She is desperate to escape the island and is working on a new gadget, the Switcheroo, which she hopes will transport her to the mainland. It has a brilliantly diverse cast of characters, that are so much fun, and are really brought to life with their dialogue, actions and gorgeous illustrations by Gladys Jose. We’ve re-named Puffin Virtually Live so that it’s easier for new teachers to discover it as part of Puffin Schools and to acknowledge that the show now premieres on show day, rather than being streamed live.

Awesome inventor Leonora Bolt has lived most of her nine years in a lighthouse on remote Crabby Island, with just her pet otter Twitchy Nibbles and Mildred, an eccentric housekeeper for company. With the help of an otter with a special skill, a questionable cook and a singing sea captain, can Leonora dream up an invention that will defeat her evil uncle once and for all?

The level of peril and tension is just perfect for lower Middle-Grade, although the mad-cap comedy and brilliant inventions will ensure this appeals to older readers too!

She has worked for nearly twenty years in a variety of traditional and digital marketing roles, largely specialising in technology - she has poured her technological knowledge into the inventions she created for her debut novel Leonora Bolt: Secret Inventor. A cross between Poirot and Indiana Jones for younger ones, it’s a great book for reading aloud with all the silly puns, retro names and hilarious catchphrases. Leonora has only ever known the island she has lived on with her uncle and live in nanny, she was told her parents were lost at sea, presumed dead. The lighthouse was on Crabby Island and Crabby Island was slap bang in the middle of absolutely flipping nowhere.It soon becomes apparent that Leonora’s uncle is not who he seems and intends to use the Switcheroo for his own sinister ends. For those younger children who are just on the point of moving from picture books to chapter books this would fit perfectly as it is a chapter book but it has many many illustrations which mean the chapters are short and fun! But it had been home to Leonora, Uncle Luther, their housekeeper, Mildred, and Leonora’s pet otter, Twitchy Nibbles, for almost all her nine years. What follows is an imaginative adventure with quick-thinking Leonora using her STEM skills and natural wit to triumph.

The ending of the book wraps up the main adventure nicely, while leaving threads hanging for a sequel kids will chomping at the bit to read! She was supposed to be doing the exact opposite of that – lying low, keeping her head down, blending in.Her fantastical inventions are such fun, and I love how she recycles things to create them too, a fab message for readers. Distinctive, full-colour illustrations provide humour and visual interest, while the short chapters are ideal for newly-independent readers.

I've adored this e-ARC, and cannot WAIT for my science-obsessed 8yo to read the physical book when it comes out in a couple of weeks. Our mission is to inspire children to feel they can be and do anything, and to create readers for life.With colourful pages and engaging illustrations, this picture book carries an essential message that nobody should be disadvantaged because of their race. A story expressed in muted colour and with a wonderful focus on the small details of this Vietnamese family’s life as they prepare for a perilous journey, Wishesis a deeply moving story told with very minimal text about a child’s experience of being a refugee. Readers who love science and innovation will find this an engaging and entertaining storytime choice.