'If you're lost you might need to swim against the tide'

Here's 3 winter warmer reads even though it's not really that cold. I've been reading rather than blogging recently so I do apologise for only just beginning to blog again and it's nearly the end of January 2016! 'Counting by 7s' by Holly Goldberg Sloan is a quirky, interesting read for 10+. Set in America it's a story of Willow, a very intelligent child with some very special needs who faces the worst thing you could really have happen in your life in a very inspiring way. It's sad but you laugh at lots of sad bits too. Willow's character really draws you in from the start but there are other people who come in to her life who are also really interesting and un straightforward too. A reminder to stick to your own path and be true to who you are.  

Then there's another instalment of Lockwood by Jonathan Stroud  in the form of 'The Hollow Boy'. This is another page turner with an added character who joins the Lockwood Team and causes quite a bit of friction with Lucy who finds it very tricky and feels a little usurped. The 'whispering skull' from a previous book makes more of an appearance in this book as  adventures carry on a pace and the team contribute to a very big 'haunting' down the King's Road. Probably better to start at the beginning with 'The Screaming Staircase' if you want to fully see how the characters grow but it's a good 'one off' read too and I'm never one to put anybody off reading.
Lastly a beautiful book by Shaun Tan called 'The Red Tree'. The illustrations are a wonder in themselves but the feelings they evoke really seem to strike something with all the children I've ever read his books too. With few words they seem to connect and project, maybe an understanding of how it feels to be isolated or lonely or that no one understands. The pictures are just fantastic for discussion, for 1 to 1 or to just keep looking and thinking.....Happy Reading.