Orion

This is the last book in this most entertaining series about Edgar the raven and the mad cap family the Otherhands.

Otherhand castle is up for sale because Valevine has finally run out of money. Edgar is away on raven buisness, but in the meantime a little ravenlet called Rob appears!

Solstice and Cudweed decide to try and help their parents and save the castle with horrendous results.

Hearing Barbara Flynn reading Jennifer Worth's words brought back a picture of when I saw after the interview I did with her. She was sitting in the bay window in her back room with the sun light streaming on her while she signed her first book 'Call the Midwife' - Barbara whilst not sounding like Jennifer certainly evoked what she was - a caring no nonsense person who wrote with a great deal of common sense.

I have to say - I am a huge fan of both author Francesca Simon and actress Miranda Richardson, who's renditions of these Early Reader books makes them such fun to read and to listen to. They feel so alive and raring to go - and in this story - a female sheep who's searching the farm looking for her lamb.

A simple story well told made even more fantastic by Miranda Richardson - one that I feel will entertain both child and parent.

The latest in this fascinating time travel series following Clare, a 20th century nurse and doctor, traveling back to 18th century Scotland and the colonies to be with her now husband, the Highlander Jamie.

Excellent well drawn characters, good dialogue and description, intriguing plots and sub plots, plus interesting detail of everyday life back then, particularly, for me, on the medical/herbal front. Mix in some celtic mysticism, and in this volume some native American wisdom and set in a period of great change, and you have a really good read.

Using the virus culled from mutating vampire bats, the military (American of course) create human vampires using death row criminals, I'm not quite sure why. Needless to say all does not go well and the virals escape, causing complete breakdown of society and resulting in the only chance of humankind's salvation resting with a young girl.

While the main characters of this funny, thought-provoking book are teenagers, this is a book so well written that it will appeal to anyone who picks it up. It is simply a good story.

While the main theme is destruction of the fragile ecosystem of the Florida Everglades, the eccentric characters, vile baddies and humorous touches mean that it is not at all depressing, and the details of the wildlife, including a panther, give a vivid picture of the environment. Recommended.

This is the latest book in the Edgar the Raven series and in my opinion the funniest book so far.

Edgar is a very bored Raven because he is longing for something to happen; so a trip to the circus and a Fortune Teller called Madame Zora, who comes to stay at Castle Otherhand, make events take an unexpected turn!

I love this book with all it's odd ball characters, especially Valevine who is head of the household and an inventor. Edgar's forays into the larder when cook was not looking is hilarious.

A ghost story written for older children about two boys called Elliot and Ben who have moved into an old house which their father is renovating.

This story chilled me to the bone becouse of the feeling of fear and menace that runs through the whole book and the sense of evil which seems to be everywhere.

Normally when I listen to an audio book I like to multitask by either quilting, knitting or crocheting - but this time listening to Andrew Sach's rendition of Simon Sebag Montefiore's words, stopped me in my tracks as I got deeper into the unfolding story about Jerusalem.

There is wonderful mayhem to be had here when Horrid Henry's school teacher set the class a reading competition! What would Henry do? Well cheat of course but in the end Horrid Henry gets his come upance!

I just love these horrid Henry audio books they are so funny especially the way Miranda Richardson reads them, with all the special effects to be had!

The book is split into 6 chapters thus enabling the Early Reader to read and listen to the audio at the same time. Perfect for the child and wickedly funny for the parent to listen to!

Always highly recommended.