Tag: MG Fantasy

‘The Scream of the Whistle’ by Emily Randall-Jones

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When 12-year-old Ruby’s parents split up, she moves into her Grandma’s house in a creepy abandoned railway village called Melbridge with her mum and brother. Ruby is sure if she can just get her parents back in the same room together she can get them to reconcile, so she hatches a plan to walk back home along the abandoned railway line and orchestrate a family reunion. When she encounters the mysterious Green Lady steam train, the conductor offers her a lift instead. But there’s something strange about the train and soon Ruby realises that she’s trapped on a one-way trip towards disaster.

‘The Scream of the Whistle’ is a thrilling and emotive MG horror story about a girl dealing with the supernatural fallout from a historical train crash while she processes her parents divorce. I love a Greek mythology retelling as much as the next person, but it’s great to have a story based on our weird and creepy English folklore instead – set amongst ley lines, stone circles and tors in atmospheric Wiltshire. I’m frequently asked for scary stories in the library and I think this one will go down particularly well – a time slip story with a sinister steam train, ghosts, and an accessible length at 230 pages. (And the cat of course – love Station Ned.) I really enjoyed this one!

Thanks to Chicken House and Emily Randall-Jones for the ARC.

‘Tidemagic: Ista Flit and the Impossible Key’ by Clare Harlow

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‘Ista Flit and the Impossible Key’ is the sequel to ‘The Many Faces of Ista Flit’. In the first book Ista used her tide-blessing, the ability to adopt other people’s appearances and gifts, to save Shelwich from the sinister grilks and return all the missing people. Unfortunately her father is still missing and her only clue to his whereabouts is a mysterious key.

This book begins when Ista uses the key to open a magical doorway to Glass Island, across the estuary from Shelwich. In addition to the human villagers, it is home to the marsh-spinners – dangerous shapeshifting creatures who can appear as humans or insects. Ista has always believed that the marsh spinners were just a bedtime story – luring humans with music to join their revel, but as soon as you taste the food or start to dance you would be trapped there forever. But Ista’s quest takes her, and her friends Nat and Ruby, on a perilous journey into the heart of the Marsh Queen’s enchanted court to finally rescue her father. 

‘Ista Flit and the Impossible Key’ is another captivating fantasy adventure, beautifully imagined and masterfully written, with lovely lyrical illustrations by Kristina Kister. 

This book feels a little like an MG version of Holly Black’s faerie universe, and it is perfect for fans of Frances Hardinge’s ‘Unraveller’.

Thanks to Clare Harlow and Puffin for the advanced copy.

‘Tidemagic: The Many Faces of Ista Flit’ by Clare Harlow

Rebecca RouillardLeave a comment

Ista Flit lives in the town of Shelwich next to a river, a place imbued with a magic that rises and falls with the tides and gives its inhabitants ‘tide blessings’ – magical gifts. Ista’s tide blessing is that she can shapeshift – assume the form of any other person and use their tide blessing while she does it. She uses her gift to steal things for the mysterious Alexo Rokis in order to win back her father’s clarinet – the only thing she has left of him since he disappeared. But Shelwich is under threat from the grilks – terrifying creatures that stalk the streets of Shelwich by night and snatch people away from their families.

When Ista meets Nat, in the course of one of her jobs, he challenges her to help him find the person behind the grilk attacks and they begin to investigate with the help of Ruby whose sister is the grilks’ most recent victim. But, as it turns out, the grilks are not the most dangerous things lurking in the dark alleys of Shelwich.

‘Tidemagic’ is positively oozing with atmosphere and really captures the spirit of a dank, riverside town with a dark undercurrent of magic. I particularly loved the elusive Nimble Lane that Ista can only find using her sharp nose. The setting gave me ‘Malamander’ meets ‘Six of Crows’ vibes.

This is quintessential MG fantasy. In terms of the recent discussion about the length of MG books, this is not a short book (around 300 pages), but it is definitely not an insurmountable length and the charmingly whimsical illustrations, by Karl James Mountford, enhance the reading experience. It is also beautifully written – cunning and lyrical.

‘Tidemagic’ is a captivating, evocative read, perfect for fans of Jamie Littler, Amy Sparkes and Tamzin Merchant.

Thanks to Puffin for the gorgeous ARC. (I loved the transparent overlay!)

‘The Witchstone Ghosts’ by Emily Randall-Jones

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Autumn has always been able to see ghosts, like her friend Jack – a Victorian chimney sweep, but when her Dad tragically dies, there’s no sign of his ghost anywhere. And even worse, his will compels Autumn and her Mum to leave their home in London and move to a tiny, stormy Cornish island called Imber. Imber, unlike London, is surprisingly devoid of ghosts. Autumn enjoys the peace and quiet, and even makes her first real-live friend, but the island is hiding a sinister secret and time is running out for her to unravel the mystery of the witchstones.

‘The Witchstone Ghosts’ is a dark and captivating story, full of rich details and humorous quips. Autumn is an engaging heroine and I particularly enjoyed the relationships she has with her embarrassing mum and her cockney ghost buddy, Jack. The plot had plenty of twists and turns and I had some theories about the Island of Imber and its inhabitants but I was wrong! 

Can you have a lively ghost story? I think so. I was thoroughly swept away by this lively, atmospheric ghost story and it is perfect for fans of Catherine Doyle’s ‘The Storm Keeper’s Island’ and Victoria Schwab’s ‘City of Ghosts’ series.

And what a gorgeous cover design by Micaela Alcaino – I love the colours in particular, and the illustrations!

Thanks to Chicken House for the ARC.

‘Impossible Creatures’ by Katherine Rundell

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“It was a very fine day, until something tried to eat him.”

Wherever Christopher goes, animals seek him out–cats, dogs, rats, foxes, swans, crows…but he only learns the reason for this when he goes to stay with his grandfather in Scotland and discovers that his family are the guardians for a magical realm called The Archipelago, where magical creatures live on islands, safe and hidden from humans. The book starts with ‘The Guardians Bestiary’ – a 30 page glossary of all of the creatures in the world, (most of whom want to eat humans) ranging from ones I’d heard of like: mermaids, unicorns and griffins, to some I hadn’t like: the avanc, the borometz and the longma, originating from mythologies all over over the world.

“It was a very fine day, until somebody tried to kill her.”

Mal has grown up in the Archipelago, soaring over her home with the help of a magic flying coat, until the day a murderer knocks on her door and she is forced to escape to the human world where she asks for Christopher’s help to return. They manage to get back the Archipelago and avoid the murderer, but they soon find out that Mal is not the only one at risk – there is a problem with the Glimourie the magic that sustains their world and keeps the Archipelago hidden. Mal and Christopher set off on a voyage to save the world with an unlikely crew of allies including a Beserker called Nighthand, an academic researcher called Irian, a baby griffin and a ratatoska. 

‘Impossible Creatures’ is a classic portal fantasy, reminiscent of the Narnia Chronicles, ‘The Voyage of the Dawn Treader’ in particular. Katherine Rundell has an incredibly beautiful writing style, full of imaginative touches that bring the Archipelago and its inhabitants to vivid life. It’s also a deliciously dark story, full of bloodthirsty creatures and deathly consequences, and I thoroughly enjoyed this enticing new fantasy world. 

Thanks to Bloomsbury for the ARC.

‘The  Wrath of the Woolington Wyrm’ by Karen Foxlee, illustrated by Freda Chiu (Miss Mary-Kate Martin’s Guide to Monsters)

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“There are those that hunt monsters to harm them and there are those that hunt monsters to help them.”

Mary-Kate likes facts, the shopping channel and her sparkly red shoes. She dislikes brown colouring pencils and sudden changes. When she has to accompany her archaeologist mother on a dig, their trip seems bound to include lots of things that will make Mary-Kate uncomfortable. But when they arrive in Woolington it seems that there is a mystery to be solved – Mary-Kate gets out her notebook and starts collecting evidence. Does the Woolington Wyrm really exist? And if so, what does it want? 

Mary-Kate is an anxious but conscientious detective and (as most parents in children’s fiction are awful) I particularly enjoyed her supportive but empowering mother, ‘Prof’ Martin. Mary-Kate’s anxiety is sensitively referenced, and though she has some wobbly moments, she has the tools to cope with the adventure she finds herself in – even if she’s not a big fan of the wyrm-slime. This is a wonderfully empathetic and engaging story that encourages resilience and trying new things…like monster hunting! The illustrations are absolutely delightful too.

‘The Wrath of the Woolington Wyrm’ is the start of a thrilling new monster mystery series, it is ideal for the lower KS2 age group and perfect for fans of ‘A Series of Unfortunate Events’, ‘The Beast and the Bethany’, and Sylvia Bishop’s mystery stories.

Thanks to Pushkin Children’s for the ARC.

‘Nic Blake and the Remarkables’ by Angie Thomas

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‘Nic Blake and the Remarkables’ is the first middle grade book from Anglie Thomas, author of the brilliant YA novel, ‘The Hate U Give’, and I was a little sceptical about how the author would manage the age-group and genre shift, but I was pleasantly surprised. 

When Nic Blake turns twelve, she’s hoping her Dad will finally teach her how to use her magical Manifestor gifts. But instead she gets a pet hellhound called Cocoa, discovers a terrible secret, and her Dad is accused of an awful crime. Nic must go on the run with her best non-magical friend, JP, to find a secret weapon that could prove his innocence.

‘Nic Blake and the Remarkables’ is a rollercoaster fantasy ride, about a parallel world that integrates the history of the American civil rights movement. (The ‘Underground Railroad’ becomes a literal magical underground railroad).

It’s a thrilling read with a shocking twist at the end and I’m looking forward to finding out what happens next for Nic and her friends.

My Year 6 book club also thoroughly enjoyed this book – one of the pupils has apparently read it three times already!

Thanks to Walker Books and the Reading Agency for the book club copies.

‘The Kingdom Over the Sea’ by Zohra Nabi

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When Yara’s mum dies, she leaves a strange set of instructions behind that lead Yara away from the home she’s always known in England to a parallel realm across the sea and the city of Zehaira.

In Zehaira, Yara discovers that the person she was supposed to find has been banished and the city itself has been torn apart by a power struggle between sorcerers and alchemists. Zara must journey into the wilderness to join up with the outcast sorcerers and find out who she really is. 

‘The Kingdom Over the Sea is a lyrical and spellbinding story of friendship, found family and finding your feet in a dazzling new world. Zohra Nabi is a marvellous storyteller and after that cliffhanger ending I hope book 2 isn’t too far away!