Published to mark Dylan Thomas Day this month, Dylan's Park is a superb combination of radio extracts and poems by Dylan Thomas, celebrating childhood imagination. Illustrated by Thomas Docherty and edited by Helen Docherty (Graffeg, £12.99, 32pp), this book remembers the freedom and fantasy that Thomas and his friends experienced in Swansea’s ‘ugly, lovely’ Cwmdonkin Park.
A World of Adventure
The park was full of ‘terrors and treasures’, including robbers’ dens and pirates’ cabins where children held beetle races and formed secret societies. The threat of divulging secrets was ‘torture by slow fire’. Beautifully illustrated, it recreates a time when children could create scary, thrilling adventures and still be home for tea. An utter delight for ages 4 and up.
The Summer After the Night Before
Aimed at older teenagers, Lisa Williamson’s The Summer After the Night Before (David Fickling Books, £8.99, 352pp) is a raw, powerful novel exploring sexual consent through the lives of teenagers celebrating the end of their GCSEs. Ben has been in love with vivacious Molly, his twin sister’s best friend, for as long as he can remember. At a drunken party, Molly vomits and almost passes out, so Ben takes her to his house and gives up his bed. What happens next unravels slowly, involving adolescent inexperience, misunderstandings, and a loyalty test between Ben, his sister, and Molly. Written from multiple, authentically voiced viewpoints, the ending might not please everyone, but everyone should read it. Suitable for ages 14 and up.
Crow: Thief of Magic
Fiona Dixon’s impressive fantasy debut Crow: Thief of Magic (HarperCollins, £7.99, 304pp) is the first in a series. It follows Crow, a young boy whose talent is robbing the rich for the criminal underworld of Starsgard. When a break-in goes wrong at the home of Viktor, a mysterious sorcerer, Crow is offered the job of Viktor’s apprentice, bringing safety and a future. He learns the art of catching dreams from sleepers, which can be sold to the wealthy and powerful. But dreams may also be nightmares that can be summoned to destroy. When ghosts appear warning Crow of danger, he must learn who to trust. With breakneck pace and an engaging hero, Dixon is a writer to watch. Recommended for ages 9 and up.
