The magical side of the book doesn't dominate and it doesn't overwhelm and confuse, which I was delighted about. We don’t share your credit card details with third-party sellers, and we don’t sell your information to others. Anthony HorowitzWhen Rachel and Robert are passed a stolen book by their librarian father, they have to go on the run and protect it at all costs. Although it's not outright said, the names and places in this story gave me strong Russian vibes, so I presume it's set somewhere around there, but placing a date is a little harder.

It has echoes of Katherine Rundell: a cast of strong and interesting characters, with a touch of playful humour to lighten the darker themes at the centre of the story. Allein schon die Namen wirken wie aus dieser Zeit gefallen und ich hatte durchgehend ein beklemmendes Gefühl, während ich die Protagonisten begleitet habe.

This is a story that values bravery, the magic of books and the influence of individuals who follow the right course even when the world around them feels oppressive. However on the evening of April 8th, her eleventh birthday, it seems the celebration is even more special. President Charles Malstain must have The Book of Stolen Dreams to survive his illness and thereafter live, in power, forever.

In particular, I think this boon would suit readers who have enjoyed Sophie Anderson and Katherine Rundell. And when you actually finish the book, you get this sense of accomplishment and happiness that you were able to put these things together and come to a conclusion.

I wasn't always sure what direction the book was going to go in, which I loved, and there are a lot of questionable characters to back that up. Under the rule of Charles Malstain life is dreary, and anyone who does not do as he requests is made to disappear.

This has the vibes of classic kids literature, set in a fantastical world, where there are truly evil villains and a slight hint of magic. But when she meets Josef Centurion, who seems to want to help, she’s careful not to tell him her real name, why she’s looking for her brother and, most especially, what is hidden in her sock. His arc, although perhaps predictable, was satisfying nonetheless, and he is a memorable character that has stayed with me days after finishing the book. Yet on the night of her eleventh birthday, the children’s father secrets them into the Rare Books’s Room of the North Brava Public Lending Library.

A great debut for David Farr and I'm hopping my next door neighbour's granddaughter, who is 10, will love this adventure just as much as I did.

David Farr has squirreled inspiration from his real-life German Jewish ancestors into the fictional realm of Krasnia, ruled by a cruel, child-hating autocrat. When Athan Wilde’s mentor, Mr Chen, is brutally murdered, he rescues secret plans that should enable him to complete the old man’s spectacular flying machine. This experience has been fantastic primarily for the children, the school and also for me (professionally).Rachel and Robert live in an oppressed city, ruled by an evil dictator, who is unquestionably the best-named baddy that I’ve encountered in a long time - Charles Malstain. It is no surprise that it has been shortlisted for Waterstones Children’s Book Prize 2023 Younger Readers award. With a gorgeous cover like that and with the tile of The Book of Stolen Dreams I had high expectations for this adventurous middle grade novel.