Author jillrbennett

Bad United: Just For Kicks

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Bad United: Just For Kicks
Louise Forshaw
Little Tiger

Delivered in graphic novel form, this must surely be soccer at its silliest. It’s also great fun.
Meet Hoof the unicorn who desperately wants to be part of a team, but his previous club, unable to appreciate his talents, has just kicked him out. Wither next he wonders, and then he spots a notice for BAD UNITED. Off he trots in the hope of being given an opportunity to show his prowess to mermaid manager cum coach, Serena Winmer and become part of the squad.

Having been accepted, it’s time to meet his new teammates: captain Bones, a skeleton who isn’t always able to keep her head on, ROARsome Rex, dino. defender, striker Bolt the cheetah who brings the thunder and lightning, Tinkerball the definitely not sweet fairy with her dazzling moves, and Annette the super-large arachnid goalie. All these, so their previous teams have deemed, are sub-standard soccer players.

After some pretty intensive training, team Bad United enter their first tournament. They’re up against The Blazing Dragons – a formidable bunch with some very nifty moves.

But can the newbies sporting brand new kits, with their combination of strength, speed and skill. not to mention some aromatic assistance, remember coach’s spirit lifting words, get their act together, surprise the commentators and emerge victorious, even when they’re 0-5 down at half time?

An enjoyable read, especially for those who prefer stories where the visuals are dominant.

Big Gorilla

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Big Gorilla
Anthony Browne
Walker Books

Rarely I think, has so much artistry gone into a book of opposites as this one. From the cover, onto the title page and throughout the other spreads are show stopping portraits of primates. ‘What’s the opposite of old? asks the first sentence; turn over and there is the one word answer, ‘Young’ opposite which is a very small, pinkish coloured, thumb sucking infant gorilla. Sad, followed by happy are illustrated on the next two spreads, happy being portrayed by a blissful looking chimp holding a single flower. Then come heavy and its opposite, light, alone and together (observant readers will spot several intruders in the crowd.),

and BIG and small.

The next question is more tricky asking, ‘What’s the opposite of opposite?’ ’The same!’ comes the response with its illustration of a somewhat puzzled primate.

With a touch of the illustrator’s trademark surrealism, this is wonderful celebration of primates of all kinds, some of which followers of Anthony Browne might perhaps recognise from previous books of his. Exquisite illustrations of such wonders as orangutans and chimpanzees, not to mention the odd gorilla will delight readers of all ages.

Monti and Leo: A Newcomer in Pocketville

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Monti and Leo: A Newcomer in Pocketville
Sylvie Kantorovitz
Walker Books

Pocketville as its sign says is, ‘a quiet little town’ and that’s just the way the animals living there want it. Like the others, Monti Mole dislikes change; he sticks to a daily routine but then one day, he discovers a stranger, Leo Lizard, sitting on his favourite rock. At a loss to know what to do, the mole goes home and has a sleepless night. Next morning there’s Leo again sitting on Monti’s rock, but this time the lizard’s genial greeting and ensuing kindness disarms the mole and a friendship starts to blossom.

At the bakery the following day it’s apparent that baker, Mrs Sheep is suspicious of the newcomer commenting, “These strangers! They never respect our ways.” and warning Monti against becoming Leo’s friend. The mole though speaks up for Leo and the two walk off together.

Later, as Monti and Leo are sitting on a log, they hear the sounds of music. It’s Mole’s friend Harriet strumming and singing and Monti introduces her to Leo. This leads them into deciding to hold a talent show that anyone can audition for. Off they go to the library to enlist the help of Carl Crow. Poecketville residents are at first interested but quickly turn reluctant thanks to Mrs Sheep’s crusty ways.

However Mole eventually succeeds in sweet-talking the curmudgeon into sharing her ‘gorgeous singing’ at the show; and just in the nick of time before the organisers call the whole thing off. Come show night, the entire Pocketville population is in attendance, either performing or watching and the show is a big success.

The book’s creator aptly dedicates this story to ‘anyone who has ever felt like a stranger’. With its themes of friendship and community building, it was so good to see Monti finding his own talent in the latter. Sylvie Kantorovitz effectively uses a muted colour palette, simple lines and patterning throughout presenting her tale in graphic novel format for younger readers, .

Earnest Sandpiper’s Great Ascent

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Earnest Sandpiper’s Great Ascent
Timothy Basil Ering
Walker Books

In this deeply heartfelt story we meet three young members of the Sandpiper family on the day they are, so their parents expect, going to learn to fly for the first time. Spur and Rouse are full of confidence; not so Earnest. Under their parents’ tutelage: “BREATHE… TRY… JUMP… FLY!” Earnest’s siblings take to the air; Earnest however baulks at the edge of the dune. “I think my feathers are too heavy for me,” he tells his mother as he looks for a second time over the edge.

Using her wing tip, Mum draws a heart shape in the sand, adding the promise that “soon your heart will glow like the morning clouds. It will shine with desire and belief. ” This magical glow, she assures him, is a sign that magical things are going to happen. Other family members further encourage Earnest and then leave him wondering if he’ll ever feel the glow. He climbs carefully up a piece of wood, breathes in and tries a jump but … lands flat on his back. From his supine position, he spies a yellow balloon floating above him with that same heart decoration his mum drew. Earnest follows the balloon across the beach till it lands in the sea and he follows his curiosity into the water but as the tide comes in, he finds himself entangled in the balloon’s ribbon and thoroughly afraid.

Happily, his family returns just in time, and their loving concern triggers that magical glow his Mum had spoken of, as well as Earnest’s self-belief. With those basic instructions in his head and a powerful SNAP! Earnest takes flight.

The author’s naturalistic paintings are superb, brilliantly expressive, making that plastic-looking balloon stand out against the natural environment, a meaningful message indeed, helping to make this a cautionary tale about the dangers posed to wildlife by balloons floating free, as well as a powerful story of believing in oneself.

Explodapedia: Rewild

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Explodapedia: Rewild
Ben Martynoga, ill. Moose Allain
David Fickling Books

The latest topic biologist and neuroscientist Ben Martynoga turns his attention to in this cracking non-fiction series is that of rewilding. In the glossary, the author defines rewilding thus: ‘giving ecosystems the help and space they need to grow more biodiverse, resilient and able to look after themselves, and us too.’  There’s no doubt our planet is in a diversity crisis but, taking a positive stance, in his witty style, the author accentuates hope for the possibilities that rewilding offers.

Presenting such topics as the rules and intricacies of ecosystems and food chains, how the release of predatory wolves in Yellowstone National Park in Montana created opportunities for wildlife to thrive at every level so that with denser tree cover, healthier rivers and wetter habitats, the entire park has become more resilient if the climate crisis continues to escalate; as well as the way trees share and work together.

There’s even a plan by two biologists, Eriona Hysolli and George Church to use preserved mammoth DNA to create what they term, ‘mammophants’ to help tackle the biodiversity crisis. 

With a plethora of illustrations that have amusing speech bubbles, and an author whose love for his subject is electrifying, every spread is filled with accessible scientific information. This is an urgent rallying cry for individuals and environmental decision makers the world over. A powerful read indeed.    


The Spaceman

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The Spaceman
Randy Cecil
Walker Books

When the diminutive spaceman steps out of his spaceship on a mission to collect soil samples, his first impression is that the planet he’s landed on is pretty ordinary. That quickly proves otherwise however when he catches sight of a large red bloom. WOW! While he gazes at it, his spacecraft is stolen by a ‘thief that sprouted wings from its feathery sides’ (a bird). He gives chase but to no avail: he’s stranded alone and frightened on planet Earth, especially when he finds himself face to face with ‘a hideous beast’ as he stops to admire the next wonderful floral specimen. Off goes our explorer as fast as his feet will go until unable to flee further, he stops and sits atop a rock to ponder on his problematic situation.

In frustration at not being able to think of a solution, he stands up on the rock and is about to yell at the stars when he notices the night has ended, and with the coming of the daylight, the rich and diverse beauty of earth’s flora and fauna is revealed. Hitching a ride with a butterfly, the spaceman is totally enthralled by what he sees

but then he loses his hold and drops down into a pond where he floats gazing skywards. Along comes the ‘hideous beast’ causing the spaceman to realise that appearances in this instance were deceptive; he now describes his new canine friend as ‘a little unrefined perhaps, but charming nonetheless.’

Then as the two snuggle up together, the spaceman thinks of his responsibilities. A dilemma faces him: should he retrieve his spacecraft and return to his old life or make it impossible so to do?

A clever, rather formal, first person narration together with gently humorous, hatched illustrations that provide perspective, enriching the text, make this a book that when shared with children, will give and keep on giving. Initially they might merely enjoy it as a fun adventure for the little spaceman and then later come to appreciate the elation the traveller eventually feels at finding somewhere he feels he truly belongs.

Adventuring with Ivy Newt

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Ivy Newt and the Storm Witch
Ivy Newt and the Time Thief
Derek Keilty, illustrated by Magda Brol
Scallywag Press

These enchanting stories are set in the world of Miracula and in the Storm Witch, the first, Ivy Newt, daughter of the King and Queen of the Sand Witches is celebrating her birthday. However, due to inclement weather her friends are unable to come to her party and share the culinary treats such as scream cheese, lemon and slime cake with marsh maggots. No matter, her parents have prepared an extra special surprise for Ivy – a disappearing act; the trouble is that they really do vanish for good: a mistake or a sinister happening? It’s up to Ivy and her familiar, a shape-shifting wolf/boy Tom to discover what is behind this harrowing situation and bring back her parents. This means Ivy must fly way outside her comfort zone, but she and Tom are a great team and with the help of Felix, son of the Carpet Wizard King, determination and magic, they might just defeat the evil Queen Clawdelia.

New solo readers will delight in this charmer of a tale with its mix of frights and gentle humour, and Magda Brol’s fantastic black and white illustrations at every turn of the page; if you read this aloud to children make sure they see those.

The Time Thief takes place at Halloween when every year come sunrise, a spooky haunted house, appears near Newt Castle, only to disappear again at the stroke of midnight. Queen Fenella tells her daughter, the place is cursed and she’s to stay away and instead help with the preparations for the party in the castle.
However, Ivy’s disobedient streak wins out and off she goes with Tom to investigate and they hope, solve the disappearing house mystery. When they tumble in, the two discover an imprisoned witch in a sorry state, thanks to her own doing and that of sorcerer Thaddeus Creep from whom she stole a clock, a clock that is broken and needs to be fixed urgently, which means before the last stroke of midnight. With occasional tummy churning moments and some wonderful new characters all ends satisfactorily, and will leave readers eagerly anticipating further adventures.
Her latest being

Ivy Newt and the Swamp Dragons

Ivy has some unlikely adversaries in this story, they’re not the titular Swamp Dragons; rather a thoroughly nasty bullying character, Trouble Ivy who appears as the result of Ivy tipping a whole bottle of her Gran’s Double Trouble Bubble Bath into the tub before she takes a dip. Little does she know however that it’s so old the magic ingredients are well out of date and hence both she and Tom now have doubles – exceedingly troublesome ones as she’s soon to discover.

The purpose of Ivy’s stay at Gran’s is so she can see for the first time, the Swamp Dragons Gran is so excited about when they stop for a few days to rest on their way to their winter home in the Dragon Isles. Now with Trouble Ivy and some allies causing chaos, Ivy will have to use all her ingenuity and summon up her bravery to defeat her enemies, save The Book Wizard’s Library and prevent the kingdom of Miracula being incinerated. Can she do it? Possibly, with assistance from friends, be they established or new ones.

Readers will be rooting for eight year old Ivy as they’re whooshed along to the end, eager to discover how things turn out. It matters not whether they have met Ivy before or are new to this series thanks in no small part, to Magda Bro’s map of Miracula and potrait gallery of the characters. They are a great counterpart for Derek Keilty’s text with its satisfying mix of magic, mischief, drama and gentle humour.

I Really, Really Don’t Like Parties

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I Really, Really Don’t Like Parties
Angie Morgan
Otter-Barry Books

When Dora discovers an envelope containing an invitation to Rashid’s birthday party at the bottom of her book bag, her heart sinks: she does not like parties at all. Mum insists it will be fun but Dora is creative thinking up all kinds of reasons why she can’t possibly go, even if her friends will all be there.

Mum is having no nonsense though and packs her off to the party.

Dora is right about it being a very noisy affair but does her best to participate in some of the games. Then comes the teatime announcement. Dora dives under the table and there to her surprise finds she’s not alone. Tom is already there and he’s tucking in to a plate of food which he shares with Dora: that’s two party haters and two new friends having a great time together.

Some time later Dora receives another party invitation. I wonder what her reaction will be to this one.
As a young child I would have been a Dora, though I probably wouldn’t have invented such wonderful excuses nor gone under the table and I know a number of children who feel the same about hectic noisy parties now.

Angie Morgan’s illustrations of Dora’s excuse sequence are both hilarious and heartfelt. She cleverly uses humour – visual and verbal – to convey a very important message: we are all different in our response to loud, busy situations and Dora’s feelings about them are perfectly valid.

Lenny Lemmon and the Alien Invasion / Cluedle: The Case of the Dumpleton Diamond

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Lenny Lemmon and the Alien Invasion
Ben Davis, illustrated by James Lancett
Nosy Crow

This is the third in the laugh-out-loud series starring Lenny whose daft doings delight younger solo readers. As this book begins, Lenny is complaining of boredom: it’s the school holidays and his two best mates, Sam and Jess are, so he believes, both away enjoying life in distant parts. His Dad meanwhile is busy inventing crazy contraptions that are doomed to fail. Lenny is sent to return something to his Grandma’s ice-cream shop but unexpectedly, he finds that she’s not her usual cheerful self when he arrives. Due to lack of customers, she realises it’s either do something to boost sales or close down the shop for good.

On his way home, Lenny discovers that Sam and his family are not away, indeed they too are worried about lack of customers, to their bookshop in the town. The boys determine not to let these once much loved shops close forever. On go their thinking caps for project SAVE THE TOWN. To boost sales at the local establishments, Sam reluctantly agrees to don a alien costume and participate in a pretend alien invasion; that will surely attract attention.

Inevitably, things don’t go quite to plan. Yes the town is constantly full of tourists but it becomes under intense scrutiny from the media. With business booming who should return to the scene but their other friend. If Sam and Lenny reveal their doings, will it be a case of game over? Sir Percival Hickenbottom representing the Enormomall, certainly wants it so. Time to take him on: the chaos is only just beginning but friendship is key.

Bursting with James Lancett’s’ crazy illustrations, this riotous romp is great for newly confident solo readers or as a class read aloud.

Cluedle: The Case of the Dumpleton Diamond
Hartigan Browne
Macmillan Children’s Books

Murdle has already established itself as hugely popular with adults and now younger readers have the opportunity to get cracking on a case courtesy of the Hartigan Browne Detective Agency. Herein Dave the dog has been pup-napped and it is up to you, the reader as a newly recruited agent, to find out why and who the culprit is. This is the first of many puzzles that will, hopefully, lead you to the discovery of the Dumpleton Diamond.
To get those little grey cells all a-buzz, there’s a variety of puzzling tasks from codes to logic problems, picture puzzles to anagrams – probably something for everyone, including adults who want to stick their noses into the book. You might even want to make solving this case a joint family enterprise. Better that than cheat and look up the answers, which are given at the back of the book.

Aqua Boy

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Aqua Boy
Ken Wilson-Max
Otter-Barry Books

Islander Aaron lives by the sea with his parents and elder sister, Angel. Mum and Dad are ocean guardians, volunteers performing a vital role in trying to keep the beach clean. His sister is at home in the water as well as on land and loving to plunge into the waves, she calls herself Coral Girl. Aaron would dearly love to do the same but he’s frightened of going under water. When he shares his fear with his Mum, she tells him that it will happen one day, “when you least expect it.” Dad is equally reassuring when Aaron joins him in the boat as they head out to check on the sea creatures.

That night a huge storm blows up and the following morning the beach is littered with rubbish. The ocean guardians set to work clearing it up, Aaron and Angel imagining ways they might ‘clean up the ocean for good.’

All of a sudden, Aaron spots an octopus, stranded, so Dad says, on the sandy shore. Dad entices it with a length of wood. The children watch as gradually the creature wraps itself around the stick and Dad wades out into the sea. Grabbing his goggles, Aaron follows looking right at the octopus, the creature looking directly at him as it slowly releases its hold on the wood

and swims free below the surface.

The boy then puts on his goggles, breathes deeply and immerses himself, watching the movements of the octopus. Once his friend has swum away Aaron stands up and there, fear finally gone, he is really happy and ready to embrace a new way of being an ocean guardian. He learns about the creatures he sees underwater, helps care for them and never stops hoping his octopus friend will return.

This timely, gentle tale of environmental guardianship with Ken Wilson-Max’s vibrant scenes that portray both family love and the vital role ocean guardians play, will one hopes, highlight to young children the importance of caring for marine life and ensuring that they play their part by taking their rubbish home as well as helping to keep beaches clean. A final spread gives some octopus facts and underscores the outcomes of ocean pollution.

Marley’s Pride / You Are Brave

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Marley’s Pride
Joëlle Retener and DeAnn Wiley
Barefoot Books

It’s June and for Marley and for Marley’s grandparent Zaza, that means Pride month with its parades and other celebratory activities. Marley really wants to join Zaza at the festivities when they’re to receive an award for transgender advocacy, but with sensory sensitivities noise and crowds making the child tense up at the very thought, it’s a no go for the young narrator.
Come the morning of the parade, the child decides to give it a go after all. Into a bag go noise-cancelling headphones a fidget spinner and favourite lavender bunny and off go Zaza and Marley, the latter feeling very uncertain.
At the venue, just as things threaten to overwhelm Marley, Zaza’s reminder, “Pride isn’t just a big ole party. It’s about celebrating who we are, about community, and love” gives the child a boost of courage to go among the crowds. By the end of the day, Marley feels a part of that community with new friends

and a personal delight at belonging.

Author, Joëlle Retener’s telling is a celebration of Pride’s communal spirit brought wonderfully to life with DeAnn Wiley’s inclusive, splendidly textured, bold digital illustrations.
Backmatter comprises double spreads entitled the History of Pride, that includes paragraphs about sensory sensitivities, the other, with lots of definitions and explanations is called More About Marley’s Pride. An invaluable resource for primary schools especially.

You Are Brave
Margaret O’Hair, Sophia Sanchez and Sofia Cardoso
Scholastic

‘Being brave does not mean you are not afraid. It means you are afraid, but you do the scary thing anyway.’ Inspired by Sofia Sanchez, a young actress and model who happens to have Down syndrome, that is the vital life lesson contained in this book.

‘Every day, says author Margaret O’Hair, we meet people who inspire us – people who are amazing at the things they do.’ Sofia Cardoso illustrates a guitarist, a vet, a pilot, a baker, a gardener and several others. Before they became amazing though, they had to make the ‘tough decision’ to try something new, which likely meant they had to be brave. This is something that needs to be learned like everything else and no matter what ‘being brave means doing something you want to try.’ Of course, success seldom comes at the first try, but that’s no reason to give up;

Inclusive and optimistic in tone, this is surely an encouraging invitation to challenge yourself, have a go and try something new. With its important messages, this is a book to share and discuss in primary classrooms.

Shadow Fox

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Shadow Fox
Carlie Sorosiak
Nosy Crow

Set in the harsh environment of secret islands of the Great Lakes in Minnesota, this story is told from the viewpoint of a female fox mysteriously calling herself YAAAARRRRAAAWWWAAAARRR.
Pitifully thin, extremely hungry and cold in the snow, said fox is looking for Nan, only Nan; all other humans she hates but gentle fingered Nan, provider of tasty trout has gone missing. Suddenly a voice calls out, it’s not Nan but a girl wearing one of Nan’s jumpers, who appears to be missing someone too.

Feeling let down by the only human she trusts, the fox teams up with the girl, Beatrice or Bee for short and together they set out to search for Nan and put the world to rights once again. An adventure unfolds, which takes them to a mysterious island and unbeknownst to the fox, she possesses magical powers which the islanders are hoping to tap into. They find themselves battling to preserve the beauty and natural integrity of their surroundings. But can they together work to restore natural harmony; it’s either that or the magic of the place will be forever lost.

Slightly surreal, this is a wondrous fantasy story, at the heart of which is the power of friendship, that will draw you in from the start. It’s beautifully written with quirky details of the intelligent, intuitive fox and a potent sense of place that will ensure that readers pick up the subtle message about the vital need for us all to stop abusing our planet and look after it.

Words, Words and More Words

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Let’s go home, Baby Bee
Carolina Búzio
Nosy Crow

Baby Bee has to get safely to the hive and needs the help of little humans to do so. The same is true of some other baby minibeasts: baby ladybird wants help getting to a home log,; baby snail resides in a flower pot; and baby worm also needs guidance back home. There are plenty of things relating to the natural world to spot on each journey and each can only be completed with the help of a small human hand to guide the moving disc that depicts the named baby. Interactive fun that gives little children a sense of autonomy as well as delight at the brightly coloured spreads, each of which has the route on the recto and small, labelled images on the verso.

Pip and Posy’s Big Book of Words
Axel Scheffer
Nosy Crow

Little ones can learn and read more than three hundred words with friends Pip and Posy in this large format book. Its ten spreads have different themes each with flaps to lift and a multitude of labelled images both in and surrounding the scenes, the first being Garden Games. Here we see Pip busy planting seeds and Posy ready to entertain visitors by playing some musical instruments.
Next comes At the Shops where we find customer Posy, clutching a coin to buy a new toy. Sunny Seaside is the third destination and the two friends are enjoying a beach visit. Back at Posy’s Happy Home, Pip arrives bringing her a birthday present.

Christmas, Snow, Bubbles, Night Night follow and the final spread Learn with Pip and Posy presents colours, seasons, numbers (to 10)basic 2D shapes, and four examples of opposites.
Offering lots of potential for discussion, as well as vocabulary building and honing their visual skills, there’s a wealth of toddler learning possibilities between the sturdy covers of this book.

Also helping to enhance young children’s vocabulary are recent titles in a popular series:

Science Words for Little People: Our Bodies
Science Words for Little People: Coding
Helen Mortimer, illustrated by Cristina Trapanese
Oxford Children’s Books

In Our Bodies children can take the plunge and have a day at the swimming pool where they can learn a wealth of body-related words from the brain to bones and senses to growing.
Coding presents basic language such as commands, sequencing, chain reaction and inputs and outputs. Both books feature a diverse cast of child characters, are engaging both visually and verbally and are worth adding to home shelves or collections in early years settings.

Lola Loves Walks / Serena and the Little Blue Dog

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Lola Loves Walkies
Jake Hope and James Brown
UCLAN Publishing

Meet Lola, a furry creature with many loves, so author Jake Hope tells us: she loves kisses and cuddles, having fun with friends, snoozing in sunny places and her favourite of all, walkies, especially when her human takes her to the park.

She has a particular predilection for hide and seek. Paddling along beside the pond is another of her favoured activities and on reaching the bench, she hides to watch the ducks waddling past. Like pretty well, all pooches, Lula enjoys chasing and retrieving objects but thus far, we readers have yet to see Lola in her entirety.

This is revealed in a fun final twist that will amuse adult sharers (who may have guessed what’s afoot) as well as the children they read the story with.
Illustrator James Brown has done a splendid job creating thirteen richly hued scenes of the lively main character enjoying herself without giving the game away about her identity until the final spread.

Serena and the Little Blue Dog
Rosemary Clunie
Zephyr Books

‘Once upon a time a little girl called Serena lived in a cottage in the woods. She was friends with all the birds and animals of the forest. … But what she really wanted was a special friend of her own.’ : so begins a magic modern fairy tale. One day as she’s wandering in the woods surrounding her home, there suddenly appears a little blue dog. Not knowing at the time, that he’s magic, Serena names him Haiku. She takes him home with her and they become the best of friends. Haiku grows and grows until one day he’s grown too big for her house. Seeing her sadness, he asks what’s wrong. Surprised he’s able to talk, Serena tells the blue dog what is wrong and together they embark on an adventure that takes them over a mountain eastwards, over plains, into valleys and between fields to a distant castle to consult the wise woman. On the way Serena is given three stones – a green one from the mountain bird, a red one from a snake and a yellow one from a golden fish.
These, as per the sweet-voiced woman’s instructions, she places into her crown. What the woman tells her comes as a surprise,

but does it help Serena with Haiku and the size problem?

With its friendship theme Rosemary Clunie has created with striking illustrations and a longish text, a kind of modern fairy tale that can be enjoyed by solo readers as well as shared with young listeners, perhaps as a bedtime story read over several nights.

Blossom Origami

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Blossom Origami
Clover Robin
Nosy Crow

Clover Robin, surface pattern designer, illustrator and nature lover has created thirteen stunningly beautiful cut paper illustrations to accompany step-by-step instructions on how to use origami to make paper flowers, trees or parts thereof, and there’s also a cactus and a clover leaf. Each whole page illustration includes fauna as well as the flora that is to be made. So for instance, on one of the lily flowers is a hummingbird; a deer and a squirrel are visible in the bluebell filled beech wood and if you look carefully you’ll spot the insect atop one of the orchid flowers.

Alongside the instructions to make each of the origami flora is a related short poem, one or two being haiku and some well known poets including Christina Rossetti, Rachel Lindsay, W.H. Davies and William Shakespeare are there too.

There are 3 difficulty levels, so the book will suit complete beginners as well as more experienced origami enthusiasts, and on the index page is a QR code link to ‘how-to’ videos that beginners will find especially useful. Clover also designed the gorgeously coloured tear-out sheets of origami paper, one side of each being patterned, the other plain.

Published in collaboration with the National Trust, this would make a smashing present for a patient child, or an older craft enthusiast with an interest in the natural world.

Totally Chaotic History: Ancient Egypt Gets Unruly! / Be A Scribe!

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Totally Chaotic History: Ancient Egypt Gets Unruly!
Greg Jenner, illustrated by Rikin Parekh
Walker Books

Speaking directly to his audience using a chatty present tense style, writer, Horrible Histories consultant and presenter of the hit BBC history podcast ‘You’re dead to me’, takes readers on an action-packed, chaotic romp through the whole of Ancient Egyptian history. In this enterprise as he navigates this messy world, he’s aided and abetted by Egyptologist, Dr Campbell Price, curator of Egypt and Sudan at Manchester Museum with interjections in the margin, myth busters and ‘accuracy alarms’ that sometimes challenge Greg’s ‘facts’. Adding to the humour of the text and the reader’s enjoyment and perhaps understanding, are Rikin Parekh’s comical illustrations on every spread.

There’s a brief introduction and timeline, after which we are taken on a whistle-stop chronological tour of the key events in Ancient Egyptian history. Then follow short chapters devoted to important figures such as pharaohs and Alexander the Great (he with a mega ego), as well as other topics you would expect such as mummification and hieroglyphics; we also pay a visit to “Doctor Peseshet’s medical school to see how they treated such problems as toothache, headaches and tummy troubles.

This cracker of a book will be of huge appeal to children who are interested in history in general and Ancient Egypt especially. For KS2 readers I recommend adding it to home, classroom and library bookshelves. With Roman Britain Gets Rowdy! coming in October, this promises to be a brilliant series.

Be A Scribe!
Michael Hoffen, Dr Christian Casey and Dr Jen Thum
Callaway

With nothing much to do during the covid-19 pandemic, Michael Hoffen, a teenager in New York spent his time learning about Ancient Egypt and with valuable help from Dr Jen Thum, an Egyptologist and curator at the Harvard Art Museums, and teacher and mentor Dr Christian Casey, a postdoc at the Freie Universität Berlin. During regular meetings over the course of three and a half years, under the guidance of Dr Casey, Michael translated a work of ancient Egyptian literature, called ‘The Satire of the Trades’ and inspired by all he learned, he wrote the book, together with Dr Jen Thum.

The narrative tells how a father, Khety, takes his son, Pepe, up the river Nile to a distant school so he can learn to read and write with the possibility of then being hired as a scribe in the royal court. The author uses photos of over a hundred real ancient Egyptian artefacts to help with the telling, giving readers fascinating information on such topics as the kinds of work people did and how this affects their lives – eighteen jobs are each given a detailed double spread.

In addition there’s a wealth of wisdom including such advice as ‘If you leave school at lunchtime and wander about in the street’s someone will punish you.’ The physical punishment of children was common in ancient Egyptian society.

Superbly produced, this is a book to add to primary collections and with the connection made to modern life throughout, it should appeal to history lovers as well as those studying ancient Egypt as a class history topic.

Big Bad Wolf Investigates Fairy Tales

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Big Bad Wolf Investigates Fairy Tales
Catherine Cawthorne and Sara Ogilvie
Bloomsbury Children’s Books

Behind every fairy tale is a ‘what if ?‘. Behind all scientific discoveries also lies a ‘what if ?’. Bring the two together as author Catherine Cawthorne does here and the result is a really fun debunking of six of the most popular fairy tales by none other that the lupine villain of several of them.

First to come under his scrutiny is The Three Little Pigs and here, as with the others, he presents the story first and then on the next spread, proceeds to ask some somewhat crazy science questions. All this is illustrated in hilarious cartoon strip style by Sara Ogilvie. Readers learn that in fact, let alone not having hair on their chin chin chins, pigs don’t even have chins; it’s only we humans that actually have chins. As for a wolf huffing and puffing to blow down a house, even one made of straw: no chance there on account of having the wrong kind of lips. A whale would certainly do way better but then what would one of those be doing on land in the first place? Should little humans wish to test their own huffing and puffing, there’s a suggestion using a paper straw and a Malteser.

What about a gingerbread house: have you ever pondered upon what would happen to a gingerbread house in the rain? Probably not but courtesy of our scientifically minded wolf, you can try the gingerbread collapsibility test and find out.

As for that cunning pea test in The Princess and the Pea, the Queen devises to determine who is a real princess – it’s totally nonsensical: nobody could feel a single pea through all those mattresses. All you need to confirm this is a small Lego head (or a dried pea), all the pairs of pants you can find (don’t raid the dirty washing basket though) and a wooden chair. What fun – a Princess Bottom Pants Sensitivity Test.

Brilliantly quirky is the way Catherine and Sara have created this STEAM book that children will absolutely delight in. There are hours of investigative fun as well as hilarious retellings energetically illustrated by Sara.. Some of my family members tried out the huffing and puffing test and had great fun but came nowhere near the world record mentioned in the text.

A Sprinkle of Happiness

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A Sprinkle of Happiness
Lucy Rowland and David Litchfield
Scholastic

Told in rhyme by Lucy Rowland and pictures by David Litchfield, this story starts with a seed (nothing special at all) and a boy, kind, brave and smart. What should he do about such a seed, the lad wonders. A sprinkle of happiness, a pot together with ‘Some soil and some water. A bit. not a lot.’ That’s what he tells the seed and his Grandma, who is in agreement, so they do the necessary. Then each day they sit happily outside and before long, the seed grows a short stalk: ‘ … the best stalk I’ve seen.” Grandma says. As if encouraged by these words, the stalk continues to grow taller … and taller until it’s taller than the wall over which the boy and Gran see people walking miserably by. It’s clear, “A sprinkle of happiness. / That’s what they need!”

That happiness comes first to a lady who notices the stalk and sits down enjoying the boy’s smile and the view. Then, atop the stalk grows a bud. Kind words from Grandma and the boy make an old man and a little girl cheer up and so the two continue in this way. As a result the people and the seed grow happier, day by day until wow! That tiny seed has become a stunning sunflower.

A storm comes one night, snapping the sunflower stalk and scattering the petals far away. But seeds too have been scattered, all over town. Wise Grandma knows just what to say to cheer up the boy; but can happiness also grow anew? It surely can

and slowly, slowly sunflowers start to flourish everywhere in the town. Sunflowers that have grown ‘ … as a little reminder/ of how life can be when we’re all a little kinder. ’

A truly beautiful book to share at home and in classrooms, as well as any place where a little bit of happiness is needed.

The Hoys

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The Hoys
Kes Gray and Mark Chambers
Happy Yak

ARRR! Me hearties! How many of you have ever wondered what a hoy is? No? Well, you are about to find out in this zany piratical tale.

When his friends call out ‘Ahoy There’ Pirate Jake is confused – what are these hoys and where can he find them?

His hoy hunt around the harbour proves unsuccessful so Pirate Jake goes on a very long and very miserable walk along the beach during which he argues with his parrot and having run out of beach, ends up at the bottom of a tall cliff. There, in the sand, he discovers a trail of strange- shaped footprints …

Now where might they lead, the two wonder and who do they belong to? They decide to follow them and see.

‘Ahoy there!” he calls on entering a well-concealed cave. Could this place contain the answer to Pirate Jake’s puzzlement; will he perhaps end up feeling like a true pirate at last?
Ho! Ho! Ho! To reveal the ending would make me a story-spoiler.

Mark Chambers’ bold bright art, some scenes bursting with fun piratical details, is perfect for Kes Gray’s crazy telling, which contains some smashing descriptive phrases. A thoroughly enjoyable read aloud and one to re-read come ‘talk like a pirate day’ this year’s being on 19th September.

Jack Splash / Stitched Up

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Jack Splash
Tom Daley (with Simon James Green), illustrated by Luna Valentine
Scholastic

Jack, whose parents have separated, lives with his dad and does his best to live up to the sporting expectations he thinks his father, a diving coach, has. To that end he joins the AquaDucks, a diving squad, despite having a fear of drowning and hating heights. he’d much rather be spending his time on his hobby – knitting. Unsurprisingly Jack (the story’s narrator) is the worst member of the diving team but then to his surprise he performs well in an event.

Fortunately for him, a rather unusual boy named Billy joins his year 5 class. Billy, a great swimmer, is more than willing to share some diving tips with Jack. Despite the new boy’s strangeness, Jack takes a liking to him.’He seemed to sparkle – like fun and joy just shone out of him. Maybe he was just what this dull, wet little town needed,’ he tells readers. With Billy as a motivational force, perhaps Jack’s luck is about to change. He certainly has an opportunity to improve his diving and thus please his dad, but more important, through his new friend, he comes to understand what being a member of a team really means. (Supporting fellow team members through their ups and downs is a vital life skill to learn whichever sport a child participates in.)

Then, with the important regionals competition for the AquaDucks looming, Billy is kidnapped.
With the fate of a secret underwater world hanging in the balance, can Jack and the rest of the diving crew save the day? What is the importance of a ring that so many people want to have in their clutches, or rather on a finger?

As Jack discovers, winning a golden trophy is not the most important thing. Being part of a team and giving fellow members a second chance feels a lot like winning. As does being a great friend, and having your dad recognise it. And you never know, some friendships might just last forever.

With themes of friendship, teamwork and perseverance, this wonderful, gently humorous tale with a touch of fantasy, written in collaboration with Simon James Green, is full of really important messages for child readers, not least about standing up to bullying.. Equally, the book would make a terrific read aloud to a KS2 class; make sure you share Luna Valentine’s occasional black and white illustrations. I love the fact that knitting plays an important role in the story.

Also featuring knitting as a pastime:

Stitched Up
Joanne O’Connell
Macmillan Children’s Books

Cassie, the book’s narrator, loves vintage fashion but when she starts at Silverdale High School she makes friends with Azra, who is obsessive about fashion labels. Very quickly she feels under pressure to fit in, which means changing her interests to current trends rather than fashion history. Then, thanks to her neighbour, she joins a local knitting group, The Knitwits. There, in what feels more like a big family set up, she’s able to embrace her passion and be herself, while also keeping up appearances in school. (Anybody who is into knitting will enjoy the knitting element with the descriptions of patterns and stitches, and it may even encourage other readers to embrace a new hobby.)

When Cassie, eco-warrior Fern and Azra are tasked with redesigning the school uniform, Cassie feels conflicted, and finds that she’s having to lead a double life, particularly when Azra begins to ask questions. Torn between proclaiming her new passion and keeping it under wraps, things are far from easy. Can she keep this crazy double life from unravelling entirely?

With vital life lessons about being true to oneself and standing up for your beliefs and what is important to you, this is a story that will appeal to readers slightly below and above Cassie’s age particularly those who enjoy using second-hand clothing shops and believe strongly in upcycling, though the author uses a gently humorous style that never feels preachy.

Uprising

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Uprising
Jennifer A. Nielsen
Scholastic Press

Set in Poland during World War 2, this book is based on the real life story of Lidia Durr – a girl whose life changed irrevocably when the Nazis invaded Poland. Lidia, a talented pianist, is just twelve in September 1939. She and her family went into hiding in their basement when the Nazis began bombing Warsaw as part of their house was smashed by bombs. When the German takeover was complete, Lidia and her family went back to living upstairs but then were forced out as the Germans took the house for themselves. Papa meanwhile has donned his uniform from WWI and gone to fight for Poland.

The Durr family – Lidia, her mother and brother, Ryszard, together with a Jewish woman their former maid, Doda, and Doda’s mother relocate to a tiny apartment adjacent to Warsaw’s Jewish quarter from where, at the mercy of their occupiers, Lidia helplessly watches family, friends, and countless strangers suffer terrible cruelty, starvation and injustice.

With life becoming ever more difficult, Lidia, desperate to fight back, seeks opportunities to play her part. She sneaks food into the ghetto and enrols in an underground school but as she gets older, with Ryszard having joined the resistance, she finds this isn’t enough. Always hoping for liberation, she begins to fear that the world has forgotten Warsaw.

Frustratingly, her brother doesn’t talk about his resistance work so Lidia finds her own ways to increase her participation. She begins by running messages for the resistance but soon becomes a crucial element taking on ever more dangerous assignments. Admitted into the circle of people planning Operation Tempest, Lidia (code name Cello) rapidly rises up the ranks.

This is a powerful story with Polish people who are not Jewish as its main characters that demonstrates just how very dangerous it was to speak out of turn, let alone be a pro-active member of the resistance movement. Lidia survived and was eventually reunited with her mother in Chicago, dying in 2011: her father and brother perished during the war.

Child readers and adults cannot fail to feel in awe of what she and others like her contributed to her country. (Some black and white photographs of Lidia and her family follow the main narrative.)

A Midsummer Night’s Drama

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A Midsummer Night’s Drama
Louie Stowell and Isobel Lundie
Little Tiger

The whole story is presented in three acts and includes a performance of Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream unlike anything you’ve experienced before. It’s penned, so we’re led to believe by a clever bear, Bill, residing in a treehouse with his friends Sir Bun Bun, Foxy and Lady Bushytail. The friends love to act plays at their theatre, The Glade and these attract large audiences from all over the kingdom.

There’s great excitement as Bill and his pals are performing a brand new play. Its entire cast comprises a fairy queen, a fairy king, Puck the cheeky sprite and Bottom. Various insects perform the duties of stage manager, set designer, understudy, and one looks after lighting and another is responsible for props. Its opening night constitutes Act 1. It’s a wild success,

which leaves Bill thrilled but over-excited.

Act 11 shows he is just that, unable to sleep in his cosy bed, his brain all a-fizz with ideas. Up he leaps and against his friends’ advice, begins working on another play until that is, in buzzes Queen Bee who speaks thus, “I COMMAND you to zzzzzzzsleep!” and buzzes out again leaving the acting troupe to offer sleeping advice.

Act 111 opens with Bill trying out some of the ideas proffered, the first being to dance, but to no avail.

Perhaps Sir Bun Bun’s suggestion will induce that much-needed slumber …

With appropriately dramatic illustrations by Isobel Lundie and Louie Stowell’s clever word usage both hinting at the story’s Shakespearean origins and background, this is a pre bedtime treat. Equally it’s enormous fun to share with a class and you can enjoy investigating the book’s final spread that presents some information about the bard himself, William Shakespeare, and his work. Make sure you look closely at the front endpapers too. I wonder what Bill Bear et al would do with Twelfth Night, my favourite Shakespeare play.

The Time Machine Next Door: Rule Breakers and Kiwi Keepers / The Time Machine Next Door: Rebellions and Super Boots

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The Time Machine Next Door: Rule Breakers and Kiwi Keepers
The Time Machine Next Door: Rebellions and Super Boots
Iszi Lawrence, illustrated by Rebecca Bagley
Bloomsbury Education

In the first story, having failed at the first fraction in his maths test at school, Sunil runs into the toilets crying. His pretence at being ill results in his being sent home sick from school. Sunil is fed up: no cricket practice for him, insists Dad who asks Aunt Alex – she with the ‘Boring Machine’ – to babysit for the evening. Perhaps things won’t be so bad after all. However Alex refuses to let Sunil dabble with her potentially dangerous time machine. Creating a distraction, the determined boy sneaks next door into her house (although sneaks isn’t quite the right word for her creates a big disturbance with a ladder). Having located the Boring Machine and pressed the ON button, the next thing he knows is rather than going back a little bit to before his maths test as intended, the machine malfunctions and he’s talking to a girl who tells him her name is Rosa.

It’s Rosa Parks who becomes a leader in the civil rights movement in America.

This is only the first of his travels through time in Rule Breakers and Kiwi Keepers. Before the time machine is fixed, Sunil meets a very young Genghis Khan, so Alex tells him on his return; and then a young Lady Elizabeth who, despite what she says to Sunil, becomes the queen of England. All the while Wiki, the kiwi is annoyingly making his presence felt.

In Rebellions and Super Boots, the loss of his lucky T-shirt just as he’s about to go to his cousin’s house to watch the India v South Africa test match sets Sunil off on another crazy adventure whizzing back through time with Alex and the pesky Wiki. Confusingly for Sunil, there’s another Alex in this book who, except for her metal Doc Marten boots, looks exactly like his neighbour. Apparently she’s Alex-from-the-future. What begins as a search for Sunil’s T-shirt quickly turns into a visit to Roman Britain circa 31CE (time to polish up your Latin perhaps?) where Sunil is instrumental in saving the life of Caractacus but is in Alex’s bad books for being responsible for the loss of her Talk Torc.

Two further forays into the past see Sunil oddly clad in underwear and shirt delivering a message supposedly from Lord Stanley to the King, and trying to get back Alex’s Talk Torc. His third time trip takes him to the 17th century when he has to contend with a witch trial of his own. I learned a new word in that episode – pilgarlick. You’ll need to get a copy of the book to discover its meaning.
All’s well that ends well with Sunil back in the present concluding that he can cope with life without his lucky T-shirt.

Quirky assuredly but Iszi Lawrence’s fun books offer insights into many aspects of history that young readers can then delve further into. The time machine might be powered by boredom but children certainly won’t be bored by Sunil’s forays into the past amusingly illustrated by Rebecca Bagley.

For lower KS2 classrooms and home collections.

Bun on the Run

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Bun on the Run
Smriti Halls and Chris Jevons
Scholastic

Starring Bernard the Bun, this is a delectably funny take on the traditional tale The Gingerbread Man. As the tale opens Bernard sits atop a display in the baker’s shop, a perfect confection of its kind. The thing is that Bernard has a yen to see life beyond the bakery and so down he jumps and off he sets only to be confronted with a drooling dog. Our quick thinking Bernard turns down the dog’s offer to tarry awhile with “You can chase, chase, chase, / you can run, run, run. / But you can’t catch me. / I’m Bernard the bun!” and dashes away. Almost immediately a moggy appears pondering on the possibility of a bun for tea.

As it pounces, Bernard dashes over the gate and into a sunny meadow repeating that same refrain.
His next potential consumers – two feathered creatures – receive similar treatment. Even when our adventurer is in terrible danger, he uses his wits to outsmart the black one,

lands safely and keeps running and running … and the story ends with a tasty final twist.

Child listeners to Smriti’s rhyming text will soon be rooting for Bernard and joining in with his repeat refrain as he hastens across the pages on his marathon dash. Chris Jevon’s use of a bright colour palette for the illustrations, together with the various background hues indicate the time of day as the tale progresses and readers will come to realise that our bun has been on the run for a whole day from early morning till sundown.

A nursery classic in the making this, methinks.

Guess Who’s Getting Dressed & Guess Who’s Going to Sleep / Lenny in the Garden

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Guess Who’s Getting Dressed
Guess Who’s Going to Sleep
Smriti Halls and Marta Altés
Walker Books

Hugely engaging, and tremendous fun are these two interactive lift-the-flap board books written in rhyme by Smriti Halls and zestily illustrated by Marta Altés.
On the first four spreads in Guess Who’s Getting Dressed little humans are invited to respond to a question and given a possible answer (not the right one). Parts of an animal are visible from behind the flap on each recto, sporting the article of clothing the question mentions. For instance the suggestion is that Reindeer is wearing some stripy socks: not so, but the rhyme offers a clue …

The final spread presents the entire animal cast and a ‘Who else?’ to guess.
Guess Who’s Going to Sleep follows the same pattern but with a different animal cast and a slumber time theme.
Playful delight both.

Not a board book but also for the very young:

Lenny in the Garden
Ken Wilson-Max
Alanna Max

Lenny, his mum and Wilbur their dog are in the garden. On the lookout for new things, Lenny starts exploring, while mum gets busy digging. Before long Lenny draws attention to some ants walking in a line, so he says. Higher up a spider spins its web, round and round. Then as Lenny enjoys the tactile pleasures of toe wiggling in the grass, Wilbur makes friends with a wiggly worm that’s just popped up from underground. Mum finishes digging and begins watering, offering to water Lenny too but he’s too engaged with the nose tickling butterfly, the caterpillar and the dotty, spotty ladybird on a leaf.

Next he follows a snail slithering along leaving a trail behind; a grasshopper leaps hither and thither and Lenny attempts to emulate its bouncing until finally digging and watering done, mum calls to Lenny; he comes and the two sing a finger song ‘Tommy Thumb’ together before going indoors for lunch.

A simple, thoroughly captivating delight that is just right to share with the very youngest children. One hopes that having heard this story with its brightly coloured illustrations, listeners will become as observant as young Lenny in their own gardens or nearby outdoor spaces.

Champ / High Top Sole Mates

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Champ
Payam Ebrahimi and Reza Dalvand
Greystone Kids

Abtin Moleski was born into a family of champion athletes but no good at sports and without the slightest urge to win, he doesn’t feel he really belongs. Despite everything his family has done to help him become a champion,

he has no interest in being a sporting hero. Abtin’s passion is for art and upset at being a huge disappointment to others in the family, he resolves to do whatever it takes to make his father, indeed the entire family, proud. To this end he works and works until at last he has what he thinks is a solution.

What he does is revealed in an amusing and clever visual twist. How will his family respond?

With its themes of individuality, self-acceptance and understanding, family pressure, resistance and resilience, this is a book to share and discuss with children across a wide age range. It’s written and illustrated by two Iranians, whose creative wisdom is evident throughout the story. Caroline Croskery has translated the story into English.

High Top Sole Mates
Tom Lacey
Little Tiger

High Top is everyone’s friend and loves to show it in all possible ways: from smoochies to surprises, cuddles to cosy knitted gifts, the sneaker does everything to transmit his loving feelings to his fellow footwear. Then one day he decides to ramp up the level of his love-in; to this end he collects all manner of bits and pieces which he takes to the top of a big hill and there, fashions a brand new mega love sign. However things don’t go entirely as he hopes, leaving a devastated High Top tottering back to his box.

It appears that he’s had some visitors in his absence though. Have they left a message telling him to get knotted or is there something there that will brighten up his life of loving.

Laced with gentle humour, polished with puns and brushed with bright colours, this second episode in the life of a lovable item of footwear will perhaps fit many sizes.

When the Wild Calls

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When the Wild Calls
Nicola Penfold
Little Tiger

In this powerful sequel to Nicola Penfold’s Where the World Turns Wild we join Juniper and her brother Bear in a raw and incredibly thought-provoking dystopian adventure that sees them (against their father’s wishes), returning from their new home in Ennerdale where they live with their Dad, his new partner, Willow, and their baby, Fern, to the city. They feel driven by the thought that
their beloved grandmother, Annie-Rose, and friend, Etienne, are still in the city where disease is fast spreading.

Juniper is determined to rescue them and bring them to safety, and at the same time, bring hope to the ever more barren city, a place where there are signs that the iron-fisted control of ruthless leader, President Steel, is starting to weaken. However, the possibility of insurgence by a group called the Polecats has made the authorities more aggressive. Determined to fight for freedom, Etienne who has participated in the disease trial, finds himself in extreme peril and in need of rescue from more than the city itself.

The story unfolds through the increasingly anxious voices of Juniper and Etienne who speak in alternating chapters enabling readers to see what is happening both in the Wild and in the city alongside each other. Both show enormous courage and strength of character as they give their all to what they believe in, and fight for those they love.

The threat of disease, vaccine trials, restrictions on normal life and fear of strangers will remind many readers of our own recent pandemic though Nicola tells us that her story was written prior to COVID. It’s a story from which the author’s love of the natural world shines out as she describes vast landscapes and the minutiae thereof; a story that holds powerful messages about the vital importance of caring for nature. A wonderful read and a call on us all to play our part in helping our precious natural world.

How Many Dinosaurs Is Too Many?

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How Many Dinosaurs Is Too Many?
Lou Peacock and Nicola Slater
Nosy Crow


One day a child, (our narrator) gets a dinosaur and what fun the two have. However another dinosaur would surely mean more fun and so right on cue, a second one appears. And so it goes on until the blissfully happy child has amassed ten different dinosaurs, a veritable soccer team.

Of course, there is a price to pay for all these new, very energetic and hungry companions that do pretty much whatever they want, causing chaos at mealtimes,

bath times and bedtimes too. Enough is enough, indeed way too many and out goes the entire dino. crew. But is our young narrator happy now? No, despondency rules (we have a scene of sadness on the see-saw) but only briefly for a singular surprise awaits offering the ideal solution.

Nicola Slater’s vibrant illustrations tracking the growing dinosaur contingent and the child’s reactions to same, capture the energy and humour of the events as the narrator begins to see that it’s actually a case of ‘be careful what you wish for’.
Highly engaging, Lou Peacock’s interactive rhyming story offers so much more than just counting fun. Little ones can play ‘spot the latest addition to the dinosaur entourage’ as each page is turned until all ten have assembled. They’ll also love Nicola’s funny details, especially in the meal scene. Share at home or in an educational setting: youngsters can never so it seems, have too many dinosaur tales.

Here Be Giants

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Here Be Giants
Susannah Lloyd and Paddy Donnelly
Frances Lincoln Children’s Books

This sequel to Here Be Dragons is every bit as comically entertaining as its predecessor.

We join the same hapless knight as he sallies forth with his trusty steed, on a new and perilous quest, determined to prove to the other knights that he’s no fool. Having paused to consult his Giant Spotting Book, he starts looking out for LARGE things as per its instructions, measuring various normal sized objects, significantly an armour clad damsel. However, he fails to notice something that alert readers will have spotted.

Despite various clues fairly liberally scattered over the ground, our knight manages to miss every one and instead decides to find a spot higher up that offers a better view.

Having secured himself further from the ground it’s time to follow step two: beware of the ‘cursed sound of giant tummy rumbling’. That thunder the knight hears signifies a storm on its way, he thinks; but what is that ‘damsel’ on about; it certainly can’t be heard above the thundering sound. Better take shelter till the storm has passed and while so doing check out step three in the manual.
Even with the dastardly giant’s drool dripping on him from above, our hapless knight fails to recognise the clue and starts faffing about with his brolly.

Turns out, it’s just as well he’s brought that along on his quest: verily a poke from its tip provides a timely twist and demonstrates several things, not least of which is that females are frequently more savvy than males.

Paddy Donnelly provides one hilarious scene after another as the saga unfolds. That they are completely at odds with the knight’s (ie Susannah Lloyd’s) verbal narrative makes this book, with its knightly language, a story adventure-loving listeners will want read aloud multiple times as they relish being in on the joke from the outset.

Wise Up! Wise Down!

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Wise Up! Wise Down!
John Agard, JonArno Lawson, illustrated By Satoshi Kitamura
Walker Books

Three awesome creative people from children’s literature have collaborated on what is sure to become a favourite poetry book for many readers. Two friends John Agard and JonArno Lawson provide the words and the distinctive art of Satoshi Kitamura provides the wonderful, whimsical illustrations. So, when you open this book be prepared to embark on a foray into a lively, thought-provoking conversation between prize-winning poets. It’s so cleverly put together with the two voices taking turns throughout; they’re made to seem as if one person’s thoughts have immediately initiated a response from the other, despite many of the poems having been published previously.

Sure to get your brain cells buzzing are Jon Agard’s Mind, What Exactly Are You? and JonArno Lawson’s rejoinder Never Mind. So too will Questions (JA) and Should I Be Me? (JL) Philosophical posers each one of which could be used to open a community of enquiry type discussion.

There’s humour too, of a wicked kind in for instance, JA’s Crocodile’s Tale: ‘The last man who mistook me for a log / Lost half a foot and can no longer jog.’ and Alligator’s Response (‘Is that right, old Croc? / But can he still walk? // The last man who stopped to look me in the eye? / That falling-down man was an upstanding guy.’ (JL)

What comes across loud and clear is both poets have never lost their sense of awe and wonder about life, the universe and all that: JL summarises this in the final lines of the verse in the final poem: ‘figuring out this strange world will never / be anything less or anything but / a forever and ever adventure.’ A perfect close to a terrific book.

Read it at home, read it in the classroom and then perhaps try out some of the suggestions given at the end.

The Last Zookeeper

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The Last Zookeeper
Aaron Becker
Walker Books

This is an ark story of an altogether different kind. Set in a post apocalyptic world, it has no text, only a series of amazingly detailed wordless spreads and there’s not a single human in sight. Instead, AI in the form of a ginormous, towering robot with the letters NOA on its arm and wind turbines to power it on its back, steps onto a flooded landscape with its incredible architecture.

It appears that he’s stumbled upon a ruined zoological garden where half a dozen or so iconic
species are stranded. He feeds them but as the waters rise ever higher, he sets about designing and building a sail boat big enough to accommodate the remnants of survivors of the deluge – giraffes, pandas, tigers, rhinos, flamingoes, elephants, zebras.

They set sail but their craft is caught in a terrible storm and shipwrecked on a low lying archipelago.

All seems lost but then from the sky there descends help in the form of another robot piloting a hot air balloon . There’s hope after all …

A brilliantly imagined, bleak and thought-provoking parable showing what the future may hold for life on Earth if humans fail to turn back the tide of global warming. Becker’s minutely detailed watercolour and pen-and-ink illustrations provide many hours of immersive meditation.

Puppet

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Puppet
David Almond, illustrated by Lizzy Stewart
Walker Books

David Almond’s sublimely written poignant fable, with Lizzy Stewart’s impressive illustrations will really pull at your heartstrings.

Silvester is a widowed puppet maker; together with his wife, Belinda, he gained a reputation for creating some of the most beautiful puppets and shows in the area. As a result, the local museum wants to exhibit the subjects of his work and a young woman, Louise from the university wants to write a short history of his creations to be offered for sale when the exhibition opens. All he has left are his memories, posters, and photographs of his beloved Belinda.

So what can a puppet master do when he’s old and alone? Pondering this question, Silvester feels strangely free. Days pass and one night, awaking from his dreams, the attic seems to call to him. Up he climbs, sits at his workbench and fashions a new puppet. Then comes, “E-O.” That’s the first sound the puppet makes: Silvester thinks he’s imagining it. Next morning he tries to get the puppet to stand; it’s a tough call but eventually he succeeds. “Hello, Puppet,” says Silvester. “E-O” comes the reply.

Puppet is a quick learner, he walks and it’s not long before the old man has found a firm place in his affections for his creation. They visit the park together and there they meet a rather unusual girl named Fleur and her mum, Antonia. The latter remembers some of Silvester’s magical shows from her childhood. The puppet becomes known in the local community as Kenneth and soon Fleur becomes Silvester’s ‘apprentice’, learning how to create and use puppets.

This eventually leads up to a public performance – but all the while, Silvester has been growing more and more tired. With the show over and everything cleared away, telling his friends, he’s seldom been happier, the old man heads home with Puppet and they lie down to sleep together. “Jam,” whispers Puppet the next morning … “Da- ad” but … . I had tears in my eyes at this point, such was the emotion I’d built up inside.

With his wondrous tale of creativity, playfulness and the circle of life, David Almond shows that with trust, love and the power of the imagination, anything is possible. Share it with a class: the children will be swept away by the magic of the telling, as will individual readers.

Is It A Seed?

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Is It A Seed?
Emily Ann Davison and Adriena Fong
Flying Eye Books

When a young girl discovers an unusual-looking seed, she and her brother start pondering upon what it might become. The only way to find out though is to plant it and that’s what they do, but it takes time for a plant to grow so the maybes continue. Could it be a single flower or something incredible?

The seed takes root and further possibilities are put forward: what about a large tree in which to build a treehouse, or even more fun, an entire treehouse town. Maybe it will become a gigantic beanstalk atop which is a fantastical kingdom and suppose a giant descends or an entire giant army intent on world domination. On the other hand, said giants might be of the friendly variety.

Eventually to the excitement of the entire family, a tiny shoot appears in the planter but this doesn’t stop the children’s inventive ideas from running wild as they joyfully measure the seedling’s growth.

I love stories that celebrate the power of young children’s imagination, which this playful book with Adriena Fong’s lush scenes, does beautifully, alongside documenting the growth of a seed and presenting ways in which the child characters’ connection with the natural world is forged and further fuelled.

A Spy in the Jam Factory / The Deadlands: Survival

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These are both the concluding books in series from Walker Books: thanks to the publisher for sending them for review.

A Spy in the Jam Factory
Chrissie Sains, illustrated by Jenny Taylor

When, thanks to a spate of local newspaper articles, the jam factory (Willow Green villagers’ pride and joy) comes under surveillance by the Alien Intelligence Agency, its intention is to find a reason to evict Fizzbee from Earth. Yes, there have been several mishaps of late: giant green vegetables running wild, burglaries and worst of all, children floating in the air after consuming figgy jam thanks to one of Fizzbee’s alien ingredients getting a tad out of control but Fizzbee’s reputation is a rock bottom. Scooter and his pals decide it’s time for Operation Make Fizzbee Look Good to dispel the fears of the village residents. There’s a big problem however in the form of Agent Fleur De Vious, the only spy in the Alien Intelligence Agency. She believes Earth should be alien-free and is determined to get the agency’s director to sign an eviction notice for Fizzbee.

Off she sets aided and abetted by Bottie the inept little spaceship. She certainly appears to be making headway when she starts using subterfuge.

Will Scooter, the boy with a wealth of determination and creativity, be able to stop her in time?

There’s a surprise twist at the end as well as a vital message for every one – characters and readers – from Fizzbee: “Some humans find difference scary. But differences should be celebrated, not feared.”
Many readers will be sad to learn that Chrissie Sains and Jenny Taylor’s fourth book in the Jam Factory series featuring expert inventors of wondrous jams, Scooter and his alien sidekick Fizzbee is the final one. So too was this reviewer, despite the satisfying ending.

The Deadlands: Survival
Skye Melki-Wegner

In this thrilling finale to the cracking trilogy, at the heart of which are five outcasts, former enemies, who are the only hope to save their warring dinosaur kingdoms from impending doom, author Melki-Wegner reassembles her all-dinosaur cast for a furious, climactic battle.
With a massive army to face, frenzied fights, treachery from supposed allies, ambushes, as well as betrayals, narrow squeaks, and courageous exploits the action races towards a climax that is spent against an enormous inferno and a deluge. Through all the trials, the trust Eleri et al have in one another provides a powerful support and the battle’s momentous outcome depends on loyalties and holding fast to their honourable ideals and values.
A showstopping conclusion to the adventures of the intrepid heroes that have kept many older readers, especially danger-loving ones, gripped.

Bud

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Bud
Laura Hambleton
Bloomsbury Children’s Books

Tucked up tight in a snug red plant pot in a cosy greenhouse is Bud. Each morning Bud is warmed by the sun and come the evenings, the Moon arrives to tell fascinating tales of the Big Outside. Then one day it’s time for Bud to be replanted in the great wide world beyond the greenhouse. Placed between the nettles and tree roots, Bud’s roots reach down into the cold soil and the stem grows upwards. However, the Big Outside is not at all like Bud has imagined: it’s chillsome and scary and full of unfamiliar things, some of which make weird noises.

No matter where Bud looks there’s more danger – howling winds, flying footballs, pecking birds and nibbling insects. Missing the safety of the greenhouse, Bud cries out asking to go home but there’s no answer.

Then along flies Buzz: Buzz snuggles beneath Bud’s leaves, the two fall asleep and thus a friendship is forged. Henceforward, no matter the weather be it heavy rain, crashing storms, wild winds or freezing frost Bud continues to grow, the two have each other as comfort

and before long Bud makes other insect friends too. Perhaps life in the Big Outside isn’t really so bad after all, Bud decides.

One day Bud wakes to discover yet another new friend: now side by side stand two fully blooming roses – Bud and Rose.

Gently educational, this story of plant growth, illustrated with a gentle humour, is a charmer to share with young children especially prior to planting seeds. With themes of anxiety and fear of new situations, it’s also a reassuring book to discuss as children move from a nursery setting into a reception class, for instance.

Small Steps, Big Change

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Small Steps, Big Change
Annemarie Cool and James Jones
Little Tiger

Containing fourteen suggestions, this book talks children through the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals in a straightforward manner. These everyday goals are presented in an upbeat style by iconic emoji-like heroes and are the kind of things even young children can do to make a difference to our world such as switching to meat free veggie meals, reducing the amount of plastic (think of all those rubbishy plastic toys that are attached to comics as come-ons to make little ones spend their pocket money on them), remembering to turn off taps and collecting rain to water the garden.

Each one is illustrated by James Jones whose scenes are alluring and playful.

Bursting with great ideas, a copy of this needs to be in every primary classroom and adults could do well to read it too. It’s all too easy for busy people to forget some of the simplest things – turning out lights, unplugging mobiles when charged – that can contribute to making better tomorrows for everybody.

Looshkin: Honk If You See It! / Agent Harrier: This Book Will Self Destruct

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Looshkin: Honk If You See It!
Jamie Smart
David Fickling Books

Billed at the outset as ‘Looshkin – A Comprehensive Catalogue of His Rise to Fame, this is the third volume of delectably daft doings of the craziest cat in the world, created by maestro of madness Jamie Smart in his characteristic frenetic fashion.

Readers will delight in such doings as the blue moggy character tormenting the grey suited, bowler-hatted Mr Johnson, as well as a clown who thinks a good gimmick is to bring a large box of crabs to a children’s party and let the little nippers loose among the guests. Then there’s the episode of the lost fish finger that answers to the name of Sharon, the accidental morphing of Looshkin into a duck – well maybe and the proper ducks were certainly less than impressed. And just in case anybody you know is undergoing a vampire attack, they might well take a leaf out of our feline friend’s book and bombard it with chicken nuggets.

Stupidly brilliant or brilliantly stupid, whichever way you want to put it, youngsters will relish it. Adults? Well, they may want to take heed of this aroma alert: beware, there are a considerable number of farts between the covers of this book,

some even delivered straight to a certain person’s doorstep in a large cardboard box.

Agent Harrier: This Book Will Self Destruct
Ben Sanders
Little Tiger

Danger alert: with the book set to self-destruct in just five minutes, thanks to a bomb planted within its pages, Agent Harrier must follow the red wire to defuse it before it’s too late and everyone is blasted to smithereens. The clock is ticking and it seems he’s started chasing a red herring.

Though maybe that could turn out not to be such a terrible idea after all. Want to know who was responsible for planting the bomb? Then you’ll need to get your paws on a copy of the book super fast.
With zany daftness visual and verbal, from cover to cover, this punny spy caper with a twist or two, presented graphic novel style, is just right for newly independent readers.

Secrets of the Snakestone

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Secrets of the Snakestone
Piu DasGupta
Nosy Crow


Set above and below the Parisian streets towards the end of the nineteenth century, this utterly compelling story forced me to set aside my recently purchased adult novel in order to finish reading Snakestone in bed.

A cursed gemstone, a dark secret society – the Brotherhood of Blood, a circus full of vibrant characters, and a baby sloth, all this in a city where Zélie Dutta, a young girl from Calcutta, hopes to find her missing father and solve the mystery of why she was so suddenly taken out of school and sent to Paris. (The story of owing the Malaises money somehow doesn’t ring true, she knows there is more to it than that). Providing the lens through which we see the city – a place of innovation, decadence, and also great poverty – Zélie, our intrepid narrator, works as a lady’s maid with the formidable Madame Malaise. Because the girl’s eyes don’t match, the other servants in the house see her as a witch and are ready to blame whatever goes wrong in the household on her.

The second key character is Jules, a young boy working in the sewers, who has found a golden locket belonging to Zélie’s father. Suddenly emerging from a sewer, unaware of the way his life is about to turn, Jules – unwillingly to begin with – is drawn into Zélie’s adventures and plays an invaluable part henceforward. They make a brilliant team with the girl’s resourcefulness, determination and willingness to go to any lengths to help those she loves, not to mention her affirming pep talks that she sometimes gives herself, combined with the boy’s careful and considered attitude to things.

Full of mystery and adventure with themes of family, friendship and trust, along with the important lesson of not making hasty judgements about people, and the weaving into her story, real historical elements and allusions to colonisation, this is a great and unforgettable read for older primary children and beyond.

Always Carry Me With You / My Friend Tree

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These are both paperback picture books from Ivy Kids: thank you to the publishers for sending them for review.

Always Carry Me With You
Hervé Eparvier and Fred Bengalia

Despite the hard, often cold exterior of the book’s inanimate character, this story is full of love and heart. The love is that shown by a father towards his young daughter, conveyed through something one can hold in the hand – a pebble. He talks to her of its durable nature and longevity, mentioning some of its myriad uses and possibilities.

Without actually saying the words, this father is letting his child know that he will always be there for her no matter what, offering comfort, safe keeping and reassurance that she’ll never be alone.
Dads/ caregivers suggest you keep a pebble in your pocket and show it to your child before you share this treasure of a book that reads like a love letter to a little one. Both author Hervé Eparvier with his warm words and illustrator Fred Bengalia with his mixed media art, have done a sterling job capturing the marvel of an unassuming stone.

My Friend Tree
Dawn Casey and Geneviève Godbout

Two children grow up with a constant companion, an old oak tree. They play on it, beneath it and around it and sometimes watch it act as a food source for visiting birds and small animals. The oak provides shade and shelter, warmth and appears to understand the feelings of the girl and boy.
When the oak drops seeds, these fuel dreams of a forest and the children gather them, plant them in pots and place them in sunny places.

They tend the growing seedlings and once sufficiently grown, they plant the saplings around their Tree friend and continue to care for them.

Over time along with the trees, the friends grow, eventually forming a romantic relationship and having children of their own and now the oak is a family tree in more than one sense of the words. It flourishes in the forest and so does the loving family.

Whether the tree’s growth is taken as a metaphor for human growth and change or an example of plant growth and changes, this book with its minimal rhyming text and softly hued, glowing pastel and pencil illustrations, offers a view of the natural world embedded in a story that will likely ignite young children’s interest in growing things and offers plenty of potential in the way of discussion be that at home or school.

The Pinchers and the Diamond Heist / Magic Keepers: Mysterious Mishaps

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The Pinchers and the Diamond Heist
Anders Sparring and Per Gustavsson
Gecko Press

The opening chapter in this story for new solo readers reveals that only one of the Pincher family is honest; that’s Theo. His mum, dad and sister are thieves and lie all the time: the first names of the entire family are puns based on thieving: Theo’s parents are Nic and Rob, his sister is Criminellen (Ellen for short), Gran is Stola (she’s in prison) Before the story proper begins we learn a bit about each person – what they like to steal, tools they use and their personal motto. Next door to the Pinchers lives Paul Essman, a police officer, something Theo aspires to be.

When a diamond exhibition at the Royal Palace is announced in the newspaper Theo’s parents start planning their next crime. Then with bag duly packed, they leave the children and head off. Come bedtime Theo’s story reading prowess isn’t up to scratch so accompanied by his sister, he goes next door to ask Paul to read Ellen her bedtime story. He also divulges where their parents have gone and that’s where officer Paul immediately heads, leaving the children sans adult once again.

To satisfy Ellen’s need for adult company they head next to prison to visit Grandma. Once inside, all manner of crazy shenanigans ensue: there’s a break out, an encounter with policeman Paul, and the escapees plus Theo and Ellen head to the exhibition where more high drama takes place. Theo then devises a plan to get everyone home, there’s a surprise reveal, romance in the offing and through all this, apart from one time on purpose, Theo has remained a truth teller.

Zany illustrations of the crazy antics of members of the cast appear on almost every spread and are sure to illicit lots of giggles from young readers. If you want to discover your inner Pincher, the tongue-in-cheek back matter that follows the light-hearted story might prove useful.

Magic Keepers: Mysterious Mishaps
Linda Chapman, illustrated by Hoang Giang
Little Tiger

Strange things start to happen following a visit from Jo, one of Ava’s mum’s book club friends who has come to take photos for a poster she’s designing. It transpires that she’s photographed one of the magical curios – a golden chalice left by Ava’s great aunt. Since then their home town has been struck by a stream of accidents including a tree crashing into Jo’s front garden wall blocking the road and Jo jumping to avoid a lorry and ending up with a sprained wrist.

This object is a the Cup of Savnoch, a ’curse cup’ and best friends Ava, Sarah and Lily set about translating the writing they find on the front to find out what kind of curse it contains. This they do over the weekend and having cracked the code and read the writing, work out that there are only a couple of days of the five mentioned remaining in which to break the curse. Can they do what’s needed?

With plenty of black and white illustrations by Hoang Giang, this is another exciting story in the magical series, and one wherein Ava learns that her difficulty with spelling, written grammar and punctuation indicate she’s most likely to have dyslexia, which makes her feel so much better about herself.

Super Swifts / Night Flight

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Super Swifts
Justin Anderson and Clover Robin
Walker Books

Astonishingly, swifts (champions of the bird world) are able to fly faster and higher than any other birds; even more astonishing is that they might stay airborne for as much as four years, flying up to seventy miles per hour.

Author, Justin Anderson begins this swift story in central Africa’s Congo region in early April and tells of the journey undertaken by one female in particular who with a group, flies from their place of overwintering, towards Europe and their destination in the UK.

A month long journey that takes them over the world’s largest desert, across vast oceans, through thunderstorms to the place where our female will look for her mate, a bird she’s not seen for a whole year.

Clover Robin’s mixed media close ups of the pair show them making a nest in which the female lays three eggs each of which hatches into a hungry chick.

I love the author’s description of the pair sticking ‘their nest together with their spit, which sets hard like superglue.’ Come July, it’s time for the mother to make her return journey to Africa; she and the other super swifts will once more take to the skies.

On each spread, there’s a main narrative, alongside which is further information printed in smaller type. An inset box gives fascinating details of swift lice that nestle in young birds’ feathers and breed when the swifts nest again. A final author’s note contains information about some of the swift species and gives ways in which readers can help prevent swifts nesting in the UK from dying prematurely.
I’m looking forward to hearing their screeching cries as they fly over our house this summer.

Also on the subject of birds is a book wherein fact and fiction come together.

Night Flight
Katie Cottle
Puffin Books

When young Ellie moves from her country home to a big bustling city on account of her Mum’s new job, the girl notices that many of the bird varieties she loved watching aren’t there. Mum gives her a bird feeder but no birds come a-visiting, so at her mum’s suggestion, Ellie takes a walk around but all she sees are pigeons, no blackbirds, sparrows or moorhens; and empty skies as she makes her way to school each morning. Then one night there’s a tapping at her window; it’s a glossy-feathered starling, a very large one that asks for her help and Ellie agrees.

Off they soar with the child sitting on the starling’s back until they come to a hill whereon they land. When Ellie comments on the glow emanating from the city, the bird tells her that it’s light pollution. As she looks skyward, in this spot far from the city, there are hundreds and hundreds of glittering stars, stars being something else that Ellie has barely seen since the move to the city. On account of not being able to see the stars because they’re dimmed by the light pollution, the birds are unsure where they should fly: can Ellie find a way to help them find the way back home?

She sets to work with the help of her Mum, but she needs to find the confidence to speak out about the birds’ plight. Will she be successful in saving the birds? Happily yes and before long, the city has become much more like home to both Ellie and the avians.
Author/illustrator Katie Cottle’s timely story has an important message about not allowing unnecessary artificial lighting to interfere with the natural world, especially birds. It’s one that needs to be shared and its message heeded by humans especially those who live and work in cities.

Bringing Back Kay-Kay

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Bringing Back Kay-Kay
Dev Kothari
Walker Books

When Lena’s older brother Kay-Kay fails to return from summer camp in Goa, despite rather enjoying feeling a bit special at home for a change in his absence, Lena knows she must find him. His parents are grief-stricken but believe that the police, who think he’s run away, are doing everything they can. His friends say they don’t know why he disappeared from the train back to Lamora but, convinced that Kay-Kay would never run away, Lena suspects that one, Samir, who also went to Wildlife Adventures camp, knows more than he is letting on.

Devastated by the idea of living without her brother and finding her parents’ pain unbearable, she decides to embark on a mission to investigate, with the aim of locating Kay-Kay and bringing him home. ‘Without you, Kay-Kay, there’s no sun, no warmth, no light. I will find you – my brother, my friend. I will find you and bring you back,’ she says. Looking for clues in his room, she discovers that Kay-Kay has been keeping part of himself hidden from the family – his secret dreams and his fears of not living up to parental expectations; these he reveals in his powerful, heartfelt poetry.

Determinedly retracing his journey across India, she meticulously begins to reassemble clues leading to his disappearance. Can she find Kay-Kay and save him before it’s too late?

This mystery set in contemporary India grips the reader from the start. Written from Lena’s view point, it’s frequently gut-wrenchingly moving, especially when she addresses her thoughts to her brother. A terrific debut that pays tribute to the power of sibling bonds especially in desperate situations as well as showing that the creative arts are every bit as valuable as engineering and medicine, subjects that in common with so many Indian parents, are favoured by Kay-Kay’s parents.

The Girl and the Mermaid

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The Girl and the Mermaid
Hollie Hughes and Sarah Cassini
Bloomsbury Children’s Books

Readers follow the touching and uplifting story of Alina and her granny, residents of a lighthouse. Every evening the two share tales of mermaids woven by Granny as she sips her tea but now these wondrous stories have become faded and forgotten, gone from her memory. Broken hearted at the pain this causes her granny, Alina’s greatest desire is to bring back those stories.

Then one day as she gazes out to sea, she’s surprised to see a mermaid dive from the nearby rocks. The mermaid calls to her urging, “Swim with me … through swirling, whirling ideas to where your granny’s stories are, and many more besides.” Knowing for certain now that Granny’s tales were true, the girl plunges into the waves and follows the mermaid. She discovers wondrous sights such as coral reefs, sunken treasure, shoals of shining fish and other wonders of the deep.

She also encounters other merfolk and receives something special to take back home.

Back at the lighthouse once again, Alina knows it’s now her task to ensure that the tales are kept alive and help them fly far and wide. She’s now Alina the Lightkeeper who will keep Granny’s stories brightly burning.

What a wondrous book to share with children at home or school. The portrayal of the relationship between the two generations is superbly portrayed in both Hollie’s lyrical rhyming text and Sarah’s watercolour scenes that will surely tug gently at the heartstrings of adult readers aloud.

The Lighthouse at the World’s End

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The Lighthouse at the World’s End
Amy Sparkes
Walker Books

Nine (a pickpocket girl) and her friends, Eric the troll, and wizard Flabberghast are back for their final adventure. They have to head back to the mortal realm to find a priceless lost stargold locket, a family heirloom that is hidden in the Nest of a Thousand Treasures. Not only that but if she’s successful, Nine must then find a way to release its power once and for all.

Desirous to get hold of the very same object and also residing in the House at the Edge of Magic is the most troublesome witch in all the realms, Flabberghast’s sister. Said witch has some connection to Nine, and may have the answers to some of her questions.

Despite the very idea of returning to the place guarded by her old foe Pockets, the formidable gang master of all the London thieflings, making Nine feel sick, off they go. The adventure is filled with threats, there are dangers aplenty including a close call for Flabberghast, and as the oft repeated words remind us ‘things are seldom what they seem’.

Amy Sparkes has a wonderful way of making her readers feel they are truly part of Nine’s journey, a chronicle about developing a sense of belonging, about the importance of friendship, about one’s family being what you make, rather than those you are related to, and about redemption and embracing differences. Like many others who first met Nine in The House at the Edge of Magic, despite the throughly satisfying finale to the quartet, this reviewer feels sad about bidding farewell to her and her friends.

The Magic Callaloo

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The Magic Callaloo
Trish Cooke and Sophie Bass
Walker Books

Inspired by stories of enslaved Africans who made patterns in their cornrowed hair, using them as maps to help them escape to freedom, Trish Cooke’s neo-folktale has its origins in Rapunzel, made popular by the brothers Grimm

It begins in a small village, long ago and far off where there grows a magical callaloo plant that would grant the wish of any villager who ate one of its leaves. Thus all the villagers had everything they needed; but one of those living in the village was selfish and greedy. One night this greedy man creeps into he square, uproots the plant and makes a wish: to have the plant for himself. He then proceeds to eat more and more leaves, making wishes for more and more things until he had so much he could barely move. His laziness of course, has an adverse effect on the callaloo: it shrinks until just one leaf remains.

Back in the village, a couple hoping desperately for a child, are greatly distressed at the disappearance of the plant as their hope was that it could provide them with their dearest wish. Then one evening a wise woman tells them where the last leaf is and with renewed hope they begin to search, eventually locating the plant. The Missis eats the final leaf and both she and Mister wish for a child. Before long, to their joy, a baby is born and they call her Lou.

The girl grows into a kind, beautiful curly-haired girl and her parents tell her the story of the magic leaf. Lou makes up a magic callaloo song but her singing bothers her father in case someone overhears its words. Sure enough, the plant thief happens to pass through: he hears her song and snatches her away to his home where he keeps her prisoner, making her do all his work.

Both Lou and her parents grow ever more miserable, missing each other all the time, till years later who should come along again but the wise woman. Lou tells her of the cause of her sadness and the woman formulates a clever plan using the girl’s tresses which she twists into plaited patterns, quietly telling Lou, “Your hair will lead you home.”

However something else also returns with her.

With themes of longing, captivity and escape, Trish Cooke’s wonderfully woven tale is impressively embroidered with Sophie Bass’s art, which includes a wealth of flora and fauna in kaleidoscopic colours making every turn of the page a visual feast. This longish story will enchant readers across a wide age range.

Grotti

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Grotti
Leonie Lord
Walker Books

Who could possibly blame the young knight narrator of this story for falling in love with the little green grotti he comes upon in a hollow while carrying out his knightly duties one day. For a start the little thing is clingy and puts on such a sad expression that despite explaining about his calling, the knight feels unable to leave Grotti behind, so the two start travelling together. Then comes the need for a ‘difficult decision’ by the knight: an exchange is made that means the two can travel much more quickly, surviving on berries and bugs

until the knight is faced with another decision in order to enhance what they dine on. A third difficult decision is caused by a sudden snowfall and the need to keep Grotti warm.

As the two snuggle down under the stars one night, the knight tells tales of his adventures but soon surmises that all is not well with Grotti who seems distracted.

Next morning the knight is faced with an exceedingly snotty Grotti and the realisation of what the little thing has been trying to communicate by means of a stick. Off they go with Grotti leading the way until they reach a house atop a volcanic rock pile. There, his task complete, the knight leaves Grotti with his family and departs to continue his beast battling and other work; but he knows in his heart that something is missing. Will he and the little green Grotti ever see one another again?

Despite his snottiness, Grotti is an adorable character that will endear himself to young listeners; he certainly had that effect on this reviewer. I suspect that this tale with its themes of friendship, family and love, will quickly become a story time favourite with children both in the classroom and at home.

Kevin the Vampire: A Wild and Wicked Witch / Goosebumps House of Shivers: Goblin Monday

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Kevin the Vampire: A Wild and Wicked Witch
Matt Brown, illustrated by Flavia Sorrentino
Nosy Crow

In this sequel to A Most Mysterious Monster Kevin (almost eleven) and his family, plus human best friend Susie Cabbage who now lives with them, and the Carnival Monstromo carriages are heading to Monstro City to take part in the Dragon Parade. Reluctantly, Susie is clad in an exceedingly itchy, scratchy dress.

As they are running late, Kevin’s family take a shortcut through the perilous Wild Woods, a place nobody ever goes on account of the dastardly witch who lives there. Everything should be fine as long as no one gets out and no one eats anything … err? Kevin will be at the Festival before you can say incredible (which Susie does) After all, nothing goes wrong for the Carnival Monstromo, never ever …
With the performing of awesome tricks including the Danger Dive of Death, revelations relating to Uncle Drax’s falling out with Lazarus Vandross, the disappearance of Dog, some serious sadness for Susie,

and aided and abetted by The Sphinx, the fizzling out of Grayvon Fury, the most evil witch in Grackelser Odd, this is a real humdinger of an adventure. Those familiar with the first book will recognise some of the magical monstrous creatures from that, but Matt Brown has invented some additional characters, mostly of the humorous, even slightly bonkers variety. All this plus Flavia Sorrentino’s weird and wonderful illustrations: primary age readers could ask for nothing more.

Goosebumps House of Shivers: Goblin Monday
R.L. Shine
Scholastic

This story is narrated by Mario who has recently moved with his family from Florida to Philadelphia. He’s been invited to join his new friends Todd and Jewel on their winter holiday at their grandparents’ home in Vermont and is thrilled at the prospect of seeing snow for the first time.

Pretty soon after they arrive, Mario starts to suspect that something really weird is going on inside this house. Todd and Jewel’s grandparents are more than a little odd: Grandpa Tweety really loves his birds and in the evenings tells tales about goblins, gremlins and imps; he’s also written books about them. MomMom loves to make stews and she knits strange green outfits. However, the real terrors begin when Mario finds that the fairy tales may not be made up stories after all. He’s attacked by a creature in the garden and his friends’ parents disappear.

Full of twists and turns, it’s all a bit creepy and anyone prone to nightmares is advised not to read this just before bedtime.

Terrible Horses / When I Feel Brave

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Terrible Horses
Raymond Antrobus and Ken Wilson-Max
Walker Books

Narrated by the younger of two siblings, a small boy talks of how he feels about his sister, the ways they react to one another and to sharing their things. From the boy’s viewpoint, big sister is a cool character but she causes the pair to fight one another physically, rather than verbally. To release the tension within himself, the boy goes to his room and writes stories featuring terrible horses, with himself as a lonely pony.

Then there’s another fight on account of the narrator taking things belonging to his sister without asking her permission, which triggers further actions that fuel the aggression. Once again the boy retreats into his bedroom, fashions a horse story that includes showing himself as the pony neither able to speak or sleep. Surprisingly though sleep he does and when he wakes the terrible horses book is missing. Who do you think has it now and what will be the outcome?

Raymond Antrobus has penned a seemingly simple tale of sibling rivalry, but it’s one that conveys feelings relating to discord and empathy, both of which Ken Wilson-Max captures so adeptly in his illustrations of humans and of horses.

Another feelings centred picture book is

When I Feel Brave
Britta Teckentrup
Prestel

Having presented a girl’s feelings about being angry in When I See Red, Britta Teckentrup examines equally thoughtfully, a girl’s fear and what it means to be brave. By means of the author/artist’s rhyming narrative and evocative collage style illustrations, readers follow a child wandering through a forest who is startled by a huge bear that is initially terrifying, but as she continues her journey, becomes first companion

and by the time they emerge into the light, friend. ‘I can finally see … / that courage and fear / are both part of me’ the child concludes. An important insight indeed and a book that offers child readers and listeners a way of understanding one of their own basic emotions and how bravery allows them to take charge of this emotion.
Try using this first person story as a starting point for a circle time discussion.

Hen in the Bed / Twinkle Twinkle Little Star

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Hen in the Bed
Katrina Chapman and Guilherme Karsten
Nosy Crow

In this version of the popular nursery counting song it’s Hen who orchestrates the rolling over as in turn various animals roll, tumble and fall from bed to floor. Each one makes its characteristic sound : lion roars, cow moos, cat meows, sheep baas, dog woofs, bear growls and so on,

until the speckled hen realises that she misses cosying up with the other creatures and begs them to return, which they do. Once they’re all snuggled up together, it’s a “Cluck! Cluck” from Hen and some shut-eye time for everyone.

Its opening sequence of progressively cut down pages cleverly shows the entire animal entourage in bed. Each turn of the page tumbles one animal after another onto the mat or thereabouts.

Playful counting down practice made into an entertaining pre slumber time tale for young children, or alternatively a fun picture book to share with little ones in a nursery setting.

Twinkle Twinkle Little Star
Lucy Rogers
Scholastic

It’s good to see this favourite nursery rhyme in an inclusive sign-along songbook version by Lucy Rogers, herself deaf, who grew up not seeing any deaf characters in the books she read.
The song is introduced with two double spreads whereon characters using British sign language (BSL) demonstrate how to do the sign for each phrase, thus enabling everyone to join in with signing the entire song.

Many children come to school or nursery knowing no other nursery rhymes so this vibrantly illustrated picture book is one I’d strongly recommend putting in all early years settings as it should enable any child to participate in a visual, gestural rendition. Twinkle, twinkle was always the first song my nursery classes sang accompanied by the appropriate Makaton signs and they loved so doing.

The Magician Next Door

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The Magician Next Door
Rachel Chivers Khoo, illustrated by Alice McKinley
Walker Books

Callie and her father have moved out of London to a mountainous area of Northern Ireland; she feels far away from her friends and her memories too. One night sleepless and struggling to settle into her new life, as she stares out of her window there comes a loud BOOM! An upside-down house has appeared in her back garden. Next morning no house is there, so despite the large crater on the lawn as well as a piece of tile, she decides it must have been a dream. Then the boy from across the fields appears and he knows her name as she does his; Sam believes what she says about the previous night’s strange occurrence but Carrie remains unconvinced until that is, some weeks later she finds a mysterious paper aeroplane on her duvet on which is a message from Winnifred Potts, a magician from the strange house who is urgently asking for her help.

Carrie meets her at midnight and learns that Winnifred’s Wanderlust, the adventure magic that protects her house from attack by magical beings is lost and she begs Carrie to go and bring it back.
Can Callie and her new friend, Sam, who has hidden himself away and overheard the conversation, provide the help Winnifred and her house need?

Not only that but will she be able to transcend the overwhelming sense of loss she feels after her mother’s untimely death and her homesickness for her London community? With the help of new friends and different experiences, can she find hope for her life in the future?

With a sprinkling of Irish folklore, some great characters, and lots of sensitivity, Rachel Chivers Khoo has written a wonderful tale of magic and mayhem, with a vital message about the true meaning of home. To add to its spellbinding nature are liberal scatterings of Alice McKinley’s delightfully quirky black- and-white illustrations. A great read for children from Y2 and beyond.