The Chime Seekers

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As in all the best adventure stories, there are lots of really scary moments. One of my favourite scenes is where Yanni is chased by statues: Yanni’s life is changing. New baby sister, new house in the countryside, new school, new life. But Yanni hadn’t wanted to leave his old life. He liked things as they were, before his baby sister Ari took all of his Mum and Dad’s attention and left no room for him. Nothing is about him anymore, it’s all about Ari. When his parents go out for dinner at Halloween and leave Yanni and his (second) cousin Amy to babysit, things get too much for him and he says out loud the things he has only been thinking up until now. Suddenly a strange visitor arrives, making Yanni uneasy and things take a more ominous path. Heart-stopping fantasy from the Costa-shortlisted and critically acclaimed author of the bestselling The Midnight Guardians. Amy was also just perfect, a wonderfully nerdy girl who stole my very nerdy heart. She was the perfect yin to Yanni’s yang. Perhaps my favourite though, was Larry. I loved the way that, as the reader, your own thoughts and feelings mirror Yanni’s. At first Larry is terrifying, but gradually you fall in love with the little monster as it becomes clear that he’s just another victim of the big scary villain.

Ross Montgomery brings the magical world of British folklore to life in this contemporary fantasy novel. Bursting with Ross's trademark charm, humour and heart, and with echoes of David Bowie's Labyrinth, The Chime Seekers is perfect reading for fans of Emma Carroll, Piers Torday and David Solomons. Ever wanted to write your own children’s adventure book? In my online Domestika course, you can learn how to piece together a synopsis, from first seeds to final submission! Completed in your own time and with a great online community. Wainwright nodded. ‘The magic is hidden inside her. I’ve never seen anything like it. I’ve been watching her for a while.’ A fantasy story clearly inspired by the movie Labyrinth, this gave me all of the vibes my little goblin heart needed, while still being an utterly original, engrossing story. I loved this so much I ran out and bought a physical copy the very next day, I just needed it in my collection. Great resources to help link FORTUNE’S FOOLS with Shakespeare and Romeo & Juliet in class, plus book review sheets and games!Here are some of my favourite sinister faerie worlds from children's books, which all inspired the village of Hallow Fall in my book The Chime Seekers! There is something incredibly special about a polar bear": The Last Bear author Hannah Gold on the incredible beasts that inspired her book Yanni's life was perfect before his little sister was born and ruined everything. His parents are exhausted, they spend less time with him, and the entire family had to move to accommodate their new member. Yanni just wishes Ari had never been born! Bestselling author Alexandra Christo, author of TikTok sensation To Kill a Kingdom, introduces her new book, The Night Hunt (Hot Key Books), a dark...

My first choice was to keep it simple. I decided that magicians each have one power: one skill that is unique to them and them alone. This was based on a discussion, that became an argument, I had with my friends at school – if you could have one magical power, what would it be? A friend said that he’d be able to stop time – I said that this would be a horrible power to have! You’d be the only person in THE UNIVERSE who didn’t experience time like anyone else – it would be more of a punishment than a power! My friend got annoyed, and asked what power I’d have then – and I said the power to magic a glass of water in my hand at will. We argued about that for hours. I guess the only positive thing to come out of it is that I came up with Onslow’s power from it!’ Over to you When I started writing Spellstone, one of the things I had to decide was how magic works in the book. Can anyone be a magician? Do you need wands to cast spells? What makes you more or less powerful than another magician? This book’s plot is so terrific that it’s hard to do it justice in a short summary, but it’s reminiscent of much of the best children’s literature – filled with real stakes, danger, tragedies, and lovable, memorable characters. The villain, Lord Renwin, is truly frightening – Yanni is in a match of wits with the devil, and souls are on the line. The extraordinary true story of my family’s escape from Nazi Germany that haunts my debut children’s book A fantastic adventure with shades of Jan Mark, Susanna Clarke and Neil Gaiman … A brilliant example of the best children’s fiction.”Posters and worksheets for THE MIDNIGHT GUARDIANS, including a display cut-out standee! All illustrations by David Dean. Coffee house Caffè Nero has announced the 16-strong shortlist for the inaugural Nero Book Awards, recognising the outstanding books of the past 12... I absolutely adored The Midnight Guardians - one of my most loved books of 2020 - so was highly anticipating The Chime Seekers and it did not disappoint. Ross Montgomery has something really special, because his writing is very much like that magical realism that I loved in the 90's but it also has something we didn't have then - unstoppable, and totally permissible, imagination. This story has the fairytale whimsy but dark fantasy that I am so glad middle grade readers, and adult readers who still appreciate middle grade, have become so used to enjoying. It's now totally acceptable to be as daring and adventurous as you like with your story, and kids and adults alike just lap it up. Slowly, his body rigid with fright, he turned around. Something was heaving itself out of the darkness. Yanni knew exactly what it was – he just didn’t want to believe it. He didn’t want to believe that the thing crawling across the floor toward him was real: the shattered stumps, the crumbling skin, the blank void where the face should be … My thoughts on ‘The Chime Seekers’