The Silver Brumby by Elyne Mitchell

A silver brumby is special, but he will be hunted by man and horse alike, and must be stronger than both. Thowra, the magnificent silver stallion, is king of the brumbies. But he must defend his herd from the mighty horse, The Brolga, in the most savage of struggles. But that is not the only danger. Thowra needs all his speed and cunning to save his herd from capture by man.

When I was a young girl, any book that featured a horse on the cover would be snapped up - regardless of content. This is how I discovered such gems as My Friend Flicka, Snow Cloud Stallion, and, the best of them, The Silver Brumby by Elyne Mitchell.

It is hard to review a story that was so much a part of my childhood. I read and re-read this book. I plagiarised it shamelessly when I attempted my first stories. I dreamed that I would see Thowra whenever we went out into wild country. To my brother's disgust, I even tried to read it aloud to him. For me, it is absolutely magical and difficult to look at objectively.

I'm trying hard to think about and articulate why I loved it so. As a girl, it was a book that took me into another world, with strong graceful horses and Australian terms for flora and fauna. Thowra was shown to be a magnificent stallion, wise and beautiful, and it appealed to me tremendously. It really was absolute escapism. I was horribly dismayed to learn, as I got older, that brumbies are not the stunning horses I believed them to be - in fact, are known as being rather 'scrubby'. Similarly, I imagined Thowra with a coat of shining silver - I've since learnt that the term 'creamy' probably means a palomino horse rather than a white.

With some of these childhood assumptions shattered, I thought I would try reading the book once more and see how I felt about it, with some of that rose-tinted attitude stripped away.

What did I find?

A book that still charmed me, even disregarding nostalgia and warm feeling. This tale of Thowra, the silver stallion, is written very well, with warmth and clear love for the subject matter. The life of these wild horses is shown to be tough, with threats from lack of food and Man constantly affecting them - and yet there is joy to be found.

Thowra is never given 'magical' abilities. All of the ways in which he outsmarts the men and the other horses comes from bushlore, knowing the country better than they and using rocks to step on and hide his tracks. He is clever, but only insomuch as he is forced to be, thanks to his creamy coat which is desired by all men who see him. He is a somewhat mischievous character as a foal, but grows into a wise horse as he matures, and I liked this character development.

I liked the fact that Mitchell didn't anthropomorphise the characters at all - although there are occasional lines of dialogue between the horses, they are not given human qualities. They are horses, and driven by all the issues that affect horses, such as searching for grass during the winter season and seeking a mate.

The Silver Brumby is a very natural book, full of grace and passages that demonstrate Mitchell's great love for horses. It is a book I would not hesitate to give to a pony-mad girl now - the language and the story are timeless, and very beautiful. In terms of pony classics, Thowra easily stands alongside Black Beauty, and I would love to see more people reading and enjoying this remarkable story.

Earwig and the Witch by Diana Wynne Jones

This will be a little review to suit a little book. A little book, but one that contains bag-fulls of charm, magic, mayhem and talking cats. Earwig is an orphan who was left on the steps of St Morwald's Home for Children. She has managed to entwine the inhabitants of the Children's Home round her little finger, and all now do her bidding. So she is beyond dismayed when Bella Yaga and the Mandrake come to the Home and choose Earwig to take home with them. Bella Yaga is a witch and determines that she is going to use Earwig as a second set of hands. Earwig is just as determined that she won't be used for that - and sparks certainly fly.

Diana Wynne Jones is sorely missed - an author who mixed mundane and magical to produce stories of great delight. I equate Diana Wynne Jones with Roald Dahl - someone who knew how to entertain children, not talk down to them, and introduced both darkness and humour to their tales.

Accompanying the text of Earwig and the Witch are atmospheric illustrations from the pen of Marion Lindsay - cute and eerie, all at once.

As I said above, I was utterly charmed by this novel and think that anyone who has enjoyed a Diana Wynne Jones in the past will love this dark little gem.

The Queen Must Die by K. A. S. Quinn

The Queen Must Die is a time travel adventure story featuring Katie Berger-Jones-Burg, a young girl from New York who finds herself in the palace of Queen Victoria, at the time when the Crystal Palace was being built. With the help of Princess Alice and a doctor's boy called James O'Reilly, Katie discovers a plot to assassinate the queen and has to try everything to prevent it from coming to pass. But there are sinister figures creeping through the palace at night, and supernatural forces at work - Katie is not the only time-traveller in the city...

On the whole I really enjoyed The Queen Must Die by K. A. S. Quinn. It was exciting, dark in places, and very humorous, but I had a few niggles as I was reading it.

I think the biggest issue is that this novel felt a lot like setting up the idea of time travelling and the forces of good and evil that utilise the art of time travelling. It is the first in a planned trilogy, and therefore a few of the details were slightly sketchy.

The strongest part of the novel was the characterisation. Katie was a fabulously strong voice - a brave and sassy American girl, who is able to use her wits under pressure. She's also presented as being a reader - and, of course, I'm massively in favour of seeing characters like this in children's books! Princess Alice was presented very ably as a product of her time - meek at times, and realising that her place in society is limited by her sex. The comparison that can be made between Katie and Alice shows just how much life has changed for women over the years. James O'Reilly is an excellent foil for both the girls - dour and grumpy most of the time, reluctantly admiring of Katie's tomboy abilities, such as catching balls and climbing.

Quinn wraps historical facts into the story with evident glee and a love for her research. The sweet relationship between Queen Victoria and Prince Albert is written beautifully, including a very touching midnight scene between them as they research their work on desks side by side.

The introduction of supernatural elements was a little of a sideways swerve into a different story. I could quite happily have read more about Katie adjusting to life in Victorian times - that would have made for a very entertaining read - and so I struggled once the 'three children', the Tempus Fugit, were added.

Behind the immediate plot, there was some rather nice discussion on the nature of motherhood and the different approaches; and also how cause leads to effect within time travel stories. Both of these themes were tackled in a way that made it very easy for younger readers to analyse as well.

As I say, on the whole this was a fun little book and I would certainly not object to reading the second in the series. It is suitable for readers 8-12, in my opinion, but older readers would find enough to enjoy as well. An exciting romp through history with a lovely female protagonist.

Withering Tights by Louise Rennison

Tallulah Casey - the cousin of the famous Georgia Nicolson - is off to Performing Arts College for the summer. Dother Hall is set in Wuthering Heights country, and, at first, Tallulah - call her Lullah - wonders where Boots is in the village and is dismayed at the lack of Sky at the house where she stays. As she gets to know the other girls from the course, Tallulah settles into summer school and concentrates on what she calls her 'summer of love' - she's never been snogged so far, and wants to work on it. This is the hilarious tale of Tallulah's first summer at Dother Hall, by the author of the Georgia Nicolson books.

I'll say upfront: I was sceptical about Withering Tights. I've not read anything by Louise Rennison before. Emblazoned on this very pink cover was the words "Winner of the Roald Dahl Funny Prize" - as if any children's author could possibly be as funny as Mr Dahl! And then the first chapter was a bumpy ride. I saw myself becoming tired of the "humour" early on and finding the whole novel tiresome in general.

BUT.... Withering Tights TOTALLY won me over! By the end, I was absolutely head over heels for Tallulah and her friends, and I giggled out loud on a number of occasions. Make no mistake, Louise Rennison is an incredibly funny author. Her writing is entertaining and easy to read, with puns and slapstick and rather wise commentary on the nature of being a girl who has never yet been kissed.

Tallulah is a wonderful character - quirky and funny, making asides about her friends and the various people who populate the village of Heckmondwhite. I love the fact that she is concerned about her breasts ("corkers") not growing as fast as the other girls, and that her legs are way too long. The first time she is kissed she compares it to a tiny bat barging around in her month. Honestly, I *adore* her - she is so cute and lovely!

The rest of the characters in the book are just as memorable - from Cain, who swaggers around the village like a modern day Heathcliff, to Ruby, who turns out to be Tallulah's fun-sized friend.

There are two parts of Withering Tights that I love particularly. The first is that we have here a cheerful novel about growing up that doesn't involve sex or girls dressing older than their age. Tallulah is interested in boys, sure, but she's just as concerned about her fledgeling career as an artiste. She experiences her first kiss in this book. I've read a lot of YA and been concerned at the turn it has taken in terms of young girls being all to willing to go further than perhaps they should. Withering Tights has a beautiful innocence about it.

The second is that this novel takes a large helping of Wuthering Heights as its inspiration. Alright, it isn't tortured and dark and grim, but the Brontes and their novels are discussed, as is Shakespeare. These girls do not sneer at learning - they are eager to learn - and this is a message that I'm keen to see in more novels for younger readers.

Altogether, I was delighted by her refreshing and warm Withering Tights is. What I'm even more delighted by is the fact that other people suggest this might not be Louise Rennison's best work! That means I have some great reading ahead of me - the rest of her books are already on my wishlist! If you're after a giggle, definitely pick this up!

I leave you with a quote from Tallulah about what Heathcliff is all about:

The 'hero' of Wuthering Heights. Although no one knows why. He's mean, moody and possibly a bit on the pongy side. Cathy loves him though. She shows this by viciously rejecting him and marrying someone else for a laugh. Still, that is true love on the moors for you.

Vampirates: Demons of the Ocean by Justin Somper

Grace and Connor Tempest become orphans when their father - the rather eccentric lighthouse keeper who teaches them a shanty about Vampirates - dies. Under threat of being taken in by the local banker, the twins run away from home on their father's boat. When a storm sweeps in the boat is capsized and the twins are separated. Connor joins a pirate ship, and soon begins learning the ropes and making friends with other pirates, while Grace ends up on an altogether stranger ship. Mysteries are uncovered as the twins try desperately to reunite on the high seas...

Vampires! And Pirates! Vampirates! Seriously, what a deeply cool mash-up for a book - I can easily imagine the pitch for this novel and how quickly agents/publishers snapped it up. But is it a concept and nothing else? That's what I wanted to know most...

The good news is that there is definitely more to Demons of the Ocean than just the opening premise of pirates who also happen to be vampires. We have some strong lead characters, a couple of entertaining fight scenes and just all-round swashbuckling fun.

Somper does very well with the pacing of the novel - once Grace and Connor have been separated, we experience virtually alternate chapters from each point of view, often with a climax that makes the reader want to continue turning the pages. This was definitely a wise move, since the simple plot might otherwise appear somewhat slight.

Somper's strength is definitely presenting concepts such as compassion, mercy, loyalty and friendship through the excitement of a rip-roaring adventure story. None of these messages are conveyed overly strongly, but give a good sense of right and wrong.

It is very, very clear that this is an opening volume in a series, apart from the fact it closes on a bit of a cliffhanger. Mostly we have an establishment of the characters, and the "rules" behind piracy and what it means to be a Vampirate - or a donor.

I think the part of the book that disappointed me the most was the fact that Somper declined to expand on the world-building. In the blurb on the back of Demons of the Ocean, we're told that it is the year 2505 and the oceans have risen. A new era of piracy is dawning. But... this novel could honestly have been written as an historical fantasy. There is very little indication that this is some sort of post-apocalyptic future - which just leaves me hoping that Somper plans to use future books in the series to explore this potentially fascinating setting.

I found the book extremely suitable for younger readers - with a couple of scares, a little blood, but altogether very family friendly. The vocabulary used is not unduly challenging, although some words might be unfamiliar. Older children might find the simplicity of the plot detracts a little from the levels of excitement.

Altogether, a very competent opening to a series that has the potential to become great. An entertaining read.

The 13 Treasures by Michelle Harrison

The 13 Treasures by Michelle Harrison is the tale of Tanya, a girl who has the ability to see fairies. After one too many misdemeanours, she is sent to spend the summer at her grandmother's house. In Tanya's mind this is an awful punishment, since her grandmother has never seemed to like her, and it means having to see Fabian, the caretaker's son. Over the course of the summer, Tanya and Fabian stumble upon a dark secret, an unsolved mystery spanning back decades. Soon they are facing terrible danger, and it is simply a question of who will survive...

I consider myself incredibly lucky. This book wasn't even on my radar, despite some glowing reviews, when Simon & Schuster sent it through to me. Thanks to them, I've had my eyes opened to a truly thrilling world of the Sidhe courts and mysteries unsolved.

This a beautifully dark little book. I often find myself sceptical about fairies - they seem so do-goody and Tinkerbell-esque, in the most part. In this case, however, Harrison has tapped into folklore and scary fairytales to present us with fairies that have bite. They steal children, commit mischief and cause mayhem on a whim. They are not friendly, or pretty - and I love them all the more for it. The fairy characters in this book truly leap from the pages.

They are not alone in that respect. Harrison writes her human characters just as well - Tanya is resourceful and courageous; Fabian is geeky and intelligent; Red is punky and perfect (seriously want to be reading more about her in the next two books!) Their voices are distinct and they felt fully-fleshed.

At first I found Harrison's prose fairly perfunctory, but it developed well over the course of the novel. This story takes place in the summer and, despite reading it in the cold of winter, I could almost feel the humid darkness of a stormy summer evening. It was beautifully done.

This is a really timeless little book. It has echoes of Enid Blyton, what with the secret tunnels and the planning for adventures in a nearby woodland, and reminded me a little of the Carbonel series by Barbara Sleigh (another children's novel where the magic and mundane collide). I feel as though The 13 Treasures could be picked up and enjoyed by children in years to come, thanks to the ageless feel of the story.

It could be argued that the adults in this novel were poorly presented, what with the secrets that they hid from Tanya, but I suspect they shall come into their own in future books - particularly Warwick. It would be incredibly nit-picky to suggest that this spoilt the story at all for me.

As it is, I can say that I enjoyed this book a great deal. It was easy to read, with a fascinating and mysterious story, peopled by warm and realistic characters. Very much recommended.

WALL-E - A Film Review

Approximately seven hundred years in the future, earth is over-run by garbage and devoid of human life. The only robot left is a little cleaning bot called WALL-E. He spends his days compacting rubbish into blocks and building immense structures with them, occasionally collecting interesting artifacts which he shares with a cockroach - his only friend. At night he watches 'Hello Dolly', and dreams of dancing and having a hand to hold. His quiet existence is turned upside down by the arrival of another robot, EVE, who he is immediately smitten by. Their story, as they realise the presence of growing life on earth, and return to the human spaceship Axiom, provides the entertaining climax to the film.

I unashamedly love all the Pixar films - but some more than others. I've never really managed to get on board with Cars or Finding Nemo, and my favourite has ALWAYS been Monsters, Inc. Until now. In my opinion, WALL-E blows Monsters, Inc. out of the water. I've seen complaints that the robot interaction and the lack of humans makes WALL-E a little clinical. Some people dislike the 'silent movie' aspect of it. And others resent the slightly heavy-handed environmentalism message.

I guess all of those complaints could be considered valid. However, I say that WALL-E himself is one of the most adorable and human creations from the Pixar stable, while his burgeoning relationship with EVE is both cute and romantic. For me, the 'silent movie' was done in stunning fashion - the quirk of WALL-E's eyes conveying so many emotions; the beautiful soundtrack that never dominated the viewing; the tiny little details that might have been missed had there been dialogue shouting all across the film. The messages about exercising, about avoiding complete computer immersion, about treating our planet with more respect - all are done sensitively and with real compassion.

I felt that WALL-E was a triumph, a masterpiece of subtlety that is both provocative and fun. And I'm a sucker for a love story - the tender relationship between WALL-E and EVE gave real heart to the movie; for clunks of metal they were surprisingly expressive! WALL-E is easily the best film I've watched this year - and will survive many rewatches. Excellent.

Children's Books Week

This week we celebrate Children's Books Week, and I thought I would show you five of the children's books that had a massive impact on my reading as a child. I've previously mentioned Roald Dahl on this blog, and also The Silver Brumby by Elyne Mitchell, so here are five new books!

1) Shadow the Sheepdog by Enid Blyton

This is one of the lesser-known Enid Blyton stories, and follows a small sheepdog puppy as he grows into life on a farm. It is told in an anecdotal manner, and from the point of view of Shadow, showing the values of honesty and family coming first. When I was seven, I loved this book to death and begged my parents for my own Shadow. The book doesn't shy away from showing hardship, loneliness and bullying, but gives the usual Blyton happy ending.




2) The Borrowers by Mary Norton

This is a most beloved children's book, concerning the tale of Pod and Homily Clock, and their daughter Arrietty - tiny creatures known as Borrowers, who live amongst "human beans" and 'borrow' items such as needles, thimbles, crumbs of food and fibres from doormats. Arrietty is encouraged to go borrowing with her father and ends up meeting and making friends with a human boy. This is a wonderful story, with just incredible details and a warm heart at its core. I read this and the others in the series umpteen times as a child, and always desperately longed to make a Borrower friend of my own!


3) Swallows and Amazons by Arthur Ransome

The story follows the Walker children (John, Susan, Titty and Roger), who sail a borrowed dinghy named Swallow, and the Blackett children (Nancy and Peggy), who sail a dinghy named Amazon. The Walkers are staying at a farm near a lake during the school holidays and want to camp on an island in the lake; the Blacketts live in a house nearby. The children meet on the island which they call Wild Cat Island, and have a series of adventures, involving sailing, camping, fishing, exploration and piracy.I loved the idea of children being left to camp alone on Wild Cat Island, and the food was definitely in the mould of Enid Blyton - tinned meat and lashings of ginger beer and lemonade!

4) Carbonel by Barbara Sleigh

The plot concerns a girl named Rosemary who buys a broom and a cat from an untidy woman in the marketplace. When the cat starts talking to her she learns that she has encountered a witch, selling up to start a new career. Moreover, the cat, Carbonel, just happens to be King of the Cats, presumed missing by his subjects ever since the witch Mrs. Cantrip abducted him. Unfortunately he can't return to his throne until the enslavement spell Mrs. Cantrip cast on him is undone, so Rosemary, together with her friend John, have to learn a little witchcraft and to track down Mrs. Cantrip for her at best ambivalent help. Well! The idea of any animal being able to talk to me was something I imagined constantly as a child - and Carbonel is just a fabulous character, haughty and affectionate by turn, just like a cat. Rosemary and John are likeable children, and there is adventure galore.

5) So You Want To Be A Wizard by Diane Duane

Nita Callahan, taking refuge in the library from bullies, checks out a book found in the children's section with the provocative title So You Want To Be a Wizard. On the way home, the bullies corner her, beat her up, and take a space pen given to her by her uncle. Before Nita goes to sleep, she takes the Wizard's Oath. The next morning she looks at her manual and sees her name in the wizards list. This book flirts with being a Young Adult title, concerning, as it does, teenagers learning who they could become, but I decided to put it on my list because it was one I read as a child and enjoyed thoroughly. The concept, for me, was everything - imagine learning that wizardry exists through a book from the library! Personally, I haunted the library for a while hoping that it would really happen to me - the things we do as children *blush*

Anyway, those are five of the books that had a huge impact on me, and kept me reading - how about you? Tell me your most beloved books from childhood!

Roald Dahl Day!

Today - 13th September 2010 - is Roald Dahl Day! It is the 5th annual day celebrating one of the world's best loved storytellers. Children and adults alike have read and enjoyed his numerous books; they've been turned into films and TV series; and his novels still crop up on all those lists of 'Best' books.

Click on Roald Dahl's website for a full list of what is going on today, but here are a few teasers:

* Every year, there’s a Roald Dahl City Read at the heart of the Roald Dahl Day celebrations. This year, it’s grown bigger than ever and taken over a whole region to become the Roald Dahl Black Country Creative Challenge. Every man, woman and child in the region will be encouraged to read Roald Dahl’s MATILDA during September 2010.

* The “Everything You Wanted to Know About Roald Dahl” roadshow - staged in association with the award-winning Roald Dahl Museum and Story Centre - gives hundreds of schoolchildren in five locations the chance to pose fiendish questions to Roald Dahl experts and surprise VIP guests! This year, the five event locations will be Cheltenham, Dublin, Fife, Stratford (East London) and Wolverhampton.

* Anticipation of the Royal Shakespeare Company’s new musical version of Roald Dahl’s MATILDA – book by Dennis Kelly, music and lyrics by Tim Minchin, directed by Matthew Warchus – which opens at the RSC’s Courtyard Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon on November 9th for a 12-week run. For more information, go to www.matildamusical.com.

* On Sunday September 12th, there will be a Roald Dahl Day event at the RSC as part of the Roald Dahl Black Country Creative Challenge.

* Quentin Blake, former Children’s Laureate and Roald Dahl’s principal illustrator, will appear in a special event at the RSC in Stratford-upon-Avon on December 4th.

* The third annual Roald Dahl Funny Book Prize, which awards prizes to the funniest children’s books of the year - in two age categories; picture books and books for older children. The award was set up by Michael Rosen in conjunction with Booktrust. Michael will again chair the judging panel – which this year includes comedienne Shappi Khorsandi, author Philip Ardagh (a winner in 2009), illustrator Bruce Ingman (a winner in 2009) and children’s books expert and author Nicolette Jones. The shortlist will be announced on September 17th; the winners on November 17th.

* On Saturday September 11th, there will be a Roald Dahl Funny Book Prize event at the National Theatre, featuring Michael Rosen, Philip Ardagh and other special guests. For more information and to book tickets, please go to http://www.nationaltheatre.org.uk/platforms.

* Great Missenden, where Roald Dahl lived and wrote, will provide a focus for festivities, with a day of special events on September 12th at the award-winning Roald Dahl Museum and Story Centre. There’ll be MATILDA themed storytelling, village trails, craft activities, magic, face-painting, behind-the-scenes tours of the Roald Dahl archive AND, courtesy of the RSC, an opportunity to find out more about their forthcoming production of Roald Dahl’s MATILDA.

* On Sunday September 12th, there will also be a special opening of Roald Dahl’s garden at Gipsy House, Great Missenden, in aid of Roald Dahl’s Marvellous Children’s Charity (formerly the Roald Dahl Foundation). The garden, which will be open from 11:00 am – 5:00 pm, is full of delights including Roald Dahl’s iconic writing hut and Danny’s gipsy caravan. Admission to this event is free, with voluntary donations to Roald Dahl’s Marvellous Children’s Charity gratefully received. This event will be attended by several Roald Dahl Nurses – specialist children’s nurses funded by the charity.

* 70 branches of Waterstone’s stores nationwide will be staging Roald Dahl Day events throughout September.

* The Birmingham Stage Company production of Roald Dahl’s classic tale GEORGE’S MARVELLOUS MEDICINE - is on tour throughout 2010 and arrives at Swansea’s Taliesin Arts Centre on September 14th. For more information on the tour, go to www.birminghamstage.com/shows/georges_marvellous_medicine.

* New publishing: STORYTELLER: ROALD DAHL by Donald Sturrock is the first ever authorised biography of Roald Dahl, written with exclusive access to his private papers, manuscripts and hundreds of newly-discovered letters. Published by HarperPress on September 2nd. For further information, please contact Helen Ellis at HarperCollins on (020) 8307 4250.

* New publishing: For the very first time, THE TWITS – Roald Dahl’s most hilarious and anarchic story, is being published with full colour artwork by Quentin Blake. Published by Puffin Books on September 2nd. For further information, please contact Tania Vian-Smith at Puffin Books on (020) 7010 3058.

* New publishing: Puffin Books is also publishing WILLY WONKA’S WHIPPLESCRUMPTIOUS ANNUAL – the first EVER Roald Dahl Annual, bursting with story extracts, games, puzzles, a guide to Gobblefunk and ideas to make and do. Published by Puffin Books on August 5th. For further information, please contact Tania Vian-Smith at Puffin Books on (020) 7010 3058.

* New publishing: For the first time for many years, the COMPLETE collection of Roald Dahl’s works for children will be available in beautiful new hardback editions. Published by Puffin Books and Random House Children’s Books on September 2nd. For further information, please contact Tania Vian-Smith at Puffin Books on (020) 7010 3058 or Kelly Tapper at RHCB on (020) 8231 6648.

* New publishing: As part of its 70th anniversary celebrations, Puffin is releasing a “Designer Puffin” edition of Roald Dahl’s classic JAMES AND THE GIANT PEACH, designed by British sculptor Anthony Gormley. A limited numbered edition of 1000 are being published on September 2nd, priced at £100 each.

* Roald Dahl in Welsh: 2010 marks the publication of the 10th Roald Dahl book, in Welsh. Y Twits will be launched on Monday 13th September, Roald Dahl Day 2010 and will form part of the Welsh Roald Dahl Day celebrations centred in Cardiff Bay. For more on the Welsh versions of Roald Dahl’s books, visit www.rily.co.uk or visit www.gwales.com

How do you plan on celebrating Roald Dahl? Will you be re-reading any of his classic novels? Which is your favourite?

Theodore Boone: Young Lawyer by John Grisham

Please note: this is the US edition cover art.

In the small city of Strattenburg, there are many lawyers, and though he's only thirteen years old, Theo Boone thinks he's one of them. Theo knows every judge, policeman, court clerk - and a lot about the law. He dreams of being a great trial lawyer, of a life in the courtroom. But Theo finds himself in court much sooner than he expected. Because he knows so much - maybe too much - he is suddenly dragged into the middle of a sensational murder trial. A cold-blooded killer is about to go free, and only Theo knows the truth. The stakes are high, but Theo won't stop until justice is served.

Well, what do you know, John Grisham can write children's fiction. I'm not saying Theodore Boone is without flaws - there are a few - but, on the whole, it is entertaining with a tense finale.

The main flaw for me is the main character of Theo (don't call him Teddy!) He is a fantastically good kid - doesn't backchat his parents; straight A student at school; diligently visits the black sheep of the family, his uncle Ike, every Monday; helps out at the soup kitchen and teaches foreign students a better command of English. Basically, Theo is not the sort of kid that many children will be able to relate to, although hopefully they will aspire to be like him.

And certainly the plot is something that many children would want to be embroiled in - learning secrets that adults don't know, and becoming essential and important to events. Obviously most children won't think about this in terms of a murder trial, but this angle makes the tale rather unique. Anyone who has read and enjoyed Enid Blyton will understand the appeal of children being pitted against adults in adventurous situations.

One aspect of the writing I particularly enjoyed was the fact that Mr Grisham never talks down to his young audience, despite some of the legal concepts that might be slightly difficult for readers of the age that this book should be aimed towards (I imagine this as pre-teen reading - in fact, I anticipate my eleven year old nephew loving this book, and plan to lend it to him immediately!) In fact, exposition could have proved an issue, leading to conversations between two lawyers who both know about law but are explaining about concepts they know everything about simply for the reader. Grisham deals with this well, having Theo talk to his classmates about the ins and outs of a murder trial, in a scene that is both graceful and natural.

There was much to enjoy about this novel, including the fact that ideas such as "doing the right thing" and "honesty is the best policy" are conveyed without being bludgeoned home. There is also a decent few paragraphs on the evils of judging people:

" 'Those people' were the residents of Waverly Creek, a wealthy community built around a twenty-seven-hole golf course and protected by gates. They were the newer residents, as opposed to the more established ones who lived in the town proper and and considered themselves the real citizens of Strattenburg. The phrase 'They live out at "The Creek" was heard often and usually described people who added little to the community and were much too concerned with money. The divide made little sense to Theo. He had friends who lived out there. His parents had clients from Waverly Creek. It was only two miles east of the city, but it was often treated as if it belonged on another planet."

In fact, a fine novel that contained decent tension and some wonderful court scenes was weakened altogether by an ending that tailed off into nothing. I understand that this book is the opening to a series of books about Theo, Young Lawyer, but I could have done with an ending that packed more punch and rounded off the novel nicely.

This is a decent novel, with some strong characters and a decent plotline that carries the reader along. With some flaws that I'm sure can be ironed out in future novels about Theodore Boone, Grisham has started an exciting new series in the world of law (and *that* was a sentence I never expected to write!) Recommended for younger readers who have enjoyed Percy Jackson and Skulduggery Pleasant.

Talking of Horses - Monica Dickens

Talking of Horses is an interesting little book. Monica Dickens has clearly been around horses all of her life, and here she reminisces about certain horses she has owned down the years. The book is a memoir of sorts but deals only with her animals.

The writing is almost dreamlike and definitely a stream of consciousness rather than done with any true structure in mind. I'm uncertain why there were even chapters included, since there seems no logical reason why Dickens breaks off at the end of a chapter.

Her writing is competent - some of the descriptions of her horses (especially Ben) are almost poetic.

There is no easy reason to say why I love this book so, and come back to it on a regular basis. I think possibly because Dickens conveys the enormous delight in owning and being around horses?

In between anecdotal stories about past rides (my favourite being her ride with John along the beach at Cape Cod), Dickens offers little tidbits of advice about how to deal with ponies in the stable, while at riding, how to train, what equipment to use. Everything she says carries a certain gravity since it has all been learned through extensive experience.

This book is definitely only for the horse-lover! It is written for children in the main, but no reason why adults won't enjoy the simplicity and enthusiasm of the writing. I enjoyed it, but it is definitely not for everyone.

Abhorsen - Garth Nix

In the Beginning there were nine Bright Shiners. One of these, Orannis, was also known as the Destroyer. Seven of the nine bound Orannis and broke his entity into two hemispheres. In the process they also bound Yrael - a Free Magic entity who was not willing to join the Charter. This binding and the co-operation of the Seven led to the creation of the bloodlines - the royal family, the Clayr, the Abhorsen - in the future. These carry the Great Charter in their blood - and are the only people able to prevent the rise of Orannis when the evil necromancer Hedge tries to unbind him.

These are the events that we deal with in Abhorsen. Lirael gave us the build-up - now Abhorsen gives the big reveal of the evil that must be stopped, and shows us how everything plays out.

I really enjoyed this book! The events were exciting, the writing was fluid and the plot moved along at a snappy pace. The dialogue was effective and sounded realistic.

I don't want to reveal what happens at the end, because I feel that the reader should discover this for themselves, but it was appropriate to the build-up and I enjoyed finding out more about both Mogget and the Disreputable Dog, who have been thoroughly enjoyable but mysterious characters all the way through.

The best part of this book is the sheer imagination on display. Since the first book, Sabriel, I have enjoyed learning about the Abhorsen's work and the art of the bells that control the dead. The descriptions of these bells - their names and the effects they have on both the dead and the wielder - are fantastic and an unusual form of magic. I also loved the path into Death, the Nine Gates that Lirael is forced to walk in this book. The use of the river, and the different gates, is written superbly and provides great tension.

I have enjoyed the fact that necromantic magic takes centre stage. Most often this is a very dark form of magic, and those with the ability are evil and twisted (much like Hedge). Seeing the Abhorsen using this magic as a force for good is very refreshing.

The battle between Charter magic and Free Magic is very effective - and bought to play best in the different forms of Mogget and the Disreputable Dog.

As before, I have small niggles that really didn't affect my overall enjoyment of the story. Here I felt that Hedge was a paper-thin characterisation - we didn't learn anything of his background or his attitude, or his reasons for bringing the Destroyer back to life. He was just Evil and provided an opponent for Lirael. In addition to this, Nicholas Sayre wasn't really utilised to a great extent either - I was never able to empathise with him, so the resolution to his story gave me less enjoyment than probably intended.

In my opinion, this trilogy deserves to take its place amongst childhood greats such as the Chronicles of Narnia and The Hobbit. It is excellently written and a breath of fresh air. Thoroughly enjoyable escapism.

Lirael - Garth Nix

Lirael is the second book in the Abhorsen trilogy, although events have moved on from the first book (Sabriel). We pick up the story about twenty years after the end of Sabriel - she and Touchstone are now, respectively, the Abhorsen and King of the Old Kingdom.

One part of the story deals with their son, Sameth. He has attended school in Ancelstierre and grown up there, with only occasional trips back into the Old Kingdom. It is generally expected that he will follow in the footsteps of his mother and is termed the Abhorsen-in-Waiting since he is able to feel death, and has travelled into Death with Sabriel. Close to the end of his time at school, Sam and the cricket team he is part of are attacked by a wave of the dead, and Sam is badly injured by the necromancer Hedge when he attempts to go into Death with no bells of protection. After this, he suffers from depression, self-pity and almost-phobia of anything connected to death.

Alongside his story we meet Lirael, a daughter of the Clayr. She has always been an outsider, both due to her colouring (dark hair and eyes compared to the mostly blonde and blue-eyed Clayr) and the fact that no one knows who her father is. She is fourteen when we first meet her, and unable to use the Sight - the magical gift of the Clayr to see into the future. As she grows more and more lonely and worthless, she is finally given a position in the Clayr Library, where she learns much more about Charter Magic (including creating the Disreputable Dog, a mysterious character created of Charter and Free magic - somewhat similar to Mogget in Sabriel). Her storyline leads her to the almost-forgotten talents of being a Remembrancer, someone who is able to go into Death to see back in time.

The two plots draw together eventually when Lirael and Sam meet up on their respective journeys and learn what extreme peril the Old Kingdom is in from the actions of Hedge, Chlorr (one of the Greater Dead) and Nicholas - an old school friend of Sam's who has been drawn into the events occurring.

So... this was definitely a more complicated plot and clocked in at a couple of hundred pages more than Sabriel. Generally the extra pages were used to good effect, although there were a few occasions when I felt the story was drifting somewhat.

This was especially when we first met Lirael - we experienced in great depth her misery and suicidal tendencies from not gaining the Sight, and these passages, although necessary to create Lirael's situation, did drag somewhat. As soon as she was given a position in the Library, her storyline trundled along merrily, and the addition of the Dog was a great touch (although I did prefer Mogget)!

Sam came across very badly as a character and I had very little sympathy for him. Sure, his mother was not around a great deal during the time he was growing up, but on the occasions they came together they seemed to have a warm and loving relationship - so why did he not feel able to talk to his mother about his fear of Death? This was frustrating to me, but maybe I am not putting myself in the shoes of a young man who has great expectatons laid on his shoulders.

The Library was fantastic! The descriptions of this immense space, with the hidden doors that led to strange and unusual rooms, was brilliant - I wish I could be a Librarian there!

I also loved the coming-of-age nature of the story. Lirael, especially, went through a massive development arc, so that at the end of the book we left her as a sensible and rather serious young woman who knew what her duties needed to be. Even Sam redeemed himself somewhat, although he came across as incredibly cowardly (although, again, maybe I should cut him some slack - the descriptions of Hedge were terrifying enough that I don't think I would want to face him more than once!)

One complaint about Lirael's story is that, as soon as she started to sense the Dead in her role as Remembrancer, it was signposted pretty heavily what the resolution to her particular story would be - and who her father might have been. I would have liked a little more mystery about this, but it is a fairly minor complaint when held up against the brilliance of the story.

Nix writes in a fantastically compelling manner - the short chapters and the efficiency of the prose invites you to read without putting the book down. His descriptions are highly effective - especially of places. Not only the Library, but the Reservoir where the Royal family met in one scene and the Abhorsen House are described so that you actually feel you have been there. Great stuff!

I must warn that Lirael is not a complete story, as Sabriel was - here, the story looks to continue immediately in Abhorsen, the third book, so I would highly recommend having a copy of this to hand due to the cliffhanger ending.

I really wonder why it has taken so long for me to catch up with what is rapidly becoming one of my favourite YA sequences. Excellent and recommended.

Sabriel - Garth Nix

Sabriel is the first book in a trilogy by Garth Nix. It tells the tale of Sabriel, a young girl with an unusual father, who lives in Ancelstierre. When she was five her father Abhorsen took her to a boarding school on the Ancelstierre side of the Wall, away from the magic and peril of the Old Kingdom where she was born. Abhorsen regularly visits with her, using Charter magic (the opposite side of this is Free Magic, without out of the rules that governs Charter Magic). But on one occasion he fails to make their rendezvous and Sabriel, realising that her father is in terrible danger, decides to travel into the Old Kingdom to find him.

On her journey she meets some intriguing characters, such as the cat Mogget and the mysterious young man she knows only as Touchstone. Sabriel is drawn into an age-old battle against evil when she takes her place as the Abhorsen (discovering that her father's name was more a title).

This book was incredible! I loved Sabriel - she is brave, clever and compassionate. I also enjoyed the irascible cat Mogget - and his terrifying alter ego. Once we had known Touchstone for a while, he became a character to invest in. Because the cast list of the book is so pared down the main characters really come alive and are definitely three dimensional. I really cared what happened to them by the thrilling climax of the story.

Nix introduces a truly original idea in the Abhorsen - a Charter mage who has the ability to travel beyond the veil into death and move people back and forth across that veil. I absolutely loved the different bells that Abhorsen/Sabriel uses to tie the dead and ensure they do her bidding. It is rare to find a fantasy book that produces a concept that is so completely unique.

This book - as well as being full of adventure and even a little bit of romance - was also incredibly scary! Sabriel's encounter with the Mordicant as she flees to her father's house kept me on the edge of my seat. The occasion when she meets Mogget's alter ego was even more terrifying, since Mogget had been til that point a character on the side of good.

The world-building was also of exceptional quality. Ancelstierre is created to look much like a Britain of the 40s/50s - motor cars are fairly rare and lanterns and candles are still the norm - while the Old Kingdom is, as the name suggests, older. Here, swords are used instead of guns and it feels more medieval. In the area around the Wall, magic is more erratic - especially the further you travel into Ancelstierre - and the soldiers who guard the waypoint use both machine guns and bayonet-type spears in order to force back the restless dead.

I can't praise this book enough - it was imaginative, compelling and full of wonderful characters. Not one part of the book felt like filler. I can't wait to pick up the sequel!

Skulduggery Pleasant - Derek Landy

Skulduggery Pleasant is the debut novel by Derek Landy, and on this evidence I believe he should have many successful books ahead of him. He tells the tale of a wise-cracking skeleton detective, who befriends a young girl called Stephenie Edgley when her uncle is murdered. They are from then drawn into a world of magic and mystery and uncover a plot by the leading dark wizard to bring back old Gods and murder all those without magic.

The plot moves at breakneck speed, with sparkling dialogue between Skulduggery and Stephenie. It is easy to follow and twists many cliches in the pursuit of entertainment. The skeletal detective at the heart of the novel is by far the best part of it all - never less than interesting, witty and good-humoured. I would greatly enjoy reading more adventures involving him.

Stephenie is resourceful, brave and cool-headed - a fine role model for girls who pick up this book. In fact, the strength of these two characters cause the others to fall into their shadow and the secondary characters are never truly fleshed out to the point where you would care about them.

I also have complaints about the bad guy who, despite my earlier words, is terribly cliched. He is paper-thin in terms of characterisation, never really gives reason for his motives, and is used more for comedy effect than tense moments.

It is easy to see that Landy has a background in martial arts because his fight scenes are effective and efficiently-written, showing us clearly how they would play out.

Lastly, I would comment that the system of magic, while unoriginal, shows signs of being used to a greater extent in novels to follow.

Altogether this is a blast of a debut novel, setting the scene in an exciting manner for more tales of Skulduggery Pleasant.

Terrier - Tamora Pierce

In her latest novel Terrier Tamora Pierce tells the story of Rebekah "Beka" Cooper - an ancestor of George Cooper, the City's Rogue in the time of Alanna (a setting and characters familiar to readers of her other novels). Beka is starting her first year as a trainee Dog, known as a Puppy, nicknames for the Provost's Guard, those who keep peace in the city of Corus. She is assigned to the Dog team of Tunstall and Goodwin, two of the best Dogs in the Evening Watch - and two who have never before taken a Puppy.

Beka has her work cut out as Tunstall and Goodwin begin her training, never letting her forget that she may have knowledge but that experience is all on the streets of the Lower City. So when Beka starts sniffing out two linked plots - one to mine the City of precious fire opals and one to steal away the Rat's children as blackmail for the Shadow Snake - she has to learn who to trust as she tries to uncover the details and hobble the minds behind it.

Originally a shy girl who struggles to speak in public or make friends with others, Beka gradually opens up to Dogs and rushers alike and realises how strong her friendships really are - especially considering she is known in the Lower City as being one who speaks to the dead.

Here Pierce utilises a new style of storytelling - Beka speaks in the first person and keeps a daily journal where she records the happenings in the two cases she is 'sniffing'. Beka is a true daughter of the Lower City and uses rough vernacular and the language of the Provost's Dogs (essentially a police force) alike. This brings Beka to life via dynamic characterisation, letting the reader experience everything that happens to her - from the fierce joy of her first hobbling to the embarrassment of being called Fishpuppy after an unfortunate accident on one of her first evenings on duty. Pierce even offers a glossary of terms in the print I read, to enable the reader to follow all the new terms she introduces.

This is a fast-paced rollicking adventure, with both tense moments and times of comedy. Beka's cat Pounce - a truly mysterious character that readers of the Alanna quartet will find extremely lovable - offers some of the best lines in his dry assessment of the goings-on in her life.

I did feel that the book could have been shorter by a few hundred pages (than the 563 it clocks in at). Pierce usually writes shorter novels that are all the sharper for it - and some of Beka's language (such as 'peaches') doesn't quite work, but overall this is another fine work by Pierce. It is rich with detail about the rough side of the capital city Corus, and pays homage to the crime genre in many places. Beka is another plucky heroine in the spirit of Alanna and Daine, and I'm sure she will be quickly taken to the hearts of readers. Definitely one for the girls, although boys will no doubt find much to secretly enjoy. Highly recommended.

Just Henry - Michelle Magorian

Just Henry is the story about a boy called Henry, who is sometimes called Henry Dodge and sometimes called Henry Carpenter, so ends up being just Henry. He lives with his mother and stepfather, his stepsister Molly and his Gran (the mother of his father). While he grows up, he is told many tales of his father's heroism and his Gran takes every opportunity to talk down his stepfather Bill and Molly.

When a new teacher takes over history Henry is forced into a group for project work with Jefferies (the son of a supposed deserter) and Pip (an illegitimate child). At first he deeply resents this, but learns to see beyond the stigma and make friends. Just when his life is at its happiest, Henry makes a shocking discovery that causes his world to fall apart.

Michelle Magorian has set this book (as she has done with a number of her other novels) in the time around the Second World War. This one takes place when the war has ended, but rationing is still in place and the buildings remain razed from the enemy bombardment. The story is enriched with details that help bring this period to life - the queuing for food, the sharing of rations in the event of birthday parties, women doing odd jobs to bring in extra money. It is fascinating to read about a time so very different to now.

Magorian writes with great warmth and an appreciation of her target audience. The story is gripping and engaging, but also does not steer away from more hard-hitting events such as bigamy and a drunken father using his fists too much. It is to Magorian's credit that she does not believe in sugar-coating the lives she writes about.

I also deeply enjoyed the way that films from the time were discussed and lived through in the course of the novel. Henry and his friends end up going to the cinema as many times a week as they can afford and enjoy watching an array of different films. It brings to life a more simplistic existence, where children worked hard for their pocket money and one of the few forms of entertainment was film.

I had a few minor quibbles with the book. One of these was Mrs Beaufort - she is a central character to the story, but seems a little too fantastic. She invites people to live in her huge house, pays for the children to see films and helps a few of them go into the career that they want with all their heart. You do wonder if there is anything this woman can't do or handle, which makes her seem a bit of a "Mary Sue".

I also found the wrapping up of the story to be a little too neat - especially when Pip, Jefferies and Henry all end up finding glittering futures doing the jobs they have dreamed about. Or maybe this is supposed to be a commentary on the fact that you can achieve anything if you just set your mind to it.

I did thoroughly approve of the message being passed to children that they should always look beyond prejudices and never believe what they are told of people; instead they should make up their own minds. I also liked that the prejudices here avoided the commonplace (such as colour of skin) and dealt with two that were unique to the period - illegitimacy and desertion.

This is a very good book that both boys and girls of early teens would enjoy greatly.