Tag Firefly Press

Raz Beri

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Raz Beri
Matt Stephens
Firefly Press

Billy has cerebral palsy and is a wheelchair user. His time at primary school was reasonably okay but now he’s in secondary school, his fellow pupils are much more unkind, including his erstwhile friend Rio and buddies. I felt my blood boiling as I read some of the things he was called. However on line, Billy is able to escape from the bullying and inhumane name calling and feels part of a community.

Then a new girl, Mia, also a wheelchair user, joins the class and everyone is excited to discover that her uncle is a famous soccer player. They’re even more excited when she announces that said uncle – Danny Cash – and some fellow soccer stars are coming to visit the class. Billy, a soccer lover, can’t wait to meet them but he almost misses the opportunity. However an enormous effort on his part means he arrives in class just in time; but it turns out that Billy’s hero isn’t quite what he’d hoped; indeed his behaviour is similar to that of his prejudiced classmates.

Nevertheless during the visit, Billy pulls off something amazing and surprises everyone but infuriates many of his classmates. Things get worse for a while but eventually, with the help and support of online friends, he makes a terrific stand while at a soccer match. This gives lots of people, (including Danny Cash,) cause to rethink their attitudes to Billy and to disabilities. By this time though Billy has come to realise that a sense of self-worth comes from within. 


Matt Stephens’ hard hitting and empowering story needs to be read widely by those of eleven onwards, including adults; it will one hopes make them examine their own attitudes towards, and treatment of , anyone who has a disability. As a class reader, it could provoke extremely valuable discussions.

A History of My Weird

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A History of My Weird
Chloë Heuch
Firefly Press

For Mo, the narrator of this story, things are changing way too fast. She’s just started secondary school where one of the teachers in particular doesn’t understand how to work with what they call her disruptive behaviour, sending her out of the classroom frequently. Mo is neurodivergent and has trouble making real friends; they tend to be bemused by her stimming and annoyed by her tendency to correct factual things when others, teachers included, get them wrong. Add to this, the fact that her body is developing she hates the ‘rubbery blobs that have appeared seemingly overnight’, on her chest.

Then Mo meets Carys, preferred name Onyx; who appears to like her; could this be the true friend she’s been hoping for. She certainly encourages Mo to go to drama club.

During history the class hear of a disused Victorian asylum in the locality. This sparks Mo’s interest but Dad tells her Denham is private property and exceedingly dangerous. However after school one day she and Onyx manage to get in, albeit only for a short while. So, despite Onyx’s father having told his daughter that Mo’s a bad influence they resolve to make another visit, at night this time, fuelled by the possibility that her great uncle had been kept there. Meanwhile rehearsals for the drama club’s forthcoming production take up some of Mo’s time and energy.

When Halloween night comes the friends keep their promise to each other and return to the asylum. There Onyx opens up to Mo about the issues she’s dealing with, but as they proceed disaster strikes: the floor and Onyx vanish down into blackness. What will be the outcome of the accident?

Mo is a very endearing character and her friendship with Onyx/Carys is really well portrayed, which is no surprise as the author, Chloë Heuch is herself neurodivergent, a part-time teacher and a parent. Highly recommended for older readers.

Michael the Incredible Super-Sleuth Sausage Dog

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Michael the Incredible Super-Sleuth Sausage Dog
Terrie Chilvers, illustrated by Tim Budgen
Firefly Press

In this second Michael story, the sausage dog decides that in addition to being a celebrity mind-reading expert, he wants to be a detective mastermind. The reason being Susan the Chocolate Labrador has gone missing. Could it be a case of dognapping as Police Detective Wrinkles suspects: if so that will mean the filming of Michael’s TV show featuring said Labrador will have to be halted. However, when a ransom note is discovered signed by DogX and Associates, there’s no doubt in Michael’s mind: a detective he must be. That way he can surely boost his TV ratings, which have recently nose-dived.

Time to use your talent and charm to your advantage, Michael and you’d better be quick about it. There’s just two days to drive to Three Paw Creek, meet the villainous kidnapper, be a su-paw hero and rescue Susan, then get back in time to restore your show to the top of the ratings chart.


Things don’t go exactly to plan however. To say the overnight accommodation – Dog House Motel – is substandard is being generous, especially as Detective Wrinkles has booked herself in at the vastly superior Bouncy Ball Hotel.

Far worse is to come though, for Michael’s plan goes completely off the rails when he too is dognapped. With Pamela calling the shots, this is cheesily catastrophic . How on earth is Michael going to extricate himself, not to mention Stanley and Susan from their place of incarceration? And what of that all important show?

A witty tail wagging, twisty turning delight for KS2 readers especially the dog-loving kind. Tim Budgen’s illustrations add to the zestiness of the tale so make sure you paws and look at them properly.

Cracking Cricket

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Cracking Cricket
Robin Bennett, illustrated by Matt Cherry
Firefly Press

Written with humour and bursting with facts and advice on how to be an ace bowler, batter and fielder in any combination and much, much more.

The author begins with the history of the sport that includes some wacky theories about how it started, the favourite being that it was made up by bored shepherds some time between 1300 and 1600 – hmm! And like most of the chapters, this ends with a focus on a favourite player; there’s also one or more ‘cool quotes’ in each chapter. I particularly liked this from Stuart Broad, ‘people talk about cricket being an individual game, but I really don’t agree; everything is done in a partnership.’ and had to laugh at this said by Aussie, Greg Chappell, ‘ I can’t say I’m batting badly . I’m not batting long enough to be batting badly.’

We meet the members of a team – opening batters, the top, middle and lower orders, bowlers – fast and spin, the fielder (every team member must be one of those) and the wicket-keeper, and learn about the task of the nightwatchman (that name needs updating) and the joy of being an all-rounder.

One thing I often get confused about is all the different fielding positions and illustrator Matt Cherry provides a helpful diagram of these, complete with several fielders.

There’s a chapter on skills and tactics, another on the future of the game that looks at diversity, masses of stats, plus explanations of key terms.

Wisden it isn’t, but it is a smashing little book (the 3rd in the Stupendous Sports series), for young readers be they players or not. I learned a lot despite being a keen follower of the game.

The Song That Sings Us

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The Song That Sings Us
Nicola Davies, illustrated by Jackie Morris
Firefly Press

This thought-provoking, dystopian eco-thriller is set in a world governed by the sinister Automators. In this world too, live certain humans who have a power, siardw, that enables them to understand animal thoughts; they are called the Listeners. The ruthless Automators want to destroy anyone who has this gift and drive the rest of the citizens into cities, away from nature’s influences where “They must be made to understand that animals and plants are resources to be owned and used; that they have no rights.” Their slogan is ‘escape the tyranny of nature’ and anything not manufactured is being destroyed.

As the story starts Harlon and her twin siblings, Ash and Xeno, are trying to help their mother defend their home against the approaching Automators. Ma tells them to flee to save themselves – and their world. They must seek out a ‘lost island’. Their flight begins with the three snowboarding down a 6,000-foot sheer slope, but the siblings are separated, so they must each find a way to carry out Ma’s final instruction.

We follow their individual journeys through wild landscapes, even right into the centre of the enemy’s empire. Xeno, with her affinity with birds, and Ash, are in particular danger because they are Listeners and should the merciless Automators discover this, they will obliterate the twins’ minds. All three siblings are really up against things, but like-minded people and nature itself are fighting back and the Automators fail to realise the strength of their network.

Thrumming through this tale is an interconnecting force, liorna that ‘flows from earth and sea to sky’ and runs through all living things, until it’s time to sing the world anew … to unite in ‘the song that sings us … ‘ It’s a song to which readers will definitely add their voices and sing with all their hearts in the joyous finale.

Wow! Just wow! Wow at the quality of the writing and the way Nicola has interwoven all the strands of the story with such consummate artistry: with so many wonderful characters, animal and human, (and some mal-intentioned ones) – this epic tale is powered by her deep love of nature and fuelled by her knowledge and understanding of zoology.