Chameleon Dad Author Feature: Debbie Thomas on Writing for Children

When Little Island Books contacted me about Chameleon Dad, the latest middle grade adventure from Debbie Thomas I was sold on the blurb alone and agreed to help support this book which looks at some incredibly powerful themes and situations but with the gentle hand of writing for middle grade. A tale that looks at …

The Map of Leaves by Yarrow Townsend featuring content by the author!

When I heard that there was a book that was wrapped in herbalism, with a girl that whispers to the plants and they talk back and lead her to discover truths about the land, the people and herself, I was so excited for receive The Map of Leaves by Yarrow Townsend and entwined myself in …

Scrumptious Stories: Mystery of the Nightwatchers- AM Howell & Crumpets

AM Howell returned for a third publication earlier this year with Mystery Of the Nightwatchers which sees a young teen Nancy return to her place of birth amidst the drama of the 1910 passing of Halley’s Comet and uncovers many secrets in the town and her family with little hints back at the previous books. …

Review & Guest Feature: Blurring genres with The Ash House by Angharad Walker

I devoured this book and my immediate thoughts were please Chicken House I want some more?! I want to know what happens next and how did the protagonist Sol even arrive at this mysterious place!!! That or just hungry to slip into Angharad’s writing and worlds again!! In my review I reflect on the surreal …

No Man’s Land- Joanna Nadin

No Man’s Land is a bitingly clever speculative fiction that flips the perspective of books like When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit which feature living under the rule of fascism and fleeing as a historical distant ‘other’, or those about a modern refugee children coming to Britain as a socio-cultural ‘other’ instead here in Joanna Nadin’s …

Every Line Of You by Naomi Gibson.

Hackers, Hacker, Weird Science, Electric Dreams…. can Consciousness have a conscience? When I was invited to join the Every Line Of You readalong on Instagram I was so excited. I have a peculiar fondness for coding & AI stories I think perhaps dates back to my brother’s love of Pinocchio as a small boy with …

MG Takes on Thursday- Sticky Pines: The Thing At Black Hole Lake by Dashe Roberts

#MGTakesOnThursday is a weekly feature from Mary at BookCraic to celebrate the love for Middle Grade Books! The steps to take part are here. Sticky Pines: The Thing At Black Hole Lake by Dashe Roberts Cover illustration by Bill Bragg His breath formed a smoke signal of distress in the cold October airSentence from page …