First to go is the Gremlin, followed by Lawrence, Olive and Franklin. Linked by this experience, they form an unlikely friendship as they face the Blitz in Greenwich.

Trying to summarise a book by Geraldine McCaughrean is almost impossible! Drawing on her firefighter father’s experiences of the London Blitz, ‘Under a Fire-Red Sky’ is a story driven by the experiences of these four unlikely friends as they cope with family life and changing relationships against the backdrop of the horrific events of the war. All their hopes and dreams are ruined as the world they knew drastically changed.

The Gremlin is a runaway, trying to escape her abusive father, ending up living in an abandoned van with her dog, Mutt. Despite being too young, Franklin is desperate to join the fire service. Described by his teacher as ‘rather intense’, Lawrence is determined to finish his secret ‘project’ and Olive, dutiful, well-behaved daughter, really doesn’t want to leave home. Although Olive and Lawrence vaguely know one another from school, the four teenagers are strangers to one another, yet are now bound together by their decision to leave the train.

Meticulously research and thus rich in historical detail, ‘Under a Fire-Red Sky’ is a compelling and absorbing read, conveying a strong sense of what life must have been like in London during the Blitz, with beautifully written, powerful descriptions throughout. Both content and style make this one for older readers as the lives and experiences of the four main characters and various events in the book are hard hitting, presented without sentimentality, yet made all the more poignant by this.

Geraldine McCaughrean is a master storyteller. This is one not to be missed.

Under a Fire-Red Sky

Geraldine McCaughrean

Usborne ISBN: 978-1836040774

My Rice is Best

Shane loves to eat rice and peas and believes it is the BEST FOOD EVER! However, when he takes some to school for his lunch, he soon discovers that his friend Yinka is just as passionate about jollof rice. So- whose rice is best?

‘My Rice is Best’ is an absolute delight! Full of humour, it is perfect for sharing and starting discussions.

Everyone has a favourite food, but this story shows the wonderful versatility of this staple and how it can be enjoyed by different people in different ways, allowing readers to explore cultural diversity. Used in schools, it would be perfect for starting discussions about food, the origin of various dishes, favourite dishes the children enjoy at home…the possibilities are endless! Children might enjoy creating their own stories based on this one, but changing the food- to potatoes, for example, or beans! Exploring the similarities and differences between different families, different cultures, different traditions could lead to food tasting sessions (obviously paying attention to allergies etc!) or community events, embracing new cuisines.

Although Shane and Yinka squabble over which rice is best, when things go wrong, Yinka and the others are all ready to share with Shane, making sure he has plenty of lunch to eat. Friendship is more important than food! The book also captures the close relationship between Shane and his mum as she shares the secret of their special family recipe.

The illustrations are wonderful. Bold, bright and engaging, they add much to the humour and joy of the story. A must have for every class and home!

My Rice is Best

Selina Brown, illustrated by Maxwell A. Oginni

Puffin ISBN: 978-0241635537

Published 8th May 2025

The Mizzy Mysteries: A Skeleton in the Closet

Mizzy dreams of being a detective - ‘think Sherlock Holmes crossed with Rachel Bailey’- and is determined to let nothing stand in her way, not her Down syndrome nor her very protective family. Whilst staying with her cousins, Mizzy longs for a mystery to solve and finds one in the shape of her great aunt Jane’s missing diaries which seem to indicate that lady died in suspicious circumstances. Mizzy is on the case…

I love a good mystery and ‘A Skeleton in the Closet’ fits the bill perfectly!

Mizzy is a fabulous character. Resilient and determined, she knows she has good instincts for detective work and is positive that she can succeed. The first person viewpoint allows readers an insight into her inner worries: her fears about swimming and escalators; her frustrations- her clumsiness, her family treating her ‘like a baby’; and her memories of people like Judy Mitcham at school who laugh at her for being different, encouraging empathy and understanding of this lively, loveable girl. Every time her investigations lead her to a dead end, she picks herself up and starts over, claiming to her family that she is doing a school project on her family. Resourceful and tenacious, Mizzy keeps going, even in the face of opposition. A great role model for all aspiring detectives!

Any Agatha Christie lover will quickly spot the similarities between Great Aunt Jane Maypole and Miss Jane Marple. Not only are their family trees full of familiar names, but place names - St. Jude’s Junction (St. Mary Mead), Such Pelham (Much Benham), Gossington Avenue -play on the originals too.

The plot is full of twists and red herrings, ultimately leading to a very satisfying conclusion which neatly ties everything together and proves that Mizzy the Marvellous is not to be underestimated! I really look forward to finding out what she gets up to next!

The Mizzy Mysteries: A Skeleton in the Closet

Claire Hatcher-Smith

Farshore ISBN: 978-0008645571

The Old Watering Can

Each day, Grandma carries her two watering cans to her greenhouse. One is brand new; the other is old with a leak. One day, the old watering can apologises for its leak and all the water it loses every day. However, Grandma reassures it, explaining that all the leaked water falls onto seeds she had planted by the path which grow into beautiful flowers which Grandma then shares with her neighbours.

‘The Old Watering Can’ is a lovely, gentle story which shows how imperfections can actually be strengths. At first glance, the old watering can seems useless, no longer fit for purpose, and yet, Grandma has turned its leaking into a positive feature.

Like many of us, the watering can is so focused on its defect that it fails to notice the positive effect which it is having. The story is perfect for drawing attention to all the worthwhile things which we do, but might not notice whilst comparing ourselves to others. This, and Grandma’s kindness to the can and how she views it, are sure to be discussed as a result of sharing the story whether at home or at school. The story might also be used to talk about repurposing or upcycling things to give them a new purpose, perhaps leading to art/ craft activities. Old boots might become planters, for example.

The illustrations are warm and energetic, offering plenty of opportunity for storytelling as they are full of character and detail. The book closes with advice on growing wildflowers and pages to paint Grandma’s garden.

The Old Watering Can

Louise Royston-Smith

Graffeg ISBN: 978-1802587067

Published 21st April 2025

Mighty Myths and how to survive them

‘Mighty Myths and how to survive them’ offers a fantastic introduction to myths and legends from around the world. Beautifully presented, it is a treat from start to finish!

A note from the publisher at the beginning of the book makes the point that although this book presents myths in a fun way, these stories are of great significance to some societies and religions, something very important to remember when sharing myths and legends and yet something rarely mentioned.

Two ravens, a bird often featured in mythology, act as guides to the collection, leading the reader through a wealth of detail about these stories and the characters, creatures and locations they contain. Ingeniously presented in a range of engaging and humorous way, this book is a treasure trove for budding myth-lovers as well as those already familiar with these stories! A ‘Mythological Height Chart’ shows a line-up of legendary creatures, including our raven guides, and gives details about their appearance and where they can be found. Other spreads which compare elements of different stories and beliefs include the ‘God Food Guide’, ‘Amazing Objects of Power’ and ‘Who will eat you?’.

The book also includes retellings of some myths like the story of the spider goddess from the Ainu people of Japan and Wily Frog from the Kamaiura people of the Brazilian Amazon as well as pages which focus on particular characters or story elements. The Chimaera, Mishipeshu and the Sasabonsam are identified as creatures to avoid whilst Atalanta and Hou Yi feature on two of the ‘A Hero Like’ pages.

There is so much to explore and enjoy in this excellent introduction to some of the world’s mythology. Brilliantly illustrated, highly engaging and full of fun, this stunning book with its gold-foiled cover would make a very special present at any time of the year!

Mighty Myths and how to survive them

Thiago de Moraes

Alison Green Books ISBN: 978-0702325090

Published 8th May 2025

You can read my review of ‘Old Gods, New Tricks’ here, ‘Let Sleeping Gods Lie’ here and ‘History Atlas’ here.

Party Animal

Tortoise has been invited to a party, but he doesn’t really like them and so is not keen to go. He loves his friends, but the thought of them all together all at once is just too much. However, he decides to go for a little while, but when he arrives, there is no one there…

‘Party Animal’ is a gentle, reassuring story, perfect for those who find social situations overwhelming and confusing. Fond as he is of his friends, the thought of a party is too much for him - and there are many children who will empathise with his feelings about this!

Tortoise has many worries about the approaching party. It’s not just the noise and the number of people there, but also feeling under pressure to enjoy the occasion when he knows that he won’t. The pictures on his wall show that in one to one situations, he enjoys close friendships and has fun with his friends. Not all children enjoy the chaos and noise which can be a feature of children’s parties and will empathise with Tortoise’s situation.

However, his friends obviously know him very well and seem to have done everything they can think of to make him feel at ease. The party is being held in his favourite place on his special day - and it turns out it is to celebrate his birthday! The story offers the perfect starting point for reassuring discussions with those who might be nervous about going to a social occasion, but also encourages empathy and understanding in others.

Gorgeous illustrations, full of details children will love to spot, allowing them to anticipate Tortoise’s surprise enhance this lovely story, making it sure to become a firm favourite!

Party Animal

Chris Naylor-Ballesteros

Andersen Press ISBN: 978-1839132599

Published 1st May 2025

FCBG Conference 2025

The Federation of Children’s Book Groups Conference is one of the highlights of the book-ish year. Combining lovely people, amazing books, fabulous authors, illustrators and poets and lots of cake, it is a wonderful weekend- and this year’s was no exception!

Monmouth is a lovely town and was a fantastic setting for the weekend. As everyone arrived on Friday, the sun was shining, enhancing everyone’s good mood and making setting everything up so much easier.

One of the highlights of Conference is the publishers’ exhibition and the sports’ hall where it was held was massive, allowing plenty of room to wander round, browse and chat about all the amazing books on display. It was wonderful to see so many familiar faces and say hello as they were preparing for the weekend ahead. Being able to look at and discuss what is available and what is coming out soon is a wonderful opportunity and is a real highlight of the weekend for many people.

Registration opened at 3pm. Although many attendees are familiar faces, new comers are always warmly welcomed and well looked after. The FCBG conference is known as ‘the friendly one’ for good reason!

The weekend started with afternoon tea, celebrating the 45th anniversary of ‘Peace at Last’, the Jill Murphy classic. Everyone enjoyed cake and a cuppa whilst catching up with friends old and new.

Tea was followed by the publishers’ presentations, an opportunity for them to draw attention to some of the books which they are most excited about, sometimes highlighting books which they have proofs of to share. Following this, there was time to explore the exhibition and have a look at anything (and everything!) you particularly liked the look of.

After dinner, there was a wonderful poetry session with Alex Wharton (you can read my review of ‘Doughnuts, Thieves and Chimpanzees’ here) and Kate Williams (you can read my review of ‘Squeak! Squawk! Roar! here). Offering very different poetic styles, their passion for poetry shone through, inspiring everyone there. The evening’s entertainment closed with a story telling session from Mama G before the bar opened!

The following morning dawned sunny once more with the prospect of another fun-filled day ahead. Day delegates started to arrive, ready for the FCBG AGM. Amongst other business, new committee members were voted in whilst others were re-nominated to continue.

Jackie Morris opened the morning with a magical session, followed by Leslie Parr (you can read my review of ‘Fallout’ here). The conference programme captured the spirit of Wales and Welsh writers brilliantly! Whilst I was on the reception desk, I had the great pleasure of meeting Karin Celestine and having a close look at some of the needlefelt characters which star in their books.

Another tea break- and more cake! This time the focus was on the Nevermoor books by Jessica Townsend, accompanied by a goody bag for everyone. Then it was back to the main hall for a session celebrating some of the winners of the 2024 Children’s Book Awards (see photo above), Thomas Flintham (Press Start! reviews here) and Matt Goodfellow (review of ‘Let’s Chase Stars Together’ here, ‘The Final Year’ here and ‘The First Year’ here).

It is always really hard to choose which seminar to attend- and this year, it was practically impossible! Louisa Reid led a session called ‘Finding the Magic in YA’, Struan Murray led a writing workshop, Ben Hoare and Lily Dyu were discussing how to make non-fiction irresistible and Karin Celestine led a wonderful session on craft and storytelling where everyone enjoyed stick weaving whilst finding out more about creating stories. No one wanted to leave…

After lunch, the day continued with a fascinating session from Manon Stefan Ros, author of ‘The Blue Book of Nebo’. Her love of language - and Wales- shone through. This was followed by a panel event about ‘Neurodiversity in children’s publishing’ with Greg Stobbs (you can read my review of ‘Cloud Boy’ here), Scott Evans (you can read my review of ‘All Brains are Wonderful’ here) and Zoe Antoniades, another very interesting and thought-provoking session. This was followed by more coffee and cake, celebrating Jessie Burton’s ‘Hidden Treasures’.

Next came time for meetings for group or individual members- an excellent opportunity for sharing ideas and forward planning for two of the FCBG’s initiatives: National Share a Story Month in May and Nation Non-Fiction November.

Before the Gala Dinner, everyone gathered to share Famous Five cocktails with Chris Smith, author of The New Famous Five series. An Enid Blyton quiz and food were followed by the after dinner speaker, Barry Cunningham, celebrating 25 years of Chicken House.

Suddenly, Sunday and the final day of conference had arrived! Once again, day delegates starting arriving after breakfast and another exciting day of events began. Hannah Gold (you can read my review of ‘The Lost Whale’ here) and Gill Lewis (you can read my review of ‘Moon Flight’ here) opened with a marvellous talk about ‘empathetic eco-warriors’ which was followed by ‘The Magic of Graphic Novels’ with Neill Cameron, Sophy Henn (you can read my review of ‘I Hate Everything!’ here) and Billy Partridge. The very lovely Sophy had drawn me a picture of the little ghosts from her latest picture book!

More cake to celebrate ‘Pia’s Pet Club’, a new series from Serena Patel and Emma McCann, the team behind ‘Anisha, Accidental Detective’. Claire Fayers (you can read my review of ‘Welsh Giants, Ghosts and Goblins’ here) then chaired an excellent session with Piers Torday (you can read my review of ‘Midnight Treasure’ here), Ash Bond (you can read my review of ‘Peregrine Quinn and the Cosmic Realm’ here) and Sandra Saleh-Reyhani about weaving folk tales and legends into stories.

In the final session of the day the amazing Nicola Davies gave a very inspiring and impassioned speech about how everything is connected and the importance of children’s books in raising awareness about the state of the planet and its wildlife and encouraging everyone to take action. It was an incredible way to finish an incredible weekend!

The FCBG conference is a wonderful way of connecting with other book lovers dedicated to getting books into the hands of young readers, encouraging reading for pleasure and finding ways of engaging everyone with the joy books bring. There are other conferences throughout the year, but there is something very special about this one! If you are thinking about joining us next year, make sure you do- you won’t regret it!

Once Upon a Journey

Percy has rescued a rusting old car and converted it into a ‘sailing car’ which is powered by the wind. He decides to take all his friends on a camping trip to Wildwood Heath. After one of Percy’s fantastic picnics and some fun and games, they think it’s time to settle down for the night. But Percy had forgotten to put the brake on and the car is now in a pond! Luckily, Percy’s friend, Randolph the reindeer, arrives in the morning, just time to give them a hand and they are soon on their way again!

I have a huge soft spot for Percy the Park Keeper! Along with ‘Kipper’, most bedtimes featured these wonderful, stories about the animal-loving park keeper and his friends. Full of gorgeous illustrations and gentle humour, every story is a delight and ‘Once Upon a Journey’ continues this tradition.

In this story, hardworking Percy has left his park and is off on an adventure, taking all his animal friends with him. Children love the gentle humour of these stories- like how Hedgehog is scooped up in a net by Fox so he can join the trip. Although things go wrong, Percy’s calm manner and reassuring presence quickly dispel any fears readers might have.

The illustrations are so beautiful and there is a fold out picture, showing the magic of the night sky about their heads as they settle down for the night. The story would be perfect to share before, or whilst on, a camping trip as it subtly celebrates the joys and beauties of the outdoors and the fun to be found there! Children might also enjoy creating their own wind-powered vehicles like Percy’s car and experimenting with these.

The book ends with everyone setting off on a new adventure in the wind-powered car so perhaps there will be more stories centred around where the car takes them all and what they find there! I hope so… we all need a little Percy magic in our lives!

Once Upon a Journey: A Percy the Park Keeper Story

Nick Butterworth

Harper Collins ISBN: 978-0008536053

Watts and Whiskerton: Sabotage at the Fete Cake Bake

Watts is looking forward to seeing Pearl again at the Little Gossip Village Fete where his parents, the world’s greatest detectives, are judging the cake baking competition. However, disaster strikes when cake mix explodes out of the ovens and accusations of sabotage start flying around. Can Watts and Whiskerton crack the case?

I really enjoyed Watts and Whiskerton’s first case and so was delighted to read ‘Sabotage at the Fete Cake Bake’. Highly illustrated and colourful, this story is every bit as enjoyable as the first!

Watts and Pearl are very different personalities, but together, they make a great team, working together to solve this mystery. Pearl is impulsive and full of confidence whilst Watts is more cautious and methodical, but each contributes to solving the case and together, they expose the culprit. Having kept his detective activity secret from his parents, Watts - or rather Pearl!- shares this with them and is delighted by how supportive and encouraging they are.

The illustrations are an absolute joy, adding much to the appeal of the story and so much detail to linger over. They are completely integrated into the story, with speech bubbles being used. The teacher in me loves using stories like this to teach how to punctuate speech, using the illustrations to decide on what type of reporting clause to use to convey the action.

Watts’ notes at the end of each chapter help to summarise the action, allowing children to keep pace with the mystery and solve it alongside our two heroes. Let’s hope there are more adventures for Watts and Whiskerton to come soon!

Watts and Whiskerton: Sabotage at the Fete Cake Bake

Meg McLaren

Piccadilly Press ISBN: 978-1800786615

Published 24th April 2025

You can read my review of ‘Buried Bones and Troublesome Treasure’ here.