I am spoiling you with two gorgeous picture books by illustrative powerhouses: Britta Teckentrup and Sam Usher. 'Moon: Night-time Around the World,' illustrated by Britta Teckentrup, written by Patricia Hegarty (Little Tiger Group) Teckentrup has established herself as one of the great illustrators of our time. In this book, she brings the nocturnal world alive … Continue reading The Moon and the Sun…
Read this book you must. It gets the Stormtrooper Book Club seal of approval! It's Victor Starspeeder's second year at Jedi Academy and things are not going as he planned - he just can't stop over-sleeping and Master Yoda is getting mad! To make matters worse, his tardiness has meant that he's missed out on … Continue reading Holiday Read #5 ‘The Jedi Academy: The Force Oversleeps,’ by Jarrett Krosoczka.
I am thrilled to be able to combine two of my great passions in this blog post: fabulous books and chocolate cake! 'Chocolate Cake' by Michael Rosen, illustrated by Kevin Waldron ( Puffin Books) Finally, there's a gloriously illustrated picture book of Michael Rosen's now classic funny poem, 'Chocolate Cake.' It tells the tale of … Continue reading Let Them Eat Cake!
In today's society, with not only peer pressure but the pressures of social media to contend with, children can sometimes struggle to have the courage to be themselves. 'Perfectly Norman' is a story about a boy who felt exactly the same way, until one day something extraordinary happened to him... Norman had always been perfectly … Continue reading ‘Perfectly Norman,’ by Tom Percival.
Any book which makes its reader twist, turn, jump and shout gets a huge thumbs up in our house. That's why we were so excited to receive these three titles recently... Crocodali by Lucy Volpin (Templar Publishing) Crocodali considers himself one of the world's greatest artists and YOU are privileged enough to be invited to … Continue reading Twist and shout!
I am loving the current trend for drawing on the classic plot lines and characters of beloved fairy tales and injecting them with a hefty dose of attitude and wit, especially those where the formerly helpless princesses was expected to lay about waiting for a prince to come and rescue them. The two new paperback … Continue reading Two deliciously twisted tales…
Children's non-fiction books have become so much more interactive and engaging recently. This title from Ivy Kids Shine-a-Light series is no exception. As children are reading, they can explore the secrets of our world using a torch to reveal hidden images within the illustrations. They'll be able to see beneath the floor of a sandy … Continue reading ‘Secrets of Our Earth: a Shine-a-Light Book,’ by Carron Brown and Wesley Robins.
I am a huge fan of Zommer's beautifully-illustrated books so was thrilled to be sent a copy of his latest picture book for Templar - 'Big Brown Bear's Cave.' Big Brown Bear is looking for a new cave to call his own and is delighted when he quickly finds a dark and dusty cave which … Continue reading ‘Big Brown Bear’s Cave,’ by Yuval Zommer.
'Grab your hard hat, tie your boots. Pack your lunch. Let's get to work!' Dog and his friend, Bird, have a busy day ahead of them. Planning, digging, hammering and sawing - there's lots of work to be done. But can they finish their job before the sun goes down? Jarvis' exhuberant illustrations leap off … Continue reading ‘Ready, Set, Build!’ By Jarvis and Meg Fleming.
Duck wants to join a club but finds that he lacks the necessary qualifications. What should he do? Duck wanted to make some new friends so he took the sensible step of deciding to join a club. Unfortunately, his inability to roar meant that he was laughed out Lion Club. The fact he had arms … Continue reading ‘Can I Join Your Club?,’ by John Kelly and Steph Laberis.
You're going to go wild for this book of beastly brilliance! Why do wolves howl at the moon? Do hyenas really laugh? Why do hippos love the mud? You'll find the answer to all these questions, and many more, inside this brilliant book, bristling with facts. Featuring beautifully illustrated double-page spreads about each animal, it's … Continue reading ‘The Big Book of Beasts,’ by Yuval Zommer, beast expert – Barbara Taylor.
Today's the day! Today, we finally get to find out which books were selected as some of the funniest recent publications by the Lollies judging panel! Despite my best efforts on short-listing day, I was unable to spot which pile of books were the chosen few; there were so many fantastic titles about the offices. … Continue reading Introducing the Laugh Out Loud 2017 Book Awards Nominees…
At the end of April, great excitement rippled through our school library when we were invited on a top-secret mission to Scholastic HQ to interview the judges after they'd selected the short list for the Laugh Out Loud 2017 Book Awards (aka The Lollies). These awards were established by Michael Rosen to fill the void left by … Continue reading The Laugh Out Loud 2017 Book Awards Short-listing Day…
Introducing Emma Jane, her aeroplane and all the animal friends she collects on her whistle-stop tour around the world. Emma Jane is a girl who likes adventure. As she sets off in her plane one evening, little does she know that she's about to head off on a round-the-world trip. The first big city in … Continue reading ‘Emma Jane’s Aeroplane,’ by Katie Haworth, illustrated by Daniel Reiley.
Ahoy me hearties! There be treasure in these pages! This is the tale of a boy and his plucky sea dog who set sail to find the hidden treasure of Pirate Frank. They sail the stormy seas, trek over snow-capped mountains and brave a gooey swamp, all to reach the tree which marks the spot. … Continue reading ‘The Treasure of Pirate Frank,’ by Mal Peet & Elspeth Graham, illustrated by Jez Tuya.
In today's political climate, we are constantly being told how different we all are from each other. That's why I was delighted to be sent this clever book which not only celebrates our differences but also points out how we are all the same. This book was inspired by Matt Lamothe's own experiences as he … Continue reading ‘This Is How We Do It – one day in the lives of seven kids from around the world,’ by Matt Lamothe.
Travel the world from the comfort of your chair with this gloriously illustrated book from Marc Martin. An absolutely delightful guide to the world for young explorers. You'll be taken from the favelas of Rio de Janeiro to the frozen continent of Antarctica via Hong Kong and Ulaanbaatar. The pages are full of fun and … Continue reading ‘Lots,’ by Marc Martin.
I was delighted to be invited to participate in the blog tour for this beautiful mother-daughter collaboration. The Owl and the Pussycat went to sea, in a box on the living room floor. They sailed away for a year and a day and these are the things that they saw... Join two curious children on … Continue reading ‘The Adventures of the Owl and the Pussycat,’ by Coral Rumble, illustrated by Charlotte Cooke.
This book rocked up at exactly the right time as my youngest son is currently obsessed with playing his drum kit and dancing around to his favourite Black Sabbath songs! Jimmy lived in the nicest village you ever did see - the prettiest park, a perfect police station and the most super school. The only … Continue reading ‘Jimmy Finnigan’s Wild Wood Band,’ by Tom Knight.
Are you getting bored of doing the same old things and playing the same old games? Are you fed-up watching tv or playing on your games console? Then this is the book for you - and you could WIN it right here! Just comment below with the name of your favourite game or activity to … Continue reading ‘The Anti-Boredom Book of Brilliant Outdoor Things to Do,’ by Andy Seed, illustrated by Scott Garrett.
Library Girl and Book Boy 