Children's Fiction Recent Picks

October 2009

The underlined title links will take you directly to our catalogue.
Some featured items are linked via a book cover to enable you to read more reviews.

Glister: the haunted teapot by Andi Watson.
"One day Glister finds a haunted teapot on her doorstep. Glister has to take drastic action, uncovering a long lost secret at the same time. And it's not easy." (Book cover)

Mercy Watson: something wonky this way comes by Kate DiCamillo.
"Mr. and Mrs. Watson and their porcine wonder, Mercy, are off to the Bijou Drive-In. What will happen when the Lincoln Sisters, Frank, Stella, and the gaggle of familiar characters get the same idea for a night out? With the tempting scent of hot buttered popcorn wafting through the air, everyone's favourite pig leads the way in this hilarious romp featuring movies, mayhem, and Mercy!" (Book cover)

Pyro Watson and the hidden treasure by Nette Hilton.
"Pyro Watson loves pirates, treasure and all things to do with maps and tales of long ago. When his mother goes away to nurse Nan, Pyro is left stranded with his Aunt Mor. So Pyro calls in his alter ego, Simeon the Pirate Fighter, to pass the long evenings and longer days. Then Pyro meets local boy Min and his four-legged mate, Becks. Life becomes interesting - even dangerous..." (Book cover)

Frozen in time by Ali Sparkes.
"1956: Freddy and Polly have always known their father is a genius. So they've never minded him with his experiments. Even when that means being put into cryonic suspension - having their hearts frozen until their father wakes them up again. They know it will only be for and hour or two, so there's nothing to worry about...
"2009: Ben and Rachel have resigned themselves to a long, boring summer. Then they find the hidden underground vault in the garden - and inside it are two frozen figures, a boy and a girl. And as is if that isn't spooky enough, when Rachel accidentally presses a button something unbelievable happens..." (Book cover)

Dark Fire by Chris D'Lacey.
"With the earth on the brink of recolonisation by dragons, David Rain is sent on an important mission: to seek out and destroy a trace of dark fire, the deadliest force in the universe. But with success could come a terrible price, the sacrifice of a beloved clay dragon. How much does the life of one small dragon count, when the alternative is the birth of a darkling?" (Book cover)

The Dragon of Trelian by Michelle Knudsen.
"Calen is a mage's apprentice who is not especially skilled at magic. He certainly never dreamed that Princess Meglynne would ever need his help. And Meg never imagined that she would share her biggest secret - the orphaned dragon she found in the forest - with anyone." (Book cover)

The Book from Baden Dark by James Moloney.
"Three years have passed since Marcel defeated Mortregis, the great dragon of war, and more than a year since the Battle of Cadell. On a mountainside in Elster, Bea, who has lived among the elves all this time, longs to see her human friends again. When strange creatures disturb the tranquility of the mountain forests and her grandfather disappears, she calls for Marcel's help..." (Book cover)

The dark blue 100-ride bus ticket by Margaret Mahy.
"When Carlo and his mother, Jessica, accept a free bus ticket from a strange old woman in the supermarket, they are really only being polite. Secretly they think she must be slightly batty, with her talk about a hundred free bus rides to the supermarket at the end of the world. How absurd! And yet, right outside their supermarket, which is most ordinary, everyday kind, a Number 13 bus pulls up... dark blue and with gold stars, just like the ticket." (Book cover)

Blackthorn's betrayal by Elizabeth Pulford.
"Blackthorn's greatest desire - to become a Trahern warrior - is dangling within her reach. Blackthorn must embark on a treacherous mission, travelling deep into enemy territory, to infiltrate the Doane camp. But the stakes are higher than she could ever imagine. As the mission takes a sinister twist, her instincts are put to the ultimate test." (Book cover)

The Visconti House by Elspeth Edgar.
"Laura Horton doesn't know if the rumours about Leon Murphy are true, but she keeps her distance anyway. It's hard enough being the girl from the haunted house. However, Laura soon finds she has more in common with Leon than she first thought. They are both outsiders. They both have secrets. And they both are drawn to the mystery hidden within the walls of the Visconti House. As Laura begins to piece together the fragments of the puzzle, she and Leon take an unexpected journey into the past... one that will change their lives..." (book cover)

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