Working as a part-time bookseller, it’s my job to be able to give people reading recommendations. This means I need to read as much as I can, and as widely as I can. It’s not a bad job to have.
Often, customers will come in to the bookshop asking for recommendations for children, so I try to make time for reading some of the 9+ range to have some options up my sleeve.
The bookshop was sent a proof copy of The Umbrella Mouse by Anna Fargher, so I spent a few days reading it. It’s an action-packed adventure of young mouse Pip, who lives in an umbrella shop, and is orphaned during the Second World War. In her search for family she ends up joining the animal French Resistance to fight for victory.
The book doesn’t shy away from conflict, with plenty of battle scenes, wounded soldiers and some casualties. There is also some espionage and the harsh realities of the concentration camps, as the animals take part in a daring raid for freedom.
‘You just need to find a little courage in your heart to begin something new.’
The Umbrella Mouse, Anna Fargher
This would be a great choice for children who like animal stories and are interested in history and adventures. There are illustrations scattered throughout by Sam Usher, and the final cover is much more detailed than the proof copy photographed here.