YOUNG FICTION
OUR CASTLE BY THE SEA by Lucy Strange (Chicken House €9.80) AT THE outbreak of the Second World War, 12- year-old Pet and her older sister, Mags, live with their German mother and lighthouse keeper father on the Kent coast, in the shadow of the ancient, mythical Daughters of Stone.
When Pet’s mother is interned as an enemy alien and someone is suspected of spying for the Nazis, Pet’s secure world crumbles.
What follows is both an exciting thriller and a thoughtful examination of how appearances can be deceptive and how dangerous this is in the suspicious, rumourdriven atmosphere of war. Pet is vulnerable, scared and naive but her determination and loyalty turn personal tragedy into a sort of triumph. Underpinned by the legend of a sea monster, this is a rewarding read. THE DAY I WAS ERASED by Lisa Thompson (Scholastic €8.45) ANYONE familiar with the classic Christmas film It’s A Wonderful Life will recognise the concept behind this touching story of 12-year-old Maxwell, whose parents are constantly at war and who seriously misbehaves at school.
His only comforts are his fat old rescue dog, Monster, and cups of tea with Reg, an elderly neighbour in the early stages of Alzheimer’s, who owns a cabinet of mysterious objects.
When Maxwell oversteps even his own boundaries by sabotaging the school Celebration Ball, he hides at Reg’s and, while playing with a strange wooden egg, wishes he’d never been born.
Suddenly he discovers he has been erased from his past life — with terrible consequences. Maxwell’s attempts to connect with his family and friends and his heartfelt desire to put right everyone’s mistakes is a fine balance of humour and tears. THE DOG WHO SAVED THE WORLD by Ross Welford (Harper Collins €8.45) A PASSIONATE devotion to a rescue dog is also the driving force behind Ross Welford’s latest time-travel adventure.
Eleven-year-old Georgie is devoted to Mr Mash, her smelly old beagle, who is banished to a dog’s home because her stepmother is allergic to him.
She and her best friend Ramzy are befriended by an eccentric retired scientist who specialises in creating virtual worlds.
The scientist is using the children in an experiment to create a 3D version of the future, just as a deadly epidemic erupts that threatens to wipe out all dogs — and spread to humans. The only chance to save Mr Mash (and possibly the world) is for Georgie to travel to the future to find a cure.
The hectic last chapters are a race against time (and some terrifying giant scorpions) that will keep readers on the edge of their seats. Welford gets better with each book.