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'd like to share not one, but two diaries about hapless heroes in sorrowful situations. The Long-Lost Diary of the World's Worst Knight Sir Roderick is a squire at Doddington Castle and longs to be a brave knight. The kind of knight who'll be remembered in heroic tales like King Arthur's knights of the round … Continue reading ‘The Long-Lost Secret Diary of the World’s Worst…’ written by Tim Collins, illustrated by Sarah Horne.
I first came across this book when it was nominated for the Blue Peter Book Awards 2017. When I read the opening, I knew that it was going to be an absolutely fantastic story. It seems that the Blue Peter judges agreed, as Podkin duly won its category. An epic adventure in a land where … Continue reading ‘The Legend of Podkin One-Ear,’ by Kieran Larwood, cover by Fernando Juarez, illustrations by David Wyatt.
Some stories truly do stand the test of time, delighting and inspiring generation after generation of young readers. So I am thrilled to be able to introduce you to two reillustrated classics packed full of bonus features from Alma Classics. 'Five Children and It,' by E. Nesbit, illustrated by Ella Okstad. I have fond memories … Continue reading Two Children’s Classics!
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…
A traitor revealed. An invasion unleashed. A kingdom in peril. I was very excited to be asked to participate in the blog tour for this second instalment in the Defender of the Realm series. Following the shocking events which occurred at his coronation, the young King Alfred II (or Alfie, as he prefers to be … Continue reading ‘Defender of the Realm: Dark Age,’ by Mark Huckerby & Nick Ostler.
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…
I was super-excited to be sent a copy of the third instalment of this prize-winning series. It still features Luke, StarBoy and all their superhuman friends, but with the genius addition of an inter-dimensional toilet! After crash-landing Zorbon the Decider's spacecraft in IKEA, Luke (aka Stellar, aka Evil Twin) sets off to find the parallel … Continue reading ‘My Evil Twin Is A Supervillain, by David Solomons, cover by Laura Ellen Anderson, inside illustrations by Robin Boyden.
It's all about you! This is your chance to create a book all about your favourite person - you! Draw, write, quiz and colour. Fill the pages of this special book with weird and wonderful facts all about you and your family. How fast can you run? What do you dream about? If you ran … Continue reading ‘The Book of Me!’ By Adam Frost, illustrated by Sarah Ray.
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.
This latest book in the 'Uncommon Compendium' is crammed full of fifty of the most incredible structures ever built, including: a skateboard ramp used to jump The Great Wall of China, a giant, mechanical, fire-breathing octopus and a life-size X-Wing Starfighter built of Lego. It features a double-page spread on each of the chosen constructions, with … Continue reading ‘Curious Constructions,’ by Michael Hearst, illustrated by Matt Johnstone.
My next Easter read was recommended to me by several people and has been compared to the excellent 'Northern Lights' trilogy by Philip Pullman. Well that was recommendation enough for me as I loved that series - I decided that 'Sea' was worth spending one of my birthday book tokens on. 'Sea' follows the fortunes of … Continue reading ‘Sea,’ by Sarah Driver, cover by Joe McLaren.
After the roaring success of of Kiran's first novel (The Girl of Ink and Stars, overall winner of the Waterstone's Children's Book Prize 2017), I was eagerly anticipating the release of her next one. Fortunately, due to her well-deserved award win, the publication date was pushed forward and I was able to get my hands on … Continue reading ‘The Island at the End of Everything,’ by Kiran Millwood Hargrave, cover by Helen Crawford-White.
I am really pleased to have been invited to participate in the blog tour for the third action-packed book in The Inventory series. The first two stories were gripping so I knew this one would be too - I wasn't disappointed! In this newest title, we find the World Consortium recruiting more teen agents to work with … Continue reading ‘The Inventory: Black Knight,’ by Andy Briggs.
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.
Introducing the first in a new series of children's books about the diverse Lottery family, from the highly acclaimed author, Emma Donoghue. This heart of this book is nine-year-old bookworm, Sumac, who is struggling to come to terms with her grandfather (Grumps) coming to live with her family after being diagnosed with dementia. The Lotterys … Continue reading ‘The Lotterys Plus One,’ by Emma Donoghue, illustrations by Caroline Hadilaksono.
I am very excited to have been invited to be part of the blog tour for this enchanting book. 'Harper and the Night Forest' is the fourth book in the Harper series (which includes a World Book Day title.) Many thanks to Faye Rogers and Scholastic for inviting me to participate. This latest instalment finds … Continue reading ‘Harper and the Night Forest,’ by Cerrie Burnell, illustrated by Laura Ellen Anderson.
This stellar second novel from Christopher Edge follows on from the success of his first book, the 2017 CILIP Carnegie Nominated: 'The Many Worlds of Albie Bright.' There's a lot of buzz around all things space at the moment thanks to Tim Peake's stay on the International Space Station, and this book is perfect for … Continue reading ‘The Jamie Drake Equation,’ by Christopher Edge. Cover by Matt Saunders. Illustrations by Spike Gerrell
Library Girl and Book Boy 