Children's Books - read about the competition below

Book of the Month!

KATE SAUNDERS: BESWITCHED (Scholastic PB) "When Flora Fox's parents send their daughter off to boarding school, they have no idea that the train will take her back to 1935. On the journey Flora has a strange dream. She wakes up without her laptop or her phone, wearing a hideous uniform with ridiculous bloomers underneath. She is a new girl at St Winifred's, where the rules are mad, the food horrible, and the hairiness of the teachers unbelievable. Her 21st century manners will not be tolerated at strict St Win's - how will she ever survive and find her way back to her own time? But there is a special reason why Flora has been summoned to the past. It involves the tempestuous girl who becomes her best friend, and will one day become her grandmother.... BESWITCHED is a wonderfully funny, classic story from a popular and very talented children's author. The greatest compliment I can pay this book is to say that it transported me back to the halcyon days of girls' school stories, and in particular the type of story I used to read in the BUNTY/SCHOOLFRIEND PICTURE STORY LIBRARY books. The story could have been lifted straight out of either publication - great characters, a convoluted mystery plot which works perfectly, and the essence of girls' boarding schools between the wars is also captured to perfection. I was really disappointed when I'd finished reading it, and hope Kate has more Flora Fox adventures up her sleeve in the future!

Why not enter the competition to win the three books that make up Frank Beddor's LOOKING FLASS WARS, the last volume of which, ARCH ENEMY, is published this month (see below). When you've finished reading this page, go back to the home page and look for the competition!

FRANK BEDDOR: LOOKING GLASS WARS - ARCH ENEMY (Egmont PB)

Behind a pack of cards are a pack of lies! Unlike the comforting fairytale created by Lewis Carroll, the true story of Wonderland involves bloodshed, murder, revenge and war. The battle for Wonderland has come to a head and the Heart Crystal's power has been depleted thanks to King Arch's devastating weapon, WILMA. Imagination has been wiped from the land and the people of Wonderland have lost their greatest asset. Most alarmingly, even Queen Alyss is without her powers as her Queendom hangs in the balance. Can Alyss and those still faithful to her overcome their adversaries and restore order in Wonderland once and for all? Page-turning and complex, this culmination of the Wonderland saga is intensely satisfying. Return for the final instalment of the "The Looking Glass Wars" as Wonderland is fantastically brought to life again by acclaimed Hollywood producer, Frank Beddor. Terrific new take on the Alice in Wonderland classic - highly original and great fun for mid-to-older teens. Don't expect a retelling of the Lewis Carroll classic masterpiece, Frank Beddor takes characters and set pieces from the original and actually makes something very entertaining and totally original. In it, Charles Dodgson writes a novel which turns out to be Alice in Wonderland but is so different from the story Alice (Alyss) has told him that she is understandably furious, and Beddor tells us the real story of Wonderland. You'll need to forget all about Alice in Wonderland if you're going to approach this trilogy with an open mind (and you should). It's a terrific story, extremely visual, as you would expect from someone so heavily involved in the film industry, but it's mind-blowingly good! If you simply can't forget about the original story, Carlton have a fantastic new book out retelling the story for younger readers - see below. ANd don't forget to enter the competition - do it now!

JANE JOHNSON: MASKMAKER (Scholastic PB)

When Jamie's mysterious art teacher sends him to the old Maskmaker's shop, he is faced with a terrible decision. He must choose a disguise that will take him into mortal danger, with only a taking cat to help him. In the deserts of Africa, the frozen glaciers of Greenland, and the Great Wall of China, Jamie will need all his intelligence and courage if he is to save his friends and fmily.

A brilliant, original Mr Benn-style story where Jamie has different adventures according to what mask he picks from Miss Lambent's Maskmakers' shop. A fascinating tale, full of great humour, school bullies and fantastic adventures in the company of a talking cat who saves his bacon on more than one occasion. Terrific!

GARTH NIX: LORD SUNDAY (Harper Collins Children's Books PB)

In this seventh and last book of THE KEYS TO THE KINGDOM, the mysteries of the House, the Architect, the Trustees, the Keys and the Will are revealed, and the fate of Arthur, our Earth, and the entire Universe is finally decided. Arthur has wrested the Sixth Key from Superior Saturday, but has fallen from the Incomparable Gardens; fallen not to the Upper House but to somewhere completely unexpected. Alone in enemy territory, as his mind and body are further transformed by the power of the Keys, Arthur must struggle with himself as much as with his many enemies. Meanwhile, Arthur's friend Suzy Blue plots an escape from her prison in Saturday's tower, as battle rages above and below. Saturday's elite force is pressing on into the Incomparable Gardens, while her massed sorcerers fight a desperate rear-guard action against the Piper and his Newnith army. On earth, Leaf has to cope with the aftermath of a nuclear strike. Responsible for all the Sleepers in Friday's private hospital, she needs all the help she can get, particularly as Leaf herself has become a target for intruders from the House. And the tide of Nothing continues to rise, destroying everything in its path ...

NATALIE JANE PRIOR: THE MINIVERS ON THE RUN (Scholastic PB)

The Minivers are TV-star princesses. They're rich, famous, talented and beautiful - and they're only two feet tall| Rosamund and Emily Miniver live in a luxurious miniature palace. Worshipped by adoring fans, they make chart-topping CDs, have their own fashion label and are the most famous celebrities in Artemesia. But suddenly their glamorous show-biz life goes horribly wrong, and the tiny sisters find themselves on the run from big and powerful enemies.. . . MINIVERS ON THE RUN is the first action-packed story in a new series from an internationally popular Australian author about two irresistably-appealing characters. Girl readers of 8 and above will love these tiny, feisty divas! Well, the blurb says it all. I'm not a girl reader of 8 and above, but I know a good thing when I see it, and this new series pulls out all the stops. Some great set pieces and the characters are charming and lovable, which means the book is a winner!

MELISSA DE LA CRUZ: BLUE BLOODS (Atom PB)

They're Young, Fabulous and Fanged...And they rule Manhattan from the trendy uptown clubs to the downtown boutiques. Fifteen-year-old Schuyler Van Alen has never quite fit in at her exclusive prep school? she's more of a vintage than a Versace girl? but all that's about to change...Because Schuyler has just found out she's a Blue Blood. The Blue Bloods are the city's glamorous? and secret? vampire elite. They're young, beautiful and powerful. But now they're being murdered. And Schuyler must find out who? or what? is behind it before she's next. One sometimes wonders if there aren't enough of these teenaged urban fantasies around already, but there's always room for one more, if it's good, and if it keeps teens interested in reading, that can only be a good thing, with all the other distractions of modern life they have to contend with. This is good, it's just a shame it's another US-based story, we could do with more set in the UK!

KAT FALLS: DARK LIFE (Simon and Schister PB)

Ty has lived under the ocean for his entire life. Following global warming and the rise of the seas, his family joined an underwater community in hopes of living in the new frontier of the ocean floor. But When Ty meets Gemma, a girl from "topside", who is searching the seas for her brother, she quickly makes his life very complicated. Together Ty and Gemma face dangerous sea creatures and venture into the frontier town's rough underworld as they search for her missing brother. But the deeper they dig, the more attention they attract, and soon Ty and Gemma find themselves being hunted by a gang of outlaws who roam the underwater territories causing havoc, and who seem to have eerie abilities. But Ty has a secret of his own, living underwater for his entire life has meant he has also developed a "special" power. Can he keep it a secret from Gemma and his family or is it time for him to finally tell everyone the truth? Tense and thrilling "fish out of water" story which promises a great deal - and delivers it in spades!

JUSTIN SOMPER: VAMPIRATES - EMPIRE OF NIGHT (Simon and Schuster PB)

Sidorio, fuelled by grief and revenge, is intent on becoming King of the Vampirates and building a new empire to bring terror to the oceans. He faces growing opposition from both the Pirate Federation, including Vampirate Assassin Cheng Li, and the Nocturnals - the more benign vampirate realm - led by Mosh Zu and Lorcan Furey. Both the pirates and the Nocturnals are forced to raise their game in response to the new and urgent threat from Sidorio and the renegade Vampirates. Twins Grace and Connor Tempest, still ricocheting from the recent discovery of their true parenthood and its explosive implications, are thrust deep into the heart of the conflict. Old foes and allies are thrown together in unexpected ways and, as the stakes rise higher than ever before, Grace and Connor find their alliances shifting in ways no-one could ever have possibly foreseen... The Vampirates are back in great swashbuckling form!

HARRIET CASTOR: ALICE'S ADVENTURES IN WONDERLAND (Carlton Books HB)

Young Alice dozes on a warm afternoon on the riverbank only to see a white rabbit with a pocket watch rushing down a rabbit hole. Alice follows and enters the magical world of Wonderland where anything and everything can happen. Each spread of this title includes additional features, such as poems, songs, letters, lists and notes that enrich the story, adding background and atmosphere to draw the reader along.

Contents

Welcome to Wonderland; Down the Rabbit Hole; "Drink Me"; Pool of Tears; The Caucus-Race; Alice in the Rabbit's House; The Caterpillar; The Duchess; The Cheshire Cat; Mad Hatter's Tea Party; The Queen's Game of Croquet; The Trial; Waking From the Dream. Carlton have a whole series of these brilliant, beautiful books out at the moment, retelling children's classic stories. This one is stunningly good, with pop-ups that will delight younger children, and illustrations that will remind older children just how good a story this is. Utterly fantastic!

M G HARRIS: THE JOSHUA FILES - ZERO MOMENT (Scholastic PB)

Josh thinks he has discovered the key to time travel. Should he use it to go back in time and save his father? Ixchel knows what he intends to do. Should she stop him? Before they can decide, Ixchel is kidnapped by the people who want to see an ancient prophecy predicting the end of the world in 2012 come true. It's up to Josh to save Ixchel and possibly save the world. Time is running out in the exhilarating third part of the best-selling Joshua Files.

EMMA DODD: DOT AND DASH ARE DRESSING UP (Scholastic HB)

Dot and Dash are dressing up, and so are their friends Big, Tall and Small. Dot wants to be a pirate, and Dash wants to be a wizard... but Small may have found the best costume of all| Little ones will love spotting the dressing-up costumes in this fun touch-and-feel book. Brilliant, the ideal introduction to story-reading for younger children. The materials are fantastic.

AMBER AITKEN: THE CUPID COMPANY - HEART TO HEART (Harper Collins Children's Books PB)

Laugh out loud as best friends Coral and Nicks find out that playing cupid can drive you crazy! Coral and Nicks run their very own matchmaking agency - and they're only twelve! But The Cupid Company faces its biggest challenge yet when a group of glamorous, snobby teenagers move in to the beach hut next door. The girls think that no guys are good enough for them - but Coral and Nicks have other ideas! I'm not sure about this one - charmingly told, but it's one of those books that seems to be condoning getting boys and girls together for purposes other than innocent play, and bringing the attraction of the opposite sex forward just a little too much. Twelve-year-olds should be thinking of other things in my opinion, than boys. Perhaps I'm starting to show my age!

DELPHINE DE VIGAN: NO AND ME (Bloomsbury PB)

Lou Bertignac has an IQ of 160 and a good friend called Lucas who gets her through the school day. At home her father cries in secret in the bathroom and her mother hasn't been out of the house properly for years. But Lou is about to change her life - and that of her parents - for good, all because of a school project she decides to do about the homeless. Through the project Lou meets No, a teenage girl living on the streets. As their friendship grows, Lou cannot bear that No is still on the streets when she goes back home - even if it is to a home that is saddened and desolate. So she asks her parents if No can come to live with them. To her astonishment, her parents - eventually - agree. No's presence forces Lou and her parents to finally face the sadness that has enveloped them. But No has disruptive as well as positive effects. Can this shaky, newfound family continue to live together? A tense, brilliant novel tackling the true meaning of home and homelessness. Hundreds of children live pathetic, desolate, homeless lives, and although I sometimes feel sorry for them, I'm not sure I want them as characters in a book - not my idea of enjoyable subject matter for teen fiction. Rather doomy and dour feeling to it, and if you wanted escapist fiction to take your mind of the pressures of everyday life, this wouldn't provide it, I'm afraid.

JULIA GREEN: DRAWING WITH LIGHT (Bloomsbury PB)

Kat and Emily have grown up without their mother for almost as long as they can remember. And now Dad is with Cassy and they all muddle along together well enough - even though they are living in a cramped caravan while their new house is being renovated. Then Cassy and Dad tell them that Cassy is pregnant, and everything seems to shift. Emily feels a new urge to find her own mother. How could she have left them the way she did? Never writing to them? Not communicating with them? And as Emily begins her search, not knowing what she will find, she is at the same time embarking on a new relationship of her own, that of her romance with Seb. This is an evocative and finely drawn novel about family relationships, in particular that of mother and daughter, and the shifting emotions of a teenager trying to make sense of her family and her world. This is a wonderful tale about a young girl, abandoned by her mother at an early age and for a reason she will never understand. It's her boyfriend who persuades her that she really wants to know about her mother and why she left her, and the awakening in Emily of this knowledge is told brilliantly and sympathetically by someone who understands the problems involved. Totally enjoyable.

EMMA THOMPSON: NANNY McPHEE AND THE BIG BANG (Bloomsbury PB)

Nanny McPhee embarks on a brand new adventure in this brilliant, funny and captivating novel based on the new Nanny McPhee film. The Green family are trying to survive the war in their house in the country, but unfortunately they are not out of harms way. A wicked uncle is intent on getting his hands on the family fortune and the children miss their father who is away fighting who knows where, and then the horrible cousins arrive! Life is not easy in the Green household...Thank heavens for Nanny McPhee! I loved the first film, and this book about the second film should have been terrific, but it's let down by the way it's presented, with diary entries interspersed with the actual story. One or the other would have been better. The photos from the film are excellent, thbough.

JENNY VALENTINE: IGGY AND ME AND THE HAPPY BIRTHDAY (Harper Collins Children's Books PB)

The second of a new series of young fiction by Jenny Valentine, winner of the Guardian Children's Fiction Prize for her debut novel, Finding Violet Park. More funny and endearing family stories featuring the the irrepressible 5-year-old IGGY as seen through the eyes of her big sister Flo, the ME of the title. Whether learning to swim, or playing at home, going on a day trip or baking birthday cakes, Iggy and Flo add sparkle to everyday activities. Each chapter is a complete and satisfying story in its own right, perfect for newly-confident readers to enjoy alone, or for reading aloud at bedtime. Illustrated throughout in with black & white line drawings by Joe Berger, who was nominated for the Booktrust Early Years Award for his picture book, Bridget Fidget.

SIMONE ELKELES: PERFECT CHMISTRY (Simon and Schuster PB)

When Brittany Ellis walks into chemistry class on the first day of senior year, she has no clue that her carefully created "perfect" life is about to unravel before her eyes. Forced to be lab partners with Alex Fuentes, a gang member from the other side of town, Brittany finds herself having to protect everything she's worked so hard for - her flawless reputation, her relationship with her boyfriend and, most importantly, the secret that her home life is anything but perfect. Alex is a bad boy and he knows it. So when he makes a bet with his friends to lure Brittany into his life, he thinks nothing of it. But the closer Alex and Brittany get to each other the more they realise that sometimes appearances can be deceptive and that you have to look beneath the surface to discover the truth.

STEPHEN LAWHEAD: TUCK (Atom PB)

Driven from their ancestral homeland, outlaw Rhi Bran and his band have made their home in the forest of the March, and are feared by all for their unrivalled skill with the longbow. But they cannot hide forever. Bold action is required, and they are willing to die in order to win peace for the people of Elfael. Bran's companions include the mighty champion Iwan, skilled forester Will Scarlet, rough-and-ready priest Friar Tuck and, new to the band, vagabond minstrel Alan a'Dale. Together they have constructed a desperate plan to rid themselves of the barbarous Ffreinc, led by the malevolent Abbot Hugo and Guy of Gysburne. Severely outnumbered, the band must rely on their wits, their intimate knowledge of the forest, and all their fighting prowess if they are to prevail. The last of the brilliant Lawhead Robin Hood trilogy is now available as a paperback. No excuses for not collecting all of them now!

GLENN DAKIN: CANDLE MAN (Egmont PB)

Evil melts like was at the hands of the Candle Man. Theo Wickland lives a life of isolation - he has only ever known three people: his butler, the maid and his guardian. He has always been told this is for his own good because he is dangerous to other people. Indeed, he wears gloves at all times and has daily, intensely painful treatment in the 'Mercy Tube'. But one birthday, during his annual trip to the graveyard, Theo finds a small package addressed to him. A secret message inside it, and a visit from two burglars that proves fatal to one of them, are the catalysts for Theo to discover his deadly powers and strange inheritance. He is the descendent of the Candle Man, a Victorian crime fighter with a dark side. One touch from him and criminals melt to death. Two societies are hunting for him: one that will protect and help him and one that wants to harness his power for evil. Can Theo escape his guardian's clutches, and stop his destructive plan? And will he learn how to deal with the sometimes terrifying and confusing real world? This is a thrilling, Gothic adventure that will have readers on the edge of their seats. The atmosphere is creepy and enthralling - Dakin's characters move like shadows and the overall effect is indeed Gothic. Just the thing for a rainy afternoon or a free school period.

CHRISTOPHER AND CHRISTINE RUSSELL: THE QUEST OF THE WARRIOR SHEEP (Egmont PB)

This is a super-funny, super-crazy crime caper with five rare-breed sheep! A silver object falls mysteriously from the sky and lands on Sal, a matronly Southdown ewe who lives happily with her sheep friends on Eppingham Farm. The sheep are convinced that an ancient ovine prophecy is being fulfilled. They must go North (so to Scotland, perhaps?), on a mission to aid Lord Aries, Sheep of all Sheepdom, Ram of Rams, in his battle against the powers of darkness in the shape of Lambad the Bad. Thus the Eppingham Posse of Rare Breed Warriors is born. In fact, the silver object is a mobile phone, dropped from a hot air balloon by Luke and Neil, who have been stealing bank money over the internet. They need that phone back to hide the evidence. And a couple of woolbags aren't going to stand in their way! The chase is on... Hilarious crime caper involving a gang of sheep and a mobile phone... what more could you ask for?

JIM HELMORE AND KAREN WALL: HOLD ON TIGHT, STRIPY HORSE! (Egmont PB)

Splish! Splash! Splosh! Wet and windy magic was at work in the bric-a-brac shop. Plop! A big drop of icy water landed on the stripy horse's nose and woke him up. When the weather turns bad in the bric-a-brac shop, Stripy Horse and his friends must save the day. With the help of Muriel, Hermann, and their new friend, Ella the flamingo-shaped umbrella, they must get to the bottom of this tropical storm before poor Roly and Pitch the salt and pepper pots get washed away. Perhaps the painting on the wall and the parrot-shaped weathervane have something to do with it... Young children will love Stripy Horse - it's the kind of story Mums used to read their little ones in Listen With Mother - beautiful!

HELLO KITTY HELLO LOVE! (Harper Collins Children's Books HB)

This super cute illustrated Hello Kitty gift book is perfect for girls who want to celebrate all things romantic! It is packed with Hello Kitty's thoughts and musings on love and romance, along with beautiful illustrations! This gorgeous book is the perfect gift for Valentines Day! Arrived too late for me to recommend for Valentine's Day, although I'm not sure the children at whom this is aimed should be thinking about Valentine's Day at all! That said, it's a lovely little book.

JONNY MOON: GUNK ALIENS - THE BEACH BUOY (Harper Collins Children's Books PB)

Aliens are coming! to get up your nose! Aliens are coming! At the end of book four, Bob sent a signal to the GUNK Aliens telling them to invade earth. But there's no need to panic just yet -- our hero Jack managed to weaken the signal, so they shouldn't get the message for a long time. There's just one problem...other aliens are closer by, and they WILL get the message! Now Jack and the gang have to get to Bob's base so they can use GUNGE's equipment to neutralise the alien threat. First, though they've got to deal with the strange creature that's terrorising swimmers at the beach. And then they've got an even bigger challenge -- they've got to FIND Bob's base!

SIMON PUTTOCK & RUSSELL AYTO: THE LOVE BUGS (Harper Collins Children's Books PB)

A quirky Valentine's Day comedy from Simon Puttock and Russell Ayto, both children's book award winners. Dear 'Red', Your wings are so beautiful! I wish you were my friend. Or EVEN my valentine? From 'Blue' Love is in the garden air on Valentine's Day, but Ladybird is feeling all left out ! until she opens a letter from a secret admirer. Could it really be from handsome blue Dragonfly? Ladybird is overjoyed! And who is shy Beetle writing to? All will be revealed at a magical moonlit wedding ! and you're invited! A laugh-out-loud love story full of captivating miniature detail.

JEZ ALBOROUGH: SUPERDUCK (Harper Collins Children's Books PB)

Hilarious, action-packed new title in the bestselling Duck in the Truck series from highly-regarded picture book creator, Jez Alborough. Make way SUPER DUCK is here! Goat is eager to try out his new kite with the help of friends, Sheep and Frog. But, just they are about to see if it will fly, Super Duck arrives in his super truck. And, as always when Duck is around, things are bound to go wrong! Indeed it is not long before Frog is carried up into the sky on the end of the kite's string. Poor Frog! Can Super Duck save the day?

SUMMER WATERS: SILVER DOPHINS - RISING STAR (Harper Collins Children's Books PB)

Dive into another exciting magical adventure for girls -- will you answer the call of Silver Dolphins? Antonia is a secret Silver Dolphin -- she's responsible for helping the creatures of the bay when their environment is threatened, by responding to the call of her magic necklace. A colony of puffins is endangered by a building development and baby birds are constantly under threat from the diggers. Can Antonia and Cai protect the pufflings and their cliff top home?