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We were kindly sent this book to review and Leo (10) jumped at the chance to read it!
Labyrinth Junction by Hayley Davenport Smith
The Blurb
· Paperback: 192 pages
· Publisher: Troubador Publishing (12 Feb. 2019)
· Language: English
· ISBN-10: 1789017025
A magical land. A prison in the sky. An underwater city. Little does Ben envisage this is what awaits him as he escapes the clutches of two bullies and climbs into the dark and gloomy cave. That’s when he discovers it, deep inside…Labyrinth Junction, a gateway to other worlds! Once he gets past the old witch standing guard, he’s led down a dark tunnel by a peculiar talking dog into the strange and magical land of Numblebrook and his adventures truly begin! With his life in peril and trapped in Numblebrook, Ben befriends a pretty orphan girl called Amy and her pet dragon. Together, they and the strange Moonbeamer people set off on a series of dangerous missions in an effort to solve a riddle, free the land of the evil King and get Ben back home. Labyrinth Junction is an exciting and fast moving fantasy story full of perilous adventures and heart warming friendships. It is a story about the sheer bravery and determination of a young boy who is prepared to risk his life if it means finding his way home. It will appeal to 8 – 12 year olds with a taste for adventure and excitement.
What We Thought
Firstly, I loved the fact that the book had been illustrated by a child (I am presuming the daughter of the author from the name). Leo loves to draw and was in awe of this, it would be a dream come true for him to be able to do this! He now wants me to write a book so he can!
The fact that Leo read this book in three nights shows how much he enjoyed it I think! For saying we had a busy week of activities due to it being the Easter holidays, he grabbed the chance to pick it up at every opportunity!
He said the book was brilliant and he really enjoyed the story line. He expects children his age (both boys and girls) would enjoy this, so the pitching at 8 – 12 year olds is pretty spot on. One of his favourite genres is fantasy and he said this was a great example. He is looking forward to the future books in this series and we will be sure to get them for him when they come out.
Where To Buy
The Author – Hayley Davenport-Smith
Hayley is originally from Stockport, Cheshire, but relocated to the coast of North Wales in 2010 and now enjoys living a few minutes walk from the Irish Sea. She graduated from Sheffield Hallam University with an honours degree in Accountancy, and later studied for a Post Graduate Certificate in Education in Manchester. Whilst teaching in Wales, she completed a ‘Post Graduate Certificate in Bilingualism in Education’.
Hayley is a qualified primary school teacher and mother of five children. She has spent many years watching youngsters become absorbed in fiction books. Inspired, she decided to write her own debut children’s fantasy novel.
This was a personal book for Hayley, not only because her twelve year old daughter illustrated it and designed the cover, but because of the young minds she hopes to capture: I wrote this book after being inspired by my own children and the children I have taught as a primary school teacher over the last fifteen years, explains Hayley. Being a teacher is rewarding, but often emotionally challenging and you meet children from all walks of life. Every child has their own individual strengths and weaknesses, but I find that all children have one thing in common … a love of fiction books. I wanted to create a story that would mesmerise children and carry them away into another exciting, fantasy world.
Labyrinth Junction is the first book in a planned series.
Hayley’s interests include spending time with her children, wildlife, walking her two collie dogs, learning Welsh and, of course, reading!
Social Media Links
Twitter: @davenport_smith
I love getting the opportunity for the kids to discover new books from new authors and share them with you. They are both bookworms like me and feel very important letting me know what they thought and if they would recommend it to others, and take their role as mini reviewers very seriously. Fantasy is one of Leo’s favourite genres but not one of mine to be honest. What is your favourite and least favourite genre? Let me know in the comments below,
Thankyou to Random Things Tours for including me on this blog tour. We were sent the book in return for an honest review. All opinions are my own. Clicking on affiliate links do not affect your purchase in any way but may earn the blog a few pennies – thank you! Check out other reviews on the tour at the blogs listed below
The Spoonie Mummy 
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