Teen fiction round-up: A heady mix of magic, arson, and unplanned infants
Hilary McKay's Binny in Secret (Hodder, £10.99) is aptly named, given that this enchanting novelist still remains something of a secret to a mass audience. The natural heir to E.Nesbit and Dodie Smith, she describes the various mini-adventures of childhood and family life with so sure a touch it is as if those concerned are in the next room. Bright 12-year-old Binny may seem young for a main character in a teenage novel, but her company is consistently sparky without ever lapsing into the irritatingly cute.