The Demon’s Watch, by Conrad Mason
Age: 10+
Themes: magic; adventure; fantasy
Synopsis: On the island of Fayt, humans live peacefully alongside trolls, goblins and other magical creatures. However, their harmony is under threat from the League of the Light who are determined to wipe out all non-human creatures. Fayt’s survival lies in the hands of The Demon’s Watch led by Captain Newton and also an unlikely half-goblin orphan boy, Joseph Grubb.
Forest of the Pygmies, by Isabel Allende
Age: 11+
Themes: travel; adventure; Africa; friendship; magic
Synopsis: 17 year old Alex and his close friend Nadia, are taken by Alex’s grandmother, Kate Cold, to Kenya. The purpose of Kate’s trip is to document an elephant-led safari for the National Geographic magazine. However, their plans change when they cross paths with Brother Fernando, a Spanish missionary. Two of Brother Fernando’s missionary friends have gone missing in the remote tribal village of Ngoube. This inhospitable village is ruled by three wicked characters, King Kosongo, Commandant Mbembele and the sorcerer Sombe, who rule over the tribal people by fear. King Kosongo also enslaves the Pygmies from the surrounding forest. Read the rest of this entry
The Little White Horse, by Elizabeth Goudge
Age: 9+
Themes: Fantasy; adventure; friendship; reconciliation; fairy-tale.
Synopsis: When 13 year old Maria Merryweather is orphaned, she leaves her life in London to go and live with her cousin, Sir Benjamin Merryweather, in the village of Silverydew in Moonacre Valley. Arriving there, Maria soon realises her cousin’s home is full of magic and wonder. However, beneath the surface of happiness and content, Silverydew is suffering at the evil hands of the Men from the Dark Woods. These hostile relations began many generations ago but Maria soon learns that she has a vital role to play in bringing reconciliation. Read the rest of this entry
The Case of the Deadly Desperados, by Caroline Lawrence
Age: 9+
Themes: mystery; adventure; USA; historical.
Synopsis: This is the first book in what promises to be a brilliant new series from Caroline Lawrence, author of the Roman Mystery series. For her new venture, The Western Mysteries, Lawrence travels back in time and space to Virginia City, 1862 – the wild, lawless land of pistols, spurs and desperados. Read the rest of this entry
The Shadow Thief, by Alexandra Adornetto
Age: 8+
Themes: magic, humour, friendship, adventure, fantasy.
The Shadow Thief was written by Alexandra Adornetto when she was only thirteen years old. It is this remarkable fact that influenced me to purchase a copy whilst on holiday in Australia (Adornetto is Australian). Ironically, this remarkable fact also caused me to have some cynicism and rather low expectations when I began reading The Shadow Thief. However, I can honestly say that my cynicism was unwarranted. To write such a novel at the age of thirteen is a truly impressive feat. Read the rest of this entry
The Red Wind by Isobelle Carmody
Age: 9+ (independent reading), 6+ (adult reading to child)
Themes: friendship, fantasy, adventure
The Red Wind is an enchanting, whimsical story which will stay in the reader’s imagination long after they finish the book. I picked it up whilst in a bookshop in Australia, attracted by the beautiful illustrations on the cover and also the gold badge marking it as ‘Book of the Year’ (Children’s Book Council of Australia). Read the rest of this entry
Dead Man’s Cove, by Lauren St.John
Age: 9+
In this page-turning adventure, Lauren St.John transports her readers to the crashing waves and wild, rugged cliffs of Cornwall. (I was instantly gripped – Cornwall is my favourite place in the world.)
Dead Man’s Cove is the first in the Laura Marling series and opens with 11 year old Laura leaving Sylvan Meadows orphanage and going to live with her kind yet mysterious uncle in the Cornish village of St.Ives. There the life of adventure, which Laura has always yearned for, begins. Read the rest of this entry
Dragon Rider, by Cornelia Funke
Age: 8 +
This was the first Cornelia Funke book that I read and it made me an instant Funke fan!
Dragon Rider is the story of a young boy, a brownie and a dragon who go in quest of the Rim of Heaven. They are a trio of unlikely heroes: Firedrake the dragon; Sorrell the brownie (you soon learn about brownies); and Ben, a boy who discovers friendship and courage. Read the rest of this entry
The Odyssey retold by Robin Lister
Age: 9+
This timeless epic is beautifully retold by Robin Lister. The story is partly written through the narrator’s voice and partly through the earnest voice of Odysseus.
I read this book initially when I was about 9 years old. Remembering how much I had enjoyed it first time round, I was keen to re-read it. Secretly, I was also hoping to glean some mythical inspiration for the story I am currently working on.
Odysseus, ‘unluckiest of men’, has been striving to return to his homeland of Ithaca for many years, ever since the Trojan War. He comes tantalizingly close to Ithancan shores on numerous occasions, but time and again he is pulled away to face hideous battles. Read the rest of this entry
Flood Child, by Emily Diamand
Age: 9+
It is easy to see why Flood Child won the Chicken House competition in 2008. Readers will be swept away in the adventures of 13 year old Lilly, a girl living in London in the year 2216.
The setting of Flood Child is both imaginative and also hints at what actually might be… Great Britain has been engulfed by floods from global warming. Pirates, known as reavers, rule the waters. Read the rest of this entry
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