Tag Louise Forshaw

Bad United Fast As Lightning / Guardians of the New Moon: The Year of the Ox

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These are both additions to popular series from Little Tiger – thanks to the publisher for sending then for review.

Bad United Fast As Lightning
Louise Forshaw

Having achieved two wins, Bad United are starting to attract a fair bit of attention, so much so that Hoof the unicorn declares ‘We’re famous’.
When manager, Serena Winter announces a visit to the spa, it’s no surprise that one team member is far from enthusiastic: Bolt (cheetah) considers yogic breathing a complete waste of time; he’s the best striker so why bother, he thinks. But whether the experience has had the desired effect of bringing the whole team back together ready for anything as Hoof hopes, we’ve yet to find out when they begin training for the next match, which is against Storm. Pretty soon though, it appears that it’s not the case with Bolt.

On match day Serena reminds them all to focus on their happy places but with all the other players waiting on the pitch, team Storm hasn’t shown up. What happens thereafter is I suspect, the strangest ever match that commentators, Waffle and Cyclops have ever witnessed, so much so that Serena immediately asks for a rematch. Will Bad United emerge victorious, this time? And has Bolt finally learned about team play? If so, fans will be cheering extra loud.

Guardians of the New Moon: The Year of the Ox
Eric Huang, illustrated by Phùng Nguyén Quang

Shocked that his son Xiao Nioh has been wasting his time working on a dance he was going to perform to usher in the Year of the Ox, Lord Chiyou is finding it very difficult to understand his son’s creative performance involving a sword and a long coloured ribbon. Frivolities is what he calls it and in an effort to make his son brave, at the suggestion of the Jade Emperor sends Xiao Nioh off on a quest accompanied by the Guardians of the New Moon, Ming and Miaow. They must deliver a message about farming techniques and one more matter – the crops and the whole valley must be protected from the nian, a fierce magical one-horned beast with a massive appetite. With the help of the Guardians, can Xiao Nioh prove himself without having to abandon his dancing dreams, or will the Year of the Ox be a huge let down?

With plenty of action and humour too, this third book in the series is as exciting as the previous Guardians stories.

Bad United: Foul Play

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Bad United: Foul Play
Louise Forshaw
Little Tiger

Bad United, the team that includes a skeleton captain, a dinosaur, a unicorn, a fairy and a spider goalkeeper return with some more splendid soccer silliness. In this instalment team members are celebrating their first win, albeit in a rather dis-united manner, when news comes of their next match. They’re up against Tinkerball’s old squad, The Fairy Dusters – the one from which she was given the boot – and she’s very worried about the prospect of having to perform against them. Nevertheless Hoof suggests the fairy teaches them some special moves, so Tinkerball starts on the magical moves training. A successful session is followed by some enjoyable team bonding.
Come match day, the commentators remark, “Tensions will be running high”. Meanwhile Bad United are given special new magic repellant kit and onto the pitch they go. With Tinkerball’s twin sister heading up the opposition and Tinks out for revenge the sparks begin to fly. Come half time the siblings are both booked and Tinkerball is forced to relate the whole story of why the Fairy Dusters threw her out.

Bad United’s captain gives the siblings a good talking to and the second half begins.
What will be the result? Is it possible that Bad United can win their second match?

Further football foolishness delivered cartoon strip style that new solo readers will revel in.

Bad United: Just For Kicks

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Bad United: Just For Kicks
Louise Forshaw
Little Tiger

Delivered in graphic novel form, this must surely be soccer at its silliest. It’s also great fun.
Meet Hoof the unicorn who desperately wants to be part of a team, but his previous club, unable to appreciate his talents, has just kicked him out. Wither next he wonders, and then he spots a notice for BAD UNITED. Off he trots in the hope of being given an opportunity to show his prowess to mermaid manager cum coach, Serena Winmer and become part of the squad.

Having been accepted, it’s time to meet his new teammates: captain Bones, a skeleton who isn’t always able to keep her head on, ROARsome Rex, dino. defender, striker Bolt the cheetah who brings the thunder and lightning, Tinkerball the definitely not sweet fairy with her dazzling moves, and Annette the super-large arachnid goalie. All these, so their previous teams have deemed, are sub-standard soccer players.

After some pretty intensive training, team Bad United enter their first tournament. They’re up against The Blazing Dragons – a formidable bunch with some very nifty moves.

But can the newbies sporting brand new kits, with their combination of strength, speed and skill. not to mention some aromatic assistance, remember coach’s spirit lifting words, get their act together, surprise the commentators and emerge victorious, even when they’re 0-5 down at half time?

An enjoyable read, especially for those who prefer stories where the visuals are dominant.

Scrap / Solve Your Own Mystery: The Transylvanian Express

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These are two recently published adventures from Little Tiger – thanks to the publisher for sending them for review.

Scrap
Guy Bass, illustrated by Alessia Trunfio

This is a sc-fi, action-packed adventure that will intrigue you from the outset. It stars loyal robot and former king Scrap, and the only humans left on the planet, two young sisters Paige and Gnat who are struggling to survive against the odds. The setting in the future is Somewhere 513, where the robots intended to prepare the way for human habitation, decided to keep it for themselves. A battle was the result and the other robots fled leaving King, who sided with the humans.

Fast forward a decade and a mangy robot is living a solitary existence on the Pile – an area of abandoned junk – where he has carefully constructed himself a home in which to see out his days. As he reflects upon how desperate he is to belong to his surroundings his thoughts are interrupted by the appearance of two figures, their faces hidden beneath their clothes. He tells them to get lost, but convinced that this robot is the one they’ve been searching for, the girls tell the robot that their mother had told them to find him. At least Gnat believes it’s King, but Paige is far from certain.

When the robot refuses to reveal his name, Gnat decides he is to be called Scrap. Paige is quick thinking, slow to trust Scrap on account of his appearance mainly, but very loving towards Gnat. Gnat in contrast is open-minded and her manner of speaking is delightful.

Scrap really wants nothing to do with the girls but his conscience won’t let him abandon them to the Hunters who are searching for them and despite his grumpiness he proves to be full of heart, loyal and caring towards them.

We also meet Mayor Harmony Highshine, full of evil plans, and Morten Prometheus, playing a role he doesn’t like; indeed new characters keep on appearing as the plot twists and turns with Scrap, Paige and Gnat facing various enemies, escaping and then finding themselves in further danger.

All this makes for a thrilling and thought-provoking adventure, not least on account of the upgrading issue. There’s humour too though, partly thanks to Gunner whose phrases that aren’t quite right; “charm down”, “hazard a guest” and “I’m folding all the cards” will surely make you smile and there’s a wealth of other wordplay too. Then we have Alessia Trunfio’s superb illustrations.
Bring on the second adventure of Scrap, Paige and Gnat.

Solve Your Own Mystery: The Transylvanian Express
Gareth P. Jones, illustrated by Louise Forshaw

Want to be a detective? Then try this the fourth of this series that puts the reader in charge of the direction in which the mystery story goes. Like the previous ones, it features characters from the town of Haventry.

You and your yeti boss, Klaus Solstaag are seven days into a railway journey aboard the Transylvanian Express, destination Castel Ursprung, home of the vampire Count Fledermaus. However, before you get there, a mystery needs .solving: Night Mayor Franklefink has vanished from the train. Somebody aboard must have played a role in his disappearance, but who has the strongest motive?

There are several possibles. Could it be Franklefink’s archnemesis Bramwell Stoker? Or is Sandra Rigmarole, elf District Governor and colleague of the Night Mayor, a more likely suspect? Maybe Franklefink’s monster wife has turned against him? You dear reader, decide!

By following the prompts and choosing what route to take, you will be lead down various paths and be offered a number of clues to assist you in solving the crime. One thing I can assure readers is that this trip will be anything but boring and that eventually the perpetrator of the crime will be unmasked.

With a wealth of mock scary illustrations by Louise Forshaw to add to the fun, this will be especially welcome for readers who enjoy problem solving.

The Arctic Railway Assassin / Solve Your Own Mystery: The Missing Magic

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The Arctic Railway Assassin
M.G. Leonard & Sam Sedgman, illustrated by Elisa Paganelli
Macmillan Children’s Books

Hal flies off to Sweden where he is to meet Uncle Nat. From Stockholm the following day they will take a Christmas trip aboard the sleeper train bound for the Aurora Sky Station to see the Northern Lights. Uncle Nat announces that his friend Morti, who has just won the Nobel Prize, is to accompany them, but then she suddenly changes her plan. After the announcement of her prize she’s been scared by some inexplicable events with things of hers disappearing and now Hal and Nat are to travel without her.

While waiting to board the train Hal sketches a group of musicians,

then as they leave Stockholm, he and his uncle think they are being followed, and Nat tells the boy that one of the people in his drawing is an assassin from his past, supposedly long dead. Something doesn’t quite add up with this picture of Hal’s. And what about the sudden appearance of Hal’s mum on board too?

Full of suspense, and with some great new characters, this truly is a gripping page turner with some really perilous episodes when readers will find themselves fearing for the lives of some of the characters. Hal’s drawing skills really come to the fore in this adventure, considerably helping to solve the mystery of what the assassins are after and where it is. Elisa Paganelli’s illustrations do a wonderful job bringing his sketches to life and adding to the reader’s involvement in solving the mystery.

My only regret is that this is the final book in the brilliant Adventures on Trains series.

Solve Your Own Mystery: The Missing Magic
Gareth P. Jones, illustrated by Louise Forshaw
Little Tiger

In the third interactive adventure from Gareth P. Jones there’s another puzzling mystery waiting for readers to solve. Like previous titles it’s set in the town of Haventry, a place where with its unusual population almost anything can happen at any time. Now it’s the opening day of Magicon, the world’s biggest magic convention and everyone is gathering for the great event when suddenly disaster strikes: all the magic in the town disappears. Who is responsible for this catastrophe?

It’s up to readers to don their detective hats, find out, and get it back in time for the opening ceremony. Could the thief perhaps be Evil Enid; or maybe Nigel Rigmarole whose business is magical energy? These are just two of the possible suspects that detective you, along with boss Klaus Solstaag (a yeti) need to consider. There are also the likes of meditative unicorn Moondance (too good to be true maybe)

and powerful Magic Circle head, Grandmaster Dimbleby.

There’s not a minute to lose: time to make the sparks fly – unless you want to shoulder the responsibility of allowing an ancient monster to waken from a century-long sleep beneath the town.

With a multitude of possible routes to take, this is terrific fun and with Louise Forshaw’s splendid portrayal of the weird and wonderful characters, this diverting read will delight primary age readers who like fantastical tales.

How to be a Hero: A Gathering of Giants / Agent Zaiba Investigates: The Smuggler’s Secret / Solve Your Own Mystery: The Time Thief

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How to be a Hero: A Gathering of Giants
Cat Weldon, illustrated by Katie Kear
Macmillan Children’s Books

In the finale of Cat Weldon’s terrific trilogy, Whetstone and banished trainee Valkyrie Lotta are fugitives, now in hiding in Asgard. Whetstone is on a mission – to rescue his mum who, according to Thor, is being held, along with the second harp string, by the Frost Giants in Castle Utgard. It’s definitely time for him to work on becoming a proper hero, tough and fearless. Step forward Rhett the Bone-Breaker. But how many of Lotta’s plans is it going to take for them to succeed in outwitting Loki the trickster? They certainly won’t do it without encounters with treacherous trolls, indoctrinated Valkyries and an entire army of giants.

With Katie Kear’s illustrations helping to ramp up the drama, this fast-moving tale is full of thrills and a fair few spills too, plus a generous scattering of insults adding to the hilarity. This will keep readers on the edge of their seats right through to the cup’s final poetic offering. So gripped was I by the telling that after finishing the story late at night, I found myself back in the quest along with the heroic duo in my dream.

Readers who fancy sampling the sort of meal one of those giants might eat, should turn to the recipe adapted by Whetsone for spiced oat cakes. A tasty treat indeed.

Agent Zaiba Investigates: The Smuggler’s Secret
Annabelle Sami, illustrated by Daniela Sosa
Little Tiger

Zaiba and fellow members of the Snow Leopard Detective Agency have a new case to solve. There’s a school History Club trip to Chesil Bay involving an overnight stay. The children are told that divers have just discovered a priceless artefact from Assam among the wreckage of a ship and it’s currently in the safe-keeping of the local museum prior to being sent back to India. While there they’ll be able to witness the unveiling of the artefact and Ms Talbot challenges them to discover what it is before it’s revealed. Now that is just the kind of thing Zaiba, Poppy et al love.

No sooner are they on the train down to the coast than the intrigue starts: Zaiba notices a man replacing a magnifying glass in his briefcase and then she thinks she sees him on the boat trip out to the wreck and again leaving the theatre in the evening after the play they’re invited to watch. In fact he seems to pop up all over the place. What is he up to?

Next morning everyone is excited about the big reveal but then it’s discovered that the artefact has gone.Now Zaiba and co. really must ramp up the action. There are quite a few possible suspects and some leads to follow, but not much time to discover the culprit.

Embracing a controversial topic: the returning of precious artefacts to their countries of origin, once again Annabelle Sami keeps readers guessing right to the final pages of this story of teamwork and as with previous titles in the series, there are lively black and white illustrations by Daniela Sosa throughout.

Solve Your Own Mystery: The Time Thief
Gareth P. Jones, illustrated by Louise Forshaw
Little Tiger

Choose your own adventure books have long been popular but rather went out of fashion. Now with Gareth P. Jones’ new series of which this is the second, interactive tales are back for readers who may well be offspring of the original enthusiasts.

In this instance the scene is set in the opening pages: in the town of Haventry the Museum of Magical Objects and Precious Stones (MOPS for short) is putting on a time-travelling exhibition but its key feature, the Time Sponge, an object able to stop and start time for whoever squeezes it, has gone missing. Then in the role of main character, the reader must make the first decision: two choices are presented as to what to do next: interview suspect mermaids or go to the crime scene – in the company of Klaus Solstaag the yeti detective, of course.

With a fair number of potential suspects and a multitude of paths to choose from, none leading to a dead end, you will eventually reach one of three possible endings.

A fun and intriguing read for key stage two readers especially those who like to do a bit of detecting.