Beginning with an introduction from the author who is disabled herself, she shares what meeting other disabled teens was like when she was younger, and how inspirational her research was for this book.

Out of the Box shares the stories of 25 Kiwis. They are Activists who have stood up for disabled people’s rights, Adventurers who have achieved sporting excellence, or set challenges thought near impossible, and Artists who have shared their souls in dance, writing, illustration and the stage.

These three categories are mixed throughout this hardback book of nearly 160 pages, with a coloured illustration of each Kiwi beginning their story. The stories are succinctly written with about 3 pages + illustration for each, allowing readers to open the book anywhere to read a disabled Kiwi’s story.

There is a clear Contents page in the beginning of the book to aid readers in finding a particular person.

Some of these amazing New Zealanders are:

Don McKenzie who had to prove to a bus company that his guide dog knew how to behave on a bus. Before this, no dogs were allowed on buses which restricted disabled people’s transport options. He went on to be the first blind person to become president of the Royal NZ Foundation for the blind.

After receiving her grandmother’s advice to… “Just go for it” Libby Hunsdale did just that. She won an international award for acting, modelled, trained as a barista, and became an ambassador for a project to help disabled people into work and advocate for other peoples with Down Syndrome.

Eve Rimmer won 4 medals at the 1968 Paralympic Games. She was the only woman on the New Zealand team and the only medal winner. She was made a paraplegic in a car accident at 15, but after seeing a paraplegic sports event, she knew what she wanted to do. Eve held the record for 36 years, of being Aotearoa New Zealand’s most successful Paralympian.

When an unexploded bomb fell on Paul Curry and broke his back, he didn’t let that stop him having great adventures. He and his mates designed, built and hand pedalled across Cook Strait, Lake Taupo, Lake Wakatipu and other international stretches of water.

Adam Hall has spina bifida, but speeds of 100kms+ per hour is normal when he’s competing in ski slalom events. At 22, he competed in the Winter Paralympic Games in 2010 to win gold. He has inspired other Paralympians and gone on to win more medals.

Chanelle Moriah wasn’t diagnosed with autism until she was an adult. All her troubles at school were finally understood. Being neurodivergent has helped her write two successful books in record time and Chanelle credits her ADHD for her focus. Her books, I Am Autistic and This is ADHD have also led her to become an advisor for Austism NZ. “I am Autistic, not broken!” says Chanelle.

There is more to learn about these special Kiwis, and 19 others, in Out of the Box.

The flag on the cover signifies these New Zealanders:

“…putting a flag in the ground claiming their own space. They’ve said, ‘ I’m doing life my way’ and ‘this is what I need, in order to be who I am.’

The book also includes a Timeline of Deaf and Disability History in Aotearoa New Zealand, which in itself is a fascinating journey of how Disabled people’s rights have changed from the 1840’s right up to today. This includes language used, laws made or scrapped, ideas and beliefs challenged, and communications improved.

Out of the Box is a must for bookshelves in schools and homes. It highlights 25 inspiring New Zealanders and shows readers another part of Aotearoa New Zealand’s history that isn’t well known or accessible to young readers.

This particular journey through our history shows the changes made in our society, and the courage shown in hard-won battles by disabled New Zealanders for their rights to be who they are, receive the support they need, and the respect they deserve.

Author – Trish Harris

Illustrators – Benjamin Ackerman & Peter Woodfield

NZ Non-Fiction

Age – 12+

(2026, Otago University Press, Aotearoa New Zealand, Disabled, Disability, Rights, NZ History, Inspiring, Sportspeople, Artists, Activists, Dancers, Comedians, Filmakers, Laws, Neurodivergent, ADHD, Autism, Adventurers)

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A boy goes to live with relatives in rural Kansas after his parents go missing. He’s given a room in the attic in their home, and no-one is sure how long he’ll be staying. When he hears a thump in the wall one night, he investigates and finds some compass-like objects in the wall, along with many small different sized doors.

With one of his cousins, they begin to learn what these strange little doors are all about. They also learn about the mystery of the locked room in the house which has been locked for two years, since since their grandfather passed away.

The strangest thing of all is learning about his own past, he knew nothing about.

Plot summary of 100 Cupboards (No Spoilers)

After a long bus ride, 12 year old Henry York meets his aunt, uncle and three cousins, Penelope, Henrietta and Anastasia. They stare at the new arrival in their home and their cat is even less friendly.

His attic room is sparse and he finally falls asleep that night, only to be woken by a thump from inside his wall. He gets up to see a stranger come out of the bathroom and then escape into a room he’s been told is locked and no-one in the family has been able to open it.

He keeps this to himself, and gets to know his relatives. He finds his uncle a little odd, but friendly enough, and he begins to settle in a little. The next night, the thump in his wall is joined by a crack. Henry peels away the wall plaster to discover strange compass-like wheels in the wall, and the more he peels away, he finds many small doors.

His cousin is excited about his discovery and they keep it to themselves, but soon the strange doors are revealed to be doors to other times, places and people – and not all of them are good.

Henry’s aunt and uncle have something they need to tell him, and it’s the last thing he imagined.

Review

I’d never heard of this series before I saw this new graphic novel version. The first book in the series (100 Cupboards) was published in Dec 2007. I immediately began to source the four books in the original series (including a prequel) because this graphic novel was not only intriguing but completely captivating!

The story is quite eerie with its sparse attic setting, strangers appearing in the night in the main character’s (Henry York) new home, and things grabbing him when he ventures his hand inside one of the small doors he finds in his bedroom wall.

Henry’s uncle struck me as odd from the beginning of the story, but his aunt and cousins seem normal, so I didn’t give it much thought. But learning the truth made me want to know more about him and his past.

The illustrations are often dark, so a well lit reading spot would be helpful. The next book in the series can’t come quick enough.

Book Style

Graphic Novel / Begins with an elderly man writing in a journal about something he has hidden away for safety reasons. That something suddenly shows up and the story jumps to 12 years later, and Henry York’s story.

FAQ’s

What age is it for?

9+

Where & When is it set?

Rural Kansas in a small town called Henry in USA / No cell phones or screens present

What is the Point of View / Tense of the novel?

Objective POV / Omniscient

Is there Violence?

Yes

What genre is 100 Cupboards?

Middle Grade Fantasy / Graphic Novel

Themes

Family / Fantasy / Supernatural / Mystery / Series

Is it part of a series?

Yes

Prequel – The Door Before (2017)

1. 100 Cupboards (2007)
2. Dandelion Fire (2009)
3. The Chesnut King (2010)

Author

N D Wilson

Illustrator

Forrest Dickison

Publisher

Harper Collins

(2026, Graphic Novel, Fantasy, Mystery, Family, Small doors, Evil entities, Witch, Strange creatures, Portals, Other Worlds, Courage, Cousins, Creepy, Eerie, Good vs Evil, Grandfather, Secrets)

The post 100 Cupboards appeared first on whatbooknext.com.

A 12 year old boy interrupts two men digging in his Nan’s field in the middle of the night. They are digging for Roman artifacts which they will sell on the black market.

Jake joins forces with two kids from Nan’s little town to track down these men and their gang (Night Hawks), as a deal made to a ghost who is connected to the artifacts.

Plot summary of Hunt for the Night Hawks (No Spoilers)

Jake is staying with his Nan in a small country town in his summer holidays. It is a break from the city and the recent loss of his dad. One night, he interrupts two men digging in the middle of his nan’s field, in the middle of the night. He is attacked, threatened, and left reeling by the encounter, but something else is even more startling. He begins to see a strangely dressed teenage boy, that no-one else can see.

He soon makes friends with a chatterbox local, and a girl who loves to follow nature. Jake shares his exciting tale which results in archaeologists taking over the field as there are indeed items of national significance. Again Jake sees the teenage boy. He learns that this boy is a ghost and his family are connected to the stolen artifacts.

Jake makes a deal with this ghost named Marcus Lucius Gallus, to get the stolen items back. This results in more dangerous events for Jake and his friends and also a betrayal that is hard to take.

Review

With short chapters and a larger font, this is a great read for emerging middle grade readers. These short chapters draw the reader through the book as the tension increases about the mystery of who is responsible for the Night Hawk gang, and all while a ghost is needing answers.

There is also a story thread of loss as both the main character and the ghost are grieving loved ones. This is effortlessly woven through the story, as Jake comes to terms with his grief, and finds his love for life again.

Hunt for the Nighthawks is perfect for those who love a mystery, action, and the added bonus of a wandering ancient ghost.

Book Style

177 Pages / 30 Chapters, numbered in Roman numerals

FAQ’s

What age is it for?

8+

Where & When is it set?

Rural England near Cambridge, South Central England / The present

What is the Point of View / Tense of the novel?

Third person / Present tense

Is there Violence?

Yes

What genre is Hunt for the Night Hawks?

Middle Grade Mystery / Action

Themes

Mystery / Friendship / History / British Archaeology / Crime

Is it part of a series?

No

If you liked this, you might like:

Max Beast

The Strange Disappearance of Imogen Good

Author

Felice Arena

Publisher

Penguin Books Australia

(2026, Penguin Books Australia, England, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, Metal Detectors, Crime, Digging, Roman Artifacts, Skeletons, Mystery, Action, Small town, Gang, Betrayal, Grief, Ghost, History)

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The year is 2070 and the New You Foundation has become successful giving humans the option of becoming a replica of themselves (A Pleeka), in a body that doesn’t eat, drink, sleep, injure itself or fall ill, allowing endless productivity and work hours, and no ageing.

Another huge plus that helps sell this to the public is that there is much less draw on Earth’s resources if you choose to become a Pleeka.

But the New You Foundation isn’t telling the whole story.

Plot summary of New You For Ever (No Spoilers)

Anders Jones and his dad have a popular good news program that is shown on several news shows across the UK. Called And Finally… it is a popular feature at the end of news that is usually bad. Leaving school at 14, (as most do in 2070) Anders began helping his dad Daniel with ideas and filming these good news slots.

They have seen how popular the Pleekas have become and are soon learning more about them as they work with the New You Foundation in showing all the positives of having your memories, and all brain activity copied into a body that can never age or die.

Anders becomes concerned about how often they are doing this, as his hero Tera Helstrom has been quite vocal about the negatives of the Pleekas for the individual and the planet.

When Anders sees some famous people who have become Pleekas malfunction, and then Tera begin to talk positively about the Pleekas, he becomes suspicious.

As Anders and his father become more involved with filming at the New You Foundation, they experience more and more behind the scenes problems with Pleekas. Not to mention the foundation are marketing becoming a Pleeka to younger and younger people.

Something isn’t right at the New You Foundation, and when Anders meets his hero Tera, the full truth is revealed.

Review

Wow! What a concept. This novel has a clever premise which begins with:

This story takes place in the year 2070. But it could happen sooner than you think.

Deemed Dystopian-Cli-Fi fiction, the above statement rings true as you read it. With technology racing ahead every moment, could the reality of new synthetic bodies be possible? The exciting part of this novel is the truth and lies of the foundation making and marketing them, but the topic of the novel is a thought-provoking one.

Longer than many Dyslexic novels from Barrington Stoke at 123 pages, this is also full of intrigue, action and parallels to our own lives – making it even more engaging.

Gripping!

Book Style

Produced particularly for Dyslexic Readers / Begins with main character talking directly to the reader about what happened to him, finishing the chapter with:

Read on. I’ll fill you in. 

136 Pages

FAQ’s

What age is it for?

Reading Age 8+ / Interest Age 11+

Where & When is it set?

Set in a large city in the UK / The year is 2070

What is the Point of View / Tense of the novel?

First person / Present tense

Is there Violence?

Yes

What genre is New You For Ever?

Middle Grade Dystopian-Cli-Fi / Thriller

Themes

Dystopian / Future / Climate Fiction / Action / Truth

Is it part of a series?

No

Find a link for a Reading Sample of New You For Ever here

Find more books set in the Future here

Find more Dyslexic / Reluctant Reads here

Author

Steve Cole

Illustrator

Chris King

Publisher

Barrington Stoke/ Harper Collins

(2026, Harper Collins, Barrington Stoke, Dyslexic Read, Dyslexia, Reluctant Read, Future, 2070, Dystopian, Action, Truth and Lies, Big Corporation, UK, Cover-up, New bodies, News stories, Secret)

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Vinny’s teenage sister is angry all of the time, and if she isn’t storming around the house or slamming doors, she’s talking loudly with her friends on her cellphone and then getting upset.

His dad is working longer and longer hours and lately doesn’t even come home.

Not sure how to help his family members, Vinny doesn’t want to make things even worse with his own problems. He has two very good friends who he hangs out with at school and plays D&D on the weekends with. But even that’s changed lately after two girls join their tight group of three in a class project.

One night, while home alone, Vinny looks at his mum’s old blog and sees unanswered questions. Some seem far too complicated, but some seem perfectly simple to Vinny. The solution he gives to many is the solution he wants for himself – to be able to talk to somebody about his worries.

This story has been published with dyslexic readers in mind, with special fonts, paper and presentation, but as with all Barrington Stoke novels, the topic is universal for all readers.

A home full of busy people who have become disjointed from each other due to work stress, influencer expectations, time restraints and teen dramas left to boil over, is a possible scenario for many families. Vinny is neurodivergent and when he doesn’t have his family or his friends to talk to, he is also left struggling on his own.

A thought provoking and credible read from a Costa Book Award shortlisted author.

Author – Helen Rutter

Illustrator – Julia Christians

Dyslexic Read / Reading Age 8 / Interest Age 9+

Find more reads for Reluctant Readers or Dyslexic Readers here

(2026, Barrington Stoke, Harper Collins, Dyslexic, Dyslexia, Reluctant Readers, Family, School, Friendships, Growing up, Real Life, Secret, D&D, Dungeons & Dragons, Friendship Dynamics, Problems, Questions, Someone to talk to, Solutions, Parental split)

The post Advice from a 12-year-old Nobody Book Review appeared first on whatbooknext.com.

She is a girl who loves the wild, the outdoors and Nature.

A tree is a friend, long grass a sanctuary for bugs and butterflies, and a pool a place to tangle her toes.

Eleanor loves to spend her days outside with creatures big and small and,

…things with fur and fin.

Going to bed one night, she dreams of all she loves, only to wake and find.

…the Wild had come in!

A story of imagination, wonder and the Wild – The Wildest Thing reminded me of a famous picture book with monsters, but with a little girl called Eleanor, instead of a cross boy named Max.

Each book overflows with imagination, strange playmates and their own fantastical world.

This beautifully illustrated hardback picture would make a gorgeous gift…

…for everyone who has ever known they are more than they seem. 

Author / Illustrator – Emily Winfield Martin

Picture Book

(2026, Penguin Random House, Imagination, Wild, Nature, Creatures, Play, Freedom, Animals)

The post The Wildest Thing Book Review appeared first on whatbooknext.com.

One wonders what the ‘Other’ people are thinking about on the other side?

The second boy asks about the ‘Other’.

“Are there different kinds of people?”

 

Back and forth, they discuss the ‘Other’ people. One is sure they are very ‘Other’.

“They look different. They talk different. Everything about them is different.”

 

“Do they have heads and bodies? Do they have scales and feathers? Do they have hearts and brains?” asks the other.

 

More questions about the ‘Others’ reveal more and more that they’re not so ‘Other’ after all.

Even ‘here’ or ‘there’ is explored, until from the top of the hedge they discover that,

 

“Here is the same too!”

Kobi Yamada is a personal favourite, so I knew this full colour hardback picture book would be something special, even before I opened it.

Charles Santoso has captured the wonder and confusion of two boys talking, with a hedge between them and a strange, unknown, concept on the other side. The illustrations are on clear white backgrounds, without distractions from the boys or their dialogue.

The more questions asked and answered through the pages, the clearer the ‘Other’s become in the illustrations on the other side of the hedge, until in fact they look and feel and sound, just like us.

Maybe there isn’t really a here? Maybe there isn’t really a there? Maybe there’s just us?

Author – Kobi Yamada

Illustrator – Charles Santoso

Picture Book

(2026, Penguin Random, Empathy, Them & Us, Others, Refugees, Immigrants, Questions & Answers, Differences, Caring, Discovery, Family, Feelings, The Same, Racism, Prejudice, Real Life)

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But this ball is a little different from the usual. The Queen is tired of her son Prince Charming brushing off every lady that has come to meet him. His time is up – and this ball is the last chance for him to choose a bride himself. The Queen is quite ready to choose one for him!

The Palace staff join in to make a very different Royal ball indeed!

We all know  the story of Cinderella, her pumpkin that turns into a coach, white mice into horses and rags that transform into a beautiful dress.

But do you know the real reason why she ran off into the night as the clock struck midnight?

Sadie Jones and the Ball is a story for 7 year olds who love Prince and Princesses, castles, fun and a wee twist on a fairytale.

Dyslexic or reluctant readers especially, can enjoy this illustrated chapter book with a dyslexic friendly font, wide spacing, and dyslexic tinted paper.

Author – Sally Nicholls

Illustrator – Ashley King

Dyslexic Read – Age 7+

(2026, Barrington Stoke, Harper Collins, Humour, Funny, Friendship, Fairytale Twist, Prince, Princess, Royal Ball, Cinderella)

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12 year old Alfie Piper is grieving the loss of his mum. He now lives with his dad and his wife Sophie and new baby sister Alice. He is trying to come to terms with the sudden loss of his mum, and the uncomfortable relationship he had with his stepdad.

Plot summary of Six Weeks (No Spoilers)

Alfie Piper introduces himself to the reader. He has something to tell us. He’s struggling to voice it, and warns us it’s bad. His mum died.

He tells us how quick it all seemed to happen, about the funeral and his aunt and grandmother’s pain. Alfie finally talks of him – his mum’s partner.

Even though Alfie has known him since he was three, they never connected properly, only sharing his mum. But now she’s gone and she asked Alfie to do something before she died.

It’s a year before Alfie sees him again. The Summer holidays have arrived, and even though Alfie’s school friends have drifted away, he has a good life with his Dad, Sophie and Alice.

Six weeks of school holidays stretch before him. Six weeks of riding his bike wherever it takes him, and maybe even thinking about his mum’s last request of him.

Review

I thought my heart would break while reading The Final Year, but Six Weeks is even more powerful. Matt Goodfellow knows his characters – their hearts and their very souls. And this is how he breaks ours.

The beginning is masterfully done as a 12 year old boy introduces himself. He’s tentative, unsure and apologising for his revelation. Having his words in white text upon black pages is a masterful punch in the gut – where I gasped aloud. I hadn’t read the back blurb, just knowing I’d love another Matt Goodfellow novel regardless.

Alfie takes the reader on his painful passage from grief, loss, and confusion at his extended family’s behaviour, to more understanding of those around him and how it has affected his own life and relationships.

A slow healing, that he never thought possible; is aided by love, patience and time from close family, and honesty from others.

Wow. Simply beautiful storytelling of grief, complicated family relationships, and their fallout. But healing is possible, as loved ones share their truth.

Tissues definitely required.

Book Style

293 Pages /Verse Novel

FAQ’s

What age is it for?

10+

Where & When is it set?

Summer Holidays, England. The present

What is the Point of View / Tense of the novel?

1st person / present tense

Is there Violence?

No

What genre is ?

Middle Grade Real Life / Contemporary Fiction

Themes

Family/ Grief / Loss / Growing Up / Real Life

Is it part of a series?

No

Find more books by Matt Goodfellow here

Author

Matt Goodfellow

Illustrator

Joe Todd-Stanton

Publisher

Hachette Children’s Books

(2026, Hachette, Starboard, Wow, Grief, Loss, Family, Connections, Bike Riding, Walking, Sharing, Change, Growing Up, England, Manchester, Blended Family, New Baby Sister, Summer Holidays, Real Life, Heartbreaking, Tissues required, Love, Music)

The post Six Weeks Book Review appeared first on whatbooknext.com.

A 17 year old girl moves back to the place her father killed 6 women, including her own mother. Hiding her identity from all but her aunt and uncle, she aims to stay under the radar until graduation and turning 18. However, this small town refuses to forget the crimes of the serial killer who lived among them.

Plot summary of Thornbird (No Spoilers)

Ryan Shipley (real name Gabrielle Thorn) moves back to the small town of Sparling, Tennessee, where she lived until she was 7 years old. That’s the age her father killed her mother and was arrested for six murders.

She went to live with her grandmother, taking a new name and trying to forget what her father did. Now 10 years later, she is living with her aunt, uncle and twin cousins.

Starling has never forgotten what Gabriel Thorn did, even now as he sits on death row with his execution pending. Ryan begins high school among them, keeping her secret identity close, as everyone knows she’s the new girl in town. She wants to live a normal life with her new family, go to school and graduate.

To her surprise, she attracts the interest of the handsome cliche quarterback and also the bad boy in town, no matter how much she tries to avoid them.

When the families of the slain women put up a million dollars for any clues that lead to the bodies of the missing women, Sparling true crime buffs and podcasters begin to investigate the crime themselves – trawling through the sparse facts from the last 10 years.

Filled with guilt, Ryan wants to find them herself to ease the pain in this town, and prevent anyone else getting hurt.

Review

This YA Thriller grabbed me in the first few pages. Secrets, serial killers and returning to the scene of the crime? Bring it on!

I really felt for main character Ryan who was only 7 when her father was revealed as a serial killer. The horror of losing her mother at such a young age, mixed with her confusion at missing her father, even though she knew he was a monster, is emotive. I want her to be happy in her new family, but know along with her that if her cousins find out who she really is – the fallout will be horrendous.

The tale is perfectly timed, gripping me more tightly at each plot hook or secret revealed, and then even more surprises are to come.

With letters from her serial killer father, FBI agents pressuring her and her emotions constantly swirling just below the surface, Thornbird is a captivating read.

Book Style

431 Pages / 145 Chapters Each chapter has a descriptive heading, and podcasts and texts are sprinkled through the narrative.

FAQ’s

What age is it for?

14+

Where & When is it set?

A fictional town named Sparling in Tennessee, USA

What is the Point of View / Tense of the novel?

1st person / Present tense

Is there Violence?

Details of crime

Is there any sex in the novel?

Yes

What genre is Thornbird?

Young Adult Thriller

Themes

Family / Crime / Secrets / Guilt / Romance / School / Real Life

Is it part of a series?

No

Author

E Kennedy

Publisher

Electric Monkey / Harper Collins

If you liked this, you’ll love this

Find more YA Thriller Reads here

(2026, Harper Collins, YA Thriller, Family, Crime, Real Life, Secret, Romance, School, Tennessee, Cousins, Identity, Serial Killer,

The post Thornbird Book Review appeared first on whatbooknext.com.

Max is on a trip with his parents to experience the world. On a chance scuba diving adventure together, Max meets a shark in the water. Instead of being eaten, the shark changes into a boy, and Max turns into a shark!

Max must find his parents, and defend a ship wreck – as a shark, before he can learn how to turn back into a boy.

Plot summary of Max Beast – Sharknado Warning (No Spoilers)

Max is aboard a boat, waiting for his parents to enjoy their scuba dive together. Somehow he knew that getting in the water that day would be a bad idea. He soon finds himself facing a great white shark – IN the water!

But the shark is acting strangely, and Max notices a weird symbol on its belly. Before his eyes the shark turns into a boy he’d seen earlier that day – then Max himself begins to morph into a great white shark.

But he isn’t the biggest of fiercest predator in the water, and must flee for his life. He soon discovers a shipwreck and thieves inside. This too becomes very dangerous, and again he must flee.

What’s happened to him, and will he ever return to his own body?

Review

The first book in an exciting new, tension filled, action adventure series, Max Beast – Sharknado Warning is a gripping read.

Fast paced, with a likeable hero, large clear fonts, and thrilling illustrations, the underwater danger is real for more than just Max. Giant squid, spearguns and a shark are in the turmoil, along with greedy villains and a killer whale keen for a snack!

Max must make life or death decisions for his family, all while his mind whirls on his transformation. The shapeshifting mystery continues into the next book.

This series is sure to be gobbled up by young readers.

Book Style

106 Pages / Ten Chapters – With a sneak peek of the next adventure Max Beast – Tiger Terror

FAQ’s

What age is it for?

8+

Where & When is it set?

Open ocean under boats used for Scuba Diving / Present

What is the Point of View / Tense of the novel?

Third Person / Past Tense

Is there Violence?

Yes – Underwater between animals, people and then between the two

What genre is Max Beast – Sharknado Warning?

Middle Grade Fantasy Action

Themes

Action / Courage / Fantasy / Adventure / Series

Is it part of a series?

Yes

1. Sharknado Warning (2026)
2. Tiger Terror (2026)
3. Raptor Alert (2027)
4. ?

Author

Maddy Mara

Publisher

Scholastic

If you liked Max Beast, you might like these series:

Kung Fu Roo

Pipi & Pou

Mission Microraptor

(2026, Scholastic, Series, Courage, Action, Adventure, Animals, Crime, Secret, Underwater, Scuba Diving, Shark, Shapeshifter, Thieves, Danger, Tension)

The post Max Beast – Sharknado Warning Book Review appeared first on whatbooknext.com.

It’s all an exciting adventure, and during the few weeks left before she begins her new school, Jet is kept busy helping her family, getting to know the area around them, and jotting down ideas for her stories. All the while she is emailing and messaging her best friend from forever, who now lives in Singapore. She loves sharing all her excitement about her new home, but keeps one secret to herself.

Jet has discovered, talked to, argued with and worried about… a ghost. To make things even more complicated, she has also met the most gorgeous boy she’s ever seen, which makes the ghost jealous!

She’s dying to share it all, but who would believe her? Things go from intriguing to infuriating to positively dangerous, when she ventures next door to an abandoned chateau. First it is with her ghost friend, and then with the gorgeous French boy. But it is once too often, and suddenly both their lives are in danger!

Such a captivating story! A run down chateau. A ghost hidden deep in a wardrobe. A gorgeous boy from the local bakery, and something not quite right happening right next door. The Girl and the Ghost has just the right amount of everything to kick off a brand new series for readers of 9+

There is a mystery, a secret to keep, emails back & forth from a close friend and possible disasters within their new home. A first crush gives just the right amount of stomach swirls, and then terrible danger all but swallows up the main characters.

I’m definitely keen to grab the next in the series.

Author – Jacqueline Harvey

Age – 10+

Read an Extract here 

Find Teacher’s Notes here

Find the next book in the series here

(2025, Penguin Books Australia, Adventure, Animals, Crime, Family, Friendship, Ghost, Growing up, Mystery, Secret, Series, France, Chateau, Rebuild, Renovations, Refurbishment, Dog, Marie Antionette, Royal, Art, First Crush, Young Romance)

The post The Girl and the Ghost appeared first on whatbooknext.com.

Life quickly returns to normal with Josephine looking forward to her best friend coming to stay, her crush deepening with local boy Gabriel, and her friendship with Louis the ghost of French royalty stronger every day.

Louis is a little jealous of Gabriel. Josephine loves spending time with them both, but Gabriel is finding Josephine’s behaviour more strange every day, and she considers telling him about the ghost that follows them everywhere. Will he think she’s mad?

The reward money has helped speed up the renovations of their chateau, just in time for Josephine’s bestie, Hattie to arrive, and they are all soon enjoying the countryside of the town. A discovery of possible huge national significance has them excited, along with more clues about Josephine’s mother surfacing.

All the while, Josephine feels as if she is being followed. The police assure her family that the art thieves are in jail, but news of the leader’s escape has Josephine jumpy. Is she being paranoid?

Another great episode in this thrilling series. It is perfect for tween readers looking for a little romance mixed in with a ghost, a mystery and the beautiful country of France.

Historical fact is effortlessly threaded through the story and more about it is in the back of the book. Josephine’s worries about being followed builds the tension deliciously, as the key villain in the first book escapes from custody.

Clues to her mother’s life in the area begin to emerge with equally heartbreaking and wonderful results.

Definitely looking forward to reading more of The Girl and the Ghost series.

Author – Jacqueline Harvey

Illustrator – A Yi

Age – 10+

Find the first in the series here

Publisher – Penguin Books Aust

Set – France (present)

Viewpoint – 3rd person

Violence – No

Real Life – Yes

Fantasy – Yes – Ghost

Blend – Real Life fiction / Ghost / Historical Fact/ Mystery

(2025, Family, Humour, Ghost, Crime, Friendship, Romance, Ghost, Mystery, Crush, France, French Chateau, Refurbishing, Building, Prize, Paranoia, Belief in ghosts, Series)

The post The Girl and the Ghost (2) Family Secrets appeared first on whatbooknext.com.

Josephine (Jet for short) is helping her family refurbish a French Chateau. The Grand Opening is approaching, and things begin to go wrong. Her locket that holds her ghost friend Louis the seventeenth of French Royalty has been noticed by a jeweller, which causes even more problems. What’s even worse is that her French boy-crush Gabriel is spending a lot of time with a pretty new girl at school.

Has Gabriel forgotten her? Will the chateau fail before it begins? Could it have anything to do with the escaped villain Anastasia?

Plot summary of The Girl and the Ghost (3) Grand Opening (No Spoilers)

The Grand Opening of the chateau Jet’s family have been refurbishing is fast approaching. It has been sped up with money Jet received after helping foil a neighbour and sophisticated art thief named Anastasia. Many treasured pieces of art were saved, but the villain herself escaped capture.

New neighbours moved in after Anastasia went on the run, but Jet finds them a little strange too. When they bring her a kitten as a gift, she is surprised and enchanted by the small bundle of stripes she soon calls Tiger.

With her step mum’s 40th also approaching, Jet visits a jeweller with her dad to help choose a ring. When the jeweller sees her locket he is intrigued. Jet is upset about leaving it with the jeweller for an appraisal, but of course cannot tell her father that her ghost friend Louis XVII lives in it!

When news of the locket hits the papers, Jet worries for its safety. The jeweller believes it could have been purchased many years before by French royalty in the very same store. All she wants is to have it back safely around her neck, but things keep getting in the way.

The same is happening at the chateau. The birthday celebrations don’t quite go to plan and the preparation for the Grand Opening is troubled by a continuous barrage of problems. Credit cards go missing. A load of rocks are delivered on the driveway and the wrong size beds are delivered. More and more problems arise, until Jet believes it can’t be a coincidence.

All the while, Jet is worried that her wonderful summer with gorgeous Gabriel is never to be repeated, as another girl takes up all of his time.

Who is responsible for the problems at the chateau? Will they open, only to receive terrible reviews? Will Gabriel ever kiss her again?

Review

More mystery is served at Jet’s new chateau home. Add a stripy new kitten, a beautiful classmate, and disaster after disaster as the grand opening approaches and tension is rife. When both her parents are physically injured and arson is added too, Jet is really beginning to worry.

The constant knowledge that Anastasia is still out there, and with her final threat still fresh in Jet’s memory, no one knows what is going to happen next. Red herrings swim everywhere, leaving me wondering who is causing the problems? The new housekeeper, the gardener or the tradies working on the property?

Another great episode of this series with just the right mix of romance, growing up, mystery and the through line of malice from the threat of Anastasia still out there….

Book Style

368 Pages /  38 Chapters / Epilogue

FAQ’s

What age is it for?

11+

Where & When is it set?

In a chateau in South western France / Present

What is the Point of View / Tense of the novel?

Third Person / Past Tense

Is there Violence?

No

What genre is The Girl and the Ghost (3) Grand Opening?

Middle Grade Mystery

Themes

Real Life / Ghosts / Romance / Friendship / Mystery / History

Is it part of a series?

Yes – The Girl and the Ghost Series

1. The Girl and the Ghost
2. Family Secrets
3. Grand Opening
4. ?

Author

Jacqueline Harvey

Illustrator

A Yi

Publisher

Penguin Books Australia

Find the previous books in the series here

(2026, Penguin Books Australia, Series, France, Family, Humour, Ghost, Crime, Friendship, Romance, Ghost, Mystery, Crush, France, French Chateau, Refurbishing, Building, Prize, Jealousy, Belief in ghosts, Grand opening, Hotel, Locket, Secrets)

The post The Girl and the Ghost (3) Grand Opening Book Review appeared first on whatbooknext.com.

A 14 year old boy aiming to play for the NBL one day, loses his father in an accident. His dad was everything to him. Not only his coach, but all things basketball.

The tryouts he’d been training so hard with his dad for, come and go as he grieves. Instead of playing for the top school team he saw as the first step to his dream, he ends up in a training squad – deemed the worst in the school.

Plot summary of The Rebound (No Spoilers)

Harry and his dad love watching basketball together, training together and sharing everything about the sport. Their goal is to get Harry ready for his high school tryouts for the top team – the 1st step to his dream of playing for the NBA.

Being called to the school office one day is the first inkling that something is wrong, and Harry learns that his dad has died in a car accident.

Reeling from loss, the funeral and his world pulled out from under him, Harry pushes everything aside – even the tryouts. He’s not ready to face everyone. When he finally is, it’s too late.

His best mate Jamal has made the top team without him, and is soon caught up in a relentless training schedule with others from school. Harry feels the gap between him and Jamal growing wider, and himself feeling angrier.

He takes this anger with him into a new team – the bottom training team in the school, with a coach he doesn’t believe knows what he’s doing. He decides he’s in the team for one reason – to keep fit for next year’s tryouts. But with a councillor, a new friend who knows what he’s going through, his mum, aunt and even the new coach, Harry finds a different path.

Review

If you didn’t like Basketball before, I challenge you to not enjoy it – at least as long as you are reading this book!

The Rebound is so full of heart, from the first page to the last, in so many ways. The relationship between the main character Harry and his father with basketball begins the story, with dreams to soar for. When it seems that all is lost, my heart went out for Harry in his confusion and grief.

His plans (made with his dad), are suddenly awry and his behaviour is so authentic, albeit terrible. But he finds his way through and winning has a whole new aspect to it. The heart he finds within his team builds slowly but surely and will fill your own as they conquer one obstacle after another.

The basketball component is high, and although also about loss, this is ultimately a feel-good story.

A great read for any sports fan.

Book Style

274 Pages / Thirty Seven Chapters with dates from Sat 29/3/25 to Thurs 25/12/25

Three sections – Off Season / In Season / Off Season

FAQ’s

What age is it for?

10+

Where & When is it set?

A fictional Australian town / 2025

What is the Point of View / Tense of the novel?

First Person / Present Tense

Is there Violence?

No

What genre is The Rebound?

Middle Grade Contemporary Fiction

Themes

Family / Loss / Sport / Basketball / Friendship / Teamwork / Real Life

Is it part of a series?

No

Author

Fiona Harris

Publisher

Allen & Unwin

If you liked The Rebound, you might like this:

The Crossover

(2026, Allen & Unwin, Australia, Real Life, Friendship, School, Family, Grief, Love, Sport, Basketball, Coaching, Bullies, NBA, Life Goal, High School Basketball)

The post The Rebound Book Review appeared first on whatbooknext.com.

A teenage girl is found dead in the woods behind a high school. The crime has happened during school hours after a fire alarm was set off. Blame instantly falls on the Abbott triplets who were implicated in a girl’s death the year before. Everyone knows it’s always the boyfriend. But is it?

Plot summary of Beware the Abbott Boys (No Spoilers)

After a girl is found in the woods behind their high school, the gossip is swift and merciless. The girl named Kennedy, was hugely popular in school and the easiest culprits to blame are the three Abbott boys, Bram, Henry and Adam.

A year before, Adam’s girlfriend died in a terrible car fire, leaving Adam scarred for life and unable to play football any longer. He also changed on the inside, losing his confidence and outgoing personality. Blame swirled around the brothers as they were working on the car only minutes before, and their town’s opinion was even further swayed when influential people got involved. The triplets spend the following months at home, doing their schooling alone.

Now, after no charges were laid and the triplets are only recently back at school, Kennedy’s murder threatens to wreck everything again. Surely, one of the Abbott boys did it. Certain clues, camera footage and rumours all point to them.

Their neighbour and close friend Hadyn sticks up for them once more, fiercely opposing any blame. She can’t imagine any of the brothers committing murder. Closest to Henry, they decide together that she will looks for clues, ask around at school, and try and figure out who was in the woods with Kennedy that day and why.

But the more she digs, the more complicated things get. She personally is confused with her own feelings about the brothers. She discovers rivalries between them over girls in the past. Was Kennedy a victim of this too?

Review

If you liked Good Girl’s Guide to Murder or The Reappearance of Rachel Price, you’ll love Beware the Abbott Boys. The Abbott Triplets are all very different, and they all have their parts in this mystery, told in third person. This gives the reader an insight into what happened the year before to earn these brothers the terrible reputation they have in their small town.

The narrative gets more twisty the further you read, making me wonder which brother was telling the truth about the murder that has thrown them all under suspicion once more. Their neighbour Hadyn is a good friend to them all, and after knowing them for so long, has mixed and confusing feelings about them.

They aren’t the only ‘villains’ in the novel however, and a popular person looked up to in the town is particularly nasty. All the dramas of high school are stirred into the mix, with all the gossip and local news stations making everything a whole lot worse.

An entertaining Young Adult mystery.

Book Style

368 Pages

FAQ’s

What age is it for?

13+

Where & When is it set?

A fictional town called Silver Creek, Vermont, USA

What is the Point of View / Tense of the novel?

1st person / Past tense – Now   +   3rd person / past tense – mostly 1 year ago

Multiple viewpoints

Is there Violence?

Girl found murdered

Is there any sex in the novel?

No

What genre is Beware the Abbott Boys?

Young Adult Mystery Thriller

Themes

Family / Friendship / Crime / School / Mystery

Is it part of a series?

No

Author

Chelsea Ichaso

Publisher

Penguin Random House

If you liked this, you’ll love these:

Tell Me What Really Happened

Four Good Liars

(2026, Friendship, School, Crime, Betrayal, Courage, Family, Grief, Love, Murder, Mystery, Prejudice, Secret, Sibling Rivalry, Brohers, Triplets,

The post Beware the Abbott Boys Book Review appeared first on whatbooknext.com.

A renowned restaurant owner named Fabio Fangtooth has vanished from his restaurant. The police are soon on hand, but they don’t know where to start. Never fear, Monsieur Mustard is here!

He soon gets to work, following the clues, with the help of a creature who is not quite sure what kind of rodent he is, but knows he wants to be Monsieur Mustard’s assistant. Monsieur puts up with him, even though he always works alone. It’s not long before the famous detective is flying across Bath with the police, only to discover another Bath resident missing! What is going on in his new city?

Alas, the dastardly deeds aren’t over, when yet another goes missing. Can Monsieur Mustard crack he case, or are his detective days done?

This mouse mystery is funny, clever and richly illustrated throughout this junior chapter novel. There are illustrations on every page and sections of graphic novel which move the story on quickly.

The story is hilarious, with pigeon police, plenty of mishaps, and villains to track down. Toilet humour is rife with a detective’s assistant with a nervous disposition and a resulting bottom burp problem. It is both terrible and helpful in equal measure as a tiny fabulously dressed mouse works on a mystery.

This is a new series for emerging readers, and is sure to become a firm funny favourite.

Author / Illustrator – Charley Rabbit

Age – 7+

Publisher – Andersen Press

Learn a little about the Author / Illustrator here

See Inside here

If you liked this, you might like this

(2026, Action, Animals, Courage, Humour, Crime, Funny, Bath England, Mystery, Clue, Magic Show, Mouse, Cat, Rodents, French Detective, Famous, Pigeon Police, Investigation, Missing Animals, Snake, Crocodile, Baboon, Sleuth, Series)

The post Monsieur Mustard – The Disappearance of Fabio Fangtooth Book Review appeared first on whatbooknext.com.

10 year old Hari Kumar (75% Indian & 25% French) wants desperately to be a Bollywood Actor. Ultimate Superstar is a funny doodle-full diary novel, taking readers on his journey to get closer to his dream.

Plot summary of Hari Kumar Ultimate Superstar (No Spoilers)

Hari Kumar wants to be famous like other kids at his school. But Hari wants to be even more famous – he wants to be a Bollywood movie star!

He tries his connections to Bollywood (his grandparents live in Mumbai), but it’s a no go. He’s tried (42 times) asking his parents if he can switch to acting school. They said NO! (42 times). His mates Lily and Raheem are keen to help him and Hari does have his super power.

Just like his mum, his superpower of Autism and ADHD really help him become super focussed. His Nani’s advice on manifesting something you want helps too.

If only his aunties weren’t so intense, and his nemesis at school wasn’t so mean? It doesn’t help when a new kid joins Hari’s enemy at getting in the way of his acting success.

Review

Anyone who loves Louie Stowell’s Loki series, or Ross Welford’s Prince Kal series, is sure to enjoy Hari Kumar and his antics.

This diary doodle format novel is clever, funny and very relatable to any readers 8+. Set in Hari’s home or school, readers will see themselves, or learn a little about his Hindi family, food and customs. I certainly did!

His autism and ADHD are key factors in the book, and more understanding of classmates like Hari is possible after meeting him in this first book in the series.

Almost every page has an illustration, doodle or list, adding even more humour as Hari shares his quest to become an actor. Most don’t go to plan. Some do however, all inadvertently woven into a ‘story mountain’ format Hari is learning at school.

A funny, relatable character in an enjoyable journal read.

Book Style

230 Pages /  This novel is written in a Journal style of approx 6 weeks, skipping a few days in between. The book begins with introductions of Hari, his friends and family and why he writing a journal. It is packed with funny drawings, notes, and speech bubbles. There are also small boxes of text explaining things (especially for his parents who shouldn’t be reading his journal!)

FAQ’s

What age is it for?

8+

Where & When is it set?

In England outside London

What is the Point of View / Tense of the novel?

Third Person / Past Tense

What genre is Hari Kumar Ultimate Superstar?

Middle Grade Humour / Diary

Themes

Real Life / Diary / Friendship / School / Humour / Series

Is it part of a series?

Yes – Hari Kumar Series

1. Hari Kumar – Ultimate Superstar (2026)
2. Hari Kumar – Going for Gold (Aug 2026)

Author

Rashmi Sirdeshpande

Illustrator

Mamta Singh

Publisher

Harper Collins

Find more diary format books here

Find more funny tween reads here

(2026, Series, Journal, Diary, School, Funny, Humour, Doodles, Journal, Film Competition, Bollywood Actor, ADHD, Autism, Music, Real Life)

The post Hari Kumar (1) Ultimate Superstar Book Review appeared first on whatbooknext.com.

Of course, to be able to do this, she had to post her parents somewhere else, so she could do as she pleased. It is a wonderful life.

When her nasty, dull, teacher Ms Thistle announces all her Year 3 children must invite their parents along to the upcoming school concert, Frances realises she must come up with a plan. Will grandparents do? It’s either that or Ms Thistle’s alternative of the Bleak Island Home for Unwanted Children & Dogs!

Frances needs to find some grandparents for her plan to work. She is a lot smarter than her devious teacher, and her new grandparents are a little different to most. Can she outsmart Ms Thistle?

Katrina Nannestad is an accomplished, award winning writer for children and Frances Bloom reminds me much of another title by this author – The Girl Who Brought Mischief. Both funny and with strong female main characters, Frances Bloom is for a slightly younger audience.

Requiring new grandparents is tricky to avoid trouble, but convincing others that a large, clumsy, honey coloured bear, and a fishing garden gnome fit the bill is hilarious, clever and a tiny bit bonkers. This makes Frances Bloom all the more readable for 6+, and would make a great read aloud in a year 3 classroom.

Finding a picture every time you turn the page is a treat, showing the cheeky, friendly, confident nature of Frances herself, and the sourness of her nemesis teacher. Throw in a large greedy bear causing chaos wherever she goes, a calm, quiet garden gnome and a giant pumpkin, and this early middle grade novel is a delight.

Author – Katrina Nannestad

Illustrator – Marina Zlatanova

Publisher – Harper Collins

Age – 6+

(2025, Harper Collins, Family, School, Funny, Humour, Animals, Mean Teacher, No Parents, Cheeky, Gnome, Bear, Grandparents, Secret)

The post Frances Bloom appeared first on whatbooknext.com.

Frances Bloom must find a new Year 3 teacher for her class! Ms Thistle has been sent to Harsh Island and the Home for Unwanted Teachers and Cats. The School Principal Paulo is frightened of children, and the Year 2 are positively feral!

It’s Frances Bloom to the rescue!

Plot summary of Frances Bloom (2) Dangerous Days (No Spoilers)

With Ms Thistle gone, and her new carers in place, Frances Bloom thought everything would be fine. But her class needs a new teacher. Frances finds Roger Rowboat who spends their mornings on class beach adventures and piratey antics, and Mario Mecurio who teaches them music and songs all afternoon.

All is going well until strange cats and a purple haired person begin lurking around the town. Who could it be? Grandma Maude doesn’t seem bothered and Grandpa Harold just goes with the flow as always. But suddenly they are gone in the night! Have they been kidnapped?

Who could have taken them? Suddenly Frances is up against her arch rival, and they are both being threatened to be sent away to the Home for Unwanted Teachers and Cats, or the Bleak Island Home for Unwanted Children and Dogs. Who will it be?

Review

Diving back into another Frances Bloom lark is a treat! Her completely bonkers life with a honey bear for a grandmother and a garden gnome for a grandfather sounds too ridiculous to be true, but Katrina Nannestad’s brilliance makes it work.

It’s funny, a teensy bit scary this time, and lots of mysterious. There’s lots more zany characters to meet and tons more fun to be had. Wouldn’t you like a pirate or a musician for a teacher where you just play, sing and dance all day?

Book Style

132 Pages / 16 Chapters with titles

FAQ’s

What age is it for?

6+

Where is it set?

A fictional seaside town

What is the Point of View / Tense of the novel?

1st person / present tense

What genre is ?

Junior Novel Humour

Themes

Humour/ Animals / School / Fantasy

Is it part of a series?

Yes – The Frances Bloom Series

1. Frances Bloom
2. Dangerous Days
3. ?

Author

Katrina Nannestad

Illustrator

Marina Zlatanova

Publisher

Harper Collins Publishers

Find the 1st Frances Bloom caper here

Find more Zany Tales here

2026, Harper Collins, Family, School, Funny, Humour, Chaos, Bonkers, Animals, New Teachers, Pirate, Musician, No Parents, Cheeky, Gnome, Bear, Grandparents, Secret, Series, Fantasy, Blended Family)

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