Something a little different today: a guest post. Back in June I wrote a piece on backlist gems for Erin’s brilliant blog, My Shelves Are Full, and she has kindly returned the favour with a completely different set of books.
Erin is a children’s librarian for Suffolk Community Libraries and Chair of the Federation of Children’s Book Groups, so she spends her days matching children with books. You can also find her on Instagram at @erinlynhamilton.
Over to Erin.
The old saying “So Many Books, So Little Time” feels especially true for those of us who read voraciously! It can feel overwhelming to find yourself browsing shelves and tables in your local library or bookstore, and not know what to choose!
We can also get swayed by the shiny new books that arrive each month to tempt us in!
There is something to be said for not forgetting about books that were published a year, two or more ago, as they don’t change. We do, and we need to remind ourselves of the reading journey we take and those books that brought us joy!
With that in mind, I have chosen several backlist favourites that never go out of style and can always find a home with a young (or old) reader!
The Swifts by Beth Lincoln
We meet the Swift family as they rehearse for Aunt Schadenfreude’s funeral, something they have been doing for a long time. Uncle Maelstrom, sisters Phenomena, Felicity and Shenanigan and John the Cat. They all have a role to play in the ceremony, while Aunt stands back and makes comments and bosses them about.
This great family live in a strange old house, added to with each generation of Swift and with rumours of a vast treasure hidden somewhere on site. Every so often, a family reunion is called and Swifts descend in their masses with tools and tricks to find the hoard. This time, accidents and murder seem to be keeping the family busy and no one has enough time to hunt.
How to be True by Daisy May Johnson
Raised in Paris by protest leading and revolutionary parents, Edie has led a happy and bohemian life, until her parents decide to do good outside of the city and leave her with Odette, her grand mere. After too many arguments and lifestyle disagreements, Edie is sent to The School of Good Sisters, which we know well from Calla’s tale. Edie takes with her; a sense of justice, the ability to build barricades and her revolutionary style, not to mention a penchant for macarons!
When a school trip to Paris is planned, Edie must face coming home and being reunited with her distant grand-mere. This is not your normal school trip especially with the Good Sisters involved! For there is a chateau to explore, cakes, biscuits and macarons to devour and an art thief to stop!
Stories Grandma Forgot (and how I found them) by Nadine Aisha Jassat
This is a powerful and empathy laden story of an inter-generational family, a mixed heritage girl discovering racism and the hunt for truths.
Nyla lives with her Mum and Grandma. Grandma sometimes goes “time-travelling” within her Alzheimer’s and there are good and bad days. With mum working two jobs, much of the care falls to Nyla and she is carrying heavy weights on her shoulders.
The characters in this story are beautifully written and they leap off the page and into the heart of the reader. Their relationships are real, filled with promises, occasional let-downs but always love. I love the librarian and the role she plays in Nyla’s world, bringing hope, understanding, empathy and strength to her.
Leeva at Last by Sara Pennypacker
Leeva at Last
Leeva Spayce Thornblossom is as neglected as you can get for a 8- or 9-year-old (she is not sure how old she is!). Her parents sole thoughts are of money and fame, neither of which she can give them. They have drawn up a contract between them and Leeva will need to pay back all she takes in the form of food and clothing. Living an incredibly sheltered life, Leeva looks forward most to the Improve your Vocabulary column in the weekly newspaper. She learns plenty of wonderful words but never has any opportunity to use them for she speaks to no one but her parents.
When she discovers the library next door, an entire world opens up to her and she can finally answer the question her parents have asked, “What are people for”? At the library, she meets Harry and his Aunt Mrs Flowers, discovers cookies and books. She meets new people, discovers new worlds and befriends book characters.
Her Majesty’s League of Remarkable Young Ladies by Alison D Stegert
Victorian London, a young inventress and the Paris Exposition are the beginnings of a formidable story.
Winifred Weatherby and her father are inventors, both incredibly intelligent and creative, though Mr Weatherby believes his daughter’s tinkering will ruin her chances of finding a suitable husband. Enrolling her in Beacon Academy for Poised and Polished Young Ladies seems the easiest way to ensure she grows up properly.
When her father goes missing, Winifred vows to find him but instead finds herself recruited to Her Majesty’s League of Remarkable Young Ladies. She is to be their new Quartermaster, an inventress with skills for creating and inventing spying and crafty tools. Almost a dream come true though her missing father and few clues to his whereabouts keep her poised and ready.
The Wanderdays by Clare Povey
The Wanderday siblings are lovely, with a deep respect for each other and their parents. Especially their mother, Nellie, who is a world-famous filmmaker and activist.
It is with her disappearance that our story truly begins. Flo and Joseph are determined to find her, even though the danger is high! Flo and Joseph are plunged into the ocean with a set of hijacked coordinates, a stolen submarine and their best friends. What more do you need for an adventure?
Agency for Scandal by Laura Wood
Isobel Stanhope, a plain wallflower, is barely memorable. She stays in the background of events and allows those around her to take centre stage. Or so she would have us all believe. She is actually a talented thief, spy, locksmith and occasionally, a boy named Kes.
Having been initiated into The Aviary, a group of women fighting behind the scenes for wronged and married women in London, she uses her wallflower abilities to get damning evidence to help the clients get financial or physical freedom.
Danger, seduction and characters who are entirely brilliant make this a perfect page turner.
About Erin
Erin is a Children’s Librarian for Suffolk Community Libraries, Chair of the Federation of Children’s Book Groups and a book blogger based in Suffolk. Her blog can be found at myshelvesarefull.com, where there is a plethora of book reviews to browse. Erin can also be found on Instagram under @erinlynhamilton.