September 2016 Book of the Month
In a nutshell: good versus evil, spiders, finding courage
Ross MacKenzie won the Blue Peter Best Story Award for The Nowhere Emporium and Shadowsmith is another heart-racing adventure. Kirby’s mum was hurt when a freak storm lashed their little fishing village and is in a coma. Slowly he realises that the storm and a series of strange, unpleasant events are linked.
Helped by girl in a bright yellow coat – who turns out to be a powerful witch – he dares to fight the evil threatening his village and his family. This has all that the best books for children offer – real dangers to be faced and overcome, interesting and believable characters, humour, and a strong recognition of the importance of family relationships.
Readers who enjoy this book should also look out for The Beginners Guide to Curses by Lari Don, The Crooked Sixpence by Jennifer Bell and Ned's Circus of Marvels by Justin Fisher. ~ Andrea Reece
Commenting on his new novel, the author: “I’m fascinated by magic and mystery and I wanted to explore the darker side of the supernatural, a world filled with huge spiders and witches and hideous, other-worldly beings. I hope the readers will enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. The crucial question for them is, are they feeling brave?
Are you brave?When the mysterious Amelia Pigeon turns up at Kirby's bedroom window in the dead of night, this is the question she asks him - immediately before they tumble into a world of ancient malevolent spirits who have torn their way into Kirby's boring seaside village.Kirby isn't feeling brave at all. His mother is in a coma following a freak (or was it?) accident, and he's hardly talking to his dad. He's convinced a spider is watching him, and now a weird girl in a yellow raincoat - who claims to be a powerful, evil-banishing Shadowsmith - is dragging him into unknown danger.
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Are you brave?When the mysterious Amelia Pigeon turns up at Kirby's bedroom window in the dead of night, this is the question she asks him - immediately before they tumble into a world of ancient malevolent spirits who have torn their way into Kirby's boring seaside village.Kirby isn't feeling brave at all. His mother is in a coma following a freak (or was it?) accident, and he's hardly talking to his dad.
The LoveReading4Kids Editorial Team have read and reviewed Shadowsmith and determined it is suitable for children aged 9-12 years old
Shadowsmith features in the following genres: Books of the Month, Recommendations, Books Reviewed by our Reader Review Panels, Featured Books for 9+ readers, Fantasy / Magical, Children's and Young Adult Fiction, Children’s, Teenage and Educational, Recommended Children's eBooks, Featured Books for 11+ readers
Paperback, Ebook. Not Available.
Shadowsmith was written by Ross MacKenzie and published by Floris Books
