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Adventures In Lylaland by Louise Pentland

Sep22

Life Lessons For Us All

Adventures In Lylaland by Louise Pentland is a wonderful debut novel for girls aged eight years and over. It is a very charming read, with life lessons for us all whatever our age.

We witness the power of the mind to transport us to faraway places where the only limit is our imagination. Lead character Lyla is ten-years-old. She escapes to Lylaland whenever life gets hard for her. Bullies tease her for this, whilst others long to hear her stories.

As the novel progresses, Lyla learns that she can control her thoughts and “Lylaland is for fun, not for escaping to when life feels hard.” When life is hard, we need to face it and we need to share our fears with others.

We see Lyla navigating school with its’ pitfalls of friendships, the playground, and the forceful Maths teacher. With kindness and also by applying herself to her lessons, Lyla has the power to overcome it all.

Divorced parents create a rocky road for Lyla as she is caught in the middle. Lyla loves both her parents. We see the unconditional love that her mother gives her, and the not always so great, advice she receives from her father’s girlfriend.

Lyla’s Aunt Kath teaches her a wise lesson about love and loss. Those we have loved and have lost, live on in our hearts and minds.

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The Magic Of Mister Mishkins

Sep20

Paw Pact

The Magic Of Mister Mishkins by Samantha Mattocks is a beautiful contemporary offering for children aged six years and over. It is the second book in The Magical Mister Mishkins series but can be read as a stand-alone.

The story surrounds Mister Mishkins and the many cats who live with him in his apothecary. Mister Mishkins is part Maine Coon, suffering from a common complaint of hip dysplasia. He is a caring cat who knows exactly what people want when they appear at his shop.

The book is about helping those in need. “Mosaic Street, and Mister Mishkins Apothecary was only ever found by those who needed their fears calmed or worries banished.” It is mainly children who come to Mister Mishkin’s door. For each child, there is a cat waiting to take them on an adventure and calm their fears. We see the lonely; the hurting; the frustrated; those with a fear of spiders or heights. With the help of a cat, children face their fears and overcome them, being able to live in freedom.

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The White Giraffe by Lauren St John

Sep7

A Beautiful Friendship

The White Giraffe by Lauren St John is a fabulous contemporary children’s novel and perfect for ages eight years and over. It is the first book in The White Giraffe series which promises to be fabulous.

The reader travels from London to South Africa after a terrible tragedy. The landscape really comes alive for the reader due to comprehensive descriptions. We can ‘feel’ the African sun beating down on us, and ‘see’ by the light of the moon. Living on Sawubona game reserve brings freedom for eleven-year-old Martine.

It is here that Martine meets a grandmother whose existence she never knew. Martine wonders why her grandmother had been hidden from her. All will be revealed in due course. You need to read the book!

We witness the bond that Martine has with animals, particularly the white giraffe called Jemmy. She will do whatever she can in order to protect the animals from poachers.

Africa is a land of contrasts. We hear how the native Africans were persecuted and forced to live in the shanty town of Soweto near Johannesburg. The reader’s heart breaks as we read: “Only a man can crush you inside, in your heart, for no reason other than the colour of your skin.”

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When The Sky Falls by Phil Earle

Jul20

Tearing At The Emotions

When The Sky Falls by Phil Earle is a powerful historical children’s novel that I absolutely loved. I was drawn into the story from the start.

The four leading characters are an unlikely combination- a twelve-year-old boy; a similar aged girl; a middle-aged lady; and a silverback gorilla. All are thrown together due to World War II.

The novel is set in London in 1941 when a young lad is sent to live with Mrs F. He arrives hurt and angry, and no one can get through his defences. “The last time he’d been at school. The laughter, the pointing fingers and humiliation. He couldn’t do it. Not again.” The fear of school is not unfounded as he meets two classroom bullies and a cruel headmaster. The reader’s heart breaks for the hurting young lad.

Everywhere he goes, people leave. He wonders “what he must have done to cause it.” The reader ‘feels’ his pain.

Encountering the London landscape after rural Yorkshire comes as a shock. “He was shocked… He’d seen photos… of the Blitz… but nothing had prepared him for the smell of it… a cloying smell of charred decay.” This is very descriptive and really sets the scene for the reader. Amid the ashes, the brave Londoners carry on.

At the heart of the novel is Adonis (we met him in Phil Earle’s book The Dawn Of Adonis set in 1911), a silverback gorilla. He is powerful, but once you earn his trust, you have it forever.

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