I first read this as a child, and fell in love with the Animals of Farthing Wood. I was reintroduced to it when in a bookshop with my son, who asked whether I could find any of my favourite books from when I was his age. As I glanced at the shelves, this was the … Continue reading The Animals of Farthing Wood by Colin Dann
Tag: reading for pleasure
A Library of Lemons by Jo Cotterill
I picked this up at the Celebration Event for 2016's Coventry Inspiration Book Awards. Having loved Looking at the Stars, I was expecting an emotional journey, and this book was a real roller coaster! Calypso's home life isn't easy. Since her Mum died from cancer, her Dad has taught her the importance of being her … Continue reading A Library of Lemons by Jo Cotterill
My Brother is a Superhero by David Solomons
"I could have been one too, except I needed a wee..." I picked this up with a couple of reluctant readers in mind, thinking it would be one of those books that while personally, I didn't really enjoy, would be great for them. How wrong was I? Sharp humour, comic plot devices stand-ups would be … Continue reading My Brother is a Superhero by David Solomons
The Mystery of the Clockwork Sparrow by Katherine Woodfine
Another from the Hooked on Books category of the Coventry Inspiration Book Awards 2017. Set in Edwardian London, this book follows Sophie as she tries to get herself back on her feet after being orphaned, and gets a job in the millinery department of Sinclairs, London's newest department store. Beautifully written, Katherine Woodfine's description of … Continue reading The Mystery of the Clockwork Sparrow by Katherine Woodfine
Oranges in No Man’s Land by Elizabeth Laird
My son introduced me to this book one afternoon as I picked him up from school. "Mum, you have to read this book, you'll love it." So I did, and it deserves it's place on my bookshelf. Oranges in No Man's Land follows the lives of Ayesha and her younger brothers in war torn Beirut. With … Continue reading Oranges in No Man’s Land by Elizabeth Laird
Boy X by Dan Smith
Boy X is on the shortlist for the Coventry Inspiration Book Awards 2017 in the Hooked on Books category, so was instantly added to my summer reads pile to get ahead of the game, ready for the release of the shortlist in October. I settled down on my sunbed and was thrown straight into the … Continue reading Boy X by Dan Smith
Ned’s Circus of Marvels by Justin Fisher
Ned Waddlesworth's life is boring. His school is boring, the town he lives in is boring, his Dad is boring; boring and overprotective. And then it's Ned's 13th birthday; bring on the clowns! They don't just banish the boring, they turn Ned's world upside down. Everything Ned imagines about magic and monsters turns out to be … Continue reading Ned’s Circus of Marvels by Justin Fisher
Peter Bunzl Day
I'd read Cogheart, and loved it. Then, as if all of the cogs in the universe aligned, I saw on Twitter that Peter Bunzl was going to be at the National Space Centre in Leicester on a day I was free! I did what anyone would have done. I got over excited and tweeted him, … Continue reading Peter Bunzl Day
Looking at the Stars by Jo Cotterill
A very worthy winner of the Coventry Inspiration Book Awards 2016, Hooked on Books category. My book group unanimously voted this as their winner, with all saying they had cried at various points in the story (including the boys). The story follows Amena and her family through their lives in a civil war torn country, … Continue reading Looking at the Stars by Jo Cotterill
Beetle Boy by M.G. Leonard
Full of charm and quirkiness, with characters to both love and loathe, M.G. Leonard creates a tale of mystery, adventure and beetles with a side order of slapstick that just cries out for one more chapter, which is how I finished it in a day! The settings she creates from the depths of the Natural … Continue reading Beetle Boy by M.G. Leonard
Mrs Cleveland is reading... 