The Blurb On The Back:

New baby, new worries …


Jazmin’s mum is about to have a baby and Jaz is so excited! Ok, it might mean some changes to their family but Jaz is sure everything will be just fine.

So imagine her surprise when a host of furry, fretful friends arrive to cause serious mischief. That’s right, it’s the Worries - gloomy Loner, nervous Change, pushy Jealousy and DJ Disaster, always waiting for something to go wrong.

Jaz tries to keep her worries to herself, but with her birthday party coming up fast, they see, set on turning her into the Worst Sister EVER!


The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

The second in Jion Sheibani’s self-illustrated THE WORRIES series for readers aged 5+ is a light hearted look at the worries that children may encounter at this age as they go from being an only child to an older sibling. Although the Worries looked a little similar to each other, there are some good burp jokes and a truly disgusting baby sick scene that kids will love while also learning not to keep their worries inside.

THE WORRIES: JAZ AND THE NEW BABY was released in the United Kingdom on 19th August 2021. Thanks to the Amazon Vine Programme for the review copy of this book.
The Blurb On The Back:

I’d always carried with me a burden of conviction I could not set down. I could not deny the beliefs that shaped me any more than I could deny the colour of my eyes.

It made for a lonely life.


It’s been several months since the US officially declared war on Iraq, and the world has evolved. Tensions are high, hate crimes are on the rise, and the Muslim community is harassed and targeted more than ever. Shadi, who wears hijab, keeps her head down. SHe’s too busy drowning in her own troubles to find the time to deal with bigots.

Shadi is named for joy, but she’s haunted by the loss of family and friendship. And then, of course, there’s the small matter of her heart - it’s broken. Trying to navigate her crumbling work by soldiering through, Shadi says nothing, each day retreating farther and farther inside herself until finally, one day, everything changes.

She explodes.

An Emotion Of Great Delight is a searing look into the world of a single Muslim family in the wake of 9/11. It’s about a child of immigrants forging a blurry identity, falling in love, and finding hope in an ever-changing world …


The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

Tahereh Mafi’s YA novel is an uneven mix of melodrama, romance, coming-of-age story and recent historical events that, for me, is hampered by the fact that the main character is incredibly passive so all the events happen to her rather than her driving them. Although that’s a believable reaction as Mefi is overwhelmed and shutting down, I didn’t find it interesting to read so that and the melodramatic style left me somewhat disappointed.

AN EMOTION OF GREAT DELIGHT was released in the United Kingdom on 10th June 2021. Thanks to the Amazon Vine Programme for the review copy of this book.
The Blurb On The Back:

Find your mojo.
Stay hopeful.
Get back on track.


Whether facing assessments, a big change or making up for lost time, head teacher Matthew Burton is here to help students get motivated again.

From ways of managing the tough times and looking after your mental health, to skills for beating school stress and tapping into your potential, this is the one-stop guide for kids who are in need of a bit of hope, some soothing words of advice and a good old pep talk to get them going in school again.

Discover how to plan, prepare and preserve … and get back on track!


The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

Matthew Burton is a secondary school teacher who featured in 2013’s EDUCATING YORKSHIRE. This is a warm, compassionate book aimed at readers aged 12+ about navigating secondary school in a post-COVID world, from establishing routines to handling setbacks, developing an exam smashing skill set and when to ask for help). It’s perfect for any reader worried about making the transition to secondary school or how to get the most from their time there.

BACK ON TRACK was released in the United Kingdom on 22nd July 2021. Thanks to the Amazon Vine Programme for the review copy of this book.
The Blurb On The Back:

Tiger Warrior.


Jack loves his grandad’s stories about the Jade Kingdom, a world of heroes, beasts and adventures.

But when Grandad gives him a magic coin, Jack discovers the kingdom is real … and he has to save it from terrible danger.

Can Jack and his new friend Princess Li stop the deadly Dragon King?


The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

M. Chan’s fantasy novel for readers aged 6+ (the first in a series) makes good use of the Chinese zodiac and mythology, has dynamic illustrations by Alan Brown and plenty of action to keep young readers but the story is a little choppy and predictable (which young readers won’t necessarily realise but more experienced readers will). It’s a perfectly okay read and one that young martial arts fans will enjoy but I can’t say I’d rush to read on.

TIGER WARRIOR: ATTACK OF THE DRAGON KING was released in the United Kingdom on 8th July 2021. Thanks to the Amazon Vine Programme for the review copy of this book.
The Blurb On The Back:

Offers fresh insights and empirical evidence on the producers, consumers, and content of News 2.0


News 2.0 has forever changed the news business. This second generation of news is made, distributed, and consumed on the internet, particularly social media. News 2.0: Journalists, Audiences, And News On Social Media examines the ways in which news production is sometimes biased and how social networking sites (SNS) have become highly personalised news platforms that reflect users’ preferences and world views. Drawing from empirical evidence, this book provides a critical and analytical assessment of recent developments, major debates, and contemporary research on news, social media, and news organisations worldwide.

Author Ahmed Al-Ravi highlights how, despite the proliferation of news on social media, consumers are often confined within filter “bubbles”. Emphasising non-Western media outlets, the text explores the content, audiences, and producers of News 2.0, and addresses direct impacts on democracy, politics, and institutions. Topics include viral news on SNS, celebrity journalists and branding, “fake news” discourse, and the emergence of mobile news apps as ethnic mediascapes. Integrating computational journalism methods and cross-national comparative research, this unique volume:

- Examines different aspects of news bias such as news content and production, emphasising news values theory.
- Assesses how international media organisations including CNN, BBC, and RT address non-Western news audiences.
- Discusses concepts such as audience fragmentation on social media, viral news, networked flak, click bait, and internet bots.
- Employs novel techniques in text mining such as topic modelling to provide a holistic overview of news selection.

News 2.0: Journalists, Audiences, And News On Social Media is an innovative and illuminating resource for undergraduate and graduate students of media, communication, and journalism studies as well as media and communication scholars, media practitioners, journalists, and general readers with interest in the subject.


The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

Ahmed Al-Rawi is Assistant Professor of News, Social Media, and Public Communication at Simon Fraser University in Canada. Although this is an interesting book about the impact that social media has on news dissemination (including “bubbles” and “fake news”) that looks beyond the US and Europe, the heavy focus on methods of analysis and statistical tools makes it more useful for students of the subject than for general readers like me.

Thanks to the Amazon Vine Programme for the review copy of this book.
The Blurb On The Back:

Meet Kitticorn.


She’s cute, she’s fluffy and she LOVES to explore! But Prince Miles doesn’t have time for adventures when he has the perfect picnic to organise and a strict schedule to follow. Can Kitticorn show him that sometimes the best kind of fun is unplanned?


The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

The fourth in Matilda Rose and Tim Budgen’s THE MAGIC PET SHOP SERIES of picture books is a cute read about not judging by appearances and learning that sometimes you need to kick loose and be open to adventures and havoc rather than living by rigid plans. It was a little too sweet for me and I would have liked it if Kitticorn had learnt that sometimes planning is useful but young readers should enjoy the emphasis on play and having fun.

KITTICORN was released in the United Kingdom on 22nd July 2021. Thanks to the Amazon Vine Programme for the review copy of this book.
The Blurb On The Back:

A tale of rediscovery and a celebration of the everyday miracle of homemade bread.


Over the course of a year, Robert Penn leans how to plant, harvest, thresh and mill his own wheat, in order to bake bread for his family. In returning to this pre-industrial practice, he tells the fascinating story of our relationship with bread: from the domestication of wheat in the Fertile Crescent at the dawn of civilisation, to the rise of mass-produced loaves and the resurgence in home baking today.

Gathering knowledge and wisdom from experts around the world - farmers on the banks of the Nile, harvesters in the American Midwest and Parisian Boulanger - Penn reconnects the joy of making and eating bread with a deep appreciation for the skill and patience required to cultivate its key ingredient. This book is a celebration of the millennia-old craft of bread making and how it is woven into the story of humanity.


The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

Robert Penn is a journalist, woodsman and author. This is a thoroughly researched, meditative account of his experience of baking his own bread from scratch - from growing his own wheat to making his own oven. It’s a fascinating mix of memoir, travelogue (as he meets people involved in baking bread), how-to manual with some history, science and anthropology all thrown in too. You won’t look at your weekly loaf in the same way after reading it.

SLOW RISE was released in the United Kingdom on 25th February 2021. Thanks to the Amazon Vine Programme for the review copy of this book.
The Blurb On The Back:

Do not trust the Liar.
Do not go in the River.
Do not cross the King.


In Red Valley, California, you follow the rules if you want to stay alive. But even that isn’t enough to protect Sadie now that she’s unexpectedly become the Liar: the keeper and maker of Red Valley’s many secrets. In a town like this, friendships are hard-won and bad blood lasts generations, and when not everyone in town is exactly human, it isn’t a safe place to make enemies.

And though the Liar has power - power to remake the world, with just a little blood - what Sadie really needs is answers: Why is the town’s sheriff after her? What does the King want from her? And what is the real purpose of the Liar of Red Valley?


The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

Walter Goodwater’s contemporary fantasy novel is a slickly plotted, vividly imagined affair about power, authority and belonging and has a well realised main character who I rooted for. The world building works very well and I loved the way he incorporates his fantasy elements but the ending was, for me, slightly anti climactical given the events building up to it. Still there is scope here for a sequel, which I would definitely read.

THE LIAR OF RED VALLEY by Walter Goodwater will be released in the United States on 28 September 2021 and in the United Kingdom on 30th September. Thanks to Rebellion Publishing for the review copy of this book.
The Blurb On The Back:

As technology races ahead, what will people do better than computers?


What hope will there be for us when computers can drive cars better than humans, do intricate legal work, identify faces, scurry helpfully around offices and factories, even perform some surgeries, all faster, more reliably, and less expensively than people.

It’s easy to imagine a frightening future in which computers simply take over most of the tasks that people now get paid to do. While we’ll still need high-level decision makers and computer developers, those tasks won’t keep most working-age people employed or allow their living standard to rise. The unavoidable question - will millions of people lost out, unable to beat the machine? - is increasingly dominating business, education, economics and policy.

The bestselling author of TALENT IS OVERRATED explains how the abilities that will prove most essential to our success are no longer the technical, classroom-taught left-brain skills that economic advanced have demanded from workers in the past. Instead, our greatest advantage lies in what we humans are most powerfully driven to do for and with one another, arising fro our deepest, most essentially human abilities - empathy, creativity, social sensitivity, storytelling, humour, building relationships, and expressing ourselves with greater power than a machine mind can ever achieve. This is how we create durable value that is not easily replicated by technology - because we’re hardwired to want it from humans.

These high-value skills create tremendous competitive advantage - more devoted customers, stronger cultures, breakthrough ideas, and more effective teams. And while many of us regard these abilities as innate traits - “he’s a real people person,” “she’s naturally creative” - it turns out they can all be developed. Leading business, medical clinics and even the US Army are now emphasising human interactions and empathy in their training programmes.

Meanwhile, studies have shown that our increasing reliance on technology for interaction and entertainment is not only making us less happy, trusting and likely to achieve good grades, it is also damaging our abilities to recognise emotion and harmonise with others - the very skills we will need to prosper.

As technology advances, we shouldn’t focus on beating computers at what they do - we’ve lost that contest. Instead, we must develop our most essential human abilities and teach our children to value not just technology but also the richness of interpersonal experience. They will be the most valuable people in our world because of it. Colvin proves that to a far greater degree than most of us ever imagined, we already have what it takes to be great.


The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

Geoff Colvin is a journalist and senior editor at large for FORTUNE magazine. This is an interesting book about how softer people skills will be more important for the future jobs market than traditional problem solving and engineering. However, it’s troubling how the emphasis is put on individuals rather than corporations to develop these skills and the profit motive will incentivise companies to find ways to replace people to save cost.

Thanks to the Amazon Vine Programme for the review copy of this book.
The Blurb On The Back:

Sofia thinks her little brother is MESSY! And LOUD! And always DEMANDING Mummy and Daddy’s attention!

So when she finds out she’s going to be a big sister again, she shouts ‘NO MORE BABIES!’

Will Sofia ever feel happy about having another new baby in the house?


The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

This delightful picture book by Madeleine Cook with absolutely spot on illustrations by Erika Meza is a must-read for any little ones who are having trouble adjusting to having a younger sibling. It’s also that rare picture book that can give parents and carers ideas for how to help little ones adjust to having a smaller sibling so they don’t feel neglected. I thought it was smashing and well worth your time.

NO MORE BABIES was released in the United Kingdom on 3rd June 2021. Thanks to the Amazon Vine Programme for the review copy of this book.
The Blurb On The Back:

”Home ain’t jus’ where you live. Home is your heart an’ yer history.”


The Place For Me - twelve moving tales of sacrifice and bravery, inspired by first-hand accounts of the Windrush generation. Each inspiring and authentic story helps to bring the real experience of Black British people into focus.


The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

The Black Cultural Archives is the UK’s only national heritage centre dedicated to collecting, preserving and celebrating the history of African and Caribbean people in Britain. This moving, thoughtful illustrated book for readers aged 9+ is a mix of short stories inspired by the Windrush generation of Caribbean people who came to help re-build Britain after World War II, combined with facts about some of those people and their accomplishments.

THE PLACE FOR ME was released in the United Kingdom on 3rd June 2021. Thanks to the Amazon Vine Programme for the review copy of this book.
The Blurb On The Back:

Super-smart by day, super-sleuth by night.
Justice Jones is on the case …


An intriguing new girl catches Justice’s attention this year. Letitia has never been to school before and doesn’t care for the rules. Mysteriously, the teachers don’t seem to mind!

Then, after a midnight feast in the barn, and a terrifying ghost-sighting in the garden, one of Justice’s friends disappears. Justice has to investigate. But why are the ransom notes torn from the pages of a crime novel?

Can Justice find the kidnapper - before it’s too late?


The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

The third in the A GIRL CALLED JUSTICE mystery series by Elly Griffiths for readers aged 9+ lacked tension and pace partly due to a lot of set up with the introduction of Letitia. As a result I didn’t believe in the peril and despite a good twist, the investigation is quite patchy. That said, I did like Letitia’s attitude and she’ll make an interesting addition to the Barnowls and the tension with Stella and Dorothy would make me read on.

A GIRL CALLED JUSTICE: THE GHOST IN THE GARDEN was released in the United Kingdom on 13th May 2021. Thanks to the Amazon Vine Programme for the review copy of this book.
The Blurb On The Back:

A magical adventure by the light of the moon.


Kitty is supposed to be looking after her friend’s pet hamster, Marvin, for the weekend, but disaster strikes when he is kidnapped!

Kitty must follow the kidnapper’s trail and return Marvin to his home safe and sound, before the night is out.

It’s time for Superhero Kitty to save the day!


The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

The seventh book in this absolutely delightful superhero series for readers aged 5+ by Paula Harrison (with charming illustrations by Jenny Løvlie) features a cute hamster in peril, lots of cats, a superhero who wants to help and the power of teamwork and doing the right thing. It’s a lot of fun that younger children will enjoy reading - especially if they’re into kitties!

KITTY AND THE KIDNAP TRAP was released in the United Kingdom on 6th May 2021. Thanks to the Amazon Vine Programme for the review copy of this book.
The Blurb On The Back:

Four friends are outside having fun when they discover an injured fox. After taking it to an animal rescue centre, they decide to find out more about the amazing animals, plants and places that make up our natural world.

Through talking to teachers and local conservationists, the children learn about ecosystems and biodiversity, climate change and pollution. Seeing how all of nature is connected encourages them to discover different ways to help protect it. Full of fascinating facts and fun activities, this book reveals why nature really does need you!


The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

Liz Gogerly is a former teacher who’s been writing children’s non-fiction for over 20 years. Sr Sanchez is an illustrator who lives in Spain. This book for children aged 8+ looks at how you can help protect the natural world by following 4 children who become interested in nature after rescuing an injured fox cub. It’s broad in scope, has activities for readers to do and is a good way of getting children to think about the world around them.

NATURE NEEDS YOU! was released in the United Kingdom on 22nd April 2021. Thanks to the Amazon Vine Programme for the review copy of this book.
The Blurb On The Back:

Little one, when we say Black Lives Matter,
We’re saying Black people are wonderful-strong.
That we deserve to be treated with basic respect,
And that history’s done us wrong.

Explore the meaning of the Black Lives Matter movement - and the incredible power of speaking out - with award-winning author Maxine Beneba Clarke.


The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

Maxine Beneba Clarke’s beautifully self-illustrated picture book for children aged 5+ is a simple but lyrical and powerful explanation of why the Black Lives Matter movement exists and what it stands for together with the historic and systematic wrongs suffered by black people. It’s done in a way that young children can follow and understand what it’s about while also feeling hope for the future.

WHEN WE SAY BLACK LIVES MATTER was released in the United Kingdom on 24th June 2021. Thanks to the Amazon Vine Programme for the review copy of this book.
The Blurb On The Back:

The boat sways and rocks.
Bodies pressed against bodies.
Holding on for our lives.


Natalie’s world is falling apart. She’s just lost her mum, and her brother marches the streets of Dover with a far-right gang. Swimming is her only refuge.

Sammy has fled his home and family in Eritrea for the chance of a new life in Europe. Every step he takes is a step into an unknown and unwelcoming future.

A twist of fate brings them together and gives them both hope.

But is hope enough to mend a broken world?


The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

Manjeet Mann’s YA novel pitches the plight of refugees against increasing anti-refugee sentiment within the UK. It’s told in verse and very well written with Mann effortlessly switching between Sammy and Nat to emphasise their common experiences and emotions. Sammy’s experiences make it a difficult read at times while Mann shows why people are attracted to racism without excusing it. This will be on the 2021 awards lists and it deserves to be.

THE CROSSING was released in the United Kingdom on 3rd June 2021. Thanks to the Amazon Vine Programme for the review copy of this book.
The Blurb On The Back:

Slated as “the next big thing in tech”, augmented reality (AR) promises to take the screen out of our hands and wrap it around the world via “smart spectacles”. As a pervasive, invisible interface between the world and our senses, AR offers unparalleled capacity to reveal hidden digital depths, but it also comes at a cost to our privacy, our property, and our reality.

In this crucial and provocative book, Mark Pesce draws on over thirty years’ experience to offer the first mainstream exploration of augmented reality. He discusses the exciting and beneficial features of AR as well as the issues and risks raised by this still-emerging technology - a technology that moulds us by shaping what we see and hear.

Augmented Reality is essential reading for anyone interested in the growing influence of this impressive but deeply concerning technology. As the book reveals, reality - once augmented - will never be the same.


The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

Mark Pesce co-invented the technology for 3D on the internet and is a professional futurist. This slim but engrossing and deeply terrifying book charts the origins and development of augmented reality (AR) technology before looking at how AR devices could use the information they gather about the world and its users and how the same could be utilised by Facebook, Google etc and the ethical issues that could result to privacy and property.

Thanks to the Amazon Vine Programme for the review copy of this book.
The Blurb On The Back:

Fifteen-year-old Spencer is a proud nerd, an awesome big brother and a Messi-in-training. He’s also transgender.

After a year of bullying, Spencer gets a fresh start at a new school with great friends, a spot on the boys’ soccer team, and maybe even something more than friendship with one of his team-mates. The only thing is, no one knows Spencer is trans - he’s passing.

So when a discriminatory law forces his coach to bench him, Spencer has to make a choice: cheer his team on from the sidelines or fight for his right to play, even if it means coming out to everyone, including the guy he’s falling for …


The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

Isaac Fitzsimon’s debut YA novel mixes trans rights, romance and sports fiction to mixed effect. It’s great to read something with a black trans boy main character and although the romance is a little predictable, Fitzsimon sensitively shows the anxieties and issues he has to navigate. However there is a lot going on plot and character wise so that some elements, notably Spencer’s autistic brother and Justice’s religious family, feel tacked on.

THE PASSING PLAYBOOK was released in the United Kingdom on 3rd June 2021. Thanks to the Amazon Vine Programme for the review copy of this book.
The Blurb On The Back:

It might seem as if globalisation is making the whole world speak English. But spend time in any major city and you are likely to encounter a cornucopia of languages. Even monolingual people have different ways of speaking to their bosses or teachers, their intimate friends or their pets. And if you live in India or Nigeria, you might use five different languages during a typical day.

Katrin Kohl makes a passionate case for why we must embrace languages in all their diversity. When you study a language, you open a unique doorway into the world, immerse yourself in a different way of seeing, and discover new ways of communicating with people from different cultures on their terms. Kohl argues that language diversity is of vital importance to human societies, sustaining the complexity of human nature, culture and technology. We should care about preserving it as much as we care about preserving the diversity of our biological world.


The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

Katrin Kohl is Professor of German Literature at Oxford University. This very readable book makes a convincing case for why it is important to study modern languages, how they offer a deeper means of connecting with people and thinking about culture and ideas and makes interesting points about the benefits and limits of AI translation programmes. As universities and schools increasingly cut language programmes, this is an important counterweight.

Thanks to the Amazon Vine Programme for the review copy of this book.
The Blurb On The Back:

”We don’t pick and choose what to be afraid of. Our fears pick us.”


Tash Carmody has been traumatised since childhood, when she witnessed her gruesome imaginary friend Sparrow lure young Mallory Fisher away from a carnival. At the time nobody believed Tash, and she has since come to accept that Sparrow wasn’t real. Now fifteen and mute, Mallory’s never spoken about the week she went missing. As disturbing memories resurface, Tash starts to see Sparrow again. And she realises Mallory is the key to unlocking the truth about a dark secret connecting them. Does Sparrow exist after all? Or is Tash more dangerous to others than she thinks?


The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

Sarah Epstein’s debut YA thriller has a strong first half that teases a supernatural explanation for Tash’s memories of Sparrow and what happened to Mallory but Tash’s claustrophobia read as a gimmick to me and I thought the plot got a little silly once Tash starts getting the answers she wanted. That said, Tash’s relationship with her mum is well drawn and Epstein gives her a strong narrative voice so I’d definitely read Epstein’s next book.

Thanks to Walker Books for the review copy of this book.

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