Moon over Manifest by Clare Vanderpool

Abilene Tucker is not impressed. Her father has sent her to Manifest, the town that he grew up in. However, this old, hardworking, run down town does not match the glittering, modern city her father told her of. But even in peaceful villages like this, accidents do happen. Abilene soon finds herself in debt to the village diviner, and the history of Manifest slowly rolls itself out like a long lost map. Could her father be involved? And why does mysterious Miss Sadie never reveal the whole of the towns secrets?

I would recommend this book for 9+, with a rating of 5/5, due to the complications of the tale in certain  places. 

Bottersnikes and Gumbles by S.A. Wakefield

Deep in a dusty plain the Bottersnikes lurked, lazy, bad-tempered creatures who liked nothing better than snoozing all day. However, there was another animal that lived in this hot habitat. The Gumbles are just the kind of creature you want to play with all day, the exact opposites of the Bottersnikes. Therefore, they clash, and the Gumbles are sought after to be slaves to the Bottersnikes.  Can Tinkingumble have enough tinking ideas to slide them out of the mean clutches of the Bottersnikes? And can Willigumble, who is always late for everything, get Tinkingumble's thinks unstuck?

I would recommend this book for ages 6+, because everything is funny and exciting, even when the Bottersnikes sit on each others heads!  4/5