I recently reviewed ‘Saving Winslow,’ 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 uncle’s farm. Louie didn’t have a great track record when it came to nurturing small creatures, with worms … Continue reading Designing ‘Saving Winslow,’ by illustrator, Sarah Horne.
The Questioneers are back for another mystery-packed adventure and I have a peek at the first chapter - just for you! This time our favourite child-architect, Iggy Peck, is taking the lead. When Ada Twist's Aunt Bernice inherits an old house full of rooms from all of Iggy's favourite architectural periods, his head's swirling with … Continue reading Blog Tour: ‘The Questioneers: Iggy Peck and the Mysterious Mansion,’ by Andrea Beaty, illustrated by David Roberts.
If you haven’t read any of Sharon Creech’s stories, ‘Saving Winslow’ is a great place to start, followed up by her verse novel ‘Love that Dog.’ Louie had been hoping for a puppy to care for but instead his father brings home a sickly newborn donkey from his uncle’s farm. Louie doesn’t have a great … Continue reading ‘Saving Winslow,’ by Sharon Creech, illustrated by Sarah Horne.
This week Book Boy Jr. has chosen to share the first in a new series of ‘Dream Team’ 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: ‘Dream Team: Attack of the Heebie Jeebies,’ by Tom Percival.
I am huge fan of Emer’s 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 - ‘Pests.’ “When the lights go off the Pests come out!” Told from the perspective of inquisitive mouse, Stix, … Continue reading Blog Tour: ‘Pests,’ by Emer Stamp.
I live in a house of football-mad boys and although there are plenty of football-themed titles for my eldest (10-year-old) son, it has been much trickier to find any decent biographies for my six-year-old. That’s why I was so delighted to be sent copies of two of the titles in the ‘Football Superstars’ biography series, written … Continue reading The ‘Football Superstars’ from Welbeck Publishing.
As children become more confident and independent readers, they often want a chapter book they are able to enjoy on their own, as well as a read-aloud. Stripes Publishing have an absolutely beautifully produced range which I am going to share with you now. The whole series is hardback with glossy pages and colour illustrations … Continue reading Gorgeous First Chapter Books from Stripes Publishing
Bravery and self-confidence are not things which come naturally to all children and are certainly emotions which can fluctuate over time. But both, I believe, are key to good mental health, over-coming barriers and being resilient. This lovely title from Wacky Bee’s ’Buzzy Reads’ series is a great introduction to these ideas for young children … Continue reading ‘Alfred and the Blue Whale,’ by Mina Lystad, illustrated by Åshlid Irgens.
I personally believe that as adults and educators, it’s imperative that we encourage our young people to develop and empathy for others and to understand some of the wider issues in the world around. Based on an award-winning poem of Rumble’s, ‘Mustafa’s Jumper’ would be an excellent choice to open up discussions about what it … Continue reading ‘Mustafa’s Jumper,’ by Coral Rumble, illustrated by Charlotte Cooke.
I am a huge fan of Chris Ridell’s work - stories and illustrations - so imagine my excitement when I discovered he was writing a brand new magical adventure series AND that I was invited to be part of its blog tour! The Kingdom Of Thrynne is a place of ancient magic, but those seen … Continue reading “The Cloud Horse Chronicles: Guardians Of Magic,” by Chris Riddell.
#BookBoy loves gaming. Luckily, he also loves reading. But titles which allow him combine these two interests are few and far between. I’ve been racking my brain for children’s books which feature computer games as a key component, and here’s what I’ve managed to come up with! ‘Glitch’ by Sarah Graley (Scholastic) has just dropped … Continue reading Game On! Level up with these books about gaming!
Library Girl and Book Boy 