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Big Kids Book Club Episode 63: Author Interview – Claire Barker

Hey hey hey!

Welcome back to this week’s Author Interview.

In this episode, Claire Barker, author of the Kintbone Pepper and Picklewitch and Jack series, joins me on the show.

Claire and I chatted about undoing knots in your writing, finding the best friendships through tension and waiting for characters to visit.

Claire was a great guest to have on the show and we are very grateful she was able to join us on the show.

Enjoy!

***COMPETITION***

If you want to be in with a chance of winning a signed copy of Picklewitch and Jack , then head over to Twitter and follow @BigKidsBookClub.
Send us a tweet using the hashtag #PicklewitchComp and tell us what spell you’d like to be able to cast.

(UK residents only)

The competition closes midnight on 11th June

Episode 61: Big Kids Book Club Midweek Review: You Are A Champion

Hey, hey, hey!

Welcome to our Mid-Week review 📚🎙🎧

Each week, we’re going to be reviewing a Middle Grade or Young Adult novel and giving you the scoop on whether it’s any good!

Our rating system for non-fiction is out of 5 stars with the following categories being looked at:

Purpose, Style, Authority, Usefulness

All the categories are ranked from five, added together, and divided by 4 to give a final rating!

This week’s episode features:

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You are a champion by Marcus Rashford (with Carl Anka)

Publisher: Macmillan

Age Range: 9+

Genre(s): Non-Fiction, Self Help

Page Count: 208

Star Rating: 4.25⭐(out of 5)

Tuesday TBR Teasers

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!

Each week 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!

This week: The Race by Roy Peachy

Publisher: Cranachan Publishing

Pages: 200

Release Date: 03/06/2021

Get ready for the race of your life…

This is what it feels like when I’m running. When I’m running fast, I feel free.

12-year-old Lili is determined to defeat her arch rival in front of the Queen during her school’s anniversary celebrations.

Adopted from China as a baby, Lili also has personal challenges to overcome, but when her training is thrown into chaos by events outside her control, she realises that she must choose between family and the race of her life.

Meanwhile in 1944, Eric Liddell, hero of the 1924 Olympics, finds himself in a war zone. Separated from his family, he is getting ready to run his final race in a prison camp in China when his lifelong principles are challenged by the imprisoned children he is trying to help…

You can pick it up the book from https://uk.bookshop.org/ or check out your local bookshop.

Episode 61: Big Kids Book Club Month Book Chat – May 2021

Hey, hey, hey!

It’s a new month so I’m joined by Rab (@rabtales), Emma (@emmakeane10), and special guest Laura (@librarylaurapod) as we look all things contemporary in this month’s topic.

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Onwe Press – https://www.onwe.co/ and the pre-order campaign for Landfill Mountains is on special offer right now and those who buy it will receive a bonus short story from the author – our very own Rab!

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We also want to give a big shout out to:

Black Lives Matter – https://blacklivesmatter.com/

Campaign Against Climate Change – https://www.campaigncc.org/

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So sit back, relax, and get lost in a good book-ish podcast

Episode 60: Big Kids Book Club Author Interview: Louie Stowell

Hey hey hey!

Welcome back to this week’s Author Interview.

In this episode, Louie Stowell, author of the Dragon in the Library series and new book Otherland, joins me on the show.

Louie and I chatted about how Otherland started life over 20 years ago, how making friends in real life made her protagonist believable on the pages and the inspiration found in a dissenters graveyard.

Louie was a great guest to have on the show and we are very grateful she was able to join us on the show.

Enjoy!

***COMPETITION***

If you want to be in with a chance of winning a signed copy of Otherland, then head over to Twitter and follow @BigKidsBookClub.
Send us a tweet using the hashtag #OtherlandComp and tell us who’d you’d rescue from Otherland!

(UK residents only)

The competition closes midnight on 4th June

Free short story – Unicorn in the Cemetary – https://louiestowell.com/

Episode 59: Big Kids Book Club Midweek Review: Otherland

Hey, hey, hey!

Welcome to our Mid-Week review 📚🎙🎧

Each week, we’re going to be reviewing a Middle Grade or Young Adult novel and giving you the scoop on whether it’s any good!

Our rating system is out of 5 stars with the following categories being looked at:

Plot, Pacing, Characters, Style, Setting

All the categories are ranked from five, added together, and divided by 5 to give a final rating!

This week’s episode features:

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Otherland by Louie Stowell

Publisher: Nosy Crow

Age Range: 7+

Genre(s): Fantasy

Page Count: 224

Star Rating: 4⭐(out of 5)

Tuesday TBR Teasers

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!

Each week 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!📚📚

This week: Truly Tyler by Terri Libenson

Publisher: Blazer + Bray (Harper Collins)

Pages: 384

Release Date: 27/05/2021

A story about being your truest self-and trusting your truest friends-from bestselling author Terri Libenson. Perfect for fans of Raina Telgemeier and Shannon Hale.

Cliques. Crushes. Comics. Middle school.

Ever since Tyler started getting into art and hanging out with Emmie, his friends and teammates have been giving him a hard time. He wonders why can’t he nerd out on drawing and play ball?

Emmie is psyched that she gets to work on a comics project with her crush, Tyler. But she gets the feeling that his friends don’t think she’s cool enough. Maybe it’s time for a total reinvention. . . .

Don’t miss the rest of the Emmie & Friends series: Invisible Emmie, Positively Izzy, Just Jaime, Becoming Brianna, and You-Niquely You: An Emmie & Friends Interactive Journal!

You can pick it up the book from https://uk.bookshop.org/ or check out your local bookshop.

Big Kids Book Club Podcast Episode 58: Author Interview – Justin Somper

Hey hey hey!

Welcome back to this week’s Author Interview.

In this episode, Justin Somper, author of the Vampirates & the Allies & Assassins series, joins me on the show.

Justin and I chatted about how the idea for Vampirates popped into his head, coming up with pirates and taking the plunge to re-launch his book series.

Justin 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 signed copy of the whole Vampirates series, then head over to Twitter and follow @BigKidsBookClub.
Send us a tweet using the hashtag #VampirateComp and tell us your amazing vampire/pirate captain’s inspired names.

(UK residents only)

The competition closes midnight on 28th May.

Episode 57: Big Kids Book Club Midweek Review: Rumaysa: A Fairytale

Hey, hey, hey!

Welcome to our Mid-Week review 📚🎙🎧

Each week, we’re going to be reviewing a Middle Grade or Young Adult novel and giving you the scoop on whether it’s any good!

Our rating system is out of 5 stars with the following categories being looked at:

Plot, Pacing, Characters, Style, Setting

All the categories are ranked from five, added together, and divided by 5 to give a final rating!

This week’s episode features:

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Rumaysa: A Fairytale by Radiya Hafiza

Publisher: Pan Macmillan

Age Range: 7+

Genre(s): Fantasy/Retelling

Page Count: 240

Star Rating: 4.1⭐(out of 5)

Tuesday TBR Teasers

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!

Each week 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!📚📚

This week: The Swallow’s Flight by Hilary McKay

Publisher: Macmillian

Pages: 304

Release Date: 27/05/2021

From the Costa Award-winning author of The Skylarks’ War, a moving WWII story of family and friendship on opposite sides of a devastating conflict.

Four ordinary lives connected by extraordinary circumstances, Hilary McKay’s stunning companion novel to the Costa Award-winning The Skylarks’ War features the next generation of characters as they move from childhood to the threshold of adulthood amid the chaos and conflict of the Second World War.

Erik and Hans admire swallows over the rooftops of Berlin, little thinking that one day they will be flying above England, risking their lives in a war they both detest.

Ruby and Kate, great friends despite their differences, find themselves racing towards a danger that neither of them could possibly have imagined.

You can pick it up the book from https://uk.bookshop.org/ or check out your local bookshop.