There are several books coming out this month by one of my favourite publishers, Barrington Stoke. I have read three of them which I think highlight the range they offer to readers of all ages and have shared my thoughts on each of them below.

The Weather Well by Vashti Hardy illustrated by Natalie Smillie

The finale of this popular steam punk inspired series is another thrilling adventure full of clever inventions and a meteorological mystery for our heroes to solve. It is a great way to end these stories set in the world of Griffin Gate and would also work as a stand alone for new readers too.

We meet Grace and Tom again in the height of a summer heatwave but when they answer a call for help from the Griffin map and teleport to Oakwell they land in the middle of a freezing snowstorm. With their trusty companion Watson the mechanical Raven to help them Grace and Tom embark on a mission to find the cause of the strange weather and restore the summer to the town of Oakwell. The adventure encourages children to try to solve the mystery alongside the characters and as the tension mounts young readers will explore themes of friendship and the importance of teamwork. Vashti Hardy gently encourages her readers to understand the importance of tackling problems in small steps and working together using their individual skills. In addition she includes a sensitive depiction of a one-parent family who strengthen their relationship by the end of the book. The appealing cover and the black and white illustrations throughout by Natalie Smillie bring the imaginary world to life for the reader.

Although, as already mentioned, you could read this book without having read the others I feel sure that children would be tempted to find out the back story if they are new to this series. For many young readers that sense of familiarity and reconnecting to old friends as they follow characters through their adventures adds to the enjoyment of reading. The STEM themes are great for encouraging budding inventors too. Suitable for readers aged 9+ and editing ensures that this story can be enjoyed by children with a reading age of 8.

What was it like to be an…Ancient Roman by David Long illustrated by Stefano Tambellini

David Long has a knack of imparting a great deal of information in a concise and readable style and this new title is an excellent book for school libraries and classrooms. Long explores who the Romans were, the origins of their city and their empire and also how they lived, both the rich and the poor, those in cities or countryside. Readers learn about their brilliant inventions and what made their army invincible for so long. The detail is both wide ranging and fascinating.

The information is divided into ten chapters and Tambellini’s illustrations and diagrams are featured throughout the book to good effect. The diagrams detailing the construction of roads and aqueducts are particularly helpful and the illustrations of forts and farms add to the readers’ understanding. Children will learn a great deal from how farmers grew crops to the influence of religion over the years and in the final chapters also discover what brought about the downfall of the Roman Empire and the their lasting legacy today.

This is an immensely readable book and one that would be extremely useful to teachers teaching the subject of Ancient Rome as both a resource for the children and a useful starting point for updating their own knowledge. Highly recommended and as with all books published by Barrington Stoke it is presented in an accessible format making it suitable for all readers aged 9+ with a reading age of 8.

Welcome to Camp Killer by Cynthia Murphy

One of the best things about books published by Barrington Stoke is that the top authors who write for them are able to to produce a big story in a relatively few pages. Cynthia Murphy is the author of the bestselling YA horror title Win Lose Kill Die and the award wining Last One to Die. Her first book for Barrington Stoke crams thrills, twists and tension into a fast paced, gripping story of only 120 pages or so.

Set in an American style residential camp taking place in the grounds of an English stately home this has an unsettling atmosphere from the first chapter on. The teenage instructors are all new to their role and the ghost story based on a tragedy that took place in the grounds quickly sets the tone for a series of events. At first these are merely unexplained sightings and strange accidents but as tension mounts, along with the death toll, the reader is sucked in to something very sinister indeed.

I read this in one sitting and thankfully on a sunny afternoon but this would be perfect for dark winter evenings or spooky Halloween events. As long as readers are braver than I am! The plot hurtles along and I was gripped and I’m not usually a horror fan. I have read this described as ‘Point Horror for today’s teens’ and am struggling to think of a better tag line. This is a clever blend of murder thriller and supernatural mystery which adds to the enjoyment. Cynthia Murphy has quite possibly converted me to the genre. Welcome to Camp Killer is suitable for readers of 13+ and is accessible to those with a reading age of 8.

I should like to thank Poppy McLean and Barrington Stoke for providing my review copies of these books all of which are published on 7th September.