Book in Every Stocking 2014 - Flora and Ulysses by Kate DiCamillo - Suggested by Robin Stevens

At Space on the Bookshelf we campaign the Man in Red every year to try and get him to put a book in every child's stocking. However we know that there are so many great books out there and so many different children that it can be difficult to match books to children. We therefore try to give him a helping hand by asking people to writer a letter to Father Christmas suggesting a stocking filler. 

Today we welcome back to SOTB author and assistant editor Robin Stevens whose début novel Murder Most Unladylike was featured as a 3D review in the summer Press Here to read. This is also Robin's second Book in Every Stocking letter, as she also contributed last year, press here to read her letter from 2013.

Dear Santa,

This year, the book that I think should be in stockings all over the world is Flora and Ulysses by Kate DiCamillo. Kids are always being told what kind of books they should read, because grown-ups are not always as smart as they think they are. I hope this book teaches those grown-ups a lesson. Flora and Ulysses is a beautifully written, touching story about a little girl with divorced parents trying to work out her place in the world – and it’s also a totally brilliant comic book about a flying squirrel who loves doughnuts. It totally confounds expectations, it’s crazy, and it’s sheer fun to look at and read. There’s something for everyone, and I think it could just perform the ultimate Christmas miracle – turning a kid into a reader.

So good luck, Santa – and merry Christmas!

Robin

Book in Every Stocking - The Map to Everywhere by Carrie Ryan and John Parke Davis suggestion from Amber Caravéo

Today we have the lovely Amber Caravéo, former Editorial Director at Orion and founder of newly launched Skylark Literary Agency . Amber was featured on Space on the Bookshelf in October when she was interviewed about developing series fiction, press here to read the interview.

Dear Santa,

My Book-in-Every-Stocking suggestion is The Map to Everywhere by Carrie Ryan and John Parke Davis. It’s a rollercoaster ride of an adventure, full of magic and wonder and sheer inventive tomfoolery!

Meet Fin, the boy (and master thief!) who nobody can remember, and Marrill, the girl who stumbles upon a pirate ship in a car park and finds herself whisked away to a whole new, crazy, magical world!  Together these two must find the Bintheyr Map to Everywhere before the terrifying and creepy wizard, Serth, can get it for himself and ruin everybody’s fun.

This is a wild and wonderful adventure for boys and girls – and frankly, Santa, I wouldn’t be surprised if your elves and reindeer start sneaking a peek too! In fact, you probably shouldn’t let the reindeer see it until after the deliveries or your sleigh might not even get off the ground – that’s how fun and absorbing this adventure is!

I’m sure that by sharing this book with all the children in the world – not to mention elves and reindeer – you will be giving everyone the very merriest of merry Christmases! J

Lots of love and mince pies,

Amber, x

Book in Every Stocking - Cakes in Space by Philip Reeve and Sarah McIntyre suggested by Spike aged 8

Today's Book in Every Stocking suggestion comes from one of our child reviewers eight year old Spike. 

Dear Father Christmas, 

I've been thinking very hard about a book which would be good for you to put in other children's stockings. I think that you should give Cakes in Space by Philip Reeve and Sarah McIntyre as it is very very funny!

Cakes in Space, is about a girl called Astra. Astra and her family are asleep in pods, on their journey through space to Nova Moody. Astra wakes up and is hungry so she goes to Nom O Tron 500 and ask for a asks for a Ultimate Scary Cake, and that exactly what she gets. The Cakes are alive, the grow hands, they grow leg and sprout teeth and begin to talk and try to eat anything that’s moving including Astra and the Poglets. Poglets are funny aliens that worship spoon, and steel but od Astra’s ship look for more spoons! Astra and Pilbeam her trusted friend the robot, find a new friend that looks like oily spaghetti called The nameless Horror! Together Astra, and Pilbeam and The Nameless Horror, save the day!

This is a funny book and it is exciting and is full of really great illustrations!

Dear FC please bring me lots of books too as i read loads. Plus some batteries for my torch but don't tell my mum and Dad! 

Book In Every Stocking - The Pinhole Egg by Diana Wynne Jones recommended by Nick Cross

Today's Book in Every Stocking filler suggestion comes from writer Nick Cross, whose short stories feature in the amazing Stew Magazine. Nick was interviewed about his contribution to Stew in the summer [press here to read]

Dear Santa,


My stocking book filler suggestion is The Pinhoe Egg by Diana Wynne Jones. Normally, it would be sensible to begin with the first book in a series (rather than the last) but in this case the book is so splendid that I can’t resist! The seven book Chrestomanci series (which began with Charmed Life) offers a great many magical treats, but for my money The Pinhoe Egg is the funniest, best-written and most compulsive book of them all.


When a writer returns to a much-loved series after a long break, the results are often disappointing. So, it was with some trepidation that I began reading about the further adventures of Cat Chant, even though I was dying to know what happened to him after Charmed Life. I shouldn’t have worried, because Diana Wynne Jones crafts a masterful, magical, mad-as-a-bag-of-spanners story that expands the world around Chrestomanci Castle and shows Cat finding his true path as an enchanter. The action scenes are amazing (and hilarious), the characters richly drawn and there’s even a cat who can walk through walls!


The Pinhoe Egg is a fitting end to a fabulous series, and can also be read quite comfortably as a standalone story. So what are you waiting for, Santa?


Nick

Nick Cross is a regular contributor to Stew - the magazine for curious kids. Stew Magazine is a lively bi-monthly title for inquisitive young minds that launched in January 2014. Aimed at children aged 8 to 12, it is educational but not stuffy, fun without being trivial, and inspirational rather than worthy. Visit www.stewmagazine.com for more information and to find out how to subscribe.

Book in Every Stocking 2014: THE BOY IN THE TOWER by Polly Ho-Yen suggested by Natalie Doherty

Today we are very pleased to welcome Natalie Doherty back to Space on the Bookshelf, Natalie is a Fiction Editor at Random House and we interviewed about her role as Editor of Murder Most Unladylike back in the summer press here to read.

Natalie, has kindly agreed to write a letter to Santa to recommend a stocking filler book...

Dear Santa,


If there’s one book I’d love to see in all stockings this Christmas (in all honesty I’d love to see HUNDREDS of books in all stockings, but I don’t think I’m allowed), it would be THE BOY IN THE TOWER by Polly Ho-Yen.

Polly is a) a new writer, b) the owner of an incredible imagination, and c) an all-round lovely human being. THE BOY IN THE TOWER is a story about a boy named Ade, who lives in a tower block in London with his mum, who doesn’t like to go outside. One day, mysterious blue plants start to appear in the streets close to Ade’s home and school . . . and then without any warning, buildings start to collapse. Soon the streets are evacuated and even Ade’s best friend Gaia escapes with her family, but Ade’s mum refuses to leave, and so she and Ade are left in their tower block, knowing that it might fall down at any minute, with a rapidly-dwindling supply of food and water, and no one else for miles around. Or so they think…

The reason I’ve picked this as a stocking-filler book is that it really does leave you feeling that there are good people in the world. It’s a book about friendship and sticking together and helping other people out in any way you can, even when you’re feeling unhappy or scared yourself. And it’s a brilliant adventure!


Thanks Santa!



Natalie x

For more book stocking filler suggestions,pop back and visit SOTB throughout December! 

Book in Every Stocking - Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer and Shine by Candy Gourlay suggested by Bea aged 10

Today's book in every stocking suggestions comes from one of our child reviewers Bea aged 10.

Dear Santa,

I think you should stuff stocking with the following books, firstly Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer, because it is full of action and is very funny.

Artemis Fowl is a great book, with loads of description and funny but serious acts. The main thing about Artemis Fowl is that it brings characters to life and gives you great ideas for books. The book is about a 12 year old master criminal, Artemis who kidnaps a fairy, Holly Short, to use her as ransom to get Fairy Gold. The imprisoned elf Holly tries to fight her way out of the prison cell by uploading her magic. Will Holly escape the war ahead of her, or will she destroy her kind? And will Artemis get his gold?

My favourite character is…Mulch…he is a criminal to fairy’s and a very naughty dwarf. He has a way of escaping underground. He will eat the soil and open his bum strap where the soil will come out the other end!

The second book I think would be great for putting in stockings is Shine by Candy Gourlay.

Shine is an AMAZING book by Candy Gourlay has lot of different imaginative ideas and facts from the Philippines, such as the disease of The Calm. This disease affects the throat, constricting it with lumps of dry skin, so people with The Calm can’t talk. Shine is the story of a young girl named; Rosa she and her mother, Kara, unfortunately have the calm. Rosa has to stay at home and hide as the local people think that people with the calm are monsters. Lonely Rosa hopes that her mother may come to visit her as a ghost.

When Rosa was young and the sun comes out in Mirasol (which is unusual because it rains most of the time) Rosa and her mum run outside to enjoy the weather.  The glorious day takes a disastrous turn when Rosa’s mother is hit by a bus and killed.

The story is told from Rosa’s point of view and through extract of her mother Kara’s childhood diary. Shine is a ghost story and a mystery as Rosa’s family’s secrets unravel and a ghost does turn up to taunt her family only this one is very much alive.

This story is such a great book and there are so many reasons to read it, so I think Santa you should use Shine in Stocking so other children can find out all those reasons for themselves.

Thank you Santa!

Bea

Book in Every Stocking 2014 - Going Home by Cliff McNish suggested by Anita Loughrey

Today's book in Every Stocking suggestion comes from prolific writer Anita Loughrey, who we interviewed back in Autumn about her work for the reluctant readers series Star Struck, press here to read. Anita suggests a book for all dog lovers...

Dear Santa

If you are looking for a fantastic stocking filler this year, you should try the book Going Home by Cliff McNish. A dog may not be for Christmas but this book certainly is. Children who love animals will adore it.

Going Home is about the Happy Paws Dog’s Home where some of the dogs have been labelled ‘no-hopers’ on the ground of their looks, phobias and general behaviour. When the Dog’s Home reviews its policy of never putting a dog down the story takes you on a roller-coaster of emotions. One minute there are tears of laughter. The next you are on the edge of your seat, turning the page, hoping the dogs will find a home of their very own before it is too late.

It will give any child a fairly realistic view of the psyche of a dog and how their needs are more than just a roof over their heads. Not only is the story a real feel-good, tear-jerker but the illustrations by Trish Phillips are adorable and will melt even the hardest of hearts.

Hope you take my advice on this must have Christmas stocking filler. J

Love Anita xxx

We are posting Book in Every Stocking Suggestions all through December so do pop back and see what other authors, illustrators, editors and readers recommends Santa puts in Stockings!