Renegades trilogy, book 2. Pan MacMillan 2018. ISBN
9781760559526
(Age: 12+) Book two in the Renegades
Trilogy, Archenemies allows the trilogy to take shape even
more so than before. As the budding relationship between Nova and
Adrian grows, can they keep their private lives private for much
longer or will the true identities of the Renegades most wanted
Nightmare and Sentential be revealed at last?
Coping with the aftermath of the Detonators death and the revelation
of her uncle's survival, it appears to be more important than ever
for Nova to succeed as a renegade. She is a spy and constantly on
alert for any threat. Yet she is also a decorated Renegade, being
publicly thanked prior to the reveal of a new weapon that will
change everything. A weapon that could strip prodigies of their
powers. Unable to silence her concerns about prodigy rights, Nova
quickly discovers he concerns are shared by other Renegades.
Renegades who don't trust other Renegades to consistently do the
right thing. Will her growing closeness with her team and with
Adrian put her in a compromising position? What does she stand for?
Is she a Renegade, an Anarchist, or neither?
A coming of age superhero story, Meyer presents Nova with a number
of big decisions to make not just about her life, but the lives of
people around her. Nova is in a unique position of power and it is
up to her to determine what the right path forward is not just for
her friends and family, but for the people of Galton City together.
Kayla Gaskell
Moscow Sleepers by Stella Rimington
Bloomsbury, 2018. ISBN 9781408859759
(Age: secondary to adult) Themes: Spying, Cold War, Refugees,
Unaccompanied children, Hacking, Trafficking. Another great
Rimington read exposing the back story to some of the tactics played
out by spying communities around the world, this book is a stunning
thriller as Liz Carlyle, an officer within MI5, tracks the work of
two Russian sleepers in Germany. Irma is the head of a school which
takes in refugee children, but unbeknownst to her husband, Dieter,
she alerts her Russian handlers to the cleverest amongst these
unaccompanied children and they are taken to a school in rural
England where they are ostensibly trained to spot computer hacking,
but what they are really doing is hacking government computers
around the world.
With fingers being pointed at various governments at the moment
about computer hacking, this makes an up-to-the minute read. A
series of seemingly unconnected incidents come together in Liz's
mind as Peggy interviews an older teacher at the school in Suffolk,
dismayed at the way the school is operating, Liz goes to Eastern
Europe to interview a mole whose brother in the Russian military is
offering information, the two in Germany come under suspicion
because of their activities and Bruno McKay is sent to Russia to
recruit the brother. A heart stopping read ensues with many things
being juggled but coming to a neat conclusion, not before Liz must
once again contact Chief Inspector Pearrson as part of her
investigations and their relationship moves forward.
Former head of MI5, Rimington tells a smartly detailed and involving
thriller, steeped in a world she knows inside out. The authenticity
of the background of the tale demands the attention of the reader
and this is readily engaged to the very last page.
Behind the scenes Rimingtin gives a glimpse of the fate of
unaccompanied children, some trying to get to England by themselves,
others losing their families along the way, some used as in this
book by unscrupulous forces to exploit their computing skills, while
Border Force cannot patrol the whole coastline to catch those
attempting to land along the remote Suffolk cast.
Refugees are an issue for many countries, and it is with some relief
that the children in this book are treated at the end with a
generosity of spirit to be admired.
Fran Knight
Whitebeard by M. C. D. Etheridge
Flash Knight, 2018. ISBN 9780648359005
(Age: 8-10) Themes: Pirates, Christmas, Fantasy. Whitebeard
is a fantastical mix of pirates, derring-do acts, fights on the High
Seas and has a motley cast of characters with Captain Whitebeard at
the helm. This madcap adventure is fast-paced, overflowing with
Christmas references and plenty of piratical plundering.
Captain Whitebeard is the fiercest pirate on the High Seas, his ship
Rudolph's Revenge is crewed by seven tough men Dasher,
Dancer, Prancer, Comet, Cupid, Donner and Blitzen, as well as one
feisty female Vixen. Just before Christmas, they use sneaky
disguises to board a Spanish galleon, fight the crew and seize all
the booty, gold and jewellery. Underneath his tough exterior,
Whitebeard shows kindness when he releases the slaves chained up on
board. One of those released is Gretchen the evil witch who uses her
large emerald Green Envy to cast spells and cause major problems.
Compounding their problems even more, is Captain Jack Frost who's
pursuing his archenemy Whitebeard. He lost the sight in one eye
during a ruthless fight. Onboard the Frostbite are twelve
zombified mummies with blades instead of limbs; these Swiss Army
Knives dressed as Swiss Guards are primed to cut down Whitebeard and
his crew.
Etheridge keeps up a fast pace, adding so many side plots, dreams,
poems, sea shanties, extra characters and settings to the mix. The
descriptive narrative is filled with alliteration, tongue twisters -
'powder monkeys trained for peanuts' and 'freebooting French
filibusters'! Be prepared for singing mermaids who've lost their
children and the evil trolls who've captured them ready for a tasty
meal. He includes many festive signs including a special robin who
guides Whitebeard's decisions and a dream of his childhood and first
love Mary who also tells him the right way to live. The author's
historical references jump over two centuries from the Great Fire of
London, to the Age of Pirates and then to optometrists! Olivia Ong's
graphic line drawings add to the drama and excitement of Whitebeard.
Rhyllis Bignell
The next person you meet in heaven by Mitch Albom
Hachette, 2018. ISBN 9780751571899
(Senior secondary - Adult) Deeply evocative of the anguish we
experience when someone we love dies, this story is constructed as
both a reflection on life and a conversation with those who have
died. Mitch Albom tells the story of one woman, Annie, who is killed
in a freak accident, taking us through her life and the five lessons
that she experiences when she 'meets' five people who were part of
her life on earth.
Definitely unusual and slightly difficult to comprehend at the start
of the novel, this is not so much a story as a treatise on love,
care, generosity, decency and the values that we often overlook in
our busy lives. As Albom delves deeply into the reality of our
tendency to feel guilty when someone dies, so we begin to understand
that what is more relevant to our living on this earth is to
connect, to feel, to think about and to cherish those with whom we
live and those with whom we come into contact. Essentially this book
is about that idea of really connecting with others that enables us
and offers a renewed spirit in ourselves and in those with whom we
spend time, even if it is only a passing meeting or a short time.
Underlying the narrative is the feeling of guilt that pursues the
soul of those whose actions have caused the death of others, be it
strangers or loved family members. Moving between this temporal life
and that one he proposes as the spiritual life of heaven, Albom
positions us to see accidents from the survivor's point of view as
well as that of the ones who died. At its heart is that notion of
the incredible capacity of people to forgive others, and he proposes
that those who cannot forgive themselves suffer enormously. Hence we
are led to see the ending of a life and Albom's proposition of the
idea of 'heaven' as a simple concept. He writes of the value and
quality of what we offer others as intensely precious. Indeed, his
proposition is that the soothing balm of loving forgiveness heals
the pain of those who have hurt others.
Whether or not his afterlife reflects a possible life after death,
this little story posits the notion of loving kindness when fate
causes death. It proposes a connection between this world and
another, the 'afterlife', and this author asserts the inestimable
value of forgiveness as an act of goodness that has the capacity to
heal even the most damaged soul.
Elizabeth Bondar
Timmy Failure: It's the end when I say it's the end by Stephan Pastis
Walker, 2018. ISBN 9781406382785
(Age: 9-12) Themes: Detectives, Film production, Fathers, Sons.
Stephan Pastis concludes his madcap Timmy Failure series
with this seventh novel It's the end when I say it's the end.
Timmy's acerbic comments, unusual outlook on life, ever-present
polar bear and his quirky class mates will be missed by the fans.
The young detective's narrative is humorously delivered; his take on
his school, life, family and his polar bear's problems are unique,
as is his mastery of the English language. Total, Timmy's polar and
detective partner is sadly missing his younger brother Timmy. After
a solar eclipse that Timmy decides is a sign from the gods, they
quit their detective business. They focus on sending faxes across
the globe in search of the missing polar bear. (Why didn't they
email?)
Meanwhile, Timmy's teacher assigns the class a movie-making project
and he's the script writer. Of course, he writes the epic story of
his life, from birth to the highs and lows of his investigator
business. New student Tom John John is chosen to direct the movie
and there are definite creative differences, location, actors and
actions, even a kissing scene with Corinna Corinna.
Timmy's father comes back into his life, he's working as a
bartender, not an international spy as Timmy hoped. Their
relationship is tenuous, his father doesn't know how to parent Timmy
and his son places demands on his father that are unacceptable. He
also wants to set some of the movie scenes in the bar which causes
problems. When the greatest script ever written disappears, Timmy's
life is turned upside down. How he manages to juggle all of the
difficult situations leads to some very funny scenes. There are
secrets hidden in a storage locker, family dramas with his Mum and
new Husband Dave, a family Christmas party with his quirky relatives
and encounters with some old enemies.
'Greatness Never Ends' gives the reader pause for thought, this
quote begins the final chapter in Timmy Failure's journey. Stephen
Pastis brings the series to a close with his usual flair. Fans who
love this unique character aren't ready to say goodbye. Comic book
illustrator Pastis has a penchant for the dramatic, with his graphic
diary style format, humourous scenes and snapshots of Timmy's
unusual life.
Rhyllis Bignell
We are young by Cat Clarke
Quercus Children's Books, 2018. ISBN 9781786540058
(Age: 16+) Highly recommended. An engaging and enthralling novel
exploring family, friendships, loss, change and above all, the
importance of seeking help when you need it. The same night that
seventeen-year-old Evan's mother marries local radio DJ 'Breakfast
Tim', Tim's son Lewis is found unconscious and badly injured; the
sole survivor of a car crash that took three other lives. While
Lewis is fighting for his life, the media points the blame towards
Lewis, claiming he is a drug dealer, despite no evidence, while
simultaneously presenting the three victims as angels. Determined to
find out the truth, while also clearing her new stepbrother's name,
Evan seeks out the help of her recovering alcoholic father, Harry,
an investigative journalist and together they dig deep, but soon
find that 'the deeper you dig, the darker it gets.'
Cat Clarke provides authentic and relatable characters facing great
challenges in an unapologetic manner; the entire novel feels real
and unabashedly so. The story keeps the reader engaged from cover to
cover and has an impact that isn't easily forgotten. Clarke's
ultimate message is a vital one, and as important now as ever: if
you are struggling with mental health issues, seek help. And if
you're not, check on your friends. This is complete with resources
provided at the back of the book: 'if you are affected by any of the
issues in this book'. Note: Includes topics such as suicide, drug
use, domestic violence, allusions to sexual assault/violence, sex,
death, alcoholism and general violence. Not suitable for younger
readers.
Daniella Chiarolli
The universe is expanding and so am I by Carolyn Mackler
Bloomsbury, 2018. ISBN 9781408897041
(Age: 12+) Recommended. This book is the sequel to The Earth, my
butt, and other big round things however, it could be read as
a stand alone. Virginia is the third child in a family of achievers
and she feels like the odd one out. Her older sister is away serving
with the Peace Corp and helping the underprivileged and her older
brother is a popular good looking College boy. Both of her parents
are successful and they live in a beautiful apartment in New York
with a holiday house in the country. The whole family is into health
and fitness, except Virginia. She is overweight, her first (and
only) boyfriend is called 'Froggy' and she is not in the popular
crowd at her exclusive Manhattan school.
Virginia is looking forward to summer break, spending time with her
best friend and doing work experience at her dad's office when
things start to spiral downwards. Her best friend Shannon is now
going away with her parents and can't do work experience after all,
her brother gets arrested and her sister comes home with a secret,
just to name a few disasters. There is madness all around her and
she feels like she is being left in the background. Her parents are
consumed with Byron's arrest and impeding court case and her
sister's homecoming and Virginia feels like an afterthought in the
family.
While all this mayhem is going on around her, Virginia finds an
escape with a new boy she meets at the bagel store (a prohibited
item in her mum's eyes) and suddenly Virginia feels like the summer
holiday isn't lost after all. This new friendship isn't without its
complications but Virginia does her best to keep life simple in a
world of madness around her.
I really enjoyed this book and I will now read The Earth, my
butt, and other big round things. I would recommend this story
to those who love an easy contemporary story and the issue arising
from Byron's arrest is written in a non-confronting manner.
Recommended for 12+
Gerri Mills
Chomp goes the crocodile by Matthew Van Fleet
Simon and Schuster, 2018. ISBN 9781534438767
(Age: 4+) Recommended. Themes: Humour. Animals. Board book. Cut out
book. Counting book. Colours. A fun board book to delight younger
readers, the cut outs will mystify, amuse and maze as they learn to
pull out the slide at the side of the book to make the animal's head
move. And what an animal! From a very small green body appearing at
the top of the page, it grows through the book to an enormous
animal, multicoloured, taking up most of the last page. And when the
past page is turned, a surprise awaits.
The crocodile grows through eating other animals, and each page
counts these from one to ten. From one fish, then two otters, three
cranes, four beavers, five foxes up to ten hummingbirds, children
will be astonished at the variety eaten by the growing crocodile,
and learn about some animals they do not know.
Colours, numbers and animals are incorporated in this book, teaching
along the way about manners, verse and rhyme. Kids will love
predicting the rhyming word, reading the small print on the bottom
of each page, leading them to the animal overleaf, watching the
crocodile grow with each set of animals inside him.
A wonderful read aloud, I can imagine kids reading along, predicting
the rhyming word, asking questions about the animals shown, learning
the parts they really like, and go wow at the end when the surprise
page is revealed. On this page they will find more information about
the flora seen along the way and will be able to count over all
again the animals seen in the text. All great fun and a wonderful
teaching tool for younger readers.
Fran Knight
Hilda and the hidden people by Stephen Davies and Seaerra Miller
Flying Eye Books, 2018. ISBN 9781912497973
(Age: 6-9) Themes: Fantasy. Trolls. Elves. Giants. Moving house.
Hilda is a popular graphic novel character; she's a blue-haired
adventurer who loves to sketch the world around her, a valley and
mountains filled with trolls, elves and woodland creatures. This
novel is a retelling of the first Hilda comics, Hildafolk
and Hilda and the Midnight Giant. With the release of the
Netflix shows based on this series, British author Stephen Davies
was chosen to write tie-in chapter books. Seaerra Miller, the
illustrator, closely follows Hilda's original creator Luke Pearson's
style.
Hilda's character and fun-loving nature are faithfully presented.
She is independent, resourceful, attuned to the world around her and
curious about everything. Accompanied by Twig a deer fox, Hilda
spends her days hiking in the green valley and nearby mountains. She
sketches the landscape, labelling all the features based on what
they look like, Lamp Mountain, Beetle Mountain and Bobblehat
Mountain. On her way home one day, she stops to draw a troll rock
formation, that surprisingly turns to life and chases her. Twig and
Hilda roll down a hill and land next to a crater shaped by a giant's
footprint. After she helps remove a troublesome bell from the troll
and he returns her lost sketchbook, the little girl hurries home.
Hilda lives with her mother in a little cottage at the base of
Bobblehat Mountain. Unfortunately, their home is situated in the
middle of the elves' territory and they issue an eviction notice.
Mum is determined to move to the nearby busy, noisy town of Trolberg
but young Hilda doesn't want to leave her beloved countryside.
Hilda's unique ways of working through their problems, negotiating
peace with the very fussy elves and reuniting two ancient giants who
had lost each other for hundreds of years is wonderful. Hilda and the hidden people stays true to creator Luke
Pearson's story; adding a more detailed narrative to create a
chapter book is another way to keep readers engaged with these
whimsical fantasy stories. Miller's gold-toned illustrations capture
Hilda's unique style and the magical reality of Hilda's world.
Rhyllis Bignell
Lethal White by Robert Galbraith
Cormoran Strike book 4. Sphere, 2018. ISBN 9780751572865
(Age: Adult - Senior secondary). Recommended. Themes: Mystery and
suspense. When Cormoran Strike is visited by Billy, a strange man,
who is convinced that he has seen a child murdered when he was
young, Cormoran is intrigued and with Robin his partner, sets out to
see if there is any truth in Billy's story. At the same time a
Member of Parliament comes to Strike asking to help him because he
is being blackmailed, and it seems that the two cases are linked
together. Along the way, the reader is taken through a maze
containing political machinations, members of Parliament, Robin's
post-traumatic stress disorder, domestic disputes and murder as well
as a setting upper class manor houses and horses contrasting with
squalid living quarters.
I was new to this series when the book arrived to be reviewed and
decided that I should read at least one of the earlier books to
learn about the characters. After compulsively devouring The
cuckoo's calling and The Silkworm, I tackled the very
lengthy (649 pages) Lethal white, and even though it could
have been pruned back, was mesmerised by the intricate plot and the
relationship between Strike and Robin. Galbraith gives enough back
story for the reader to pick up where the third in the series,
Career of evil, ended, and the background of failing relationships
and class structures adds depth to the two mysteries that are
intertwined in the story.
I loved the descriptions of the upper class sisters nicknamed Izzy
and Fizzy, their feelings for their stepmothers and the world that
they and Charlotte, Strike's old girlfriend, occupy. The mysteries
too are brought to a satisfactory conclusion, with lots of red
herrings to confuse the reader along the way, and Strike and Robin's
feelings for each other appear to have inched forward slightly.
Fans of mysteries are sure to enjoy Lethal White, and I will
certainly be picking up future books in the series.
Pat Pledger
The Cruel Prince by Holly Black
Folk of the Air series, book 1. Hot Key Books. 2018. ISBN
9781471407031
(Age: Teens)I am an avid reader of books regarding magic, faeries
and the like. I have read quite a few dark fairy tales and I opened
this one with a bit of scepticism, but I needn't have worried. I am
a huge fan of Holly Black's books such as Doll Bones however the
Cruel Prince is next level. Talk about contributing to my stress
levels - it almost devoured me. From the first page to the last I
was very reluctant to put it down. Talk about perfectly capturing
what I imagine the world of magical beings like faeries would be.
Jude the main character is one of my favourite aspects of this story
and I have great admiration for her. But I loved the fact that this
story takes you on dark twists and turns that turned my admiration
for some characters to hate and vice versa as the story develops.
What a cruel start to the book that had me heart broken and fearful
to the sumptuous imagery The Cruel Prince gave me as I devoured this
book. I had many a late night thinking just one more page . . . It
is the perfect balance between light and dark. At times I could have
happily lobbed the book across the room and then wanting to hug it
close to my chest and not letting it go. I happily admit to reading
this book twice to take in all its glory.
What I liked about this book is that it is not so much a teenager
romance/fantasy novel set in the faerie realm but more a testament
to the mortal Jude who is trapped but wanting to do the best for her
family. She is a mortal out of place and in some aspects time, yet
she fiercely stands up for her sisters and is a survivor no matter
what is thrown at her. I love that Holly Black has given us such a
strong protagonist and I even tolerated the trite romantic interlude
which was a little distraction from the violent pace of the book.
My only disappointment is that I must wait until January 2019 for
book two The Wicked King to be released. I cannot wait.
Elaine Grottick
Echo after Echo by Amy Rose Capetta
Candlewick Press, 2017. ISBN 9780763691646
(Age: Young Adult readers) Recommended. I must admit this is not my
usual type of book, but a few pages in and I was hooked. I literally
felt like I was part of the theatre observing the story so closely
that I was an eye witness. I love the fact the novel is set out like
a three-act play where the reader is drawn into this compelling
story. A dream come true for Zara but with a nightmarish edge that
makes the reader feel very deeply. I could vividly picture the
shabby theatre in New York where the story is based. Zara gains her
dream role as Echo in the Greek tragedy Echo and Ariston at the
Aurelia theatre. The eccentric but visionary director Leopold
Henneman ensures that Zara commits herself to the play and nothing
else.
It is a tale that has something for everyone: love, mystery, a
possible curse and murder. If I could have sat just reading this
from beginning to end and forgetting everything else, I would have
been a very happy reader. The leading ladies Zara and Eli are
relatable but what made this pairing very refreshing was they fall
in love with each other without the usual cliched struggle for
acceptance. I felt a little like Agatha's Christie's Miss Marple
trying to solve the murders that are plaguing the theatre, as the
story unfolds.
I love the way that Amy Rose Capetta has woven the story, it is like
coming to a fork in the road and not knowing where it will take you
but having no choice but venture forward.
I found this an utterly delightful book and at last a Young Adult
romance with SUBSTANCE. It may be the novel to turn around my
opinion of Romance as a genre.
Elaine Grottick
Birthday Drama! by Rachel Renee Russell
Dork Diaries book 13. Simon and Schuster, 2018. ISBN
9781471173158
(Ages 9-12) Themes: Family life, Birthdays, Friendship. Birthday
Drama is the thirteenth book in the very popular Dork
Diaries series by Rachel Renee Russell. 'The Private Diaries
of Nikki J. Maxwell' take us into the high and lows of her teenage
life, friendships, frenemies, parents, bullying and her teenage
crush. Presented in a notebook format and illustrated with line
drawings, doodles and comic strips, fourteen-year-old Nikki's world
is filled with drama, tension and emotion. Russell and her daughter
Erin's Nikki are excitedly planning her ultimate birthday party with
her two BFFs Chloe and Zoey; this will be the social event of the
year. After lots of fun discussions they decide a POOL PARTAY - a
tropical island theme at the local pool. Nikki's must-haves include
a DJ, lots of delicious food and exciting decorations, with a
hundred guests invited. Will this impress Nikki's crush, handsome
teen Brandon?
One major problem with the expensive party plans is Nikki's lack of
funds, her secret sock contains only $8.73, not quite the $500 Chloe
needs for the budget. Mum's plans are also problematic, her $100
offer includes their neighbour Mrs. Wallabanger's accordion music
and two ladies performing from her senior's belly-dancing class. Her
little sister's offer to make the birthday cake is fraught with
disaster as well. She decides to cancel her party; however, Chloe's
already posted the invitations. The girls decide to retrieve the
letters before they are sent out. Their hunt for the posted
invitations leads to the Mail Room where the Mail Man is nearly
wiped-out by three 'birthday-party-obsessed psychotic girls.'
Nikki's summer plans are also causing problems, should she tour with
Brandon and the Bad Boyz band or join the trip to Paris? Luckily,
her sister Miss Bri Bri's unusual flavoured dog cookies help save
the birthday party in a special way.
Russell's series is extremely popular, tween readers love the
excitement, drama and fun that makes up Nikki's life. Birthday
Drama is aptly named and will be enjoyed by Dork Diaries
fans.
Rhyllis Bignell
The dodo made me do it by Jo Simmons
Ill. by Sheena Dempsey. Bloomsbury, 2018. ISBN 9781408877777
Recommended. This is a hilarious tale of wish fulfilment gone wrong
that every child will relate to and is perfect for fans of My
Brother is a Superhero by David Solomons.
A funny book with plenty of set-pieces that fans will giggle their
heads off at sees scenes with the characters dealing with Dodo poo
and attempting to teach a flightless bird to fly. There is also a
lot more going on, not least the yin-yang relationship between the
cool-headed Scientific Susie and the feet-first think-later Danny.
The remote Scottish Village of Kinoussie is also awash with
eccentric characters.
I would like to see more stories set here (and to find out a bit
more about porridge-mad Granny Flora's backstory.
Donna Isgar
Trouble on the Farm by Chris Higgins
Ill. by Emily MacKenzie. Bloomsbury, 2018. ISBN 9781408868874
(Age: 5-7) Themes: Farms, Friends. Trouble on the Farm is a
delightful easy-to-read story for the newly independent reader.
Chris Higgins captures all the sights, sounds and smells of the
countryside and she voices the excitement felt by young Bella and
Sid as the visit the farm.
On a sunny Saturday two children who've never been to a farm before,
can't contain their excitement. Since Bella and her younger brother
Sid and their parents moved from the city a month ago, they've
enjoyed all the new country experiences. Tom, a boy from Bella's
class has invited the children to spend a day on the dairy farm.
After several changes of clothes, Bella is ready. Mum loads them up
with a bunch of flowers and some iced lollies for Tom and his sister
Kizzy. Magda their next-door neighbour invites herself along for
their farm day, Magda is a force to be reckoned with and doesn't
always listen to instructions.
Five-year-old Sid is surprised by the funny looking chickens and
even more surprised when Kizzy explains they are turkeys raised for
Christmas dinners. Megan, Tom and Kizzy's mother carefully explains
what the children can do on the farm and where they can go. She's
very specific about not driving the new tractor or riding horses
bare-back. Bella's visit soon turns into a major disaster, with
Magda leaving gates open, the cows escaping and an unexpected
tractor ride.
Chris Higgin's adds lots of fun and drama when the runaway cows are
herded into the Farmer's Arms carpark just before a big wedding.
With cow poo everywhere, the bride refuses to walk down the red
carpet. Bella saves the day which results in a grand entrance on the
farm's shiny new red tractor and Megan's farm-style pasties are a
winner at the wedding reception.
Emily MacKenzie's energetic drawings show the highlights and the
dramas involved in Bella and Sid's farm day. Trouble on the Farm
is an engaging story about friendship, being responsible and
understanding the consequences of your actions. Young readers will
enjoy reading this fun farm story.
Rhyllis Bignell
