Exploding Croissants, Anyone?

Bridget Vanderpuff and the Ghost Train by Martin Stewart (Zephyr, 2023)

As the late summer days start to get chilly and the lengthy evenings become gradually shorter, my reading begins to turn to those gently spooky autumnal books that herald the beginnings of traditional Ghost Story Time.  

Bridget Vanderpuff and the Ghost Train, the second in the Vanderpuff series is so beautifully written that it's not necessary to have read the first - though I'd heartily endorse doing so simply for the sheer pleasure! The story is sure to delight its readers with its marvellous baked treats and a mysterious Ghost Train steaming into Belle-on-Sea at the start of the SPOOKY season. 

Bridget and her friend, Tom, hear a strange rumbling noise just as Captain Lufty tells them of the Ghost Train heading towards the town. Naturally, Bridget's curiosity is piqued and a mystery beckons, especially when some of the locals go missing too! Something's not right and it's up to the two children - and the bakery elf, Pascal - to set things straight. 

A great read for Years 4 and 5, Ghost Train has a fast-paced, highly entertaining and humorous plot, with just the right amount of spookiness. Add to this plenty of opportunity for characterisation and you've got yourself the perfect read-aloud for these years, too. 

There are many nods to Dahl, who also really understood what children enjoy in their reading. The magical objects that Bridget relies on during her adventures have a touch of James' Giant Peach minibeast friends - each with their own characteristic strength, they willingly lend Bridget their help. Above all else, I am certain that children will hugely enjoy the the Vanderpuff bakery, a cornucopia of goodies that invoke Wonka's chocolate wizardry at their zaniest: glowberry jam (made from fruit with glow-in-the-dark seeds), and exploding croissants are just a few whose delicious scents rise from the pages. Invention is at a wild and wacky high throughout, though my favourite scene in the book involved a ferociously hot baklava 'volcano' (itself faintly reminiscent of Diana Wynne-Jones' Calcifer) and a voracious Cake-Safe!

Anyone who has devoured Anna James' Pages and Co. series is sure to gobble up this deliciously warm hug of a book. It's just crying out to be enjoyed with a hot chocolate...and maybe just a few pastries on the side!

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Bridget Vanderpuff and the Ghost Train was published by Zephyr on 31st August 2023. Thanks to Courtney Jefferies and Zephyr for the review copy.

And be sure to follow the blog tour to celebrate publication!