You know when Nicola Davies releases a new book that it’s going to be something a little bit special. ‘The Dog That Saved Christmas’ looks at Christmas from an entirely different perspective and certainly made me stop and think. For Jake, Christmas is a terrible time of year. The lights are too bright, the decorations … Continue reading ‘The Dog That Saved Christmas,’ by Nicola Davies, illustrated by Mike Byrne.
Introducing a new frosty instalment to the ever-popular Unicorn Academy series. A huge hit in the school library and a perfect stocking-filler for all unicorn fans. Olivia loves being at Unicorn Academy, but can’t help but worry that her unicorn, Snowflake, won’t discover her magic before graduation day. The academy is buzzing with excitement as … Continue reading ‘Olivia and Snowflake,’ by Julie Sykes, illustrated by Lucy Truman.
If you’re looking for a suitably spooky Halloween read, take a peek at one of these. If you dare.... Vlad The World’s Worst Vampire: Midnight Fright by Anna Wilson, illustrated by Kathryn Durst (Stripes Books) Vlad’s back in another adventure and this time his very annoying cousin Lupus is visiting. Poor old Vlad has never … Continue reading Halloween Howlers
A year ago, a stunningly beautiful non-fiction book was published which caused a huge sensation in the media and amongst educators, with crowd-funding campaigns being launched to get thousands of copies into schools. ‘The Lost Words’ is a magical tome full of the disappearing language of the wild. This enchanting book aims to revive words … Continue reading ‘The Lost Words,’ by Robert MacFarlane and Jackie Morris.
It’s that time of year when minds turn to new shoes, crisp new notebooks and tricked-out pencil cases - Back to School time! And it’s no different at St. Grizzle’s, the boarding school with a difference..... St. Grizzle’s School for Girls, Goats and Random Boys is the very first title in the series and tells … Continue reading St. Grizzle’s School For Girls by Karen McCombie, illustrated by Becka Moor.
I am very excited to have a copy of the new title in the brilliant Baker Street Academy series to give away to one lucky reader. Just comment below with the title of a new mystery for Sherlock and the gang to solve. Aimed at readers aged 8+, The Baker Street Academy series follows some … Continue reading ‘Sherlock Holmes and the Baker Street Curse,’ by Sam Hearn.
One of the things I love most about children’s authors, is the seamless way they blend challenging and sensitive issues with humour to make the subject matter approachable for children. ‘Walls’ fits brilliantly into this category with its main character Ned struggling to come to terms with his parents’ divorce and break-up of peer friendships. … Continue reading ‘Walls,’ by Emma Fischel, cover by Sarah Darby.
We’ve already had children asking for this in the school library - the mark of an excellent book series! I’m sure they won’t be disappointed by the newest instalment of Izzy’s adventures - The Phantom Lollipop Man! Every day for, well, forever, the same grumpy old lollipop man has safely escorted Izzy and her pals … Continue reading ‘The Phantom Lollipop Man!’ By Pamela Butchart, illustrated by Thomas Flintham.
It’s vital that children see themselves and their cultures represented in books. That is why publishers like Lantana Publishing are so important. I’m thrilled to have two of their lead Spring titles to share with you. Nimesh the Adventurer by Ranjit Singh, illustrated by Mehrdokht Amini (available April 2018) For Nimesh, even the journey home … Continue reading Lantana Publishing – Spring Titles
The third instalment of the bestselling How to Hide a Lion series has been released just in time for back-to-school. Iris's lion knows that lions aren't allowed at her school; Miss Holland had made that clear on several occasions. Lion uses his hiding know-how and ends up napping on top of the school bus. However, today's the … Continue reading ‘How to Hide a Lion at School,’ by Helen Stephens.
Library Girl and Book Boy 