Reader reviews roundup
Friendship, mischievous toys and Russian adventures are discussed in this week's roundup!
Guardian children’s fiction prize: the party
Rebecca Stead wasn't the only winner at the books party of the year - TheBookAddictedGirl caught up with all the stars of the evening
City of Thieves by David Benioff – review
Readr: 'A gripping war novel with lots of humour, suspense and tragedy'
Invent a potion to win a complete signed set of Magic Trix books!
Halloween is the perfect time for brewing your own potion but whipping up a magical mixture takes the right ingredients, a lot of imagination and little bit of magic
Witchfinder by Ruth Warburton – review
Helloitsheath 'I was particularly drawn to Rosa because she not only went against the norms of the Victorian society she lived in but the society of magic that she lived in'
Fortunately, The Milk by Neil Gaiman
elie8899: 'Younger fans of Doctor Who will certainly enjoy it'
Sandra Greaves’s top 10 ghost stories
From Alan Garner to Stephen King, author Sandra Greaves picks her favourite creepy reads for Halloween
Read Jeremy de Quidt’s spooky Halloween story Little Blue-Eyed Boy
When you push your little brother down a 200 foot pit, you don't expect to see him again...do you?
Before Green Gables by Budge Wilson – review
Poppy68: 'This stunning 600-page novel is true gold to read'
Camp NaNoWriMo – write a novel in a month, anytime, anywhere!
You all know that November is officially NaNoWriMo – National Novel Writing Month. But did you know the event runs all year round? Site member Lydia tells us all about it...
I Am So Over Being a Loser by Jim Smith – review
Cece Jones: 'This is the third Barry Loser book and it is the funniest of them all'
Elephants in fiction – quiz
This week we are celebrating Babar the Elephant's birthday! It's 80 years since AA Milne first popularised Jean de Brunhoff's little French elephant to English readers, so here is a quiz to celebrate some of other favourite elephants in children's fiction
Barry Loser: I am so over being a Loser by Jim Smith – review
Cece Jones: 'Jim Smith's illustrations really make the story stand out'
The Otter, the Spotted Frog and the Great Flood by Gerald Hausman and Ramon Shiloh | Book Review
GrrlScientist: A beautifully illustrated Native American flood myth with several important and timely messages that will be enjoyed by new readers around the world.