Monthly Archives: December 2024

Blog Tour – The Legendary Mo Seto (take three)

Today I am joining the blog tour for The Legendary Mo Seto by A. Y. Chan.

I have previously joined two other blog tours for this brilliant book. For the first tour I reviewed the book and for the second tour I was lucky enough to have been able to interviewe A. Y. Chan about the writing of The Legendary Mo Seto and her inspiration.

To see this interview take a look at: Blog Tour Two – The Legendary Mo Seto.

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Here is a copy of my review:

Title: The Legendary Mo Seto

Written by: A. Y. Chan

Cover illustrated by: Amber Ren

Published by: Aladdin / Simon & Schuster

The Legendary Mo Seto, is a well-paced adventure with plenty of dynamic action scenes that kept me turning the pages. One of my favourite scenes was when Mo loses focus during the tournament at the beginning of the book as her dad left in the middle of her fight. This scene was a great example of showing rather than telling the protagonist’s character.

The character arc has been artfully crafted in the way she learns to accept and even ‘love’ her short stature. It is believable and I would personally like to see Xiaoxi Fu in action. I hope it is as cool to watch as Martha’s dance fighting in the Jamanji (2017).

Written in first-person we are able to immediately identify with Mo from her love of Taekwondo to her hang-ups about her height. She is a fully-rounded character with a whole list of flaws, some of which I wish she’d learnt the hard-way that dishonesty does not pay. I enjoyed the friendship between Nacho and Mo but after it was pointed out to her how handsome he was, it made me cringe slightly that she started developing feelings for him. I would rather she felt jealousy about others showing an interest in her friends than start liking him more than a friend. Even so, the reader is able to empathise with Mo and appreciate her courage and loyalty. She most definitely has a stubborn determination to admire.

I also enjoyed the movie scenes with the vivid descriptions that immediately conjured up a realistic image of life on a movie set. It was good that the book highlighted the stress and drama behind the scenes as well as the gloss and glamour captured by the camera. The mystery around her father and what had happened to him was intriguing.

A great, excellently written middle-grade mystery with themes of identity and finding the best in yourself. Would be suitable for Key Stage Two and Three readers.

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To see the original post take a look at: Blog Tour – The Legendary Mo Seto by A. Y. Chan.

I would like to thank Dave at The Write Reads for inviting me on this tour. Thank you.

Spotlight – How to be a Revolutionary by Lucy Ann Unwin

Today I am spotlighting How to be a Revolutionary by Lucy Ann Unwin, which was published by Uclan Publishing in November 2024.

Blurb

Find Your Passion. Build A Team. Change The World.

A General Election is looming. There’s a buzz and a tension and an exciting thrill in the air…

11-year-old Natalie knows something BIG is happening, especially in her house where people stream in and out with their glossy leaflets and red jackets – The Revolutionaries her Mum calls them. Nat wants to be a part of it, but if she can’t vote what can she do? And so starts her Revolutionary training…

It starts with a quest to the park to smile at 10 strangers and ends with chaos, 50 curious rats and a team of passionate kids inspiring their school to change the world – one small step at a time.

About the Author

Lucy Ann Unwin says of the book, “How To Be A Revolutionary is set in a local Labour Party campaign HQ during a general election, so I’m more than thrilled it’s coming out this year! I think it’s always exciting to be a young person in times of big political change — this general election will be a time they always remember. Hopefully, after the experience of the summer, readers might be ready to start launching campaigns of their own and I really hope this book can help inspire them to do that!

Lucy Ann Unwin worked as a music journalist at BBC 6 Music for 10 years, where she was privileged to interview the likes of Paul McCartney, Stevie Wonder and Adele. Brought up in Birmingham, she lived for a year in the Chilean city of Valparaiso and for three years in San Francisco, where she tutored children and young adults in creative writing as part of the 826 Valencia writing programme, set up by Dave Eggers.

Now settled in Sussex, she divides her time between writing, editing and reading as much children’s fiction as she can. Her first Book, The Octopus, Dadu and Me, was shortlisted for multiple awards, including The Brilliant Book Award.

Praise for How To Be A Revolutionary:

‘A joyful, heartfelt story about the power of friendship and having the courage to stand up for what you believe in. Entertaining and empowering, it shows children how small changes can create waves in society’ Jo Clarke, author of The Travelling School Mysteries

‘Another gorgeously articulated and emotionally insightful book from Lucy Ann Unwin about real children dealing with real stuff. And the rats are super cute. Empowering and exciting, you won’t read a better guide to personal politics and elections.’ Jennifer Claessen, author of The October Witches

I LOVED this! It’s so funny, original, and different. A moving, poignant testimony to the power of sibling affection, and a gentle reminder that changing the world begins at home.’ Piu DasGupta, author of Secrets of the Snakestone

Blog Tour – The December Witches by Jennifer Claessen

It is with great pleasure that I join the blog tour for the epic conclusion to the A Month of Magic trilogy, The December Witches, published by UClan Publishing. To celebrate the release of the final book in the trilogy author, Jennifer Cleassen, is here to tell us her winter reading suggestions .

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Jennifer’s Top Three Books For Cosying Up With This Winter

I find recommending books really hard because I massively overthink it and worry that I haven’t done the job of matching the person to the book perfectly! I’m not a librarian or bookseller and I maybe couldn’t handle the pressure!

Northern Lights by Philip Pullman

I grew up on, and decided to become a writer inspired by!, the His Dark Materials trilogy by Philip Pullman and there is so much of both chill and warmth in these books, they are the perfect winter read. The armoured bears of Svalbard were the coolest thing I’d ever read aged 11. I wanted to go on an icy adventure to the far north more than anything and when I went to Tromso in Norway for my 30th birthday, it was so magical, it was like something straight from the book.

The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden

This one is the beginning of a trilogy for adults. (I do love a trilogy!) I love the folklore in this sumptuously set winter tale. There’s a slow burn romance which provides the warmth against the icy backdrop.

Little Spruce by Sital Gorasia Chapman and illustrated by Vicky Lommatzsch

This sparkly and inclusive picture book about belonging is ideal for early readers. My family have a tradition of doing ‘book advent’ every year. I made little brown paper packets for 25 books (so that we can reuse them every year too!) and put one under the Christmas tree for my children each day of advent. Some are classics which come out every year and sometimes I swap a few in so Little Spruce is the one I’m adding this year. I’m in awe of the art of picture book writing with so much story in so few words

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I would like to thank Jennifer for our fantastic suggestions. do you have any books you would like to read this winter? if so, please let me know in the comments below.

For more information about The December Witches by Jennifer Claessen here is the blurb:

Blurb

December is Clemmie Merlyn’s favourite month as it usually begins with birthday cake and gifts. But as she turns thirteen, it begins with a bang: Clemmie, and Clemmie alone amongst all witches, is full of magic. So full of magic she might not make it to the end of the month. As the snow spirals down, anxious Clemmie and the young hags will have to find some way to stop her exploding.

Because someone, or something, has chosen Clemmie and made her their One True Witch. But magic is meant to be shared and no-one can survive being filled to the brim with starry power. Can the Merlyn and Morgan covens finally take on the ancient twisted magic of their ancestors? And can they do it in time for Christmas?

I would like to thank Graeme and Uclan Publsihing for inviting me on this tour. Thank you.

To follow the rest of the tour please take a look at the schedule below: