Midnight Magic: 1

My little girl and I loved this and enjoyed reading it together. The magic and the characters come to life through the authors words. It’s wonderful.

Our 5yo LOVED this story, both reading it herself and being read to. It's brilliantly rhyming and she can't wait for the next in the series.

Very refreshing to find a rhyming story for the 'emergent reader' market. Michelle Harrison is a well-known name in children's publishing, and Elwick an illustrator I've also seen before. Together they've started a very attractive and entertaining series for readers looking for books they can read themselves that don't look to be as much of a challenge as a long novel.It's a great little story too - on a frosty evening, three kittens are born, the youngest, with black fur, born at midnight. Which he and his family soon learns means he has magical powers. As he grows up and looks for somewhere to make his home, a girl takes a liking to him and Midnight shows her just what he can do. Can the two - and a reluctant Dad - find happiness together?It's a lovely read for speaking out loud, there are some words there that may challenge readers a little but nothing that is overly complicated for the age range in mind. With speech marks, brackets, regular rhymes, some wordplay, it's a text that feels like a regular book, just shorter. And I love the idea of encouraging young readers to speak in rhyme, feek the rhythm of it, anticipate the end-of-lines and emphases.Loved the black/white/purple colours as well, bright enough to engage but doesn't take the attention away from the words. And Midnight is very cute! Making the family multi-racial is a nice touch, nothing is mentioned, but parents could make a note of this if relevant or asked about it. And having Dad and Grandma as part of the story made it all the more enjoyable for me, seeing everyone involved.Definitely would like to know what happens to them all next, and the love and friendship in the story is nicely presented. The 'giving birth' scene at the start is well glossed-over, and a moment when Midnight finds he is alone is not dwelt on, but might raise questions and emotions.There is also a note at the end from the author on the 'black cat' phenomenon of shelters having more trouble housing cats of this colour than any other - good to consider and discuss.Really lovely story, characters (including a broomstick that is its own character- hope he gets more of a role next time!) and setting for a book aimed at newly independent readers, for around ages 6-8.With thanks to Little Tiger for providing a sample reading copy.

When Midnight’s mother gives birth to three kittens on a dark, frosty night, she immediately knows that Midnight is different to the others. With her mischievous green eyes and strange abilities, Midnight doesn’t fit in with the rest of her family. When they disappear during Midnight’s nap, she sets off to find herself a new home.Luckily, Midnight is found by Trixie who persuades her father to let might stay at their house. But how will Trixie and her family react when they discover Midnight’s magical powers? 5+A great read – full of fun and mischief but with moments of real emotion. The cheeky illustrations perfectly compliment the upbeat tone of the story. I can’t wait to see what comes next.

There’s nothing I love more than sitting down and reading with my children. Along with them reading to me now that they are older. I found Midnight Magic to be the perfect age group for my five and seven year old.I have to start my review by talking about how lovely the cover of this book is. Then when you open the book and see the beautiful purple tones that make up the illustrations it all combines to make this book extra special. The illustrations within this book are fun and lively. They manage to set the scene perfectly throughout as the reader experiences a tale filled with magic, friendship and warmth. With four chapters this book is perfect for young readers or for parents to read with their children. The length of each chapter was ideal for short bursts of reading or for bedtime reading. For some children long chapters can be intimidating but Midnight Magic had the perfect balance.The wonderful rhyming story captured both mine and my children’s attention from start to finish. Michelle Harrison really has done a fantastic job of creating a heartwarming story through rhyme. With the story set out this way it made it such a joy to read. The words used within the story were straightforward enough for my seven year old to read. Along with showing him certain words that he may not have come across before and helped to improve his vocabulary. It was lovely to see him so engaged with a book!When I asked what my children enjoyed the most about Midnight Magic they replied that they really loved how Midnight was mischievous. Along with saying how much fun the book was. I have to say I completely agree! We loved Midnight and Trixie’s adventure and can’t wait for more!