Nightshade's Revenge and David Atherton's Baking Book

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Always in the Middle 

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Unleashing Readers

Horowitz, Anthony. Nightshade's Revenge (Alex Rider #13)

January 16, 2024 by Philomel Books

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

In his short career with MI6, Alex has managed to take down the evil organization Scorpia and fight Nightshade, but was not able to take them down. He did what he could, but he's glad to be back at school. Exams are a bit of a struggle when you're off fighting international criminals every other week, but he's relishing the short time he has remaining to be in school with his best friend Tom, who has decided he won't be going to college. The two decide to take a break from studying and go skateboarding... but of course, Tom is kidnapped by Nightshade. Alex goes after him, but is soon approached in his home by Brother Mike, who tells him that the organization will kill Tom unless Alex goes to the prison and helps Freddy Gray escape. Alex has been visiting Freddy, who was an operative for Nightshade, and feels that Freddy is making good progress turning his life around, especially since his parents also come to visit them. Freddy is being held in a very secure location, but with the help of some gadgets, Alex manages to get in. He breaks him out and is worried that Freddy will go back to Nightshade, but when Freddy does a favor for Alex (I don't want to spoil things, but Freddy manages to NOT kill someone Alex thinks will die), he knows Freddy is not acting for Nightshade. Alex is supposed to be investigating the death of Steven Chan, who was investigating the video game company Real Time, on behalf of a man whose son died playing the game. He's ended up in California, working again with Ben, and tries to hunt down Jon Lucas, who once worked for Real Time and may have some evil plans in place. Alex is also trying to get Mrs. Jones' son, William, out of Nightshade. Will Alex be able to neutralize Nightshade enough so that he can concentrate on passing his GCSEs?

Strengths: Smithers is back! Smithers is one of my favorite characters, and I didn't quite realize that in the 2006 film, he was played by Stephen Fry! That's about as perfect as it gets. There are some great gadgets, including a business card that can be dropped into a cup of tea and emits a gas that puts people to sleep. Always a fan of the gadgets. It's good that Alex gets to see Sabina in California, and since she mentioned that her family is moving back to England, I think there's at least one more book that could be written. After all, we need to see if Jack passes her law exams! It was great to see Alex skateboarding, and Tom is a long suffering but very good friend. As always, Horowitz's writing just gets better and better; crisp, to the point, and action packed. I imagine that his knowledge of exotic locations has been gleaned by traveling there when his film writing is being produced. For those of us who hardly ever leave home, it's always fun to travel vicariously with Alex! Another great volume of exciting spy adventures! 
Weaknesses: Ah, poor Freddy. Just doesn't end well. Also, wasn't the very first Stormbreaker involved with evil video games? Oh, well. It's always a popular topic, so I didn't mind that much. 
What I really think: Invariably, when I am suggesting Stormbreaker to a student, there is another student nearby who has read the series and pipes up that it is excellent. It still the number one book in my library over the last twenty years. If you work with middle grade readers and HAVEN'T read these books, you really need to pick up a couple of them. I'm particularly fond of Scorpia and Secret Weapon (and personally own TWO copies of the latter!). 
 

Stormbreaker #1 (2000)
Point Blank #2 (2001)
Skeleton Key #3(2002)
Eagle Strike #4 (2003)
Scorpia #5 (2004)
Ark Angel #6 (2005)
Snakehead #7 (2007)
Crocodile Tears #8 (2009)
Scorpia Rising #9 (2011)
Russian Roulette (prequel, #10) (2013)
Never Say Die #11(2017)
Secret Weapon  (2019)(short stories)
Nightshade (#12) (2020)

Atherton, David. David Atherton's Baking Book for Kids
September 19, 2023 by Candlewick Press
Copy provided by Young Adult Books Central

Having read this author's Bake, Make, and Learn to Cook: Fun and Healthy Recipes for Young Cooks (which has my favorite illustrations; the teal and orange colors are fantastic) as well as Bake, Make, and Learn to Cook Vegetarian: Healthy and Green Recipes for Young Cooks, I was interested to see this volume of baked goods by Atherton, who apparently was a Great British Baking Show Winner. (I've never watched it, but I know there are a lot of avid fans.) This one, illustrated by Harry Woodgate, had a good variety of things to bake, including samosas and sausage rolls, proving that baking doesn't have to be all sweets. 

The recipes are clear and concise, and there is the requisite overview of supplies, techniques, and ingredients at the beginning of the book. The baked goods do seem rather British (which only makes sense) and includes Hot Cross Hedgehogs, Chocolate Chip Buns, and some very convoluted things with bread dough, and well as a scone volcano that seemed reminiscent of Farrow's The Official Harry Potter Baking Book. The British don't make as many cookies as we do in the US because their biscuit manufacturing is so strong, but they do seem to like to spend a lot more time forcing bread dough into odd shapes than I do!

There's a nice cut up butterfly cake, although it has nothing on the Baker's Easy Cut-Up Party Cakes book, and a yummy looking Jam roll Swiss Roll that I might try even though rolling up the cake in a tea towel has always seemed like a difficult proposition! There's a custard cream recipe that also looks tempting, although I am unsure of why it was necessary to include canned corn in the recipe. The cookie options are heavy on bars. The birthday ombre cake on the cover is included in the chapter on Showstoppers, along with a cherry pie. 

I always wanted to bake with my mother when I was growing up and still love to read cookbooks. This is a great choice for the budding baker in your life who will be glad to have a copy of this to shelve next to titles like Klutz Books' Magical Baking, Strand's Kids in the Holiday Kitchen, Williams' Spooky Snacks and Treats, and Goldman's fantastic Super Good Cookies for Kids.