Haunting prose that feeds the magical story as monsters are battled, fears are faced and grief is overcome. There is something quite beautiful in Bavar and Angel’s relationship. A special connection that makes them gentler, braver and more compassionate.
Angel doesn’t fit. Not in her new school or in her foster home in the vanilla house with nice Mary. The day her parents died was the day everything changed for her. A burglary gone wrong they said but Angel knows different. Angel knows that monsters really exist but when they don’t believe her she tries to forget the memories that haunt her dreams…that is until she meets Bavar.
He too is different except that he doesn’t draw attention to himself and seems to shrink back into the shadows even though he is seven feet tall. But Angel can see him, and she sees the magic that surrounds him. The two are drawn together by their differences, by the way they stand out and by the sadness that surrounds them. Soon they discover that they have an even deeper connection and Angel believes she’s found a way to stop the monsters but she needs Bavar’s help. He’s reluctant but if there is one thing she’s sure of it’s that she wants to stop the monsters once and for all and make sure that no one else suffers the loss she has.
Bavar, sees the light in Angel, in his world of shadows and darkness she is sunshine and starlight and his need to protect her draws him into her plan to fight the monsters. But are two young teens enough to defeat the Raksasa, the strange, winged creatures you’d only expect to find in a nightmare. Everyday they are growing stronger and it’s only a matter of time until before they break through the gate and kill again.
Beautifully written, filled with magic, love and grief, this is a powerful novel with wonderful characters – I was left feeling a little of the magic had stayed behind with me.
Each month my author spotlight shines a sparkly light upon authors I admire and whose books I heartedly recommend. Read on to discover more about these spellbinding story makers who weave their magic into our lives through the pages of a book.
October 2017
October, 2017 and it’s Halloween so what better place for the sparkle of my spotlight to land than on the fantasmical children’s author and poet, Kaye Umansky.
Kaye Umansky
Kaye is of full of wonderful wit and humour and has written over 130 books!! Including: novels, picture books, music books, plays and poems and the ‘Pongwiffy’ series that she is most well-known for – which, by the way, is currently being rather fantastically reissued by publisher Simon & Schuster and is full of brilliant illustrations by the talented Katie Riddell.
If you’d like to find out more about Kaye then do visit her website, it’s rather wonderful (and sparkly). She was kind enough to answer a few questions for me to share with you, so do take a moment to read on if you can. Right, back to the books….
There are so many of Kaye’s books that I admire. Published by Barrington Stoke, The Knights of the Drop-Leaf Table is particularly good for reluctant or dyslexic readers and Algy’s Amazing Adventures in the Jungle holds a special place in my heart as it was one of the first books my own son read and reviewed as part of the Lovereading4kids reader review panel (he was 6 at the time). But unfortunately time and space is limited, so for now here is a little more information about two of my personal favourites.
The Pongwiffy Stories by Kaye Umansky and Illustrated by Katy Riddell
Pongwiffy is hilarious and if you haven’t yet discovered her then I recommend buying the recently published bind-up edition of the first two books. The remaining two will be published in 2018.
Pongwiffy has just moved into a new cave, and it’s dirty, smelly and damp – in other words it’s perfect for a witch like Pongwiffy! At least it would be if her next door neighbours weren’t a group of extremely noisy Goblins… Before long Pongwiffy can bear it no more and enlists the help of her best friend, Witch Sharkadder, to find her somewhere else to live. And that’s when the problems really start!In the second story , the Goblins are back and up to their usual tricks! But this time Pongwiffy also has to deal with a badly behaved broom, a bonfire disaster and a strange genie…
Two laugh-out-loud stories of humour and warmth, enticingly mixed with sludge, slime and very bad habit.
The Pongwiffy Stories was published on the 24th of August 2017 by Simon & Schuster.
Witch for a Week by Kaye Umansky and Illustrated by Ashley King
Now Kaye has a new series to add to her wonderful collection of stories. Meet Elsie Pickles, a young girl whose time is mostly spent helping out in her family’s shop, in the dull town of Smallbridge where life ‘trickled on with calm monotony’ until that is a ‘wind came howling out of nowhere’ and suddenly life for Elsie begins to become rather unexpected and exciting. “this is a lovely read; full of fun and adventure, comedy and excitement, it will keep children smiling from beginning to end.” Andrea Reece, expert reviewer for Lovereading4kids. For Witch for a Week, Kaye has been blessed with yet another talented Illustrator. Ashley King’s illustrations are the perfect accompaniment and the beautifully, sparkly cover will appeal to any young wannabe witches (or wizards) out there.
When clever, unflappable Elsie offers to house-sit the mysterious home of local witch Magenta Sharp, she has no idea what she’s getting herself into. Left with a talking raven and a scruffy dog for company, and a book of instruction called Everything You Need to Know, what could possibly go wrong? With an assortment of weird and wonderful neighbours banging at the door and a box of volatile magical ingredients that must be used immediately, Elsie is forced to get experimental with magic!A brand new magical adventure from Kaye Umansky the bestselling author of Pongwiffy!
Witch for a Week was published on the 5th of October by Simon & Schuster.
Now some words from Kate herself…
Which is your favourite book to read aloud from?
My favourite book by somebody else is Just William, by Richmal Crompton – particularly the story where he meets Violet Elizabeth. As to books that I have written – I like reading out scenes featuring the Goblins in the Pongwiffy books. They are incredibly stupid and I love doing their voices.
You have two cats, Heathcliff and Jeremy. Who was Jeremy named after?
Well, I wanted to call him Mr Rochester, who is another dashing romantic type from Jane Eyre. I thought it would go with Heathcliff. But my family wouldn’t let me. My husband thought he looked like a butler, all black and white. For some reason, my husband thinks Jeremy is a butler-ish name. So there you go.
What one piece of writing advice would you give a) to children wanting to write stories and b) to adults wanting to write books for children?
A. Children wanting to write stories. Read, read, read! You will get hundreds of good ideas from books which will stimulate you to have a go at stories of your own.
B. Adults wanting to write books for children. Be clear on the age group you are writing for and use the appropriate vocabulary. Do a bit of research by visiting a library and seeing what is available and popular.
Of all the objects you have in the little office you write in at the top of your house, which is your favourite?
Hmm. Difficult. There are hundreds of bits and bobs. Possibly the tiny pair of brown leather boots I wore as a two year old, sixty eight years ago. I take them in to show the children when I visit schools. They look like they’ve been made by a fairy cobbler.
If you could live for one day as one character from any book, who would you be?
I would love to live for a day as Granny Weatherwax, the cleverest witch in the books by Terry Prachett. She has all sorts of wonderful skills, including being able to enter the minds of birds and animals. And I’d love to fly on a broomstick!
I do hope you’ve enjoyed my author spotlight. Kaye Umansky really is a treasure and she’s been an absolute delight to write about. Have a super Halloween and may all your stories be suitably spooky.
Publisher Simon & Schuster have a wonderful selection of picture books which are just perfect for storytime anytime of the day. Bright, colourful and with engaging characters, these are sure … Continue reading Picture Book Heaven…
Ever wandered late into a series? You’ve heard the hype but for whatever reason didn’t quite jump on board when what feels like the whole world did? I know exactly how you feel but thankfully it’s never too late and the great thing is that when you do finally catch on, you don’t have to wait for the next release! It’s all there, from beginning to end, ready for you to immerse yourself in and you can simply jump straight in and enjoy.
There’s something rather fantastic about reading a whole series all together. For one thing it allows you to disappear within the pages of the story while still fresh from the last. Of course it has to be a great series and what better than one with a kickass heroine with a cute love interest and a strong desire to save her family business, her reputation, oh and pretty much the whole darn world. A little bit of magic, alchemy, peril and of course romance and you have the recipe to an awesome trilogy.
So why am only just reading The Potion Diaries series now? The first in the series – The Potion Diaries – was published in 2015, and in 2016 was chosen for The Zoella Book Club. Hot on it’s heels was Royal Tour and finally this year, Going Viral. I have to admit these books have been on my radar for quite some time. The first title was a Lovereading4kids book of the month in July 2015 and the consumer reader review panel absolutely loved it, so I was extremely pleased when I found myself in possession of all three books this summer. They are actually rather wonderful. Amy has created a very likeable protagonist who I grew very attached to and to be honest I am missing her quite a bit. Each book follows on from the last (but equally independently readable – although how anyone can not read them all is beyond me) and are filled to the brim with adventure, magic, danger, and a little bit of luv. I thoroughly recommend them and although aimed at the teen/YA market, I think an older reader (such as myself) will very much enjoy them. The content is pretty okay for younger and ‘almost’ teens too.
To my mind the proof of a good series is that you’re always left wanting more, always wondering where the story could go next. I believe Going Viral is to be the last in The Potion Diaries series but I am thrilled to read that Amy has started work on a brand new series, so that’s rather exciting. She is definitely an author worth seeking out.
Here’s a few more details about each of the three titles. Just a warning though – the synopsis’ for books 2 and 3 do kind of have spoilers to the previous book.
The Potion Diaries – Book 1
When the PRINCESS OF NOVA accidentally pioisons herself with a LOVE POTION meant for her crush, she falls crown-over-heels in love with her own reflection. OPPS. A nationwide hunt is called to find a cure, with competitors travelling the world for the rarest ingredients, deep in magical forests and frozen tundras, facing death at every turn.
Enter SAMANTHA KEMI – an ordinary girl with an extraordinary talent. Sam’s family were once the most respected alchemists in the kingdom, but have fallen on hard times and winning the hunt would save their reputation. But can Sam really compete with the dazzling powers of the ZoroAster megapharma company? And just how close is she willing to get to Zain Aster, her dashing enemy, in the meantime?
Just to add to the pressure, this quest is ALL OVER social media. And the world news.
NO BIG DEAL, THEN.
Royal Tour – Book 2
Since winning the Hunt and savving her new BFF, Princess Evelyn, Sam Kemi has been royally busy. What with TV interviews, working in her family’s potion store ad preparing to join Evelyn on her world tour, Sam STILL hasn’t had time for a real date with Zain, her new-boyfriend-slash-former-rival.
And that’s not happening anytime soon. Someone has tampered with Sam’s grandad’s mind and she is the only one who can UNLOCK HIS MEMORIES. But those memories hold the key to the most powerful potion in the world – which people would KILL for…
So Sam must swap dresses, princes and palaces for dragons, centaurs and caves in her quest to save her grandad (and everyone else).
JUST YOUR STANDARD EPISODE IN THE LIFE OF A POTION-MAKING TEENAGER, THEN.
Going Viral – Book 3
After finding her great-grandmother’s potion diary, escaping the clutches of Emilia Thoth, saving her grandfather’s memories AND becoming a Master Alchemist, surely it’s time for SAM KEMI to have a good, long rest? And maybe, just maybe, a proper date with her boyfriend Zain?
But now that Princess Evelyn is married to the sinister Prince Stefan and showing symptoms of the Gergon illness, it looks as though Sam’s adventures are just beginning the GOOD news: there might be a cure for the virus spreading like dagonfire through the city. The BAD news? It’s buried in a remote village in a far-flung country next to an active volcano – and Sam’s not the only one after it.
WITH A TV CREW TRAILING SAM’S EVERY MOVE AND TIME FAST RUNNING OUT, IT LOOKS LIKE THINGS ARE ABOUT TO…GO VIRAL
Published by Simon & Schuster.
Find out more about the fantastic Amy Alward here.
It’s Saturday and it’s Autumn – a great time to buy books.
I absolutely love Middle Grade fiction. It’s exciting and there is such an amazing choice for kids (and those of us still kids at heart). Unfortunately although there are many amazingly well stocked and managed school libraries out there not all of them have the funds or space to keep a stock of fresh, new titles. If you are lucky enough to have a local library then I urge you to use it if you don’t already and of course a bookshop of any shape or size is always a great place to visit. So, if you are looking for a weekend reading treat here’s my recommendation for this week.
The Boy With One Nameby J.R.Wallis
I absolutely adore a little magic and mystery. Throw in some mortal danger, monsters and things that go bump in the night and I’m in heaven. 😄
This summer the rather lovely people over at Simon & Schuster kids sent me a copy of The Boy With One Name. The cover alone grabbed my interest as soon as it slipped out from it’s Jiffy bag.
WELCOME TO THE BADLANDS … a hidden part of our world populated by creatures which most people think exist only in fairytales and nightmares.
The story features two young protagonists – Jones desperately wants to be a normal boy but since he was a baby fate has had other plans, because Jones is an apprentice Badlander. Badlanders hunt witches, ogres, shapeshifters and other monsters that ordinary people only see in their nightmares.
Ruby is also desperate for a different life. Running away from her latest foster carer and a difficult home life, Ruby is searching for a world she can fit into. A world where she has some purpose and meaning.
Things go terribly wrong on the night that Jones is making his first kill as part of his commencement to become a Badlander and suddenly he is left without his master Maitland, the one man who taught him everything he knows and who’s been there for him since he was a baby. Now he is alone with only a talking gun (which he can’t touch) for guidance.
Looking for a safe place to hide, runaway Ruby finds herself caught up in Jones life and the monsters that she thought only belonged in fairytales and nightmares. Before long circumstances force them to work together as each tries to not only stay alive but to find the lives they’ve both dreamed of.
What follows is an adventure story that grips from the very first page as you tumble into the Badlands. Adrenaline filled and full of danger, Wallis will have you cheering for more.
This is a great book about friendship, self discovery, learning who you are and finding courage in even the most desparate of situations. I absolutely loved Jones and fiesty Ruby. They each had their own problems but discovered that working together they could achieve anything.
An exciting start to what I hope will become a series. This will make a fantastic, fun and exciting read.
Published by Simon and Schuster
Published in paperback in August 2017
Review copy supplied by the lovely people at Simon and Schuster (thanks so much:)
Find out more about author J.R.Wallis by visiting his website: here.
Here’s a small taster that I’ve taken from the opening page.
Jones stopped. He’d felt safe enough creeping down the path in front of the cottage, in the dark. But now the moon had reappeared from behind the clouds, the world was relit with a softer silver light meaning he was much more likely to be seen.
He kept trying to focus on what Maitland had promised, that he wouldn’t come to any harm. But that was less easy to believe now they were actually here. Scared to go on, Jones looked behind him, to where his Master was hiding, hoping to be beckoned back.
Maitland stepped out from the granite porch concealing the front door of the cottage and stood on the path, big as a bolder in his greatcoat. He said nothing. His craggy face remained hidden below the peak of his baseball cap. And Jones knew right away Maitland wanted him to go on, however bright the moon, because this was his big night. This was his big test.
oor neighbours weren’t a group of extremely noisy Goblins… Before long Pongwiffy can bear it no more and enlists the help of her best friend, Witch Sharkadder, to find her somewhere else to live. And that’s when the problems really start!In the second story , the Goblins are back and up to their usual tricks! But this time Pongwiffy also has to deal with a badly behaved broom, a bonfire disaster and a strange genie…
When clever, unflappable Elsie offers to house-sit the mysterious home of local witch Magenta Sharp, she has no idea what she’s getting herself into. Left with a talking raven and a scruffy dog for company, and a book of instruction called Everything You Need to Know, what could possibly go wrong? With an assortment of weird and wonderful neighbours banging at the door and a box of volatile magical ingredients that must be used immediately, Elsie is forced to get experimental with magic!A brand new magical adventure from Kaye Umansky the bestselling author of Pongwiffy!
Tales Before Bedtime 