These are both Little Tiger books: thanks to the publishers for sending them for review.

Time Travellers: Secret and Spies
Sufiya Ahmed

This story begins during the Easter holidays when friends Suhana, Mia and Ayaan are spending time together in Edinburgh. It’s not long before down comes the rain and the three head into the Museum of Scotland. Very soon though they are spinning back in time and their trip to Scotland becomes a trip to 1799 India: their mission being to ‘save the young princess’.

As they are wondering what exactly that entails they encounter young Imran wanting to know why they’re talking about The East Indian Company.. Dressed as a soldier, Imran tells the three that he’s preparing to join Tipu Sultan (the Sultan of Mysore) in battle. He then helps them explore the fort and palaces. They’d seen the date of the Sultan’s death in the Edinburgh museum so things are urgent; they split into two groups and Suhana and Mia head to the harem in search of the little princess. There they see a little girl, Casimebi, causing a todo about her doll and decide she must be the princess they seek. However the female guard is suspicious of their presence and the girls have to make a run for it and hide. This results in them discovering a secret passage in the harem grounds.

Slightly later they overhear a conversation between an army general and Tipu Sultan’s dewan who is planning to betray the Sultan. Perhaps it’s too late to save the Sultan from his fate but what about his family, especially the little princess?

Based on historical events, this dramatic story is an excellent way for readers to learn something about British Colonial history, a subject that should be more widely known. Make sure you read the author’s note after the conclusion of the story.

There’s time travelling of a sort in

The Arctic Fox
Holly Webb, illustrated by David Dean

Ellie is thrilled to be spending five days in Lapland during the Christmas holidays but before she goes, is horrified to learn on a school trip, that Arctic foxes were trapped for their fur in the early part of the 20th century. Her mum reassures her that this no longer happens and that it’s not likely they will see an Arctic fox during their holiday as these extremely rare creatures are very shy.

However soon after their arrival, Ellie looks out the cabin window and sees what she thinks is a fox. She worries about this fox when the family go to see the Northern Lights. In bed that night she’s woken by a sudden light and when she creeps outside to see the foxfire, she hears an eerie wail and tries to find its source.

The narrative then alternates between Essi (a dream character perhaps) and Ellie. A snow fox, Āppās, is freed from a trap but Ellie is a long way from her family and the cabin. The fox leads her through the snow but a lynx appears which Ellie manages to ward off with a pine branch and return safely to her cabin.

An exciting adventure with occasional illustrations by David Dean that younger animal lovers especially will love: it made me want to go and see the Northern Lights.