Author jillrbennett

Dino’s Pizza Delivery Service / Your Dog is Controlling your Mind

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Below are 2 Tiny Tree Books titles – thanks to the publisher for sending them for review.

Dino’s Pizza Delivery Service
Tom Phipps and Charlie Swan Pullin

A zany rhyming tale of how to and how not to, make many people’s favourite meal. It starts way back in prehistoric times with various dinosaurs providing instructions on the process – stomping and pressing, flipping and spinning and stretching the dough, then adding sauces carefully so as to have a crusty circumference. Next come toppings – your personal favourites – before the pizza is slid into the oven (using a tail so to do) and spinning it to get all round heat. Once cooked, place in a box and cut into slices ready for delivery. (Each step of the process uses a part to dinosaur anatomy.) Then off you fly to sell your yummy dino pizzas at prehistoric prices.

Fast forward millions of years: things have changed and pizzas are now made by chickens. Will they make a success of the pizza business? Assuredly they are successful at something else …
Charlie Swan Pullin’s wacky illustrations are just right for making young humans’ mouths water as they follow the dinosaurs process while perhaps giving them indigestion at the sight of the chickens’ catastrophic cooking as they attempt to take over the business.

A good book for beginner readers to get their teeth into as well as for reading aloud.

Your Dog is Controlling your Mind
Stephen Lynch and Davilyn Lynch

Dog owners, have you ever considered this: you are not in control of your canine companion, said creature is controlling you? It’s true: your furry friend has you at its beck and call. Don’t believe me: try listening to the young narrator of this book whose parents gave her a puppy for her birthday. She named it Sam and the two quickly became best pals doing everything together. She also notices that the whole neighbourhood appears to have suddenly become dog crazy. For instance there’s neighbour, Miss Gordon, once prim and proper, smartly clad and tidy home owner, but not so any more: her Rufus slobbers all over her and wipes his muddy paws on her classy coat. Teacher, Mr Magnusson spends much of his time following his pooch and picking up its poo, which he then has to carry in a bag while walking his poodle.
As for the narrator’s sister, she is super nice to Sam but pretty mean to little sister and as for their parents, Mum is prepared to get soaking wet while walking the dog and Dad will sacrifice a sausage (albeit secretly) and feed it to Sam, he that loafs around on the sofa all day.

Seems there’s no other explanation for all this strange behaviour by humans other than mind control. But what of moggies – they will likely be shipped off to a deserted island.

Be warned, treat your dog with TLC just in case canines control the country one day.

As a human who has cynophobia, I steer well clear of dogs and this tail-wagging tale, despite Davilyn Lynch’s charming illustrations, has made me all the more determined so to do. Nevertheless dog owners will be amused and likely lap it up.

The Incredible Other Side

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The Incredible Other Side
Andrew J. Ross
Frances Lincoln Children’s Books

There’s something incredible behind the wall, so says the green-hatted character carrying a spade to the one sporting a blue hat. However, the spade cracks and breaks into two pieces. Along comes a yellow-hatted child with a rope hoping to climb over the wall; but as you might guess, the supposedly long, strong rope snaps cascading the climbers into the snow.

Having heard that something incredible awaits on the other side of the wall, up come two more children, one in purple, the other in red and they’re carrying a ladder. However despite it supposedly being sturdy – CRACK! The ladder falls apart.

The smallest child then steps forward saying, “There’s only one thing to do. You’ll have to go through the wall.” She ignores the others’ comments as they stomp off. Could it be however, that in order to reach the INCREDIBLE OTHER SIDE you have to think rather differently.

A delightfully droll story celebrating problem-solving of the creative kind: try thinking outside the box is the message.

I Will Haunt This

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I Will Haunt This
Viviane Schwarz and Chris Riddell
Walker Books

In an attic is an ancient vase, a haunted vase. Along comes a cat and sends the vase tumbling, so we’re left with seventy two pieces and a little ghost – now free.

Off goes the ghost to do some haunting somewhere other than the attic. The house belongs to pleasant people with lots of new things so the ghost continues on its way searching in cupboards. In one it discovers a very large, warm cosy sweater – just the thing to haunt decides the ghost, especially as it’s a jumper full of hope and love. Snugly within the garment, the ghost dances till the evening when a girl arrives and is astonished to see a dancing jumper. Said jumper introduces itself and the girl asks why it’s wearing the jumper knitted by her grandpa. Amused she invites the ghost to become her friend and inquires where it lives.

Its response results in it being given a new place to haunt, a place full of warm memories. The ghost very much approves of its new situation and goes on to help the girl with her drawing, something she’s been struggling with. She continues with her drawing long into the night and in the morning shows the ghost what she’s drawn and says who it’s for.

How do you think the ghost reacts?

This truly tender tale shows how unlikely items can hold great importance; and that it’s vital we appreciate the time spent with friends, new and not so new, as well as valuing made objects created specially for us with love.

As always, Chris Riddell’s illustrations are stunning; the picture drawn by the girl for the ghost is one readers and listeners will want to spend ages poring over its fine details. A fantastic combination of words and pictures.

The Home That Beaver Built

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The Home That Beaver Built
Christine Pym
Scholastic

One day after a long search Beaver finds the perfect place to build herself a new home. This she does competently and before long it’s ready to move in to. “It’s perfect!” sighs Beaver as she settles down to sleep. Sleep however, is not what comes: instead frog arrives declaring the pond, and in particular its lily pads, just the place for a frog’s home. You can imagine how Beaver feels. But things get even worse when a vole, and then two geese, a water shrew and other creatures appear, declaring that Beaver is a great engineer and that the home is sure to be a happy place for them all. No longer able to contain her anger, Beaver yells out, telling the other animals to go away. Hasty apologies from newcomers ensue and off they go. However very soon Beaver begins to miss those neighbours, particularly when a thunderstorm causes the river water to rise and destroy her dam.
Frightened and alone, clutching a log, Beaver floats down the river crying for help. Fortunately xgoose flying by with a branch in its beak comes to her rescue and the other animals drag her safely ashore. Apologies from Beaver quickly follow and then the creatures work together to construct a home sufficiently large to accommodate them all. Teamwork wins the day and surrounded by her friends, Beaver realises that “Home is more than a place, it’s where you feel you belong.”

Robber Rabbit

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Robber Rabbit
Lucy Rowland and Alessandro Montagnana
Scholastic

A woodland glen is home to lots of different creatures – squirrels, badgers, mice, hedgehogs and more. One day a little rabbit, seeking a home decides to move into the large tree and make it his own. Then one day a big wind blows through the woods sweeping away all the berries and seeds till the only food remaining is on and around Rabbit’s home tree. Needless to say Rabbit is delighted but despite the plethora of tasty treats he refuses to share it, leaving the other animals with rumbling tummies.
Rabbit cooks and eats all day until bedtime but then his sleep is suddenly broken and he finds himself shouting, “Something is wrong! The others are hungry. They’ll think I’m rude! …” Up he leaps concerned that they’ll come and steal it. The following morning the greedy Rabbit builds a tall barricade around his trees

and even though that evening he is aware of the other creatures’ needs, he still maintains that he’s been fair.

Next day Rabbit’s mood is different and he is surprised at how quiet it is around his home. Some days later a realisation dawns and Rabbit shouts an apology and offers food to all his woodland friends. Only a single bird hears and Rabbit enlists its help. Off flies the tiny bird and come the morning, it finds Rabbit’s pals. At midday loud crashing and banging disturbs Rabbit’s lunch preparations; he grabs his spade and off he goes to join the others busily destroying the surrounding wall, after which he invites them all in to share a feast.

At last Rabbit has learned a vital life lesson, or may be more than one …

With its final flap reveal, this rhyming story has an important message, not just for the protagonist but for us all.

A Little Bit Braver

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A Little Bit Braver
Nicola Kinnear
Alison Green Books (Scholastic)

Luna and Logan return with a new fear to overcome. Time was that Logan was a stop-at-home bunny and his pal Luna was full of bravado but now having discovered how exciting adventures can be, he accompanies Luna everywhere. They’d set off daily in search of something new with Luna ensuring that they’d return home before dark.

Then one day, Logan doesn’t want to go home; he’s having way too much fun and anyway they’ve both got torches and something to eat. But Luna suddenly admits that she’s scared of the dark – the kind of dark that’s all around. Logan tells his friend how amazing night is and wants to show why, to which Luna reluctantly agrees, if he does so on their way home. Down the hill they go; Logan points out all the nocturnal creatures but all Luna is interested in is getting home as fast as possible, no matter the sounds around and which creature makes which sound. So fast does she go that Logan suddenly realises that his friend can no longer see nor hear him. Moreover, Logan gets himself hurt, lost and very wet and stinky. ‘Squelch! Squelch! Squelch!’ what could that be?

Happily it’s not a monster but a friend coming to the rescue.

Can their walk home together change the way that Logan feels about the dark? Can Luna help him conquer his nyctophobia?

Many small children have a fear of the dark and Nicola Kinnear’s amusing story with its wonderfully expressive illustrations is ideal for helping them to talk about how they feel and perhaps their fear might even begin to wane.

No Way! I’ll Stay!

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No Way! I’ll Stay!
Donna David and Dao Linh
Scholastic

This story, narrated by Bear, starts in Farley Forest where the leaves on the trees are turning golden and red, indicating that it’s time for the animals to prepare for the winter’s chills. Bear tells readers that Bird should be getting ready to leave for warmer climes. Bird hears his name but isn’t happy to hear about migrating; in fact he flatly refuses, saying, “No way! … I’ll stay right here!” Bird goes on to talk of why – the gorgeous view and how the wind tickles his feathers. Bear continues to try persuading his feathered friend but Bird is having none of it and continues to reply, “… No way! I’ll stay!” Seemingly Bird’s mind is completely closed on the topic of migration.
Then suddenly one of Bear’s comments elicits ‘Humph. maybe I’ll go just this once.” from Bird and off it flies with a hasty goodbye.


On arrival at what looks like the tropical African plains, Bird is welcomed by fellow avian migrants and even admits this new place is not so bad after all. So much so that when the hot, hot sun dries out the ground of Whispering Plain, the animals know they need to prepare for the long, hot summer months and Bird gets ready to leave or …

The dialogue between the two main characters is sure to bring a smile to both adult readers and young listeners and the latter will delight in joining in the repeat refrain, “No way! I’ll stay! There are some wonderfully amusing details in Dao Linh’s illustrations such as Bird’s satchel-like bag and the expression on the face of the grub that Bird is consuming.

A fun book to share as the leaves turn red and brown and in addition to enjoying the story, little ones will learn something about migration as they listen. (There are also some basic facts on the final spread .)

Earth Ever After

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Earth Ever After
Elin Manon
Big Picture Press

By means of Elin Manon’s lyrical text and awesome illustrations, Mother Earth becomes the narrator of a story that takes readers on a journey that starts with Earth’s creation and the birth of life itself all the way through to the present day,

a journey through which we witness the transformation of the planet and its profound bond with humanity itself. More than a mere story however, it reminds us all that we share a crucial responsibility to do all we can to protect the world around us.

All is not yet lost; there is hope so long as we together, in groups and individually think about ways we can live more harmoniously with this amazing planet we inhabit but do NOT own. Thought alone though is not enough; it’s action that will save the Earth.

I’ve never seen anything quite like Elin Manon’s stunning book before: I’d love to see one in every primary and secondary school collection to be shared, discussed and acted upon. Our relationship with nature is everyone’s responsibility.

The Pumpkin Thief / Squirrel & Duck’s Autumn Adventure

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The Pumpkin Thief
Alice Hemming and Nicola Slater
Scholastic

Bird has a new favourite activity – growing vegetables. Squirrel though is not convinced: “Nothing is happening! They’re never going to grow!” he insists. However, come the autumn, Bird has five pumpkins to show for his labours. Squirrel’s favourite is an enormous orange one.
Bird hints that Squirrel might consider giving him some help so off goes Squirrel to get his work gloves, only to find there are only four pumpkins remaining. The bushy-tailed creature then decides to do some watering, simultaneously noticing that the number of pumpkins is now three.

On discovering, having filled the watering can, that just two gourds remain, Squirrel is suspicious, eventually concluding that there’s a thief about. Where is Bird now? Surely not taken by that thief. Time to look for clues. Squirrel finds a feather, peck marks, footprints and more, then uses these to construct a sketch of the suspect.

What readers may work out is that each clue points to one of Squirrel and Bird’s friends. It transpires that Bird was off presenting pumpkins to their other pals and has kept the largest to give to “my very best friend.” You can guess who that is. Why though has Squirrel dragged it right up into the branches of a tree? “So the pumpkin thief can’t find it, of course1” comes the answer.

The final spread comprises pumpkin facts.

Young listeners and readers will delight in the captivating main characters especially Squirrel’s persistence, Bird’s kindness and the crazy antics depicted in Nicola Slater’s vibrant scenes of the autumnal mystery.
Definitely a book to share with KS1 classes in the first part of the autumn term.
So too is:

Squirrel & Duck’s Autumn Adventure
Harriet Stone and Moonlie
Words & Pictures

We join friends, Kit the squirrel and Willow the duck as they explore the joys of autumn, their favourite season. Willow’s remark that it’s difficult to see Kit as his fur blends in with the red and orange of the leaves at this time of year, prompts the squirrel to suggest they play a game of hide-and-seek. Kit hides first but is quickly discovered by his friend and very soon they have run out of new places to hide. Reluctant to stop the game so quickly Kit hides again, but having squeezed into a seemingly ideal hiding spot, he comes upon a mouse. The mouse remains still no matter how much Kit wriggles around and eventually Willow appears on the scene. This alarms the mouse and it explains that being a nocturnal creature, it was fast asleep.

Suddenly as they talk, Kit notices the golden glow of the afternoon sun and this delights the little rodent. Eventually the three of them snuggle up together and fall asleep. What do you think their dreams were about?

After the fun story there’s a ‘Did You Know?’ spread giving information about both squirrels and ducks, make a red squirrel and craft a little duck instructions and a spot the difference game.

With Moonlie’s glowing scenes and Harriet Stone’s engaging text that capture the magic of the season, this is a charming book to curl up and enjoy as the nights begin to draw in. Alternatively it’s a good one to share with Foundation Stage children early in the autumn term.

Poems on Toast

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Poems on Toast
Attie Lime, illustrated by Emily Ford
Troika Books

Probably most suitable for KS2 readers is Attie Lime’s latest collection of poetry. Her focus is childhood experiences and although the majority of the poems are upbeat, others embrace more serious subjects, including sadness. This is something she presents sensitively, particularly in Nan:
‘Full to the brim with smiles / she knew how to / turn a day on its head, / discover silver streamers in the grey sky, / find golden treasure in the long, wet grass.’ Beautiful that. So too is Three Weeks After wherein two sit side by side beneath a big tree ‘… and we were for a minute, listening to the wind. // Then she said, Come on Pet, can you grow me a little smile? / I tried to remember all the things you need for / something to grow / but the only one I could think of was / light. // … It’s still too dark, I said.’

In light-hearted mood is Once Upon a Riddle that uses fairytale memes: ‘Once upon a hungry troll / lived three goats on a bridge. / … Once upon a time grandma / lived a wolf in wait of Red. / Once upon a spindle / lived a sleeping girl (not dead)./ … Once upon a poem / lived a riddle in your head.’ This poem could well inspire children to invent their own ‘Once upons’ having heard this one read aloud. So could Things I Imagine When I Am Bored that begins: ‘Rocket-fish and yogurt trees / tiger-slime, cake dungarees / lorry-lollies, jelly-pens’ and ends with ‘unhatched poem-eggs.’ I wonder what might hatch from eggs of the children in your class or family.

Getting to know oneself is a theme in Things I didn’t say at School Today and The Race, both of which will resonate emotionally with most children, the latter describing lying awake worrying about a forthcoming running race.

There’s the odd riddle and occasional nonsense such as the rather tongue-twisting Hatched, the opening lines of which are: ‘On a snoozle-coloured tumpday / when the clouds were full of hoo / an egging hatched wiffly / and out popped a snuglet (blue).’

A terrific read aloud book illustrated in black and white by Emily Ford that I heartily recommend.

The Fairy Tale Fan Club Volume 11

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The Fairy Tale Fan Club Volume 11
Richard Ayoade, illustrated by David Roberts
Walker Books

This second collection of letters to and from fairytale characters is straight from the files of C.C. Cecily senior secretary of the Fairy Tale Fan Club. It contains correspondences between in turn Robin Hood, Puss in Boots, Beauty and the Beast, Goldilocks, The Ugly Duckling, Thumbelina, Tom Thumb, The Pied Piper, The Hedgehog and the Hare, Bluebeard, Aladdin, Three Little Pigs and various inquisitive children who ask the characters questions, each being introduced by as you might expect by C.C.C.

The first letter is penned by Satyajit (10 3/4) who is contemplating stealing his brother’s savings from the tin beneath his bed. Is this ethical or not? What does Robin Hood recommend he should do?

Miki’s letter is full of why questions to Goldilocks and she’s pretty savvy for a slightly over twelve year old and what she writes impresses the recipient considerably. Her return letter praises Miki’s language but tells the girl that despite her powers of deduction her theory about differences in temperature of the porridge is wrong. It even results in a life lesson for Goldilocks who changes her ways concerning where her porridge comes from. Goldilocks’ PS to her missive brought a smile to my face.

The tale dubbed as being ‘of contrasting running styles’ is somewhat similar to that of the Tortoise and the Hare but the latter is replaced by a challenging Hedgehog – a bit of a cheat that enlists his wife’s help in the race. Nine year old Speedy Steve’s letter though, is to the Hare and it’s anything but complimentary. What comes back starts by putting the boy firmly in his place; after which she talks of her present circumstances regarding staying fit.

I had to laugh at the correspondence between Ingmar (just over 8) and the little pig builder who built her house of straw. Ingmar considers this pig an innovator even though her house didn’t stand the test of the wolf’s huffing and puffing. Not overly downhearted about losing her house, Pig Number 1 talks of the adaptability of straw and tells the child that her next plan is to make either a sailboat or a submarine of straw. Let’s hope Miss Pig is a good swimmer if she carries out this project.

The penultimate question is from six year old Griff wanting to know Mr Cecily’s favourite character and why that is so. The final letters all come from Anon. but to discover their contents you’ll need your own copy of this delightfully droll book with David Roberts’ suitably amusing illustrations. I’m not sure whether its creators enjoyed making this more or those like myself who are fractured fairy tale fans. Assuredly there should be a copy in every KS2 class collection and on the home bookshelves of anyone who enjoys witty writing.

Tackling Racism Together

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Tackling Racism Together
A.M. Dassu, illustrated by Mia Saine
Words & Pictures

Through workshops, training and resources, the commitment to stand up against racism and promote inclusion has been the aim of Show Racism the Red Card for about thirty years. Now to further this commitment comes the publication of Tackling Racism Together, a new anti-racism handbook for youngsters in KS2 and beyond, written by award-winning author A.M. Dassu.
By means of real-life stories, practical example and a wealth of engaging activities, readers are encouraged to question, to think critically about the world around them and to develop empathy.

The writer adopts an honest but optimistic approach that it’s hoped will help youngsters understand that meaningful changes frequently begin with everyday actions that have their roots in respect, kindness and inclusion.

Education plays a crucial role in tackling prejudice and having read and discussed the book, students should feel empowered to stand up against all forms of racism and do all that is feasible to challenge it. If only I’d had a copy many years back when I was deputy headteacher in a primary school and the school caretaker made racist remarks about some of the parents collecting their children. Of course I challenged what he said but a book such as this would perhaps have wielded more power than my words alone.

I’d like to see this book, with Mia Saine’s coloured illustrations, becoming a vital resource for classrooms, homes, sports clubs and other places where communities come together.

Peas On Your Knees

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Peas On Your Knees
Michael Rosen, illustrated by Quentin Blake, Polly Dunbar, Bob Graham, Yasmeen Ismail, Ken Wilson-Max
Walker Books

This collection of nearly forty poems span some forty years and is published to coincide with and celebrate Michael Rosen’s 80th birthday. It begins with a tribute by Joseph Coelho and as he says, “… you can feel Michael’s effervescent energy bubbling off the page. His poems are invitations to the child reader to walk with him as an equal … They are playful and rhythmic, fizzing with repetition, (No Breathing in Class) and buzzing with percussion (The Michael Rosen Rap).”

It’s divided into five parts – Food, Childhood, School, Brothers and Being a Dad and Being Silly, each section being superbly brought to life by a different artist, the first being Ken Wilson-Max, the second Polly Dunbar, the third Bob Graham, the fourth Yasmeen Ismail and the final one Quentin Blake.

Many readers will be familiar with the old favourite, Hot Food and even if you haven’t met Chocolate Cake previously, the narrator’s consumption of the cake will definitely strike a chord.

If satire is your thing, then No Breathing In Class is for you: it tells of a teacher ‘who was so strict / you weren’t allowed to breathe in her lessons. / She used to stand out the front going, / “No breathing!” / and you had the whole morning to get through … The weak ones used to just keel over. / You’d hear them going down behind you: / Kapoom kapoom kaoom!’

I never taught a primary class who didn’t respond positively to Michael’s poems, many of the children loved to join in with some of them and lots invented their own versions of Down Behind the Dustbin.

This really is the most terrific selection for reading aloud, learning some of the offerings by heart and for adding to bookshelves at home, in classrooms, libraries, hospitals and anywhere else you can think of. It would also make a splendid present.

What Not To Do In Outer Space

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What Not To Do In Outer Space
Anna Crowley Redding and Victoria Stebleva
Happy Yak

Are you ready to blast off into space?  ‘SPACE FANS. We are T-minus 30 seconds from lift off!  Get ready, there is so much to do in Outer Spaaaaaaaaaace!’ Thus begins the young narrator’s livestream of his epic trip to outer space.

Aboard the space craft too is robotic research assistant, Herschel, and ready to answer questions via the ‘live chat’ are Dr Joan Kepler and Dr Obi Lightbody. The narrator may be all set to entertain enthusiasts watching back home but the irritating tour guide seems to be endeavouring to spoil all his fun. Suppose then that you want to try floating and catching every drop of your milk with your mouth, that’s a no no! It’s way too dangerous and could short-circuit the spaceship’s electronics.
So what about opening the window to see what space smells like? Absolutely not: space will vacuum the air out of the spaceship and your lungs. And anyway, ‘space smells like burning metal.’

Additional no no’s include a space race; a snowball fight on Mars;

getting out of the spaceship and grabbing a diamond specially for your mum. It seems that you cannot do anything at all that’s fun in space. Hmm!

During the expedition questions pop up via the livestream and the docs. answer them. In this way interesting space facts are integrated into the adventure. With these awesome facts and a whole lot of laugh-out-loud moments, this book offers a wealth of learning opportunities. Curious children will love this quirky presentation.

Diwali / Songs of the Seasons

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These are both Little Tiger board books – thanks to the publisher for sending them for review

Diwali
Harshita Jerath and Becky Paige

In this addition to the ‘let’s all celebrate’ series, autumn has arrived and so has Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights. The series name underlines that the book’s short narrative focuses on the way Diwali is celebrated rather than its religious significance.
We follow one multigenerational family through the celebration as they clean the house ready for good luck, cook lots of delicious sweets and snacks to share, create and hang floral strings, make mandalas and finally put on their new clothes before lighting the divas to chase away the darkness. After chanting a prayer, it’s time to share some of the sweets with their neighbours and friends before sitting down for the family feast.

With vibrantly coloured cartoon style illustrations and a direct text, which uses a few Hindi words that can be understood by the context be that visual or verbal, this is a useful introduction to an important festival celebrated mostly by Hindu people.

Songs of the Seasons
Patricia Hegarty and Elinor Duffy

Eight double spreads – two for each season – take readers through the year showing the changes that take place in the natural world. The text describes some of the activities of the creatures – bees of different kinds, various birds, small mammals, insects and we visit a deciduous woodland area, a pond, a garden, an arable farm, the coast and finally some evergreen woods.
On each spread are small buttons (24 in all), that when pressed enable us to hear different sounds which help identify the animals through the changing seasons.

Young Adventurers’ Survival Handbook

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Young Adventurers’ Survival Handbook
Naomi & Dan Walmsley, illustrated by Joshua Rice
Button Books

This is another excellent book from team Naomi and Dan Walmsley, who run Outback2Basics and are the authors of several books about forest school. The focus of their latest is adapting and survival in unexpected conditions. It’s a book I would definitely have been grateful to have read before embarking on a camping trip with my best friend back in the day. The tent we were sharing I was assured, was waterproof, but during a sudden huge deluge I soon found it was anything but. My way of adapting to the unexpected circumstances was to find the nearest youth hostel to stay in.

There are five main chapters herein: Fire, wood & warmth, Food & water, Camp Crafts, Tricks & tips and finally First aid & emergencies. The first presents fire basics, which includes ways to make fires with different arrangements of logs; lighting a fire in windy, damp and rainy weather. I was fascinated to discover that under extreme conditions it’s possible to use a toothpaste tube as a fire starter. Obviously you’d need to clean it out, cut off the bottom part and add petroleum jelly to sawdust or wood shavings, then fill the tube with the mixture by means of a stick and seal the open end. When the starter is lit it ought to burn sufficiently long to ignite more sticks. This is just one of the ways you could make a fire lighter using the instructions provided.

Clearly food and drink are important considerations and without extra food, foraging is likely to yield a fair few edible plants and perhaps, unless like me, you are vegan, minibeasts of various kinds.

Lots of these can be stewed or baked – instructions for cooking are provided.

One topic in Camp Crafts that’s worth practising before embarking on an expedition is to learn how to tie basic knots and visuals for tying at least half a dozen are included.

I could go on mentioning ideas from the remaining parts but let me just say that anybody thinking of spending some time in the wild should get themselves a copy of this book.

Isadora Moon & Friends Story Collection / Mirabelle and the Potions Fair / Isadora Moon Mermaid Sleepover

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It’s probably true to say that Harriet Muncaster has made one of the greatest contributions towards helping children over that hurdle to become confident and more importantly, enthusiastic readers of children’s literature.
Below are new titles by the author/illustrator – thanks to Oxford Children’s Books for sending them for review

Isadora Moon & Friends Story Collection
Harriet Muncaster

Herein are three new stories, the first featuring half fairy, half vampire Isadora Moon, the second, her cousin Mirabelle whose mum is a witch and her dad a fairy, and the third Emerald, a princess who makes her own rules and lives in Scallop City.
In the first story Isadora is super-excited as she’s going to the annual Vampire Festival for the very first time and has a new velvet party dress with matching cape and pointy boots. Pink Rabbit too has a new cape. Her Mum is also clad in black as she, not Isadora’s Dad is going to take her (and baby sister Honeyblossom) to the festival because Dad is poorly. Isadora is determined to win him a bat ornament, which she does but then discovers that Pink Rabbit is missing. Will she manage to find him in the crowd and if so, then what? …
Mirabelle and the Bitten Catastrophe begins in a potions lesson and Mirabelle hopes to magic up a bitten (bat-kitten) using the complicated instructions in the spell book she has to share with her friend Carlotta. The trouble is that Mirabelle is an impulsive character and is so eager to work on the spell that there’s soon a classroom full not of little witches and their teacher, but of bittens. Can Mirabelle and Carlotta between them put things right?
Princess Emerald is contemplating what if anything she should perform at the party to celebrate a decade of her stepdad King Auster’s ruling of Scallop City. A song perhaps, or maybe she could make music on some drums; or possibly a combination of both … Most importantly, will she make Auster happy?
With an abundance of friendship, humour and adventure this is a perfect present for fans of Isadora.

Mirabelle and the Potions Fair
Harriet Muncaster

It’s almost time for the annual Potions Fair at the convention centre and for the very first time Mirabelle’s mum has agreed to take her too. Her Mum, a witch is eager to meet her hero, a famous witch and author and Mirabelle, who has promised to be good, is desperate to buy a rare magic coin – a bitten coin. This kind has bat-shaped wings and anything it’s pointed at rises up and floats in the air.
Author Esmerelda Eggleheart is a flamboyant character and her demonstration is astonishing. Afterwards though, it’s Mirabelle’s mum, rather than her daughter who causes considerable chaos as the two queue to pay for the items they want to buy. Can little witch-fairy Mirabelle come to the rescue and restore some calm? Young readers will certainly have their fingers crossed for her.

Isadora Moon Mermaid Sleepover
written by Helen Mortimer

Not by Harriet Muncaster, this is a specially written Early Reader with full colour, comic style illustrations telling what happens when Isadora goes for a mermaid sleepover at her friend mermaid Delphina’s underwater palace. Delphina is upset because her Sea King dad is busy and unable to join them at their meal and in their games. Can Isadora, helped by another friend Adelina, make the experience a magical one nonetheless?

Live Like An Ancient Greek

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Live Like An Ancient Greek
Claire Saunders, illustrated by Wesley Robins
Button Books

A wealth of fascinating facts are to be found between the covers of this book wherein the author provides an overview of life in ancient Athens, occasionally expanding her scope and moving further afield.

Living in ancient Greece was by no means idyllic: society was deeply segregaated by class, gender and about one third of the population were enslaved. Women, foreigners and the enslaved were excluded from participating in Athenian democracy. Women did however wear jewellery, which differed according to their status. (There’s a spread giving instructions for making a brooch and a tunic. Great fun especially if ancient Greek life is a topic for a KS2 class.)

We meet a nine year old Athenian boy, Pentathlos, son of an architect working on building a new temple on the Acropolis. Said boy takes us right through his day including sharing with us his time at school. In his company we also visit Olympia where the Olympic Games are being held; it’s absolutely crammed with noisy spectators and we see that the athletes competed totally naked – in the heat PHEW!

There are brief paragraphs about great philosophers such as Socrates, Plato and Archimedes and huge leaps were also made in maths, science and astronomy and we read of Hippocrates who changed the thinking about where illnesses came from, even going as far as tasting people’s pus.

Most ancient Greeks ate a surprisingly healthy diet that included fruit, vegetables, grains, cheese and eggs as well as lots of bread. (Recipes for pancakes, Greek bread and lentil soup are provided in case readers want to try eating like an ancient Greek. There are also instructions for making a 2-handled drinking cup called a kylix.)

The penultimate spread asks readers: Could you live like an ancient Greek? My answer would be a very firm NO! Imagine using pieces of pottery instead of loo paper. Ouch! Fortunately this isn’t part of the civilisation’s lasting legacy.

A book to add to primary school libraries as well as home bookshelves of children in KS2.

Little Minotaur

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Little Minotaur
Gaia Alessi
Walker Books

In this book, debut author Gaia Alessi reimagines the ancient Greek myth of the Minotaur with Asterion (the ‘Starry One’) as a bull-headed boy born to Queen Pasiphaë, growing up in a loving family, rather than as a monster to be slain. Asterion is a gentle child who loves nothing better than to spend his time out in nature especially among the birds. The boy struggles to speak and sounds like a foghorn when he does but his mother isn’t bothered by his manner of speaking; neither is his sister Ariadne.

Then, one summer’s day the brother and sister come upon some children hunting a lizard and they manage to scare them away thanks to the sound that emanates from Asterion’s mouth.

However, as he grows in size and stature, rumours about the so-called ‘Minotaur’, a half-man, half-beast nightmare that eats two people at a time, spreads among the people of Crete.

Can he fight the people’s prejudice and show them that he’s not the frightening monster they think he is, the one that should be slain; instead he’s merely a misunderstood boy who deserves love and understanding. Perhaps he can even engineer his own ending …

A moving story that celebrates difference and how love’s power can overcome animosity and malevolence. Gais Alessi’s mixed media illustrations capture the siblings’ feelings superbly as well as beautifully evoking the natural world so loved by Asterion and his family.

The Search For Our Cosmic Neighbours

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The Search For Our Cosmic Neighbours
Chloe Savage
Walker Books

This awesome book follows Commander Julia and her space team aboard Mission Star Drifter. They have already spent ten years searching the galaxy to discover the answer to humankind’s greatest question: are we alone in the universe? The excitement of their expedition has already worn thin and Commander Julia has finally had enough. However, she decides that rather than declare the mission a failure, they will try one last planet.

What they anticipate is yet another lifeless, desolate wasteland but instead, thanks to the dog, Khan, they find themselves face to face with curious space creatures – a whole community of them. They too have eyes, arms and legs like the human crew but the earthlings have so much to learn

and interestingly the space creatures seem to do lots of things simply for the joy they bring.

Basking in how brilliant it is to be alive in the universe is something the human visitors try for a while; they even defer their return to Earth and stay a bit longer to enjoy this new way of seeing things.

It’s great to see how the book celebrates scientific roles, particularly women in STEM such as the astrobotanist, Lata and of course, Julia the mission’s astrobiologist. It’s great as well that the story will certainly have readers pondering on and discussing what it means to exist in the vast universe.

A book that definitely deserves to be on family bookshelves, in classroom libraries and anywhere else that young people come together.

Finding Mister Tibbles

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Finding Mister Tibbles
Emma Yarlett
Walker Books

It’s Tibbles rather than Nibbles that is the subject of the search in Emma Yarlett’s new picture book. Mister Tibbles goes missing one Monday morning and the small boy narrator has looked all over the place, so he tells readers. To alert others to his being absent the boy makes reward posters and goes out distributing them as well as calling on neighbours in case the missing canine creature is hiding close by. The first visit is to Bobbie Plod and Officer Wag and despite having not seen Mister T. they have noticed a strange smell emanating from upstairs. The two invite the boy in for a snack and to look around. There’s certainly a strange smell but no Mister Tibbles.

The next stop is at Number 2, home of two clowns. They too invite the boy in to search but there’s no sign of Mister Tibbles. The same is so at Number 3, Wylde West’s residence, though he has seen a wriggly tail upstairs. No luck as to its identity however.

In Number 4 accessed by water, lives Coral. In dives the boy in the hope that the stripy thing she’s seen splashing around is he whom he’s searching for; it’s stripy but it is not Mister Tibbles. Number 5 is a castle with a drawbridge, home to a dragon of the friendly kind who provides yummy toasted marshmallow sandwiches and a strange orange thing but no Mister Tibbles, not even in the turrets. Not anywhere at all; he’s lost forever.

Back walks the narrator towards his home and suddenly a familiar smell emanates from the canopy of a tree; that and a stripy, orange tail wriggling through the leaves. Could it be? … Maybe it’s time for a welcome back home celebration at last.

With it’s fun final twist, this is a story that involves young children right from the start with various flaps to open and the wealth of details inside the residences to explore.

The Little Red Barn / Herdy’s Fun Day / Goodnight Herdy

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The Little Red Barn
Kim Crumrine
Gecko Press

It could be thought of as a misnomer to call the sleeping place of all the farm animals ‘The Little Red Barn’ for it actually accommodates a total of fifty five creatures. First comes a mouse, then two cats, three dogs, four hens, five pigs and so on … In they all go each one showing its rear to the one following until when the final ten cows have disappeared through the door, it’s closed ready for sleep time.
When the last spread is reached, it becomes clear how a barn that seems so small has space for every animal.

This board book is a simple ‘good night’ story, a counting book and with its revealing finale, a joke to giggle over. There are additional fun details such as the teddy bear balanced atop the head of one of the eight alpacas and the night-cap sported by one of the cows. How was the barn door closed once all the animals had gone in, one wonders.

Likely to become a favourite pre-bedtime share, but equally it would work well when shared with a group of nursery children.

Herdy’s Fun Day
Goodnight Herdy
Happy Yak

Herdy is a little very lively sheep with lots of friends.
In the first book we join him one sunny day as he sets off to find some of his friends to have some fun with. It’s up to little humans to help him find where they are by looking behind the felt flaps. First he looks for dog, who invites his pal to join him and bounce. Next, clutching an acorn, he seeks Squirrel and receives an invitation to eat with his bushy-tailed friend. Down in the water Herdy wonders where his otter friends are and once they appear, Herdy is invited to swim with them. Good to see he has his inflated ring and flippers. At the bottom of the hill, hides Deer just waiting for Herdy to join in a dance routine. But then at the seaside it’s Herdy that disappears: where is he? Now that would be telling … It’s certainly a great way to end his adventurous day.

Goodnight Herdy are not the words the little sheep is ready to hear: he still wants to play with his friends. However, Duck, Rabbit, Worm and Dog all ignore his “Let’s play!” invitation as they’re all ready for bed. Will Herdy ever be sufficiently tired to nod off? Little ones can discover the answer by lifting the flap on the final spread.
I’m sure Herdy will win lots of little human friends once a grown-up has shared these two board books with them.

The Forest Is a Part of Me

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The Forest Is a Part of Me
Elizabeth Wathuti O.G.W
Little Tiger

Written in a pictorial autobiographic style, Elizabeth Wathuti, Kenyan climate activist and Founder of the Green Generation Initiative, calls upon we readers to appreciate what forests are and what they offer. A tree lover from a very young age, the author tells how she planted her very first tree when she was just seven years old and since then has become part of the forest herself, growing alongside not only that tree but many others too.

She talks of how forests help humans and a wealth of creatures large and small from ‘the tiny ant to the mighty elephant.’ as well as human communities. We’re reminded of the huge threat to our planet that global deforestation poses especially when carried out in a rapid and ruthless fashion; this is heartbreaking for the author and to many readers too. It’s absolutely vital that we humans value and look after our forests the world over.

Elizabeth Wathuti’s poetic, powerfully moving narrative is illustrated by Michelle Pereira’s whose scenes of the verdant, thriving forest rich in fauna as well as flora, are a joy to behold, made all the more so with strategically placed cutouts.
As the ‘about the author’ final paragraph states, ‘Our future depends on how we nurture our bond with the natural world, because when we protect the forest – when we protect nature – we are really protecting a part of ourselves.’

(The publishers were mindful of these words as the book has been made on wood free paper, using mineral-oil-free inks that do not include petroleum-derived mineral oils. The result is paper that feels special to the touch.)
The final page of the book includes some ‘How can you help? advice which we can all follow.

Donut Squad: Destiny of the Donuts

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Donut Squad: Destiny of the Donuts
Neill Cameron
David Fickling Books

In a dark future, humanity is in the clutches of AI, enslaved by their fitbots whose algorithms govern both their waking and sleeping hours. Defy those wellness algorithms at your peril. Needless to say the eating of donuts is a heinous crime punishable by DEATH! However, at the crucial moment when sentence is being passed along comes a donut and it transpires that the saved person is Frances and her rescuer is Anxiety Donut.

Said Donut leads Frances to the Donuts’ secret base but has difficulty locating it. Eventually though she meets up with what’s called the Donut Resistance and Frances learns that they have invented a time machine that can take them back to before the invention of those fitbots, so their creation doesn’t happen and thus, history is saved. (Does that remind readers of any famous stories, I wonder.) Before undertaking any time travelling though, a group of Donuts wants to spend months calibrating and testing the invention but are forced into accelerating their plan because it’s been detected. Will the nightmare come to pass or can that plan succeed against the odds?

That would be telling …

Deliciously daft and Donut enthusiasts will likely consume the main narrative in a sitting before savouring some of the other treats – tasty and otherwise. There’s a whole lot of new merch. to peruse, as well as a plethora of new donut flavours from as far afield as Great Britain and Japan to whet the appetites of readers.

Little Wolf’s Big Huff

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Little Wolf’s Big Huff
Harriet Howe and Katie Cottle
Templar Books

Taking a trip to watch the Wolf Moon rise has become an annual event for Little Wolf and Daddy Wolf. With just the two of them it’s a ‘wonderfully-waggy-tailed time’ for them, but especially for the little cub.

However this year, another wolf has taken Little Wolf’s place as the littlest in his pack and because Mummy Wolf is poorly on Wolf Moon Day, all his brothers and sisters are also coming. Little Wolf tries his best to feel pleased about this ‘Everyone Else Day’ but he knows things won’t be the same. Assuredly, he’s right about that.
Things go from bad to worse as nobody is interested in Little Wolf’s den design,

then he injures himself and ends up in the mud and not a single other wolf has noticed, and eventually big feelings begin bubbling in his belly, moving on to tingle in his tail and then to fizz all through his fur. Instead of feeling like Little Wolf, the little creature feels big and bad. He huffs and he puffs and …

Time for Daddy Wolf to help his Little Wolf before too much damage is done. This he does by teaching him what he calls ‘The Way of the Wolf’ – a special power hidden deep inside every wolf. Will it work and if so, then what …
Young children will definitely relate to Little Wolf’s worry wobbles and his ensuing BIG feelings when things don’t go as planned. 

Pebble and Po

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Pebble and Po
Emma Simpson
Little Tiger

Late one night Pebble falls fast asleep in a soft, comfy place. Little does she know until the next morning that she’s slept on the tummy of a large bear. She names the bear Po and soon after hears a loud rumble emanating from the creature’s tummy. Suspecting that her new friend is hungry, Pebble leads the way through the forest to search for food.

On their way the two meet some new friends – a bird with an injured wing in search of rest and a fox hiding from the stormy weather.

They all take refuge in a dark cave that becomes lit by fireflies until the storm passes and then after a while Pebble realises that they’re lost and asks for help from the others but they then find the confidence to ask for help too. The strong, silent Po is equally as endearing and caring as Pebble but shows empathy and care for others differently.

Emma Simpson captures the personality of each really well in the mixed media scenes for her gentle story and young listeners will delight in spotting the little white mouse that accompanies Pebble and Po on their adventure but is not mentioned in the text (I wonder where the umbrella came from that it holds in the storm.)

This reassuring book is likely to become a much requested favourite with young children at story time and is a great one for opening up discussions about finding the confidence to ask for help, as well as showing kindness and empathy towards others. “Asking for help isn’t easy. But it’s just about the bravest thing you can do.” So says Pebble as the story concludes.

Frankenkitty

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Frankenkitty
Maudie Powell-Tuck and Mini Grey
Little Tiger

There’s an adorable-looking kitty in the castle laboratory: is she or is she not responsible for all the terrible things that start happening?

“Here is a tale to chill the blood and thrill the soul—a tale of spooky paws and eerie claws… the tale of Frankenkitty” So begins the disembodied, talking skull narrator of this story that seems to be implying Frankenkitty, has been fashioned from many disparate parts. As his daughter Olive looks on, Frankenkitty’s inventor wails, “I’ve created a monster!” He goes on to tell her that they’re doomed on account of such things as slimy creatures in the bath, ‘spine-chilling sprouts … menacing moths! … slimy socks’.

The inventor is certain the castle is cursed despite what Olive thinks. Moreover the mummy starts unravelling and the mice terrorise the cook. Time to get rid of that loathsome creature decides the butler who proceeds to throw Frankenkitty out into the snow. Calm reigns. But could that adorable, forlorn-looking kitty be a cute creature after all? I wonder what listeners to the tale think. Do they agree with the inventor or his daughter?

The author includes plenty of horror motifs but essentially this tale is mock scary, and not likely to give readers nightmares even with Mini Grey’s splendidly detailed illustrations that are equally fun-scary in the way she shows the frights that abound within the that dark castle with ‘walls as grey as old knickers.’ – I love that.

Clive Penguin Learns To Fly, Sort Of / I Am A Squirrel

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Clive Penguin Learns To Fly, Sort Of
Huw Lewis Jones and Ben Sanders
Little Tiger

This second story sees Clive Penguin dreaming of soaring through the sky like the ‘majestic’ gulls that reside in the same frozen parts as penguins. However, Clive doesn’t really want to admit how he feels, calling their ability to fly around as ‘Just showing off ’ Nevertheless he decides that being brave and adventurous, and certainly not afraid of heights, he will take flight and soar through the sky. So … after a number of crazy schemes, he launches himself and … yes he does become airborne.

Young listeners/ readers will of course be rooting for the penguin, particularly as he involves them in discussion about which are better, seagulls or penguins.

One thing you can say about Clive is that he’s a determined character and I love the dead-pan dialogue employed by the author in this quirky story. Equally enjoyable is Ben Sanders’ visual portrayal of the character with that fluorescent orange bobble hat, which is part and parcel of his unorthodox personality.

Immediately engaging and delightfully droll.

I Am A Squirrel
Scott Rothman and Tom Tinn-Disbury
Happy Yak

The young boy narrator of this story insists that he’s a squirrel that loves to run, jump, climb trees and have squirrel friends to play with. He also enjoys playing with his family but his elder brother won’t join in because he doesn’t believe his sibling is a squirrel. “Why don’t you eat acorns, sleep outside in a tree, feel afraid of dogs?” he wants to know. All of these questions are answered, some with ‘unsquirrel’ responses. However the dog question prompts the younger boy to admit in no uncertain terms, “I DO NOT CARE for HAWKS, a view I share with my other squirrel friends. Hawks are one of our most fearsome enemies.”

Determined to curtail his brother’s pretending once and for all, big brother tells him, Fine. If you’re a squirrel, then … “I AM A HAWK!”

He continues by talking of his hawk features, including a predatory characteristic that might just put pay to all the squirrel imaginary play of his younger brother. How though will this story conclude?

This ode to imaginary play, is a hilarious read aloud, cleverly told by author Scott Rothman and equally playfully illustrated by Tom Tinn-Disbury who has clearly enjoyed sprinkling his scenes with squirrels of the real sort.

A Wild Lullaby

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A Wild Lullaby
Jackie Morris and Cathy Fisher
Otter-Barry Books

In this beautiful bedtime story a mother sings a lullaby to her child. She describes the various ways in which wild creatures all over the world settle their little ones.

In the field, the red fox barks; in the sea the whales hang side by side with their young and it’s the waves that create a lullaby for the seal pup as it snuggles close to its parent. Safe in an ice cave, bear cubs curl within their mother’s paws, and curled close to their mother in the jungle, tiger cubs hear the song of the breeze moving the leaves, their mother’s purring and the whirring of the bush crickets.

High up in the treetops in a nest built of branches, osprey chicks will hear the adult telling of the long journey over land and sea they will one day undertake: ‘A lullaby / of movement / around the turning world.’

Having guided her foal to a sheltered spot on the mossy heathland a Mother pony ‘sings songs of wild wonder’, the snow leopard family in the high rocks, and the elephants on the open plains watch over their young.

After singing her song throughout the day, it’s time for the mother owl to wake up and take flight in search for food to sate the appetites of the owl children as all around ‘Night sounds sing, / across land, across sky,/ a wild, / beautiful / lullaby.’


Jackie Morris’s lyrical text together with Cathy Fisher’s amazingly realistic watercolour paintings of the various creatures convey a feeling of peace and gentleness all across our wild and wonderful world.

How to Scare Blue Monster

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How to Scare Blue Monster
Petr Horáček
Otter-Barry Books

According to Blue Monster’s friends, Fox, Wolf, Raccoon and the rabbits the sounds he made when approaching made them very scared. However they are bemused by Blue Monster’s response, “Scared? What does that mean?” Even more so when Blue Monster requests that they teach him what it is to be scared: they agree to do so however.

The following morning Blue Monster goes out walking and there in his pathway is a pile of leaves containing Wolf. Rather than being scared Blue Monster recognises his friend. A similar thing happens when the monster encounters something white that goes, “Boo! Boo! Boo!” This time Blue Monster is amused and tells the rabbits and Racoon that they made him laugh.

Fox’s “Boo!” from up on a branch causes the monster to ask, “When are you going to teach me to be scared?”
Fox is left speechless and off he goes to meet the others in the meadow and there he suggests trying out his idea.

On his walk the next day Blue Monster meets … Nobody: this he finds strange. He wonders where all his friends are and having searched everywhere, calls out, “Where are you?” It’s a perplexed, lonely and worried Blue Monster that sits down and contemplates what might’ve happened to his friends. Supposing they are lost. Now it is Blue Monster’s turn to be scared ‘…

Really scared!” so he tells Fox, Raccoon, Wolf and the rabbits having given them all a hug.
Petr Horáček’s mixed media collage style illustrations for this second Blue Monster story are superb: those scribbles are so effective and I loved the mango print in the first scene. In fact all the printed items (block print or otherwise) add considerably to the overall effect and the depiction of the animals’ eyes catch their changing mood as the story unfolds.

A story to share, ponder upon and discuss, especially on the topic of what it means to be scared.

Bear Heart

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Bear Heart
Louise Greig and Hoang Giang
Flying Eye Books

Earnest is a bear, but he’s no ordinary bear. He has a heart that is big and it’s absolutely full of all the things that he loves – a large honeycomb, a blue flower, some salmon, his favourite tree – yet there always seems to be room for just one more thing. That is until he meets something huge. It’s a lion and Earnest can tell by its eyes that it needs a place in someone’s heart. Feeling that his own heart can’t accommodate the lion, Earnest tries asking some of his friends to help. However, none of them can: what will the bear do?
Earnest thinks and then makes a very brave decision. It’s one that rather than giving him a heavy heart, fills it with happiness.

Before the end of this gentle tale, the bear encounters another creature in whose heart, the lion truly belongs. he has another important decision to make and in so doing has learns a very important life lesson: true love sometimes comes from letting go.
Louise Greig’s tender, yet powerful telling is complemented by Hoang Giang’s equally tender scenes of Earnest’s changing emotions as the story unfolds.

This huge hug of a book is one that can be read on many levels and so deserves a place in family collections and in all class collections from the Foundation Stage to KS2.

Rapunzel is a Lettuce

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Rapunzel is a Lettuce
Joseph Coelho, illustrated by Shirley Hottier
Otter-Barry Books

The combination of its quirky title and Michael Rosen’s introduction should be sufficient to persuade readers to dive into Joseph Coelho’s latest poetry collection. I turned straight to the titular poem and in addition to the six metaphors relating to fairy tales is this: ‘It is the plants / that make the stories, / that is how stories grow. / It is the plants that root the fables. / Beware the stories that you sow.’ – thought-provoking for sure.
That is one of the ten poems found in the Plants section of the book. Before that are six other sections which are in order: Food, Families, School, Secret Messages, Special Places, Challenges and sections eight and nine are called Special Places and finally, Other Worlds.

Two book-related poems that I was immediately attracted to are Under the Covers with a Torch in the Special Places section. This reminded me of my own childhood: its final verse goes like this,
‘And then I am within the story / I feel every thrill and enjoy each glory / as the book fills up my heart / I drink comfort beneath the covers.’

I’m sure many avid readers will relate to this from Challenges – Finishing a Book wherein the author describes not wanting a fabulous book to end. ‘There are monsters and magic, / fairies and myths / and lessons I’ve learned / and people I’ve been / and loves I’ve lost / and friendships I’ve gained / and new gasps I’ve made / and I’m so close to the last page // but I don’t want it to end.’ That was exactly how I felt recently as I approached the final pages of a novel I’d been enjoying recently.

Joseph has used a variety of poetic forms including haiku; View from the Balcony is an example:

‘Every shade of green / seen from my concrete tower. / I am with the birds.’

With occasional black and white illustrations by Shirley Hottier, this is full of poems that are great for reading aloud as well as sharing at home and in the classroom. Joseph’s love playing with words is evident in so many of the offerings herein.

A Long Tail

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A Long Tail
Rebecca Atkinson and Kate Read
Happy Yak

Children can have fun as they follow the tactile trail of the tremendously long tail in this tale, a tale narrated by a little girl who discovers its tip disappearing through the front door that is slightly ajar. She follows the tail with its wealth of patterns as it meanders over the pages zigzagging, curling, looping, twirling left, right, over and under and across, out of her house, through the park,

onto the bus to school and finally back home once more.

At the end of the trail waiting to meet its new human friend is a Looperloo. It is, as the little girl tells us ‘so hugely, so lollopy and sweet. The cutest, most magical friend you could meet.’ The two of them eat, enjoy a bath, play and read a story together before bouncing right into bed beneath a ‘great big tail-ey heap’ and falling fast asleep.

A delightfully unusual, playful story with occasional die-cut pages, and near the end of the book, a large fold waiting for the reader’s hand to reveal the creature.

The Tale That Time Sews

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The Tale That Time Sews
Sita Brahmachari and Jane Ray
Templar Books

A little girl is waiting for the birth of a new sibling and her nana is busy sewing a very special patchwork story quilt. As she works, Nana shares the story of her own personal journey, a journey of flight over land and sea from her homeland, the finding of special love in a safe, peaceful country – the joining together from fragile threads, a new beginning where happiness awaits. A happiness that includes the arrival of a tiny baby who will be wrapped up in the wonderful gift – that beautiful patchwork quilt, a gift of the warmth of what went before, intergenerational love and the hope and promise of what is to come. With each patch added, the girl’s understanding of her own place in the world is enhanced.

There’s a familiar repeat pattern underlying Sita Brahmachari’s telling of this heartwarming story inspired by her experience and that of Jane Ray at the Islington Centre for Refugees and Migrants.

There are lots of interesting details in Jane Ray’s illustrations – the Shiva Nataraja and the toran stretched out over the fireplace in one scene for example,

the patchwork piece showing a hand decorated with a mehndi design, the nesting bird (an Indian Roller maybe?). Whichever spread you choose, the reader is drawn right in and almost feels a part of the family too.

A book to cherish and to return to over and over.

Dream Keepers: Whispers of Wishing River / Lunar Grace Girl From Outer Space: Monster Mix Up

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These are both additions to series that are popular with young solo readers and as read alouds: thanks to Piccadilly Press for sending them for review:

Dream Keepers: Whispers of Wishing River
Rebecca Lewis-Oakes, illustrated by Anastasiya Kanavaliuk

Book 4 in this enchanting series set in the sleepy town of Sunny Wood and featuring Fatima and her friends who make sweet dreams for the town’s residents begins with Fatima eagerly looking forward to a day’s kayaking on the lake with her buddies. However as she’s getting ready she hears an announcement on the radio saying that due to a recent surge of pollution, the Sunny Wood Lake will be closed until further notice. She quickly contacts Mai, Paisley and Bella asking them to meet her at the library instead. Garvin the librarian, who arrives late to open up, as well as Bella, wonder why she wants boxes he’s discarded. After emptying out the contents of her bag she announces that they’re going to hold an anti pollution protest and the boxes are needed to make signs.

That night, with the aid of her black stone Fatima meets her friends again and they discover a new favourite part of the wood.
Then a few days later Garvin turns up at the library on foot having left his car at home and walked to work. Could it have been on account of a dream, he suggests. He also offers to put up one of the girls’ protest posters in the library. The girls then visit Joya (who was once a Dream Keeper) owner of the apothecary.

Horrified at the news of the pollution she willingly puts up a poster in her shop and also offers words of encouragement to the Dream Keepers, telling them, “It’s a big job but together you can do it … It’s not just Moon Wood, it’s the magic of the four of you together. There’s a strength in your friendship, you know.” Then Fatima’s mum tells her that she called off her daily run on account of the extra pollution, making Fatima all the more determined. Protest day is rather disappointing but Fatima remains determined, albeit getting a tad tetchy.She also starts to wonder if the Dream River is polluted, realising that if so, it must be the work of The Dark Queen, Queen of Nightmares.

By sticking firmly together, can the strength of the Dream Keepers defeat her once and for all?

The importance of friendships is key in this magical story that is an ideal read aloud for KS1 classes as well as a solo read for those who are confident with illustrated chapter books.

Lunar Grace Girl From Outer Space: Monster Mix Up
Julie Sykes, illustrated by Emily Jones

Luna is super excited to learn that her grandparents are coming to visit from Starbright, their home planet. She’s eager to show them how grown-up she has become since she and her parents moved to Earth and has decided to show them round her school’s Halloween fair.
However things don’t quite go to plan. With minor disasters such as a collapsed castle of the bouncy kind can she remedy her mix-ups? Perhaps, with an occasional sprinkling of subterfuge, some magical assistance at the hoopla stall and lots of determination.

This third story in the series with its generous helping of Emily Jones’s colourful illustrations will captivate younger readers and likely win Luna some new followers too. However those who haven’t met her before should start with Luna Grace Girl From Outer Space.

Spindlewood

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Spindlewood
Freddie Kölsch
Puffin Books

At the start of the story twelve year old Lilac Black lives in Salem, Massachusetts with Uncle Beau and Uncle Bell having done so since her mother died. She comes from a long line of Seers and has an inquiring mind, so says Uncle Bell.

One day when her Uncle Bell is struggling during one of his séances, Lilac comes to his rescue and in so doing accidentally exhibits abilities that make both of her uncles believe that she’s an ideal candidate to attend Spindlewood School of Seeing.
Full of remorse, Lilac realises that ‘either ghosts were real … or somewhere off the New England coast was an elite school full of delusional people.’ However, to the secret Spindlewood School of Seeing she goes, but as one of the Unseeing who’s never seen a ghost, she’ll have to keep everyone around her convinced that she can in fact, See.

When she goes into the library, a journal belonging to a Lenet Gardner falls from the shelf and lands right at Lilac’s feet. As she reads it she feels she must endeavour to unravel an enduring mystery. The first girl she meets is Emmanuelle Williams, a True Seer who needs no rituals to speak with spirits seemingly seeing them everywhere, and a roommate uses dream to talk to ghosts. The two don’t really get on and Lilac feels caught between them but becomes friends with Em.

But something is very wrong at the school: all the ghosts are sending messages warning students of danger. Something the adults refuse to talk about is in the library basement so it’s down to Lilac and her friend to save the school. Can they succeed and can Lilac keep her inability to See under wraps?

A terrific read for those around Lilac’s age: it’s enormously compelling with credible characters and occasional dashes of spookiness.

Squirrel Shady: The Golden Acorn / The Elementals: Peo Saves the Trees

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Squirrel Shady: The Golden Acorn
Nick East
Scholastic

If ever there was a zany story full of twists and turns and ups and downs both physical and mental, then this tale of Shady Squirrel’s attempt to steal the Golden Acorn of Destiny is it.
Meet Shady a crook who’s found himself back in Badun Island Prison, cell 101, the worst of all cells, with only a gang of beetles for company until that is, he gets a snake as cell mate, one Nadia Scales and she has an escape plan in her mind. And escape is what both Shady and Nadia manage to do.

Pretty soon Shady is back in his hidey-hole in an oak tree. However his freedom is very short lived for suddenly he’s seized by the neck and dragged before tortoise crime boss, Naughty Tortie, who wants Shady to rob the Big City Bank and steal the Golden Acorn from Mayor Vixford Slick’s vault. Trouble is there’s no refusing Tortie and so begins the mega-heist of Shady’s career.

Almost immediately he becomes reunited with Roxy ‘the Paws’ racoon, his old pal cum partner in crime. Enter Tina Two Hoots, Shady’s erstwhile hero, who has taken up knitting. She is just one of the criminal creatures – rivals or otherwise – that he encounters. Will Shady manage to get his paws on the loot or will it slip from his grasp?

With a wealth of Nick’s amusing black and white illustrations adding to the fun, this is a book for readers who enjoy a tale full of crazy shenanigans. I read it in a single sitting.

The Elementals: Peo Saves the Trees
Love Ssega, illustrated by Erika Meza
Little Tiger

The Elementals are an adventure loving group of friends who are learning to use their superpowers to care for our world. Like the other children on their island home of Sealand, each has a power that connects them to nature. Peo and her twin brother Elu are children of the soil and Wanzu is connected to the wind.

As the story starts Peo asks Wanzu for his help before taking her friend to meet her and Elu’s grandparents. Then the following morning Peo tells the others that to her surprise, it seems as though the trees are trying to talk to her. There’s a message calling for help from an island close by. Using Elder Oak as their raft, off they sail – the twins, plus Maali and Kikay, with Wanzu playing his harp to speed them on their mission, towards what they think is an island of trees. When they arrive though, all the trees have gone. Now it’s up to the friends to work together, solve the mystery and save the trees. But where and how have they gone and why?

With its combination of friendship, adventure, co-operation and the outdoors, plus Erika Meza’s black and white illustrations. this is a great story for new solo readers or for sharing with a class.

I Am Going To Jump This Log

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I Am Going To Jump This Log
Stephanie Stansbie and Jack Viant
Little Tiger

Frog has decided that he’s going to jump over the log. It’s going to be easy and he will sail over brilliantly. However, things don’t exactly go to plan. No matter how much he procrastinates, day dreaming, snacking and limbering up, (I love those leg warmers Frog wears) and how frustrated he becomes, he remains on the wrong side of that log until finally he accomplishes his goal, albeit with a little assistance from a passing avian. But then what should await him but … Yes! Another challenge…

This fantastically funny story told from the frog’s viewpoint has so much to offer. I love Jack Viant’s bold, bright, expressive illustrations. Readers will need to peruse the scenes carefully to discover all the hilarious details

and if the book, with Stephanie Stansbie’s aptly minimal text, is shared with a class or group, plenty of time will be needed for visual exploration as well as discussion of the text.

I think it’s one of those books that children will demand is read over and over and over. It would also work well as a book for those beginning to gain confidence as readers, to try for themselves.

The Boy, The Father and the Bear

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The Boy, The Father and the Bear
Per Gustavsson
Greystone Kids

‘Once upon a time, a boy lived with his father where the forest and the blue sea met.’ So begins a mysterious four part tale of loss and transformation.

The first part tells how the boy and his father spend their time collecting berries, fishing or playing soccer close to their home where sea and forest met. However when the boy expresses curiosity about what was in both the forest and the sea, his father tells him of bears living in the forest and sharks swimming in the sea, both of which they need to beware of.

As the years pass, the boy notices that his father is getting older but not so himself. Then one day, despite his son’s pestering and best efforts to facilitate his participation, the father no longer wants to play soccer, insisting that he’s too tired. The days pass with the father sitting in a chair and not wanting to go outside until the boy notices roots growing from his father and burrowing their way through the floor. More time passes and the father has now completely turned into a tree that has grown so tall that its upper branches have cracked the ceiling. Now what? wonders his son. Eventually the house is no more, so large has the tree grown, so the boy climbs up and looks in turn towards the horizon and the sea,

Down comes the rain, causing the water to rise and rise and the boy to climb up and up. At last the tree starts moving through the water like a boat. Come the evening he feels completely alone but manages to fall asleep. It’s then his life changes for ever.
Next morning what should he discover but a bear sitting, absolutely still at the opposite end of the tree trunk looking at the boy. Having tried unsuccessfully to communicate with said bear, the boy decides to swim towards the land in the distance. In he jumps followed by the bear; the latter begins sinking and the boy dives down hoping to rescue it from the ocean floor. Eventually their feet touch what feels like ground and the boy realises what they’re resting on.

Instead of devouring the two, the shark rescues them and together they reach land where the boy falls fast asleep beneath the stars.

In the final part, the boy wakes to find no bear but he’s surrounded by trees, similar to those he’d left, trees that can used to build houses. However from the edge of the forest, the bear stands watching and the boy begins leaving food just in case … Finally he entices the creature right inside his house and so begins an unlikely friendship with his ursine friend doing the things the boy’s father had done once upon a time.
The book concludes with a poem, the final lines of which are: ‘Good new thoughts come every day / And Darkness lets me be’.

The colour of the digitally rendered pencil illustrations changes for each section – from green to purple to blue to brown. Told in a manner that leaves readers free to make their own interpretations, with its themes of life, death and fresh beginnings, this is a book that allows new meanings to emerge if read and discussed over and over.

Poo in the Zoo: Ready Set Poo

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Poo in the Zoo: Ready Set Poo
Steve Smallman and Ada Grey
Little Tiger

We return to the zoo of little Bob McGrew for the latest poo story, or rather, that’s where it begins. But then in dashes Hector Gloop sporting his top hat and tails and excitedly announcing a forthcoming race, of which he is sure to be the winner. He like all the other contestants will have to drive a vehicle powered solely by poop and the prize will be a golden poo. Just as Bob is wondering how such power is even possible up rides one Arabella Slater, aka a Poo Investigator and in her hand she’s holding a flask containing poo-fuel, made from poop. Eagerly she explains how she went about making said fuel and right after, off dashes Hector to start building himself a car. Arabella meanwhile sets about making more poo-poo fuel. Encouraged by Bob, the other zoo animals decide to make race cars too.

Come race day a range of fast-looking poop-powered vehicles are driven to the starting line, including one driven by Ebenezer Gloop, twin brother of Hector who confidently announces to his sibling, “ In any kind of test, I was always second best, / But now, dear Hector, I’ll be first and you’ll be number two!”

The race begins and Ebenezer starts well, from his viewpoint though not that of several of the other drivers as they head into the snowy mountains. Poor Arabella is treated to a small avalanche thanks to a gigantic trump that emanates from Ebenezer’s exhaust. He continues with his cheating ways throughout the jungle where another disaster happens and Ebenezer zooms off to claim his prize, so he says, until he hears just four pleading words. Who has called and what will Ebenezer decide to do thereafter? And who will be the winner of the race?

To find out, readers will need to get a copy of the book for themselves. For sure they’ll find plenty to laugh about both in Steve Smallman’s rhyming text and Ada Grey’s wacky illustrations. It’s a great read aloud.

Deerheart

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Deerheart
Eoin Colfer, illustrated by P.J.Lynch
Walker Books

This is an original Irish fable set long ago in a magical forest under threat from outside forces. Created by earth goddess Danu to protect Creedon, a stone, are three sister witches born from trees who keep Creedon safe from humans. When their brother, warlock Drogool betrays one of the sisters, Deerheart, the youngest witch is born.

Years later, when she’s just eighteen, Deerheart encounters Halvar, a young human who is part of a small Norse army wanting to invade the forest, and before they realise what’s happening, the two have fallen in love.

Could she possibly have fallen in love with the first human she’d ever met, wonders Deerheart, going on to tell him, “I am not like you, Halvar … I can never leave this place. The Wood needs me and I would not survive away from it.” He responds by saying, “I know. … That is why we need a plan.” As the lovers are having this conversation though, they are watched by Drogool and before long darts are thrown, the first at Halvar; the second at Deerheart.‘

All is lost.’ we read, but is it? …

The magic of Eoin Colfer’s story telling draws you in from the opening pages and keeps you reading, totally enchanted right through to the final words, such is its power. Equally powerful are P. J. Lynch’s rather eerie charcoal black and white illustrations.

Medusa Gorgon’s Deadly Side Eye

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Medusa Gorgon’s Deadly Side Eye
Bethany Walker, illustrated by Katie Abey
Scholastic

For me this was even funnier than Medusa Gorgon’s Bad Hair Day: I found myself laughing at almost every turn of the page. Again it’s written in diary form with lots of amusing illustrations by Katie Abey.

After six weeks spent holidaying with her friends it’s early September and Meddy G has returned for a new term at Shadewell Academy where she’s now entering year eight and her intention is to be the best Year 8 she can. She is, she tells us, fully committed to 21st century life and her snake friends Mr Car and Ian have seemingly, disappeared.
Things start pretty well, other than her being chastised by headteacher Ms Williams about her uniform style. However, it’s hardly any time before Meddy’s stress levels start rising. It’s during the first whole school assembly when she’s called up onto the stage by the head and is asked to speak about the final day of the summer term. What she announces is … “I … like … performing … magic tricks.” This satisfies Ms Williams who then proceeds to ask her to perform more magic in assembly the following week.

Before that though, she enjoys a weekend shopping trip to Shadwell Mall. ‘Does shopping count as a hobby in the twenty first century,’ she wonders. I loved her comment re Boots, which she’s bemused to learn does not sell footwear.
Suddenly Meddy’s stress levels start going through the roof, to the extent that she accidentally turns Ms Williams to stone. All this by the end of Act 1.

Highly amusing too is the H.E.A.T (Hermes Express Air Tortoise) correspondence between Hades and Athena interspersed between the diary entries.

I’ll leave readers to discover what unfolds in the 2nd and 3rd acts apart from saying that there’s a sudden new trend in ‘snonnets’

with Meddy becoming a fashionista. Enough said! That and the appearance of new boy Percy who makes Meddy get all hot and bothered when he’s around. (What she isn’t aware of is that Percy is actually none other than Perseus, sent on a mission to take down Meddy G.) Oh and further incidents of turning people to stone.

Medusa Gorgon is based (very loosely) on the Medusa Greek myth, making it a great choice for young Greek mythology enthusiasts especially. However, other readers who enjoy a good laugh should try it too.

African Queens: Incredible Stories of Africa’s Legendary Women Leaders

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African Queens: Incredible Stories of Africa’s Legendary Women Leaders
Onyinye Iwu
Walker Books

It’s great to see a book featuring amazing African queens in an accessible style that will inspire child readers. By means of captivating visual images, immediately engaging captions and factual paragraphs, Onyinye Iwu introduces youngsters to some impressive leaders – thinkers, warriors and protectors (a dozen in all) – from various civilisations that developed over many centuries.

First, we’re taken right back to circa 1504-1459 BCE to meet Queen Hatshepsut who became a pharaoh, ruling alongside her stepson. Her focus was on trading and during the years of her reign, Egypt grew exceedingly rich. Hatshepsut used some of this wealth to build huge temples, the most famous being the Temple of Deir-el-Bahri. After her death, her successors attempted to erase her memory but were not wholly successful.

New to me two women I was particularly drawn to are: Queen Arawelo and Queen Nyabinghi. Queen Arawelo did all she could to ensure that men and women were treated equally in her kingdom; awesome to see a peaceable ruler and one who fought for women’s equality in Somalia circa 15CE. Moving forwards in time, the other is Queen Nyabinghi (circa 1750-1800).

Not only did she give her all, including her life, to the people of Karagwe (she was murdered by her jealous husband), but her wisdom and desire for peace inspired Muhumuza, a wife of the King of Rwanda, some hundred years later who is remembered as a freedom fighter and spiritual leader.

I learned a lot from this absorbing book and think there should be a copy in all primary collections and on the shelves of all children with an interest in world history.

Hogbert

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Hogbert
Briony May Smith
Walker Books

Hogbert is the littlest of six boar piglets who live in a faraway forest with their mother.  One day Mummy Boar tells her offspring that it’s time for their first exploration of the forest but warns them to stay quiet and stay together in case the big bad wolf is about. Hogbert follows his snout along a trail of delicious smells – cherries, berries and acorns – but suddenly realises that he’s by himself. Remembering his mother’s warning about the big, bad wolf, the fearful piglet huddles down to hide. Then he hears rustling sounds getting closer and closer; could it be that lupine character about to gobble him up?

However his fear is soon allayed by the appearance of Little Red, a squirrel on her way to visit her poorly granny. Does that sound familiar? Before long the two are worried, not by the wolf, but a snoring fawn and then two small bunnies, Nettle and Hosel that have also been led by the trail.
Then comes a “HOOOOOOWWWWWWLLLLLLLL!”

The next spread shows a lost looking wolf cub too, above the passage where the other creatures are making their way towards the open air. Eventually Hogbert leads them to the foot of a tall tree where a happy reunion takes place between adult creatures and their young ones. Time for Hogbert to bid farewell to his new friends: I love the “Smell you later!” goodbye to Red.

Indeed there’s so much to love especially Bryony’s mixed media depiction of the sylvan setting of the tale with its tall trees and those foxgloves, anemones and other wild flowers: and definitely not forgetting that tiny frog wearing a crown and sitting a-top a stone in a pond. Equally delightful is the lyrical telling with its fairy tale allusions, descriptions and occasional word play.

A great story to share with KS1 classes and individuals, making sure there’s plenty to time to peruse the pictures.

The Bakery Dragon

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The Bakery Dragon
Devin Elle Kurtz
Walker Books

Like all his fellow dragons, Ember loves gold more than anything else but his small stature prevents him from scaring anybody in the village enough to get it. Come dusk one day as the other dragons fly home with their latest spoils, Ember wanders into the foggy village led by a gold glimmer, only to discover that it’s a streetlamp. Continuing on his meandering he comes upon the window of a bakery and there, blanketed by warm light, falls asleep. During his slumbers a storm blows up and a kindly baker offers him shelter inside. She then proceeds to teach him her trade,

something that suits him very well. Ember can hardly believe his eyes at the product: trays of glowing golden toasty loaves of various shapes and sizes. The baker gives a tray to the little dragon and he flies back home where he lies atop his loaves, absorbing the wonderful aroma but feeling sad about missing the bakery.

This baker’s rich, buttery gold tastes even better than it smells and before long the delicious smell has attracted other dragons and their reactions to its delectable taste, gives Ember an idea. He returns to the bakery and after careful consideration, Ember and the baker establish what proves to be a very successful business arrangement. Finally, Ember has found his true gold and as we read on the final spread: ‘… baking gold is better than taking it. And sharing it is best of all.’

A feast for the eyes assuredly and one can almost smell the wonderful aroma emanating from the latter pages of the book and hear the soft crunching as everyone in the village sinks their teeth into the loaves: a truly tasty book.

Dylan, Daisy and the Disco Ball

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Dylan, Daisy and the Disco Ball
Robert Tregoning and Laura Brenlla
Oxford Children’s Books

Dylan and Daisy are dressed and ready for their first school disco but they’re unsure what they are letting themselves in for. However, no sooner has Dylan walked through the door than he starts feeling the rhythm and lights of all colours form a rainbow all around. Then from above descends a ball of silver light inviting him, so he feels, to move to the music and “Twirl and twirl and twirl like me and sparkle from within”. Almost immediately Dylan is shimmying and shaking like a disco diva. He’s having an amazing time but then he notices that everybody has stopped dancing to look at him. Highly embarrassed, he stops his boogie bopping straight away as he feels his inner sparkle dim, watched from above by the disco ball.

She doesn’t want Dylan’s self-confidence to wane and tries glowing and sparkling very brightly.

However, it’s Daisy’s feet that start tapping and soon she’s dancing with gusto towards Dylan. After a bit of encouragement from his friend, Dylan returns to the floor and so infectious is their boogieing that before long all their friends are joining in and twirling too.

With dramatic scenes by Laura Brenlla (you can almost hear the music emanating from some of her illustrations), this empowering telling by Robert Tregoning about letting go and over-coming one’s self-consciousness, will one hopes, encourage listeners to do likewise.

Wilomina: Land of Dreams and Nightmares

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Wilomina: Land of Dreams and Nightmares
John Chalmers and Sandra Marrs
Scholastic

Wilomina, her father, and baby brother Kes, are on their way to visit Mum in hospital when a creature dashes across the road causing their car to get stuck. They’re in the middle of nowhere but Wilomina insists she’s seen a station, dashes ahead and followed by Dad and baby, jumps aboard a train, destination unknown. While Dad is changing Kes, Wilomina meets a talking cat, who introduces itself as Mephisto. The cat tells her that they must leave the train immediately and Wilomina takes a leap and finds herself separated from her dad and brother, in a weird place called Nocturna, where, so Mephisto says, dreams and nightmares come from. It seems though, as if the nightmares are taking over: can Wilomina trust the shape-shifting cat to help her return to the real world and find her family? Seemingly it’s her only chance so they set off together.

On their travels they encounter snakes, spectres, spider-witches, dragons; they have to cross monster-infected waters on a raft before reaching the Premonition Library where mazes and monsters abound. In the library they encounter the librarian who leads them to a massive book-filled room, the maps and gateways section filled with millions of books. ‘Good luck! And remember: inner calm’ she tells them leaving them to search. Wilomina discovers a book that invites them to ‘solve this puzzle to find your gate to the Waking Hours’ with two small envelopes and the words, ‘choose carefully or perish!’

What next? The worst thing is that Wilomina is slowly but surely transforming into a fierce werepire. Will this nightmare ever end? Can Wilomina overcome her inner monster, find her dad and brother and get to the hospital to see Mum?

With a courageous protagonist, this spooky (but never too scary) magical adventure, vibrantly illustrated in graphic novel format will be devoured by readers who prefer their stories told mainly through visuals. This surreal story continues in book 2 coming next year.

The Waking Wood

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The Waking Wood
Alexi Francis
Big Picture Press

Deep in the woods one warm summer evening, as the moon begins to rise many creatures wake to wander and search for food. In that wood stands an ancient oak tree in the roots of which resides a badger family. As the wood becomes engulfed by night the badgers emerge including a young one that is far smaller than his siblings. Eager to explore, this cub wanders off and before long has been left behind as he follows a path far beyond the badgers’ sett. Attracted by its luminous light, the cub goes to investigate a glow worm and is soon surrounded by many more that glimmer like fallen stars. Then having sniffed the air of the gentle breeze, entranced by the earthy notes of its scent, on goes the little badger to see what might be beyond the glade.

At the wood’s edge he has a scary encounter with a fox

and having run to safety, now all alone in the darkness, he discovers that he’s come to a pine wood, so different from his woodlan§d home, the home he so much wants to return to. No easy task as all the paths look the same but ‘Ooooo! Kewick! Ooooo! Kewick!’ hears the lost cub. He recognises that it’s the owl’s call and recalling a lesson his elders have taught him, he is sure that sound will guide him back home.

Following the sound of the owl’s call, the cub soon starts recognising the sights, sounds and smells of his home and before too long he’s hurrying to greet his family and joining the other young cubs in a final play before bedtime. Lesson learnt, the smallest cub knows that for the near future he should concentrate on learning the ways of the woods and staying fairly close to his sett.

I love the circularity of the narrative that begins and ends with the ‘Choowa, Choowa, Choowa, Chirr, Chirr, Chirr’ sounds of the birds in the trees. There’s so much more to love too – the intricately detailed illustrations that have a textured quality, the die cut cover and intricate die cuts in the pages and Alexi Francis’s poetic telling.
A gorgeous book to keep, to read and re-read and to cherish.

Encyclopedia of Fungi

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Encyclopedia of Fungi
Jules Howard, illustrated by Namasri Niumim
Wide Eyed Editions

‘Fungi are everywhere but they are easy to miss. They are inside you and around you. They sustain you and all that you depend on.’ So says Merlin Sheldrake author of Entangled Life. Jules Howard’s book, covering over three hundred species, provides a just a glimpse into one of life’s kingdoms on earth. There are examples from all over the world including Europe, Africa and Asia, Australia, North America, New Zealand, South and Central America.

Indeed there are so many kinds to marvel over with their awesome variety of shapes, sizes and colours as we see in Namasri Niumin’s illustrations. For instance there’s the Devil’s Fingers found in forests and grasslands,

and various Earthstars – the Arched Earthstar almost resembling a tiny human dancing on the forest floor.

Their intricate designs are astonishing: how does the Red Cage not fall apart one wonders. Also red in colour but beware, is the poisonous Fly Agaric; with its distinctive red cap dappled with white it is often depicted in woodland fairy tale illustrations.

There are also zombie fungi that prey on caterpillars and ants, ‘Gobbler’ moulds that invade other fungi, but on the more positive side are yeasts that can be used in baking and wine-making and for medicinal purposes.

There is so much more that scientists have yet to understand about this amazing branch of the web of life on Earth. Meanwhile there’s a wealth of information for child readers and adults to discover – the mycelium for example – between the covers of this celebratory volume. It’s definitely one to add to home and school collections.

How the Rivermaid Grew Her Tail

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How the Rivermaid Grew Her Tail
Jessica Wilson, illustrated by Sophie Bass
Words & Pictures

This is a wonderful anthology of folktales from the West African and Caribbean traditions. There are thirteen in all, many of which are new to me. Each one is introduced with information about the country of its origin, its people, and traditions. There is also a double spread with a map showing where in the world each story is from and acting like a pictorial index.

One character that is familiar to me is Anansi though in How Anansi Became King Of All Stories, (Ghana, Ivory Coast & Togo) we also meet Asase Yaa, Anansi’s mother the goddess of love, fertility and the Earth, and though traditionally depicted in humanoid form, herein she takes the form of a spider with two other offspring, Tano and Ben.

There are several pourquoi tales including the titular How the Rivermaid Grew Her Tail, from Jamaica. We first encounter her when she’s both tailless and purposeless and feeling very sad about her lack of a tail despite Turtle’s wise words, “Without your tail, you are enough.” However Rivermaid feels as though she’s already experienced having a tail and insists she needs it. Come the morning Rivermaid sees herself reflected in the eyes of a young girl singing a calypso while washing clothes along the river bank and it’s then she realises she is there to protect the waterways. After some while, joy of joys, Rivermaid feels her tail lengthening and sings in sheer delight.

It’s good to see How George Grew Wings, a retelling inspired by African American George Floyd who was murdered in Minneapolis by a white police officer, a shocking event that triggered the Black Lives Matter movement.

I could go on waxing lyrical about the stories Jessica Wilson retells herein, assuredly they are culturally rich, but instead, I will merely say that with Sophie Bass’s vibrant illustrations,

from The Evil Butcher Who Became a Calf

this is a book that deserves a place in every primary school collection, in secondary school libraries and on family bookshelves