Secret Beast Club: The Unicorns of Silver Street

Welcome to a different world, one where mystical, ancient creatures live inside Bewilder Bubbles! Appealing to any young reader with a lively imagination, this first in a new series of early chapter books will delight. The two main characters are best friends; Jayden is shy and bookish, whilst Aisha is feisty and fearless. They both favour being indoors, reading or playing on a tablet. Both their mothers strive to entice them outside, into the marshes of Hackney, but the resistance of the two children is great until one day a mysterious narrowboat docks in the canal outside their block of flats. Enticed outside at last, the children soon discover that they are blessed with the rare ability of magic sight and hearing, all related to this strange narrowboat and its occupants. Other characters enter, especially Guy Goyle, size of a two- year-old, with pointy ears and leathery wings tucked close to his gravelly grey body. The children join the Secret Beast Club, and their adventures begin. They soon learn so much about mythological creatures, and especially unicorns. They are amazed to learn that a unicorn foal is only born about once every fifty years or so and is called a sparkle. And the collective name for unicorns is a blessing. The book is liberally illustrated in black and white, especially confirming the characteristics of the fearless girl Aisha and the fearful boy Jayden. The ending shows the two adventurers receiving their first badge to show they are official members of the Secret Beast Club, they have had their first taste of magic and they want more, ready to lead into the next book in the series. The book closes with a map of the Hackney marshes and the Thames, showing the Tower Bridge, the Shard, Big Ben and the Eye, along with a few facts about unicorns, including the date April 9th, National Unicorn Day as it is celebrated in the UK! Youngsters with a love of magic will devour it.