The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett is a wonderful story that I could think myself into, given that the heroine is the sort of awkward little girl that I thought I was. I loved the idea of a secret place where children could be on their own

The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett is my "current" favourite children's book. I reread it to my six-year-old daughter last summer and both of us loved it -although she did require me to have a go at the full Yorkshire accent for Dickon, which proved a little bit tricky. It has magic, darkness, whimsy and truth and the fact that it was first published in 1909 yet still managed to enthral my 21stcentury daughter is a testament to its greatness

Mary is a tough feisty character, who manages to turn a whole household, and the lives of those in it, completely upside down... The book is brim full of magic and joy

Good Little Wolf is a cheeky and amusing read, with plenty to delight its young audience . . . I can't wait to see what Nadia Shireen produces next. If it's as fun as Good Little Wolf, we're in for a real treat

Starring the fuzziest, friendliest wee wolf ever to grace the pages of a picture book, the story turns stereotypes on its head as Rolf fails to howl at the moon, harass little pigs or eat any grannies

The stylised pictures bring the characters beautifully to life and add so much to the story. Large print and just a few sentences on each page make it perfect for new readers, but great fun for all abilities. I love it!

This has the little wolf being good and trying very hard to be bad but just can't do it! He tries to convert the bad wolf! Does he succeed? Let your child decide

'Startling and provocative - guaranteed to help young readers see events in a different way from the cultural and historical norm with which they have grown up...   Blackman is known for her tightly plotted, fast moving fiction...  with its powerful theme of racial injustice, Noughts & Crosses engages the reader at a greater depth and in a more demanding way than any of Blackman's previous work. I read it in one sitting, reluctant to put it down, and so, I'm sure, will many young readers'

'A book which will linger in the mind long after it has been read and which will challenge children to think again and again about the cliches and stereotypes with which they are presented.... a novel that will challenge and engage people from l3 up'

"A stimulating and provocative plot line that often leaves the reader chilled to the bone... Noughts and Crosses is written with the passion of an author who has a personal, chilling vision of the past, present and future.  Blackman cuts to the bone, turning the preconceived ideas of racial prejudice upside down, ensuring tht her point is well and truly made in a deeply disturbing and totally absorbing novel with a shocking climax that packs an unforgettable punch."

'A gritty read for older children...  A times this is a beautiful love story; at other times it is a harrowing and moral tale.  Narrating believably through the voices of two teenagers, Malorie Blackman has written an incredible novel that is as heart-rending as it is provocative.  I had to read it all in one sitting, and I challenge any reader not to do the same'

'Juggles a flawlessly paced thriller involving terrorist kidnapping and the Romeo and Juliet romance between a politician's daughter (a 'Cross') and a poor white boy (a 'Nought')'

'...a bruising tome and her most ambitious novel to date.  An author who has worked hard not to be identified too closely with any particular genre, she has built a complex and challenging novel around an alternative version of apartheid.' 
 

'A sad, bleak, brutal novel that promotes empathy and understanding of the history of civil rights as it inverts truths about racial injustice. It shows the destructive and dehumanising effect of constant denigration and abuse, and the desperation it gives rise to.  It demonstrates, too, that in a divided society, both sides are guilty of perpetuating hatred and hurting each other. But this is also a novel about love, and inspires the reader to wish for a world that is not divided by colour or class'

These books grip you from start to finish, so much so that I completed the first title in one sitting... The way theviewpoints are juggled between the main characters development, and helps build suspense. A rollercoaster ride of emotions, this is a thrilling read- five stars!