In this episode, A. M. Dassu, joins us to talk about her latest novel, Fight Back.
I chatted to Az about Boy, Everywhere getting buzz, the challenges of writing book two, and getting first drafts onto the page.
Az was a great guest to have on the show and we are very grateful she was able to join us on the show.
***COMPETITION***
If you want to be in with a chance of winning a copy of Fight Back head over to Twitter and follow @BigKidsBookClub. Send us a tweet using the hashtag #Aaliyahcomp and tag friend or family who’ll stand up with you against injustice.
Hey, hey, hey! Welcome back to the Big Kids Book Club.
It’s Thursday, so it’s time to jump right into another Mid-Week Review!
Today’s book: Into the Sideways World by Ross Welford
Publisher: Harper Collins
Pages: 416
Release Date: 20/01/2022
Suggested Age Range: 8+ Middle Grade
Genre(s): Adventure, Time-Travel, Other Worlds, Science Fiction
Star Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (out of 5)
When twelve-year-olds Willa and Manny hear of a mysterious animal prowling their town, they are determined to prove it is real. Following the creature into a cave one full moon, they are swept into an alternate, ideal, world – one where pollution and conflict have been conquered decades ago and even their own families seem happier.
But when they return, no one believes them. So, with a global war looming in their own world, their quest for proof of the Sideways World becomes ever-more urgent, in a nail-biting race against time.
And Willa and Manny will have to make an impossible decision: because once you find a perfect world, can you ever leave it behind?
The story of Into the Sideways World is one that takes a little to get into. The premise is that it’s about 20 years in the future, and the world is on the precipice of war. (scarily relevant right???)
As Willamina, known simply as Willa to her family watches the nightly news, she finds herself worrying about her father being reactivated for active service should World War III break out. Added to this the financial decay of their family’s holiday park business is putting a strain on her parent’s relationship, and her sister Alex is stand-offish, Willa finds only her friend Manny for comfort.
When they first go into the strange world, its off the back of this mutant animal and a cave – the whole premise is a bit wibbly-wobbly, but then what sci-fi, time travel story isn’t without it’s fair share of make-believe.
It takes them a while to come to terms with the new world – there’s so many changes. 1. Dad no longer has his beard and him and mum are very much in love. 2. Her brother, who died just 8 days old survived thanks to better medical advances in this sideways world. And more importantly, 3. there’s no impending war here.
It takes Willa and Manny a day to come to terms with the fact that they’ve not travel forward or backwards in time – but sideways. All thanks to the change of 1 single moment in our history. A missed shot, and a grasped opportunity.
The books twists about the concept of peace, compromise, and stopping and listening to one another to a whole other level, with it’s impact able to cure more than our obsession with killing one another. But with the WWW (World Without War) celebrations approaching, Willa and Manny head back to their world, and come up with a plan to return to the Sideways world as they call it to get evidence that a world of peace is a possibility – before it’s too late!
I liked the drama and characters interaction in the book. I particularly liked the exploration of the brother’s character, with Willa getting to know the boy who was gone before she was born, and finding a peace in living a day in somebody else’s shoe, namely, her own self from another world.
Ross’s writing style is pensive, but full of charm and not without humour. Which is important when handling heavy exterior themes such as war and the fallout that it has at the family level. The seriousness is balanced by the heart-warming interactions between the family members, and reflects the inner thoughts and feelings of words unspoken, and the power they have should we find the courage to say them.
Overall, I feel with the way the world is at the moment – the greater historical climate we’re living through, I think this book holds up to be one of Ross’ best and deepest.
Perfect for a project in the classroom, or simply to read at home and think. A real conversation starter.
In this episode, Fiona Longmuir, joins us to talk about her debut novel, Looking for Emily
I chatted to Fiona about entering pitch comps on a whim, how strange clock museums inspire a writer, and possible Drop Dead Fred inspired sequels.
Fiona was a great guest to have on the show and we are very grateful she was able to join us on the show.
***COMPETITION***
If you want to be in with a chance of winning a copy of Looking for Emily head over to Twitter and follow @BigKidsBookClub. Send us a tweet using the hashtag #Emilycomp and tell us what you like to do at the seaside?
Hey, hey, hey! Welcome back to the Big Kids Book Club.
It’s Tuesday, so what should we talk about today? How about new books!
Today we look at a book that’s either just been released or soon to be hitting shelves, but either way they should be on your wish lists!
Today’s book: Spies by David Long & Illustrated by Terri Po
Publisher: Faber & Faber
Pages: 224
Release Date: 02/06/2022
A single spy can save thousands upon thousands of lives…
For as long as there have been secrets to keep, there have been spies, the world over, trying to uncover this classified information. Spying goes on all the time, and everywhere, but some of the most astonishing exploits occur during wartime.
The stories in this beautiful collection unpick some of the most astonishing missions undertaken during World War Two – actions that helped to save many lives. Amazingly, many of these tales had to remain a deadly secret at the time and are little known even to this day.
Discover twenty-seven of the most courageous and daring, including: Giliana Gerson, Britain’s first female spy, Harry Ree, teacher turned saboteur, Margery Booth, the spy who sang for Hitler, Roald Dahl, the spy who became a bestselling author, Noor Inayat Khan, the first woman wireless operator, Scotch Lass, Britain’s smallest ever agent, ‘Major Martin’ the man who never was and many more!
Welcome back to the show. Today we’ve got a special episode for you! We were recently invited to come up to NYALit Fest at UCLan (Preston) for a weekend with all our favourite authors. During the weekend, UCLan Publishing – the hosts of the festival – gave us our own little room to record in, so we did what we did best and spoke to authors about their books, the festival, and more!
Come listen to our mad capped adventures here, as the second part to finish off our experience there.
In this episode, Yarrow Townsend, joins us to talk about her latest novel, Map of Leaves
I chatted to Yarrow about blending experiences of nature into the book, stories from a riverboat and getting translated to German.
Yarrow was a great guest to have on the show and we are very grateful she was able to join us on the show.
***COMPETITION***
If you want to be in with a chance of winning a copy of Map of Leaves head over to Twitter and follow @BigKidsBookClub. Send us a tweet using the hashtag #LeavesComp and if you could ask a tree a question, what would you ask?
Winter was the only season every Lake-Lander feared…
In a post-apocalyptic America, a community survives in a national park, surrounded by water that keeps the Dead at bay. But when winter comes, there’s nothing to stop them from crossing the ice.
Then homebody Peter puts the camp in danger by naively allowing a stranger to come ashore and he’s forced to leave the community of Wranglestone. Now he must help rancher Cooper, the boy he’s always watched from afar, herd the Dead from their shores before the lake freezes over. But as love blossoms, a dark discovery reveals the sanctuary’s secret past. One that forces the pair to question everything they’ve ever known.
Peter’s trying his best in a world that’s harsh and resentful, full of mistrust and aggression. In the lakes of Wranglestone, the small community of survives only get by thanks to taking the extreme measures required. But Peter forgets these when a stranger arrives on a canoe with their dying wife… and finds a knife in his gut for his troubles.
This spirals into a look at the human condition, and what it truly means to live when the world is dead and dying. They call the resurrected dead monsters, but who truly is the monster in this world?
And if that wasn’t bad enough, not only is Peter’s having trouble enough with the community of survivors, but he’s also having trouble coming to terms with who he is and his emotions for the handsome and rugged Cooper. The boy is the perfect outdoorsman to Peter’s naïve indoory being. Can two such polar opposite people really attract?
But not all is as it seems, as the infected within the community are left out for the masked ones to come and collect them. Nobody knows where they are taken, but when Cooper becomes infected too, Peter’s not about to let him simply be given away as nothing more than dead meat. T
The boys discover that love can conquer many barriers – death being just one of them. And when their homes are in danger, they’ll work as one to show everybody the true monsters working behind the scenes.
Hey, hey, hey! Welcome back to the Big Kids Book Club.
It’s Tuesday, so what should we talk about today? How about new books!
Today we look at a book that’s either just been released or soon to be hitting shelves, but either way they should be on your wish lists!
Today’s book: Secrets of the Shadow Beast by Diane Magras
Publisher: Penguin Random House
Pages: 336
Release Date: 14/06/2022
In Brannland, terrifying beasts called Umbrae roam freely once the sun sets, so venomous that a single bite will kill a full-grown adult—and lately, with each day that passes, their population seems to double.
The only people who can destroy them are immune children like Nora, who are recruited at the age of seven to leave their families behind and begin training at a retrofitted castle called Noye’s Hill.
But despite her immunity, Nora’s father refused to let her go. Now, years after his death by Umbra attack, Nora is twelve, and sees her mother almost killed by the monsters too. That’s when Nora decides it’s time for her to join the battle.
Once she arrives at Noye’s Hill, though, she and her new friends are left with more questions than answers: Where are the Umbrae coming from?
Could the government be covering up the true reason their population has whirled out of control?
And was Nora’s father, the peaceful, big-hearted man who refused to let Nora fight, in on the treacherous secret?
Welcome back to the show. Today we’ve got a special episode for you! We were recently invited to come up to NYALit Fest at UCLan (Preston) for a weekend with all our favourite authors. During the weekend, UCLan Publishing – the hosts of the festival – gave us our own little room to record in, so we did what we did best and spoke to authors about their books, the festival, and more!
Come listen to our mad capped adventures here, with a second part coming out very soon!
In this episode, Keren David, joins us to talk about her latest novel, Say No to the Dress
I chatted to Keren about how writing stories for friendship, exploring Jewish heritage, and the positive message of saying YES!
Keren was a great guest to have on the show and we are very grateful she was able to join us on the show.
***COMPETITION***
If you want to be in with a chance of winning 1 of 10 copies of Say No to the Dress head over to Twitter and follow @BigKidsBookClub. Send us a tweet using the hashtag #DressComp and tell us what colour you look good/like to wear?
Two girls on opposite sides of a war discover they’re fighting for a common purpose—and falling for each other—in Zoe Hana Mikuta’s high-octane debut Gearbreakers, perfect for fans of Pacific Rim, Pierce Brown’s Red Rising Saga, and Marie Lu’s Legend series.
We went past praying to deities and started to build them instead...
The shadow of Godolia’s tyrannical rule is spreading, aided by their giant mechanized weapons known as Windups. War and oppression are everyday constants for the people of the Badlands, who live under the thumb of their cruel Godolia overlords.
Eris Shindanai is a Gearbreaker, a brash young rebel who specializes in taking down Windups from the inside. When one of her missions goes awry and she finds herself in a Godolia prison, Eris meets Sona Steelcrest, a cybernetically enhanced Windup pilot. At first Eris sees Sona as her mortal enemy, but Sona has a secret: She has intentionally infiltrated the Windup program to destroy Godolia from within.
As the clock ticks down to their deadliest mission yet, a direct attack to end Godolia’s reign once and for all, Eris and Sona grow closer—as comrades, friends, and perhaps something more…
This book really sucked me in with the premise – cyberpunk style badass mecha pilots and a corrupt regime to burn from the inside – errr… yes please!
But the story is far more than just a theme pasted liberally over a blanket YA story – instead Zoe has written a wonderfully angsty novel full of morally grey characters that delve into the very best that YA has to offer. The richness of the world comes alive from the very 1st page and it juggles quite a lot of sci-fi terms and ideas, that while for a sci-fi fan like myself are vibrant and creative takes on well-trodden and loved series for inspiration, are introduced in a way that fans dipping their toes into heavy Sci-fi for the first time won’t be scared off.
That being said, I do feel like this book resonated more with me because the themes are ones that I’ve fully got behind, because I won’t lie that there’s possibly some characters that I feel are not necessary, or that I wasn’t the biggest fan of, but then there are moments where I was forced to sit the f**k down and finish the chapter and to hell to all my other God-damn responsibilities because I was so invested in what happened next.
The character dynamics between Eris and Sona are for sure the highlights beyond giant mech battles and the revolutionary drama, as it’s a twisting, bubbling mess but in all the right ways. As the book progresses and more and more of their relationship starts fitting into place, you find yourself rooting for them come the final chapters and “Hell to the YES!” was that a great ending to the book.
That being said, I do think that YA Sci-Fi is always a harder sell to the general YA market, as the concept, then any Fantasy/Romance YA. Alas, I suppose I’m in the minority, but after finishing the book, I’m more than happy to be.
Pride Month promotes: W/W Relationships 🏳️🌈 🧯🐙🐐🎀🩱
In this episode, Helena Close joins us to talk about her latest novel, Things I Know.
I chatted to Helena about how writing stories in all their messiness, bringing hope out in novels, as well as the woes of being a Munster fan.
Helena was a great guest to have on the show and we are very grateful she was able to join us on the show.
***COMPETITION***
If you want to be in with a chance of winning a copy of Things I Know head over to Twitter and follow @BigKidsBookClub. Send us a tweet using the hashtag #SaoirseComp and tag in your friends and family who support you.
Hey, hey, hey! Welcome back to the Big Kids Book Club.
It’s Tuesday, so what should we talk about today? How about new books!
Today we look at a book that’s either just been released or soon to be hitting shelves, but either way they should be on your wish lists!
Today’s book: TJ Powar Has Something to Prove by Jesmeen Kaur Deo
Publisher: Nosy Crow
Pages: 272
Release Date: 02/06/2022
When TJ Powar—a pretty, popular debater—and her cousin Simran become the subject of a meme: with TJ being the “expectation” of dating an Indian girl and her Sikh cousin who does not remove her body hair being the “reality”—TJ decides to take a stand.
She ditches her razors, cancels her waxing appointments, and sets a debate resolution for herself: “This House Believes That TJ Powar can be her hairy self, and still be beautiful.” Only, as she sets about proving her point, she starts to seriously doubt anyone could care about her just the way she is—even when the infuriating boy from a rival debate team seems determined to prove otherwise.
As her carefully crafted sense of self begins to crumble, TJ realizes that winning this debate may cost her far more than the space between her eyebrows. And that the hardest judge to convince of her arguments might just be herself.
In this episode, we’re live at NYA Lit Fest 2022, talking to authors Ann Sei lin, Gabriela Houston, and Jennifer Claessen.
We caught up with friend of the show, Gabriela, about updates for her upsoming books, while Jennifer spoke to us about her debut novel, October Witches, coming out from UCLan Publishing in September.
I chatted to Ann about how writing the influences for Rebel Skies, what it feels like to be a debut author, and the wonder of seeing fans in person.
Ann, Gabriella and Jennifer were great guest to have on the show and we are very grateful they were able to join us on the show.
***COMPETITION***
If you want to be in with a chance of winning a copy of Rebel Skies head over to Twitter and follow @BigKidsBookClub. Send us a tweet using the hashtag #RebelComp and tell us what Origami creature you’d bring to life with magic?
In this episode, Katie Clapham joins us to talk about her debut novel, Three Girls.
Katie chatted to Emma about how writing the importance of friendship, writing good guys into YA, and finding the magic in every day stories.
Katie was a great guest to have on the show and we are very grateful she was able to join us on the show.
***COMPETITION***
If you want to be in with a chance of winning a copy of Three Girls head over to Twitter and follow @BigKidsBookClub. Send us a tweet using the hashtag #GirlsComp and tag in your two best friends!
Hey, hey, hey! Welcome back to the Big Kids Book Club.
It’s Thursday, so it’s time to jump right into another Mid-Week Review!
Today’s book: S.T.E.A.L.T.H Access Denied by Jason Rohan
Publisher: Nosy Crow
Pages: 304
Release Date: 07/04/2022
Suggested Age Range: 8+ Middle Grade
Genre(s): Action, Adventure, Robots, Sci-Fi
Star Rating: 🤖🤖🤖🤖🤖(out of 5)
They’re in a race to save his dad… and the world.
When his dad disappears, Arun Lal is amazed to discover that he was secretly working on a classified project and has been kidnapped by people intent on stealing it. Along with his geeky best friend Sam and tough-talking Donna, Arun is plunged into a race to rescue his father and find his creation before the thieves can turn it into a destructive global weapon…
Full of thrilling high-octane car chases and more, this is the first in an explosive new action-adventure middle grade series. Perfect for readers aged 9+ and fans of Alex Rider, CHERUB and Mission: Impossible. Arun, Donna and Sam are ordinary school kids with an extraordinary secret. They are S.T.E.A.L.T.H., a crack team of agents in charge of the most cutting-edge piece of tech the world doesn’t know exists: MANDROID. Always flying under the radar, they solve crimes, prevent disasters and rescue the innocent – and they STILL have to get their homework in on time!
S.T.E.A.L.T.H Access denied is a story that really encapsulates the excitement and fun of Alex Rider, without the necessarily overly elaborate plots of a boy-spy/secret agent. Instead, the story begins as Arun skips school with his friends Donna and Sam, with the trio coming face to face with a mysterious stranger within the first few paragraphs.
This sets us up for what is a roaringly fast paced action thriller, sort of like the drama “24”, with a race against time to save Arun’s father and to save the world from imminent danger.
The banter between the three main characters is strong, as is their general dynamics. Each of them have their own personality, while offering something specific to the table – be that Arun puzzle solving, Donna quick thinking, or Sam’s technical knowledge. The group works well and I think most readers will find their favourite among them in a sort of Percy Jackson or HP, middle grade trio protagonist groups way.
The core plot is involved, exciting, and it really keeps up at pacy beat – never allowing for the book to drag, but then never being too skinny on the details or the description. Together with the blend of narrative, mainly from Arun’s POV, but with small interludes from alternative POVs, you get a full sense of the chaos unfolding before them.
The final third of the book reveals what is the premise moving into the future books in the series, with the arrival of MANDROID, and what this means for Arun and his friends. In a sense this is very much a prequel book, laying down the valuable groundwork for even bigger and better books to come, but that doesn’t make it any less special! A great read.
A must buy for: Fans of Alex Rider or Thunderbirds.
In this episode, Jason Rohan, joined us on the show to talk about his newest novel, S.T.E.A.L.T.H: Access Denied
Jason and I chatted about the working for Marvel, creating stories and then trunking them, and how influences like Thunderbirds
Jason was a great guest to have on the show and we are very grateful he was able to join us on the show.
***COMPETITION***
If you want to be in with a chance of winning a copy of S.T.E.A.L.T.H: Access Denied head over to Twitter and follow @BigKidsBookClub. Send us a tweet using the hashtag #STEALTHcomp and tell us if you’d rather be a super-hero or evil genius.
Hey, hey, hey! Welcome back to the Big Kids Book Club.
It’s Tuesday, so what should we talk about today? How about new books!
Today we look at a book that’s either just been released or soon to be hitting shelves, but either way they should be on your wish lists!
Today’s book: Looking For Emilyby Fiona Longmuir
Publisher: Nosy Crow
Pages: 272
Release Date: 02/06/2022
A hugely gripping, fast-paced mystery adventure, with brilliant twists and turns, from a fresh and exciting new voice in children’s books.
When twelve-year-old Lily moves to the sleepy seaside town of Edge, she’s sure that nothing exciting is ever going to happen to her again. But when she stumbles upon a secret museum hidden in the middle of town, she realises that there might be more to her new home than meets the eye.
The Museum of Emily is filled with the belongings of one seemingly ordinary girl – a girl who, many years ago, disappeared from the town without a trace.
With the help of her new friends Sam and Jay, Lily is determined to solve the mystery and find out who Emily was, why she disappeared and who has created the strange, hidden museum.
With a one-of-a-kind mystery, a brilliant trio of protagonists, and an action-filled story, Looking for Emily is the unmissable middle grade debut of 2022.
It’s the end of the month so I’m joined by Rab (@rabtales), Emma (@EmmaKeane10) and Laura (@librarylaurapod) to talk about our monthly topic. This month is Mental Health Awareness May, where we talk about positive representation and media in the Middle Grade and Young Adult genre.
Before we start this episode, below are some links to resources that you or anybody can use to promote positive Mental Health Awareness, depending on your respective region.
How’s it going Big Kids Book Club fans? Now, no doubt the eagled eyed among you might realise that somethings have changed around here at the BKBC HQ?
Well, since the last few months and 2022 in particular, the podcast has bumped up a notch in terms of viewership, followers, and our partnerships with publishers meaning that it was time to turn this little side hustle into a full blown thing!!!
Additionally, my amazing friend, Emma, is picking up a lot more solo interviews and effectively has become the podcast’s full official co-host, as well as TikToker extraordinaire…
Yes. I did just say TikTok… We’re on TikTok peeps!
So, this whole upscaling of the podcast has meant that we’re making more content for you to enjoy, as well a slick brand new look for the website, podcast, and all our social media; including this beautiful brand, spanking new logo!
Isn’t it beautiful?
We think so 😊
But it’s super exciting for what’s coming up for the podcast. We’re looking at more ways to engage with more authors, fans, bloggers, and other industry reps.
We’ll also be looking at how we can do more for the listeners, and we’ll have more information coming very, very, very soon about some very exciting ideas and opportunities 😆
We’ll be updating all our social media over the next few weeks, so anything currently not updated will be, and we’ll be putting out a load more content which we’d love to have your feedback on.
I’ll finish here with a very cute photo of myself, Emma, and friend of the show Rab at the recent NYALitFest up in Preston at the University of Central Lancashire, with the amazing publishers UCLan Publishing. An amazing weekend we’ll always remember.
But that’s all for this weekend – have a great one. Don’t forget to check out our bookshop, where you can support us and help us grow. Additionally, if you’re not already, follow us on Twitter and TikTok.
But until next time…
Take Care, Stay Safe, But most importantly, Keep on Reading.
In this episode, David Valdes, joined Emma on the show to talk about his newest novel, Spin Me Right Round
David and Emma chatted about the fun of time travel, the difficulties of sexual identity in the past, and when you know an idea is a book or a play!
David was a great guest to have on the show and we are very grateful he was able to join us on the show.
***COMPETITION***
If you want to be in with a chance of winning a copy of Spin Me Right Round head over to Twitter and follow @BigKidsBookClub. Send us a tweet using the hashtag #Spincomp and tell us what one thing from the 80’s you’d love to see come back into fashion.
Hey, hey, hey! Welcome back to the Big Kids Book Club.
It’s Thursday, so what should we talk about today? How about new books!
Today we look at a book that’s either just been released or soon to be hitting shelves, but either way they should be on your wish lists!
Today’s book: Spin Me Right Round by DavidValdes
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Pages: 352
Release Date: 26/05/2022
Meet Luis. He’s out, he’s proud … and, although he doesn’t know it yet, he’s about to travel back in time to save a closeted student called Chaz from a tragic end.
All Luis Gonzalez really wants is to go to prom with his boyfriend. But when a hit on the head knocks him back in time to 1985, he finds himself in high school with his own parents and a whole lot of homophobia.
It turns out a Christian school in the 1980s probably isn’t the safest place to be a gay kid.
Soon, Luis is in over his head trying to untangle the mess he’s in, figure how to save Chaz … and somehow get home to his own time.
Get ready for an irresistible YA novel that puts an Own Voices twist on Back to the Future. Perfect for fans of Adam Silvera, Becky Albertalli and Casey McQuiston, this hilarious, intersectional time-slip adventure will make you laugh, cry and think.
In this episode, Sophie Cameron, joins us to talk about her newest Middle Grade novel, Our Sister Again.
Sophie and I chatted about how writing YA at university, tackling issues of grief, and how becoming a mother change her view on stories.
Sophie was a great guest to have on the show and we are very grateful she was able to join us on the show.
***COMPETITION***
If you want to be in with a chance of winning a copy of Our Sister Again head over to Twitter and follow @BigKidsBookClub. Send us a tweet using the hashtag #Floracomp and share a memory of a precious loved one.
Hey, hey, hey! Welcome back to the Big Kids Book Club.
It’s Tuesday, so what should we talk about today? How about new books!
Today we look at a book that’s either just been released or soon to be hitting shelves, but either way they should be on your wish lists!
Today’s book: Magicborn by Peter Bunzl
Publisher: Usborne
Pages: 368
Release Date: 26/05/2022
The first instalment of an enthralling new fantasy series from the bestselling author of the Cogheart Adventures is a bewitching blend of sorcery and intrigue in a brilliantly realised alternate eighteenth-century England.
The Curse is changed. You’ll never know. The truth is lost. The lie will grow.The year is 1726 and the Royal Sorcerer of England is on the hunt for those who are magicborn. When Tempest is captured after accidentally unleashing a power she didn’t know she had, she is taken to Kensington Palace alongside a boy like her, Peter.
Trapped, Tempest and Peter find their magic flickering to life – and with it, long-buried memories. For they are the lost prince and princess of Fairyland, bound by a deadly curse… and now the fairies are coming to get them. A battle is building – one only they can end. But who will survive?
The first in a sumptuous and enthralling new historical-fantasy adventure series from the bestselling author of The Cogheart Adventures.
Well, it’s the start of a new week and that means there’s lots to talk about. We’ll be showing you soon all the cool content from our time at the weekend at NYALit Fest up in Preston at UCLan, but in the meantime we have a few little bits of news for you!
Bookshop Updates!
We’ve updated some the bookshop for the Big Kids Book Club page on there. I realise I’m not the best at keeping it updated, but here’s a list of all the books we chatted about during the month of April.
Remember, that buy shopping through Bookshop.org, not only are you supporting the podcast but also independent bookshops 😃📚
Don’t forget to sign up to the next months Paper Orange book box subscription to receive the best in UK YA books with an exclusive 10% for our podcast fans.
Use our exclusive code: BIGKIDSYACLUB
SIGN UPS BETWEEN 2ND MAY AND MIDNIGHT THE 1ST OF JUNE WILL BE FOR JUNES BOX.
Monthly UK Y.A book Subscription box delivered straight to your door.
Every month subscribers will be receive the following items.
That month’s UK Y.A Book Pick. (Always a recent release from the month)
Relevant goodies, from bookmarks, prints to badges and everything in-between.
Author Letter – Learn more about the Author.
Information on that Month’s UK Y.A releases
Below iss a look at April’s contents for you to see just what sort of awesome goodies you get.
And that’s the news! We’ll be back in future weeks with more updates soon 😃📚
In this episode, Cath Howe, joins us to talk about her newest Middle Grade novel, The Insiders
Cath and I chatted about how teaching influences her writing, over writing like a boss, and the resilience of children.
Cath was a great guest to have on the show and we are very grateful she was able to join us on the show.
***COMPETITION***
If you want to be in with a chance of winning a copy of The Insiders head over to Twitter and follow @BigKidsBookClub. Send us a tweet using the hashtag #Insidecomp and tag in your best friend! The more the merrier!!
Hey, hey, hey! Welcome back to the Big Kids Book Club.
It’s Thursday, so what should we talk about today? How about new books!
Today we look at a book that’s either just been released or soon to be hitting shelves, but either way they should be on your wish lists!
Today’s book: The Breakfast Club Adventures: The Beast Beyond the Fence by Marcus Rashford & Alex Falase-Koya
Publisher: Pan Macmillan
Pages: 272
Release Date: 26/05/2022
The third title in the Marcus Rashford Book Club marks the fiction debut of the international footballer and food poverty campaigner himself, as a group of self-styled Breakfast Club Investigators take the twelve-year-old Marcus under their wing.
The Breakfast Club Adventures is the first fiction book by England International footballer, child food-poverty campaigner and #1 bestselling author Marcus Rashford MBE, inspired by Marcus’s own experiences growing up! Written with Alex Falase-Koya, it is the third title in the Marcus Rashford Book Club and is packed with tons of illustration throughout and is the perfect book for children aged 8-11.
There’s something fishy going on at school…
When twelve-year-old Marcus kicks his favourite football over the school fence, he knows he’s never getting it back. Nothing that goes over that wall ever comes back. But the next morning during Breakfast Club Marcus gets a mysterious note inviting him to join the Breakfast Club Investigators, and he is soon pulled into an exciting adventure with his new mates to solve the mystery and get his football back!
Packed full of friendship, adventure, community and fun, you won’t want to miss The Breakfast Club Adventures, Marcus Rashford’s first fiction book for children.
In this episode, Kimberly Pauley returns to talk about her new book, The Accidental Wizard: A Peculiar Problem
Kimberly and I chatted about dungeons and dragons, fairy tales from around the British Isles, and writing 80,000 words in 3 months!
Kimberly was a great guest to have on the show and we are very grateful she was able to join us on the show.
***COMPETITION***
If you want to be in with a chance of winning a copy of The Accidental Wizard: A Peculiar Problem head over to Twitter and follow @BigKidsBookClub. Send us a tweet using the hashtag #Twigcomp and tell us your medieval knightly name!
A powerful and heart-rending exploration of a teenager’s journey through grief, rage and getting caught in the criminal justice system from award-winning author Patrice Lawrence.
Charlene is a demon knitter. It’s the only thing she enjoys and the only thing she believes she’s really good at.
So when her foster mum’s son destroys her latest creation, Charlene loses it and stabs him in the hand with her knitting needle. It damages a nerve and she gets sucked into the criminal justice system for assault.
Charlene’s not sorry and she’s never apologised to anyone in her life. But people keep telling her that if she says sorry, they’ll go easier on her. Can she bring herself to say it and not mean it when her freedom’s at stake?
As we’re well over 120 episodes now, and we’re making new friends so let’s check out some of the older episodes that were amazing.
This episode was originally released back in April 2021
In this episode, Reni K Amayo , author of Daughters of Nri and publisher with Onwe Press, joins me on the show.
Reni and I chatted about her writing as a route to discover her history, the importance of creating books she’s passionate about and working on books to avoid writing.
Reni was a great guest to have on the show and we are very grateful she was able to join us on the show.
In this episode, Jasmine Richards returns to talk about her latest projects for Storymix and her new solo book, The Unmorrow Curse.
Jasmine and I chatted about mythologies, wearing many different hats, and the importance of finding stories that we can see ourselves in.
Jasmine was a great guest to have on the show and we are very grateful she was able to join us on the show.
***COMPETITION***
If you want to be in with a chance of winning a copy of The Unmorrow Curse head over to Twitter and follow @BigKidsBookClub. Send us a tweet using the hashtag #Fridaycomp and tell us what superstitions you believe in.
In this episode, Vashti Hardy returns to talk about her final book in the Brightstorm trilogy, Firesong.
Vashti and I chatted about completing a trilogy, the journey of writing multiple novels, and what she has planned for the world of the Wide next.
Vashti was a great guest to have on the show and we are very grateful she was able to join us on the show.
***COMPETITION***
If you want to be in with a chance of winning a copy of Firesong head over to Twitter and follow @BigKidsBookClub. Send us a tweet using the hashtag #Gaiacomp and tell us what animal would be your perfect Sapient companion.
Hey, hey, hey! Welcome back to the Big Kids Book Club.
It’s Tuesday, so what should we talk about today? How about new books!
Today we look at a book that’s either just been released or soon to be hitting shelves, but either way they should be on your wish lists!
Today’s book: The Unmorrow Curse by Jasmine Richards
Publisher: UCLan Publishing
Pages: 332
Release Date: 05/05/2022
Two friends awaken a world of myth and magic in this epic middle grade fantasy perfect for fans of Rick Riordan. It’s not every day that you find a famous weather woman bound by magic to a tree deep in the woods.
Or discover that the weatherwoman is in fact Sunna, the Norse Goddess of the Sun, and one of the seven day guardians who keep time in order.
But that’s just what happens to new friends Buzz and Mari–and it’s only the start of their adventure. Now, as humanity are forced into a lockdown called the Unmorrow Curse and are forced to repeat the same Saturday over and over again,
Buzz and Mari must journey to collect the Runes of Valhalla and awaken the other day guardians, before vengeful god Loki can get to them first.
It’s a new month and April flew by, and all of us at the Big Kids HQ are super busy with life, the universe, and everything.
Therefore, instead of a normal monthly chat up we’re having a quick breakdown of all the stuff we’ve been reading and enjoying this month.
Marcus
This month I’ve been reading a lot for the podcast, and you can find out my thoughts and feeling about them in each of our episode (hint hint go listen now!) But outside of the fantastic books in these episodes, I also read the following (all ratings are out of 5 ⭐stars):
The Land of Stories: The Wishing Spell by Chris Colfer – 4⭐
Alex and Conner Bailey’s world is about to change.
When the twins’ grandmother gives them a treasured fairy-tale book, they have no idea they’re about to enter a land beyond all imagining: the Land of Stories, where fairy tales are real.
But as Alex and Conner soon discover, the stories they know so well haven’t ended in this magical land – Goldilocks is now a wanted fugitive, Red Riding Hood has her own kingdom, and Queen Cinderella is about to become a mother!
The twins know they must get back home somehow. But with the legendary Evil Queen hot on their trail, will they ever find the way?
“Really enjoyed this book as it narrated by Chris Colfer as well. Lots of fun reimaging of the classic fable characters and the land of stories. A little generic with the classic portal fantasy format but all the characters and world feel so full of life and imagination.”
Crater Lake by Jennifer Killick – 4.5 ⭐
Who is the mysterious bloodstained man who stops their coach?
Why is no one around when Lance and the rest of Year Six arrive at the brand new Crater Lake activity centre?
But this is just the beginning of the school trip from hell; a fight for survival that sees five pupils band together to save their classmates from an alien fate far worse than death.
But whatever happens, they must Never. Ever. Fall asleep!
“A really great spin on the classic lakefront horror, but with a middle grade narrative.Spooky and weird, but highly enjoyable with afun host of characters.“
Emma
This month Emma’s been very busy with exams for her Master’s degree, but that didn’t stop her reading some amazing books for her interviews which are amazing to listen too! Check them out now (all ratings are out of 5 ⭐stars):
Blood to Poison by Mary Watson – 5⭐
Seventeen-year-old Savannah is cursed. It’s a sinister family heirloom; passed down through the bloodline for hundreds of years, with one woman in every generation destined to die young. The family call them Hella’s girls, named for their ancestor Hella; the enslaved woman with whom it all began.
Hella’s girls are always angry, especially in the months before they die. The anger is bursting from Savannah – at the men who cat-call her in the street, at her mother’s disingenuous fiance, even at her own loving family.
Each fit of rage is bringing her closer to the edge and now Savannah has to act to save herself. Or die trying. Because the key to survival lies in the underbelly of Cape Town, where the sinister veilwitches are waiting for just such a girl.
“Intriguing right from the start, loved how vibrant the world was. Great writing.”
Such a Good Liarby Sue Wallman – 4⭐
She’s faking her way into the most exclusive social circles for revenge. But how long can her lies hold up?
Seventeen-year-old Lydia Cornwallis has arrived on a remote island populated only by wealthy families and their staff. She quickly finds acceptance, even adoration, from the close-knit families that rule the island. But a storm is coming, and all routes to the mainland are cut off. But thank goodness the Harrington sisters made it in time, because Lydia simply can’t wait to meet them. That’s because Lydia’s not really Lydia Cornwallis. And the Harringtons have hell to pay for what they’ve done.
Lydia will need to draw on epic nerve, quicksilver adaptability and sly cunning in maintaining her cover and exacting murderous revenge. And when she meets someone new on the island and starts to develop real feelings, can that connection survive when nothing else is real?
This fraudster story will keep readers on edge, turning the pages to find out how long Lydia can keep this brazen scheme up.
“Took me a while to get into it, but loved the way it fleshed out in the end. The pace build-up was fab.”
Rab
This month Rab has been mworking on the final edits for his upcoming Middle Grade debut, The Late Crew, but he’s still finding time to enjoying some great books:
Dream Country by Ashaye Brown – TBC⭐
A sibling rivalry to fuel your worst nightmares.
The dysfunctional triplet gods of Sleep, Dreams and Nightmares are kept separate by the deadly Gates of Horn and Ivory.
Only one fact keeps them tightly bound: each of them is a suspect in their mother’s murder.
Their knife-edge feud worsens when a mortal enters the world with astounding abilities that threaten to change the game for them all.
“Beautiful and imaginative YA, inspired by heaps of mythology. It’s about the gods of sleep, dreams, and nightmares, and their sibling rivalry. Fans of Neil Gaiman would love it.”
Laura
Laura, host of the Library Laura podcast, and good friend of the BKBC, has been reading while juggling the busy life of a new parent, below is the book she’s finished in April:
School For Whatnots by Margaret Peterson Haddix – TBC⭐
No matter what anyone tells you, I’m real.
That’s what the note says that Max finds under his keyboard.
He knows that his best friend, Josie, wrote it. He’d know her handwriting anywhere. But why she wrote it—and what it means—remains a mystery.
Ever since they met in kindergarten, Max and Josie have been inseparable. Until the summer after fifth grade, when Josie disappears, leaving only a note, and whispering something about “whatnot rules.”
But why would Max ever think that Josie wasn’t real? And what are whatnots?
As Max sets to uncover what happened to Josie—and what she is or isn’t—little does he know that she’s fighting to find him again, too. But there are forces trying to keep Max and Josie from ever seeing each other again. Because Josie wasn’t supposed to be real.
This middle grade thriller from Margaret Peterson Haddix delves into the power of privilege, the importance of true friendship, and the question of humanity and identity. Because when anyone could be a whatnot, what makes a person a real friend—or real at all?
“It was an interesting look at friendship, privilege, and the role of AI, as well as being surprising and adventurous.”
That’s all for this month. We’ll hopefully be back in May with a wrap up and a familiar book club catch up.
Until then, take care, stay safe, but most importantly… keep on reading 😃
In this episode, Caryl Lewis, joins us to talk about her debut English middle-grade novel.
Caryl and I chatted about writing books in English, finding stories to inspire imaginations, and the wonder in dreams and wishes.
Caryl was a great guest to have on the show and we are very grateful she was able to join us on the show.
***COMPETITION***
If you want to be in with a chance of winning a copy of Seed head over to Twitter and follow @BigKidsBookClub. Send us a tweet using the hashtag #Martycomp and tell us your favourite vegetable.
Hey, hey, hey! Welcome back to the Big Kids Book Club.
It’s Thursday, so what should we talk about today? How about new books!
Today we look at a book that’s either just been released or soon to be hitting shelves, but either way they should be on your wish lists!
Today’s book: The Insiders by Cath Howe
Publisher: Nosy Crow
Pages: 256
Release Date: 05/05/2022
The author of Ella on the Outside and How To Be Me spins a heartwarming story of friendship, family and insecurity as a gang of best friends leave one of their number out of a new adventure.
Secrets. Lies. Promises. Sometimes keeping things inside is dangerous.
Callie, Ted, Zara, and Nico are best friends. More than friends – they’re like family to each other. But since being embarrassed at school in a practical joke gone wrong, Ted has stopped talking to the rest of the gang. And when Callie, Zara and Nico discover that someone has been living in their school, and sleeping in the building at night, they decide to investigate – without Ted.
In this episode, Sue Wallman, joins us to talk about her latest novel, Such a Good Liar.
Emma chatted with Sue about the writing mysteries, incorporating social media into novels, and making YA protagonists believable.
Sue was a great guest to have on the show and we are very grateful she was able to join us on the show.
***COMPETITION***
If you want to be in with a chance of winning a copy of Such a Good Liar head over to Twitter and follow @BigKidsBookClub. Send us a tweet using the hashtag #Liarcomp and tell us your most outrageous lie! Come on make it good 😀
Hey, hey, hey! Welcome back to the Big Kids Book Club.
It’s Tuesday, so what should we talk about today? How about new books!
Today we look at a book that’s either just been released or soon to be hitting shelves, but either way they should be on your wish lists!
Today’s book: Such a Good Liar by Sue Wallman
Publisher: Scholastic
Pages: 352
Release Date: 05/05/2022
She’s faking her way into the most exclusive social circles for revenge. But how long can her lies hold up?
Seventeen-year-old Lydia Cornwallis has arrived on a remote island populated only by wealthy families and their staff. She quickly finds acceptance, even adoration, from the close-knit families that rule the island. But a storm is coming, and all routes to the mainland are cut off.
But thank goodness the Harrington sisters made it in time, because Lydia simply can’t wait to meet them. That’s because Lydia’s not really Lydia Cornwallis. And the Harringtons have hell to pay for what they’ve done.
Lydia will need to draw on epic nerve, quicksilver adaptability and sly cunning in maintaining her cover and exacting murderous revenge. And when she meets someone new on the island and starts to develop real feelings, can that connection survive when nothing else is real?
This fraudster story will keep readers on edge, turning the pages to find out how long Lydia can keep this brazen scheme up.
Perfect for fans of Holly Jackson, Karen McManus and E. Lockhart.
In this episode, Ivor Baddiel, author of Britain’s Smartest Kid… on Ice!, joins us on the show!
Ivor and I talked about kids fears of being themselves, going behind the scenes of TV writing, and the love of football.
Ivor was a great guest to have on the show and we are very grateful he was able to join us on the show.
Enjoy!
***COMPETITION***
If you want to be in with a chance of winning a copy of Britain’s Smartest Kid… on Ice! then head over to Twitter and follow @BigKidsBookClub. Send us a tweet using the hashtag #Icecomp and tell us your show stopping talent!
We’ve met a lot of new friends join the #BigKidsBookClub since we started back in 2020 so today we’re opening the archive and our episode with Dan Walker
Let’s re-join Emma and Christine PIllainayagam as they talk about her latest novel, Ellie Pillai Is Brown
Emma and Christine chatted about writing stories for her younger self, the importance of music behind novels, and getting opportunities to live out dreams.
Christine was a great guest to have on the show and we are very grateful she was able to join us on the show.
This is part two for the episode – if you haven’t listened to Part 1, then listen to it first.
In this episode, Christine PIllainayagam, joins Emma to talk about her latest novel, Ellie Pillai Is Brown
Emma and Christine chatted about writing stories for her younger self, the importance of music behind novels, and getting opportunities to live out dreams.
Christine was a great guest to have on the show and we are very grateful she was able to join us on the show.
This is part one of two for the episode – the next half will be coming out this Friday 22nd April. So keep an eye out for it.
In this episode, Mary Watson, joins Emma to talk about her latest novel, Blood to Poison.
Emma and Mary chatted about writing stories about her native South Africa, spinning tales of magic and weaving narratives that tackle hard hitting topics.
Mary was a great guest to have on the show and we are very grateful she was able to join us on the show.
In this episode, Gina Blaxill, joins us to talk about her latest novel, You Can Trust Me.
Gina and I chatted about the difficulties of a writing journey, finding the right place to start your novel, and tricky first chapters.
Gina was a great guest to have on the show and we are very grateful she was able to join us on the show.
***COMPETITION***
If you want to be in with a chance of winning a copy of you Can Trust Me head over to Twitter and follow @BigKidsBookClub. Send us a tweet using the hashtag #Azaricomp and tag your best friend.
In this episode, Jane Mitchell, joins us to talk about her latest novel, Run for Your Life
Jane and I chatted about the Direct Provision in Ireland, running writing workshops for refugees, and writing books to highlight issues.
Jane was a great guest to have on the show and we are very grateful she was able to join us on the show.
***COMPETITION***
If you want to be in with a chance of winning a copy of Run For Your Life head over to Twitter and follow @BigKidsBookClub. Send us a tweet using the hashtag #Azaricomp and tell us a made-up event at the Olympics you’d win gold in.
It’s the end of the month so I’m joined by Rab (@rabtales) and Laura (@librarylaurapod) to talk about our monthly topic. This month is Mystery March, where we talk mystery, thrillers, and detective novels in the Middle Grade and Young Adult genre.
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Books talked about in this episode:
Murder Most Unladylike by Robin Stevens
Agatha Oddly by Lena Jones
Winterhouse by Ben Guterson
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So sit back, relax, and get lost in a good book-ish podcast
In this episode, Anne Cassidy, joins us to talk about her latest novel, The Drowning Day.
Anne and I chatted about writing for middle grade, the writing of up to date issues, and the creation of characters.
Anne was a great guest to have on the show and we are very grateful she was able to join us on the show.
***COMPETITION***
If you want to be in with a chance of winning a copy of The Drowning Day head over to Twitter and follow @BigKidsBookClub. Send us a tweet using the hashtag #Cassidycomp and tell us what treasure you’d like to find deep sea diving.
In this episode, Alastair Chisholm, returns to the show to talk about her latest series, the Dragon Storm Series.
Alastair and I chatted about writing in picture books and middle grade, writing a series, and all the details that go into it.
Alastair was a great guest to have on the show and we are very grateful he was able to join us on the show.
***COMPETITION***
If you want to be in with a chance of winning a copy of the first two books in the Dragon Storm head over to Twitter and follow @BigKidsBookClub. Send us a tweet using the hashtag #Dragoncomp and tell us what name and powers your dragon might have? (UK residents only)
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