Anita Loughrey's blog. This is my journal about my experiences and thoughts on writing. As well as news about me and my books, it includes writing tips, book reviews, author interviews and blog tours.
For more information about me and my books see my website: www.anitaloughrey.com. Follow me on Twitter @amloughrey, Facebook @anitaloughrey.author and on Instagram @anitaloughrey
I write children's fiction, non-fiction and teacher resources for a wide range of publishers. I had two monthly columns in Writers’ Forum, one on writing for children and the other about authors and their research before the magazine shut down. I do school visits and run creative writing workshops . I also review children's books and do blog tours and have special guest authors on my blog. I am passionate about stationery, growing bonsai trees and walking my bearded collies.
I am shining a spotlight on The Rat King: The Rats of Letniv Volume One by Emma Miles as part of her blog tour.
The Rats of Letniv is a prequel to the Fire-Walker saga and Land Beneath the Sky companion books. This young adult, fantasy was published on 31st October 2023.
Blurb
Being the son of a Coven Lord is a far and desperate cry from luxury and safety. Every day Rothfel must prove he is worth the food his father puts on the table, and avoid the notice of Lord Atise’s brutal bodyguard, Bicken. When his only friend, a lowly slave, is cruelly taken from him, Rothfel finds himself alone in the sprawling, chaotic city of Letniv.
Yearning for friendship, love, and approval, he is offered a hand from the unlikeliest of places…
But who is really worth his loyalty?
Akimas Atise, his distant, cold, and terrifying father?
Golghen, the mysterious chameleon of Letniv city; king of liars, king of thieves?
Gentle, brave Leida; slave, concubine, descendant of the free women of the north?
Or Zephyr? Ghost, murderer, and devoted follower of the King of Rats.
Rothfel is only ten, but his choices, his love, his loyalty… will change the Land Beneath the Sky.
Blurb from The Rat King by Emma Miles
A Word from the Author
I often get asked when I knew I was a writer; the answer is always. A writer is what I am, it’s in my soul. There have been times in my life when I couldn’t write, and times when my writing has been the only thing that kept me going. I think I always longed for something deeper from life, something more meaningful, and I found it in my imagination and in the music of words.
It was poetry which first caught my attention, and whilst my younger cousins called for ghost stories it was animals I first wrote of. I think I gravitated toward fantasy because of the freedom it gives, I could create my own worlds and decide my own rules. My Wind’s Children trilogy was born from an image that came to me whilst daydreaming, of a young man sitting alone below a bridge. I didn’t know who he was; it turns out neither did he, but we found out together.
I’m now working on my seventh book and love writing more than ever, it’s an addiction, an obsession, but one I now share with my wonderful writing family. My beta readers, my editor, and you, my readers, having you with me on my journey means the world to me.
I write as much as I can around work, but I also try to squeeze in a ridiculous amount of hobbies! I’m a wildlife photographer and do a little archery. I paint, sculpt with clay, withies and driftwood, preferring to be outdoors if I can. I still have a love for the theatre, having started out in life studying backstage crafts, and a great love for language. I speak a little French, Romanian and Italian, ma non molto bene!
Thanks for reading this. If you read any of my books and love them, please come say hello and tell me, you’d be surprised at how much that means to an author.
Today I am on the War of the Wind by Victoria Williamson blog tour. My stop on the tour is a book review.
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Title: War of the Wind
Written by: Victoria Williamson
Cover design by: Sadie Butterworth
Published by: Neem Tree Press
War of the Wind by Victoria Williamson was published by Neem Tree Press in September 2023. It is another well-written eco-thriller by Victoria Williamson, which leaves you thinking and highlights how technological initiatives can be misused and manipulated.
On a remote Scottish island, fourteen-year-old Max’s life changes forever when he loses his hearing in a boating accident. Struggling to make sense of his new life and finding it hard to adapt in school, he begins to notice other — even stranger — changes taking place when a new wind farm appears off the island’s coast.
With the help of three school friends with additional support needs, Max discovers that a sinister scientist, Doctor Ashwood, is using wind turbines to experiment on the islanders. They must find a way to shut down the government’s secret test before it spins out of control…
Blurb from War of the Wind by Victoria Williamson
It felt very realistic that the government persuaded the islanders to accept the wind turbines with the promise of mobile phones and internet access. But when the wind turbines arrive on the island, the animals start behaving oddly: cows stop producing milk, dogs become aggressive, sheep huddle together, the seagulls no longer visit and a carpet of black bats lay dead on the rocks. Soon all the people become bad tempered and start to argue and fight. Max believes he has not been effected as he can’t hear the noise emanating from the wind farm substation.
As usual with a Victoria Williamson novel, there is a wide range of diverse fully-rounded characters who have been portrayed with empathy and understanding. Each have their own problems to overcome, such as Max, the main protagonist, who is coming to terms with becoming deaf after a boating accident; Beatrice (Beanie) Lewis who has Down Syndrome and is coping alone when her aunt becomes seriously ill; highly intelligent David who is unable to communicate until he gets his new speaking computer and Erin who was deaf from birth and harbours a lot of pent up hostility to the way people treat her.
I particularly liked Max’s character arc and how he starts off being angry at his predicament of losing his hearing to the point he rejects everyone’s offers of help seeing it as sympathy and disappointment. He blames them for his isolation as feels they are not doing enough to include him. Finally he recognises his own behaviour has been a major contribution to his isolation as he has rejected their offers of help, such as refusing to join in and not communicating his feelings to the teachers or his parents.
One thing that really niggled me was the cover as it says in the story there are three wind turbines but in the illustration there are four. I felt this should have been spotted before the book went to print.
As with most of Victoria’s books she has donated 20% of her royalties to a charity. This time it is the British Deaf Association in order to support their work campaigning for equal rights for Deaf people and empowering Deaf people to achieve access to their local public services. The BDA also did a sensitivity read to ensure the characters show a realistic representation of those living with hearing loss.
Another great book by Victoria Williamson that I would highly recommend. Suitable for KS2 and higher.
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About the Author
Victoria Williamson is an award-winning author who grew up in Scotland surrounded by hills, books, and an historical farm estate which inspired many of her early adventure stories and spooky tales. After studying Physics at the University of Glasgow, she set out on her own real-life adventures, which included teaching maths and science in Cameroon, training teachers in Malawi, teaching English in China and working with children with additional support needs in the UK.
Victoria currently works part time writing KS2 books for the education company Twinkl and spends the rest of her time writing novels, and visiting schools, libraries and literary festivals to give author talks and run creative writing workshops.
Her previous novels include The Pawnshop of Stolen Dreams, The Fox Girl and the White Gazelle, The Boy with the Butterfly Mind, and Hag Storm. She has won the Bolton Children’s Fiction Award 2020/2021, The YA-aldi Glasgow Secondary School Libraries Book Award 2023, and has been shortlisted for the Week Junior Book Awards 2023, The Leeds Book Awards 2023, the Red Book Award 2023, the James Reckitt Hull Book Awards 2021, The Trinity School Book Awards 2021, and longlisted for the ABA South Coast Book Awards 2023, the Waterstones Children’s Book Prize 2020, and the Branford Boase Award 2019.
You can find out more about Victoria’s books, school visits and free resources for schools on her website: www.strangelymagical.com
You can buy copies of War of the Winds by Victoria Williamson from your local bookshop, or online at uk.bookshop.org which supports local, independent bookshops.
To follow the rest of the tour check out the schedule below:
You can find out more about Victoria’s books, school visits and upcoming events on her website: www.strangelymagical.com and follow her on X @strangelymagic
I would like to thank The Write Reads for inviting me to take part in this ultimate tour. Thank you.
Another fantastic early reader from one of my favourite authors. Cath Howe always manages to make me think and Call the Puffins! Tiny’s Brave Rescue is no exception. This fun, entertaining adventure incorporates themes of empathy, perseverance and team work. The short chapters and larger font makes the book highly accessible to children who are becoming more independent with their reading.
This excellent sequel to Call the Puffins! is written from Tiny’s point of view. I like how all the way through we see the world through Tiny’s eyes, a bit blurry at first but he gets there in the end. It was a lovely touch the puffins call humans ‘long legs’. A very apt description.
The gorgeous black and white illustrations compliment the text perfectly showing the puffin’s distinct characters and subtle differences. I like the fact a map of the Island of Egg has been included at the beginning of the book. I think this would have been more useful if the key landmarks, such as the Wings and Things supplies store, the winding track, the windmill, the beach where the bucket could be found and the burrow were labelled. This fantastic addition would then help further comprehension and understanding.
Tiny must overcome his doubts on whether he is good enough to become a Rescue Puffin as he believes he is too clumsy and slow to be a success. But Flight Officer Faroe recognises potential in Tiny and explains sometimes puffins need a little extra kit to help them. with a little guidance Tiny discovers he can be just as good as the other puffins. There is such a splendid and inclusive last line too.
At the back of the book there are some puffin facts with black and white photos to inspire young readers to find out more about these amazing creatures.
Tiny and Muffin are most definitely a dynamic duo. I look forward to reading the next instalment with Call the Puffins! Muffin and the Shipwreck released in March 2024.
I have also reviewed this book on NetGalley, Amazon and Goodreads.
I have also previously interviewed Cath Howe about her teacher resource, Let’s Perform for Writers’ Forum. You can find out more about this interview here: An interview with… Cath Howe.
You can buy copies of Call the Puffins by Cath Howe and Ella Okstad from your local bookshop, or online at uk.bookshop.org.
Maggie Blue and the White Crow is full of mystery and intriguing characters. It was great to be able to return to this well-orchestrated world with a fascinating history. The front cover is just memorising.
Maggie Blue is adjusting to a quieter life, back living with her aunt Esme and hanging out with friends Ida and Will as well as her beloved Hoagy the cat. She tries to forget about the events of the previous year – but she’s being watched, and one day a small white crow appears won’t it leave Maggie alone. Little does she know that the Dark World is waiting for her to return… and when her mum is kidnapped and taken there, Maggie only has no choice but to go back. With the help of some new friends by her side, Maggie must go back to the place that she never wished to see again, if she’s ever to see her mum – or gain control of her own life – again.
Blurb from the PR statement
Each character had their own pros and cons and I was quite taken with Oz and wanted more scenes with him in. In contrast I found it difficult to warm to Maggie as much as I had done in the first book, Maggie Blue and the Dark World, which was shortlisted for the 2021 Costa Children’s Book Award, the Sheffield Book Award and nominated for the Carnegie Medal. Maggie has become more sullen and bitter than previously and I found her attitude to her mother’s mental illness quite unsympathetic. This may have been of design as a reflection of Maggie’s age as she reaches her teenage years.
The way we got different points of view as we travelled through the chapters giving us first-hand information of what was happening in the real world and the Dark World was well instigated. The significance of the shape shifters in the trees watching Maggie was a joy to discover. Instead of Hoagy she is accompanied on her adventure by the white crow. The action took a long time to pick up but there was a lot of deep character building that made you think. I never quite trusted the over-enthusiastic Jean and I reckon she has her own agenda. In fact, all the way through I got the distinct feeling I did not know who to trust and which side was actually the right side. Destroying a whole world, even if it is corrupt felt like a misguided goal.
It was evident from very early on that this book was going to leave me wanting more and end on a juicy cliff hanger. Although, I was disappointed that the novel was not a complete story in itself but rather a long introduction to Book Three.
Brilliant world building and riveting characters who make you want to read more.
I have also reviewed this book on Amazon, NetGalley and Goodreads.
Spread Your Wings is a heart warming book about growing up. A cockatoo is talking to their child in rhyme about how much they love them , but they will soon be big enough to fly and explore the world themselves.
As we snuggle here together,
gazing at the sky,
I know that soon the day will come
when you’ll spread your wings and fly.
Spread Your Wings by Emma Dodd
The cockatoo reassures their child that where ever they go they will still be in their heart and can come home when ever they want. The stunning illustrations are embellished with gold to give the book a magical,. sparkly feel that glistens as the light hits it.
This would be a lovely book to cuddle up with your child to read at bedtime or on cold wintery days.
Granny was a Buffer Girl is set in industrial Sheffield from the 1930s to the 1980s. Three generations of Jess’s family tell her the heart-breaking and funny family stories and romances that bind them together. 11+ Carnegie medal, Boston Globe-Horn Honor.
A new edition of Granny Was a Buffer Girl will be published by UCLan in 2024. This book was the winner of the Carnegie Medal in 1986 and has been refreshed with an eye-catching new cover by Tamsin Rosewell.
Before leaving Sheffield for a year’s adventure in France, 18 year-old Jess joins a family gathering. They share stories that have bound them together through generations. Stories of heartbreak, humour and romance. She listens to the tale of her grandparents, whose love kept them together in spite of family conflicts; of her other granny Dorothy’s daily toil from the dirt and grime of the buffing wheel; and of her parents’ first meeting. And, of course, there’s Jess’s own story too.
Blurb for Granny was a Buffer Girl by Berlie Doherty
Berlie Doherty is the author of the best-selling novel, Street Child, and over 60 more books for children, teenagers and adults, and has written many plays for radio, theatre and television.
She has been translated into over twenty languages and has won many awards, including the Carnegie medal for both Granny Was a Buffer Girl and Dear Nobody, and the Writers’ Guild Award for both Daughter of the Sea and the theatre version of Dear Nobody. She has three children and seven grandchildren, and lives in the Derbyshire Peak District.
To find out more about Berlie Doherty and her books take a look at her website: https://berliedoherty.com/
By The Sea – Life Along The Coast is a creative non-fiction book aimed at children 8+ but would also be suitable for use in the classroom with younger readers. Coasts have always been the starting of discovery whether by explorers searching for new lands or children sifting through the sand for beautiful shells.
The book starts by explaining how the Earth and the first coasts were formed.
The reader is then taken on an extraordinary journey around the world’s oceans. Each double-page is highly detailed and jam-packed with fascinating information on historic events, famous people and scientific facts. I particularly liked the spreads on the art of navigation, history of sailor’s tattoos, exotic sea life, myths and legends and pirates.
The book also provides a Twenty-First Century corrective to Western-centric narratives about exploration and colonialism including immigration and traditions.
By The Sea – Life Along The Coast looks at every aspect of critical coastal habitats, including the ebb and flow of tides; life in a coastal settlement; artistic depictions of seashores; native animals and plants; the whaling industry; tourism; and climate change.
Readers can spend hours exploring the accompanying maps and scenes to discover fun bites and facts which will satisfy the most curious minds. This is indeed an ” informative, vibrant book that takes readers on a trip around the globe to foster a feeling of connection between their lives and the world’s coastlines.”
A great book for exploring during quiet reading times or to support a topic on the coastlines at all ages. A modern day encyclopaedia of the sea that will keep the children engaged and turning the pages.
You can buy copies of By The Sea – Life Along The Coastby Judith Homoki and Martin Haake from your local bookshop, or online at uk.bookshop.org which supports local, independent bookshops.
Children of Winter is a historical time-slip novel set in the Derbyshire village of Eyam. Three siblings have to survive alone in a barn during the Great Plague of 1666. They long to know what is happening down in their village.
Previously published by Catnip, November 2019 and originally published by Methuen, 1985 (HarperCollins paperback) a new edition of the much loved classic was published by UCLan on 2 November 2023. It was also available as a BBC Jackanory cassette, read by Sylvestra le Touzel, a video: Channel 4 schools Bookbox dramatisation and a BBC4 schools abridged reading.
Catherine and her family set out for her grandmother’s house deep in the Derbyshire hills. Sheltering from a storm in an old cruck barn with her younger sister and brother, it becomes strangely familiar to her, and she is drawn back to a time when three children sheltered all winter away from a terrible plague that was devastating their village. Written by a master storyteller, Children of Winter recreates the time when the tiny village of Eyam in Derbyshire cut itself off from the rest of England in 1666.
Blurb for Children of Winter by Berlie Doherty
Cover Art by Tamsin Rosewell.
Berlie Doherty is the author of the best-selling novel, Street Child, and over 60 more books for children, teenagers and adults, and has written many plays for radio, theatre and television.
She has been translated into over twenty languages and has won many awards, including the Carnegie medal for both Granny Was a Buffer Girl and Dear Nobody, and the Writers’ Guild Award for both Daughter of the Sea and the theatre version of Dear Nobody.
To find out more about Berlie Doherty and her books take a look at her website: https://berliedoherty.com
Wheels – The Big Fun Book of Vehicles is another fun modern style encyclopaedia for children aged 8 upwards. The book is divided into extremely detailed double-page spreads.
“From prehistoric carts to cars of tomorrow, this big, fun book takes a historic journey through a world where everything has wheels, from the Trojan horse to the Harley Davidson; from the stagecoach and the steam train to the Vespa and the Ferrari; from skateboards to electric scooters.
Every spread of this deliriously entertaining and educational book is filled with Tom Schamp’s quirky and colourful art. His sly, subtle texts will make older readers smile. Younger readers will return again and again to these playfully crowded pages to discover what different countries’ emergency vehicles look like; to learn about buses of every imaginable dimension and weight; and to choose which bike they’d use to win a race. Each viewing will reveal charming new details that are as absurdly funny as they are educationally rewarding.”
Blurb from the press release
Wheels explores in picturesque detail different forms of wheeled transport through the ages from stage coaches to limousines and into the future. A child will enjoy dipping in and out to glean snippets of information. At the beginning of the book it includes illustrations of wheels that are antiquities and toys and moves on to wheels from Rome, China and the middle ages. There are no boats in this book. It is about wheels only.
My favourite spreads were the ones on bicycles, race cars and the emergency services.
Children will enjoy exploring the meticulous images during quiet reading time and this book would support a topic on transport at all ages.
Tom Schamps has written and illustrated more than thirty book for children, including It’s A Great Big Colourful World, also published by Prestel.
Wheels – The Big Fun Book of Vehicles is another exciting encyclopaedic omnibus that will keep children engaged and turning the pages.
It is my stop on the epic Do Penguins Like the Cold? blog tour. So grab your life jacket and wrap up warm – it’s time to go polar!
In this entertaining and highly informative book, expert field guide Huw Lewis Jones and nature illustrator Sam Caldwell take readers on an intrepid voyage to meet the eighteen species of penguin and to witness the conservation work underway to protect these incredible birds and their native habitats.
By observing penguins first hand, readers will discover whether penguins truly like the cold, how their diving skills make up for the fact that penguins can’t fly, and how to tell what a penguin had for dinner based on the colour of its poo!
You’ll travel by ship across mighty oceans, visit remote islands and trek across icy landscapes to discover all the different types of penguin, from emperors and kings to chinstraps and rockhoppers. This book is packed with facts, fun and everything there is to know about penguins and gives readers a taste of what it’s really like to work in the wild.
Huw Lewis Jones is an expedition leader, naturalist and award-winning author of books for adults and children, including Do Bears Poop in the Woods? He teaches natural history at Falmouth University and is lucky to have met many penguins in the wild.
Sam Caldwell is an illustrator based in Glasgow, Scotland. He studied painting at the Edinburgh College of Art and is the illustrator of several books for children, including Do Bears Poop in the Woods?
My stop on the tour takes the form of a book review.
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Title: Do Penguins Like the Cold?
Written by: Huw Lewis
Illustrated by: Sam Caldwell
Published by: Thames & Hudson
Do Penguins Like the Cold? by Huw Lewis and Sam Caldwell is a fascinating tour to Antarctica with tour guide Huw and expedition illustrator Sam. On our trip we can learn lots of incredible facts about penguins and where they live, how they survive and what we can do to protect them in their natural homes and habitats. This creative non-fiction picture books contains everything you want to know about penguins and more.
Some of my favourite parts was discovering where the word ‘penguin’ originated from and learning the differences between the eighteen species of penguin, what they eat and how technology can help them.
The illustrations are bold with bright backgrounds and borders that bleed to the edges of the page. There is a lot of action in the pictures to keep young readers turning the pages and encourage them to explore. Included throughout are images of Huw and Sam and their band of excited children who are accompanying them on the expedition.
This entertaining picture book would be perfect for children interested in wildlife and conservation and useful in the classroom to support a project on contrasting environments or Humans and Animals.
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You can buy copies of Do Penguins Like the Cold? by Huw Lewis and Sam Caldwfrom your local bookshop, or online at uk.bookshop.org which supports local, independent bookshops.
To follow the rest of the tour check out the schedule below:
I would like to thank Anne Cater from Random Things Tours for inviting me to take part in this blog tour. Thank you.
To read my other reviews of children’s books published by Thames and Hudson see:
Much To Do About Writing 