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Amy McKay - Editorial Expert
Amy is a knowledgeable, innovative and enthusiastic school librarian, living and working in Cumbria. Amy is a past UK School Librarian of the Year.
With over 17 years’ experience in school libraries and over a decade as the Yoto Carnegies National Coordinator she has a vast knowledge of children’s literature. She is a familiar face at festivals and has judged numerous book awards, including the Blue Peter Book Awards and the Nibbies.
Amy loves nothing more than sharing her love of books and reading, connecting young people with the authors and books that will enrich their lives for years to come.
Latest Reviews By Amy McKay
On a daytrip to the busy and bustling city, Leonie is as brave as a lion. Racing through crowds, growling in museums and charging through pigeon-filled squares, she is fierce and bold. But as evening creeps in and shadows grow, it is the comforting arms of her loving mum she needs.
This is a charming picture book about grabbing life and new experiences with two hands. Leonie is a great example of a bold, confident little girl claiming her place in the world. Whilst the ending provides a gentle warning about not straying too far too quickly, and the power ... View Full Review
Brothers Theo and Jeremiah fear they are in lots of trouble when Jeremiah’s sunflower plant grows at a monstrous rate overnight. What will the other residents of their tower block say? As they search each floor for the top of the plant, they meet a diverse and friendly community of neighbours who agree to help them - even the scary old man from Flat 62 finds a smile. But what will they find at the top? And can a few magical seeds really bring lasting happiness to the block residents?
A joyous story complimented by charming illustrations, this is ... View Full Review
Bright and bold illustrations introduce readers to a variety of unique species in this fun exploration of animal life cycles. From Burmese pythons to starlings, grey wolves to bottlenose dolphins, we learn more about the infancies of different animals; making this a perfect introduction to the wonders of the natural world and the diversity of species we exist alongside. I particularly liked that the last animal listed is the human, it was a gentle but powerful way of underlining our connection to other species.
The animal explorations are delivered through a delightful rhyme that will make this book a joy ... View Full Review
Average teen Jenna Ray lives in an alternative 2024 where superheroes exist and are worshipped beyond any celeb level. You’d think she’d be delighted when newest superhero Blaze saves her life, and she becomes his official Love Interest. Worldwide fame, adoration and a marvellous new designer wardrobe all beckon, but Jenna has other ideas. She has no interest in hanging off a man’s arm and anyway, she has secrets to uncover and mysteries to solve. But with storm clouds brewing, can she be her own superhero, or must she rely on a man?
This is ... View Full Review
If money truly makes the world go around, then we have a responsibility to best equip young people to successfully navigate the financial world, and that is exactly what Deborah Meaden latest book does. This is an excellent introduction for those wishing to better understand and improve their personal finances. A broad range of topics are introduced and explained, including different ways of borrowing money, how pensions work, and exactly what cryptocurrencies are. From how to budget, first jobs and reading your payslip – Meaden is a friendly and knowledgeable guiding voice.
A big part of the book’s ... View Full Review
Composer and radio presenter Jack Pepper takes us on an exciting and informative journey into the world of Western classical music, from the early Middle Ages to today. Starting with what he terms the “ingredients of sounds” giving brief explanations of key terms such as pitch, melody and register. He then moves onto different types of classical music and the terms used to describe them, such as symphonies, concertos, operas, and choral – explaining exactly what they are and giving key examples of them in action. As a non-musician I found these explanations incredibly interesting and ... View Full Review
Clementine and Abigail are complete opposites and they do NOT get on. Prim and proper Clementine is the deputy sheriff of middle-of-nowhere town, Little Spittle, and coincidentally the sheriff's daughter. Determined to prove she deserves her deputy badge she works hard, does her best to remain a ray of sunshine and is wholesomely polite to everybody. Polite is not a word that has ever been used to describe Abigail, she is loud, brash and determined. Openly ambitious about wanting to be the deputy sheriff, she fumes at nepotism stealing what she believes she deserves. But when it falls to them ... View Full Review
Finlay and Banjo have both grown up in care, once as close as brothers, now they don’t speak at all. Finlay has recently aged out of the care system and has just started a nursing degree; but without a safety net and completely alone in the world, writing essays comes second to keeping his head above water. Banjo has just been placed with yet another set of foster parents and is starting yet another new school, unsurprisingly he’s full of anger and fear. As both boys struggle with impending adulthood and uncertain futures, will ... View Full Review
With fresh reports of the ills of screentime appearing seemingly weekly, this is the perfect book to help teenagers, and those who love them, learn to balance screentime and real-world experiences.
Presented as a self-help book with activities to be tried and completed throughout a twelve-month period, readers are given agency and control over their own behaviour. This is a book that gentle guides and suggests, rather than preaching at you. With a fresh focus every month, positive and health-promoting online activities are perfectly balanced with suggestions for offline experiences to pursue. Monthly focuses include goal setting, resilience, and self-esteem. ... View Full Review
Plagued by nightmares, Tara is full of fear and questions about her identity. Adopted at age 2 and now 16, she traces her heritage to Nigeria, a place that whispers and calls to her. Persuading her parents to travel from England to the land of her biological father, she begins a year’s exchange at a prestigious boarding school. As her nightmarish visions intensify, she will learn the true value of friendship and belonging.
Sister Spirit is a skilfully written, genre defying novel. Rich with Nigerian mythology this supernatural thriller is also a story of boarding school drama, friendship, romance, ancestry, ... View Full Review
Taking key science concepts and making them accessible, interesting and entertaining, the Explodapedia series has become a must-read for non-fiction readers. Full of entertaining illustrations and written in a witty style, it is current, informative and incredibly readable.
In this instalment Dr Martynoga turns his focus to rewilding. Rewilding is the act of allowing and giving nature and ecosystems the space they need to solve the planet’s biodiversity crisis. Written with a positivity and hope for the possibilities that rewilding offers, this is a call to arms and should be read by every environmental decision maker in the ... View Full Review
Philadelphia teen, Kamaria, just wants to concentrate on her and her track team friends winning the upcoming state relay championship. Kamaria is confident, loves her friends fiercely and is enjoying her first tastes of independence, but she hates change. And with lots of change on the horizon, Kamaria’s life is about to get difficult. She’s fallen out with her best friend, Odie, and she’s not sure why. When it’s announced that an aunt she barely is knows is coming to stay and will be sharing HER bedroom, things go from bad to ... View Full Review
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