The Way Home for Wolf

Wilf, a wolfling, is determined to show his independence and as the wolf pack moves on, he declares he will lead the way. The other wolves tell him to wait until he’s older and although Wilf tries to keep up, he soon falls further and further behind. Reluctant to ask for help, he realises he’s lost and quickly finds himself in trouble. A meeting with a sea unicorn leads to Wilf accepting help from other creatures and finding his way back to the heart of his pack.

What a joy of a book! Little Wilf comes to understand that everyone needs to ask for and accept help at times and that there is a joy in working with others. Told in rhyme, the text flows beautifully and is a pleasure to read aloud.

The illustrations are simply stunning. Scenes showing the silhouetted wolves howling at the moon and running across snowy landscape are just lovely. The picture showing Wilf plunging through the ice and meeting the narwhal is quite gorgeous, but my favourite of all is the one of Wilf gazing at the sky with his new friends picked out in the stars.

Since wherever life takes you, wherever you roam…

we’re all just a handful of friendships from home.

Another triumph from this perfect partnership, ‘The Way Home for Wolf’ is a joy to share.

The Way Home for Wolf

Rachel Bright, illustrated by Jim Field

Orchard Books ISBN: 978-1408349205

Eyes that Kiss in the Corners

A young girl notices that her eyes look different to those of her friends. Whilst theirs are big with long lashes, hers ‘kiss in the corners and glow like warm tea’. Her eyes are like those of her Mama, Amah and little sister, Mei-Mei, women who share the deepest bonds of love and admiration. They are her eyes and, like her and her family, they are beautiful.

Breathtakingly gorgeous, this is a very special book about loving who you are and valuing your heritage. The lyrical text flows like poetry, full of powerful images and beautiful moments. The little girl notes that her friends’ eyes are ‘like sapphire lagoons with lashes like lace trim on ballgowns’ before describing her own and observing that they are just like her mother’s which ‘crinkle into crescent moons’ when she is happy. Her Amah’s eyes ‘don’t work like they used to’, but they are also beautiful and filled with many stories. Surrounded by her close family, the little girl is completely secure about who she is, basking in their love. Mei-Mei also has eyes that ‘kiss in the corners and glow like warm tea’, forging the connection between them as she gazes at her older sister like she is ‘her best present’.

Full of imagery, the text is a joy to read aloud and is matched by the fabulous illustrations. The warmth and love shared by this family is tenderly depicted throughout the book. Evocative spreads explore images of the stories and traditions which are passed from one generation to the next, offering much to discuss and explore and many stories to tell. The images and text build, showing the little girl’s determination and pride as ‘her lashes curve like the swords of warriors’ and she states that her eyes are ‘a revolution’.

Poignant and powerful, ‘Eyes that Kiss in the Corners’ is a true love song to family, tradition and being proud of who you are.

Eyes that Kiss in the Corners

Joanna Ho, illustrated by Dung Ho

Harper Collins ISBN: 978-0062915627

A Tangle of Spells

The Widdershins sisters are finally leaving the Poacher’s Pocket, the home on Crowstone Island they  had believed they were cursed to stay in forever, and are setting off for Pendlewick, a village on the mainland. But as well as being neglected, Blackbird Cottage, their new home, is full of unexplained mysteries – trails of salt across each entrance and silver coins at the corner of each room. And although it looks picturesque, Pendlewick also has its peculiarities with stories of witches, the sinister Hungry Tree and Tick Tock Forest.

When Fliss, Granny and their father start to behave strangely, Betty and Charlie know they must uncover the village’s dark secrets and use all their cunning to save them.

‘A Tangle of Spells’ is the third book about Betty, Fliss and Charlie and the Widdershins girls are as fabulous as ever. The story is completely engrossing and brilliantly plotted with hints and clues throughout, which all come together for a very satisfying conclusion. Although I fail to see why anyone wouldn’t have read the two previous books, it is still possible to enjoy this story as a stand alone.  

Betty Widdershins is a force to be reckoned with. Intelligent and brave, she is determined to solve the mysteries of her new home and to save her family as things get darker.  Although things are changing for the girls, their sibling bond is second to none and once again they show how each brings their own strengths to protect and support the family. Charlie remains as mischievous and animal loving as ever, bringing touches of humour to the story with her wicked smile and mispronounced words.

There is a darker tone to this story as the girls face a more ominous threat than in the previous books, facing very sinister opponents and eerie locations. The story is full of vividly imagined places, creating a wonderful sense of atmosphere.

The choice of names used in this story is as wonderful as ever. ‘Pendlewick’ is surely a reference to the Pendle witch trials of 1612 and ‘pilliwinks’ were an instrument used for torture. The Splintered Broomstick, Peckahen Farm, Scally and Wags are just a few examples of the carefully chosen names which add to the whole.

Thoroughly enjoyable, ‘A Tangle of Spells’ is a brilliant read.

A Tangle of Spells

Michelle Harrison

Simon and Schuster ISBN: 978-1471183881

A Sprinkle of Sorcery

Having worked together to lift the ancient curse which tied their family to Crowstone, the Widdershins family are selling the Poacher's Pocket and leaving the island which has been their home. However, one night when the prison bell tolls announcing the escape of prisoners, a young girl called Willow accompanied by a wisp appears in the pub yard and the sisters are moved to help her free her father, imprisoned for a crime he did not commit. When Charlie is kidnapped in Willow's place, the sisters find themselves in the thick of a new adventure whose solution seems to be linked to an old legend, a map and a mysterious island.

'A Sprinkle of Sorcery' magically weaves together all the threads of an enchanting story and delivers more than a pinch of magic. As in the last book, the sisters glow with personality and new characters are added to the mix, including the ethereal Willow who will go to any lengths to see her father free from imprisonment and the loveable pirate, Spit, who is so much more than he first appears. Betty is forced to question what she would do in various situations, having to put herself in the shoes of others and realising that some choices are not as simple as they seem.

As the legend entwines with the girls' story, the excitement builds and once again, each sister plays her part as they piece together the puzzle. Once again, family is very much at the heart of this story and the warmth and love of their bond is a delight to see.

A Sprinkle of Sorcery

Michelle Harrison

Simon and Schuster ISBN: 978-1471183867

A Pinch of Magic

The Poacher’s Pocket is home to Betty Widdershins, her sisters, Fliss and Charlie and their grandmother. The pub is found on the dismal island of Crowstone, a place Betty dreams of escaping from as she longs for excitement. On her thirteenth birthday, whilst trying to leave the island on an adventure, Betty is stopped by her grandmother who explains that there is an ancient curse trapping the sisters on Crowstone; those who attempt to leave will die. Three magical objects have been passed down through the family - a magical bag which can transport the owner wherever they wish to go, a looking glass which shows the holder whatever they wish to see and a set of nesting dolls which offer invisibility.

Determined and resourceful, Betty will clutch at any chance to break the curse, but the bad luck of the Widdershins seems set against them…

A wonderfully magical and compelling tale, this story has all the elements needed for a thoroughly satisfying and riveting read.

The world Michelle Harrison has created is so lovingly constructed with plenty of detail, populated by memorable characters, that it stays with you long after you have closed the covers of the book. Betty and her sisters are very different, but each well defined and believable. Sibling rivalry and affection are captured perfectly as the bond between the sisters enables each to reach their potential and show the different ways to be brave in order to save each other. Charlie is particularly appealing - feisty and headstrong, but also vulnerable.

The threads of the story weave together perfectly to combine past and present, acts of love and betrayal. There are moments of humour and moments of peril as the darker side of human nature is contrasted with its finer points.

‘A Pinch of Magic’ is a pinch of reading magic- a rich, fascinating and special story with the added benefit of names that Dickens would have been proud of!

A Pinch of Magic

Michelle Harrison

Simon and Schuster ISBN: 978-1471124297

A Jigsaw of Fire and Stars

Saved as a baby from a terrible shipwreck, Sante lives with her adoptive family of Mama Rose and her circus performers and a golden eagle named Priss. They live ‘off the grid’, roaming from country to country, performing as they travel and, although hard, life is good. With Cat- wild and feisty knife thrower- and Cobra- snake charmer and her possible future husband- Sante is the star of the show.

A ‘mind whisperer’, Sante can tune into the thoughts of others and has a mystical connection with those who died in the wreck she survived, the unquiet dead in search of peace. When the children rescue a young girl called Scarlett, tension mounts as they become mixed up with evil, and past and present collide.

No synopsis of this book can even begin to do it justice. It is the most original, amazing read, painful in places, but beautifully written. Haunting brutality and exploitation contrast starkly with the magical and supernatural.

Quite simply- this is one you must read.

A Jigsaw of Fire and Stars

Yaba Badoe

Zephyr ISBN: 978-1786695482