Author: Ben Seldom

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China Miéville is best known for his award-winning adult fantasy books. Un Lun Dun is his first book for younger readers. The plot is inventive, but probably the most notable feature of this book is the array of surreal characters and settings, all showing off the author’s twisted imagination.

What it’s about

Best friends Deeba and Zanna accidentally travel to UnLondon, a weird alternative version of London full of people and things that have been discarded and forgotten by the people of London. They soon learn that Zanna is the ‘Shwazzy’, a chosen one who has long been prophesied to travel to UnLondon and rescue it from the evil Smog that threatens the city. What happens after that, however, is completely unexpected.

What I liked best about Un Lun Dun

• It’s inspired by Lewis Carroll. The topsy-turvy logic, nonsensical characters and incessant wordplay are all reminiscent of the Alice books, but this is a more complex work with many dark elements.
• It’s a playful take on quest stories. At first, it seems as though this story is going to follow a traditional path. There’s a prophesy, a chosen one, an arch-villain and a quest to collect magical items. But Miéville plays with us here, setting up our expectations then giving us something else instead.
• It’s full of strange and grotesque characters and settings. The book is like a series of performances showcasing the author’s bizarre imagination. Among the characters are a tailor with a pincushion for a head, a group of words that have come to life, a half-ghost and a man with a birdcage instead of a head. All these things are accompanied by Miéville’s own line-drawings.

Who would like Un Lun Dun?

The length, complexity and subject matter of this book make it unsuitable for very young readers – many describe it as a young adult book rather than one for children. Readers who like fantasy quest stories should enjoy Un Lun Dun’s refreshing take on traditional tropes such as prophesies, heroes and mentors. If you have a taste for the weird and grotesque, you’ll probably love this book.

In summary

Un Lun Dun is a surreal fantasy adventure novel for older children (and adults). You’ll need some stamina to get through its 500-plus pages, but a series of surreal encounters, coupled with an enjoyable twist on the usual quest theme, make this worth the effort.

Next steps

• Buy Un Lun Dun
• Read our other reviews

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Matt Haig’s first children’s book is an imaginative and fun fantasy adventure story with some dark themes and a convincing emotional story at its heart. The forest that gives the book its name is full of strange and magical creatures, and nobody who enters it ever comes out quite the same.

What it’s about

After the death of their parents, Samuel Blink and his sister Martha go to live with their aunt Eda in Norway. Martha is silently sad, while Samuel is rude and defiant. One of Aunt Eda’s few rules is to stay away from the mysterious Shadow Forest, which is full of trolls, pixies and other terrifying creatures. I’ll let you guess what happens next.

What I liked best about Shadow Forest

• The children go on a convincing and captivating emotional journey. They enter the forest, of course, and meet lots of strange and magical creatures. But the emotional journey is just as important – this story is about two children learning to cope with their grief.
• The style is light and humorous. Despite all the death, there are lots of funny moments. The main villain, the Changemaker, is basically a comedy character. The book is easy to read and the author’s light writing style helps to offset the darker themes.
• It’s about transformation. In stories, forests are often associated with change. In a way, that’s what this book is about: how the villain changed from an ordinary human into a murderer; how the creatures of the forest became so evil and dangerous; and, of course, how the various people who enter the forest come back out transformed in some way.

Who would like Shadow Forest?

Matt Haig certainly doesn’t shy away from dark themes. The children’s grief is depicted in a convincing way, and certain other key characters meet their deaths. In places, it’s a really sad book, yet the style is generally light and often humorous. In this respect, it reminds me of Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events. Children who enjoyed those books would probably like this. Themes of hope, love and personal resilience run through the story, too, and there’s lots of humour.

In summary

Shadow Forest is an imaginative, funny and emotionally resonant fantasy story for children who can handle a bit of death and kidnapping in their reading. The ‘real’ story, of two orphaned children processing their grief, is handled in a convincing and moving way, while the Shadow Forest itself offers a cast of intriguing and entertaining characters. I really enjoyed this and will be seeking out more from the author.

Next step

You can buy Shadow Forest on Amazon.

This post contains affiliate links. All opinions are our own.

People don’t seem to talk much about children’s sci-fi author Nicholas Fisk anymore. I read a few of his books as a child, and they stand out in my memory as strange, imaginative, thought-provoking stories. A Rag, a Bone and a Hank of Hair was perhaps the most memorable of these.

What it’s about

At the end of the 22nd century, the birth rate is falling because of a nuclear accident. A petulant boy called Brin is asked to take part in a strange experiment involving Reborns, which are a kind of clone of human beings from the 1940s.

Brin must step into a 1940s setting, to observe the Reborns in their own habitat. At first he’s appalled by ‘the inefficiency and grubbiness of their world’, which contrasts starkly with the order and calm of his own. But gradually he builds an affection for them, leading him to question his assumptions about the world he lives in.

What I liked best about A Rag, a Bone and a Hank of Hair

• It questions what’s real. Brin notices that the Reborns’ lives in the Second World War scenario seem more real, more spontaneous, than his own. We also learn about the artifice of 22nd-century life, where people’s minds are manipulated to simultaneously make them more intelligent and control their behaviour.
• It brings together the future and the past. We get to see a bit of Brin’s futuristic world, with moving pavements, anti-gravity sports and constant surveillance. But the most compelling element is the 1940s setting: the unordered chaos of the children’s lives, the housekeeper’s relentless routine, the characters’ strong spirits despite the constant danger. I understand why Brin finds their world appealing: I did, too.
• Brin develops from an arrogant know-all into a thoughtful hero. Brin starts the story thinking he knows best about everything. Gradually, as his affection grows for the 1940s characters, he starts to question what he’s been taught – and must ultimately make an earth-shattering decision.

Who would like A Rag, a Bone and a Hank of Hair

The subject matter is dark, and there’s the threat of death throughout – so the youngest readers should avoid this.

There’s a lot for sci-fi lovers to get their teeth into, especially the idea of cloning and the question of what’s really real. But large chunks of the story take place in the Second World War setting, so readers with an interest in history should enjoy this, too.

In summary

This is a deliciously thought-provoking sci-fi novel that cleverly mixes futuristic and historical settings. Nicholas Fisk had a real knack for telling weird, unsettling sci-fi tales, and this is a great example. It stuck in my mind for over 30 years – I challenge you to read it and forget it!

Next steps

Prices for A Rag, a Bone and a Hank of Hair are a bit steep on Amazon. I found a cheap-ish copy on eBay, so you could try there.

This post contains affiliate links. All opinions are our own.

Piers Torday’s debut novel is a grim tale set in a future where humankind’s behaviour has brought devastation to the natural world.

But The Last Wild is also a celebration of nature, and it carries a message of hope.

What it’s about

Kester Jaynes has had a tough time. First his mum died, then he was carted off to the grim Spectrum Hall Academy for Challenging Children.

Things are pretty bleak in the outside world, too. All the animals have gone, killed by a vicious disease – or so everyone’s been told.

Kester hasn’t been able to utter a word ever since his mum died. But then a flock of pigeons arrive in his bedroom, and they’re mysteriously able to communicate with him. The animals need his help.

What I liked best about The Last Wild

• It’s like a fable with a gritty, realistic edge. Kester’s journey to the city of Premium, accompanied by an ever-growing host of wild animals, has echoes of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. But there’s a real gritty edge to this tale, with death, disease and human selfishness featuring prominently.
• The heroes are likeable and believable. Kester himself, as well as his animal and human companions, display an inspiring heroism in what seems like a hopeless situation. The heroes in this book sometimes have to fight, but more often it’s loyalty, willpower and cooperation that really matter.
• It’s a celebration of nature. There are some lovely details, like the pigeons picking seeds off the stag’s fur to feed themselves. Only someone who knows the natural world could paint pictures like this. It made me want to go outside and watch the world in action.

Who would like The Last Wild

Older children who don’t mind a bit of death and destruction (with a touch of optimism) in their reading should love this. My 11-year-old certainly did, and promptly wolfed down the rest of the trilogy.

In summary

The Last Wild is a gripping read for older children – a dystopian story about humankind’s destruction of the natural world. It’s a pretty grim depiction of a future that could actually happen, but with a central theme of hope. Who knows – the young people who read this might just go on to save the world.

Next step

You can buy The Last Wild on Amazon.

This post contains affiliate links. All opinions are our own.

Ben Seldom talks about the children’s fantasy books he most enjoyed in 2020 – some old, some new.

Tom’s Midnight Garden by Philippa Pearce (1958)

I plan to read this book every year. It’s a magical story about time and change, with a time-travel mystery and, at its heart, a poignant friendship between two lonely children.

• Read my review of Tom’s Midnight Garden
• Buy Tom’s Midnight Garden on Amazon

A Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula K. Le Guin (1968)

I first read this when I was around 10 or 11. My son’s 11 now, and I read it with him earlier this year. We both loved the rich, poetic language and the author’s vividly imagined fantasy world (complete with a map at the front).

The story, about an apprentice wizard who naively unleashes an evil shadow into the world, is irresistible.

• Buy A Wizard of Earthsea on Amazon

Wonderscape by Jennifer Bell (2020)

This is a fun adventure story that whisks three present-day children into the year 2473, where they find themselves trapped inside an in-reality game full of historical characters and sinister robots.

I enjoyed the descriptions of the different ‘worlds’ in the game and the way the characters work together to solve puzzles.

• Buy Wonderscape on Amazon

The Land of Roar by Jenny McLachlan (2020)

My 8-year-old daughter read this at school and loved it so much that she bought herself a copy to have at home.

Despite a few dark moments, it’s basically a light-hearted adventure story set in an imaginative fantasy world. And, like the best children’s fantasy books, it also tells an emotional story – about two siblings who are changing and growing away from each other.

• Buy The Land of Roar on Amazon

The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by Kate DiCamillo (2015)

I listened to the audiobook of this charming tale on a short post-Christmas walk.

It’s a simple but sweet story about a china rabbit and the various owners he has during his life. He starts the story incapable of love but, as he travels from owner to owner, he goes on an emotional journey too.

• Buy The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane on Amazon

And a (cheeky) honourable mention

2020 was also the year when I published my children’s book, Over the Bridge of Light. It’s been wonderful getting it into the hands of thousands of readers and seeing what people think of it. Thanks to everyone who sent me their feedback. My goal for 2021 is to publish the sequel – so watch this space…

This post contains affiliate links. All opinions are our own.

Philippa Pearce’s children’s classic is a book I would like to read every year. For some authors, time travel is a device they use to make interesting things happen. But Tom’s Midnight Garden is about time in a more fundamental sense. And the result is a touching story that could be enjoyed by people of any age.

What it’s about

Tom Long is sent to stay with his aunt and uncle during the summer holidays, because his brother has measles. His initial disappointment transforms into delight when he discovers a secret garden that appears each night, when the old grandfather clock in the hallway strikes thirteen.

He makes a friend in the garden, Hatty, and the two have a wonderful, blissful time climbing trees, making bows and arrows and playing together. Tom wants the bliss to last forever – he doesn’t want to go home to his family, at least not yet. Can he find a way of staying in the garden for eternity?

What I liked best about Tom’s Midnight Garden

• At its heart is a beautiful friendship that blossoms in the garden. Tom wants to escape his mollycoddling aunt and uncle, while Hatty is a loner among her indifferent cousins and cruel aunt. They come together in the garden, and the fond companionship between them is moving to read about.
• It’s about time, in lots of different ways. Tom gradually realises that he is going back in time and discovering the house in its former glory, before it became a block of flats with no garden. The whole book is an examination of time: of seasons, of children growing up, of a house and its family changing.
• A gentle humour pervades the whole book. It’s not a comical book, as such, but Tom’s interactions with his aunt and uncle, who are ignorant of his adventures, are most entertaining. And Philippa Pearce has a light, playful writing style.

Who would like Tom’s Midnight Garden?

I read Tom’s Midnight Garden to each of my children when they were quite young – about five or six.

I had to explain a lot, but they enjoyed listening to the story and talking about it.

The story itself is beautiful, and would be suitable for almost any age. Tom’s and Hatty’s adventures together are gorgeously described, and there’s little true danger.

Some of the language is a bit antiquated (it was published in 1958 and is written in a very ‘literary’ style), which makes it suitable for bedtime reading aloud, perhaps more than reading independently.

In summary

Tom’s Midnight Garden is a literary classic, and one that I plan to read repeatedly through my life. There is a magic in the way Tom steps back in time into the secret garden, but equally magical are the human relationships that lie at the heart of the story. A joy to read.

Next step

You can buy Tom’s Midnight Garden on Amazon.

This post contains affiliate links. All opinions are our own.

If you’re looking for a silly, humorous depiction of what might happen if the Greek gods arrived in 21st-century Britain, Who Let the Gods Out? could be the book for you.

Maz Evans is a clever, funny writer. There’s a joke on almost every page, and her take on the ancient Greek myths is something of a pantomime.

What it’s about

Elliott Hooper is a 12-year-old schoolboy. Virgo is a 1,964-year-old constellation. An accident brings them together, and they unwittingly free Thanatos, the Daemon of Death, from his eternal prison underneath Stonehenge.

Things get even more ridiculous when they enlist the help of ancient Greek gods such as Zeus, Hermes, Aphrodite and Athene, all presented as amusing (and harmless) caricatures.

Sitting behind all this is a story about Elliott’s efforts to protect his mother, who seems to be suffering from some kind of dementia. But the main focus is the gods and the scrapes they get up to.

What I liked best about Who Let the Gods Out?

• It’s a funny, mostly harmless take on the ancient Greek myths. The original stories can be pretty brutal, but Maz Evans gets around this by leaving out the most gruesome elements and presenting what’s left in a funny, almost cartoon-ish way. For example: in this book, Zeus is a loveable rogue who certainly likes the ladies, but is in no way dangerous.
• Virgo’s efforts to blend in with the humans is very funny. I enjoyed the scenes with Virgo and Elliott the most. Virgo tries to make sense of human customs, but ends up highlighting how absurd many of them are.
• At its heart is a story about a boy’s love for his mother. Perhaps this book goes for laughs more than tears, but the underlying story about Elliott and his mum is moving nonetheless. I get the feeling this will develop as the series goes on.

Who would like Who Let the Gods Out?

It isn’t suitable for very young readers. Even in this lighthearted portrayal of the Greek gods, depictions of death, infidelity and (slapstick) violence abound.

There are also a few slightly dubious details, like Sisyphus having a speech impediment (for humorous effect). The author also makes fun out of a fat teacher. If this sort of thing rings alarm bells, it may be best to steer clear.

You could still enjoy this book without knowing the myths that inspired it. But it may appeal most to readers who already know and enjoy the Greek myths. My son first read it when he was 8, and loved it. He’s 10 now, and still enjoys it. I’d suggest 8 to 12 as a suitable age range.

In summary

It’s the humour, rather than the story, that makes this book worth reading. It often slips into caricature, and there isn’t quite enough of the real story (Elliott and his mother) for my liking. But nevertheless it’s an enjoyable performance, celebrating and re-inventing the ancient Greek gods.

Next step

You can buy Who Let the Gods Out? on Amazon.

This post contains affiliate links. All opinions are our own.

I can’t resist a fantasy story promising fairy-tale elements like demons, sisters on quests, magic curses and evil wizards.

Howl’s Moving Castle has all of these.

Author Diana Wynne Jones has a light and breezy writing style. It’s no surprise she is said to have influenced the likes of Philip Pullman and Terry Pratchett. She has just the same delicious way of re-inventing traditional story elements with humour, pathos and originality.

What it’s about

Howl’s Moving Castle is about a young woman called Sophie and her encounters with the Wizard Howl.

As the eldest of three sisters, Sophie starts the story with low expectations. ‘Everyone knows you are the one who will fail first, and worst, if the three of you set out to seek your fortunes.’

What happens to Sophie and her two sisters is surprising and, in many places, funny.

Wizard Howl enters the story when his ‘tall black castle suddenly appeared on the hills … blowing clouds of black smoke from its four tall, thin turrets’. Howl himself sounds terrifying: apparently, he is known for ‘collecting young girls and sucking the souls from them.’

So there are some fairly dark ideas underlying this story. But don’t panic: the story is almost always light-hearted, the worst pretty much never happens and absolutely nothing in the book is what it first appears to be.

What I liked best about Howl’s Moving Castle

• It’s a unique take on traditional fairy tales. Diana Wynne Jones uses classic fairy tale elements but turns tradition on its head by making the eldest sister the hero.
• It has brilliant characters. Sophie’s strong personality and unexpected responses to problems keep the story fresh and engaging. Howl is one of those delightfully complex anti-heroes. And the supporting cast (which include a fire demon, a wizard’s apprentice, an enchanted dog and a scarecrow) are great fun too.
• There are surprising twists and turns. Like a Dickens story, this book has a large cast and almost every character turns out to be significant in some way that you never would have expected.

Who would like Howl’s Moving Castle?

It’s not the easiest read in the world. Confident, older readers would be able to tackle this alone, but younger readers would probably get the most from the book if it was read to them.

The plot can get a little confusing at times. This is another reason why younger readers might prefer to read with a grown-up.

The earlier comparison to Philip Pullman might be a bit misleading if you only know His Dark Materials. Children who’ve read and enjoyed his lighter works, such as The Firework Maker’s Daughter or The Scarecrow and his Servant, should get on fine with this.

In summary

Howl’s Moving Castle is lots of fun, full of imaginative fantasy elements and funny, complex characters.

Next step

You can Buy Howl’s Moving Castle on Amazon.