Sunday 19 January 2020

The Girl Who Lost Her Shadow - review


Hello hello my lovelies,



I'm sending out apologies galore! My school workload has been horrendously busy just lately and I just haven't had time to blog. I have a lovely new NQT in my parallel class now who seems to be the total opposite to the last one (yay!) so I'm hoping I will get more time as she gets more confident and starts to take some planning and jobs from me.

Now onto the book review. I've done a few on NetGalley (I really should link that account to here) but this one I've decided to do a full review for seeing as I don't have that many here on my blog.

The Girl Who Lost Her Shadow by Emma Ilett


The Girl Who Lost Her Shadow - Kelpies (Paperback)













Synopsis
"Shadows were meant to stay stuck, like ears and promises." On the morning of Gail's birthday, she watches her shadow slip under the kitchen door. She's not surprised it decided to leave. Her dad has gone for good. Her big sister Kay, once Gail's best friend, has disappeared into sadness -- and now her shadow has left too. Determined to make things right, Gail chases after the shadows. But her adventures take her to unexpected places and she soon discovers that where there are shadows, there's darkness, and that she's not the only one looking for something missing... In a world of light and shadow, despair and hope sit side by side. Can Gail recover what the sisters have lost? A lyrical, immersive, and luminous tale of sisterhood, The Girl Who Lost Her Shadow tells of bravery, the power of friendship, and being strong enough to ask for help when we really need it. Emily Ilett, winner of the 2017 Kelpies Prize, is an arresting, vital new voice in children's literature.

Review
This book is littered with descriptive phrases that really paint a picture of a wonderful setting. For me, I thought there was a bit much and I felt that the author was perhaps trying too hard. Don't get me wrong, the similes and other literary descriptive devices the author used gave a beautiful lyricism but I just felt that some of it got in the way of the story. 

This is about Gail who, with her sister Kay, have a deep love for nature, especially sea creatures. This is what bonds them. They are extremely lucky to live near to the sea with cliffs, caves and rock pools, full of creatures and fish to learn about. They explore to their hearts content and then draw and research at home, becoming proficient little experts in their field.

Running alongside this backstory is the sadness of how a newly split family can deeply upset the children in the home. The older sister Kay, falls into a depression when their father leaves the family home. At the same time her shadow disappears. Gail feels responsible for the shadow going, so sets off on her quest to find it and bring it back in the hope that it will also bring Kay back to her former self.

There are many twists and turns along the way, with maps, clues, mysterious people, storms and an eerie, yet magical adventure. 

I thought the portrayal of depression in children was covered well and could be quite an eye opener for adults reading this should they have been in a similar parental position and not quite realised the effect this can have on the children, let alone themselves. Mum is having to work extra hard to bring the money in, and keep going for the children's sake as well as dealing with her own emotions straight after her husband has left her. Whilst she acknowledges that Kay is feeling low, to the detriment of Gail, she doesn't fully understand the toll it has taken on her, or how much Gail is being left out. I'm sure there would also be some readers who could easily identify with either mum, Kay or Gail.

Overall this is a lovely book that covers a sensitive issue that perhaps not many others would like to write about. Don't think that from what I've said it is all doom and gloom though. Far from it! We follow Gail's adventurous quest to find Kay's shadow and see just how much of a devoted sister she is.

My rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐


Keep reading,

Allison x

Friday 10 January 2020

First Lines Friday and The Friday 56

Hello hello my lovelies,

First up is First Lines Friday. This is a weekly meme hosted by Wandering Words. All you have to do is reveal the first line or so of a book (it doesn't have to be your current book) and then reveal what it is.I think this is my favourite meme out of all the ones I've started doing. It's so much fun.

Here are my first lines:

T__ I___ M__ came to the top of the cliff. How far had he walked. Nobody knows. Where had he come from? Nobody knows. How was he made. Nobody knows.






Ok so I know the first words give it away but I had to do it. I think those are my favourite opening lines to a story ever. It is, of course, The Iron Man by Ted Hughes. 

The Iron Man (Hardback)

Synopsis
The Iron Man came to the top of the cliff. Where had he come from? Nobody knows. How was he made? Nobody knows. Mankind must put a stop to the dreadful destruction by the Iron Man and set a trap for him, but he cannot be kept down. Then, when a terrible monster from outer space threatens to lay waste to the planet, it is the Iron Man who finds a way to save the world.

I am really lucky as I have a copy of this book signed by the illustrator Chris Mould!



Next up is The Friday 56 and is hosted by Freda's Voice.


Simply turn to page 56 or 56% on your ereader and post a snippet. Simple as that!

So here is my snippet from 56% on my kindle:

******* clambered up the jagged rock face. The dragon emerged. Its eyes burned like coals. Its tail thrashed. ******* knew this was the fiercest monster he'd ever faced.







I asterisked the name out as again, it gives it away. Any guesses?



Beowulf retold by Rob Lloyd Jones

Beowulf - 3.3 Young Reading Series Three (Purple) (Hardback)

I've chosen this book as this is what my class are learning and writing about in English this half term. Exciting stuff!

Happy reading

Allison x


Wednesday 8 January 2020

WWW Wednesday

Hello hello my lovelies,


Today is Wednesday so it's time for WWW Wednesday. The premise is really simple. I need to talk about:


  • What I am reading now
  • What I have just finished reading
  • What I am going to be reading next.
This meme is hosted by Taking on a World of Words.

I am currently reading The Girl Who Lost Her Shadow by Emily Ilett.



The Girl Who Lost Her Shadow - Kelpies (Paperback)
Synopsis
"Shadows were meant to stay stuck, like ears and promises." On the morning of Gail's birthday, she watches her shadow slip under the kitchen door. She's not surprised it decided to leave. Her dad has gone for good. Her big sister Kay, once Gail's best friend, has disappeared into sadness -- and now her shadow has left too. Determined to make things right, Gail chases after the shadows. But her adventures take her to unexpected places and she soon discovers that where there are shadows, there's darkness, and that she's not the only one looking for something missing... In a world of light and shadow, despair and hope sit side by side. Can Gail recover what the sisters have lost? A lyrical, immersive, and luminous tale of sisterhood, The Girl Who Lost Her Shadow tells of bravery, the power of friendship, and being strong enough to ask for help when we really need it. Emily Ilett, winner of the 2017 Kelpies Prize, is an arresting, vital new voice in children's literature.

I have just finished reading Pages & Co. Tilly and the Bookwanderers by Anna James.

Pages & Co.: Tilly and the Bookwanderers - Pages & Co. 1 (Paperback)

Next I think I am going to start The Strangeworlds Travel Agency by L.D.Lapinski. This is an ARC and is to be published in April 2020.

The Strangeworlds Travel Agency (Paperback)

Synopsis

Pack your suitcase for a magical adventure! Perfect for fans of The Train to Impossible Places and The Polar Bear Explorers' Club.

At the Strangeworlds Travel Agency, each suitcase transports you to a different world. All you have to do is step inside . . .
When 12-year-old Flick Hudson accidentally ends up in the Strangeworlds Travel Agency, she uncovers a fantastic secret: there are hundreds of other worlds just steps away from ours. All you have to do to visit them is jump into the right suitcase. Then Flick gets the invitation of a lifetime: join Strangeworlds' magical travel society and explore other worlds.
But, unknown to Flick, the world at the very centre of it all, a city called Five Lights, is in danger. Buildings and even streets are mysteriously disappearing. Once Flick realizes what's happening she must race against time, travelling through unchartered worlds, seeking a way to fix Five Lights before it collapses into nothingness - and takes our world with it.
A magical adventure for 9+ readers that will take you to whole new worlds.

That's it for my @wwwwednesday. Hope to see you again next week.

Happy reading,

Allison x


Sunday 5 January 2020

Six for Sunday



Hello, Hello my lovelies.

Today I thought I'd join in with a weekly meme hosted by alittlebutalot called #sixforSunday.
Each week Steph gives a prompt to answer. I'm hoping to do as many as I can so fingers crossed.

S4S Jan 2019 week 1

So the prompt this week is Six Bookish Resolutions.

1. Read more!
This term, my work load has been huge. Although I'm a teacher in a 2 form entry school, we haven't been able to share the planning or any organisation so it has all been for me to do. To say I've been shattered is an understatement; so I've slacked off with my reading a fair bit. I always read before bed but being so tired I've been falling asleep really quickly. So this term, with fingers crossed and a good wind, things will change at work so I SHOULD be able to read more. I will continue to read before bed (a habit since I was little) but also have a bath most nights so I can read there plus I'm going to download audible (are there any other audio book apps?) so I can listen in my car whilst I drive to work. It's a 45 minute journey each way so I should get through a lot just with that alone.

2. Keep up a reading journal
As I mentioned in a different blog post a couple of days ago, I ventured into bullet journalling before. Whilst I absolutely loved it, having to draw the spreads every week became tiresome. So, I was bought a planner by my lovely TA for Christmas which is already filled in for organising my weeks and have decided to start a reading journal. It will be plain and simple so easy to maintain ... hopefully. Watch this space!
You can read my blog post here.

3. Spend less time on Twitter
I don't know about you but I just love Twitter. You can connect with so many wonderful people. To be honest, I'm more of a lurker and would love to be more active but I'm not outgoing enough. Anyway, if I spend less time on Twitter, I will have more time to read!

4. Read for pleasure
I run a KS2 book club at school and is something I am passionate about but I need to remember that for myself. I want to read what I want to when I want to and because I enjoy it; not because I  can see everyone else in Twitter land is (Twitter has a lot to answer for lol).

5.Do more NetGalley reviews
Whilst I've just talked about reading what I want, I also want to write more reviews. However, I've got to stop picking every single book and not getting to them and just start requesting those I actually want.

6. Become an aficionado in middle grade books
OK so this is just a fun resolution but there are just so many good middle grade authors out there that I feel like I should know about every single book published or going to be published. I know this isn't possible but I can keep my expectations high!

So there we have it. My #SixforSunday. I hope you enjoyed reading them and maybe feel inspired to join in too.

Happy reading,

Allison x

Review - Pages & Co. Tilly and the Bookwanderers.



Hello hello my lovelies,

So I've finished my first book of the year. It took longer than expected as I was away with my family over Christmas and didn't get much reading done at all.

Anyway, no more excuses! 

Here is my review for Pages & Co. Tilly and the Bookwanderers by Anna James.

Pages & Co.: Tilly and the Bookwanderers - Pages & Co. 1 (Paperback)

Synopsis

A magical adventure to delight the imagination. A curl-up-on-the-sofa snuggle of a debut from a uniquely talented author.
Eleven year-old Tilly has lived above her grandparents' bookshop ever since her mother disappeared shortly after she was born. Like the rest of her family, Tilly loves nothing more than to escape into the pages of her favourite stories.
One day Tilly realises that classic children's characters are appearing in the shop through the magic of `book wandering' - crossing over from the page into real life.
With the help of Anne of Green Gables and Alice in Wonderland. Tilly is determined to solve the mystery of what happened to her mother all those years ago, so she bravely steps into the unknown, unsure of what adventure lies ahead and what dangers she may face.

I'm going to start off by saying that having read this book, I think that if there was ever something that I wish I could do, it has to be book wandering like Tilly. Imagine being able to actually go into a page of your favourite book and talk to characters, feel and smell the setting and watch the story unfurl before your eyes. Wouldn't that be amazing!
Tilly is a curious girl with a love for books. She has been brought up by her grandparents who own a book shop (something else idyllic right there!). Her dad died before she was born and her mother went missing shortly after that. Living in a bookshop and being surrounded by people who enjoy the beauty of reading means that she has fostered that love too. 
However, things aren't all as they seem. She thinks she sees characters from her favourite book. She hears her grandparents having secret conversations. This piques her curiosity and Tilly sets off to find out what is happening. 
Entwined with this, is her desire to find out what she can about her mum and dad and her developing friendship with the boy across the road.
The chapters rolled at a quick pace and I really enjoyed the chapter titles. They added more quirkiness and set the my mind wondering what each title meant. There were titles such as: Readers are so Messy and Some Books are Loved and Some are Forgotten.
I have to say that my heart skipped a beat and I was extremely excited when Tilly ends up in an old Peter and Jane Ladybird book. I was brought up on these and I could actually picture the illustrations from that book as I was reading this one. I think it was at this point that I just wanted to be Tilly!
As Tilly book wanders more and more, some things are as she expects and some things just aren't and the sentences quicken as tension builds on the adventures; but the final twists which round the book up are something I would never have guessed in a million years. Obviously I'm not going to give that part away. You'll just have to read it to find out.
You can tell that Anna James has a deep set love for books and reading as that comes through so clearly and there are some gorgeous quotes to boot.
'Bookwandering is, at its core, the magic of books and imagination pushed to the limit, and then tipped over a little bit further.'
'Be brave. Be curious. Be kind.' This I feel I should give to my class.
'But I think a bookshop is like a map of the world. There are infinite paths you can take through it and none of them are right or wrong. Here in a bookshop we give readers landmarks  to help them find their way, but every reader has to learn to set their own compass.' 
If you weren't a book lover before you read this book, you certainly would be after. It really is a little book of warmth and love that makes you feel good and affirms all you think of about books and reading. It's a real gem of a book and if I could, I'd personally thank the author for bringing back memories of my childhood and allowing me to read a book in which I smiled practically the whole way through. 
Rating: 
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Happy reading

Allison x



Saturday 4 January 2020

6 degrees of separation

Hello hello my lovelies,

So we're well and truly into the new year and I'm back to school on Monday so I'm trying to make the most of the break by doing as little school work as possible! Anyone else in the same boat?

Here is another new meme for me. It's called 6 Degrees of Separation  and is hosted by Annabel and Emma over at Books are me Favourite and Best.

The meme was inspired by Hungarian writer and poet Frigyes Karinthy. In his 1929 short story, Chains, Karinthy coined the phrase ‘six degrees of separation’. The phrase was popularised by a 1990 play written by John Guare, which was later made into a film starring Stockard Channing. Since then, the idea that everyone in the world is separated from everyone else by just six links has been explored in many ways, from ‘six degress of Kevin Bacon‘ to the science of connections. And now it’s a meme for readers.
So, to the meme. On the first Saturday of every month, a book is chosen as a starting point and linked to six other books to form a chain. Readers and bloggers are invited to join in by creating their own ‘chain’ leading from the selected book.
How the meme works
Books can be linked in obvious ways – for example, books by the same authors, from the same era or genre, or books with similar themes or settings. Or, you may choose to link them in more personal ways: books you read on the same holiday, books given to you by a particular friend, books that remind you of a particular time in your life, or books you read for an online challenge.
A book doesn’t need to be connected to all the other books on the list, only to the ones next to them in the chain.

I liked this meme as quite a bit of thought and work has to go into it. Now as you know, I'm into children's books up to and including middle grade. Annabel and Emma read adult fiction, so I set myself the extra challenge of linking 6 children's books to theirs. As always, I have linked all the books where I can.
So here we go ...
Daisy Jones and The Six (Hardback)
Book 1: A Ball for Daisy by Chris Raschka

A Ball For Daisy (Board book)

Synopsis
Any child who has ever had a beloved toy break will relate to Daisy's anguish when her favorite ball is destroyed by a bigger dog. In his signature swirling, impressionistic illustrations, two-time Caldecott Medalist Chris Raschka explores the joy and sadness that having a special toy can bring. This utterly simple and wordless story will particularly appeal to young dog lovers and teachers and parents who have children dealing with the loss of something special.

If you didn't notice, I linked the title word Daisy!



Wrecking Ball: Diary of a Wimpy Kid - Book 14 (Hardback)
Synopsis
In Wrecking Ball, an unexpected inheritance gives the Heffley family a chance to make major improvements to their home. But they soon find that construction isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. When things get rough, will the Heffleys be able to stay... or will they be forced to move?
The fourteenth book in Jeff Kinney's hilarious and bestselling Diary of a Wimpy Kid series.
Book 2 was linked by the word ball in the title.

Book 3: Flat Stanley Pays Ball by Jeff Brown

Flat Stanley Plays Ball: Blue Banana - Banana Books (Paperback)


Synopsis
A charming sports story from Jeff Brown's Flat Stanley for Egmont's Blue Banana series. When Stanley Lambchop joins the rounders team, he discovers that being flat can help him play. But not everyone thinks flat players should be allowed. You can't change who you are, though, as Stanley soon discovers . . . Blue bananas are chapter books for children learning to read, suitable for NC Level 2 readers. They are carefully designed educational books for children, supporting their understanding of how to read and develop vocabulary. Blue bananas uses speech bubbles to aid understanding of dialogue and the text encourages children to explore the feelings of characters.

I could have linked the word ball again but instead I linked the author's first name, Jeff for this one.



Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? (Board book)

Synopsis

A classic picture book by Eric Carle and Bill Martin, Jr - Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?
Exuberantly coloured artwork and favourite animals make this rhythmic story the perfect introduction to looking and learning about colours. Each spread leads seamlessly into the next and young children will delight in Eric's colourful collage animals and simple repetitive language. The book has been printed in a sturdy board book edition - perfect for little hands!
Eric Carle is an internationally bestselling and award-winning author and illustrator of books for very young children. Eric lives in Massachusetts.
For this book I linked the word brown.

Book 5: We're Going on a Bear Hunt by Michael Rosen and Helen Oxenbury

We're Going on a Bear Hunt (Board book)

Synopsis
Celebrate 30 wonderful years of We're Going on a Bear Hunt in this special anniversary edition of the much-loved family favourite.
We're going on a bear hunt. We're going to catch a big one. Will you come too? For thirty years, readers have been swishy-swashying and splash-sploshing through this award-winning favourite. This new anniversary board book brings the story to life for a whole new generation of young readers. Follow and join in the family's excitement as they wade through the grass, splash through the river, squelch through the mud and brave their way through the swirling, whirling snowstorm in search of a bear. What a surprise awaits them in the cave on the other side of the dark forest!

If you hadn't guessed, I linked the word bear.

Book 6: An Elephant in the Garden by Michael Morpurgo

An Elephant in the Garden (Paperback)

Synopsis
A thrilling and moving novel about an extraordinary animal caught up in a very human war, for anyone who loved The Amazing Story of Adolphus Tips or The Butterfly Lion...
By the award-winning former Children's Laureate and author of War Horse.
Dresden, 1945. Elizabeth and Karli's mother works at the zoo, where her favourite animal is a young elephant named Marlene. Then the zoo director tells her that the dangerous animals - including the elephants - must be shot before the town is bombed. Unable to give Marlene up, their mother moves her into the back garden to save her... and then the bombs start to fall.
Their home destroyed, the whole family must flee the bombed-out city and through the perilous, snow-covered landscape, all the while avoiding the Russian troops who are drawing ever closer. It would be hard enough to do, without an elephant in tow...
For my last book, I linked the first name of the author Michael Rosen with the first name of the author Michael Morpurgo.

Phew! That was hard work but I really enjoyed it. I'm really looking forward to having another go next month.

Happy reading,

Allison x

Friday 3 January 2020

First lines Friday and Friday 56

Hello hello my lovelies,

How are we doing? Can you actually believe we are in another decade?! I know it's a real cliche but time does seem to fly quickly.

Anyway, on to today's meme. I am joining in with 2 today. 

First up is First Lines Friday. This is a weekly meme hosted by Wandering Words. All you have to do is reveal the first line or so of a book (it doesn't have to be your current book) and then reveal what it is.

So here is mine:

It was my dad who gave me the idea of using quantum physics to find my mum.


Any ideas?




Hmmm?


Ok, ok. It's The Many Worlds of Albie Bright by Christopher Edge.


The Many Worlds of Albie Bright (Paperback)

Synopsis

"A book with a big brain, big laughs and a big, big heart." - Frank Cottrell-Boyce An extraordinary novel for anyone who's ever been curious. When Albie's mum dies, it's natural he should wonder where she's gone. His parents are both scientists and they usually have all the answers. Dad mutters something about Albie's mum being alive and with them in a parallel universe. So Albie finds a box, his mum's computer and a rotting banana, and sends himself through time and space to find her... "Christopher Edge's warm hearted writing sucks you in from the start with a sparkling take on parallel worlds, fuelled by a delightfully fresh understanding of quantum physics and a fearless ability to take on life, loss and dreaming big while never talking down to his readers. Bananas will never be the same again. I have one complaint about this book. I wanted it to be longer." - Samira Ahmed Cover illustration by Matt Saunders.


The second meme today is The Friday 56 and is hosted by Freda's Voice.


Simply turn to page 56 or 56% on your ereader and post a snippet. Simple as that!

So here is my snippet from 56% on my kindle:


He started when he saw the title of the book. 'Treasure Island! An interesting book for you to have selected - what do you know of the isle of treasure? And I wonder what our captain knows of it to have this here book among his collection.'

It's from Pages & Co, Tilly and the Bookwanderers.

Pages & Co.: Tilly and the Bookwanderers - Pages & Co. 1 (Paperback)

You never know, I may have inspired you to add another book to your growing TBR. I hope so!

Happy reading,

Allison x

Reading Journal

Hello hello my lovelies,

Do you keep track of the books you've read? I used to just have a little notebook that I would write the name and author for each month and then tot the number of books up at the end of the year,

This year I've decided to enter into the bullet journal world. I've tried bullet journalling (not for books) before but whilst I absolutely loved it, having to make the spreads each month got tiresome and I gave up.

So for my reading journal I've decided to keep it plain and simple. This meets my needs easily and shouldn't be too hard to maintain. We'll see!

So let's have a little look inside. I have an index as well but I didn't photograph that. 


As you can see, I haven't filled this in yet. I'm going to start it from January 1st so have 1 book to add here. I just have columns for the date I finished the book, title and author plus my rating.


Next up is books on my kindle. I started filling this in last night but haven't finished yet. This is literally just the title and author. As you can see, I've written each book in a different colour. I just love paper books but unfortunately my eyesight isn't that brilliant. I've had a cornea transplant in both of my eyes. I can drive and work absolutely fine, but if I'm reading in bed with a bedside lamp, I just can't see the text well enough. If I read a book on my kindle and love it, I'll buy the book to keep on my shelf. I have a kindle paperwhite as it has a back light and I can control the brightness plus I can also enlarge the text size.

Next up is my NetGalley reviews. Obviously I can read the reviews I've written on NetGalley too so for this spread I've just got columns for the title, author, fiction or non-fiction, a quick comment and a rating.


This is my wish list. This needs A LOT of filling out!


Now I have 2 spreads. On the left is my GoodReads challenge. I only set a challenge of 12, which I should easily meet. I'm one of those people that needs to either meet a goal or go flying past it to be motivated. If I don't meet it, I loose interest.

On the right is a simple layout I've done for a book review. I will just copy this page out.


I also have a quotes page after these.

I'll try to remember to show inside every couple of months or so , so you can see how it develops.

So there you have it. What do you do? I'd love to see yours and read about them too.

Happy reading,

Allison x