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 ‘Super Stan,’ 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 ‘Super Stan’ by Elaine Wickson, illustrated by Chris Judge.
With Spring in the air and daffodils donning their yellow bonnets, now is the time of year when my thoughts turn to gardening. Pruning rose bushes and planting bulbs in the hopes of a riot of colour and creepy-crawlies come Summer. My boys love helping me choose which bulbs and bedding plants to purchase and … Continue reading How does your garden grow?
Today I am sharing the creepy, magical tale of a pair of siblings and a house full of secrets: ‘The House on Hoarder Hill.’ 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: ‘The House on Hoarder Hill,’ by Mikki Lish & Kelly Ngai, cover by Maxine Lee-Mackie.
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.
Today is World Maths Day. And what better way to celebrate than with a book? A great picture can help develop both a love of reading AND improve maths skills at the same time . I’m going to share three new books all about counting which would be great to use at any time. Not … Continue reading Books You Can Count On (or with!)
You are going to go batty for this glorious book about the often maligned and overlooked mammals which are bats! I have been a huge fan of Charlotte’s work since reading her stunning ‘The Bee Book’ which highlighted the beauty and importance of our buzzy little friends. This absolutely fascinating book is packed with more … Continue reading Blog tour: ‘The Bat Book,’ by Charlotte Milner.
Fans of funny and all things Barry Loser will be delighted to learn that creator of craziness, Jim Smith is back with a BRAND NEW series! The Pebble family (humans not stones) are moving to Donut Island and it would be fair to say that neither of the kids (Melvin and Violet) are looking forward … Continue reading ‘A Super Weird Mystery: Danger at Donut Diner,’ by Jim Smith
I’m starting wonder if the hit Netflix series, ‘Stranger Things,’ is partly responsible for the slowly growing trickle of spooky, kooky Sci-Fi novels with a good dollop of retro. ‘The Bigwoof Conspiracy’ would definitely fit into that category. Twelve-year-old Lucy Sladan is obsessed with the ‘unexplained.’ And there’s plenty of unexplained occurnaces in her home … Continue reading ‘The Bigwoof Conspiracy,’ by Dashe Roberts, illustrations by Bill Bragg.
This next collection of biographies features fifty individuals who weren’t afraid to break boundaries, take risks and dream big. This book is beautifully illustrated and features a fantastic mix of people - well-known and not so well-known. It has entries for inventors, scientists, artists, sports people, writers, film makers and actors, amongst others. I was … Continue reading They Did it First: 50 Scientists, Artists and Mathematicians who Changed the World,’ by Julie Leung, illustrated by Caitlin Kuhwald.
I love that the whole premise of this book is to inspire readers to think about how they are extraordinary too. Inside, is a fabulous selection of inspirational figures from around the world - some well-known and some less so. This wonderful book is so packed full of some of the most amazing people, that … Continue reading ‘How to be Extraordinary,’ by Rashmi Sirdeshpande, illustrated by Annabel Tempest.
‘Trailblazer’ series from Stripes Publishing This series is aimed at readers aged 8+ and features some of history’s greatest pioneers from all walks of life. They are absolutely packed with facts, trivia and illustrations, making for engaging reads. Harriet Tubman: A Journey To Freedom, by Sandra A. Agard, illustrated by Luisa Uribe, George Ermos, and … Continue reading Brilliant Biographies
I was left feeling bereft after finishing Leonard’s fabulous Beetle Boy trilogy so was extremely excited to see that she was embarking on a new series of books with friend, Sam Sedgman. Let me introduce the first instalment of the new Adventures on Trains series: The Highland Falcon Thief. When Harrison Beck (or ‘Hal’ to … Continue reading ‘The Highland Falcon Thief,’ by M.G. Leonard & Sam Sedgman, illustrations by Elisa Paganelli.
Welcome to my stop on Agent Zaiba’s blog tour. If you’re looking for a thoroughly modern take on a children’s detective novel, this is it! You can also find out more about our curious crime-solver in an exclusive Q & A about Zaiba herself. Zaiba is following in her mother’s footsteps: always on the lookout … Continue reading Blog Tour: ‘Agent Zaiba Investigates,’ by Annabelle Sami, illustrated by Daniela Sosa.
I absolutely love this series of interactive books which has been carefully developed by psychotherapist and former primary teacher, Dr. Sharie Coombes. As schools continue to focus on mental health and mindfulness, these books are perfect for pupils to work through or dip in and out of. ‘Letting Go!’ focuses on helping children recognise feelings … Continue reading ‘Mindful Kids’ Activity Books by Dr. Sharie Coombes, illustrated by Katie Abey.
Book Boy is really enjoying graphic novels at the moment. His latest discover is the ‘Hilda’ 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 Hilda’s latest adventure with you: After being grounded for sneaking out and discovering … Continue reading ‘Hilda and the Mountain King,’ by Luke Pearson.
On a lazy Sunday afternoon, Book Boy Jr. decided that he was feeling creative so I whipped out my box of ‘Art Out of the Box’ activity cards to test out. Although I sometimes find doing art at home (and in school) a little stressful, I know that it’s brilliant for developing motor skills, expressing … Continue reading ‘Art Out of the Box,’ concept from Nicky Hoberman, illustrated by Hiromi Suzuki & ‘Matisse’s Magical Trail,’ by Tim Hopgood, illustrated by Sam Boughton.
I have to confess that I was sent this title a little while ago and planned to review it straight away. However. Book Boy may have appropriated it and taken it upstairs so that justice could be served in his bedroom! I managed to negotiate a hostage exchange (for the new ‘Gorebrah’ graphic novel) … Continue reading ‘Claire: Justice Ninja,’ by Joe Brady and Kate Ashwin.
Everyone’s favourite woodland super-spy is back in another somewhat snowy adventure. This time, Agent Weasel has the honour of captaining the WI6 (Woodland Intelligence) squad - Team United Woodlands. Find out how you can win a copy of your own at the end of this review.... It’s the opening night of the Winter Whopper Games … Continue reading ‘Agent Weasel and the Abominable Dr Snow,’ by Nick East.
Since reading the awesome The Phoenix comic, Book Boy has become a huge fan of graphic novels. So when I was offered the opportunity to review ‘Gorebrah,’ I was told in no uncertain terms that I definitely did have to! Originally to be found on the pages of The Phoenix, Gorebrah is a chef with … Continue reading ‘Gorebrah! The Mightiest Chef in the Universe!’ by James Stayte.
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.
Library Girl and Book Boy 