Prepare yourself to be whisked away to the streets of Paris in this wonderful patisserie-filled mystery. Nell Magnificent is feeling anything but. Her two beastly parents are planning to leave on a business trip to Paris. Usually, she would spend the holidays at school, but on this occasion it was being redecorated and had sent … Continue reading âThe Pear Affair,â by Judith Eagle, cover by Kim Geyer.
Jessâs writing is fantastic so I was delighted to be sent a copy of her newest title which is firmly rooted in the great outdoors. Cara, her siblings and their Irish wolfhound live on a boat in the countryside. They love their beautiful boat and the fact they can step off the boat and into … Continue reading âWhere the Wilderness Lives,â by Jess Butterworth, cover by Rob Biddulph.
Today is my turn to share with you this truly wonderful graphic novel which depicts the true story of life in a refugee camp through the eyes of a young boy. For almost as long as he can remember, Omar and his brother Hassan have lived in the sprawling Dadaab refugee camp in Kenya. Although … Continue reading Blog tour: âWhen Stars are Scattered,â by Victoria Jamieson and Omar Mohamed.
You just know that any book whose tagline is: âA hilarious story of LOLs, llamas, dramas and finding your voice,â is going to be a quirky, joyous read! Yasmin lives in a very loud house in the East End of London, full of bustling aunties trying to force her into sequinned dresses, annoying brothers playing … Continue reading Blog tour: âLlama Out Loud,â by Annabelle Sami, illustrated by Allen Fatimaharan.
I was so pleased to see another title for younger chapter book fans by Sylvia Bishop - I'd loved âBookshop Girlâ and was eager for more. Betsyâs parents are world famous concert pianists and, despite what they say, Betsy knows theyâd like nothing more than for her to carry on the family business. Â The only … Continue reading â44 Tiny Secrets,â by Sylvia Bishop, illustrated by Ashley King.
In the approach to Fathersâ Day in the U.K., I like to share titles which celebrate dads in all their glory. I am particularly impressed by the two Iâm showcasing today as they have inclusivity and diversity at their cores. âThatâs my Daddy!â by Ruth Redford, illustrated by Dan Taylor (Egmont Publishing) Daddies come in … Continue reading Three cheers for the dads!
Iâm delighted to be part of the blog tour for âBaller Boy,â the first in a new series from author Venessa Taylor and indie publishing house, Hashtag Press. Written with reluctant readers in mind, Venessa wrote this series to empower its readers, whilst reflecting diversity  in football and showcasing different types of families.Shay and Frankie … Continue reading Blog tour: âBaller Boys,â by Venessa Taylor, illustrated by Kenneth Ghann.
During lockdown, our houses have become our castles. Places to hunker down, shelter in safety and be with our families. âIn Every House, on Every Streetâ is the perfect picture book to share and explore the the many variations in homes and families. The bouncy rhyming text takes readers on a tour through the rooms … Continue reading #TuesdayReviewsDay âIn Every House, on Every Street,â by Jess Hitchman, illustrated by Lili La Baleine.
I recently reviewed âSaving Winslow,â by Sharon Creech. This heart-warming book is all about Louie. He had been hoping for a puppy to care for but instead his father brought home a sickly newborn donkey from his uncleâs farm. Louie didnât have a great track record when it came to nurturing small creatures, with worms … Continue reading Designing âSaving Winslow,â by illustrator, Sarah Horne.
Todayâs my turn to shout about âRise of the Shadow Dragons,â the gripping follow up to Liz Flanaganâs award-winning âDragon Daughter.â Make sure you read Lizâs special piece about some of the main themes in this gripping epic. Joe wakes up smiling with the lingering memory of a dream where he was riding on the … Continue reading Blog Tour: âRise of the Shadow Dragons,â by Liz Flanagan.
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 Boyâs school. Freddie Yates likes facts, and thatâs a fact. But itâs not all that … Continue reading Blog Tour: âThe Super Miraculous Journey of Freddie Yates,â by Jenny Pearson, illustrated by Rob Biddulph.
If you havenât read any of Sharon Creechâs stories, âSaving Winslowâ is a great place to start, followed up by her verse novel âLove that Dog.â Louie had been hoping for a puppy to care for but instead his father brings home a sickly newborn donkey from his uncleâs farm. Louie doesnât have a great … Continue reading âSaving Winslow,â by Sharon Creech, illustrated by Sarah Horne.
This week Book Boy Jr. has chosen to share the first in a new series of âDream Teamâ chapter books from Tom  Percival. Erika is sick to death of her baby brother, Randall, getting away with everything and of her parents being too tired or busy to talk to her. After a particularly bad day, … Continue reading #TuesdayReviewsDay: âDream Team: Attack of the Heebie Jeebies,â by Tom Percival.
Chris Haslam is Chief Travel Writer at The Sunday Times, writer of black comedy thrillers for adults and now the author of his first book for children: âOrla and the Serpentâs Curse.â Orla and her family head to a secluded Cornish cottage for they hope will be a relaxing break away from the hustle and … Continue reading âOrla and the Serpentâs Curse,âby C. J. Haslam, cover by Paddy Donnelly.
Ooh readers, you are in for a treat. I read this brilliant curse-filled tale over the course of the day and thoroughly loved it! When Noah Bradley and his family arrive at their newest house in the middle of the night, he canât help but wonder how long he will be able to call it … Continue reading Blog tour: âThe Thirteenth Home of Noah Bradley,â by Amber Lee Dodd,
I am huge fan of Emerâs hilarious writing (see the Lollies 2018 winner - The Big, Fat, Totally Bonkers Diary of Pig) so was thrilled time see that she had an entirely new series out soon - âPests.â âWhen the lights go off the Pests come out!â Told from the perspective of inquisitive mouse, Stix, … Continue reading Blog Tour: âPests,â by Emer Stamp.
As part of our home-schooling timetable, #BookBoy and #BookBoyJr will be writing book reviews to go on the blog. Our very first review, of âSuper Stan,â has been composed by #BookBoy who had his nose buried in it all weekend! Title: Super Stan Author: Elaine Wickson Illustrator: Chris Judge Publisher: Oxford University Press Synopsis: This … Continue reading #TuesdayReviewsDay âSuper Stanâ by Elaine Wickson, illustrated by Chris Judge.
Today I am sharing the creepy, magical tale of a pair of siblings and a house full of secrets: âThe House on Hoarder Hill.â I also have a Q&A with the two authors, Mikki Lish and Kelly Ngai, about the pros and cons of writing as a duo and where their inspiration cane from. Hedy … Continue reading Blog Tour: âThe House on Hoarder Hill,â by Mikki Lish & Kelly Ngai, cover by Maxine Lee-Mackie.
Grief and death are often difficult topics to discuss with children but itâs so important that we do or there can be a serious impact on their mental health. Today Iâm 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 âTibble and Grandpa,â by Wendy Meddour, illustrated by Daniel EgnĂ©us.
Book Boy is really enjoying graphic novels at the moment. His latest discover is the âHildaâ series. This is fantastic news as there are several other graphic novels, a fiction series and a Netflix show to delve into. But let me share Hildaâs latest adventure with you: After being grounded for sneaking out and discovering … Continue reading âHilda and the Mountain King,â by Luke Pearson.
