Conditions for the orphans, whose real names are taken from them when they arrive, are simply appalling. Anyone who dares displease her runs the risk of being thrown down the Bottomless Well, never to be seen again. After all, nobody has ever got away from the match factory orphanage, and now there’s magic in the form of tiny Hobs, offering him a way out.

The villain's comeuppance was satisfying, I liked there was a map, it never made me roll my eyes like some other new middle-grade books have done as it avoided many cliches and tropes. Wick is too heroic, too quickly, defeating impossible odds with barely a whimper from the massive, tree gnashing machines or the evil, shotgun wielding matron. Run by the irredeemably wicked Miss Boggett, a witch-like figure known to the orphans as Old Ma Bogey, the prison-like building manufactures Everstrikes matches made from the trees surrounding it, steadily encroaching on Havenwood Forest and endangering the wildlife that inhabits it.In a grim, grey orphanage (surrounded by a forest full of unseen life and tiny magical creatures ) lives mistreated orphan Wick, who seeks an escape from the cruelty of his life. I thoroughly enjoyed going on this adventure with Wick and was captivated by the descriptions of the forest and the Hobs.

It is all he has ever dreamt of and he jumps at the chance, even though it means he must leave the other orphans behind. However, the reader soon learns that there is more than meets the eye at this dark, dreary and lifeless institution. Harklights by Tim Tilley is a heartwarming Middle Grade read with an environmental message that goes straight to the readers' hearts. The two worlds that Wick experiences - the grim world of the orphanage, compared to the rich forest - are both brilliantly brought to life.Kelly's particular interest in language acquisition and vocabulary development has led to the publication of her first book, Word Power: Amplifiying vocabulary instruction (2019) - full of ideas for building a language-rich environment and top tips to Power-Up explicit vocabulary instruction. Accompanied by a map and beautiful illustrations, we meet Wick who is an orphan boy living and working at Harklights Match Factory and Orphanage.

Tim Tilley grew up on the outskirts of Leicester, and studied Illustration at Anglia Ruskin University and Central Saint Martins.

Also, Wick’s interest in wanting to know his origins is woefully cut short with the documents being burnt. Tilley, an avid nature-lover himself, provides an accessible story for younger readers to delve into, with rich opportunities to open up discussions about how we can look after our natural world. Harklights, despite being very competent and readable, doesn't really do anything new and comes across like a shadow of better books, both past and contemporary. Tim Tilley has also illustrated this book, with wonderful, simple pictures that bring the story to life.

But one day he encounters the Hobs, little people who have big hearts and they go on an adventure together, helping one another along the way. He works as a freelance illustrator for editorial and design clients and teaches children's book illustration at City Lit in London. To make it worse, it is run by a menacing character, who to me is reminiscent of the formidable ‘Child Catcher’, and to whom the children refer to as Old Ma Bogey. This experience has been fantastic primarily for the children, the school and also for me (professionally).What didn't work for me was that Wick seemed to become part of the Hob's community within days, and it felt too quick. Our story begins in the gothic Harklights Match Factory and Orphanage, where our hero Wick works tirelessly for the dreadful Old Ma Bogey. We see Wick learning the responsibilities of a Forest Keeper and how important it is to protect the environment. The story is a captivating contrast between the two environments and author Tim Tilley's knowledge of the intricacies of nature and his attention to the smallest details of forest life are fascinating.