Not since Jaclyn Moriarty’s last book have I been so immersed in a wickedly adventurous story brimming with quirky characters, bravado and irreverent humour.

The Slightly Alarming Tale of the Whispering Wars is set in the busy harbour town of Spindrift, a wonderful ‘stir fry’ of fascinating characters from surrounding kingdoms and empires – including witches, gnomes and sirens who’ve agreed to stop using magic in order to live harmoniously among the regular townsfolk.

The story is narrated by the irreverent Finlay (from the orphanage school) and the rather shy Honey Bee (from the posh and somewhat pompous boarding school). Furious competition between their schools produces an outcome that has each concocting outlandish schemes to punish the other.

But when malevolent characters secretly invade the town, a deadly magical flu infects the population, and children are stolen, war between the kingdoms is imminent. Fiercely determined to find their kidnapped friends, an unlikely alliance between the schools is forged. Finlay, Honey Bee and their friends hatch a plan to outwit the sinister invaders.

Set fifteen years before The Extremely Inconvenient Adventures of Bronte Mettlestone, this stand-alone tale of whimsy and irony is a pure delight, and a solid read perfect for voracious readers.

Highly recommended for ages 10+.

Athina Clarke is the children’s book buyer at Readings Malvern.