February 2019 – Bookmonitor – news from around the world

Chronicles of Will Ryde...cover image and web link — Buy this book, with free delivery…

Book 1 in The Chronicles of Will Ryde and Awa Maryam Al-Jameel, A Tudor Turk, written by Rehan Khan, is set in Istanbul in 1591 and is a daring mission by Will and Awa.

Along with a band of warriors, they follow their quest to retrieve the staff of Moses which has been stolen from the mighty Sultan Murad the Third. The very same staff that was used by Moses to part the Red Sea.

An elite band of warriors is assembled, including Awa, the daughter of a noble family from West Africa and Will who was kidnapped from a London slum at the age of five. For Will being released as a slave meant that he was willing to travel anywhere.

The journey means that Awa and Will travel from Istanbul to Venice and then to London and the court of Elizabeth the First herself.

This is a stunning tale in Tudor times and being set in Istanbul is really exciting with a very different perspective than many books set around this time.

Buy this great book here…

Author Rehan Khan is an avid historian, based in Dubai, he is intrigued by just how ideas travel through place and time and how legends and chronicles can unite cultures rather than shattering them.

Publishers are HopeRoad Publishing, who promote inclusive literature with a focus on Africa, Asia and the Caribbean and have a really interesting portfolio of books for young adults. A Tudor Turk is published on 21st February 2019.

A story that will keep you gripped into the book and take you on a journey across continents in the Tudor times, much to learn and much to enjoy. We have really enjoyed this book and recommend A Tudor Turk for young people from ages 11- 15 years.

Sue Martin

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Peter in Peril - cover image and web link — Peter in Peril – buy this book here…

A brilliant graphic novel of a boy trapped in the terrors of World War Two.

Peter lived in Budapest, Hungary where the book is based on a true story where the family are persecuted and torn apart as war strikes terror across the country.

Before the war Peter is an ordinary boy, who loves playing football with his friends and eating cake. But as the pace of war increased, Peter’s life went to hiding in the cellar and being known as a ‘Jewish Boy’.

At the back of the book you will meet the real Peter, the picture of a smiling man with his family, it’s hard to think of the dreadful life he endured as a child.

Helen Bate is an exciting author and illustrator, who has a number of books to her name, including Me and Mrs Moon. She has also established Pictures to Share, a Social Enterprise company publishing illustrated books for people with dementia.

Otter-Barry Books are the publishers of Peter in Peril and other books by Helen, they have a distinctive portfolio of excellent books.

A book we recommend highly for anyone interested in families and the effects of WW2. It’s a great read and as a graphic novel, has appeal and meaning extending beyond the words.

Sue Martin