As we enter the month of October, I am looking forward to sharing with you books which celebrate Autumn and all things spooky. My very first offering is the gorgeous 'Cat Learns to Listen at Moonlight School,' the third title in the Moonlight School series. Tonight, Miss Moon is taking her class of pupils out … Continue reading ‘Cat Learns to Listen at Moonlight School,’ by Simon Puttock, illustrated by Ali Pye.
Now that Autumn is officially with us, I thought I'd share some titles which sum up the very essence of the season: squirrels, sticks and hibernation! 'The Nut Stayed Shut' by Mike Henson (Templar Publishing) Rodney is a champion nut cracker, so the task of cracking three nuts should be easy, right? Wrong! The third … Continue reading Autumnal Delights
These next three books are perfect for fans of all things dinosaur. We have some fabulous fiction, non-fiction and a gorgeous colour and discover book. 'The Book of Prehistoric Beasts,' from Angela Rizza and Jonny Marx (Buster Books) This gorgeous book is a clever mix of facts, profiles and fearsome creatures to colour in. … Continue reading Dinotastic Discoveries!
Britta Teckentrup has already brought us two beautiful 'spotting books' and now we're lucky enough to have a third to enjoy. Renowned for her gorgeous repeated pattern style, reminiscent of a rather exclusive wallpaper design, Britta brings us spreads with a hidden secret - a baby animal is hiding with its parent somewhere on the … Continue reading ‘Where’s The Baby?,’ by Britta Teckentrup.
I am thrilled to be able to combine two of my great passions in this blog post: fabulous books and chocolate cake! 'Chocolate Cake' by Michael Rosen, illustrated by Kevin Waldron ( Puffin Books) Finally, there's a gloriously illustrated picture book of Michael Rosen's now classic funny poem, 'Chocolate Cake.' It tells the tale of … Continue reading Let Them Eat Cake!
One Button Benny isn't like all the other robots. He only has one button. Which must ONLY be pressed in an emergency. Benny gets teased so much by the other robots that he longs for an emergency to happen so he can find out what (if anything!) his button actually does. He waits....and he waits....until … Continue reading ‘One Button Benny,’ by Alan Windram, illustrated by Chloe Holwill-Hunter.
In today's society, with not only peer pressure but the pressures of social media to contend with, children can sometimes struggle to have the courage to be themselves. 'Perfectly Norman' is a story about a boy who felt exactly the same way, until one day something extraordinary happened to him... Norman had always been perfectly … Continue reading ‘Perfectly Norman,’ by Tom Percival.
Any book which makes its reader twist, turn, jump and shout gets a huge thumbs up in our house. That's why we were so excited to receive these three titles recently... Crocodali by Lucy Volpin (Templar Publishing) Crocodali considers himself one of the world's greatest artists and YOU are privileged enough to be invited to … Continue reading Twist and shout!
I am loving the current trend for drawing on the classic plot lines and characters of beloved fairy tales and injecting them with a hefty dose of attitude and wit, especially those where the formerly helpless princesses was expected to lay about waiting for a prince to come and rescue them. The two new paperback … Continue reading Two deliciously twisted tales…
"Once there was a soft brown toy called Dogger. One of his ears pointed upwards and the other flopped over. His fur was worn in places because he was quite old. he belonged to Dave." I'm fairly sure there aren't many children of the eighties who haven't heard the timeless and endearing story of 'Dogger.' … Continue reading ‘Dogger,’ by Shirley Hughes.
I am a huge fan of Zommer's beautifully-illustrated books so was thrilled to be sent a copy of his latest picture book for Templar - 'Big Brown Bear's Cave.' Big Brown Bear is looking for a new cave to call his own and is delighted when he quickly finds a dark and dusty cave which … Continue reading ‘Big Brown Bear’s Cave,’ by Yuval Zommer.
In May this year, Brown Bear turned fifty! To celebrate, Puffin Books have released a special anniversary edition, complete with an audio CD narrated by none other than the mighty Eric Carle himself! A truly gorgeous book with snappy rhythmic text in a repeated format making it perfect for little ones to join along to. … Continue reading ‘Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?,’ by Bill Martin Jr and Eric Carle.
'Grab your hard hat, tie your boots. Pack your lunch. Let's get to work!' Dog and his friend, Bird, have a busy day ahead of them. Planning, digging, hammering and sawing - there's lots of work to be done. But can they finish their job before the sun goes down? Jarvis' exhuberant illustrations leap off … Continue reading ‘Ready, Set, Build!’ By Jarvis and Meg Fleming.
This hide-and-seek dinosaur story would make a perfect Father's Day gift for all the Papasauruses out there. Babysaurus loves playing hide-and-seek with Papasaurus but one day he hides a little too well and Babysaursus can't find him, no matter how hard he tries. Starting to get a bit worried, Babysaurus asks his prehistoric friends for … Continue reading ‘Papasaurus,’ by Stephan Lomp.
Duck wants to join a club but finds that he lacks the necessary qualifications. What should he do? Duck wanted to make some new friends so he took the sensible step of deciding to join a club. Unfortunately, his inability to roar meant that he was laughed out Lion Club. The fact he had arms … Continue reading ‘Can I Join Your Club?,’ by John Kelly and Steph Laberis.
Introducing Emma Jane, her aeroplane and all the animal friends she collects on her whistle-stop tour around the world. Emma Jane is a girl who likes adventure. As she sets off in her plane one evening, little does she know that she's about to head off on a round-the-world trip. The first big city in … Continue reading ‘Emma Jane’s Aeroplane,’ by Katie Haworth, illustrated by Daniel Reiley.
Ernest the Earwig has been thinking. And he's not happy. All sorts of creatures appear in books, but not earwigs. Why not?! Outraged, Ernest decides to right this wrong. After a restless night's sleep, Earnest heads off to the local bookshop and straight to the children's literature section. He then seizes his chance to slip … Continue reading ‘The Importance of Being Ernest the Earwig,’ by Nanette Newman, illustrated by Lindsay Branagh.
Ahoy me hearties! There be treasure in these pages! This is the tale of a boy and his plucky sea dog who set sail to find the hidden treasure of Pirate Frank. They sail the stormy seas, trek over snow-capped mountains and brave a gooey swamp, all to reach the tree which marks the spot. … Continue reading ‘The Treasure of Pirate Frank,’ by Mal Peet & Elspeth Graham, illustrated by Jez Tuya.
In today's political climate, we are constantly being told how different we all are from each other. That's why I was delighted to be sent this clever book which not only celebrates our differences but also points out how we are all the same. This book was inspired by Matt Lamothe's own experiences as he … Continue reading ‘This Is How We Do It – one day in the lives of seven kids from around the world,’ by Matt Lamothe.
Travel the world from the comfort of your chair with this gloriously illustrated book from Marc Martin. An absolutely delightful guide to the world for young explorers. You'll be taken from the favelas of Rio de Janeiro to the frozen continent of Antarctica via Hong Kong and Ulaanbaatar. The pages are full of fun and … Continue reading ‘Lots,’ by Marc Martin.
Library Girl and Book Boy 