You all know the story of the race to the North Pole, right? Wrong! I bet you’ve never heard the remarkable tale of Matthew Henson, part of a team of men who reached the North Pole on a dog sled AHEAD of Dr. Cook! This new super-readable title from Barrington Stoke tells the unbelievable bit … Continue reading ‘Race to the Frozen North: The Matthew Henson Story,’ by Catherine Johnson, illustrated by Katie Hickey.
If you’re searching for a read packed with just the right balance of laughs and scares, look no further than ‘Witch Girl.’ Twelve-year-old Evangeline and her gran form a witchy ghost-busting duo (although Evangeline is still just an apprentice.) Together, they hunt down all manner of creatures that go bump in the night, magically ridding … Continue reading ‘Witch Girl,’ by Jan Eldredge with an exclusive post about why we like being scared! Illustrations by Risa Rodil.
I love picture books for readers of all ages so am delighted to be able to share with you Jo’s newest picture book and a special post about who it went from a being a few rough character sketches to a finished book. I also have a copy to giveaway to one lucky reader. Papa … Continue reading ‘What’s For Lunch, Papa Penguin?’ By Jo Williamson with special post about the making of a picture book.
Book Boy and I are huge fans of this highly engaging series of books which look at the weird and wonderful side of football, so we thrilled to be sent the latest title to review and to be able to host a special blog post by the writers about girls and football. AND we have … Continue reading ‘Football School Season 3: Where Football Tackles the World,’ with guest post on girls and football by Alex Bellos and Ben Lyttleton, illustrated by Spike Gerrell.
Nowadays, it is all too easy for children to stay tucked up inside their houses looking at the big wide world on a screen rather than going outside and experiencing it for themselves. This inspirational month-by-month journey through the seasons is crammed full of activities and ideas designed to get children out into the fresh … Continue reading ‘2019 Nature Month-by-Month: A Children’s Almanac,’ by Anna Wilson with special guest post, illustrated by Elly Jahnz.
Having previously met Fiona several times at the Picture Book Club she runs, and listened to talks with her about other authors’ experiences of getting published, I am absolutely delighted to be hosting her very own picture book and special post on my blog today. There is nothing Danny wants more than a real live … Continue reading ‘Danny and The Dream Dog,’ by Fiona Barker, illustrated by Howard Gray.
Have you ever imagined what it might be like if you could only tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth? No? Well spare a thought for the Truth Pixie who can only do just that. One of the fantastic characters from the ‘A Boy Called Christmas’ trilogy by Maths Haig, the … Continue reading ‘The Truth Pixie,’ by Matt Haig, illustrated by Chris Mould.
If you’re looking for a suitably spooky Halloween read, take a peek at one of these. If you dare.... Vlad The World’s Worst Vampire: Midnight Fright by Anna Wilson, illustrated by Kathryn Durst (Stripes Books) Vlad’s back in another adventure and this time his very annoying cousin Lupus is visiting. Poor old Vlad has never … Continue reading Halloween Howlers
Would you rather serve a meal to a very polite rat or a bad-mannered cat? This is just one of the dilemmas posed in the anarchic sequel to ‘Would You Rather..’ An absolutely cracking book based on the classic game ‘Would You Rather...’ (to be played with caution!) Inside there are plenty of puzzlers to … Continue reading ‘More Would You Rather…,’ by John Burningham.
Autumn is one of my favourite times of year; the weather is mild, the leaves are a whole rainbow of colours and the evenings are starting to get dark. It’s the perfect time of year for snuggly down under a blanket and sharing a book with someone you love. I have five seasonal books which … Continue reading Autumnal Reads to Snuggle Up With
It’s important that all children find themselves and their beliefs reflected in the books they see around them. This blog post is showcasing two books based in the Muslim world. ‘Night of the Moon - a Muslim Holiday Story’ by Hena Khan, illustrated by Julie Paschkis (Chronicle Books) This beautiful picture book follows the story … Continue reading Tales to Embrace Muslim Culture
Mimi Lee would like to introduce you to her THREE-STEP PLAN to train the perfect parents.... Mimi is convinced that parents just don’t understand what children want (a puppy, in her case) but that they shouldn’t be blamed because they’ve never been trained. Cue Mimi’s Three-Point Plan which focuses on communication, trust and routine. Strict … Continue reading ‘How to Train the Perfect Parents,’ by Rebecca Ashdown.
I have received a number of beautiful and informative non-fiction titles about the wonderful animal kingdom in recent weeks. A subject of constant fascination amongst children and adults alike, they’ll be spoilt for choice with this gorgeous selection. ‘Hello World Animals’ by Nicola Edwards, illustrated by L’Atelier Cartographik (360 Degrees) This stunning hardback book with … Continue reading The Animal Kingdom
Lantana publish a beautiful, diverse range of picture books in the belief that all children deserve to see themselves in the books they read. ‘Sing to the Moon,’ is no exception. I’m very lucky to also have a brilliant guest post by Nansubuga about the importance of viewpoint when writing. This adventurous Ugandan boy has … Continue reading ‘Sing to the Moon,’ by Nansubuga Nagadya Isdahl and Sandra Van Doorn.
Little Mole is covered in labels: tiring, useless, ADD, loud, wriggly. But who is he really? From the second Little Mole wakes up, he storms through the burrow like a whirlwind. Everything’s a distraction. He can’t sit still in class or listen to instructions. No one wants to play with him and Little Mole is … Continue reading ‘Little Mole is a Whirlwind,’ by Anna Llenas.
I am very honoured to be kicking off the blog tour for the Lollies 2018 - a celebration of some of the funniest children’s reads out there! I have always believed in the power of funny books to help transform children into readers and to address tricky issues in an accessible way. Unfortunately, some people … Continue reading Welcome to the Lollies 2018 – being a judge & introducing the short-list.
Any of you who follow this blog (or my twitter account) will know that I am a huge fan of the amazing illustrations and books created by ex-Children’s Laureate, Chris Riddell. That is why I am so please to introduce to the final paperback in this hilarious pun-filled series: Goth Girl and the Sinister Symphony. … Continue reading ‘Goth Girl and the Sinister Symphony,’ by Chris Riddell.
A year ago, a stunningly beautiful non-fiction book was published which caused a huge sensation in the media and amongst educators, with crowd-funding campaigns being launched to get thousands of copies into schools. ‘The Lost Words’ is a magical tome full of the disappearing language of the wild. This enchanting book aims to revive words … Continue reading ‘The Lost Words,’ by Robert MacFarlane and Jackie Morris.
I was immediately intrigued by ‘Sign Here’ as I’ve noticed that children always seem to have a fascination with filling in official-looking forms - shopping lists from a well-known Scandinavian furniture store, order slips from catalogue companies...the list goes on! So when ‘Sign Here’ arrived, packed full of more unusual forms to complete, I just … Continue reading ‘Sign Here,’ by Gabrielle Djanogly, illustrated by Adele Mildred.
Library Girl and Book Boy 