Sophie McKenzie - Truth or Dare

10/23/22 • 24 min

Sophie McKenzie is the undisputed queen of the teen thriller. After being made redundant from her job in 2003, she started a year-long 'Writing for Children course' at the CityLit Institute in London. She finished her first novel, Girl Missing, at the beginning of 2005; it was then published by Simon & Schuster Children's Books in 2006.
Sophie joined Nikki Gamble In the Reading Corner to talk about her thriller Truth or Dare.
Purchase Truth or Dare from our bookselling partner Best Books for Schools
Publisher's Blurb
When lies are everywhere, how far will you go for the truth? A tense eco-drama with an explosive twist from the million-copy-selling author of Girl, Missing. Fourteen-year-old Maya cannot believe she has to spend the summer with her grandmother, helping out at the family cosmetics firm. But things get much more exciting when she meets a community of activists campaigning against the dumping of chemical waste.
Getting closer to one boy in particular, Bear, Maya is dared to join one of their protest missions but doesn't know that her grandmother's business is the target. Someone has been lying about their environmentally-friendly products, and as danger threatens, Maya must uncover the truth or betray her family forever. In this edge-of-your-seat drama exploring the line between truth and lies,

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In the Reading Corner is presented by Nikki Gamble, Director of Just Imagine. It is produced by Alison Hughes.
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A M Dassu - Fight Back

A. M. Dassu is an English writer of fiction and non-fiction. In 2017, Dassu won the international. We Need Diverse Books mentorship award. Her bestselling debut novel, Boy Everywhere, was published in October 2020 and was shortlisted for the 2021 Waterstone's Children's Books Prize. Az talks about the book in the previous In The Reading Corner episode.
In this episode, she talks with Nikki Gamble about her latest novel, Fight Back.
Read our review of Fight Back on the Just Imagine website.Purchase Fight Back from our bookselling partner Best Books for Schools.
Publisher's blurb
When a terrorist attack occurs near her home and racial tension increases, Aaliyah decides to begin wearing a hijab to challenge people's preconceptions of her faith. Aaliyah has to channel all her bravery and resourcefulness to halt the tide of hatred rippling through her community.
A story about finding your identity and fighting for it.

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Juliette Forrest - The Mountain Rescue Dog

Scottish author Juliette Forrest is the award-winning author of Twister, The True Colours of Coral Glen, and The Night My Dream Came Alive.
Twister was a Sunday Times Book of the Week and chosen by The Guardian as the one must-read kid’s book of the summer. It was longlisted for the Branford Boase Award and won Calderdale Book of the Year.
The True Colours of Coral Glen was picked by the Evening Times as a best book of 2020 by a Glasgow author.
Juliette says, 'I write children’s fiction featuring quirky female lead characters with strong voices. Packed with adventure, my stories combine gritty reality with magic. I love imagining new worlds as well as unforgettable baddies.'
In this episode. she talks to Nikki Gamble about The Mountain Rescue Dog, a story inspired by the true history of the pioneer of mountain rescue.
Read our review of The Mountain Rescue Dog on the Just Imagine website.
Purchase The Mountain Rescue Dog from our bookselling partner Best Books for Schools
Publisher's Blurb
A young girl heals from grief and loss in the snowy Highlands of Scotland, with the help of her loyal, trusting rescue dog. Clova's life changes forever when her mother, who was a search and rescue volunteer, dies tragically in an avalanche. Her grieving father withdraws and life at home feels lonely, until the day she meets Border Collie Tatty, a shy and frightened dog who Clova helps make bright-eyed and boisterous again.
She begins to train Tatty as a search-and-rescue dog and when two local boys go missing on the moor, Tatty and Clova spring into action to track them down and save the day. But Dad is furious when he finds out Clova has been on the mountain, and sends Tatty away. Clova is heartbroken.
On the first day of spring, the sudden rise in temperature after a cold snap and heavy snow causes an avalanche on the mountain - and Clova's dad is up there! The Search and Rescue team - plus Clova and Tatty - scramble onto a helicopter for a dangerous rescue mission in the growing dark - can they find Dad and save the day?