Tag Joe Todd-Stanton

Dungeon Runners: Sky Battles

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Dungeon Runners: Sky Battles
Kieran Larwood and Joe Todd-Stanton
Nosy Crow

This is the powerful sequel to Hero Trial featuring team Triple Trouble: Kit, (not the most optimistic character), Sandy – the mage and more upbeat, and Thorn the vegan vampire healer. In this story they’re off to Cloudroost, a city in the clouds to participate in a competition as real Dungeon Runners.
Shortly after arriving at their destination, they’re surprised to find someone offering them sponsorship. Her name is Gilda Grubfoot and she’s the owner of a product called Troll Bogeys. (It actually makes excellent glue.) As well as the possibility of any amount this (yuck), she gives them an old steel shield on which has been sprayed the name of her product. Surprisingly Kit is quite pleased to receive this despite the words thereon.

During the introductions by commentators Jenna the Giant and Dirk the Ork, team Triple Trouble are made to feel objects of derision, but thanks to words of support from the captain of one of the other teams Kit feels slightly more positive. Then it’s time to head to the actual dungeon deep inside the mountain.

What will be their fate, a downfall thanks to ghastly threats and cheating by other teams, or, with a little help from kindly gobrots and a touch of magic from a staff courtesy of Grandpa Klot, can Triple Trouble prove they’re worthy of a place at the next level? They’ll definitely need to keep their wits about them all the time.

There’s a gripping storyline with excitement aplenty, characters familiar and new, humour and Joe Todd-Stanton’s terrific illustrations that are full of atmosphere, sprinkled with humour too, all of which make this a book that older KS1 / younger KS2 readers will love.

The Comet

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The Comet
Joe Todd-Stanton
Flying Eye Books

Nyla loves her home by the sea from where she can count a hundred stars and has even seen a comet; but then Dad loses his job and they have to move to a city. Nothing there feels like home to the girl: it’s a grey, frenetic place and her father has to work all the time, so they no longer have feasts together, no waves lull Nyla to sleep and just seven stars appear in the sky.

Then one night, she sees a comet falling towards earth and where it lands there sprouts a glowing, growing tree.

From this wonder, she creates something that forms a connection between the old and the new, something that is able to change their new abode into something magical, something that will make her begin to feel at home in the new place.

Told from Nyla’s viewpoint, the text is spare allowing for the exquisite, richly coloured illustrations, be they double spreads, single pages

or vignettes, to convey most of the story, and the dramatic final vertical spread brilliantly emphasises the transformation that has started and one infers, will continue.

A superb, heartfelt book to share with primary children, whether or not they are concerned about having to move themselves.

Flying Eye’s production is top class with it’s immediately engaging cover, framed pictorial endpapers relating to change and matt finish to the pages and help reflect Joe Todd-Stanton at his best as he shows how creativity and the power of the imagination can fill someone with hope and can help transform an unhappy situation into something positive.

Dungeon Runners: Hero Trial

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Dungeon Runners: Hero Trial
Kieran Larwood and Joe Todd-Stanton
Nosy Crow

Set in the land of Zerb, as the story begins, Kit a gnorf – part gnome, part dwarf- is sitting in the local inn glued to a screen showing the finals of the Dungeon Runners, the favourites being Ultima Squad, winners for the four previous years. Commentator, Jenna the Giant, thinks it will be a close thing between them and the Night Beasts; all the latter need to do is defeat tonight’s monster or find the hidden treasure, either of which would mean extra points. Suddenly the other commentator, Dirk the Orc makes an unexpected announcement: one of the teams has had an accident with a frost dragon and that means there’s space for a brand-new Dungeon Runner team. The trials will be held in just two weeks.

Kit is excited but knows he stands little chance; but when Breg, the bullying troggle, kicks him out of the inn and then challenges him to enter the trials, he finds himself accepting. This he quickly regrets for he has no team, no skills and no weapon. Pretty much no chance at all of succeeding or worse still, getting through the trial alive. What does Grandfather Klot, an erstwhile Dungeon Rum champion, have to say other than he was much older than Kit when he won.

Feeling pretty down, Kit then meets another gnorf – Sandy Sanders – a mage in training.

Now with Kit as the ‘fighter’ and Sandy the ‘mage’, all that’s needed is a ‘healer’. Fortunately Sandy knows Thorn Darkblood, a vegan vampire, can you believe? These three form team Triple Trouble. By working together can they possibly overcome all the odds. Assuredly they face trials that test their problem-solving skills, resilience and nerves

but their positivity and teamwork might just be the key to success.

Team Kieran Larwood and Joe Todd-Stanton have co-created an exciting fantasy that is just right for newly independent readers who will delight in the weird and wonderful characters, be rooting for the underdogs throughout their adventure and be thrilled to learn that this is the first of a new series.

Luna and the Treasure of Tlaloc

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Luna and the Treasure of Tlaloc
Joe Todd-Stanton
Flying Eye Books

At the start of this, the fifth of the Brownstone Mythical Collection series, Professor Brownstone introduces readers to Luna Brownstone, the most cunning of all the Brownstones. Daughter of renowned and respected adventurers known for their selfless acts, Luna decides after her parents were robbed and left abandoned while on a mission, that she would look after nobody but herself. This is just what she did: running away from home as soon as she was old enough, Luna began stealing priceless treasures from all over the world.

On the hunt for her next treasure, she goes to Aztec America and there learns of a young girl, Atzi, who has volunteered to undertake a journey, taking an offering, to the Aztec rain god Tlaloc and imploring him to save her village from drought. Luna decides on a cunning plan: she’ll befriend the girl, take her map and find the rain god on her own.

Their journey to his home beneath a sacred mountain is full of hazards including strange creatures

and they have to solve a riddle to discover the entrance to the palace. Luna realises that she must work with Atzi to navigate powerful waterfalls and evade hungry creatures, avoid dangerous ice shards and much more. Suddenly as they near their destination, Atzi is in peril of her life. Luna finds herself unable to let her die, though she doesn’t abandon her plan to steal the gold offering.

But is there something else that matters more than treasure and self- interest: Luna is soon faced with a crucial decision: does she have within her the power to change?

Luna is a rather different protagonist from others in the picture book cum graphic novel series – an anti-hero – and as always, Joe Todd-Stanton’s richly coloured illustrations for this thought-provoking story are full of wonderful details to pore over.

Darwin & Hooker

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Darwin & Hooker
Alexandra Stewart, illustrated by Joe Todd-Stanton
Bloomsbury Children’s Books

This biography of two friends who became two of the most eminent naturalists of the 19th century is a fascinating exploration of their discoveries and of the birth of science as we know it.
Most people know something about Charles Darwin, his theory of evolution and his seminal work On the Origin of Species but I suspect far fewer know more than the name Joseph Hooker. This book published jointly with the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, tells the story of Charles and Joseph (who was once Kew’s Director), linking Darwin with Kew.

Divided into four parts, the book takes us on a journey through the early lives of Charles and Joseph, their adventures on their respective voyages, the start and progression of their close friendship, and the amazing legacies they left behind. Little did either of them know that when an erstwhile shipmate of Charles introduced him to his companion in London one day as the latter was preparing to depart for Antarctica, this meeting would gradually evolve into one of the most important ever friendships for science.

It’s incredible to read that very soon after Joseph’s return from his voyage of what turned out to be four years, he received his first letter from Charles – a congratulatory one but in it he also asked the botanist to examine his Galapagos plants and over the next forty years 1,400 letters went backwards and forwards between the two.

A fascinating, compelling read that shows young readers the importance of curiosity, determination and teamwork in scientific endeavour. Joe Todd-Stanton’s enticing illustrations break up and illuminate the text, helping to make it accessible to older primary school readers.

A Mouse Called Julian

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A Mouse Called Julian
Joe Todd-Stanton
Flying Eye Books

This is the tale of a rather reclusive rodent, one Julian, a mouse who invests a considerable amount of his time dodging other tunnelling animals, avoiding the farmer and her dog, and evading the clutches of the barn owl. So much so that he’s completely unaware of the watchful beady eyes of a fox.

One particular night said fox – a particularly cunning creature – creeps up to Julian’s cosy residence and smashes through the window.

Fortunately for the little mouse however, he’s unable to reach his intended prey and gets himself well and truly stuck.

The wily devil then has the audacity to ask for Julian’s assistance in extricating himself, claiming to be just popping in for a friendly social visit.

Now Julian has no desire to be stuck with this vulpine visitor so he does his best to free the beast; but no amount of pulling and pushing makes any difference, so come dinner time, Julian decides to share his meal and some nocturnal conversation with the intruder. During this time both parties realise things of significance.

The following morning Julian succeeds in releasing the fox who disappears off into the woods once more.

Things go back to normal for Julian until on his ramblings he finds himself confronted by one of his arch enemies.

Its eyes aren’t the only pair watching our furry friend though; who should come creeping along but a certain fox and can you believe,  he swallows Julian right in front of the owl.

Is that the end for the little mouse?

Not quite for there’s a surprising twist in the tale of this cracking story, which is best summed up in the words of the fox himself – ‘Wow we ware weven.”

I’ll leave you to work that one out and to relish Joe’s delicious finale when you bag yourself a copy of this enormously satisfying saga. Full of suspense, it’s a veritable visual and verbal feast.

Marcy and the Riddle of the Sphinx

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Marcy and the Riddle of the Sphinx
Joe Todd-Stanton
Flying Eye Books

Yay! A new addition to the Brownstone’s Mythical Collection series is certainly something to cheer about.
Herein the Prof. recounts the gripping tale of how young Marcy decides to try and prove herself a real adventurer by following her father, Arthur, to Egypt on his quest to find an ancient book trapped in the belly of the Sphinx.
It’s a journey that will surely test not only her fear of the dark, but much else besides.
Marcy’s first Egyptian encounter is Thoth who demands she bring him Ra’s magical moon eye in return for her father’s release.
Acting quickly …

she manages to haul herself aboard Ra’s sun boat and soon finds herself face to face with the great god himself and pouring out her story to him.
To reward her honesty Ra, offers his help in her rescue efforts and before they part, gives her his left eye to guide her through the darkness.
Still though, she has to solve the Sphinx’s riddle, gain entry to the tomb and attempt to complete her quest.

It’s going to test more than just her fear of the dark; and it’s as well she doesn’t suffer from ophidiophobia .

Even with her father safely outside once more, there’s still Thoth waiting for what he’s asked Marcy to bring him. …
The young girl really does prove herself a worthy daughter to Arthur, star of the Golden Rope adventure, demonstrating that by drawing on our inner reserves, we can achieve the seemingly impossible.
Gripping, fast-paced and illustrated with pizzazz, this is likely to win more fans for the series as well as pleasing existing ones.
Love the gentle humour and detail in this …

Arthur and the Golden Rope

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Arthur and the Golden Rope
Joe Todd-Stanton
Flying Eye Books
From the trailing golden rope on the cover of this beautifully produced book (it is Flying Eye after all) you know you’re in for a treat. From the enormous beast snarling at you even before you start reading, you know there’s going to be much to excite. It’s a wondrous tale of myth and magic – the first of a series so I understand.
We begin in the family vault of one Professor Brownstone, who is a kind of custodian cum storyteller and indeed it’s he who acts as the narrator of the very first tale in his treasured collection, that of Arthur “the unlikeliest of heroes.”

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Arthur was an Icelandic boy independent, brave and always up for a challenge. Which is just as well, for having been accused of being a meddler and probably responsible for his town being terrorised by the monstrous black wolf Fenrir, the lad embarks on a dangerous quest to visit the hammer wielding Viking god Thor to enlist his help in saving the town from total freeze-up.
That’s only the beginning though. A deal is struck …

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and Thor dispatches Arthur on a challenging mission to secure two vital ingredients needed in the creation of the Golden Rope of the title, an object necessary to overcome Fenrir and rekindle the town’s fire.
Sumptuously illustrated, rich in detail and a fusion of graphic novel, picture book and comic, this is a true celebration of the power of story, the oral tradition and in particular myth to grip the reader and hold them spellbound. It’s so cleverly executed in the way it moves from wordless comic strip …

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to intricately detailed spread with Arthur teetering on ladders as he does his research, there’s even a spell emanating from an open book on the floor …

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It’s a book for pausing and losing oneself in the detail of the visual images and then letting the direct telling move us forward to what comes next.
For those readers wanting something sophisticated without too much text Arthur’s tale is pure gold. For those who enjoy a great story, ditto. Let’s just say, Joe Todd-Stanton and Flying Eye (yet again!) have struck gold with this one.

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