Nic Blake and the Remarkables

ABBEY'S BOOKSELLER PICK --- Thomas is best known for her hard hitting YA novels of black experience in gritty urban settings, so this middle grade fantasy novel is a departure - although the themes of injustice and prejudice still thread through, giving this standard trope an edge of difference. Nic and her father are itinerants because he is part of a class of people who have special powers that have to be kept hidden from ordinary people. For her twelfth birthday he has promised to show Nic how to be a Manifestor, but of course before he can, the secret of his past is revealed and they are separated. Nic is given a task, which if she can fulfil it will prove her father's innocence - but in doing so, an ancient prophecy is about to come true… A fast-paced and engrossing read for ages 10-13. Lindy 

Wow! Nic Blake and the Remarkables by @angiethomas was a blast. It genuinely made me laugh one moment and cry the next. This is the type of book that I think has it all - a fun adventure with great characters, and a lot of deep messages and themes spread throughout. A book like this is important. I think it can be read as it is, or it has the potential to create discussions for children who want to learn more. It certainly made me do a bit more research into the real life struggles and conflicts of black people in America many years ago, and even today, and it is truly heartbreaking. * Jakes Books * Action packed, with brilliant characters and drawing on African American folklore, this is an engrossing read for fantasy lovers aged 10+. * Readings * This is a brilliant and action-packed fantasy novel set in an absorbing world. Full of bravery, friendship, the importance of family and the need to fulfill your destiny, this is a terrific novel for middle year readers aged 10 - 15. * Lamont Books * Fantasy is an excellent way to step into another’s shoes, and see the world from another perspective, and Thomas’s use of humour makes it all an easy fun read, that will have readers eagerly awaiting the next in the series. * ReadPlus * Do you ever wonder if there are more things around you than your human eyes can see? Enter the magical world of the Remarkables, filled to the brim with fantastical and amazing creatures. Join Nic Blake, a 12 year old girl, as she embarks on a dangerous quest with her friends to find a mysterious weapon and save their world… If I were to rate this book, it would be 4 out of 5 stars. -- Vivian * Squiz Kids Book Club reviewer *