Good morning guys…

Today I’m sharing 4 kids books that I’ve read in the pas few months that were complete and utter 5 star reads. Everything about them made my heart sing and I can’t wait for EVERYONE to get reading them and loving them!

My Life As A Cat – Carlie Sorosiak

Out now!

“Leonard has never had a name. Or a body. Or a best friend. But he is excited to try being a human. On their three-hundredth-birthday, every alien from Leonard’s home galaxy gets to spend a month in the body of an Earth Creature. Leonard was supposed to become a forest ranger in Yellowstone National Park – but there was a mix-up. And now he’s stuck as a stray cat. Luckily for Leonard, he meets a young human called Olive – and together they set out on a journey to find home.”

I had seen so many people talking about this book, and I was DESPERATE to get my hands on it. Luckily, the gorgeous people of Nosy Crow sent me over a proof copy and I couldn’t stop myself… I ditched whatever I was reading, and picked it up. As soon as I started reading, I knew this book was going to be something special. (If you’ve read I Cosmo, you’ll know what I mean!) When I finished, I was just a basket case of emotion. This book is just pure perfection… and I don’t say that easily about a book! This spoke to so much that I love – it’s love and family. It’s funny and sweet. It’s a hug wrapped in an adventure. It’s humanity and finding your feet. It’s trips to the beach, animal facts and the weirdness of our world. It’s just perfect and I loved every second. I want to be Leonard’s friend so much. This made me BAWL. I loved the story. I loved the characters. There was so much about this that made my heart happy.

(This actually ended up being my first recommended read in the classroom and my kids are just LOVING it too – we’ve had a few crying children!)

The Ship of Shadows – Maria Kuznair

Out now

“Aleja whiles away her days in her family’s dusty tavern in Seville, dreaming of distant lands and believing in the kind of magic that she’s only ever read about in books. After all, she’s always being told that girls can’t be explorers. But her life is changed forever when adventure comes for her in the form of a fabled vessel called the Ship of Shadows. Crewed by a band of ruthless women, with cabin walls dripping with secrets, the ship has sailed right out of a legend. And it wants Aleja.”

‪This was another book that I had heard only amazing things about. I’m a big big fan of a book about the power of girls and women being brilliant. I’m also a big fan of a pirate book (Viper/Venom anyone?!) so put those two things together and you have this incredible story PERFECT for my class. I started reading this and I was entranced straight away by the colour and the yearning that Aleja has for adventure… and this mysterious ship crewed by brilliant women (which I’d definitely like to board and be part of). I gobbled this book up greedily and when I put it down I INSTANTLY wanted to forget it and read it again because it is a complete and utter adventure. It’s clever, fun, charming, fast-paced and bloody gorgeously written! This book is filled with magic, friendship, lost cities, a hidden treasure and a crew of brilliant female pirates who just shine. I loved this. I’d love to be a pirate on this ship and learn to fight with swords. I’ve shared this with my class and one of my girls has already finished it and passed it on to one of the other girls in the class – you can not beat that feeling of watching them TELL each other to read a book!

The Otherwhere Emporium – Ross Mackenzie

Out now

“The thrilling finale of the award-winning Nowhere Emporium trilogy. The magical store has changed, and beneath the treasures, something sinister is lurking. Mirren is bewitched by the Emporium, but where is its owner, Daniel?“

Ever since I walked into the Nowhere Emporium in book 1, this world has absolutely gripped my imagination and my attention. I’d had a long wait for book 3 and my god was it worth the wait. I was sent this by the publishers and I nearly wept when I saw what it was! This book brings the series to an ending and what an ending it is! This is a book absolutely jam-packed with surprises, pirates, nightmares, treasure monsters, old friends, new friends and a MASSIVE chunk of magic. Ross Mackenzie is yet to write a book that I don’t absolutely adore – if you’re looking for a recommendation for kids authors who just tick all the boxes in all their books… look no further. Our third visit to the Emporium is just incredible. The spectacle, the magic, the storytelling, the friendships and the love in this book. ‬This book is SO FULL of magic and awe. For this world, for strength, for love. There’s something incredibly powerful about a story of friendship, of banding together against a baddie, of believing in yourself and trusting people. This book does it all and more (and yes, of course, I cried!).

The Castle of Tangled Magic – Sophie Anderson

Released: 1 Oct 2020

“Olia lives with her parents in an old crumbling castle, filled with hidden turrets and secret doorways. When she follows a mysterious cat to one of the castle’s roof domes, she finds herself stepping through one such doorway into a magical land filled with wonders… But everything is not quite as it seems: the land is under threat from a scheming magician, Chernmor, and the magic is fading away. With the help of an enchanted band of new friends, can Olia find a way to save both her own home, and the land of forbidden magic?”

I’m a massive massive Sophie Anderson fan. Her past books have totally and utterly taken me away from everything and just enraptured me. I was SO excited when I was approved for Castle on Netgalley (a bit like the other books on this list… it quickly ended up being read!). This book is what Sophie Anderson does the best: enchanting, beautiful storytelling with gorgeous characters and a wonderful plot. This is a story FILLED with awe, magic, righting past wrongs and the true power of believing in yourself. Olia is an absolutely incredible main character: she’s brave and bold. She makes choices with gusto and with love for the people and the things around her. She’s considerate and she’s totally loveable. I loved Feliks and Olia’s grandmother too. I thought this story was so clever and gorgeous: children and adults alike are going to adore this. I absolutely adored the castle itself as a setting – it’s mysterious and it’s enchanting. There’s magic and intrigue all around. I’d love to visit the castle and experience all of this for myself. This gripped me from the first page and that I can’t wait for everyone to fall deeply in love with. It was SO LOVELY to see a familiar face in this too! 

Phew! I hope you enjoyed these reviews. I promise you you will love each and every one of these because they are INCREDIBLE.

Have you read any of these books?
What was your last 5 star read?
How is your reading going this year?

Let me know in the comments your thoughts and recommendations of 5 star books!

S x