Families Book Reviews
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Jack the Fairy: The Week the Bad Fairies Escaped
Name: Amanda Shipton
01 September 2025;Genre: Magical Realism
Tom McLaughlin’s immense skill as a children’s author is clearly on show again throughout this third book in the Jack the Fairy series - The Week the Bad Fairies Escaped. Jack is not your typical fairy, he is a boy for a start! The clear monochrome illustrations depict...
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As the World Goes By
Name: Jessica Bunney
01 September 2025;Genre: Mental Health & Wellbeing
As the World Goes By is a beautiful way to remind us to appreciate and enjoy the little things in life, which this book so wonderfully refers to as 'small moments of wonder'. Buttons the dog is so excited when he spots the most beautiful blue butterfly, and he can't wai...
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How to Tame a Mummy Monster
Name: Lizi COOMBS
01 September 2025;Genre: Family & Home
Constantly bickering and arguing, sisters Junie and Ruby suddenly have to learn how to get along after realising that their fighting has lead to mummy turning in a monster! With fur, ears and a tail, the girls have to work together to see if they can restore mummy back to her usual self. <...
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Unfairies
Name: Jo Clarke
28 August 2025;Genre: Comics & Graphic Novels
Huw Aaron's Unfairies is a bright and beautifully illustrated graphic novel that had me hooked from the first page. This is definitely not a typical fairy tale; it's an epic adventure packed with humour and crammed with chaos. Our hero, Pip, is a feisty fairy on a mission - or...
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Oxford Blood
Name: Rachel Bolton
27 August 2025;Genre: Suspense & Thrillers
Your best friend dies in mysterious circumstances; you uncover a secret society which has prejudice, racism and misogyny at its heart; oh and your dream of being interviewed for a much sought after place at one of Oxford's leading colleges is the next day! Such is the plot behind this <...
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My Soul, A Shining Tree
Name: Sue Wilsher
25 August 2025;Genre: Historical Fiction
Based on the true story of Indian WWI gunner and recipient of the Victoria Cross, Khudadad Khan, My Soul, A Shining Tree is told from different perspectives. Lotte is a Belgian farmgirl whose home is a small farm in the village of Gheluvet, near Ypres in Flanders. Her l...
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Maisie vs the Himalayas
Name: Jo Clarke
25 August 2025;Genre: Adventure
Maisie Vs the Himalayas is a lively, adventurous tale that mixes wild escapades with thoughtful reflections on family, trust, and growing up. Maisie is a feisty character - cheeky, impulsive, and at times downright reckless. In complete contrast, her father is serious,...
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The Time Machine Next Door: Artists and a Disappearing Dog
Name: Jane Rew
25 August 2025;Genre: Adventure
As with other books in The Time Machine series, readers get to learn some fascinating historical facts almost without realising, if they choose to read the footnotes. The ratio of fantasy to fact is weighted towards the former, but, given the choice, many lower KS2 children mi...
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Under Fire
Name: Rachel Bolton
25 August 2025;Genre: Representation & Inclusion
I learnt so much about India during WW2 from this new story by Sufiya Ahmed. It would be an excellent addition to a school library who wanted to add to their collection of wartime stories. It's 1943 and 12-year-old Hasan is sent to Calcutta to stay with his grandfather as his parents ca...
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Jellybean
Name: Ruth Cornish
25 August 2025;Genre: Mental Health & Wellbeing
Not only is Jellybean an excellent book, it is an essential read for anyone who is suffering from EBSA (Emotionally Based School Avoidance), their family or their friends. The narrative portrays the anxiety Ellie experiences regarding school in a way that will be instantly rec...
