David Maybury | Blog

Bah! I’m not sure how I managed to miss Robert Dunbar’s picture book review in yesterdays Irish Times - featuring PJ Lynch, Max Eilenberg, Niamh Sharkey, Ralph Steadman, Paul Rogers,Graham Rawle and Oliver Jeffers. Plenty of stocking suggestions - and a brilliantly thought out review to boot.

Sticking with reviews; Celia Keenan has a massively comprehensive list of what-to-reads for 11-17 year old readers in the Sunday Independent - covering the best of Irish and UK books released this year.

It is fascinating to see the extent to which books on the topic of death and books with overt references to violence and the weapons of violence dominate this year’s early teen and young adult lists. Has death become a fashionable replacement for sex and drugs? At least three titles have the word ‘knife’ or ‘blade’ in them, and several show graphic images of knives. - Celia Keenan, Irish Independent

The reviews are popping up elsewhere on the interwebs too - the Well Read Child Blog looks at Cornelia Funke’s Inkdeath:

The book’s breathtaking climax includes a twist. A wide-open door for more of Funke’s Inkworld. A different world perhaps, with different characters. But hope, however faint, exists for a continuation of her timeless classic. Billed for 9 to 12 year olds (I’d lean to the higher end) Inkdeath is a fantastic read. And I’m not talking fantastic for kids. This book is fantastic—period. Highly recommended. - Cheri Williams, Well Read Child

And stolen borrowed from Declan - a review of Cora Harrison’s Michaelmas Tribute on Monster and Critics blog:

A fascinating mix of good storytelling with informative historical background. Mara is a believable character, she really becomes alive as you read the book. Her own internal conflicts and problems add an extra flavour to the story. This is the second in what is set to be a brilliant new series of history mysteries. If future volumes live up to the reputation set in this one - then we are in for a real feast.

Plenty more to come - but for now, xie xie.