Books by Catherynne M Valente

“It’s such a good, rich fantasy with a lot going on. It’s about a boy named Osmo who is longing for a more adventurous life. Then he really gets it: he gets sent on a quest into the dangerous Eightpenny woods, where he meets a pangolin whose name is Never. She’s part pangolin and part girl, and is one of his companions on the journey. The other companion on his trip is named Bonk, and is a skunk-badger-wombat. He’s the one with the Scottish accent, and he’s over-the-top melodramatic and really funny, so a lot of the humour comes from that character. It’s the most classical fantasy book of the ones we’re talking about today. It’s a really fun, interesting story. And it’s long, so if you’re looking for something nice for a longer car ride with 8-12 year olds, this is a good one.” Read more...

The Best Audiobooks for a Family Road Trip

Emily Connelly, Journalist

“Terrifically funny story about a girl who is invited to come to fairyland for an adventure. This is the first book in a longer series.” Read more...

Fierce Girls in Tween Fiction

Kiran Millwood Hargrave, Children's Author