I’m forever lured in by a pretty cover and a map, both of which this book has but it’s so much more than just that!

I didn’t expect to love this as much as I did, I’ll be honest but our protagonist is autistic and as someone also on the spectrum, I really loved to see this kind of representation in a kids book because it’s something I never had at that age!

I think Alice is brilliantly written and I could empathise with her and root for her! I loved the blend of mystery and magic, the general Britishness of it all and there’s so many wonderful elements to keep you reading! I also feel like there’s a lot of things, like just simply making friends, that children will be able to relate to!

Alice's adventures are so exciting to read about! I love her friendship with Tim and I enjoyed the plot twists throughout the story. Starting a new school (especially as an autistic person) is extremely difficult, and Alice's struggles were relatable. But when animals go missing and secrets are revealed, the adventures become dangerous and there are lives on the line. This is a fantastic story of friendship, camaraderie, and good triumphing over evil.

Captivating book for young readers.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for letting me access this book in exchange for my honest feedback.

A boarding school mystery full of animal magic, this book was right up my street! It’s a really pacey read that follows autistic Alice as she adjusts to a new school, only to learn that on top of friend dramas and creepy teachers, she can also talk to animals, and they need her help. I loved Alice’s voice and the real-world aspects of this even without the magic, which is very cool – the ending felt a little rushed to me, with the villain coming a little bit out of nowhere and a lot of new characters piling in for the final chapters, but overall this is a sweet, exciting, and very enjoyable story.

This is a fantastic book for any child who enjoys books about animals or boarding school adventure stories. Alice, the main character is autistic, and has struggled to make friends before. She arrives at a boarding school on the coast, and quickly discovers that she can talk to animals. The animals are in danger and need Alice to save them. Alice is a strong, female, autistic lead character. She builds relationships over the course of the book. Her friendships have realistic ups and downs, fallings out and misunderstandings. It's refreshing to see a change from the standard 'best-friend' formula that a lot of children's books have. I really, really enjoyed this book and will definitely be encouraging my children to read it. I hope that there are many more books to come in this series!

This is a story with an autistic main character and written by an autistic author, that feels authentic and relatable, and lovely to see a young female neurodivergent lead character. She’s often misunderstood and stands out, but she really finds her feet and friends in this charming and magical tale.

Alice discovers she is a Switcher, someone who and can understand and talk to animals. I would love this power! Animals are being snatched, and they need Alice’s help them. Whilst discovering things about herself and family, dealing with bullies and making new friends along the way.

Alice, Ottie and Tim are a delightful trio, and I loved seeing their friendship develop and grow throughout the story. They all have their own unique personalities and secrets, but they really have each other’s backs and as they get to know one another better it’s a joy to read and makes me want friends like them in my life!

The illustrations throughout and the cover art by Flavia Sorrentino is simply gorgeous. There’s plenty of action and twists in the plot that will keep you guessing. Set in a boarding school by the sea, this mystery has plenty of adventure, animals, and an authentic autistic main character, this is a joy to read!

Excellent story for the whole family. Alice is different ( but she has no idea how different !) and feels overwhelmed much of the time. This is the story of her navigating the world through new beginnings ,friendship and helping others. The twist is excellent and the story exciting. As an adult, I worked out who the bad guy was pretty soon ( lots of mystery books under my belt ) but the children were shocked by the reveal. Great to read together.

Loved this book and from the beginning you feel a connection to Alice who is a complex main character. She's a very likeable character and, with her autism making her sometimes feel different, I know lots of children will relate to her situation and feel comforted/inspired.

There were some great twists and turns in the plot, and Alice's growth in confidence, friendships and abilities are really well done. I would highly recommend for anyone who likes to read stories with a sprinkling of magic, animals, friendships and boarding schools! I'm already looking forward to the next in the series!

**Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and author for the opportunity to read an advanced e-copy of this book. All opinions are my own **

The book was a very heartfelt and engaging book. I loved the character of Alice Tonks, as she is relatable to children who feel like they don't always belong. Having the bond with animals allows the reader to know that is is OK to share your feelings with your favourite animal and that help can be found in the most unusual place.

Very well written and I will be recommending it to my pupils when it comes out.

Emily Kenny is a new author for me, but I loved the cover and the title, so I gave it a go.

I really enjoyed this book. Alice is a great character, and one that it’s easy to empathise with. There are also a whole host of other characters, animals and humans, who all feel very real.

I really liked the setting of the boarding school by the sea too. There were lots of little bits of description that really brought the locations to life, without distracting from the pace of the story.

I found the gradual discovery of Alice’s abilities was very well done, and they’re ones I would have loved to have at her age! I thought she was very courageous trying to solve the mystery, often on her own.

The illustrations and other artwork are just lovely too. I especially love the images at the start of each chapter.

Overall, this was a really fun adventure. I’m hoping there will be a sequel, as I’d love to explore this world and its characters further.

I was given a free copy of this book, my opinions are my own.

What's not like in a story that is set in a boarding school and involves talking animals ,magic and a rescue? Alice Tonks is a little worried when her Gran sends her to Pebblewood School as being autistic she sometimes finds it hard to make friends and fit in. Imagine her surprise, therefore, when Alice finds that not only can she talk to animals but that fellow new pupils Tim and Ottie want to be her friend. All is not well however as Alice discovers that animals are being snatched and mysterious happenings at school cast suspicion on some of the teachers.
This book will have a wide appeal to middle-grade readers. The pace is fast, it is full of twists and turns and Alice herself, is a very engaging character. I would love to read more about Pebblewood school and Alice Tonks.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for allowing me early access to this story. A great middle grade book. Full of animal companions and adventure.

Alice arrives at her new school, dreading every moment! She will have to say goodbye to her Gran, who she lives with and she will need to try and fit in when she is clearly different and meant to stand out.

Alice is autistic and other children are not always understanding or kind about her uniqueness and ways of doing things. The open day is set on the beach and Alice is really struggling with the seaweed texture and smell. So much so that she has an outburst and runs to hide away until she can calm down. When a seagull speaks to her, Alice is certain she is suffering from sun stroke.

It turns out Alice is a Switcher, a human who can chat to and understand animals. There are animal snatchings taking place and all the animals are suspicious of the humans but they need help, and Alice is just the one to help. Along with this mystery to solve, Alice must also navigate boarding school life, a new roommate, bullies and new friend Tim. It turns out they all have secrets and it is when they finally trust each other that true friendship blooms here.

Alice has a lot to learn about switching and she has hidden talents still to surface, ones she may not be prepared for or understand entirely. Secrets have a habit of being discovered and when Alice learns more about herself and her family, pieces of turns puzzle start to connect.

Alice, Ottie and Tim are exceptional characters, unique and proof that we all have challenges in life and friends are there to support and encourage. This story is full of mystery, action and unbelievable adventure where no one should be trusted and not everyone is who they say they are!

If you choose to read this, and I strongly urge that you do, be prepared for twists, surprises and a fantastic boarding school adventure! Absolutely devoured this in two sittings and the front cover by the super talented Flavia Sorrentino just begs readers to pick this one up!

This was a quick, easy and engaging read that I think children are going to love. It was written well with a narrative and storyline that will draw them in and characters that are well developed and relatable. I think that they will love that she can talk to animals and that there is a mystery to solve. I really liked it.