Written by: Stephanie Morril Published by: Blink Books Published on: August 5th 2025 Price: £12.99 hardcover First line: I gaze up at the Applegates' imposing brick house and take a bracing breath. Genre: Detective Mystery, Mobsters, 1920s Age: 12+ ISBN: 9780310175810 Thanks to Harper Collins for the review copy. What's it all about? Piper Sail... Continue Reading →
The Lucky House Detective Agency Written by: Scarlett Li #TheLuckyHouseDetectiveAgency Illustrated by: Sian James @sianjart Published by: Knights Of @_KnightsOf Published on: June 2025 Price: £7.99 First line: "Clues hide in plain sight," I say. Genre: Detective fiction Age: 8+ Thanks to the UKLA for the review copy. What's it all about? Nei ho ma?... Continue Reading →
Aggie Morton, Mystery Queen: The Body Under the Piano Written by: Marthe Jocelyn Illustrated by: Isabelle Follath Published by: Anderson Press @AndersenPress Published on: April 2025 Price: £7.99 First line: I will tell first about making a new friend and save the dead body for later. Genre: Mystery/Detective Fiction Age: 9+ Thanks to Toppsta for... Continue Reading →
Life in the Wild Written by: Lizzie Daly @lizziedalywild Illustrated by: Chiara Fedele Published by: Dorling Kindersley @dkbooks @DK_Learning Published on: 5th September 2024 Price: £14.99 First line: Polar bear 20741 is a healthy, adult female weighing in at more than 220 kg (485 lb), who calls the Alaska Besufort Sea coast her home. Genre:... Continue Reading →
I Am Raven Written by: Alastair Chisholm @alastair_ch #IAmRaven Cover Illustrated by: Karitas Gunnarsdottir #KaritasGunnarsdottir and #RayTierney Map illustrated by: Jennifer Eckwall @WhoIsJensine Published by: Nosy Crow @NosyCrow Published on: 10th April 2025 Price: £7.99 First line: Genre: Fantasy, Science Fiction Age: 9+ Thanks to Toppsta for the review copy. What's it all about? On... Continue Reading →
No Ballet Shoes In Syria Written by: Catherine Bruton @catherinebruton Cover illustration by: Kathrin Honesta @kathrinhonestaa Map illustration by: Ray Tierney Published by: Nosy Crow @NosyCrow Published on: April 2019 Price: £7.99 First line: Aya could hear the music floating through the walls. Genre: Contemporary, Refugee, Ballet, Friendship Age: 9+ Thanks to my school for... Continue Reading →
A Place Called Perfect Written by: Helena Duggan @heldideas Illustrations by: Karl James Mountford @klaus1987 and David Shephard @doodlingdave Published by: Usborne Books @UsborneBook Published on: August 2017 Price: £6.99 First line: He waited. Genre: Mystery, Adventure Age: 10+ Thanks to my local library for a review copy. What's it all about? Violet and her... Continue Reading →
Clem Fatale has been betrayed Written by: Eve Wersocki-Morris @MzEvieMo Illustrated by: Honie Beam #honiebeam Published by: Little Tiger @LittleTigerUK #ClemFatale Published on: 3rd April 2025 Price: £7.99 Age: 9+ First line: Beneath the pearly lights of the big city, in the alleyways and alcoves painted black with smog, you can bet there will be... Continue Reading →
Beetle Boy Written by: M.G. Leonard @MGLnrd Illustrated by: Julia Sarda Published by: Chicken House @chickenhsebooks Published on: February 2016 Price: £6.99 First line: Dr Bartholomew Cuttle wasn't the kind of man who mysteriously disappeared. Genre: Adventure, Mystery, Animals Age: 10+ (quite violent) Thanks to my local library for the review copy. What's it all... Continue Reading →
Hi from Outer Space Written and illustrated by Fiona Katauskas @fionakatauskas Published by: Allen and Unwin @allenandunwin Published on: 21st November 2024 ISBN: 978 1761069260. Price: £7.99 First line: I sometimes wonder what my life would've been like if I hadn't left a banana peel in the middle of the kitchen floor - right where... Continue Reading →
Manga Classic: The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes Written by: Arthur Conan Doyle Illustrated by: Noh Yi-jeong Published by: Button Books Published on: October 2024 Price: £12.99 First line: I had seen little of Holmes lately. Genre: Detective, Classic Age: 10+ Thanks to the UKLA for the review copy. See their 4-11 magazine for the full... Continue Reading →
Escape Room Written by: Christopher Edge @edgechristopher Illustrations: David Dean @DoodlesByDavid Published by: Nosy Crow @NosyCrow Published on: February 2022 Price: £7.99 First line: This is The Escape. Genre: Contemporary/Adventure/Eco Age: 9+ Thanks to my local library for the review copy. What's it all about? Ami has been granted a special treat by her dad:... Continue Reading →
A Long Walk To Water Written by: Linda Sue Park Map illustration: Kayley LeFaiver Published by: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Published on: November 2010 Price: £6.99 First line: Going was easy. Genre: Contemporary/ Geography Age: 10+ What's it all about? This is the true story of Salva, a Sudanese boy (part of the Dinka tribe), who... Continue Reading →
The Nightmares of Finnegan Quick Written by: Larry Hayes @LarryHayesAuthr Published by: Bloomsbury Children's Books @KidsBloomsbury Published on: January 2025 Price: £7.99 First Line: Whoever finds this, be warned. Genre: Horror Age: 10+ Thanks to LoveReading4Kids for the review copy. What's it all about? Finnegan Quick is plagued by nightmares that are always there and... Continue Reading →
October, October Written by: Katya Balen Illustrated by: Angela Harding @ANGELACHARDING Published by: Bloomsbury @BloomsburyBooks Published on: September 2020 Price: £7.99 First line: We find the owl at the very edge of our woods the morning after the storm. Genre: Contemporary, Wildlife, London Age: 9+ Thanks to my local library for the review copy. What's... Continue Reading →
Darwin's Dragons Written by: Lindsay Galvin @LindsayGalvin Cover illustration: Gordy Wright @gordyjwright Published by: Chicken House @chickenhsebooks Published on: July 2020 Price: £7.99 First line: Mr Darwin crouched in front of a giant tortoise, notebook in hand. Genre: Fantasy Age: 9+ Thanks to my school library for the review copy. What's it all about? Syms... Continue Reading →
Everything You Know About The Human Body Is Wrong! Written by: Emma Young @EmmaELYoung Illustrated by: Maribel Lechuga Published by: Nosy Crow @NosyCrow Published on: May 2024 Price: £14.99 First line: The human body as you know it, has been around for about 300,000 years. Genre: Non-fiction, science Thanks to the UKLA for the review... Continue Reading →
Spooky Stories Written by: Sam Baer, Jonathan Weil, Andy Prentice @prenticeweil, Russell Punter Illustrated by: Lia Visirin @liavisirin Published by: Usborne @Usborne Published: September 2024 Price: £12.99 First line: Raheem was bored. Genre: Spooky! Thanks to @toppsta and @Usborne for the review copy What's it all about? This is a collection of eight retellings of... Continue Reading →
The Pinchers and the Dog Chase Written by Anders Sparring Illustrated by Per Gustavsson Translated by Julia Marshall Published by Gecko Press @geckopress Published: June 2024 Price: £8.99 First line: Remember me? Genre: First chapter book, crime Thanks to the UKLA for the review copy! What's it all about? This is the second stretch for... Continue Reading →
Midnight Treasure Written by: Piers Torday @PiersTorday Cover Illustrasion by: Alla Khatkevich Published by: Quercus Children's Books @HachetteKids Published on: September 2024 Price: £14.99 (hardback) First line: A chain of lanterns winds slowly through the night over the dark sands. Genre: Fantasy Thanks to Toppsta for the review copy. What's it all about? A magical... Continue Reading →
Emil and the Detectives Written by: Erich Kastner Illustrated by: Walter Trier Translated by: Eileen Hall Published by: Vintage Books Published on: 2012 (first published in Britain 1931) Price: £6.99 First line: "Now then, Emil," Mrs Tischbein said, "just carry in that hot jug of water for me, will you." Genre: Detective mystery Thanks to... Continue Reading →
The Final Year Written by: Matt Goodfellow Illustrated by: Joe Todd-Stanton Published by: Otter-Barry books Published on: September 2023 Price: £8.99 First line: Ya need to be able to pin this down So ya can see it in your mind as it plays out - picture where its happenin Genre: Coming of age, school, family,... Continue Reading →
The Invasion of Crooked Oak Written by: Dan Smith @DanSmithAuthor Illustrated by: Chris King @ChrisKingArt Published by: Barrington Stoke @BarringtonStoke Published on: September 2020 Price: £7.99 First line: Pete Brundle and his best friend Krish were looking at their phones in the dinner hall, ignoring the commotion around them. Genre: Mystery Thanks to my local... Continue Reading →
Goodnight Mister Tom Written by: Michelle Magorian Published by: Puffin Books @PuffinBooks Published on: first published 1981 by Kestrel Books, first published by Puffin in 1983, this edition 2011 Price: £7.99 First line: "Yes," said Tom bluntly, on opening the front door. Genre: Historical, Family, Coming of age Thanks to my school's library for a... Continue Reading →
The Fairy Tale Fan Club Written by: Richard Ayoade @RichardAyoade Illustrated by: David Roberts https://www.instagram.com/dr.illustration?igsh=MWhxN3J6bDF1YjUzcQ== Published by: Walker Books @WalkerBooksUk Published: September 2024 Price: £12.99 First line: Everyone loves fairy tales. Genre: Adventure, Fairy tale, Humour Thanks to @toppsta for the review copy. What's it all about? C C Cecily is the Senior Secretary of... Continue Reading →
Arctic Star Written by: Tom Palmer @tompalmerauthor Published by: Barrington Stoke @BarringtonStoke Published on: May 2021 Price: £6.99 First line: "You do know that some men who go out on deck to clear ice are never seen again, don't you?" Genre: History Thanks to my local library for the review copy. What's it all about?... Continue Reading →
The Memory Key Written and Illustrated by: Nigel Baines @NigelBaines Published by: Hachette Children's Books @HachetteKids Published on: 20th June 2024 Price: £7.99 First line: Grandad, can you remember what the trains were like in Hungary? Genre: Time travel, Memory, Family Thanks to the UKLA's 4-11 magazine for the review copy. The full review will... Continue Reading →
The Silver Sword Written by: Ian Serraillier Illustrated by: David Frankland Published by: Vintage Books @PenguinUKBooks Published on: August 2012 Price: £8.99 First line: This is the story of a Polish family, and of what happened to them during the Second World War and immediately afterwards. Genre: History, Adventure, Family Thanks to my school's English... Continue Reading →
Empire's End - A Roman Story Written by: Leila Rasheed @LeilaR Published by: Scholastic @scholasticuk Published: 2nd January 2020 Price: £6.99 First line: On a clear day, you can see to the end of the Empire from here. Genre: History, Adventure, Biography Thanks to my local library @BarnetLibraries for the review copy! What's it all about?... Continue Reading →
Michael The Incredible Super-Sleuth Sausage Dog Written by: Terrie Chilvers @cowfishdreams Illustrated by: Tim Budgen @timbudgen Published by: Firefly Press @FireflyPress Published: 2nd May 2024 Price: £6.99 First line: My name is Michael the Amazing Mind-Reading Sausage Dog. Genre: Comedy, Adventure, Animals Thanks to Brenda at 4-11 magazine for the review copy. What's it all... Continue Reading →
CHITTY CHITTY BANG BANG Written by: Ian Fleming @TheIanFleming Illustrated by: Thomas Gilbert Published by: Ian Fleming Publications Published: June 13th 2024 Price: £7.99 First line: Most motor-cars are conglomerations (this is a long word for bundles) of steel and wire and rubber and plastic, and electricity and oil and petrol and water, and the... Continue Reading →
Factology: Robots & AI Published by Button Books @GMCbooks Published: March 2024 Price: £12.99 First line: We're at the beginning of a robotics revolution! Genre: Non-fiction, Robots, AI, Science and technology Age: 9+ Thanks to the UKLA for the review copy. What's it all about? Hi Brenda, Hope you are well. Here's my next review.... Continue Reading →
Wild East Written by: Ashley Hickson- Lovence @AHicksonLovence Illustrated by: Camilla Wu @thecamru Published by: Penguin @PenguinUKBooks Published: May 2024 Price: £8.99 First line: A glance as sharp as a shard of broken glass. Genre: Contemporary, Music, School Age: 12+ Thanks to loveresding4kids for the review copy. A full review is available on their website.... Continue Reading →
The Magician Next Door Written by: Rachel Chivers Khoo @Rach_Khoo Illustrated by: Alice McKirley Published by: Walker Books @WalkerBooksUK Published: March 2024 Price: £6.99 First line: Winnifred Potts sat at her kitchen table and eyed the precious jar in front of her. Genre: Magic, Mystery, Ireland Age: 7+ Thanks to Toppsta for the review copy.... Continue Reading →
The Thames and Tide Club Written by: Katya Balen @katyabalen Illustrated by: Rachel Dean @RachaelADean Published by: Bloomsbury Children's Books @KidsBloomsbury Published: May 2023 Price: £6.99 First line: It was midnight and everything was exactly as you'd expect it to be in London on a chilly April night. Genre: Mystery, Adventure, London Age: 7+ Thanks... Continue Reading →
MARV AND THE KILLER PLANTS Written by: Alex Falase-Koya @AlexFKoya Illustrations by: Paula Bowles @Paula_Bowles Published by: Oxford University Press @OxUniPress Published: July 2023 Price: £6.99 First line: Marvin ducked and weaved along the overgrown track, dodging the giant palm leaves. Genre: Mystery, Science Fiction, Adventure, Super Hero Age: 6-8 Thanks to Just Imagine and... Continue Reading →
The Creatures of Killburn Mine Written by: Dan Smith @DanSmithAuthor Illustrated by: Chris King @ChrisKingArt Published by: Barrington Stoke @BarringtonStoke Published: January 2024 Genre: Science Fiction, Horror, ContemporaryPrice: £7.99. ISBN: 978 1 80090 250 3. First Line: Pete Brundle was one of the few people in Crooked Oak to see the strange light in the... Continue Reading →
Marvin and the Book of Magic Written by: Jenny Pearson @J_C_Pearson Illustrated by: Aleksei Bitskoff @Bitskoff Published by: Barrington Stoke @BarringtonStoke Published: January 2024 Price: £7.99 First line: My name is Marvellous Marvin. Genre: Magic, Contemporary, Humour Age: 7+ Thanks to the UKLA's 4-11 magazine for the review copy. A review can be found in... Continue Reading →
Millions Written by: Frank Cottrell-Boyce @frankcottrell_b Illustrated by: Steven Lenton @StevenLenton Published by: MacMillan Children's Books @MacmillanKidsUK Published: February 2004 Price: £6.99 First line: If our Anthony was telling this story, he'd start with the money. Genre: Contemporary, Comedy, Neurodivergent Age: 9+ Thanks to my school library for letting me borrow a copy! What's it... Continue Reading →
Murder At The Museum Written by: Alastair Beckett-King @MisterAbk Illustrated by: Claire Powell @misspowellpeeps Published by: Walker Book @WalkerBooksYA @WalkerBooksUK Published on: February 2023 Price: £7.99 First line: It always seemed to be dusk inside the Hornville Museum. Genre: Mystery Age: 9+ Thanks to @imaginecentre for the review copy, and the full review can be... Continue Reading →
A Kind Of Spark Written by Elle McNicoll @BooksandChokers Published by: Knights of @_KnightsOf Published on: June 2020 Price: £6.99 First line: "This handwriting is utterly disgraceful." Genre: Contemporary, Witches, Scotland, Neurodivergent Age: 10+ Thanks to Barnet Library for letting me borrow this copy! What's it all about? Addie is a young Scottish girl who... Continue Reading →
So, here on Kinkajousreadtoo, it's double author interview week. I recorded these a while back, so, sorry for the delay in publishing them. My second interview this week is with adventurer and author, Alastair Humphreys. He who wrote: The Boy Who Biked The World, The Girl Who Rode The Ocean and Against The Odds among... Continue Reading →
So, here on Kinkajousreadtoo, it's double author interview week. I recorded these a while back, so, sorry for the delay in publishing them. My first interview is with science fiction/fantasy author supremo Ross Welford. He who wrote: Time Travelling With A Hamster, The 1000 Year Old Boy among others. Thanks to Ross for giving his... Continue Reading →
The Fastest Boy in the World Written by: Elizabeth Laird @EMRLaird Published by: Macmillan Children's Books @MacKidsBooks Published on: June 2014 Price: £6.99 First line: In my dreams I'm always running, running, running. Genre: Sports/Travel/Contemporary Age: 9+ What's it all about? Solomon lives happily at home in the Ethiopian countryside, until one day his Grandfather... Continue Reading →
Windrush Child Author: Benjamin Zephaniah @BZephaniah Published by: Scholastic @scholasticuk Published on: November 2020 Price: £6.99 First line: I didn't just appear here. Genre: Contemporary fiction/ autobiography Age: 10+ What's it all about? Leonard, a young boy, is ripped from his comfortable life living in a small village (Maroon Town) in Jamaica to living in... Continue Reading →
Welcome to my interview with Catherine! Firstly, thanks need to go to Catherine for her time, a few weeks ago now, and I apologise for my rambling style of interview, as this is the first one that I have ever conducted over the telephone (usually its an email or DM), and I was experimenting with... Continue Reading →
Time Travelling with a Tortoise Author: Ross Welford @rosswelford Illustrated by: Tom Clohosy Cole Published by: Harper Collins @HarperCollinsCh Published on: 4th January 2024 Price: £7.99 First line: I should really do one of those 'Previously on...' things like they do on Netflix. Genre: Science Fiction Age: 8+ What's it all about? This is the... Continue Reading →
Howl's Moving Castle Author: Diana Wynne Jones Illustrator: Marie-Alice Harel https://www.maharel.com/ @maharelillo Published by: The Folio Society @foliosociety Published on: 2021 Price: £45 First line: In the land of Ingary, where such things as seven-league boots and cloaks of invisibility really exist, it is quite a misfortune to be born the eldest of three. Genre:... Continue Reading →
The Boy Who Biked The World By Alastair Humphreys @Al_Humphreys Illustrated by Tom Morgan-Jones @TomMorganJones Published by: Eye Books @EyeAndLightening Published on: April 2011 Price: £7.99 First line: Tom forced himself to keep smiling as the chief handed him a bowl of steaming blood and milk. Genre: Adventure Age: 8+ ISBN: 978 1 903070 75... Continue Reading →
Race to the Frozen North: The Matthew Henson Story Author: Catherine Johnson @catwrote Illustrator: Katie Hickey @katiehickey195 Published by: Barrington Stoke @BarringtonStoke Published on: 2018 Price: £7.99 First line: Matthew Henson was the first American to reach the North Pole. Genre: Biography, adventure. Age: 8+ ISBN: 978 1 78112 840 4 What's it all about?... Continue Reading →
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