I was recently sent a copy of Marabel by Barbara Wade Rose to review. Marabel is described as a tale for old-soul children and childish adults and it immediately seemed like a book that Amber and I would enjoy reading together. It is a fantasy book which isn’t my usual genre of choice but one which Amber loves. However after reading it I soon discovered that it was the perfect escapism of the real world and it resonated with Amber’s own imagination when it comes to writing her own fantasy stories for school.

The story tells the tale of 18-year old- Marabel who goes on to become London’s most original nanny after initially find believing that most of her teachers were thick. She also despised children and dreamed of running a post office out in the country away from people.

Marabel comes across as introverted and dealing with people seems an effort- except for her little brother, Thomas. Marabel and Thomas set off on a quest to fly through time and space to find the soldier who won the Great War’s greatest medal after their mother gives them a magic heirloom.

Amber loved this book and kept telling me to guess what I thought was going to happen next, and although this isn’t my usual genre of choice I found myself totally absorbed in the tale.

What I loved was that the story wasn’t predictable and each page brought new surprises and new characters. It is an enjoyable book for kids and adults in the spirit of class British children’s stories.

In the current climate it was lovely to have a joyful book like this to read.