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Amy McKay - Editorial Expert

Amy is a knowledgeable, innovative and enthusiastic school librarian, living and working in Cumbria. Amy is a past UK School Librarian of the Year.

With over 17 years’ experience in school libraries and over a decade as the Yoto Carnegies National Coordinator she has a vast knowledge of children’s literature. She is a familiar face at festivals and has judged numerous book awards, including the Blue Peter Book Awards and the Nibbies.

Amy loves nothing more than sharing her love of books and reading, connecting young people with the authors and books that will enrich their lives for years to come.

Latest Reviews By Amy McKay

Warm-hearted and original, Like a Brother skilfully considers the true meaning of family in this tale of an angry, chaotic and grieving teen boy. Owais is non-too-happy when his distant cousin comes to stay, especially when Abass insists on repeatedly picking fights and causing problems. Owais is a character teen readers will instantly warm and relate to – he is full of love for his family, a zest for life and inner anxiety for what his future might look like. Owais’ family life is particularly well evoked, they may not have much materially, but their love and guidance shines ... View Full Review

Bim Blake's Hot Takes: My Pencil Case Doesn’t Define Me

Bim Blake is a must read for all girls who want to survive and thrive in Year 7. Written in a diary style, the book is instantly relatable – covering issues such as first bras, unwelcome crushes and friendship dramas. Full of laughs and cringy mishaps the book will have readers laughing out loud whilst fully emphasising with Bim’s dilemmas. Bim lives with her dad and her three, irritating older brothers, as her mum died 3 years ago. This family dynamic is well-handled, with the continuing grief and sadness Bim feels at her mum’s absence sensitively and realistically ... View Full Review

A creepy, powerful story that lingers long after the main page. With themes of isolation, resilience and growing fear this will appeal to readers who enjoy intense, moody books. Ben’s isolation and fear is well evoked, whilst his dad’s anger and indifference to his presence makes for a powerful, anxiety-inducing read. The sinister, looming gargoyle is sufficiently scary enough to cause a shiver down the spine, but Gray skilfully urges the reader to question who and what the real monster is. Published by Barrington Stoke, this is a widely accessibly ... View Full Review

Set in Malaysia, A Flood of Memories, brilliantly shows the real and lasting impact of climate change. As flood warnings grow A-Level student Leila returns to her family home in Kuching to help her mother protect the family home. As the flood waters rise tension mounts as Leila is forced to confront painful memories of a childhood ruled by an angry, alcoholic father. Mikail powerfully evokes the fear and hopelessness of facing an incoming natural disaster, whilst capturing the more personal damage wrought by an unpredictable and abusive parent. A slow-burn romance adds an additional layer to the story, and ... View Full Review

A hopeful sports-based story that explores the dark side of football. Main character Owen learns that football is more than just a game when he discovers deep-rooted corruption and greed at the heart of the academy team he plays for. Perfect for football fans aged 9+, this is a powerful read about standing up for what you know is right. With all the tension of a penalty shoot-out, this is an empathy-building story with a hopeful call for a fairer world. Strike is distinctive for its array of strong male role-models. From Owen’s loving dad to his principled footballing ... View Full Review

It’s the summer holidays and Adam and his friends, Taylor and Zada, are looking forward to lazing in the sun, but when a seemingly mundane grocery delivery catapults them into the world of eccentric scientists and megalomaniacs, all their plans are forgotten. An exciting action, adventure story with the feel of a classic kids vs. evil baddie story, but this time with 22nd century style technology. From bikes that fly to hi-tech scuba suits masquerading as rubber ducks, the inventions are increasingly bonkers and hilarious. These are ... View Full Review

Holly is curious about the wild house at the end of her street, others might think it’s scary, but Holly thinks it looks like a fairy cottage. When she decides writes to its solo inhabitant, Miss Brown, a friendship blossoms. New friend Miss Brown explains that she felt sad for so long that her beloved garden grew wild, and now she fears she’ll never get it back to its past glory. Determining to help Miss Brown return her garden to the butterfly haven it once was, Holly recruits the help of other neighbours. With hard work ... View Full Review

Following an unfortunate playground accident Alex is alarmed to wake up and find himself dead. And even more alarming is finding out he’s been turned into a vampire! On a mission to find a way of turning himself back into a human, Alex invertedly breaks an important supernatural pact and unleashes a whole host of monstrous creatures onto his sleepy town of Draihampton. Now he must face an epic journey and a seriously scary ancient demon to save not only himself, but everybody he loves. Full of clever humour and an increasingly chaotic cast of mythical creatures this ... View Full Review

When Tia wins a trip to Venice in an art competition, she’s excited to take her brother with her. As, despite his extreme clumsiness, Thomas has been a great support to Tia since she lost her sight. The trip is wonderful, until Tia mysteriously disappears. Thomas is convinced Tia has been kidnapped, but when nobody believes him, he determines to find his sister himself. An exciting adventure story, with a fabulous setting and an impossible-not to-love main character. Year 6 Thomas loves physics and learning about the brain, with a near-photographic memory he is excited to discover the beauty ... View Full Review

An essential guide to equip young readers with the skills and knowledge to be critical, questioning online citizens. From scams to propaganda, newspaper headline to manipulative advertising campaigns this book is packed full of interesting and important information. Full of fun illustrations, the large font and spacious layouts make this an accessible and inviting read. The authors bring to life what could be dry subjects, with interesting and easy to follow examples and explanations. I particularly enjoyed the mini quizzes that assess your abilities as a critical consumer of information. Whilst tips on navigating algorithms, identifying bots and viewing influencers ... View Full Review

Neurodivergent teen Elias might not have many friends at school, but he does have a big brother better than any friend. But when Bo gets caught up with dangerous people Elias's nerves and family begin to fracture. A raw and emotional story about addiction, brotherly love and redemption. Elias is a character who leaps from the page and lingers long after the last page. His determination to fix his broken family is empathetically evoked, whilst his penchant for cheesy jokes offers glimpses of light in this tense story. The 1990s setting and snowy Nova Scotian landscape are impressively brought to ... View Full Review

From new bras to sleepover politics, Birdie knows that being 12 is NOT easy. Birdie’s mind is full of worries and anxieties, she’s what you might call an overthinker. It’s no surprise though, she has a lot going on for a 12-year-old girl! From a looming house move which brings with it the prospect of a blended family, to an adored but ancient hamster, to friendship dramas galore, her worries seem never-ending. And even when they do end, her brain is very good at coming up with new worries for her. So, when her form ... View Full Review