#NNFN ‘Animal Superpowers: The Most Amazing Ways Animals Have Evolved,’ by Dr Nick Crumpton, illustrated by Viola Wang.

I’m always happy to be a part of the Federation of Children’s Book Group annual celebration of all things non-fiction. Born out of National Non-Fiction Day, the whole month now celebrates all those readers who love nothing more than learning an obscure fact to pop into conversation to surprise people or dipping in and out … Continue reading #NNFN ‘Animal Superpowers: The Most Amazing Ways Animals Have Evolved,’ by Dr Nick Crumpton, illustrated by Viola Wang.

Blog tour: ‘SuperQuesters – The Case of the Stolen Sun,’ by Lisa Moss & Dr. Thomas Bernard, illustrated by Amy Wilcox.

Get ready for a brand new series of books which cleverly use gamification to encourage readers to apply their powers of logic and problem-solving to a series of STEM-based challenges. Questers will develop their coding skills and understanding of algorithms as they follow the interactive story, collecting stickers and rewards as they go. I can … Continue reading Blog tour: ‘SuperQuesters – The Case of the Stolen Sun,’ by Lisa Moss & Dr. Thomas Bernard, illustrated by Amy Wilcox.

Science Week: ‘The Science of the Future: Beyond Belief,’ by Alex Woolf and Jasmine Floyd.

With a new technological breakthrough is announced nearly every week, we are trying to prepare our children for a unknown future and for jobs which don’t even exist yet. This brilliant book explores some of the revolutionary new ideas which are currently being worked on and could soon be permanent features in our lives. It … Continue reading Science Week: ‘The Science of the Future: Beyond Belief,’ by Alex Woolf and Jasmine Floyd.

Blog tour: ‘The Ship of Cloud and Stars,’ by Amy Raphael, cover by George Ermos.

Well my first read of 2022 was an absolute belter! Get ready to step aboard the Anthos and set sail on a thrilling adventure… Nico Cloud desperately wants to be an explorer, but her parents think adventures aren’t for girls. Fate intervenes when Nico chases a kitten on board a ship . . . and … Continue reading Blog tour: ‘The Ship of Cloud and Stars,’ by Amy Raphael, cover by George Ermos.

‘Crowfall,’ by Vashti Hardy, cover by George Ermos.

Blue Peter award-winning author Vashti Hardy is back with another thrilling adventure. If you loved Brightstorm or Wildspark, you won’t want to miss this! Ironhold is an orderly place where "industry brings prosperity", and where nature is pushed aside for progress. But when Orin Crowfall, a lowly servant boy, learns that the island itself is in … Continue reading ‘Crowfall,’ by Vashti Hardy, cover by George Ermos.

Blog tour: ‘A Dinosaur Ate My Sister,’ by Pooja Puri, illustrated by Allen Fatimaharan.

I am forever bemoaning the lack of choice when it comes to dinosaur books for readers looking for a meatier read than a picture book. Well I’m moaning no more as the totally awesome ‘A Dinosaur Ate My Sister’ has stomped onto the scene for all your dino-needs! It’s so good, that it is the … Continue reading Blog tour: ‘A Dinosaur Ate My Sister,’ by Pooja Puri, illustrated by Allen Fatimaharan.

Exclusive! ‘Meet Matilda Rocket Builder: The Early Years Planets and Stars,’ – an original short story by Dom Conlon, illustrated by Heidi Cannon.

You may have already spotted Dom’s original story: ‘Meet Matilda Rocket Builder,’ but today I have an exclusive short story to share with you all….. ‘Going to the Moon is SO last century, so how difficult can it be―even for a ten-year-old―to follow in the footsteps of Neil Armstrong and the Apollo astronauts? Meet Matilda, … Continue reading Exclusive! ‘Meet Matilda Rocket Builder: The Early Years Planets and Stars,’ – an original short story by Dom Conlon, illustrated by Heidi Cannon.

Blog Tour: ‘Science and Me,’ by Ali Winter, illustrated by Mickaël El Fathi.

Today I’m sharing a wonderful information book inspired by the of the amazing women and men who have been honoured to be named as Nobel Prize Laureates in Physics, Chemistry and Medicine. I shall be spotlighting Mario J. Molina who’s pioneering work alerted the world to the dangers of CFCs. Winter and El Fathi have … Continue reading Blog Tour: ‘Science and Me,’ by Ali Winter, illustrated by Mickaël El Fathi.

‘The Snowman and the Sun,’ by Susan Taghdis, illustrated by Ali Mafakheri, translated from Persian by Azita Rassi.

With swathes of the country already enjoying some snow and with more promised, why not make the most of it as part of home learning and get children outside and enjoying themselves? This clever picture book lends itself brilliantly to some screen-free science (states of matter, the water cycle...) and also raises some interesting questions … Continue reading ‘The Snowman and the Sun,’ by Susan Taghdis, illustrated by Ali Mafakheri, translated from Persian by Azita Rassi.

‘The Griffin Gate,’ by Vashti Hardy, illustrated by Natalie Smillie.

Full disclosure - I am a HUGE fan of Vashti’s middle grade adventures (the epic ‘Brightstorm’ series and the Blue Peter Award-Winning, ‘Wildspark.’) I am also a massive fan of Barrington Stoke’s highly-accessible, dyslexia-friendly titles. Imagine if you can, my delight at discovering that these two powerhouses of children’s books were joining forces to create … Continue reading ‘The Griffin Gate,’ by Vashti Hardy, illustrated by Natalie Smillie.

Blog tour: ‘The Ten Riddles of Eartha Quicksmith,’ by Loris Owen.

Today I have a fast-paced sci-fi adventure to share and a special piece from author, Loris Owen, about the inspiration behind ‘squirls.’ Welcome to the dazzling world of Quicksmiths College of Strange Energy. Kip Bramley isn’t exactly popular. So he is surprised and slightly suspicious when he’s approached by a drone whilst hiding out in … Continue reading Blog tour: ‘The Ten Riddles of Eartha Quicksmith,’ by Loris Owen.

Blog Tour: ‘Agent Asha: Mission Shark Bites,’ by Sophie Deen, illustrated by Anjan Sarkar.

I am always pleased to see books featuring girls & STEM, and even more so when the main character is from a BAME background. Imagine then my delight when Agent Asha arrived through my letterbox. Top hacker and coder, Asha, is recruited via a cleverly coded message from the library to join a top secret … Continue reading Blog Tour: ‘Agent Asha: Mission Shark Bites,’ by Sophie Deen, illustrated by Anjan Sarkar.

Blog Tour: ‘The Questioneers: Iggy Peck and the Mysterious Mansion,’ by Andrea Beaty, illustrated by David Roberts.

The Questioneers are back for another mystery-packed adventure and I have a peek at the first chapter - just for you!  This time our favourite child-architect, Iggy Peck, is taking the lead. When Ada Twist's Aunt Bernice inherits an old house full of rooms from all of Iggy's favourite architectural periods, his head's swirling with … Continue reading Blog Tour: ‘The Questioneers: Iggy Peck and the Mysterious Mansion,’ by Andrea Beaty, illustrated by David Roberts.

They Did it First: 50 Scientists, Artists and Mathematicians who Changed the World,’ by Julie Leung, illustrated by Caitlin Kuhwald.

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.

‘How to be Extraordinary,’ by Rashmi Sirdeshpande, illustrated by Annabel Tempest.

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.