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Darkside Nighttrap by Tom Becker Sorry there was no new blog entry yesterday I've had my head stuck in the new Darkside book by author Tom Becker who is from Ormskirk. I've been planning on doing the occasional children's book review on here hopefully with a tie-in interview. Scholastic have very kindly sent me a couple of books to read and fingers crossed I should be able to have a chat with the authors soon about how they got their break and about their writing. Nighttrap is the third in the popular Darkside series which follows Jonathan Stirling as he discovers a dangerous and strangely Victorian world hidden away under modern day London. The first book won the Waterstone's Childrens Book Prize and he has since completed Lifeblood and now Nighttrap in a planned series of five. In Nightrap, Jonathan's neighbour Mrs Elwood has been kidnapped and the teenager must steal the mysterious Crimson Stone in order to save her. Helping him are werewolf Carnegie, Raquella maid to Vendetta the Vampire and a criminal circus troupe. I have read the first Darkside book some time ago but I don't think you need to be familiar with the characters to enjoy this sequel. There is a little bit of back-story explained but not too much that it gets in the way. Nighttrap is a fast, easy read and quite scary in places - as you'd guess from the title and creepy glow-in the-dark cover. Tom Becker has been compared to Darren Shan but I think Nighttrap is actually better than Cirque du Freak. I like that there's a mixture of male and female characters and best of all the females are feisty and don't have to be rescued to often (except for poor Mrs Elwood!) The scenes are brilliantly original and wonderfully descriptive, especially the auction which had me in stitches and Carnegie (my favourite) is a fantastic character - a bit Sam Spade meets Hellboy. Tom is a big comic book fan, especially Alan Moore, and I think it really shows. In fact the book is so vividly written that it feels more like a graphic novel and I'd love to see it turned into one. I think it would also make for a great film - I loved the gondolas, mansion break-in and big finale. The only slight criticism would be that I guessed who the baddie was - but I'm afraid that's from reading too many Agatha Christie's as a youngster - but even I didn't see the final twist coming! Tom Becker Apparently Tom has always wanted to be a writer and sickenly Darkside was published when he was just 25 and too make fellow wannabe writer's even greener with envy it took him just three months to complete. He explains: "Darkside was the result of a childhood spent reading fantasy novels, a love of 1940s and '50s American detective films, and a fascination with the seamier side of Victorian history. Exactly how that all came together, I couldn't say - one morning, it was just all there in my head." I recommend Nighttrap for older children and comic book fans - just don't read it alone after dark! I have one copy of Darkside Nighttrap by Tom Becker to give away. To be in with a chance of winning it just tell me the name of Bram Stoker's book about a vampire. Email your answer along with your contact details, (subject line Darkside) to [email protected] by 5pm Friday June 12th 2008. Goodluck. * Darkside Nighttrap is out to buy in paperback by Scholastic on June 2 priced £6.99. Learn more about Darkside at www.welcometodarkside.co.uk

Darkside Nighttrap by Tom Becker Sorry there was no new blog entry yesterday I've had my head stuck in the new Darkside book by author Tom Becker who is from Ormskirk. I've been planning on doing the occasional children's book review on here hopefully with a tie-in interview. Scholastic have very kindly sent me a couple of books to read and fingers crossed I should be able to have a chat with the authors soon about how they got their break and about their writing. Nighttrap is the third in the popular Darkside series which follows Jonathan Stirling as he discovers a dangerous and strangely Victorian world hidden away under modern day London. The first book won the Waterstone's Childrens Book Prize and he has since completed Lifeblood and now Nighttrap in a planned series of five. In Nightrap, Jonathan's neighbour Mrs Elwood has been kidnapped and the teenager must steal the mysterious Crimson Stone in order to save her. Helping him are werewolf Carnegie, Raquella maid to Vendetta the Vampire and a criminal circus troupe. I have read the first Darkside book some time ago but I don't think you need to be familiar with the characters to enjoy this sequel. There is a little bit of back story explained but not too much that it gets in the way. Nighttrap is a fast, easy read and quite scary in places - as you'd guess from the title and creepy glow-in the-dark cover. Tom Becker has been compared to Darren Shan but I think Nighttrap is actually better than Cirque du Freak. I like that there's a mixture of male and female characters and best of all the females are feisty and don't have to be rescued to often (except for poor Mrs Elwood!) The scenes are brilliantly original and wonderfuly descriptive, especially the auction which had me in stitches and Carnegie (my favourite) is a fantastic character - a bit Sam Spade meets Hellboy. Tom is a big comic book fan, especially Alan Moore, and I think it really shows. In fact the book is so vividly written that it feels more like a graphic novel and I'd love to see it turned into one. I think it would also make for a great film - I loved the gondollas, mansion break-in and big finale. The only slight criticism would be that I guessed who the baddie was - but I'm afraid that's from reading too many Agatha Christie's as a youngster - but even I didn't see the final twist coming! Tom Becker Apparantly Tom has always wanted to be a writer and sickenly Darkside was published when he was just 25 and too make fellow wannabe writer's even greener with envy it took him just three months to complete. He explains: "Darkside was the result of a childhood spent reading fantasy novels, a love of 1940s and '50s American detective films, and a fascination with the seamier side of Victorian history. Exactly how that all came together, I couldn't say - one morning, it was just all there in my head." I highly recommend Nighttrap, just don't read it alone after dark! I have one copy of Darkside Nighttrap by Tom Becker to give away. To be in with a chance of winning it just tell me the name of Bram Stoker's book about a vampire. Email your answer along with your contact details, (subject line Darkside) to [email protected] by 5pm Friday June 12th 2008. Goodluck. * Darkside Nighttrap is out to buy in paperback by Scholastic on June 2 priced £6.99. Learn more about Darkside at www.welcometodarkside.co.uk

Please go play FreeRice right now. It’s a great example of using gaming for some serious good.

• Click on the answer that best defines the word.
• If you get it right, you get a harder word. If wrong, you get an easier word.
• For each word you get right, we donate 20 grains of rice to the United Nations World Food Program.

“FreeRice has a custom database containing thousands of words at varying degrees of difficulty. There are words appropriate for people just learning English and words that will challenge the most scholarly professors. In between are thousands of words for students, business people, homemakers, doctors, truck drivers, retired people… everyone!

FreeRice automatically adjusts to your level of vocabulary. It starts by giving you words at different levels of difficulty and then, based on how you do, assigns you an approximate starting level. You then determine a more exact level for yourself as you play. When you get a word wrong, you go to an easier level. When you get three words in a row right, you go to a harder level. This one-to-three ratio is best for keeping you at the ‘outer fringe’ of your vocabulary, where learning can take place.

There are 50 levels in all, but it is rare for people to get above level 48.”