Elsie lives in the 1300’s with her granny the towns healer. She and her best friend Humphrey spot the outlaws whilst hunting, hiding a loot of stolen Elsie lives in the 1300’s with her granny the towns healer. She and her best friend Humphrey spot the outlaws whilst hunting, hiding a loot of stolen good’s. She wants to be strong like her father and get the precious church bowl back. Though the town soon gets the dreaded plaque as it starts spreading rampant through the small village.
I enjoyed Elsie she was such a wonderful character, she wanted so much to be a brave huntress and to be like her father. I adored her friendship with Humphrey and how the two together snook into the woods to hunt. The two little princesses were also incredibly adorable and she was always so sweet with them.
I really liked the way the plague story was written, at first no one really believing the story, they were almost in the middle of nowhere and didn’t believe something like that was happening or would ever happen. But it soon arrived and spread so rampantly. But the story unfolds really nicely, with what feels like a realistic story of it, you are with Elsie through the whole thing and it was heartbreaking how many losses their little village went through.
I loved all the extra information at the end, it was detailed and really added an awful lot of extra facts about that time and about plague itself, which I always appreciate in historical books. I highly recommend this book and its series, so much history shared in a really fun and easy way, giving the reader a perfect glance at the life back then. ...more
Thank you so much to Jolly Fish Press and Netgalley for the ebook to read and review.
Tamika didn’t get to go to Paris with her best friends for the suThank you so much to Jolly Fish Press and Netgalley for the ebook to read and review.
Tamika didn’t get to go to Paris with her best friends for the summer. Soon her mom is whisking her off to Virginia to her great-aunts house, everyone says it’s haunted, that she trapped ghosts in painting. Tamika doesn’t believe in ghosts, until she sees the paintings move and must learn to understand them.
This was really unique and creative, I liked the idea of ghosts being trapped inside of the paintings and how each painting her aunt did held a ghost. It’s something I’ve not read about before and found it fascinating as a concept.
Tamika worked really hard not to believe because her mom didn’t, but she found she couldn’t shake her gift no matter how hard she tried too. I liked how eventually she and her new friend together tried to figure everything out, learning the intricacies of her aunts paintings and how and why the ghost and the doors are there.
It’s a great teen book, it’s easy enough to read, it’s gripping as you want to understand the art work, the ghosts, the gift of seeing and trapping them, how she’s going to save her aunt. It really makes you want to figure everything out as you read it....more
Maya wakes up feeling a chill, something bad happened in her dream but she doesn’t know exactly what. Her friends had the same dream and feeling, noneMaya wakes up feeling a chill, something bad happened in her dream but she doesn’t know exactly what. Her friends had the same dream and feeling, none of them know what it was. Then as the sub teacher gives them a creepy creative writing project and the new girl Winter joins the class, Maya can feel and is absorbed into each story read.
This was really creepy, like really creepy. Kids that want a good creepy horror this is certainly one for you. It will give you chills, you’ll be really absorbed into it and you’ll be trying to figure out exactly what is even happening to Maya throughout the story.
I loved that it had layers, it was like an inception, one thing into another into another whilst all happening simultaneously. It was really written so well and had the perfect amount of creep in it for the age range of this book. It also had illustrations included that added extra creepiness.p, I loved looking at them.
I really recommend this for anyone that enjoys a good creepy story, it’s easy to read, nice and short, but packs in so much information, so many twists, so many creepy stories written with layers, a character that will boggle your mind with her creepiness. A really great read, perfect for the wintery seasons. ...more
Blossom has lost both of her grandparents, her family is falling apart and she is worried she’ll lose her families flower stall too. Her whole life haBlossom has lost both of her grandparents, her family is falling apart and she is worried she’ll lose her families flower stall too. Her whole life has changed so drastically quick and she doesn’t like change at all.
This was really sad, so much had happened for her, her greaparents death, all the plants being moved to house and her mum and dad running the flowers stall, which made her mum angry and exhausted and then they fought all the time. It was a lot in a short time for a young child.
I think the way it was written was beautiful, it was perfectly written for the age demographic for this book. Family loss, big changes, parents fighting it’s all common things with families so I think it would be a really wonderful book for young readers to read it will help them if they are going through similar.
It’s also a really good story of changes and how they can affect everyone in a family, I really liked Blossom she was adorable and loved by everyone at the market. Her only real friend was her Tutu plant that kept her company all day reminding her of her Tutu. The illustrations were really sweet within the book and I liked seeing the market stalls come alive and the house full of plants within this book.
This is a very good, very sad, but very well written story of loss, change and dreams. It’s got a lot to offer and a great way of helping children in a similar situation but also just as a really wonderful story. ...more
Bruno and his mother are trying to escape as the Russians invade Germany, but his mother gets killed and he’s left to fend for himself. Making friendsBruno and his mother are trying to escape as the Russians invade Germany, but his mother gets killed and he’s left to fend for himself. Making friends with a dog the two trench forwards to find shelter and become friends with an Oma who cares for him. As the war ends he must go back out again as a refugee to find his grandparents.
This was incredibly sad and heartbreaking, I wasn’t prepared for the emotional journey this book would take me on. World War 2 stories are always sad it was an absolutely horrific event in history, but this book shows you a whole different side of it and it was so heartbreaking.
A very detailed and very well written story on how the war was for those still living in Germany during the war, how the war came to them too, how they were forced to pay the price for everything their leader had done to millions of innocent people after the war ended. How they became refugees and had to start over somewhere else or die. It’s such a sad story but it’s what happened and I’m glad a book like this is available for children, so they can understand more sides to the war.
Very educational, had really sweet illustrations throughout the book, very deep and emotional and a great resource for war studies as it’s a whole new section of the war, it’s easy to read and full of facts. ...more
The war is raging on, people are going without the most basic needs and on rations. Susan sees how upset her mum is every night and decides she wants The war is raging on, people are going without the most basic needs and on rations. Susan sees how upset her mum is every night and decides she wants to cheer her up with something sweet and surprising. She plans to find a banana but that’s a hard mission during the war.
This was really adorable, Susan was such a sweet little girl and wanted to make her mum smile again instead of seeing her crying. Her mission seemed like such a strange and impossible mission and I wasn’t sure how she was going to actually achieve it in a time like that, but enjoyed her trying to figure it all out.
I really liked this depiction, I also liked that we were talking about a part of the war you don’t usually get, I’ve not really known of any stories that had a solider in Africa so it was really interesting to have that be where her father was stationed during this story.
I loved looking at the illustrations on the pages, seeing the realities of the era shown. It was such a sad and scary time for everyone, but it was also starting to be a positive one as England was gaining an advantage in the war. I would have really liked an extra bit of fact file added to the story at the end, I always love when a book can add much more detail to enhance what the reader was learning about in the story. ...more
Troy is a show off, everything is shiny and new and he brags all day at school, gaining popularity. When his dad says he’s getting a new car and Troy Troy is a show off, everything is shiny and new and he brags all day at school, gaining popularity. When his dad says he’s getting a new car and Troy can have it next year he assumes it’s the greatest car of his dreams and brags to all at school.
This was better than others I’ve read by this author it captured the story better and even had a really funny plot twist at the end of the book, which I didn’t see coming and actually found really funny.
It still was not the best, it still was lacking in the descriptions department and parts of it were still way too basic especially for a book for teenagers. We didn’t really know who any of the characters were just their names and who did or didn’t like the other, it could really have done with explaining and adding details about the people we were reading about. ...more
A boy and his mum are being tailed on their drive confused why this blue car seems to keep following them, they get no answer when they stop and speakA boy and his mum are being tailed on their drive confused why this blue car seems to keep following them, they get no answer when they stop and speak to anyone. Then they find the chilling reason why.
This was very creative in the story idea, I liked the build up to what was happening to them, the suspense was built not knowing why they were being followed, why no one would see or speak to them at all, I really enjoyed the concept with this story and the chilling ending.
I will say the writing was a bit disappointing, the book could certainly have used more descriptions as they were really lacking, would have prefers to known more details. The book just felt like it was really missing something and it’s certainly down to the way basic way it was written. ...more
Kim gets asked out by the cutest boy in her school Jack, she and her best friend Milly spend a couple days prepping for it, from clothing to her look Kim gets asked out by the cutest boy in her school Jack, she and her best friend Milly spend a couple days prepping for it, from clothing to her look for the date. Then she finds a spot on her nose and cancels the date, Jack still unexpectedly shows up.
This was not good, my goodness it was written so badly, literally no descriptions, it was so basically written, at one point it simply said “she tried on tops” okay so what type of tops, set the scene, share more details let the reader actually know what is happening.
The story was okay, it certainly is for a teen audience, with it being about going on an exciting first date and being so excited about it. Doing all the prep and feeling dejected by a simple thing. I did find it was a bit over the top to make such an issue about a spot but I’m sure some teens are like that.
I certainly felt like this story could have given me a lot more, it could have had so much more detail and been a sweet first date story. The writing is just unfortunately lacking and feels unfinished, a shame really....more
Two boys see an abandoned haunted house, they decide to stay there for the night as a dare, but as soon as something spooks them, they run and find thTwo boys see an abandoned haunted house, they decide to stay there for the night as a dare, but as soon as something spooks them, they run and find themesleves before a vicious black cat.
This was very disappointing, I was expecting this to be a really creepy short story about a haunted house, but it was very dull instaead. Nothing really happened and it was really not written very well. It was very basic, had no descriptions of what was happening in the scenes, everything was rushed through and then nothing at all happened.
I was really expecting this to be so much more and so much better than it actually was, it was such a shame honestly, the story idea was so great and could really have gotten into a creepy ghost story. ...more
What a devastating story, my goodness I wasn’t expecting it be this emotional. I knew it would be sad, it’s such an incredibly sad piece of history buWhat a devastating story, my goodness I wasn’t expecting it be this emotional. I knew it would be sad, it’s such an incredibly sad piece of history but gosh it was really emotional and heartbreaking. So much unnecessary loss of life.
Lucy was a wonderful protagonist so full of life wanting so much more for herself than she was ever allowed to have. She dreams of going to college to study astrology but she’s stuck working at the shirtwaist factory to provide for her poor family. I loved her friendship with Rosie it was beautiful, though the circumstances were not nice I was happy she and Marcella were able to be somewhat friends by the end.
The whole event was so horrific, workers being trapped inside with the fire blazing on through section after section in the over crowded rooms with the doors locking in the fire. It was so scary reading about all that was happening, knowing so many were already losing their lives. You knew the saddest truth was coming, though you didn’t want to think of it, it was shatteringly heartbreaking.
I did wonder who the woman was that kept helping guide Lucy and many others to safety, I felt like the way the author wrote her she was based upon someone real from that time that actually did do all those heroic things, but there was no name mentioned.
This was a really well written story, it gave you a great look into the lives of the poorer immigrants of that time, the work that they were forced to do and not even earn enough from doing it. The horrific conditions they were stuck in and then the most tragic event that took so many lives. I also really liked the extra information the author provided at the end of the book, giving us a little more of an idea into what happened....more
So much devastation in such a short time, this was written so well I loved following this story as the fires erupted everywhere even to the places thaSo much devastation in such a short time, this was written so well I loved following this story as the fires erupted everywhere even to the places that people thought would be untouchable. It was really heartbreaking and so scary for our characters to be going through.
Oscar was our protagonist a farm boy who had lost his dad and now with his stepfather and his mama are moving to Chicago. But the drought had gone too long and so fires erupted everywhere, causing destruction and devastation to everyone. Oscar gets side tracked onto his own separate adventure trying to find his dad’s police badge, only to find two young children that needed his help.
I really enjoyed this book and was honestly so gripped within it, I loved that Oscar formed a close relationship with Jennie and Bruno instantly. He went there for one reason but found a better reason, I really liked following their journey and as they moved round the city seeing so many places in ablaze and having to try and figure out how to survive and find his mama.
A heartbreaking situation, an entire bustling city just torn down in a major fire that encompassed everything in its wake, It’s just so sad to think about. I loved all the additional facts provided by the author, it’s a great book for helping with teaching, it’s not only a great story, but is educational and full of facts. ...more
Thank you so much to West 44 Books and Netgalley for the ebook to read and review.
After Nate dies, Essie’s life isn’t the same anymore. Her parents fThank you so much to West 44 Books and Netgalley for the ebook to read and review.
After Nate dies, Essie’s life isn’t the same anymore. Her parents fight constantly until her mom moves out, her dad does nothing and Nate’s dog acts out. Essie still sees his ghost, feels when he’s there and hears him when she runs, she tries to get closer to his ghost and to him to figure out how he exactly died.
This was really good, I liked Essie and it was so sad how much she was forced to deal with after his death. Her entire life erupted, she and her parents couldn’t cope anymore, everything changed instantly. I really liked that she never gave up on her twin, she knew there was more to the story and she had to fight to get it out.
The way the story was told in a mysterious way was wonderful, I liked that you were given pieces and had to try to put the story together with Essie, I liked how she uncovered the truth bit by bit and ensured her brother’s death was solved so she could help him pass on and help her family heal.
This is a really gripping verse book, I was definitely hooked into the story, wanting all the answers myself and enjoying the very sad story as it unlocked more and more each chapter. ...more
Thank you so much to West 44 Books and Netgalley for the ebook to read and review.
This was nothing like I’d read before, nor did the story go the wayThank you so much to West 44 Books and Netgalley for the ebook to read and review.
This was nothing like I’d read before, nor did the story go the way I expected it was going to go. It was full of surprises and twists within the story. I honestly thought we would get more of the girls somehow connecting with each other but that didn’t happen, which was a shame.
The story was really unique and interesting, two dads and two daughters, both had rocky relationships, we got the story from both perspectives throughout seeing the events unfolding from each one of them. One on the lamb and the other chasing them, I did like the cat and mouse esc storyline it was very creative and how it was written by the daughters point of view, it added a lot of layers to what was happening with the story.
Olivia and Samantha our two protagonist were both so incredibly different, from how they styled themselves, to their life story, but I felt like they should have had a really grounding deep moment of connection, which we didn’t get. I really liked both girls and felt so sad that they’d both been roped into this dangerous drama both the dads were involved in. It was a pretty scary adventure honestly, but both girls were so grounded and calm and held it all together for their dads and even both helped them out.
This was a very unique verse book that I enjoyed reading, I did think the ending was abrupt and didn’t feel like the story had completed yet, but I really got hooked into the story and was enjoying the scary journey the girls were on with their fathers....more
Thank you so much to West 44 books and Netgalley for the ebook to read and review.
What an absolutely incredible book for any child that is a gamer andThank you so much to West 44 books and Netgalley for the ebook to read and review.
What an absolutely incredible book for any child that is a gamer and loves playing videos games like the characters in the book do. I am not a gamer at all, so I was very surprised when I was really enjoying this book. I wasn’t sure I would understand it or enjoy it, but I was wrong I did enjoy it and I understood pretty much all that was going on within the gamer world.
I really enjoyed that the characters were all so unique and different it added so much to the story and how they played the games together, sharing and highlighting each one’s best skills. I also really enjoyed how they went from not being an actual team to finding their grove together on what the best defences were and how to get that win for the whole team.
The characters were great, the connection they built together were great and the way they progress in the event was really fascinating. I loved that our protagonist went from being a recluse not really wanting or needing friends and then making them and being a great captain.
I can honestly say I really liked this, it was easy to get into, it was on a topic I didn’t know anything about, nor that gaming is now an e-sport and can compete with other schools. It was really so informative and made it even more fascinating to read as I was learnings I never thought about before nor knew about. A really great read that I know young readers will throughly enjoy....more
What a fascinating piece of history and a natural disaster I don’t really know about. A buzzing city by the sea with a growing population, but bad stoWhat a fascinating piece of history and a natural disaster I don’t really know about. A buzzing city by the sea with a growing population, but bad storms constantly occur. Everyone assuming they’ll be safe from any sort of hurricane, only to find that a massive one is coming.
I really liked following along with Charlie, he was a great character so full of charm and care. He was absolutely adorable with his little sister LuLu and always helped make her feel so much better. He was also incredibly smart and brave as he gets washed into the huge waves, he finds that best ways to survive even though it’s difficult.
I loved learning about this piece of history, it was really fascinating, the author is wonderful for also including so much extra information at the end of the book, I honestly adored getting to learn even more facts about it and even why she decided to write things a certain way.
This is an amazing book and I highly recommend them to any educators or parents, they are such a fun read that your children and you would enjoy. The series covers so many areas of history, gives you a wonderful story set during that time and so many additional facts to continue learning. ...more
We follow Faye a Ojibwe girl who travels with her family and many others from their tribe to Sandy Lake, during fall to claim the money they have beenWe follow Faye a Ojibwe girl who travels with her family and many others from their tribe to Sandy Lake, during fall to claim the money they have been promised. After months of nothing, with family, friends and many others dying, everyone starving and sick, her father decides it’s time to head home, nothing is coming.
Powerful, emotional and devastating. These are the words that instantly came to mind when I’d finished reading. This story takes you on such a journey, a horribly tragic and unjust journey full of illness, death, hardships and betrayal. But it was written in such a way you are gripped to the story to uncover what is going to happen with this family.
This story showed the realistic journey that they went through, the lies, the mistreatment, the sorrow, the severe hardships. The author did a fantastic job capturing this incredibly cruel and unjust time in history. It was so heartbreaking though and I felt everything with our characters as I read.
Faye was a wonderful protagonist, so strong and so resilient, like her people. She was so strong willed and with her bravery tried to find answers all on her own. She cared for her family so much and couldn’t even once understand why these horrific events had to happen to them. She took action when very few were being brave enough to do such a thing.
This is a very important story to read, it tells you so much information within the story, but also more in the authors note too. I honestly really liked reading this book, it’s a piece of history heavily ignored, but this book gives it the attention it deserves and is told so carefully. ...more
Thank you so much to Capstone and Netgalley for the ebook to read and review.
Another heartbreaking story about the native tribes and the hardships thThank you so much to Capstone and Netgalley for the ebook to read and review.
Another heartbreaking story about the native tribes and the hardships they were put through. It’s really so sad knowing that these people have had to go through all these trying times all because people wanted their land.
This was a really fascinating fact file as I didn’t know about this piece of history before, but I’m always happy to learn more about what the native tribes had to go through. They’d signed a contract and stuck to it on their side, but then when the govementment decided it wasn’t good enough broke their’s for selfish gain. Making the entire tribes go further out in the wrong time of year, purging the groups of their family member’s and sending them on a harrowing journey.
I really enjoyed learning about this event that occurred to them in history. It was so detailed with so many extra facts and pieces of information. I hated what happened, but learning about it was great, they really struggled which was heartbreaking, but they knew right from wrong and had great leaders for their tribes that would go through anything to keep them safe and be given what belonged to them.
These are the pieces of ignored history that I wish were taught more, it’s so important for people and children to know what truly happened, to understand the struggles and difficulties that the native tribes had to experience. To learn what the governments did to them just because they wanted to. It’s all really sad and sometimes difficult to read about but so very vital. ...more
Thank you so much to Capstone And Netgalley for the ebook to read and review.
This is such an incredible rescorce for learners of reading, it’s a perfThank you so much to Capstone And Netgalley for the ebook to read and review.
This is such an incredible rescorce for learners of reading, it’s a perfect guide for parents to help them start learning many words and in a shorter time. This book provides so many useful tips and hints, all alining with a very fun story about a girl who loves reading and her run away monster that hates it.
I really enjoyed that every page was interactive for the children reading, they can really learn the words as they are being shown as it’s done in a simplistic but effective way. The use of usually three lettered family words that rhymed or sounded the same was great fun, and each page had some.
The monster was adorable. As was the girl within the story, the story is a really fun read and has a great progression as it goes along. The illustrations are really sweet to look at and captured the story really well.
The back of the book also provides even more opportunities to help teach young readers which I love that even more was included. I highly recommend adding this to use to help teach children reading its done in a simple but very effective way. ...more
Thank you so much to Capstone and Netgalley for the ebook to read and review.
A very informative book, I didn’t know that much about the earths surfacThank you so much to Capstone and Netgalley for the ebook to read and review.
A very informative book, I didn’t know that much about the earths surfaces or what things scientists have done to uncover information, so it was very fascinating reading the book and learning so much about it. What makes it up, how deep they are and It was very educational.
The illustrations throughout were great to look at, giving you a great idea to what it looked like at its varying layers, what things lay beneath the surfaces I really liked looking at them as I was reading and learning.
This would certainly be a good helpful book for educators, it’s a great science book on our planet, on what is actually below our planet. It also shared how to hold an experiment yourself which is so helpful for young readers. A great science book that will not just educate but also entertain as it’s so fun to look at and read. ...more