For those of you who’ve read Benjamin’s debut novel, ‘Me, My Dad and the End of the Rainbow,’ it will come as no surprise that his second title is equally as joyous with a LGBTQ+ theme appropriate for its middle grade audience. It’s one of those books that will leave you with a huge smile … Continue reading Blog tour: ‘The Secret Sunshine Project,’ by Benjamin Dean, illustrated by Sandhya Prabhat.
I was completely blown away by this powerful novella which chronicles the inner dialogue of Rex, a young teen whose father has very recently passed away. There were smiles and there were tears as I watched him struggle to come to terms with his loss and with his final moments with his father. Definitely something … Continue reading Blog tour: ‘The Dream House,’ by Laura Dockrill, illustrated by Gwen Millward.
The loss of a family member or loved one isn’t something you can ever really prepare for, but sharing books which explore ideas around what happens when someone dies before the situation arises can be so helpful for young children. After being told to avoid writing a picture book exploring beliefs about death, Eva Hibbs … Continue reading ‘Where is Uncle Al?’ by Eva Hibbs, illustrated by Sarah Harrison.
Each of these three wonderful stories are very different but all feature some very special inter-generational relationships. ‘Special Delivery,’ by Jonathan Meres, illustrated by Hannah Coulson. This first story is part of Barrington Stoke’s Little Gems range which are specially produced for readers aged 5+ and feature fun activities in the jacket flaps. Frank REALLY … Continue reading Inter-generational Stories from Barrington Stoke
I really enjoy reading a good historical fiction novel, especially if there’s an element of mystery afoot. If you’re anything like me, you’ll thoroughly enjoy A.M. Howell’s new title which was inspired by a notable clock collection housed in Bury St. Edmund’s Moyse’s Hall museumS. What would it be like to live in a house … Continue reading ‘The House of One Hundred Clocks,’ by A.M. Howell, illustrations by Saara Söderlund.
I was super-excited to dive into this book because I had heard lots of excellent things about it on Twitter and then, I received a most intriguing box of goodies, including a class set of samplers, which went to Book Boy’s school. Freddie Yates likes facts, and that’s a fact. But it’s not all that … Continue reading Blog Tour: ‘The Super Miraculous Journey of Freddie Yates,’ by Jenny Pearson, illustrated by Rob Biddulph.
Grief and death are often difficult topics to discuss with children but it’s so important that we do or there can be a serious impact on their mental health. Today I’m sharing a beautiful picture book which should provide a means to start that sensitive conversation. Ever since the loss of Granny, Grandpa has stopped … Continue reading ‘Tibble and Grandpa,’ by Wendy Meddour, illustrated by Daniel Egnéus.
This book is just a little bit special. It beautifully melds a touching story about the struggles between a mother and a daughter who’s growing up with a strong fantasy/ gaming theme. Unlike anything I’ve read before but totally enchanting. *UPDATE* Aisha’s wonderful book has just been nominated for the CILIP Carnegie Medal 2020 - … Continue reading ‘A Pocketful Of Stars,’ by Aisha Busby.
Today’s my stop on the blog tour for ‘Shadow,’ Lucy’s first picture book. As well as a special about about the inspiration behind writing the story, I’ve also recorded a podcast interview with Lucy, talking in more detail about the themes and processes behind creating the book. Listen HERE. The girl and her Ma have … Continue reading ‘Shadow,’ by Lucy Christopher, illustrated by Anastasia Suvorova.
Today I’m delighted to be sharing Kirsti Beautyman’s beautiful debut picture book, ‘The Mist Monster.’ Penny and her dad have just moved house but Penny’s not sure that she likes it. Dad convinces her to go and explore, but she’ll only go once they’ve found mum’s old explorer hat. Unfortunately the dog takes a fancy … Continue reading Blog Tour: ‘The Mist Monster,’ by Kirsti Beautyman.
If you like seriously creepy tales of ghouls and ghosties mixed with an inept Nancy Drew-style lead, look no further than ‘The Ghouls Of Howlfair’! Make sure you read Nick’s spooktacular piece about how his main character Molly Thompson came about - the geeks and the weirdos will prevail! Howlfair is a town built on … Continue reading Blog Tour: ‘The Ghouls Of Howlfair,’ by Nick Tomlinson, illustrated by Kim Geyer.
“A boy. A drone. And the danger below.” Welcome to my stop on the blog tour for ‘Spylark,’ with a special piece by Danny Rurlander about the beautiful Lake District setting for his book. Since his accident, Tom’s not only struggling with the loss of his father but also loss of mobility. Retreating into the … Continue reading Blog Tour: ‘Spylark,’ by Danny Rurlander, cover by Doaly.
For those of you who’ve read ‘Twister,’ Forrest’s debut novel, it will surely come as very welcome news that her second title is now out in the wild. Borne out her own regret at being unable to say a final goodbye to her grandparents, and her love of a whole spectrum of gloriously-named colours, Forrest … Continue reading ‘The True Colours Of Coral Glen,’ by Juliette Forrest, cover by Jamie Gregory.
I was thrilled to be asked to participate in the blog tour for ‘Drone Racer’ because I knew that it was just the kind of book that Book Boy would love, and because I knew that Andy Briggs really is a master of science fiction writing. His ‘The Inventory’ series was some of the first … Continue reading ‘Drone Racer,’ by Andy Briggs, cover illustration by Matteo Cuccato.
Library Girl and Book Boy 