posted on 22 Mar 2021

The Animals of Madame Malone’s Music Hall by Laura Wood, illustrated by Ellie Snowdon

When Callie heads off to the seaside to stay with her Gran, she has sun, sea and sand in mind. However, her Gran is passionate about amateur dramatics and about saving her local theatre so Callie finds herself roped into joining the cast of the next fund-raising production. But she’s not at all happy about this – it’s not just the loss of the usual seaside attractions that bothers her but the fact that her Gran wants her to actually act in the play! This is Callie’s idea of hell – a living nightmare. Just the thought of being the centre of attention in this way makes her feel ill.

But she doesn’t seem to have much of an option – Gran is single-minded and Callie is expected to join in. When one day she decides to explore at the back of the stage she finds herself lost in the trees that make up the stage set and finds herself having her very own Lion, Witch and Wardrobe moment as she just keeps going. When she stumbles onto a walking, talking group of animals who are staging their own play she knows that something very odd is going on.

It turns out that this group of thespian animals have the same mission as her Gran had in the other reality she’s just come from – they too need to save their theatre by staging a play. And they also want Callie to star in their show!

It soon becomes clear that this bunch of animal amateurs are going to struggle to get their act together before the show goes on and the theatre owner and impresario, Madame Malone who is a terribly chic fox, promises Callie that she can get her home again if only she helps with their production.

What will happen? Will Callie overcome her stage-fright, face her personal demons and help with the seemingly hopeless task of getting the animal actors through the play without disasters? Will she get home to help Gran?

Well, you’re going to have to read the book yourself to find out because I don’t tell tales.

Another great addition to the Barrington Stoke ‘super readable’ collection, the book is delightfully illustrated by Ellie Snowdon and this adds another dimension to Laura Wood’s skilful writing. I can also promise you that if you read this book you’ll also discover the tale of Stinky Malone and her cunning wheeze to save the castle of Princess Sparkles. How can you resist?

Terry Potter

March 2021