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Cogheart

(The Cogheart Adventures #1)

Peter Bunzl (Goodreads Author)

4.04 · Rating details · 2,201 ratings · 429 reviews

Some secrets change the world in a heartbeat...

Lilys life is in mortal peril. Her father is missing and now silver-eyed men stalk her through the shadows. What could they want from her?

With her friendsRobert, the clockmakers son, and Malkin, her mechanical foxLily is plunged into a murky and menacing world. Too soon Lily realizes that those she holds dear may be the very ...more

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Paperback, 362 pages

Published September 1st 2016 by Usborne

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Lists with This Book

The Cabinet of Curiosities by Stefan Bachmann

Secrets of the Dragon Tomb by Patrick Samphire

Steampunk for Middle Grade Readers

34 books — 33 voters

Middle Grade Novels of 2016

598 books — 974 voters

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Average rating 4.04 ·

Rating details

· 2,201 ratings · 429 reviews

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Start your review of Cogheart (The Cogheart Adventures, #1)

Feb 12, 2019 jv poore rated it it was amazing

Shelves: middle-grade, donated, student_appropriate, action_adventure, northstar

Set in the skies above and the streets running through London, this scintillating story of clockworks, mechanimals, hybrids and humans is the book that will keep kids reading well past bed-times. It has to be hard for a young reader to step away from this fast-paced, perilous plot because as an adult, I found myself hurrying through a chore or four so that I could get back to the search for the oh-so-secret cogheart.

Professor Johns airship was attacked and it seems the sole survivor is Malkin, Set in the skies above and the streets running through London, this scintillating story of clockworks, mechanimals, hybrids and humans is the book that will keep kids reading well past bed-times. It has to be hard for a young reader to step away from this fast-paced, perilous plot because as an adult, I found myself hurrying through a chore or four so that I could get back to the search for the oh-so-secret cogheart.

Professor John’s airship was attacked and it seems the sole survivor is Malkin, the mechanimal fox that serves as family pet and pseudo-protector. He must get a message to John’s daughter, Lily, but even a creature as clever as he cannot make that journey alone.

Slinking and thinking, Malkin has no idea he has been spotted. The teen-aged boy living above Townsend’s Horologist’s was having trouble sleeping and he spied the fox from his window. With a watchful eye, Robert realized the fox was a mechanimal and impulsively sought him out to see if he could be of assistance. He is his da’s apprentice, after all.

Robert and Malkin are indeed an unlikely duo, but it is apparent that they must work together to get to Lily, because they are definitely being pursued. Mr. Creepy-Mirror-Eyes Scary-Face (not his real name) and his equally alarming pal are popping up everywhere and it soon becomes obvious that the four share the same goal but for very different reasons. One pair wants to protect Lily and provide comfort, the other is after the Professor’s greatest invention.

When we finally meet Lily, and she pulls her little nose out of her beloved penny dreadful, we see a young lady that needs no protecting. But she’s no fool, so she is willing to let Robert and Malkin assist in her quest to obtain the elusive perpetual motion machine and to keep it safe from the heinous hybrids and whoever they are working for.

Cogheart could be categorized as an epic action-adventure and that would be accurate; but there are also some subtle, yet intriguing, conversations that provided unique points to ponder. I just love everything about this book and I cannot wait to give my copy to my favorite classroom library.

This review was written by jv poore for Buried Under Books, with huge thanks to North Star Editions for the Advance Review Copy.

...more

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Aug 24, 2019 Ova - Excuse My Reading rated it really liked it

This is a beautiful middle-grade book, extremely steampunk (which was the reason I picked this up in first place)
The story is the typical mystery with all the elements injected in the right points. It's not the most original,A missing father with secrets, a headstrong young heroine, the villains and her helping hands. A bit formulated storyline that we can kind of guess who the culprit is, but the world Bunzl builds is so captivating, I found myself attached to the story.

Lily's father goes ...more

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Feb 07, 2019 Lizzy (Bent Bookworm) rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 2016-releases, received-for-review, middle-grade, read-in-2019

Cogheart is a tale with many moving pieces, not unlike the steam-punk mechanicals that Lily's father builds. Unfortunately I think it's a bit flat, as I never felt very attached to the characters. Also, for a middle grade novel, there is an awful lot of proverbializing and "lessons learned" sort of speeches, which I found annoying and am sure many of the target audience would as well. It also has a bit of a dark feel in some places, not unlike the Series of Unfortunate Events series - only these ...more

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Sep 24, 2016 Puck rated it really liked it

Recommends it for: children fan of science-fiction & steampunk

Shelves: children-middle-grade, science-fiction, cover-love, underrated, ongoing-series

4 stars for this exciting steampunk adventure.

Cogs and chronometers, this book is amazing! It caught my eye in Waterstones because of the beautiful cover and since Ive never read something steampunk-related before, I decided to give this a try. And Im glad I did, because I loved this book.

Cogheart is a middle-grade adventure story that takes place in Victorian London. We follow Lily, a headstrong, 11-year old girl whos father, the talented inventor John Hartman, has gone missing and is ...more

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Sep 21, 2017 Kerri rated it it was amazing

Shelves: kerri-s-favourites

This book was beautiful. It was charming and quaint, set in London, 1896. The characters were wonderful, I loved Lily and know she would have been a childhood favourite/hero of mine. It's not merely her though - all the characters were so well formed, including the wonderful Malkin (a mechanical fox), Robert (the clock makers son) and the villains. It's actually rather scary at times which I appreciated - it's a children's book that isn't glossing over death or peril but it isn't glorifying it ...more

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May 09, 2019 Kaitlin rated it really liked it

A super easy read and one which has a lot of Victorian steam punk elements which include a tiny mechanical fox called Malkin, a young girl with a rebellious streak and a boy who is the clockmaker's apprentice. Lots for kids to enjoy and well worth a read. 4*s

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Apr 24, 2016 Robin Stevens rated it really liked it

A really wonderful steampunk story that reminded me of Philip Reeve's Mortal Engines series. It's pacy and exciting, and I loved the world that Peter has built.

*Please note: this review is meant as a recommendation only. Please do not use it in any marketing material, online or in print, without asking permission from me first. Thank you!*

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Sep 08, 2019 Samm | Sassenach the Book Wizard rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Okay I'm so excited that I get to whip out this card already (context: I'm so excited to be old)
description

back in my day, I went to the library with my mom and wanted a book! I went to this magical land called the Reference Desk and waited 20 minutes in line to talk to a witch known as the Reference Librarian. I asked her for a book that was like Coraline and that damn witch refused to suggest anything but the damn Babysitters Club and the Dear Canada series. This damn book should have existed back then! ...more

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Jan 21, 2019 Peter added it · (Review from the author)

Shelves: middle-grade, steam-punk

What are the Cogheart Adventure books about?

The Cogheart Adventure books are fantastical action-packed stories for ages 8+ set in an alternative Victorian world. They feature three main characters: Lily, the fiery and quick-witted daughter of two world famous inventors, Robert, a talented and thoughtful clockmakers son and Malkin, a scruffy and opinionated mechanical fox. The three heroes must use every ounce of their courage and cunning as they face a series of mysterious life-threatening What are the Cogheart Adventure books about?

The Cogheart Adventure books are fantastical action-packed stories for ages 8+ set in an alternative Victorian world. They feature three main characters: Lily, the fiery and quick-witted daughter of two world famous inventors, Robert, a talented and thoughtful clockmaker’s son and Malkin, a scruffy and opinionated mechanical fox. The three heroes must use every ounce of their courage and cunning as they face a series of mysterious life-threatening adventures!

What inspired you to write the Cogheart Adventures?

I was reading about various clockwork robots that existed in the Eighteenth century, before Victorian times. They were called automatons and were incredible pieces of engineering. Some of them still survive; if you look them up on youtube you will see how amazing they are.

Automatons were built to do simple tasks; like write their name or a few lines of poetry; play a musical instrument or do a card trick. Some were even parts of complex clocks and their movements told the time.

I wondered what if these automatons got so good that they could do anything and everything? What if, though they were mechanical robots, they became almost human? Could a spark of life exist inside them? Could they think and feel? And what would that mean for their inventors and owners?

Why did you decide to set the stories in a Victorian world?

Having decided to write about automatons I had to find a world they would fit in. I thought – what if I set the story in a time over a hundred years after the invention of the first automaton, in the last years of Queen Victoria’s reign, possibly by then, in this fictional world, automatons might have got so good they could do anything.

I also knew I wanted to write a big action adventure story with these fantastical elements in, and I decided I could bring these together more easily in a ‘steampunk’ setting. So it’s a Victorian world with airships and steam-driven and clockwork machines – rather than merely a factual representation of historical Victorian life. ...more

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Mar 29, 2018 Hafsa Sabira rated it liked it

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Sep 28, 2018 Jessica rated it liked it

So, this is a rough one for me to review. Anyone who has been following me for any length of time knows how much I love Middle Grade books. There's something beautiful about a tough topic dealt with in a way that is consumable by young readers. Even better, there's something lovely about watching a young person conquer an unimaginable adventure. I always have high hopes for all the MG books that I read, and this was no exception.

At first, I was enchanted with the idea of a steampunk story for ...more

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Apr 19, 2017 Ruzaika rated it it was amazing

Another version of this review can be found here.

Received with many thanks in exchange for an honest review from the publisher.

Cogheart by Peter Bunzl was a true delight to read. A middle-grade steampunk adventure set in Victorian England, this book has mechanical, mechanimals, hybrids, steam-powered airships and so much more. What first caught my eye was the brilliantly done cover- simply beautiful, don't you think? It gives you an idea of what to expect- two fabulous protagonists, a mechanical ...more

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Jun 24, 2017 Rebecca Jane Brown rated it really liked it

Part of this review contains spoilers, I'll point out before I mention any! Apart from that, read away!

--

I stumbled across this book accidentally in my library, whilst searching for another. I must admit that it's cover captured my attention before it's contents. I sat down with it for half an hour before deciding to commit and take it home to finish... :).

This was in the children's/young adult section and it did read like a children's/very young adult book... It would have been something I'd Part of this review contains spoilers, I'll point out before I mention any! Apart from that, read away!

--

I stumbled across this book accidentally in my library, whilst searching for another. I must admit that it's cover captured my attention before it's contents. I sat down with it for half an hour before deciding to commit and take it home to finish... :).

This was in the children's/young adult section and it did read like a children's/very young adult book... It would have been something I'd have read at the end of primary school and loved! So with it's target audience in mind, I think it was sweet and enough to provoke curiosity! Adults can enjoy this too, for the language isn't simple or overtly obvious - it just may feel it's missing something.

Saying this, when I marked this as finished - I discovered it was the first in potential series. So that may explain why this felt like an extended short story. If these characters are going to develop over the course of a few books, it could be interesting. Though I'm not sure where the story could go from here? Discrimination of Mech-animals perhaps?

The book was easy to plough through, I've read it in three days. The language may push youngsters in places (especially all the random french during the first half), but for teenagers and adults - it's fine. As a book overall, it's not emotionally moving or mentally challenging - it's quite light to process.

I found myself going back to the prologue twice whilst reading and then found it easier to understand. Sometimes energetic and somewhat random prologues and openings do mean more, the further into the story you read. It's worth reading through and going back if you need to.

Potential spoilers in the next two paragraphs: The only negatives I have, are potentially due to me not being it's target audience: There were several twists and revelations in the book, most of which occurred in the last 100 pages... however by 140 pages in, I'd figured out most of them. I felt the author was too obvious with his hints. Especially with the letter he sent to Lily..... So I was furious when the characters (not figuring out what I'd cottoned onto,) continued on for another hundred pages and playing out a rather predictable story. Youngsters may not pick up the plot line so easily - so I can imagine the last 50 pages being quite exciting and twist-ful!

Again, my age impacted how I treated the characters: I kept forgetting they were 13 years old, not adolescents. I think they behaved too adult in places - especially Robert's reaction and dealing with his father's murder. I found it a little unrealistic.

The biggest thing I loved about this, was the world of mechanicals! I think that has huge potential. The idea of Mech-animals, rules and regulations AND their limited tick-span - has room for huge story telling. Especially in an alternate Victorian universe - it was rather cool!

Overal, I think this is a good children's book, though I wouldn't say it's written for older adolescents. I'd market this to tweens and older children, adults can enjoy it all the same. It's quite a simple story under all the action and mystery! I'm not sure if I'll continue reading the series, but would recommend to youngsters! x

*It says I've read this twice and I've only read it once! I read this over three days in June 2017. ...more

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Jan 18, 2019 Annemieke / A Dance with Books rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 4-star, 2019

Thank you to Netgalley and North Star Editions for the review copy in exchange for an honest review.

For a while I had my eye on Cogheart to purchase as an ebook. Then I stumbled upon it on Netgalley where it was getting a rerelease this year with North Star Editions and I knew I had to request it. This is just a lovely, delicious steampunk middle grade novel.

The story starts us off with Prof Hartman who gets attacked on his air ship. His mechanimal Maulkin escapes and is sent with a message to Thank you to Netgalley and North Star Editions for the review copy in exchange for an honest review.

For a while I had my eye on Cogheart to purchase as an ebook. Then I stumbled upon it on Netgalley where it was getting a rerelease this year with North Star Editions and I knew I had to request it. This is just a lovely, delicious steampunk middle grade novel.

The story starts us off with Prof Hartman who gets attacked on his air ship. His mechanimal Maulkin escapes and is sent with a message to the professor’s daughter. If you think this book starts off with a bang I am sorry to say that the start was slow. That is also one of the biggest reasons I didn’t end up rating this book higher. It takes a while for the story to get going after that. The first half is telling us the situation. It is setting everything up. The plot doesn’t really pick up until Lily and Robert meet. Then the adventure truly begins.

The world building is fine but I do have some questions. There seems to be an emphasis made that mechanimals and mechs do not have a soul and are just things to discard. But Prof Hartman’s own mechs seem to be very different in this. Just Maulkin and the cook. There is an emphasis on that too. I wonder how he made them so different from others. Maybe this is something that will come up in later books? I hope so. I think that would be interesting to read.

Having said all that however the steampunk elements beyond that were great. It really speaks to the imagination with mechs, mechanimals and air ships. There were air battles and quick thinking on your feet. Things I’d want in any steampunk book. One of the things that I also really appreciated was that adults still tried to help. Robert’s father and their savior later one. Adults were the bad guys but not only that. Sometimes middle grade can be too black and white in that.

Characterwise Lily is a girl that is headstrong and knows what she wants. When the book starts she is in a prim boarding school, where she has to walk with books on her head instead of reading them. Something she would a disgrace. I liked her right from there on out.
Robert next to her is a very hesitant boy who grows throughout the book. He slowly finds himself. Learns that he can do things. That he has learned things from his father.

So overall I think this is quite a solid middlegrade steampunk book.
...more

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Apr 20, 2019 La La rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: review-arcs-netgalley, deleted-from-kindle

I was so disappointed with the last 20% of this story as a Middle Grade, I don't know what to rate it. Plus, I just saw the author's blurb says he was excited to write about these kids finding their way in the world, but that's YA. Middle Grade books are about kids finding their place in the family and among their peers. I am so tired of authors writing MG aged characters who are far beyond the maturity of children that age, instead of making them a year or two older and publishing it as YA. It ...more

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Sep 03, 2018 Quirkybookworm rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Oh, be still my heart! This is one of the most creative steam punk novels for teens! Lily and Jack are really just adorable and brave as they navigate their way through dangers along with mechfox. I just wanted to hang out them and be a kid again! I was able to get lost in that world completely. The author managed to paint the steam punk world very vividly along with words such as cogs, by the ticks, and so forth. There are many factors in the book we deal with in real life. Overall, this book ...more

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Nov 02, 2018 Lana rated it it was amazing

This is my first steampunk, Victorian adventure and I had no idea what to expect! Punchcards And pistons! This book was so much fun!

Lily is a fiesty, young girl living away from home in an all girls school, when she learns her father is missing and presumed dead. This is where her adventure takes off!

Lily was being protected by her father, but she doesnt even know why. Now she is being hunted for an invention her father was trying so hard to protect. Does she find the invention that everyone is ...more

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Jun 09, 2019 Dreximgirl rated it liked it

I enjoyed the world and the steampunk aspects of this book, but I have to admit it fell a little flat for me. I found it perhaps written a little too young for me as I saw all of the twists coming and nothing really surprised me. But yet at the same time some things happened that felt a little out of place, like major things would happen to these kids but they'd just be fine and carry on without really feeling the emotions or impact of those things.

I liked the mechs but I don't think that will ...more

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Aug 02, 2017 Eims rated it really liked it

I wish I had read this as a kid, eight years old me would have been very into it. Thirty-one year old me has to recognise that it's a kids book. It's an interesting take on Victorian England. I'd recommend for 9+ (it can be creepy in parts and a bit violent, not necessarily gory but just a bit ew). It's made my shelf (love the cover) and I'd recommend it happily enough to parents/kids/adults who read kids books.

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Aug 01, 2016 James rated it really liked it

An exciting and gripping page turner of an adventure set in an alternate steampunk, Victorian England. With dastardly villains and two brilliant lead characters!

I really enjoyed this and am definitely intrigued to see where it goes from here. Works nicely as a stand alone though a sequel is planned, so looks to be a fun set of mysteries. Was brilliant to see a strong female lead who breaks the boundaries of her time period, and the writing makes note of this too!

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Sep 03, 2018 HP Saucerer rated it it was amazing

Shelves: adventure, steampunk, read-in-2018

A marvelous, rip-roaring steampunk adventure, packed with danger and daring, dastardly villains, two brilliant lead characters and lashings of mystery and nerve-jangling suspense. Positively tocking brilliant.

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Jan 19, 2018 Sand-Witch rated it really liked it

This kid tho. Its very fun and adventurous. It has mystery to it and at one point it gets very gruesome. 4.5 stars. This book is really good. ...more

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Dec 25, 2019 Sarah rated it it was amazing

Shelves: read-in-2019, magical-middle-grade

From the moment you open the front cover until the moment you reach the conclusion this book does not stop! The prologue is action packed and perfectly formed to draw you firmly into the story, within seconds I was invested in what happened to John and Malkin.

Following the prologue Lily is visited at school by their housekeeper who tells her her father is dead and she needs to return home. Once shes there its clear that something isnt quite right, the housekeeper is raiding the rooms looking for From the moment you open the front cover until the moment you reach the conclusion this book does not stop! The prologue is action packed and perfectly formed to draw you firmly into the story, within seconds I was invested in what happened to John and Malkin.

Following the prologue Lily is visited at school by their housekeeper who tells her her father is dead and she needs to return home. Once she’s there it’s clear that something isn’t quite right, the housekeeper is raiding the rooms looking for something, and then there is creepy mirror eyed man who arrives asking questions. It’s clear they’re after something but just what is it they’re looking for? Lily isn’t sure but she’s determined to find out what happened to her father.

Cogheart gave me everything I could ask for in a book, a wonderful action filled plot and a superb cast of characters. Let’s start with the plot, this story was so well put together, I loved the way the story switched between Malkin and Lily’s points of view. I think it was a brilliant way of allowing the reader to connect to two brand new characters quickly while also moving on the plot and allowing us to see two important parts of the story progress simultaneously.

The whole story was filled with adventure and had me turning page after page keen to figure out what was happening, what was it those who attacked the Dragonfly were after? What happened to John and just who could Lily trust?

The ending was simply outstanding, the drama and the tension built to a perfect level as we were given information to help us understand the past and secrets were revealed before the final climax. My heart was in my mouth, it was so well done and I was desperate to find out what would happen to the characters I had come to care about so much.

And onto the characters, there were so many wonderful characters in this story:

Lily is such a brave little girl! I cannot imagine any better character as the heart of the story; throughout the book she shows herself to be a kind and compassionate girl, especially with her love for the mechanicals like Mrs Rust. I challenge anyone not to feel a connection to Lily will all she faces and overcomes over the course of the story.

Robert was such a relatable hero, he’s not some superhuman who is completely fearless and able to do everything with ease. He has his fears which he works to overcome and when it truly matters he battles his way through them to be there for Lily. Quite frankly I adore him.

Malkin the mechanimal fox! I adored this grumpy lovable wee fox! He’s incredibly loyal and does whatever he can to help Lily, he’s a little snarky which totally appeals to me, if mechanimals were a thing I would totally have a Malkin!

Cogheart also contains a wonderful cast of villains – I won’t go into detail as I wouldn’t want to risk any spoilers but it’s safe to say the mirror-eyed man was delightfully creepy and wonderfully wicked – I say this as an adult of course!

Final Thoughts
This was such an incredible story filled with action and adventure. I got major Sally Lockhart vibes in places and I mean that in a positive way – the Sally Lockhart Quartet was one of my favourite series growing up. I’m so pleased I can catch up with Lily and Robert again already! I shall be reading Moonlocket soon! ...more

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Apr 18, 2017 Emma Radford rated it it was amazing

What a great read - brilliant protagonists, gripping adventure and crazy inventions in this steampunk novel. Look forward to the next instalment.

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Jan 06, 2019 Rae rated it really liked it

Shelves: fiction, bt-e-book, arc, 2019

Cogheart by Peter Bunzl is a fun middle school adventure set in the late 1800s.

I dont read a lot of middle school books, but Im glad I picked this one up! Cogheart was such a cute read! It was a playful book that set a frolicking pace and was jam-packed with action.

I adored the storyline for Cogheart! When Lilys father goes missing, presumed dead, Lilys world is turned upside down. She doesnt know who to call friend or foe and finds herself in the middle of an intrigue she doesnt fully ...more

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Jan 20, 2019 Allie rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: own, ebooks, review-copies

Full Review
I absolutely adored this book! It was honestly so hard choosing my favorite quote to put at the top of this review because I had so many highlighted. I'm a big fan of lyrical writing - it helps pull me into the story's world more - and Peter Bunzl's writing style is beautiful, especially for a middle grade! The writing was simple enough to be understood, but still enjoyable for anyone who picks it up, no matter what age!

Lily is a great main character! She's realistic and relatable and ...more

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Mar 23, 2017 Matilda Chapman rated it it was ok

I went into this book expecting to love it. The plot sounded incredible and the cover is simply gorgeous. Prior to starting Cogheart, I was reading multiple books per week. However, this took me just under a month. The characters were underdeveloped and dull. Even Malkin the mechanical fox wasn't as amazing as I'd expected him to be. The world in which it was set was not very well described so you felt a bit lost and the battle moments were tedious at best.

The only book so far this year I ...more

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Sep 06, 2016 Zainab Ishaq rated it really liked it

This was such an exciting adventure set in Steam Punk, England. The book was basically for young readers but I read children's literature after a very long time so I really enjoyed reading this book.

The plot of the book was great. I won't reveal here so I don't spoil it for those who still have to read this book or are currently reading.
Peter Brunzl's debut book was an undoubtly amzing adventure with a gripping plot, with lead main heroines and many dark secrets.

The end was quite satisfying but ...more

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Mar 03, 2017 Alex Peachman rated it liked it

This book definitely got more exciting towards the end, and it was worth reading on to get there. I liked the mix of historical and sci-fi - it is set in the late Victorian period, but has robots in it! I think that's what they call 'steam punk'!

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Jan 08, 2019 Jypsy rated it really liked it · review of another edition

An enjoyable read for middle school ages. It's a good steampunk adventure story. The characters are engaging. The story is predictable but still fun.

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About Peter Bunzl

Peter Bunzl

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Really, really long Bio:

Peter Bunzl is an author, filmmaker & animator who writes quirky tales about finding your place in the world and what makes you unique. Stories of family and humanity and where they begin and end. He loves cinematic images, magical adventures and big odd ideas!

His series of childrens novels The Cogheart Adventures are tales of danger and daring, catastrophes and courage Really, really long Bio:

Peter Bunzl is an author, filmmaker & animator who writes quirky tales about finding your place in the world and what makes you unique. Stories of family and humanity and where they begin and end. He loves cinematic images, magical adventures and big odd ideas!

His series of children’s novels The Cogheart Adventures are tales of danger and daring, catastrophes and courage set in the Victorian era.

Featuring two friends, murder, mystery and mayhem, airships and automata, danger, daring and dastardly plots and an over-opinionated mechanical fox; The Cogheart Adventures are an exhilirating set of stories with a dash of devilry, a smidgen of steampunk and whole lot of heart.

Peter grew up in South London in a rambling Victorian house with three cats, two dogs, one little sister, an antique dealer dad and an artist mum. Peter has always wanted to tell stories, and found inspiration visiting film and TV sets including James Bond and Postman Pat, where his mum worked as a costume designer. As a child he loved writing and drawing his own books and comic books and was enamoured with the idea of bringing his characters to life, this led to a deep interest in film and animation.

Peter went on to study animation at art college and then at the National Film and Television School. He has animated on commercials, promos, and 2 BAFTA winning children’s TV shows (Yoko! Jakamoko! Toto! and The Secret Show) and has also written and directed several successful short films. His film, Mind Games was a finalist for Virgin Media Shorts Award (2008) and screened in over 200 UK cinemas.

Peter’s debut novel Cogheart was shortlisted for numerous awards, including the Waterstones Book Prize and the Branford Boase. It won the Dudley Teen Book Award, Sefton Super Reads and the Awesome Book Award. The sequel Moonlocket came out in 2017 and the third book in the series, Skycircus, is out now!

Peter lives in North London with his partner Michael, a fox who visits their garden and a clutter of house spiders.

You can find out more about Peter’s work at his website: peterbunzl.com or tweet him @peterbunzl Plus there’s animated Cogheart clips and activities at cogheart.com ...more