By Kieran Larwood & illustrated by Sam Usher This is another title from my school’s annual competition – The Bolton Children’s Fiction Award (see below) & I loved it! I have seen Sam Usher’s brilliant black and white illustrations before in The Umbrella Mouse but Kieran Larwood is a new author for me. I’m soContinue reading “Carnival of the Lost”
Tag Archives: Teens and Adults
Heart of a Samurai
By Margi Preus Illustrated by Jillian Tamaki / Manjiro (John Mung) & Kawada Shoryo. Art directed by Chad W. Beckerman This year I wanted to try reading some new things and new authors, so I started my #22in22reading challenge. One of the challenges was to read a book from the year you were born. WhenContinue reading “Heart of a Samurai”
King Lear (A Shakespeare Story)
Author: Andrew Matthews & William Shakespeare. Illustrator: Tony Ross This is a retelling of Shakespeare’s play about family, loyalty, old age, madness and power. SPOILER ALERT! SUMMARY: King Lear of Britain is old and foolish. He decides to divide his kingdom between his daughters. He shares it between the two selfish daughters who flatter himContinue reading “King Lear (A Shakespeare Story)”
The Island That Didn’t Exist
By Joe Wilson This is me of the books shortlisted in my school’s annual competition – the Bolton Children’s Fiction Award. I enjoyed this modern adventure story as a change from my usual historical fiction. The story begins with main character Rixon who is 12 years old. His normal life suddenly changes when he discoversContinue reading “The Island That Didn’t Exist”
War Horse
By Michael Morpurgo Illustrated by François Place This gripping story set during Wotld War I gives a first-hand account of life on and off the battlefield. What makes the story particularly interesting is that the narrator is a horse called Joey. After being separated from his mother, Joey grows up on a farm in EnglandContinue reading “War Horse”
The Arrival
By Shaun Tan This is a prize-winning wordless graphic novel by a multi-award winning artist and author. It is divided into six chapters of hundreds of amazingly detailed illustrations. It tells the story of a man who leaves his wife and child to travel to a new country and make a better life for themContinue reading “The Arrival”
Whistling in the Dark
Author: Shirley Hughes This took me quite a while to finish because I read more than one book at a time. It’s a very detailed story. The story is about a family living in Liverpool in 1940. Their father was lost at sea. The main character, Joan, is 13. It was tough for children duringContinue reading “Whistling in the Dark”
Beowulf
Author: Micheal Morpurgo Illustrator: Michael Foreman This is Morpurgo’s version of an old English poem. The story is set in Denmark in the fifth-century. The peaceful kingdom of Hereot is attacked each night by the evil monster Grendel. There is no one strong enough to defeat him until Beowulf, prince of the Geats arrives fromContinue reading “Beowulf”
The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse.
Author & illustrator: Charlie Mackesy. This was gift from my Grandad for passing my purple book belt. I read it all in one go! It’s a nice story about a boy on a journey with a mole. They meet and make friends with a fox and a horse. It has lots of kind advice thatContinue reading “The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse.”
The Wee Free Men
Author: Terry Pratchett This a fantastic book by Terry Pratchett. My mum loves his books and asked me to try reading this one. When strange creatures start to appear she’s not afraid to give them a good whack with a frying pan. She ran out of her hiding place with the frying pan swinging likeContinue reading “The Wee Free Men”
The Library Mouse Tales 