Too often, adults are guilty of categorising vocal children as bold and confident, and quieter children as shy or insecure. But if we think about the children we know, being loud could be a cover-up for insecurities and those who are quieter could just be deep thinkers - not shy at all. I am pleased … Continue reading Shyness is Okay!
When you open a book written by Ian, you know that you are going to go on an emotional journey. But also, that you are in a safe pair of hands. This remains the case in his latest collaboration with inclusive publisher Owlet Press, where we meet a young boy torn between his two families … Continue reading Blog tour: ‘Rory’s Room of Rectangles,’ by Ian Eagleton, illustrated by Jessica Knight.
Fans of Dooley’s first Frankie adventure, ‘Frankie’s World,’ will be pleased to know that they can catch up with Frankie again and see how things are going at senior school following her diagnosis of autism. I had the chance to ask the creator of this graphic novel series, Aoife Dooley, some questions about the creation … Continue reading ‘Finding My Voice,’ by Aoife Dooley.
Whether you’ve read ‘Bigfoot Mountain’ or not, you will definitely want to visit ‘Bigfoot Island,’ its sequel. But do Bigfoot’s really exist, you ask? Well, perhaps reading author Roderick O’Grady’s special piece on that very topic might help you make up your mind… ‘When Minnie spots a white boat bringing strangers to the cove below … Continue reading Blog tour: ‘Bigfoot Island,’ by Roderick O’Grady, cover by Jess Mason.
A new title from Ele Fountain is always a reason for celebration. Her writing is guaranteed to draw you in and take you on a journey- in the case of ‘Wild,’ literal and metaphorical! ‘Jack craves adventure, even if it means getting into trouble at school. He thinks he can get away with it as … Continue reading Blog tour: ‘Wild,’ by Ele Fountain.
If you want fantastic writing with a strong environmental theme, look no further than Nicola Davies’ epic new novel: Nominated for the Yoto Carnegie Medal for Writing. “When animals talk, it's time humans listened: Harlon has been raised to protect her younger siblings, twins Ash and Xeno, and their outlawed power of communicating with animals. … Continue reading COVER REVEAL: ‘The Song That Sings Us,’ by Nicola Davies, cover by Jane Matthews.
This is a gorgeously-illustrated book about the importance of looking for the positives when things don’t go as you’d hoped. Pip and Parker highlight the value of friendship when the going gets tough. Make sure you read creator Fiona Woodcock’s piece about how she had the initial idea for this title about two friends with … Continue reading Blog tour: ‘Silver Linings,’ by Fiona Woodcock.
I have always been a fan of Jess’s writing. I love how it is rooted in the natural world and takes the reader alongside the main protagonist on a wonderful journey, often to a faraway place. ‘Lost on Gibbon Island,’ is no exception. As soon as I started reading, I was swept away to a … Continue reading Blog tour: ‘Lost on Gibbon Island,’ by Jess Butterworth, cover by Rob Biddulph.
Each time I read a new book over the two week Easter holidays, I’m going to add to this post. Although I tweet a lot about new books, I don’t always blog about them, so this is my chance to share with you all! This is the second graphic novel starring Frankie, who is newly … Continue reading Holiday Reads
I absolutely loved the first instalment of this series, Hedgewitch, so was delighted to receive a special goodie box from the lovely people at Welbeck Books to help celebrate the publication of Cassie’s next adventure - Woodwitch. ‘Cassie has settled into life in Hedgely when, out of the blue, her troubled cousin, Sebastian, comes to … Continue reading Blog tour: ‘Woodwitch,’ by Skye McKenna, cover by Tomislav Tomic.
It’s always a good time to share a wonderful new picture book which celebrates the maths which surrounds us day in and day out. Linking learning to children’s everyday lives is such a powerful way of helping them make connections in their learning and develop sound understandings of mathematical concepts. That’s what makes this book … Continue reading Blog tour: ‘That’s Mathematics,’ based on lyrics by Tom Lehrer, Chris Smith, illustrated by Elīna Braslina.
One of the amazing things about young children is the enthusiasm and joy with which they approach their creative endeavours. When is it that doubt starts to set in and that creative freedom switches to something more conformist? In some cases, the pressure to make things ‘perfect’ can become a real barrier to a child’s … Continue reading Blog tour: ‘Art and Joy – best friends for ever,’ by Danielle Krysa.
Welcome to my stop on the Federation of Children’s Book Groups’ ‘Children’s Book Award.’ I’m hosting a piece from nominated author, Andrew Sanders, about how it feels have his book ‘Where has all the Cake Gone?’ nominated this year. As a children’s book author, seeing my latest book, Where Has All the Cake Gone? get shortlisted for … Continue reading Children’s Book Award Blog Tour: ‘Where has all the Cake Gone?’ by Andrew Sanders, illustrated by Aysha Awwad.
Are you ready to be whisked away on a breath-taking adventure? Dive into Moonflight and follow timid rat, Tilbury as he embarks on a life-changing quest… ‘Can a timid rat ever become a hero? Tilbury is about to find out on the adventure of a lifetime, journeying across the sea to the realm of the … Continue reading Blog tour: ‘Moonflight,’ by Gill Lewis, illustrated by Pippa Curnick.
Looking for a new read featuring dark fae, activism, friendship, and activism? You will love the new title from H.S. Norup! ‘As soon as Alfred arrives at his granny's cottage, he feels like he's being watched. There are steep cliffs and dark forests all around, teeming with unfamiliar life - even odd little faerie creatures … Continue reading Blog tour: ‘Into the Faerie Hill,’ by H.S. Norup, cover by Thy Bui.
This rainbow-hued picture book is a brilliant way to talk to young children about the dangers of running off and what to do if they find themselves lost. Make sure you scroll down to read Cara’s piece about the work she and her gorgeous cockapoo (and inspiration for this book), Scout do as part of … Continue reading ‘Finding Floss,’ by Cara Matheson.
I love the dimension-hopping element of Sinéad’s brilliant writing and was delighted to find it featuring in her newest title too. It was so interesting to read Sinéad’s piece about the inspirations behind The Time Tider - have you ever thought about who’s measuring time and why? ‘Mara and her dad have lived in their … Continue reading Blog tour: ‘The Time Tider,’ by Sinéad O’Hart.
I am a huge fan of using books to help develop emotional awareness and empathy in children so was thrilled to be invited to celebrate one of the amazing titles from this year’s Empathy Lab #ReadForEmpathy collection. This year, Empathy Day is being celebrated on Thursday 8th June. Empathy Lab’s aim to is harness the … Continue reading Empathy Day Blog Tour: ‘What If? Pig,’ by Linzie Hunter.
Today I’m sharing a magical adventure with dragons, poachers, and wildsmith magic. The first in a new series suitable for readers aged 7+. I also have a special piece from Liz about where her story ideas come from. "When war threatens her beloved city, Rowan and her mother must flee to the Dark Forest. There … Continue reading Blog tour: ‘Wildsmith: Into the Dark Forest,’ by Liz Flanagan, cover by Joe Todd-Stanton.
‘Glitter Boy’ was one of my anticipated reads of 2023 so far! I love Ian’s wonderful inclusive picture books and was extremely excited to hear that a middle grade title was on its way. I was expecting an emotional journey and wow did I get one! I had the privilege of asking Ian some questions … Continue reading Blog tour: ‘Glitter Boy,’ by Ian Eagleton, cover by Melissa Chaib.
Library Girl and Book Boy 