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!
Today is my stop on the ‘My Family and Other Ghosts’ blog tour. I am very excited to be on board as I’ve loved all the previous books of Lou’s that I’ve read and I have a special piece from her about how the story reflected her relationship with her brother growing up. But first … Continue reading ‘My Family and Other Ghosts,’ by Lou Kuenzler, illustrated by Steve Brown.
As they head back to nursery and school, children might be thinking about making new friends. ‘Hello, Friend!’ is a charming picture book about just that. Inspired by her own daughter who is always keen to make new friends, Cobb has created a wittily-observed story about a little girl who is determined to make friends … Continue reading ‘Hello, Friend!’ By Rebecca Cobb.
In honour of International Dogs Day, here’s a round up of some of the fab books I’ve received featuring some of the most brilliant dogs around! ‘This is a Dog’ by Ross Collins (Nosy Crow) Uh oh! A very loveable but slightly excitable young pup has broken into a First Book of Animals and taken … Continue reading Puppy Love
This blog post has a sea-faring theme with a selection of books for readers of all ages about pirates, the sea, and the creatures who live in it. ‘Lula and the Sea Monster’ by Alex Latimer (OUP) Lula lives by the beach in her beautiful family home and she loves it. She loves looking for … Continue reading Books Ahoy!
I am huge fan of all things witchy and wizard (mainly thanks to a very popular series of children’s books which shall not be named!) and am always very excited when a magical new series arrives on the scene. Cue ‘Starfell: Willow Moss and the Lost Day’.... and LOOK AT THAT COVER! The wonderfully named … Continue reading ‘Starfell: Willow Moss and the Lost Day,’ by Dominique Valente, illustrated by Sarah Warburton.
Today is my stop on the blog tour for the final instalment in the award-winning ‘My Brother is a Superhero’ series and this time your household appliances are out to get you! I also have a fascinating piece by David Solomons about his anxiety as a child, his interesting treatment and endings actually being beginnings. … Continue reading ‘My Cousin is a Time Traveller,’ by David Solomons, illustrated by Robin Boyden.
I thought that, in the run up to sports days across the land, now might be a good time to share this brilliant title. It only reminds me a very little bit of myself! From the team who also brought you ‘I Really Want the Cake!’ (a favourite in our household), our heroine is back … Continue reading ‘I Really Want to Win’ By Simon Philip, illustrated by Lucia Gaggiotti.
Save the library, Save the world! Welcome to my stop on the blog tour for the magical ‘The Dragon in the Library.’ To say that Kit is not the biggest fan of reading would be an understatement. As far as she concerned there is nothing worse than being stuck inside a dusty old library having … Continue reading ‘The Dragon in the Library,’ by Louie Stowell, illustrated by Davide Ortu.
Research has proven the many benefits of snuggling up with a little one and sharing a story, so what better way to celebrate father’s day than with a brand new story book featuring the man himself? Here are three picture books we’ve read recently and a little homage to my own father. ‘What’s Next?’ … Continue reading Father’s Day Reads
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.
Learning to read can be a tricky (and sometimes tedious) business. Although it can be beneficial to read a series of books based on familiar characters, the stories can end up being a little formulaic and uninspiring. My years of teaching (and parenting) experience have shown me nothing if not that variety is the spice … Continue reading Maverick Early Readers – Purple to Gold.
Morag is well-known for her best-selling, eye-popping picture books with wry humour and characters you could fall in love with. It’s for this reason I squeaked in excitement when I spotted ‘Brenda’ peeking out of the Jiffy bag. Book Boy snaffled it first and was sniggering away to himself as he read, but it wasn’t … Continue reading ‘Brenda is a Sheep,’ by Morag Hood.
Today is my stop on the blog tour for ‘Boot: Little Robot Big Adventure,’ the first in a brand new series of highly-illustrated chapter books. I defy you not to fall in love with the rather adorable robot, Boot! Toy robot, Boot, wakes up in a scrapyard with a crack in his face and no … Continue reading ‘Boot: Small Robot Big Adventure,’ by Shane Hegarty, illustrated by Ben Mantle.
Sometimes when children get to the point of being able to confidently read independently they enjoy the challenge of a book which is still highly-illustrated but has more text in it. This is when it's time to reach for some of the brilliant first chapter books which are now available. These are often based on … Continue reading First Chapter Books
Today’s my stop on the ‘Runaway Robot’ blog tour and I have a sneaky peek at the opening of the story AND a copy to giveaway to one lucky person! (Find out how at the bottom of this post.) The inspiration for Frank’s newest story came after a visit to the robot exhibition at The … Continue reading ‘Runaway Robot,’ by Frank Cottrell-Boyce, illustrated by Steven Lenton. Take a peek at an extract from the story.
Today my blog is the port of call for the Malamander blog tour. Get ready to set sail for the quaint seaside town of Eerie-on-Sea. At first glance, Eerie-on-Sea appears to be just like any other seaside town. But this is a town shrouded in legend and mystery - when night falls and the mist … Continue reading ‘Malamander,’ by Thomas Taylor, cover by George Ermos.
I was very excited to open an excellent bundle of Narwhal and Jelly goodies last week. Nearly as excited as Book Boy Who, despite being ill, grabbed the two graphic novels which had been carefully wrapped up and started reading them immediately. Much giggling ensued! Finding graphic novels suitable for younger readers can be very … Continue reading ‘Narwhal and Jelly,’ by Ben Clanton.
Following on from my non-fiction post, Blue Planet 1, which was packed full of some stunning new titles, it’s now the turn of some equally fabulous fiction books. ‘Alba the Hundred Year Old Fish,’ by Lara Hawthorne (Big Picture Press) A highly topical picture book about the damage plastic pollution does to the coral … Continue reading Blue Planet 2 – fabulous fiction
Library Girl and Book Boy 