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.
You may have already read Libby’s first adventure, ‘Libby and the Parisian Puzzle,’ or perhaps you’re searching for a new middle grade mystery series to get your brain whirring. Either way, you are going to love the second instalment in Jo Clarke’s ‘The Travelling School Mysteries’ series! ‘After a tumultuous term in Paris, Libby and … Continue reading ‘Libby and the Highland Heist,’ by Jo Clarke, illustrated by Becka Moor.
With costs of living rising dramatically, more families are struggling to pay their bills and other essentials. Unfortunately, this may result in more families losing their homes and having to live in temporary accommodation or sofa surf. This hidden homelessness is explored in this touching but humorous tale about what happens to a young boy … Continue reading Blog tour: ‘Has anyone seen Archie Ebbs??’ by Simon Packham.
Monster Max is back in another community-minded adventure. If you missed the first instalment in this chucklesome series, you can take a look here. Make sure you read Robin’s thoughts on why ‘funny’ is so important. Max is an ordinary boy, except that he can turn into a monster when he burps... Max and Peregrine … Continue reading ‘Monster Max and the Marmalade Ghost,’ by Robin Bennett, illustrated by Tom Tinn-Disbury.
Today I have the absolute pleasure of kicking off the blog tour for author, librarian, and superstar blogger, Jo Clarke. I have known Jo for a long time and she has exquisite taste in books so I knew before I’d even read it that her debut was going to be a corker. And I wasn’t … Continue reading Blog tour: ‘Libby and the Parisian Puzzle,’ by Jo Clarke, illustrated by Becka Moor.
It’s that time of year when some of our thoughts may turn to the spooky or the magical. This blog features some of the latest titles I’ve been sent which reflect these themes. Take a look but don’t get scared…! Board Books ‘Five Spooky Friends,’ by Danielle McLean, illustrated by Rosalind Maroney (Little Tiger Press) … Continue reading Happy Halloween
Today I have a middle grade book which is perfect for fans of funny books with an edge. This one just happens to feature a genius baby and a super-villain determined to rid the world of the problem of childhood. Make sure you read the special piece by Daniel about why this book was twenty … Continue reading Blog tour: ‘Little Horror,’ by Daniel Peak.
It is so fantastic to see a brand new sport book which is celebrating RUGBY! There are so many fantastic football books to tempt readers but so few about other sports. And this one has the bonus of a foreword and gameplay tips from former All Black, Conrad Smith. ‘The first in a series of … Continue reading Blog tour: ‘Rampaging Rugby,’ by Robin Bennett, illustrated by Matt Cherry.
Well I’m not going to lie. I’m a card-carrying member of the Crater Lake fan club so I’d been counting down to its sequel ever since I learnt there was going to be one. I couldn’t wait to see what had happened to Lance and the gang after they survived the Crater Lake school trip … Continue reading ‘Crater Lake – Evolution,’ by Jennifer Killick.
I’m always keen to highlight new poetry titles for families & schools to add to their collections as I find it can be a rather overlooked area of the curriculum. There is no excuse for this when such wonderfully observed collections such as ‘Daydreams and Jellybeans’ exist and are just begging to be read aloud … Continue reading ‘Daydreams and Jellybeans: Poems to Read Aloud,’ by Alex Wharton, illustrated by Katy Riddell.
This is the final instalment in Catherine’s award-winning Clockwork Crow trilogy - I couldn’t wait to find out how Seren and Tomos’s adventure was going to end! When Seren slips down a strange alleyway and purchases a mysterious box at the local fair, little does she suspect that it may hold an important secret. When … Continue reading Blog tour: ‘The Midnight Swan,’ by Catherine Fisher.
Today I have a fast-paced sci-fi adventure to share and a special piece from author, Loris Owen, about the inspiration behind ‘squirls.’ Welcome to the dazzling world of Quicksmiths College of Strange Energy. Kip Bramley isn’t exactly popular. So he is surprised and slightly suspicious when he’s approached by a drone whilst hiding out in … Continue reading Blog tour: ‘The Ten Riddles of Eartha Quicksmith,’ by Loris Owen.
I am able to offer you the very first exclusive peek at the first in a brand new series of hilarious chapter books for readers aged seven and up! Publishing 18th February 2021 - so set your alarms! Max is a rather unusual 9-year-old; when he burps, Max turns into a rather large bin-eating monster. … Continue reading Cover Reveal: ‘Monster Max and the Bobble Hat of Forgetting,’ by Robin Bennett, illustrated by Tom Tinn-Disbury.
Empathy is a vital human force. One that creates happier children, stronger communities and a better world. It’s come into sharp focus during the pandemic and right now, we’ve never needed it more. Empathy is being able to imagine and share someone else’s feelings. The good news is that it's a skill you can learn, … Continue reading Empathy Day: ‘Flight,’ by Vanessa Harbour.
I am almost ashamed to admit that I hadn’t read any of Welsh Children’s laureate, Eloise Williams’s titles before ‘Wilde,’ but I had heard the most amazing things about her writing so was excited to get engrossed by Wilde’s story. Wilde has managed to get herself expelled from boarding school, again. Rather than face a … Continue reading ‘Wilde’ by Eloise Williams.
Jennifer Killick is one of the most amazing authors of funny books (see her Alex Sparrow series or Mo, Lottie and the Junkers) so I was more than a little intrigued when I heard that her next book was going to be scary. Maybe even - a horror! Would she keep her trademark humour or … Continue reading ‘Crater Lake,’ by Jennifer Killick.
Having recently heard a lot of good things about ‘Lori and Max,’ I decided to make it my next read. I am pleased to report back that I wasn’t disappointed. Lori Mason wants to be a detective, but she keeps this very quiet at school because it’s not a good idea to be different. She’d … Continue reading ‘Lori and Max,’ by Catherine O’Flynn, cover by Jennifer Hall.
Jennifer is best known for her ear-fartingly funny ‘Alex Sparrow’ series but ‘Mo, Lottie and the Junkers’ is something a little bit different... Mo Appleby is the kind of boy who appreciates routine and order in his life, so he is understandably put out when things are turned upside down by he and his mum … Continue reading ‘Mo, Lottie and the Junkers,’ by Jennifer Killick, illustrated by Gareth Conway.
I am very excited to see more fantastic stories from around the world being translated into English so that we can enjoy them in this country too. It’s very important to value work from other counties and cultures, as well as our own. That’s why I was so pleased when Firefly Press gave me Dog … Continue reading ‘Dog Town,’ by Luīze Pastore, illustrated by Reinis Pētersons, translated by Žanete Vēvere Pasqualini.
As you may know, voting for this year's Laugh Out Loud 2017 Book Awards is now open. To help you choose your winner, Scholastic have very generously given me a book bundle to give away which contains all the nominees for the 6-8 year old category! These would be the perfect addition to any bookcase … Continue reading Awesome Lollies short-list giveaway!
Library Girl and Book Boy 