Lorna Bradbury reviews "silly stories." These include,
- Down the Back of the Chair, by Margaret Mahy ("terrific fun," due out in the States on June 12),
- Amazing Mr Zooty!, by Emma Chichester Clark (a "feel-good story with jolly pictures," U.K. publication on May 24)
- When a Zeeder Met a Xyder, by Malachy Doyle ("a lovely verse story, with a neat ending," U.K. publication)
- The Opposite, by Tom MacRae ("a quirky story with distinctive slug-like illustrations," U.K. publication on April 26)
Jack Kerridge reviews Victorian novels for children and claims, "there are few things so pleasurable as settling down to a good Victorian novel and, happily, people are writing them for children, too. " He reviews three new novels for middle-grade readers, but, alas, none of them are currently released in the U.S.
Elena Seymenliyska reviews two recent historical novels--The Boy in the Striped Pajamas, by John Boyne (September 12 publication in the U.S.) and The Book of Everything, by Guus Kuijer.
Alastair Sooke considers recent fantasy titles, including:
- Lionboy: the Truth, by Zizou Corder ("the final book in their winningly zany trilogy")
- Evil Star, by Anthony Horowitz (a mixed review)
- Endymion Spring, by Matthew Skelton (a "shadowy, serpentine mystery" with "all the richness you hanker for," U.S. publication on August 22)
- A Darkling Plain, by Philip Reeve ("Science-fiction lovers will lap up the Blade Runner-esque blend of the futuristic and the medieval," U.K. publication only)
Dinah Hall recommends the "best books" to occupy child readers of all ages. It's a great anticipating-summer-already article. Stock up now.
