Today we have a review for little ones, from Wendy…

When the World is Ready for Bed – Gillian Shields 

A family of rabbits go through their end-of-day routine, from having their tea to brushing their teeth, sharing a story and being tucked up in bed, until they peek out of the window and see something that’s a change from their usual routine in this classic picture book. With delectable art and warm, lyrical text, this is a thoroughly modern picture book with strong echoes of books such as “The Velveteen Rabbit” and the works of Beatrix Potter.

This is an enchanting tale about 3 little bunnies and their bedtime routines. It is the same sort of routines that we all go through, tea, tidy up, chat, bath, stories and cuddles. It is a lovely wind down story for bedtime reading with the ending line… ‘Always lovely, Always new, Tomorrow’s waiting – Just for You.’ – A lovely thought to go to sleep to.

The book is illustrated with watercolour style pictures which makes it feel like a classic story book. These are beautiful and would make lovely nursery pictures in their own right. In the early pages there is lots of detail but as the bunnies get ready for bed the illustrations simplify to match the slowing down in the story until we are just left with 3 fast asleep bunnies.

As it is simply written it is also ideal as an early reading book, my daughter loves reading it.

Thanks, Wendy, and thanks to Bloomsbury Children’s Books for sending us a copy. It’s out for you to buy today, so you can get yours here..

We recently carried out an interview with Gillian (click here to see it), which brought to our attention the forthcoming Betrayal book, so we knew we’d just have to read the first book in the series, Immortal, in the hope it’d make us ready and eager for Betrayal. You can win a copy of Immortal here, too, to get you ready and eager for Betrayal..

Immortal

Welcome to Wyldcliffe, the place that haunts my present, my past, and my future.

Wyldcliffe Abbey School for Young Ladies is elite, expensive, and unwelcoming. When Evie Johnson is torn from her home near the sea to become the newest scholarship student, strict teachers, snobbish students, and the oppressive atmosphere of Wyldcliffe leave her drowning in loneliness.

Evie’s only lifeline is Sebastian, a mysterious and attractive young man she meets by chance. As Evie’s feelings for Sebastian blaze with each secret meeting, she begins to fear that he is hiding something about his past. And she is haunted by glimpses of a strange, ghostly girl—a girl who is so eerily like Evie she could be a sister. Evie is slowly drawn into a tangled web of past and present that she cannot control. As the extraordinary, elemental forces of Wyldcliffe rise up like the mighty sea, Evie is faced with an astounding truth about Sebastian, and her own incredible fate.,

Betrayal

There are the small betrayals: the unkind word, the petty lies. And there are the betrayals that break hearts, destroy worlds, and turn the strong sweet light of day into bitter dust.

When Evie Johnson started at Wyldcliffe Abbey School for Young Ladies, her life changed in ways she couldn’t possibly have envisioned: the discovery of her link with Lady Agnes, her special bond with Helen and Sarah, and their sisterhood in the astonishing secrets of the Mystic Way. Above all, Evie’s love for Sebastian has turned her world upside down.

Now Evie returns to Wyldcliffe for another term and more danger. Surrounded by enemies, she lives every day in fear that Sebastian will fall into the darkness of servitude to the Unconquered Lords. The Wyldcliffe coven is plotting to destroy Evie and use Sebastian to secure their own immortality. Evie and her sisters must master the power of the Talisman before it is too late. But could it be Sebastian himself who will ultimately betray Evie?

I read Immortal and literally as soon as I’d finished it, got in touch with Gillian asking to read Betrayal! Why? Immortal tells two stories, that of Agnes set in the past, and then of Evie set in the present day. There’s history, romance, adventure and the Mystic Way, so plenty to keep your interest. I liked Evie and Agnes and their stories are both told through each chapter, coming together as the book progresses. From the first chapter, I knew I was going to enjoy it and I found I was keen to read on at the end of every chapter, as there was just enough intrigue to keep you going on. The ending is worth waiting for, with each storyline tied up, but left open for you to want to read Betrayal…

Betrayal, without giving too much of Immortal away, continues very much where we left off. Evie has a greater understanding of Wyldcliffe’s history and powers in this book, and so this is less of a journey of discovery and more a journey full of danger and adventure. It doesn’t keep you guessing in the same way that Immortal does, as you’re there with Evie in possession of more knowledge and racing against time with her to save her beloved Sebastian. This book moves at a faster pace, as you know the back story so it can jump straight into the action. As with Immortal, you’ll want to keep on reading and again, the ending’s just perfect.

These are great books, and are both available in our shop now. We do have one signed copy of Immortal available for one lucky Bookbabbler, so if you’d like to be entered into the draw, comment on this post, retweet it or Facebook ’like’ it. We’ll pick a winner on Monday at 8PM – good luck!

Today we share with you our Q&A with Gillian Shields..

Who were your favourite authors as a child?

The usual suspects! I loved the Narnia books, and A Little Princess, and the wonderful E Nesbit books – my favourite was Harding’s Luck, which I found unbearably sad as well as funny and exciting. I also adored A Traveller in Time by Alison Uttley which had a similar poignant, haunting atmosphere. But for jolly adventures nothing could beat Malory Towers by Enid Blyton and the Jill pony stories by Ruby Ferguson. I still have the battered copies of my childhood favourites on a bookshelf in the corner of my study!

You write for a wide range of age groups, what tempted you to do that?

I started writing picture book texts, encouraged by my great friend the illustrator Sarah Massini. My son was only four then so it seemed natural to write for very young children.  I also have an older daughter though, and I have taught in a girls’ senior school, so I was keen to write something for teenage girls. It’s such a different challenge to write full length novels and not rely on fantastic illustrators to help the story along.

Of all of the characters you have created, if you had to choose, who would be your favourite?

In the Actual Real Reality of Jennifer James, I love Jennifer and there are lots of fun characters amongst her school mates and the celebrities who enter the reality TV show held at her school, like Jeremy Lurcher the disgraced MP and the glamour model Katie Spice. However, one of my favourites has to be Jennifer’s mum, Sheila. She is a militant feminist, and calls herself Jocasta and takes up all kinds of radical (and hopeless) good causes, but really she is a warm muddle of motherliness underneath it all, and desperate for her husband’s attention. She was great fun to create. I am also very happy with my picture book character DOGFISH, who is a goldfish who tries to please his little boy owner by acting like the dog that the boy really wants. It was exciting when we heard the CD version of DOGFISH being read by David Tennant – Dr Who reading my book! My children were actually quite impressed with me for a moment . . .

You have several titles coming out shortly – tell us a little about them.

WHEN THE WORLD IS READY FOR BED is for very young children. It’s a gentle goodnight lullaby with the most gorgeous illustrations by Anna Currey. She has turned the family in the story into irresistible bunny rabbits. A follow-up book about the arrival of a new baby (or bunny), WHEN THE WORLD WAS WAITING FOR YOU, is due out next year.

THE ACTUAL REAL REALITY OF JENNIFER JAMES is a send up of reality TV. Jennifer is a brainy girl whose mother Sheila/Jocasta (see above!) has banned all TV and popular culture from the house. Imagine her horror when Jennifer gets a place on a reality TV show, called DOWN THE BOG, in which celebrities attempt to become teachers in Jennifer’s ‘bog-standard’ comprehensive school.  There is a prize for the most popular Celeb, and also a prize for the most popular student – an all expenses paid scholarship at a posh boarding school. Jennifer is desperate to win, but has to overcome the minor obstacle of being the Most Unpopular Girl in the School.   The contestants get involved with fashion shows, camping trips, singing contests etc and much chaos and humiliation follows for poor Jennifer, only relieved by the hope that True Love might be just around the corner. It is written as Jennifer’s diary and was such fun to do, following her journey as she finds out where her heart really lies.

BETRAYAL is the sequel to IMMORTAL, part of a series of books for teenage girls set in a creepy gothic boarding school in the middle of the Yorkshire moors. The series (published by Harpercollins) revolves around four girls – three of them are friends at the school and one is the spirit of a Victorian girl who used to live there – who discover that they possess strange elemental powers. Some of the teachers at the school are part of an evil cult of Dark Sisters who are determined to gain immortal powers and destroy whatever stands in their way. It’s up to the four heroines to stop them . . . .

What are you working on at the moment?

I have just finished writing the third book in the series, ETERNAL. It will be published in 2011.

Aside from reading and writing, what do you enjoy doing?

I love walking with my dog in the beautiful Sussex countryside around my home, and being with my friends and family. I am currently trying to learn Italian as my fantasy is to have a little tiny house on Sicily one day, with my very own lemon tree.

If you were to recommend a book(s)to get children hooked on reading, what would they be?

When my son was about six years old, his teacher read BEAVER TOWERS by Nigel Hinton in class and he loved it so much it really got him hooked on reading. My daughter preferred non-fiction reading, but she loved WHEN HITLER STOLE PINK RABBIT by Judith Kerr, because she knew it was based on true events. And I was delighted to received letters from parents saying that my own series for young girls, MERMAID SOS, has turned their children onto reading, so I was very proud of that achievement!

Thanks very much, Gillian. We’ll soon be bringing you our review of Immortal and Betrayal, and a chance to win a signed copy of Immortal, so don’t miss that! In the meantime, all 3 of Gillian’s new books are in our shop now..