SHOWER LAND BY NAT AMOORE, ILLUSTRATED BY JAMES HART

Felix has a problem – several actually. His little brother Olly follows him around like an attack dog, unrelentingly firing corny jokes at him. Plus, it’s Monday and he always has a problem with Mondays. Escaping to the bathroom for a shower will hopefully give him a moment of peace.

However… it’s doesn’t. When Felix turns on the water, he is magically transported to somewhere totally unfamiliar. He is in a field, naked, and slap bang in the middle of two opposing armies. One, a proper army, the others, farmers with a problem. Corn gobbler dragons are destroying crops and the army refuses to help.

When stealing some clothes, he meets Elise and her brother Noah. Together they head off to the local town market to help Felix get some advice on how to get back home. The crazy, and not so magical, Mystical Mago seems pretty sus, but does say Felix needs to find a problem and solve it in order to fix his own dilemma. But what problem can he fix? Elise is positive that if Felix lifts the witch’s curse that makes her brother unable to speak, that will be answer.

Felix must find a way to make Noah laugh and all will be well. But will it work? There are a few problems that need solving and finding and solving them, proves tricky. Will he ever get back home?

Nat has given Junior Fiction readers an hilarious adventure about compromise, acceptance and family. Felix, Elise and Noah are characters with heart, and perhaps the need to step back and look at life differently. Along with the brilliant illustrations of James Hart that capture wonderful moments in the story, readers will thoroughly enjoy this journey into Shower Land. I can’t wait for the next instalment and see what happens. Will Felix ever break the curse?

For Ages: 7 -11 years

Number of Pages: 208

Published: February 2024 Puffin Books

Themes: Family, compromise and acceptance

Purchase here: Shower land Book 1 - Break the Curse by Nat Amoore and illustrated by James Hart