Today I’m kicking off the blog tour for a brand new title by award-winning novelist Sita Brahmachari. ‘When Shadows Fall’ pis a powerful exploration of grief, exclusion, and friendship for teen readers told in prose and free verse. There are also stunning illustrated pages and sections throughout which echo the story’s theme of the therapeutic … Continue reading Blog tour: ‘When Shadows Fall,’ by Sita Brahmachari, illustrated by Natalie Sirett.
Today I’m hosting a brand new title from Vivian French - The Runaways of Haddington Hall. And if you’d like to know the five books Vivian would take with her to a desert island, read on! ‘After a series of misfortunes, Minnie O’Sullivan is whisked away to Haddington Hall: a nightmarish home for wayward girls. … Continue reading Blog tour: ‘The Runaways of Haddington Hall,’ by Vivian French.
It’s in those post-primary school years that reading for pleasure can tend to take off in tweens. A monthly book subscription from Parrot Street Book Club could be just what they need to keep them hooked! What makes these subscriptions so special is that each month, the recipient gets a carefully selected book from beyond … Continue reading Parrot Street Book Club – The Macaw Subscription for 12-14 year olds.
I was immediately intrigued when I opened up this package. I hadn’t read any tween books set in this particular time period and was looking forward to the dual narrative structure of the story. ‘What would you risk for a friend you've never met . . . ? In 1960s Berlin the Wall is everywhere. … Continue reading ‘The Boy Behind the Wall,’ by Maximillian Jones.
In the wake of multiple lockdowns and as a result of a mental health service struggling to keep up with demand, there has been a worrying rise in the number of children suffering from a mental health condition. This increase has resulted in the publication of lots of wonderful journals and activity books designed to … Continue reading Books to Boost
The very first Thimble Monkey adventure: ‘Thimble Monkey Superstar,’ was shortlisted for the Laugh Out Loud Book awards. The series now has a fourth LOL-worthy instalment in the form of ‘Thimble and the Girl From Mars.’ Make sure you read author, Jon Blake’s piece featuring eight (possibly) interesting facts about the creation of this story. … Continue reading ‘Thimble and the Girl From Mars,’ by Jon Blake, illustrated by Martin Chatterton.
Today I’m sharing a very special little book which will leave you with a warm glow inside. make sure you read Katie’s piece about embracing other cultures and celebrating diversity. In a world sometimes sad, where our hopes come and go. All you need is the light from a small ‘Little Glow.’ As the nights … Continue reading Blog tour: ‘Little Glow,’ by Katie Sahota, illustrated by Harry Woodgate.
Pam Smy’s first novel, ‘Thornhill,’ was met with much critical acclaim and nominated for several awards so my expectations of ‘The Hideaway’ were high. Well let me tell you, she has crafted another beautifully told tale interwoven with atmospheric greyscale illustrations. Pam has written an exclusive piece for this blog about being an illustrator. You … Continue reading Blog tour: ‘The Hideaway,’ by Pam Smy.
‘Reflecting Realities’ is the name of a powerful piece of research conducted by the CLPE (Centre for Literacy in Primary Education) which focussed on extent and quality of ethnic representation and diversity within children’s literature. Their third report (published in November 2020) found that only 7% of children’s literature published over the past three years … Continue reading Reflecting Realities – Part 1 (diverse ethnicities)
I think that poetry is often a vastly neglected area of the school curriculum. Reading, writing, and enjoying poetry should be a regular part of a pupil’s literary diet, not something squashed into a spare week at the end of a half term. For anyone needing some poetic inspiration, you need to take a look … Continue reading Guest piece: ‘Why I Write Poetry and You Should Too’ from the writer of ‘Bright Bursts of Colour,’ Matt Goodfellow.
Diwali is celebrated by over one billion people across the world so it only seems right to share some of the vibrant books which have been created to help people understand and enjoy the festival. This year, Diwali falls on the 4th November so there’s still plenty of time to get into the spirit of … Continue reading Diwali – The Festival of Lights
It’s that time of year when some of our thoughts may turn to the spooky or the magical. This blog features some of the latest titles I’ve been sent which reflect these themes. Take a look but don’t get scared…! Board Books ‘Five Spooky Friends,’ by Danielle McLean, illustrated by Rosalind Maroney (Little Tiger Press) … Continue reading Happy Halloween
Today I’m sharing a truly beautiful book based on the true story of dancer, Lihua Tai, who has to learn to ‘hear’ music in different ways. It’s highly topical at the moment due links with the appearance of Strictly Come Dancing’s first ever hearing impaired contestant, Rose Ayling-Ellis. I’ve enjoyed sharing the stories of both … Continue reading ‘The Visible Sounds,’ by Yin Jianling, illustrated by Yu Rong.
Today’s my stop on the StormTide blog tour - the third gripping instalment in the FloodWorld trilogy. I also have Tom’s top 5 deep sea story recommendations for you to enjoy! A world-ending storm is coming, and only Kara and Joe can hold back the tide. In the ocean depths lies a deadly secret: an … Continue reading Blog tour: ‘StormTide,’ by Tom Huddleston
Today I have two books celebrating the rich history of Afro hair. First we travel back 5,000 years to the hair fashions of Ancient Egypt, then flash forwards to contemporary styles for textured hair such as hair puffs and halo braids. ‘The Story of Afro Hair,’ by K. N. Chimbiri, illustrated by Joelle Avelino (Scholastic) … Continue reading Awesome Afro Hair
This week is Dyslexia Awareness Week and I am honoured to be hosting a letter written by author Jane Elson to her nine-year-old self. Jane has always spoke freely about her dyslexia and, when not writing, mentors young neurodiverse people and champions the gift of neurodiverse thinking. She was recently named as being one of … Continue reading A Letter to My Young Dyslexic Self by Jane Elson
There are periods in our history of which we may not be proud but which we need to remember. ‘I Saw a Beautiful Woodpecker’ is a poignant reminder of the impact of war on many cities and on the lives of millions. I am extremely honoured to have been asked to host a piece by … Continue reading ‘I Saw a Beautiful Woodpecker,’ by Michał Skibiński, illustrated Ala Bankroft.
Get prepared for an absolute belter of a read with a villain you will despise, a hero you will cheer for, and a grim dystopian London set somewhere in the future! You also need to scroll down and read author Michael Mann’s masterclass on how to write a truly terrifying villain… ‘Kidnapped and forced to … Continue reading Blog tour: ‘Ghostcloud,’ by Michael Mann, cover by Chaaya Prabhat.
‘The Histronauts - A Greek Adventure!’ is the newest title in the Histronauts series written by historian and author, Dr. Frances Durkin. The intrepid team of time-travelling children have already visited Ancient Egypt, Ancient Rome, The Viking times, and are now heading off to Ancient Greece to explore the marketplaces, witness the birth of theatre, … Continue reading Blog tour: ‘The Histronauts – A Greek Adventure!’ by Dr Frances Durkin, illustrated by Grace Cooke.
Today I have a middle grade book which is perfect for fans of funny books with an edge. This one just happens to feature a genius baby and a super-villain determined to rid the world of the problem of childhood. Make sure you read the special piece by Daniel about why this book was twenty … Continue reading Blog tour: ‘Little Horror,’ by Daniel Peak.
Library Girl and Book Boy 