And to finish off, here are the top ten MG books I’ve read this year…
‘Tyger’ by SF Said, illustrated by Dave McKean
Like the William Blake poem of the same name, ‘Tyger’ is an unearthly creature brimming with magic and mystery.
In a strange alternate world, where the British Empire has never ended, a young boy called Adam has uncovered something incredible in a rubbish dump in London – a mysterious, mythical, magical animal. A Tyger. Adam must help the creature to evade capture, but in the process his eyes are opened to a plethora of new worlds existing in parallel to his own and he realises that the survival of the Tyger is more vital than he could possibly have realised.
‘Tyger’ is a spellbinding, lyrical story about the spark inside all of us that has the potential to change the world. It is also an exquisitely illustrated book and would make an excellent gift. Highly recommended!
‘Wren’ by Lucy Hope
Wren lives in a grand old house on the island of Anglesey in Wales in 1870. She loves to go out rowing on the Menai Strait in her coracle but above all she longs to soar through the sky, like her mother did before she died in a tragic accident. Wren’s father thinks she’s running wild and bringing their ancient family name into disrepute so he meets with the sinister ‘Aireys’ about sending Wren away to their school for the re-education of wayward girls, which only spurs her on to build a flying machine so she can escape. And there’s something going on with Wren’s house—cracks are appearing in the walls, and she keeps hearing strange noises as though the house is singing…
Once again, Lucy Hope’s signature blend of madcap inventions and historical fantasy proves a compelling combination. Wren is a plucky and determined protagonist and I adored Aunty Efa in her steampowered wheelchair. I have Welsh ancestry and it was lovely to read a story steeped in Welsh mythology and culture. ‘Wren’ is a quieter story than ‘Fledgling’, to begin with, but the house itself and the mystery at its heart is an inspired spark of imagination, and the finale of the story builds to a stunning crescendo. Absolutely loved this!
‘The Light in Everything’ by Katya Balen
Zofia and Tom are opposites: Zofia is bold, brave and loud while Tom is quiet and fearful. Zofia is training herself to withstand the cold seawater and swim to a rocky outcrop the locals call ‘Fiji’ while Tom makes paper cranes and sleeps with the lights on to drive out the dark. But when Zofia’s dad and Tom’s mum move in together, they must learn to get along, especially because their parents are also expecting a baby together.
The story is told from both Tom and Zofia’s perspectives in alternating mini-chapters that make it impossible to put the book down and I finished it within an afternoon. Like October, October, the book cover is a stunning work of art in its own right—created by illustrator, Sydney Smith.
‘The Light in Everything’ is a quiet story, but it is exquisitely written, full of big emotions, vivid descriptions and authentic, heartrending moments. The protagonists are only 11, but I would highly recommend this book for KS3 as well as KS2 readers.
‘The Thief Who Sang Storms’ by Sophie Anderson
“The Island of Morovia is shaped like a broken heart. The humans live on one side of the island, and the alkonosts – the bird-people – live on the other. But it wasn’t always this way…”
Linnet is an alkonost and lives in the swamp with her father, Nightingale, and the rest of the alkonosts – banished from their homes by the humans after a terrible tragedy caused a bitter divide in their society. Linnet dreams of one day using her singing magic to heal the broken heart of Morovia and bring the humans and the alkonosts back together, and she especially longs to be reunited with her best friend, Hero. But her magic hasn’t arrived yet and Linnet is worried that it never will.
But when Linnet steals a trinket from the humans, her father is arrested for her crime, and Linnet must find a way to rescue him from the fortified human keep before he is sentenced and sent to the quarry – forever out of her reach. Even though she has no magic, Linnet discovers that she is not powerless and there are other kinds of magic in the world.
‘The Thief Who Sang Storms’ is a timely story of division and reconciliation – another beautifully lyrical and poignant tale from a master storyteller.
‘The Insiders’ by Cath Howe
Ted, Callie, Zara and Nico are best friends, but when Ted stops going to Callie’s house after school, the other three discover a secret hole in the fence that leads to their school playground and they investigate without him, their friendship group is split apart. And there’s something strange going on in the school at night…
This story has a particular resonance for me as Cath used to work at the same school I work at now and so there were lots of familiar spaces and references in the book.
Yet another compelling and empathetic story about friendship from the author of ‘Ella on the Outside’ and ‘Not My Fault’.
‘When Stars Are Scattered’ by Victoria Jamieson and Omar Mohamed
Omar and his brother Hassan are Somali refugees, living in a camp in Kenya. Omar looks after his disabled brother, goes to school with his friends and dreams of one day being resettled in America, but above all Omar longs to find his mother who they were separated from when they fled from the war in Somalia.
This incredible true story is beautifully told and wonderfully illustrated in Victoria Jamieson’s warm and accessible style. Brilliantly done!
‘The Girl Who Lost a Leopard’ by Nizrana Farook
Selvi spends a lot of time roaming the mountains and forests of Serendib but she’s not lonely because she has Lokka the leopard to keep her company. But when a gang of poachers set their sights on Lokka, Selvi must try to convince him to go somewhere safe. But she won’t be able to protect Lokka alone…
Another thrilling, perfectly pitched, animal adventure. Loved it!
‘The Sky Over Rebecca’ by Matthew Fox
This story begins with a mysterious snow angel. Kara lives next to a lake in Stockholm, Sweden, with her mother. When she spots the snow angel, she doesn’t immediately notice what is strange about it – it is only later that she realises that there were no footprints leading to and from the snow angel. But this is only the beginning. On an island, on the middle of the frozen lake, Kara meets Rebecca, a thirteen-year-old Jewish girl, desperate to get her disabled brother to safety away from the Nazis. Kara must work out a way to help Rebecca, despite living in a completely different time.
It’s an ambitious concept that doesn’t get tied up trying to explain itself too much, and the time-slip technicalities remain quite lyrical and vague throughout. Kara is a lonely girl who finds a friend in Rebecca, and through their encounter finds the courage to open herself up to others.
This is a haunting story of friendship and bravery, saturated in nordic-noir atmosphere. The ending is beautifully and sensitively wrought and made me cry – a lot! (It’s also a great story for Holocaust Remembrance events in schools.)
‘Adam-2’ by Alastair Chisholm
Adam-2 has been hiding in a basement repeating the same daily routine, as per his father’s instructions, for more than 200 years, when he is discovered by two children and he learns that the world has vastly changed since he last left the basement. The humans and the robots have been at war for many years, each trying to destroy the other. But Adam is different to the other robots and perhaps he holds the key to end the war once and for all.
I love a robot story and Adam-2 delivered on action, excitement as well as emotional engagement.
‘Zeina Starborn and the Sky Whale’ by Hannah Durkan
Zeina Starborn has grown up in the smog-filled city of Ravenport, dreaming of adventure in the skies, inspired by her idol, airship pilot Vivianne Steel. When she accidentally meets the wealthy but timid heir to the Willoughby Hotel empire, Jackson, she receives an amazing opportunity to visit the Willoughby Whale hotel – normally out of reach to a ‘Below’ like her. When they get to the hotel, it is even grander and more exciting than Zeina could’ve imagined, but it is a closely guarded secret how they have they tamed the sky whale to accept the hotel built on its back. When Zeina receives an even more exciting offer from Vivianne Steel herself, she can’t resist dragging the reluctant Jackson along into a perilous voyage involving sky whales, smog rats and treachery.
I loved the ‘sky whale’ concept, combining steampunk technology with fantasy creatures, and Zeina is a wonderfully intrepid and determined character. The story also touches on important themes like air pollution, wildlife conservation and wealth inequality. A thrilling, vividly-imagined adventure, perfect for fans of Vashti Hardy and Annaliese Avery.
Nine PM Writer 