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Enthralling adventure in an eye-catching cover When his archaeologist father goes missing after an aircrash in Mexico, Josh suspects alien abduction. But after he discovers his father was murdered, Josh is caught up in a race to find the legendary Ix Codex - a lost book of the ancient Maya containing a prophecy about the end of the world… There's no missing The Joshua Files: Invisible City by M.G Harris in the bookshops - it's the fabulous looking book in the bright orange plastic sleeve. But is the inside as exciting? Well I was keen to find out - and was delighted when Scholastic kindly sent me a copy to review. The Invisible City follows 13-year-old Josh Garcia as he tries to come to terms with his father's death before being drawn into an adventure that ultimately takes him to Mexico. M.G (Maria) Harris has created a very convincing young hero - you really get inside his head and his grief is very believable although I had some difficulty accepting that his mum would let him travel overseas with just a couple of friends. The story builds well with twists galore - and the whole Ix Codexpart was very imaginative and edge-of-your-seat stuff. The book has gone down a storm with young readers who will be desperate to get their hands on the next installment - as will I. M.G Harris Mexican-born and Manchester raised Maria also has a fantastic website and blog which writers will love - she talks about how she completely revised her book (she began with a boy archaeologist story), found an agent and how publishers tried to woo her with Mayan chocolate. (There's some lovely Madagascan chocolate available if any propsective Dr Midas & the Pirates editor is reading this!) Maria's agent is Peter Cox of Redhammer who runs the popular writer's colony - litopia - which unpublished authors can use to post their work and seek comments. Visit Maria's blog at www.mgharris.net and her fansite at www.themgharris.com

Plain Jane, originally uploaded by crystal driedger.

Oh poor Jane
Don't feel so plain!
Your dress might not sparkle
But your smile always will.