Heather James's Blog, page 8

Raybearer

I raced through Raybearer in a few hours. It's so absorbing, the world-building so brilliant, that I couldn't put it down. 
This fantasy YA is full of fantastic characters. Tarisai is a strong, caring protagonist who puts others before herself and is always looking for love and acceptance. The side characters were all well-developed too, with their own stories and motivations (some of which, such as the Lady's, still remain a tantalising mystery)
Ifueko's world building is immersive from the very beginning. She has created a wonderful, well explained magic system and a rich fantasy world I was disappointed to leave. There is plenty of superb mythology which I'm looking forward to learning more about in the next book. Her world is brought vividly to life through beautiful descriptions and plenty of detail.
The abrupt, cliff-hanger ending has left me desperate for book two - I'm already eager to return to this world and story, to find out what Tarisai does next. 

Picture This: The Proudest Blue

When Faizah's sister, Asiya, wears her hijab to school for the first time, Faizah thinks she looks just like a princess, and can't wait to wear a hijab of her own. 
Not everyone at school is accepting, or kind, when they see Asiya's hijab, but Faizah knows just how special both the hijab, in it's beautiful blue, and her big sister are.  

This picture book is a wonderful celebration of diversity and sisterhood. The imagery in the words is lovely and makes this a joy to read.
It is filled with beautiful artwork that would make wonderful prints. I will definitely be on the lookout for more stories illustrated by Hatem Aly. 

The Proudest Blue is written by Ibtihaj Muhammad and SK Ali, and illustrated by Hatem Aly

Picture This: Sounds of the Skies

Filled with adorable illustrations, loads of facts and interesting sounds, this children's book is very special. 
There's so much to read and look at on each page, you can either take your time going through carefully, or read a different fact every time, which is what we've been doing so far (and we haven't run out of combinations yet!)
The bird calls help transport readers to far away places and it's size is a huge bonus too. Most of our noisy picture books are half the size of Sounds of the Skies. It's wonderful to have such large and detailed artwork, and there's lots of information packed into each page. 
Sounds of the Skies showcases a wide range of avian wildlife from across the globe, but also the other animals who live along side them, from kinkajou to red pandas. There's so much to explore, I know this is a book we will enjoy for a very long time. 

Thank you Little Tiger for sending me a copy to review. 
Sounds of the Skies is written by Moira Butterfield and illustrated by Jonathan Woodward

Turtle Boy

Turtle Boy is the heartwarming story of a young boy's journey out of his shell, which will appeal to fans of Wonder. Will is an anxious boy who prefers the company of turtles to people his own age. He freezes up in conversations, avoids anything that makes him feel nervous, and is relentlessly bullied about his appearance. When Will begins visiting terminally-ill RJ in hospital, on the insistence of his Rabbi, he is slowly drawn out of his comfort-zone and begins to connect with others. 
I was not prepared for how wonderful Turtle Boy would be, and was utterly absorbed by this touching story which I think will be very popular in schools.
Turtle Boy celebrates being yourself and learning not to shut the world out. Over the course of the novel, Will begins to make friends and let others in. His friendship with RJ forces him to have new experiences, even if they scare him, and I think lots of readers will find Will's character growth inspirational. He was also a vividly real character, with an anxiety-riddled internal-monologue that lots of readers will relate to, especially the way he freezes mid-conversation and can't think what to say next, and his arguments with his mum. 
Turtle Boy is also an emotional story, and brought me to tears in multiple chapters. Wolkenstein handles difficult subject matters, such as grief and terminal illness body dysmorphia, with great sensitivity. 
I was, however, a little confused during the first few chapters, until I remembered that in America everything is a turtle - there's no terrapin/tortoise distinction! I can see why Usborne haven't changed this for the UK edition (terrapin boy doesn't have quite the same ring!) But I think it might confuse some young readers initially. 

Picture This: All Are Welcome Here

A lovely, inclusive picture book where everyone is welcome and differences are celebrated. 
This is a wonderful book to read in school, libraries or youth groups, and shows that no matter how different we may look or live we can all play and have fun together. It celebrates diversity in bright, colourful art work that most children will be able to see themselves reflected in. Different races, religions, family set ups are all represented. There is so much detail in the pictures that you can look at them for ages to find all the little hidden treasures. 
It is a beautiful picture book with a wonderful, celebratory message. The perfect story to share.
 
All Are Welcome Here is written by Alexandra Penfold and illustrated by Suzanne Kaufman

Picture This: Albert Talbot Master of Disguise

Who will Albert Talbot be today? This lovely picture book celebrates imagination and creativity, while also showing that sometimes, it's best to be exactly who you really are. 
Some days, reality isn't very exciting, but that isn't a problem for Albert Talbot, master of disguise. Early morning, he's a fearsome cowboy on the run from the law. In front of the class at school, he's a mechanical engineer designing giant robots. And when he's feeling anxious at the swimming pool, he's a submariner hunting for a vicious sea monster. 
This story is full of action and adventure. It will capture the imaginations and hearts of any child who likes to spend their days lost in imaginary worlds.
The artwork is bright and fun to look at, and Albert's daydreams are full of tiny details. I really loved this story and had great fun sharing it will my children. 

Albert Talbot is written by Ben Manley and illustrated by Aurélie Guillerey
Thank you Macmillan Children's Books for sending me a copy to review

Eight Pieces of Silva

Silva is meant to be looking after Becks while their parents honeymoon in Japan. But when Becks gets in from school, Silva isn't there. She doesn't appear the next day either, or the next. Becks ventures into Silva's room in search of clues, and discovers she might not know her step-sister as well as she thought. 
With diary-like entries from Silva interspersed throughout, this story kept me on the edge of my seat as it builds to its satisfying conclusion. Tension runs high throughout and I struggled to put this novel down as I was desperate to know what was going on. Lawrence lets the mystery unravel slowly, making the outcome hard to predict.
Eight Pieces of Silva is filled with brilliant, realistic, complicated characters readers will love. Beck's voice comes alive on the page, feeling fresh and real in a way that sucks you straight into the novel. The vivid cultural representation, especially the K-pop and Marvel references, will make this very popular with teenage readers. 
Lawrence shows the complexity of toxic relationships and first love through Silva's despair, and Silva's desperate passages show how a bad breakup can feel like grieving. But Lawrence also shows positive, loving relationships through Becks and China, who was supportive and caring towards Becks and was exactly who she needed by her side while trying to get to the bottom of Silva's disappearance. 
This story also explores the complexity of family, especially what it means to be a dad, how to become a family, and dealing with grief when your family is torn apart.
I feel incredibly lucky to have been given the chance to review this phenomenal novel and can't wait to read whatever Lawrence writes next.

Noah Wild and the Floating Zoo

Noah and Hatty are excited when their Uncle Loafy comes to visit and tells them about his next adventure: returning a llama, kangaroo, tiger and monkey to their homes around the world. Even better, he's looking for a crew to help him. When their trip is complicated by llama drama, a naughty monkey and very hungry tiger, Noah and Hatty discover home isn't always where you expect. 
This quick, funny story is great for emerging readers who want to read on their own, or younger children who want a longer bedtime story. 
Monkey Robertson was the highlight of this crazy tale - I loved all his cheeky disasters and children will too. He looked particularly adorable in the story artwork as he gets up to all sorts of trouble. I also enjoyed the casual reversal of gender stereotypes - Hatty fixes the boat while Noah shops for supplies. 
McCall Smith packs a lot of plot into a very short story, so it's impossible to be bored for even a moment. Noah and Hatty travel across five different continents and readers are treated to snapshots of some brilliant locations. 
Thank you, Bloomsbury for sending me an eARC for review. 

Picture This: Be Kind

Being kind isn't always easy, and sometimes it can feel hard to solve other people's problems, no matter how much we want to help. 
When Tanisha spills grape juice on her new dress, her friend really wants to make her happy again, but isn't sure how best to do so.  
Be Kind celebrates kindness is its many forms. It explores how small acts of kindness can make a big difference to someone else. It shows all the little ways you can be kind - using someone's name, noticing something about them, saying please and thank you, as well as the scarier, more difficult ways of being kind - standing up for someone who is being bullied, or helping someone to learn something new. 
The artwork is bright and sweet, with lots going on every page to entertain young readers. It is also full of a diverse range of characters. 
The uplifting message of this picture book is that kindness, once started, can spread around the world, making a difference to everyone. It is a story that would work really well in a classroom, nursery or youth group, but we also really enjoyed sharing this at home.  

Be Kind is written by Pat Zeitlow Miller and illustrated by Jen Hill
Thank you Macmillan Children's Books for sending me a copy of this story to review

Picture This: The Whales on the Bus

You'll find whales on buses, bees on skiis and plenty more hilarious scenarios in this brilliant picture book. 
Just like Car, Car, Truck, Jeep this book is a lot of fun to read aloud! My children joined in from the second line of each page and loved laughing at all the crazy scenarios. Their favourite page was definitely the seals on the sub, which I had to read three times in a row. We also laughed a lot when the dragon made an appearance and there was plenty of singing with the goats. 
Sharratt's artwork is bright and bold with his signature style. The story has a gentle, sleepy feel to the last two pages, making this story perfect for before bed, or as a pre nap-time read at home or nursery. We loved this story and would definitely recommend it. 
Thank you Bloomsbury for sending me a digital copy of this story for review. 
The Whales on the Bus is written by Katrina Charman and illustrated by Nick Sharratt