Bertie plays the blues

Image borrowed from www.foyles.com
where you can purchase this book from to avoid the tax dodgers.

I've been saving my last 44 Scotland Street book for a while, so I know I have a supply of my favourite author, and favourite book to look forward to but finally, I could stand it no longer and plucked it from the shelf of Alexander McCall Smith.  My copy was signed by the author, picked up from Cogito Books in Hexham (brilliant bookshop in Hexham- stocks Persephone books and all sorts of wonderful books) and a present from my parents in law.

It didn't disappoint.  Alexander McCall Smith is just a wonderful author.  Witty, quirky, poignant, has a fantastic outlook on life and his philsophizing over certain ideas or facts just fits in with my mind.  I delight in each and every thing I read by him.

I was concerned as I concluded the book that this book felt like the end of the series but luckily I've just seen two more books on line. No hints or anything family, but you know, I've only read up to this book....

Several characters have adventures and misadventures:
Bertie decides to put himself on Ebay to be adopted but sadly this doesn't work out for him, so he and his best friend Ranald decide to set off to Glasgow for him to be adopted.  The conclusion is, I hope, that his overbearing mother will start to treat him more like a little boy rather than a project.
Domenica and Angus are soon to get married but then some man from Domenica's past turns up- I was really worried by this turn of events- that type of thing doesn't happen in AMS's books surely, but you know, there are always twists in the tale.  Big Lou in the cafe falls out of with Matthew from the gallery but then when Pat, Matthew's ex girlfriend comes to work for him again, she helps to smooth things over. And Big Lou decides to go on a blind date with Pat along to help her. I was WILLING Big Lou to finally be lucky in love,but her Elvis Impersonator date might not be what she'd have hoped for, I was glad that perhaps things might work out for her elsewhere. Finally, new parents of triplets, Matthew and Elspeth are sleep-deprived and accidentally remove the tags on their new children's ankles thus meaning they may be changing the identify of their children without their knowing!  They get a new nanny and decide that perhaps they don't like living by the nudist camp! Oh and egotistical Bruce is back! Why can't Pat resist his charms?

SUCH a dose of wit, good spirits, musings on life and good kind people, I really really loved this one, even more so than the previous ones particularly as lots of stories and threads of characters stories turn out well- hence me thinking this might be the last one. If you want to feel good about the world and life, give Bertie plays the blues a go, it won't disappoint!

I met my lover on a train.

Have you ever struck up a long and intimate conversation with a stranger on a train?  No really, I am asking. I have met people who have ended up going out with people they have met on the train and I am always utterly bemused and fascinated by this. What if they were an axe-murderer? What if they are crazy? I don't know, I have always been totally and utterly cautious when it comes to relationships. Unless I have known them in a friend-capacity or in a social context such as an orchestra, therefore giving them legitimacy, I couldn't even contemplate it.  And yet for others, this has formed part of their life, e.g. meeting someone in a pub and marrying them.  Or online.

Anyway, this is all a long preamble leading up to this current post.

Available from www.foyles.co.uk here

Trains and lovers is a wonderful newish book by my absolute darling favourite author, Alexander McCall Smith. (received as a Christmas present from the darling J!)  It begins, as you may now have guessed with conversations striking up between 4 people on a train from Scotland to London.  The talk is all about relationships, though that's not what the conversations were originally struck up about.  The four characters have led really interesting, disparate lives.  David, art-history graduate is in love with Hermione, fellow art-historian.  He's working at a gallery. He's shy and comes from a small Scottish town which he feels is insignificant.  He also believes he doesn't know anyone. Hermione's Dad thinks similarly about him.

Then there's Hugh- somehow falling for a boy who moves near him, totally unexpected.

Kay- a wonderful dialogue about Kay's parents and how they met.  An extraordinary account that really put me in the Australian outback.

Andrew met his girlfriend at a train station after getting off the wrong train. But then all is not what it seems about her. Or is it?

A really interesting story, gripping and I really liked the characters. Really felt for their situations, wanted things to work out. And do you know what. I quite like the ending! Short and sweet and definitely enjoyable.

The greedy reader

I'd love to know your opinion on this!  In many respects, I am what I term a Greedy-reader.  If I enjoy a book, I MUST read all the other books in the series as soon as possible.  I want to devour them instantly because I enjoy them so much!  Yet, when I finish reading all that there is to offer- there is a void- I feel bereft that there is nothing further for me to read.  I remember when I first read Harry Potter- I read books 1,2,3 and finally 4 (5 wasn't out yet) and I was devastated (I use emotive, strong language here- obviously, I wasn't miserable to the point of no consolation, you know, realising that there are more important things to get passionate and het up over in life, but you get what I mean, maybe, perhaps, please? I was slightly, marginally irked) - especially as it ended on such an unresolved note with Voldemort at large, marauding goodness knows where! It was the same with the Famous Five as a child, with many other Enid Blyton series'. 
So in recent times, I have tried to sort of , prolong the delight or the waiting with books by authors I really want to read.  Take Alexander McCall Smith for example- I utterly adore him.  No, really!  I just delight in his craft!  I was given the latest three 44 Scotland street books for Christmas by J and WOMOTM (one signed by the man, no less!).  I have had the latter 3 Isabel Dalhousie stories on my shelf for a little while.  Obviously, I want to pounce on them like a hungry tiger but I am trying to read books on my shelf that have sat there for a while which I, though interested in, feel less yearning to read. So far it's going well!
However, somehow, after allowing myself to read (and review) La's orchestra saves the world, I have devoured two AMS 44 Scotland street books in one fell swoop!  Eeek, that only leaves Bertie Plays the blues left to read!  I adored both books and here is what I thought on them!

42. Alexander McCall Smith The world according to Bertie

AMS never fails to delight me with his tales.  The great thing about the 44 Scotland street series is that it is a book you can dip in and out of since it comprises of short stories since its first publication was as a daily serial in a Scottish newspaper.  It has a wonderful innocence, a lovely philsophical approach and gentle humour and musings.  Along the way, there are anecdotes and little lessons to learn.  In this book, Bertie, the little 6 year old child prodigy continues to fight against his domineering, pushy mother.  A hilarious and intriguing element of this particular character is his new little brother Ulysses (Even that makes me laugh!) who Bertie has noticed looks remarkably like his child psychologist, Dr Fairbairn, (who Bertie believes belongs in a mental institution!) who once went to a Flotarium with his mother Irene.... Olive, the bossy child in his class manages to inveigle her way into Bertie's house which causes lasting consequences for Miss Harmony, his teacher when she discovers that Olive has taken Bertie's blood unwillingly! Cyril, the dog with gold tooth who winks faces false accusations of biting and the risk of destroying.  Pat, student and Matthew, hopeless romantic wearer of oatmeal jumper and crushed raspberry cords seem to be headed towards either breakup or nuptials until he meets the love of his life!   The funniest element is the vendetta of Anthropologist Domenica, who discovers the apparent theft of her Blue Spode mug! Can be bought from Amazon here.

43.  Alexander McCall Smith The unbearable lightness of scones

The hilarity continues into this second book where it seems Bertie might be free of his psychologist, who has been offered a chair of a university!  The new one seems to lack the screw-loose that Dr Fairbairn has until Bertie makes an innocent comment relating to a wolf!  The blue spode cup saga continues with confusion, hiding in cupboards and recoinassance to rescue it.  Matthew faces a miracle rescue on his honeymoon, that or incarceration in a mental institution.  Big Lou's boyfriend is off to recreate the events of the Skye Boat song with the New Pretender and Lard O'Connor takes a nasty fall!  You just have to read this- it is an utter delight, funny, sweet, thoughtful and full of innocence that I as a grownup miss in grownup books!

Can be bought here from Amazon.

What type of reader would you say you are? What do you think of my policy of waiting to read the books?!

Thanks to www.amazon.co.uk for the images.

Travels through words

I keep putting off this post but finally I must publish it.  Very sketchy but it will do!
I've read some great books recently and if you're wondering what to read, might I suggest some of the following...

30.  Edward Marston The Railway detective in: Murder on the Brighton Express

I am a creature of habit and if I like an author, in some sort of obsessive vein, I regard it as my life's duty to read all the series by that author.  I definitely will be doing this with Mr Marston's Railway detective series. Set in the 1830's, the Railway detective had the magic and brilliance of Agatha Christie and others but a different era.  Great characterisation and an interesting twist and SUCH an interesting intended victim! Considering this cost me 10p in a library sale, I consider this money well spent.

31.  Georgette Heyer Frederica
Another classic Heyer.  Great heroine, great hero, lovely plot which though drawn-out, seems to pass by very quickly without any repetition or boredom.  Love it!

32.  Eva Ibbotson The Secret Countess
I feel really greedy in this post listing all my favourite authors. I seemed to save them up for the holiday.  Ms Ibbotson is one of my 'obsessive must-read list' (But I like to draw it out, so I don't read them all in one go).  This is a real Cinderella story telling of a Russian countess, who in the revolution and her Father's subsequent death in WW1, finds herself in England having to work as a servant.  It is totally Downton Abbey with a mean villainess who is going to marry the hero because he has no money and has to save the property when we really want her to marry our heroine.  A beautiful love-story, told in a gentle manner.

33.  Doctor Who The Completely Useless Encyclopaedia by Steve Lyons and Chris Howarth
This is one hilarious book about the most random Doctor Who trivia!!
Bloomin heck, when I checked the exact title on Amazon for this one, someone is selling this for £45!  Wow, I could make a mint on my £5 investment!  I bought this shop on my first trip to the Who shop in East Ham when I was about 15!  I went with my friend from school called Ruth- we discovered that apart from a passion for singing, we also loved Doctor Who equally!  We marvelled at the Tardis and daleks you could stand by and a whole myriad of items available!  It's moved to Upton Park now, but it's well worth a visit!
Anyway, this book totally and utterly pokes fun at/slags off Doctor Who but in a meticulous, affectionate and loving way which suggests these guys totally love it!  I learnt all sorts of random facts and laughed lots!  The best things are the 10 things about Doctor Who, e.g. '10 things that mean Doctor Who fans aren't as sad as other fans' or '10 names that could have been named by Doctor Who fans'.  This book is absolutely worth a read if you are a fan or not (and just want to mock Doctor Who. Don't worry, the authors do that in droves!) and I have enjoyed reading it again!

34.  Alexander McCall Smith La's orchestra saves the world.

Classic AMcS:  Heartfelt, witty, beautiful description, philosophising and a love story that you longed to happen throughout the book.  A beguiling heroine, interesting characterisation and includes reference to classical music and flutes:  I was bound to love it.
35.  Laura Ingalls Wilder Little house in the Big Woods
I loved the Anne of Green Gables series and in a sense this reminded me of those.  This is a classic child's book- it tells of life in a woods for a little girl a long time ago.  In an Enid Blyton-esque way, it was the description of food that really interested me (so sad!) and I loved how self-sufficient this family were and how they used, made and made do.  It really made me smile and imagine life for a little girl.

36. Laura Ingalls Wilder Little house on the Prairee
Likewise, I enjoyed the second book in the series.  I think that her Papa must have had great luck not to be eaten by a wolf or bear on many occasions- he must have been an amazing man!  Again, lovely description of family life:  I particularly liked thinking about all the tasks that Mama and Papa did on a daily basis!  They worked hard!

37.  Frank L. Baum Glinda of Oz.
I recently mentioned wanting to reread the Oz books again- this is the only one I have in my possession at the moment as I lent them to a little girl at church some years ago.  On second reading, I didn't find it as silly as I did the first time.  It is the last book that Frank L Baum wrote before he died and I believe it was published posthumously (he died in 1920).  It tells of how Ozma, the ruler of Oz went to quell a war between to of the strange groups of people who she had never met in the far-reaches of her kingdom of Oz with Dorothy.  The book reunites all the old favourites from all the Oz books and has an interesting storyline.  I think the thing that made me feel it was a bit silly the first time I read it was how you always know that Ozma and Dorothy will get out of every predicament- they seem invulnerable so nothing will hurt them so it lacks the suspense or worrying about what is going to happen. I suppose books were more tame for kids then but I found it lacking excitement.  However, still an imaginative read and if you love Oz, you'll forgive it these shortcomings.

38.  Noel Streatfield Ballet shoes for Anna.
I'm always SO excited to find a new Noel Streatfield book I haven't read and moreso in this case because I'd forgotten I'd bought it and for some reason, put it in my underwear drawer!!!!
The heroes of this book are three orphans who spent their life in Turkey and have to go and live in England with a mean Uncle who refuses to let Anna, the girl, continue her ballet lessons. The premise is that the 2 boys have to try and earn money for her lessons somehow.  Again, it had a difference to her books and yet that familiarity of the 'show biz' element and the grit and determination to succeed in the arts that characterise her other works.  Definitely worth a read if nothing but to laugh at the rebellious Gussy!

39.  Georgette Heyer Black sheep.
Again, finding another Georgette Heyer to read (in a charity shop is always exciting) is always a delight and finding one in our French cottage was fabulous!  Like the Streatfield, it contained the finest of Georgette Heyer's usual form but had a difference and a uniqueness.  Regency heroine meets Regency hero is the basic plot- but so fun and unconventional.  Definitely worth reading.

40.  James Herriott Every living thing.
As a child, I adored the TV show, All creatures great and small  which told the life of Yorkshire rural vet, James Herriott.  I subsequently read and adored all the other books he'd written.  This, possibly the last one, didn't fail to disappoint.  The anecdotes and stories of Herriot's veterinary life do not fail to touch, amuse and beguile on.  I was rolling around laughing at his tale of a pair of trousers he had been given that had been made for a corpulent man and he felt like he was going to explode with the heat in an important meeting!  I've had that feeling in clothing before- where you are just so hot but you can't do anything about it.  I found myself on the verge of tears when he consoled with those who lost pets and rejoiced with every victory in saving an animal.  This book as a lot of heart, and totally worth a read.  There is a great sense of the change of times and technology from the previous books and seeing the 'grown-up' Herriott family!  This is a beautiful read.

SO.... have I
a)  made you go to sleep
b)  made you want to read one (tell me which!)
c) made you totally bypass this post in your Googlereader!?
d) read something you've already read?!

The best book tag ever!

For those of you that shun my boring book posts, to start, here is a silly outfit I wore today that I enjoyed wearing.
Otherwise here is a mememe tag about books you can join in with!!!

FYI, Love this Dorothy Perkins pearl Peter Pan Collar necklace, it makes even the most boring of t-shirts look interesting! FYI2- there is actually yellow in this outfit!  Am being adventurous with yellow belt. AKA my most feared colour!)

Oooh, a lovely tag involving books!  How wonderful!  I tag Alex Odd socks, Millie at New World,

Books books books


The Rules:

1. Post these rules

2. Post a photo of your favourite book cover

3. Answer the questions below

4. Tag a few people to answer them too
5. Go to their blog/twitter and tell them you've tagged them
meh, can't be bothered today. Tomorrow, I'll do it!
6. Make sure you tell the person who tagged you that you've taken part!

I tag any one who loves books also! Please let me know if you do it so I can have a nosey.
Pinched from http://www.ablogfromblackpool.com/2012/05/books-books-books.html  Danielle.

What are you reading right now?

Surprised by Joy by C.S Lewis. It’s his biography and it’s beautiful!!!


Do you have any idea what you’ll read when you’re done with that?

I hope to read a book on world views called The universe next door, or Maya by Jostein Gaardner. Both are on my pile. I’m also hoping to borrow the next Daisy Dalrymple books from J when we go to Northumberland soon.
What magazines do you have in your bathroom/lounge right now?

Papercraft inspirations and Papercraft Essentials.

What’s the worst book you've ever read?

Oooh, this is hard, I’m willing to give most things a go. As a teenager, I tried to read one of my Mum’s books by Jean Auel a go and it was awful- there was some nasty description of a woolly mammoth’s bits! And I read a terrible Mills and Boons as a teenager which I found dreadful!

What book seems really popular but you actually hated?

The Amber Spyglass by Philip Pullman. What a stupid, disappointing ending. I can’t believe that after all that buildup, the thing that was the ‘big sin’ was a kiss. What a total let-down! Stupid and annoying. It left me feeling flat. And the death of God and all that and everyone coming out of the rift or whatever it was. Weird and silly. I’d really enjoyed Northern Lights and The subtle knife.


Oh and I was infuriated by Lemony Snickett’s The End (part of the series of A series of Unfortunate events). I HATE there being loose ends and things I don’t understand, that aren’t explained. It’s just a total cop-out. I even read ALL the spin-offs in order to glean something to solve the mystery, to no avail!

What’s the one book you always recommend to just about everyone?

Thanks to http://www.amazon.com/ for the image.

Tom’s midnight garden by Phillippa Pearce. Utter genius!

I would also recommend ‘The screwtape letters’ by C.S. Lewis. It’s a brilliant book!
And anything by Alexander McCall Smith

What are your 3 favourite poems?

I love ‘Oh tell me the truth about love’ by W.H. Auden. It’s just so witty and evocative. I also love ‘The nighmail’ by funnily enough- W.H. Auden for its fine rhythm. I love ‘The highwayman’ by Robert Louis Stephenson for its brilliant plot and Jabberwocky by Lewis Carroll. There’s also some great poems I’ve loved in the past.  Like Macavity by T.S.Elliott.
Where do you usually get your books?

Charity-shops, 2nd hand bookshops (like a brilliant one in Felixstowe called Poor Richard’s http://www.poorrichards.co.uk/  ) Daunts, The book people, Amazon, eBay, WH Smith, Waterstones

Where do you usually read your books?

Anywhere! Whilst eating, on a sofa, in bed,  in the bath, whilst travelling, in the garden, walking along the road, lying in long grass….

When you were little, did you have any particular reading habits?

I was a creature of habit. If I read and liked one book in a series, nothing would satisfy me until I’d read as many as I could get my hands on! This happened with Enid Blyton series’ (e.g. Famous Five, Secret Seven, Faraway tree, wishing chair, Mr Twiddle, Mysteries, The R mysteries, the ____ of adventure), Nancy Drew, Ramona, The Hardy Boys, Sweet valley high, Christopher Pike, Agatha Christie… I disliked Non-fiction and I am still not fond of it.
I would disappear for hours on end and my family would find me nestled with a book. At my Dad’s house, I loved reading in the upstairs bathroom.

In my adult life- any Jane Austen or modern spin-offs, Georgette Heyer continue this trend.

Have you ever “faked” reading a book?

Not really. I read a book by Janny Wurts called ‘The curse of the Mistwraith’ as a teenager which I borrowed from a boy called Tim who I liked, which I found hard-going and too sci-fi fantasy for me but pretended I liked. I rued the day of doing that when I was bought the rest of the trilogy for Christmas by family friends.
Have you ever bought a book just because you liked the cover?

Yes occasionally. I also like titles. The first Alexander McCall Smith I bought for myself was The right attitude to rain which I loved because my attitude to rain is, that if you think it is lovely, then it is indeed lovely. I’m soooo soooo glad I DID buy it otherwise I might not have discovered this wonderful man!
What was your favourite book when you were a child?

Unfair to restrict me to one!! I loved Five on Kirrin Island and Five go to Smugglers top best out of my Enid Blyton obsession because of the amazing secret passages contained within.
What book changed your life?

Change my life is a little dramatic. Well, if I had to say that, I would say The Bible, when I read (much of) it properly (still haven’t managed to make myself read Lamentations and a few other bits) for obvious reasons but that it is always refreshing, informative and comforting to find hope in there.


What is your favourite passage from a book?

Not sure about passages, might have to edit this later, but certain quotes are great:

“You didn’t get the best gigs as a murderer They probably made you play the viola.” Or something of that ilk from Soul Music by Terry Pratchett.

“Ah music, a magic beyond all we do here” Dumbledore in Harry Potter and the Philsopher’s stone.


I also loved the part in Tom’s midnight garden, the description of their ice-skating trip down the River Ely.

What are your top five favourite authors?

Alexander McCall Smith, Agatha Christie, Georgette Heyer, Jane Austen, Enid Blyton, Eva Ibbotson, C.S Lewis and Michael Morpurgo. Ha! 8!


What book has no one heard about but should read?

Hmmmmmm, a hard one…

A house in Bali http://www.amazon.com/A-House-Bali-Colin-McPhee/dp/9625936297  by Colin McPhee. Well, Bali enthusiasts will have heard of it, but others wouldn’t. It gives a wonderful look at Bali, 60-70 years ago from the point of view of a classical musician! It’s brilliant!

The Country gentleman by Fiona Hill was a lovely Regency-set book I read and delighted in!
What 3 books are you an “evangelist” for?

Er- the Bible? By God.
Tom’s midnight garden. Already mentioned
The screwtape letters Already mentioned
The butterfly lion by Michael Morpurgo (any parents evening with children whose writing needs more imagination, without fail, I recommend Michael Morpurgo to the parents. And children)
What are your favourite book by a first-time author?

Er-? Remember, I am a creature of habit, I like a series!!!

What is your favourite classic book?

The Phantom of the opera by Gaston Leroux.

Or Pride and prejudice by Jane Austen.
5 other notable mentions?

Northanger Abbey- I am totally Catherine Morland!

44 Scotland Street by Alexander McCall Smith

Harry Potter! J.K Rowling

Masquerade Terry Pratchet

Veronica at the Wells by Lorna Hill or any of that series.

White boots by Noel Streatfield or A vicarage family.

The murder of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie.


Do you have any books I should add to my 'to read' list?  Do you hate any of my choices? 

And more importantly, HOW are you today?!

Books- catch up on madness!

Despite horrendous busyness, I've got quite a wealth of books to catch up on in terms of reviews. All of the ones I have read have been really interesting and poignant in their ways.
22. Georgette Heyer Cotillion
I LOVE Georgette Heyer. She really does write rather like Jane Austen I feel (except I am more aware of the darker sides of Regency society. ) This book is all the about the exploits of a young lady whose parents (one of shocking French parentage don'tchat know) died and lives with a crotchety old Uncle. The book begins as the old patriarch has tried to gather his other nephews with the news that he is to leave his fortune to the young lady only on condition that she marries one of her cousins. It transpires, she has always had a soft spot for cousin Jack, and the Uncle intends to push him to offer for her, but he alone doesn't turn up. She persuades the one cousin who she isn't repulsed by but who wont actually offer for her (he's a bit of a dandy corinthian, in a stylish way) to pretend he's offered for her and she accepts, so she can escape to London, with the hope that cousin Jack will be put out and will endeavour to win her hand.

However, it transpires that whilst Jack does intend to marry her eventually, he's a bit of a cad and he's courting other young ladies and gets involved in all sorts of awful schemes. Somehow along the way, she ends up falling for someone else who she didn't expect to!

I LOVED this book more than I have loved any other Georgette Heyer I've read before. I adore Freddie, the cousin who agrees to get engaged to her to help her and the story is really intriguing. Plus, the way she writes it is JUST how I would like the book to end. Another interesting insight into Regency London. If you like romance without too much smut, then this is for you. Also, Austenites, I would recommend.
Eat your heart out Mr Darcy, there's a new hero in town! (Mr Tilney, don't worry, you're still my favourite!)

23. Alison Prince My Story Henry the VIII's wives

Despite learning about the Tudors in year 9 at school, I didn't seem to know that much about Henry VIII's wives. Since I am moving to year 4 next year, when I saw these books in a lovely bookshop in Aldeburgh, I was intrigued to have a look at this and see if it was suitable for year 4. Right away, I would say that it is much too old for year 4 and I would probably consider this more suitable for year 8-9, 13-14 year olds. Even though this was a fictional account, it was obviously based on real people and I had NO idea how quickly Henry actually got through wives and the reasons he divorced, beheaded etc. Apparently, Katherine Parr wrote respected religious books. The narrator is a young girl who is approaching the age of being in court and we learn about Anne Boleyn through the diaries of a previous narrator, a friend of hers who was a lady in waiting to the queen and a relative who was a lady in waiting to Catherine of Aragon. I really recommend this as an intriguing read. How much is true I don't know, but I was quite shocked to read of the antics of his majesty, but also intrigued! If you like historical fiction based on real people, this is worth a read.

24. Michael Morpurgo Kaspar- Prince of cats

The thing I love about this significant children's author (and if you are a mum or dad, get your children to read his books- he is a REALLY good model of excellent story writing) is how he takes a gem of a real story or tale and tells a tale that you really believe could be true! This is set in the year 1912 or 1913 I believe, and a significant amount takes place in the Savoy and on board the Titanic. Throw in a Russian opera singer, a bellboy and a runaway American child and you have storytelling magic! A typical Morpurgo book, written in the first person, so he draws you in, with an animal playing a crucial role (in this case, Kaspar, cat of Opera singer), beautiful setting descriptions and a beguiling tale! 25. David Almond. Skellig

This is a seriously intense and creepy but WONDERFUL book. If you want to demonstrate how to write suspense then read this. I read it because I was studying it with my top guided reading group. A mysterious character, Skellig, what is he? He is found by our (1st person narrative again) main character in the garage of his new house. The character is worried by having moved house, a very sick baby sister and preoccupied parents. He discovers a new friendship with an unsual young lady and together they help restore the mysterious character Skellig to his full glory. Is he an angel? Read and find out. Amazing setting descriptions again, beautiful characterisations, I did shed a little tear reading this. Teenagers also study this book and it has become a film.

26. Alexander McCall Smith Espresso tales

I suddenly realised that I wasn't trying to read 52 authors this year so I have stupidly been starving myself from reading those tantalising Alexander McCall Smith books that I really wanted to read that have lined my shelf for over a year! Hurrah, can read them all mwa ha ha!
This is my first 44 Scotland street novel and I don't know why I was expecting a mystery novel but it is a contemporary account of different characters's muddled lives. The narrator and focus changes in each chapter between a 5 year old, a young trainee doctor, and various others. They lead such interesting lives! The great thing about this book is that it was published daily in an Edinburgh newspaper. Alexander McCall Smith is a genius in writing characters that you love and empathise with. Don't want to give anything away but highly addictive. And great if you put books down for a while!

26. Michael Morpurgo Cool!

Another classic from this ex children's Laureate, I was reading this with another guided reading group. Boys will like this as it is a fairly easy read and there is a little focus on football. Again, first person narrative, this is written from the point of view of a boy in a coma who is worried about having killed his dog. As the story unwraps, we learn more and more about him and his accident. All may not be what it seems with his dog.... I would recommend this for children aged around 8-10 with a reading level of around 3b/a if you know what I mean!