Author jillrbennett

The Summer Puppy

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The Summer Puppy
Jackie Morris and Cathy Fisher
Otter-Barry Books

This truly beautiful book was inspired by memories of a real and much-loved dog that belonged to Jackie’s daughter and tells the story of Rosie and her first summer spent at their Pembrokeshire home. Cathy Fisher, the illustrator lives in Pembrokeshire too and it’s evident how much they both put into creating the tale. Jackie’s lyrical descriptions of the countryside: ‘The scent of sweet clover filled her nose / as the flowers towered over her. // So much to see, so much to find / in this emerald world.’

and in complete harmony with the words are the magnificent illustrations of the dog exploring its environment with its child owner. Through the changing seasons from early summer to autumn and the onset of winter, they investigate the woods, fields and beach.

Every turn of the page brings fresh delights for readers and listeners, including this reviewer who is cynophobic (but also a lover of the natural world) and likely to encourage lots of people to embrace the great outdoors and explore the joys of nature.

Ava Spark: Hello I’m Here!

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Ava Spark: Hello I’m Here!
Alex Field, illustrated by Joanna Bartel
New Frontier Publishing

Ten year old Ava lives with her mum and twin sister, Flo, in London. One day she’s sent for by the deputy head of her school and Ava wonders why. She learns that she has been given a very important job. A new girl is coming from Australia (staying with her granny to start with) and Mrs Taylor wants Ava to be her buddy and show her around and generally make her feel comfortable in her new surroundings when she starts school the following day.

Ava, who uses a wheel chair and speaks by means of a communication aid she calls Swiftie, is concerned these may prove problematic to her befriending the new girl. To help matters, she decides to give Swiftie an Australian accent, which gets the approval of Mrs Taylor.

After school Ava’s best friend Jack comes round to her home clutching a toy koala bear, saying it’s for Liv, which surprises Ava who thinks they’re a bit old for such toys but doesn’t actually say so. She suggests they should think of something special to do with Liv, and Flo suggests it should be on the upcoming Sports Day. They agree to make two teams, England and Australia to make Liv feel at home. Jack says they can use the koala as a mascot for the Australian team if they kit it out in the appropriate colours – green and gold, maybe having made a trip to the charity shop to find something suitable.

After school Liv is invited to Ava’s house and to their surprise she comes and Sports Day is one of the topics they talk about. Clearly organising the event will take a fair bit of work, particularly who should be in which team. Eventually they sort it out, but will it all go to plan and most important will Liv have a good time?

A warm=hearted celebration of family, friendship and being yourself that shows the importance of communication by whatever means is appropriate for you.

Shadow Thieves

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Shadow Thieves
Peter Burns
Farshore

Born in a desolate workhouse, Tom Morgan has managed to escape and since then by using his wits, observation skills and fleet of foot, he’s survived on the London streets. When his friends from the street are taken by child snatchers, Tom promises himself that he’ll rescue them. He meanwhile, is approached by the Corsair, a man who offers him an opportunity not merely to survive but to thrive. Tom accepts and is taken to become a student at Beaufort’s School for Deceptive Arts or Thieves School, an elite international boarding school shrouded in secrecy.

From the outset he faces challenges – bullies, the amount of work he has to catch up with having joined mid year and making new friends. He learns about the Shadow League, which comprises four guilds – spies, thieves, assassins and politicos – that supposedly keep the balance in the world, and he’s taught to scam, practice deception and tackle tricky obstacles of the physical kind. In so doing he keeps alert, realises that not everyone is to be trusted and puts together some vital clues that will help his friends new and old.

Then, when he goes to the International Shadow Cup with the Corsair, Tom’s skills are tested to the limit.
What exactly is the threat that is constantly lurking as the plot twists this way and that?

Set in an alternative world where the major powers are la Grande République de France, the Japanese Empire and the Kingdom of Prussia, with action aplenty, an amazing brave, quick-witted protagonist in Tom and superb world building, this splendid story is one where you keep telling yourself, I’ll just read one more chapter before I stop and then you find you’ve finished the whole book. Now I’m eagerly awaiting the second in the series coming next year.

Dragon Dave The Not So Brave

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Dragon Dave The Not So Brave
Alex Latimer and Phillip Cullen
Scholastic

Stuck in a storybook with an ending he really dislikes, dragon Dave the Brave desperately wants to get out.

One day as he sits beneath a bridge tinkering with some of the letters from the title page, along comes Prince George. The prince notices that Dave looks sad and on learning the reason, he shows Dave that his story words can be rewritten. Starting from the first page, they identity the unsatisfactory parts

and proceed to make substitutes till they reach the end.

Then back to the start they hurry

and the dragon in particular is thrilled with “the Best ending Dave had ever had.’ As you might expect, Dragon Dave is hugely thankful to the prince. He offers him a turn with the writing stick but it’s already in use …

An empowering story that shows we can all rewrite our own stories and that it’s fine to ask for and accept help – Dave and Prince George are both endearing characters and the witty final twist is great fun.
Captivating too are Philip Cullen’s bold, bright scenes and the expressions on Dave’s face especially show so much about his changing feelings.

Daring to be different is the way to go: let these two protagonists show young children the way.

Flember: The Secret Book

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Flember: The Secret Book
Jamie Smart
David Fickling Books

Flember is a mysterious island, the setting for this story: it’s also the life force on which the island is dependent. On this island in a village called Eden lives Dev, who loves to invent things. We first meet him as he’s jumping from a steep cliff face wearing wings made of chicken feathers and cheese powered boots. He’s only sixty-three per cent sure these inventions will work, but work they do sufficiently well to enable him to chase and catch a flemberbug and land in the market place to the relief of his mother. (It’s from her that we discover that books are banned in Eden).

Further experiments ensue and following a carrot incident and its resulting chaos, the Mayor bans Dev from Flember Day, instructing him to clean out the antique shop he wrecked. In this shop Dev comes upon lots of books, in particular an ancient volume containing information about Flember, the life force and its titular Island. Excited by his discovery, he persuades little Mina, owner of a teddy bear to allow him to bring the bear to life to help clean up the mess and this he proceeds to do in true Frankenstein fashion.

This turns out to be his greatest invention in size at least. But despite Boja the robot bear being built to protect the village, with its unrestrained impulses, it ends up causing mayhem instead, and giving grief to both Dev’s mother and his elder brother Santoro, a member of the Youth Guild who has big ambitions. Moreover Dev and said Boja Bear with his Flember consumption have used up almost all that’s available. Now what? Can the village be fixed? Think waffles …

With crazy village characters aplenty, this story is overflowing with ideas, incidents and weird humour but equally important is the message concerning taking responsibility for your mistakes. I look forward to the next adventure of Dev and Boja.

As the World Goes By

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As the World Goes By
Jonny Lambert
Little Tiger

As Buttons the dog watches the world through his window he notices a blue butterfly, its wings catching the sunlight. Fascinated, he rushes outside to share this delight with others but is puzzled to find that nobody else seems to have noticed, so involved in their run of the mill daily lives are they. As Buttons continues on his way he encounters two other friendly creatures; they too are fascinated and join him in pursuit of the butterfly all the way to the park.

There the three sit enthralled as the winged creature dances for a short while then takes off again and enters an art gallery. Once more nobody notices until Buttons calls loudly STOP! At last the crowds do just that momentarily and enjoy the blue beauty.

Finally the world’s humans take time to watch the wonderful butterflies and one hopes the rest of the beauty all around.

In today’s world where so many people spend their time rushing everywhere, this is a reminder to slow right down, stop and take time to appreciate the natural environment. With its charmingly quirky illustrations, this book is a gentle reminder to encourage adults – be they parents, carers or teachers – to provide regular mindfulness

The Rock Family Band

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The Rock Family Band
Robert Tregoning and Laura Brella
Oxford Children’s Books

Using an appropriately jaunty rhythm Robert Tregoning tells readers of the Rock family. There’s Dad, a rock guitarist, Pops the singer, young Liv the drummer and Bo the keyboard player and writer of hit lyrics, not forgetting Nana who play the tambourine, and poodle Ziggy with her canine cacophony. With those platform boots, funky hair and more, it’s certainly a glam-rock family. There’s also the youngest of all, Sam, a flautist who loves peace and quiet and classical music; he feels he doesn’t really fit in.

With the school concert just a couple of days away, Sam is desperate to find a peaceful spot where he can practise but wherever he goes his family’s loud playing disturbs him.

On the concert morning he pleads with his family to stay still and quiet and listen o what he has to say just for three minutes but even that is too much. In a temper, Sam storms off to school feeling just a tad guilty about his outburst.

When it’s his turn to perform, Sam has an attack of stage fright.

Could it possibly be that at the vital moment his jamming, jiving grooving family is exactly what he now needs?

A celebration of individuality, family love and feeling validated – amore and amina at last. Laura Brenlla’s visual portrayal is brimming over with energy and funky style.

Unity Street School Saves the Planet

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Unity Street School Saves the Planet
Sheena Davies
Otter-Barry Books

The Green Team – Fern, Verdun, Jade and Silas, not forgetting Selva their toucan puppet assistant visit Unity Street School. They talk about climate change, explaining how our planet is getting too hot and how bad that is for wild life and for humans. The children come up with a great idea: they will create their own wild, green space to look after at school. It’s to be situated in the old playground behind care-taker, Mr Moss’s tidy grass.

A fortnight later the Green Team return with litter-picking equipment, Mr Moss clears the playground, the children collect all manner of rubbish, most of which can be recycled and then comes the planting. Beans and hedge saplings are supplied by the Green Team, the children plant the beans in jars and Mr Moss plants a cherry tree. They also make a pebble pond.

Then it’s the holiday, after which the work, (including a fund-raising yard sale), continues through to spring when wildflower seeds are scattered and the beans and hedge saplings planted in the earth.
Weeks pass and eventually —- hurrah! Later that summer Unity School community’s hard work has paid off: something really exciting has happened.

An inspiring story of conservation and rewilding. that one hopes, will inspire others to think of ways to help our precious planet, having been shown the way by Unity Street School.

The Unicorn Who Came to School

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The Unicorn Who Came to School
Lucy Rowland and Mike Byrne
Scholastic

Like many young children, the little girl narrator of this story has first day nerves when she starts school. On arriving at the gate though, what should she see but a unicorn who introduces himself as Sparkle and asks politely if he can come to school. The girl agrees and they go in together, talking of things they might do and they sit beside one another when the teacher tells everyone to “Find a friend.” The register is called and all goes well until the class has to line up for assembly. Guess who takes the lead.

During the art session paint flies every which way, music is very noisy and story an opportunity for Sparkle to do some chomping.

When it’s time for outside play Sparkle assists the narrator in making some new friends, but at lunch time his manners really let him down.

At hometime Sparkle waves goodbye to everyone but as he nears the gate, the teacher has a suggestion that might just make him change his mind …

Assuredly Sparkle has given the children their best possible first day at school and I’m sure young listeners, especially those moving from playgroup to a school setting, having heard Lucy Rowland’s rhyming narrative and giggled at Sparkle’s antics shown in Mike Byrne’s bright, zany scenes, will agree.

Punch!

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Punch!
Michael Hall
Greenwillow

‘GRRRRRR!’ goes Badger showing that he’s on the lookout for trouble as he sets off for the forest.
Before long he’s tripped Frog, shoved Moose, kicked Elephant, and given Bear a poke with a shovel.
Bear draws up a plan to teach their friend a lesson. Badger is to receive a punch from Bear,

a belt from Frog and not one but two socks from Moose and as he plants some flowers,

a slug from Elephant.

Then, all of a sudden Badger plants a smack right on the pachyderm’s nose.

The following day when Bear is stung on the paw by a bee, and is in need of some comfort, Badger reciprocates showing that he’s back to his normal self.

What we’re shown but is never mentioned in the words, is the reason for Badger’s behaviour: he’s grieving for his pet, Snaily. Fortunately he has friends that realise he’s upset and in need of support. What we’re also shown is that words can be deceptive; in this story their true meaning is conveyed in Michael Hall’s blocky collage constructed visuals.

With its message about the need to show kindness towards someone who is hurting, this book is a fine demonstration of how important it is for children to develop visual literacy.

The Bear Out There

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The Bear Out There
Jess Hannigan
Harper 360

Of fractured fairytale versions of Goldilocks and the Three Bears there have been a fair few. Now Jess Hannigan gives a child voice as she speaks directly to we readers, who have come knocking at the door of a cottaage. Straightway the child informs us that outside lurks a scary thing of an ursine nature. She reveals the three signs indicating the Bear’s proximity – ‘The hair on your arms stands straight up. You feel a pair of great big eyes watching the back of your head. Your feet get suuuuper itchy’. and even goes so far as to draw a picture of said bear.

The girl then invites readers to a game of cards during which something disturbs her; they continue playing with various other noises outside until there’s a crunching followed by a rattling at the front door.

This, the young ‘host’ insists on answering. The result is the throwing into question everything the host has said thus far, is and the throwing of herself through the window.

The rest of the narrative is delivered by the real owner of the house who offers tea like a good host

and makes it clear in an accommodating fashion that this isn’t a one time occurrence. “Believe it or not, break-ins happen all the time . Not to worry. I understand the woods can be quite frightening for non-bear folk…”

Frightfully and frighteningly good fun is this subversive rendition illustrated in bold cut paper scenes of the drama as it unfolds: I love the somewhat sardonic manner of the loquacious child narrator energetically portrayed. Making the entire thing even more subversive are the final endpapers showing that the original narrator hopes to make a mint out of her encounter, with her best selling memoir, ‘I Survived a Real Bear.’

Escape Room: Game Zero

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Escape Room: Game Zero
Christopher Edge
Nosy Crow

Absolutely overflowing with thought provoking ideas, this seems to be more complex than the author’s previous Escape Room books. It begins with Eden who has received an invitation through an online gaming forum from someone with the username AMI, setting off excitedly to play a new game, The Escape. Making her way to where she thinks the creating tech company is situated, and followed by her cat, she’s suddenly distracted by a bird entangled in a football net. Having freed the bird and watched it join others flying in a murmuration, things become weird as she’s swept upwards and transported to what she realises is the game landscape and that she’s now entered the game. Looking around there’s no sign of cat, Molly, but she sees almost immediately, a boy, Ted.

It transpires that he’s the son of the CEO of Escape Systems and is playing the game through a virtual headset from the safety of his own home and therefore doesn’t fear facing a wolf or falling off a cliff. Moreover, he refuses to believe that Eden is anything other than an element of the games, (an NPC) rather than a participant.

To get through the game it’s necessary to solve three tricky clues and find three keys. Despite finding it progressively hard to remember anything that went before the game, it’s down to Eden’s determination, competence in puzzle solving and ability to reman calm that they are able to work in tandem through the levels of the game even when things go wrong.

And go wrong they certainly do leaving Eden to complete the game. But will she remain trapped forever or will she be able to return to reality?

A terrific, thrilling read,

Kerfuffle Bird

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Kerfuffle Bird
Helen Docherty and Gwen Millward
Oxford Children’s Books

Meet the Hushlings, they’re quiet, polite and always keep their feelings under control. It suits them to be thus, all except Maeve.. She really wants to let some of her Big Feelings out but does her utmost to keep them tamed.

One day there appears a large blue egg that. after three days, cracks open and there emerges a flamboyant and very noisy Kerfuffle Bird that shatters the peace of the Hushlings sending them dashing for cover. Not so Maeve however; she accepts the bird’s offer and they take to the air in party mood, coming to land in front of Maeve’s parents. Shock horror! The bird flies right into their abode, gobbles the food on the table

and proceeds to test the patience of Hushville’s residents to the limits. They said nothing until one night the bird’s powerful snoring releases something in them and it’s only Maeve who understands. So alarmed is the Kerfuffle Bird (what a terrific name) that it decides to leave Hushville.

Can any of the Hushlings do or say anything to make the bird change its mind? Seemingly it’s now not only Maeve that appreciates the importance of expressing one’s feelings: so can they all find a way to live harmoniously together?

A lively fun story about expressing your true feelings, acceptance and learning to live together. Gwen Millward captures so well the chaos that ensues with arrival of Hushville’s lively endearing avian in her energetic scenes.

Nelly the Very Different Bird

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Nelly the Very Different Bird
Alex Macdonald
Frances Lincoln Children’s Books

Nelly can’t fly so when the other birds migrate for the winter, she is left behind. However, she’s eager to join them and so being a determined, resourceful little creature, she learns ‘to do things differently.’ She orders an inflatable boat, an outboard motor, a map, climbing gear and other items and then begins her steepest learning journey yet but the great thing is she can travel far from the woods, scaling heights, sailing the seas,

traversing the desert, without the need to fly.

Eventually, thousands of miles away Nelly finds her flock. Unfortunately though, the next morning, they take off from whence they’d come, leaving her all alone. But not quite, for one bird remains; he like Nelly has discovered he can’t fly and appears far from happy about it.

He hasn’t however, expected to encounter Nelly who proceeds to teach him ‘how to do things differently.’

Before long they’re ready to embark on adventures together and in so doing they discover that ‘life’s a lot more interesting when you do things together … and a lot more enjoyable too.

An empowering, absolutely charming tale of doing things differently. It celebrates independence, perseverance, individuality, co-operation, creativity and friendship and is a great book to share with young learners. They’ll delight in the acrylic and gouache illustrations of the endearing Nelly and her lateral thinking achievements.

We Love Veggies! / I Really Really Need A Wee

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These are two recent board books from Little Tiger: thanks to the publishers for sending them for review.

We Love Veggies!
Becky Davies and Ailie Busby

This is in the same style as We Love Fruit and again gives young children permission to play with food, albeit of the card variety. Having set free the double-sided veggie characters from the sliding tray inside the front cover of the book, child participants need to follow the clues given on each page and then select the appropriate cardboard piece. Can they work out which vegetable grows underground and is liked as food by rabbits? Or can they decide what vegetable is mostly made of water, has a purple, glossy skin and pale flesh?

A fun interactive guessing game with gently humorous illustrations by Ailie Busby and text by Becky Davies. Once you’ve shared the book a few times with toddlers it’s a good idea to introduce them to the real vegetables and to talk about how important it is to include ‘yummy’ veggies in a healthy diet.

I Really Really Need A Wee
Karl Newson and Duncan Beedie

From the body language and facial expression of the bush baby on the cover of this one, you know you’re in for a tricky time, one that will surely be familiar to adults who have been out with little ones
Here, the creature narrator’s attempts to distract himself make things worse and his efforts to find a place to relieve himself are disastrous. Eventually however, the object of bushbaby’s intense desire is in sight but almost inevitably, there’s an extremely long queue. When finally the little room is at last vacant, ‘woohoo!’ what a huge relief . But very soon after … you’ve guessed it …

Little humans will find this wee-ally funny. They’ll delight in Karl’s rhyming telling and Duncan’s side-splitting scenes; together they’re almost enough to make them wet themselves.

Robin and Pip

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Robin and Pip
Margaret Anne Suggs
Graffeg

A touching tale about a Robin that worries. To ease those worries the little bird asks his patient pal, Pip the apple tree, lots of questions; first about the blossom. Does she miss the flowers when they float away? Now as Pip, a mature tree already knows of her naturally occurring life cycle she is fully aware of the series of stages she’ll undergo each year. Through Robin’s continuing questioning and Pip’s responses, readers share these natural changes.

The little bird and young listeners learn that the tree is able to provide stability through her roots and strength and flexibility through her branches to grow and hold up the fruits until they’re ready to fall or are harvested. Finally Robin nestles into Pip’s welcoming.comforting branches and reassured, the bird’s questioning ceases.

A gentle blend of story and information, this is a book to share and talk about with early years children who will be helped to understand that it’s okay to feel worried about things, but by far the best way to cope with their worries is to find someone to talk with. The author’s pen and watercolour illustrations are a delight and really bring out the feelings of the little worrier and the reassurer, while also including some amusing details of seasonal happenings and minibeasts.

The Old Forest Path

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The Old Forest Path
Jamie Catto and Kanako Wakabayashi
Ragged Bears

This story is the first for young readers by musician Jamie Catto.

Once upon a time, deep in a magical forest lived fairies: delicate, graceful and ballerina-like is how Kanako Wakabayashi portrays them. The fairies delighted in dancing among the flowers and shrubs and were mindful of doing as their elders had taught them – to stay on the path and return home each evening. However, there was one fairy who was so captivated by the forest music that she would stray from the path, unaware of the concern of the other fairies.

One afternoon a piper arrived playing tunes so enchanting that all the fairies were completely enthralled;

but there was one fairy who was so completely transfixed by his music that she stepped forth, the two joined together in a dance that lifted them high, high above the forest canopy never to be seen again. Meanwhile the forest path disappeared completely leaving the remaining fairies free to go wherever they wished in the forest.

A demonstration of the power of music to transform, lyrically told and beautifully illustrated in delicate watercolours, this unusual book with its echoes of Arthur Rackham and Cicely Mary Barker’s Flower Fairies sent me back to my childhood days.

For older picture book lovers I suggest.

Pirate Academy: Sword Echoes

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Pirate Academy: Sword Echoes
Justin Somper, illustrated by Teo Skaffa
uclan publishing

The third book in this terrific Pirate Academy series is the most breath-taking and action-packed so far. The three young buccaneering students find out more about one another and equally important, about themselves.

As the story opens Neo is sailing with Captain December Wilde and Pickle, her pet boar, following a trail of clues left for him by his legend mother, Captain Doll Darkwater. Neo’s formed a bond with Pickle but misses his Academy friends, Jasmine and Jacoby most of all, even more so as he has no idea when he will next see them.

Meanwhile, Jasmine and Jacoby are horrified to discover something unexpected about their much-loved teacher, Captain Victor Molina; he has defected to LOT P (the League of True Pirates). Whilst endeavouring to make sense of the betrayal, Jacoby discovers some evidence that one of his classmates could be the next target for LOT P : now Ocean (Jasmine’s best friend) falls under suspicion.

Then just as Jasmine, Ocean and Jacoby are preparing to head out to sea on a maverick mission, for Jasmine to reunite with her father, they’re stopped in their tracks by Captain Mayday Salt. Ocean is told she must stay at the Academy and that Mayday will join the voyage along with Cheng-Li, a voyage that takes them into extremely dangerous waters.

And there I’ll leave them and merely say that there’s intrigue aplenty and that Neo’s journey sees him receiving an awesome gift – a sword with as yet undisclosed powers which, in the right hands could change everything.

With a new journey awaiting, I can’t wait to see what unfolds in book four.

Reggie Rabbit: Robbery at the Masqued Ball

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Reggie Rabbit: Robbery at the Masqued Ball
Swapna Reddy and Becka Moor
Oxford Children’s Books

A warm welcome back to a young detective duo intent on keeping their city safe. Young detectives Reggie Rabbit and partner Pipsqueak are in attendance at a very special event and that’s because Auntie Hibiscus has been asked to do the catering. The event is the Masque family’s Masqued Ball – the grandest event in all of Bearburgh – and Reggie and Pipsqueak are to be waiters despite Reggie’s parents not being keen on the idea. However with famous pop star KITTY QITA set to perform, it’s too good an opportunity to miss.

Suddenly though, in the middle of Kitty Qita’s act, the lights go out and a jewel heist takes place.
Despite Kitty telling Reggie and Pipsqueak that the case is a lost cause, they’re ready for action right away. Kitty directs them towards Dog Lane (the meanest, most dangerous place on earth) and leaves them to it.

However it’s easy to jump to conclusions and the solution to this puzzling mystery may well come as a surprise.

With its madcap adventures and warm friendships, this charming series is a delightful blend of graphic novel and fiction and Reggie’s third case will surely be a winner with younger solo readers.

The Wish Switch

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The Wish Switch
Lynn Painter
Scholastic

Emma Rockford’s beloved Nana Marie had instilled in her granddaughter a belief in a magical faerie portal that supposedly grants wishes. Now Emma and her classmates are on a class field trip on the very day the magic portal is giving out wishes, its location being less than a mile from the portal. The plan is to steal away with her best friends Allie and Kennedy, find the magic spot in the forest and each make four secret wishes, wishes that would start coming true in four months time. While they’re so doing, Emma’s brother Noah and new boy, Jackson appear on the scene, seemingly for the very same reason.

Exactly four months later wishes have come true, one each for both Allie and Kennedy but not for Emma. Instead it appears that Jackson has received her first wish. And so it continues, leaving Emma endeavouring to cope with intense disappointment.

Could it be that in order to make her wishes come true she’ll need to team up with Jackson …

For older readers, this is an amusing tale of friendship, family and self-discovery laced with magic.

Diggers, Dozers & Dumpers

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Diggers, Dozers & Dumpers
Ole Könnecke
Gecko Press

Translated from the original German by Melody Shaw, this contains fourteen mini stories each of which features a different construction vehicle. Every story but one unfolds over one spread and all show realistic pictures of the vehicles and their amusingly portrayed animal drivers.. The vehicles include a dumper truck driven by Roberta Elephant, a telescopic crane that concert pianist Cordula Cow uses to carry her piano to give a free concert in the pasture to her ‘less successful sisters’. I think my favourite and probably that of young children, is J.J. Wolf’s mini-digger story. Having dug a small hole in the sheep paddock he’s surprised to find that the following morning some sheep have fallen in. The cunning guy invites the sheep to dinner at his house. Err …

The cement mixer story spread is a recipe for pancakes that requires more than two thousand litres of milk, s two thousand plus tons of flour and over thirty two thousand eggs and there’s a tale of grass mowing one-upmanship entitled ‘combine harvester’.

Each tale has additional information in italics about how the vehicle is used. The countless young vehicle loving children will probably most enjoy seeing the machinery whereas adult sharers will have a good giggle over the animals’ actions.

A fun amalgam of story and information; it’s great to see several of the machines have female operators.

Won’t Go! / Not Tired!

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Won’t Go!
Not Tired!
Sumana Seeboruth and Fotini Tikkou
Barefoot Books

Both books are part of the publisher’s Feelings & Firsts series and with their bright expressive illustrations and simple words told from the featured child’s perspective, are worth having if you have a very young child.

Won’t Go! shows a small girl busy playing at home and protesting about being told she must stop and go elsewhere. Eventually though, after some playfulness on the part of one of her dads, it’s off to the ballet class. There however, all the other pupils are wearing blue, but fortunately the teacher has a pink dress and shoes in a similar hue to those of the little protagonist. This makes all the difference both during the lesson and afterwards when her dads arrive to collect her with the baby.

Not Tired! presents another situation that the majority of parents/carers will be familiar with. A small child wants to continue playing and certainly isn’t ready for bed. There follow a plea for another book, another snuggle and some shenanigans over a missing teddy bear until at last the little one has tired herself out and is ready for that goodnight kiss before falling fast asleep. In this book the mother is differently abled but this is shown rather than spoken of in the text.

Kata & Tor

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Kata & Tor
Kevin Crossley-Holland
Walker Books

Set in 1066, the focus of this story is a failed invasion of York by the Vikings led by King Harald Hardrada of Norway and leader of the Viking fleet.. The king has sent his youngest son Tor and companion Eirik ahead as information-gathering scouts but an accident wrecks their boat and Eirik ends up dead. Unsure where he’s landed up and without a partner, Tor is at a loss to know what to do. He realises he must bury his friend but before so doing he goes wandering along the beach, discovers a hut and spends a couple of nights there before proceeding with his mission, telling those who ask that he’s come from Orkney in order to avoid suspicion.

Meanwhile Kata who knows very little about her parents, is hard at work in her village supporting herself and neighbours, yearning for something other than marriage at a young age within her Anglo-Saxon village and environs.

It’s fate that brings the two young people together and they’re immediately attracted to one another. However in such troubled times being in love with someone from so different a background and with rumours spreading about the imminent coming of Hardrada, Kata is constantly asking herself if she’s fallen for a Viking and if so, then what? Tor too has a difficult dilemma: he insists to Kata that he’s not a Viking – he certainly doesn’t want to fight – and is at odds with himself – but he has to decide where he really belongs. Can they find a way to be together?

History lovers in particular will enjoy this tale much of which, though not the titular characters, is historically accurate.

Zeki Goes To The Market

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Zeki Goes To The Market
Anna McQuinn and Ruth Hearson
Alanna Max

No matter where little Zeki goes he always brings a big smile to the faces of those he encounters. He definitely does just that when he and his Mummy visit the bustling Saturday market. There he experiences a veritable symphony of sights, sounds, smells and tastes as they stop at various stalls. There’s Salvatore whose pasta shapes are fascinating to look at, Fleur who makes smoothies; Zeki tastes a very fruity one. Next stop is at Mr Adams the spice seller where Zeki smells what appear to be cinnamon sticks – mmmm – a delicious aroma (as well as a yummy taste when ground and sprinkled on porridge perhaps).

Zora offers the boy a taste of her sweet, sticky buns – maybe those have sprinkling of cinnamon in them, they’re definitely irresistible. Miss Fay suggests a dab of belly butter ‘for a better belly’; it makes Zeki’s skin extra soft and smooth.

Mum then decides it’s time for a short rest; she puts down her heavy bag and treats herself to a cup of Paloma’s delectable hot chilli chocolate (my favourite too). Feeling refreshed she moves on and buys take-home noodles from Yuto before making her final purchase at Sean’s veggie stall. Finally with a goodbye wave, Mum and Zeki set off home.

There’s SO much goodness packed into this small book. It would be really fun if adult sharers could have to hand some of the items Zeki’s Mummy bought to enable small children to share in Zeki’s sensory samplings.

Mighty Myths

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Mighty Myths
Thiago de Moraes
Scholastic

Readers are under the wing of two ravens that act as guides and safe keepers introducing us to a richness of detail relating to the stories, their characters and settings presented in an engaging and entertaining manner.

First off is a spread about places to avoid for fear of scary beasties and this is followed by a Mythological Height Chart with a line up of ‘legendary creatures great and small’ including our two ravens. Here you will find details of where you might encounter such creatures and what they look like.

There are also spreads about dragons, creatures with a predilection for dining on humans and a ‘god food guide’. You’ll get an opportunity to spend a day in Kur – the underworld of ancient Mesopotamia and another in Xibalab – the ancient Mayan underworld.

Inevitably there will be giants – both horrible and fairly friendly and some pretty alarming. The tiny folk aren’t overlooked and get a spread too – watch out for the mischief makers though. There’s a spread about objects of power including Odin’s spear and Ganesha’s tusk (not so alarming that one).

My favourite part though is the retellings of myths from various cultures and I especially enjoyed finding some that were new to me. One such is Don’t Mess with the Spider Goddess, a story from the Aiu people of Japan telling how Yushkep Kamui got the better of a large grumpy demon intent on marrying her.

Should you wish to know why bats sleep during the day then there’s a story from Sierra Leone told as an explanation.

With fantastical, mock scary, occasionally disturbing illustrations, this is a thoroughly engaging, fun book for school collections and family bookshelves. (A publisher’s note at the beginning of the book states that although this book presents myths in a fun way, many are of great significance to some societies and religions, something to remember when sharing them.)

An Ocean Full of Stories

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An Ocean Full of Stories
Angela McAllister, illustrated by Sally Agar
Frances Lincoln Children’s Books

This is a fascinating collection of fifty folk stories, legends and traditional tales from all over the world retold by Angela McAllister. All are centred on different aspects of ocean life and the book is divided into six sections: Fishy Tales, Crossing the Water, Pools, Lakes and Rivers, Tricks and Trials, Ocean Gods and Water Spirits and finally, Beside the Sea, Beneath the Waves.
Some, including the North American Why River Waters are Never Still, Why the Sea is Salty (from Japan) and Why the Crocodile has a Wide Mouth (also from North American) are pourquoi tales that seek to explain why things are as they are.

You’ll discover several stories about greed and its consequences such as The Fisherman and his Wife and The Sea King’s Gift.

Not all the stories have human characters, indeed many are all about animals: a story from England that’s new to me The Magic Mackerel has anthropomorphised fish and we discover what happens when Lord Shark decides to hold a grand ball although he doesn’t have a ballroom.

As with many traditional collections, Anansi the trickster manages to find his way into this one. He’s taught a lesson by Anene the crow that he endeavours to get to do all his work for him in Anansi’s Fishing Trip.

That Ghanian tale was also new to me: indeed one of the joys of collections such as this is discovering new stories. If you read them aloud to a class or group, make time to let your listeners enjoy Sally Agar’s bold, lively illustrations.

Music of the Mountains

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Music of the Mountains
Sabrina Shah and Manal Mirza
Barefoot Books

This story is set in the Northwest mountainous region of Pakistan where, taught by her Neeka Baba (grandfather), young Roohi, a Pashtun girl, is learning to play the rabab, a lute-like folk instrument. Eid-ul-Adha is approaching and she yearns to become sufficiently proficient to play well in the school concert. When she tells Neeka Baba that she’ll never be as good as he is, he responds thus: “You must feel the rhythm, feel the beat of your people … “You must believe in yourself … You must play with the courage of all those who came before you.” Every day she has a lesson but one day Neeka Baba is coughing and despite his reassurance that all is well, he cannot teach her as he has to rest in bed.
So great is the pressure of letting everybody down Roohi feels she just can’t pick up her rabab. “I’ve heard you play. We are all so proud of you” reassures her Mama … “Maybe play like yourself.”

Come the day of the concert, Roohi bravely walks on the stage and begins to strum. Can she find courage within herself to continue after a fumbled first note? Can she now at this vital moment find her own rhythm?

A lovely interweaving of family bonds, music and culture. Sabrina Shah’s rhythmic text conveys so well Roohi’s feelings and with richly-hued illustrations by Manal Mirza, capture the cultural setting beautifully. I love the patterns and detail on the clothing. (Backmatter gives additional information about the rabab, the Pathan/ Pashtun people of northwest Pakistan, as well as Eid-ul-Fitr and Eid-ul-Adha,, and on Roohi’s kamees partug. There’s also a short Pashto glossary.)

Wendington Jones and the Lost Legacy

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Wendington Jones and the Lost Legacy
Daniel Dockery
UCLan Publishing

I was unable to put down the first instalment of the series, Wendington Jones and the Missing Tree and came to this follow up with high hopes: I wasn’t disappointed.

The book opens with Wendington, restless after her first adventure desperate to ‘taste the mystery and thrill of that excitement again; to chase the unknown and fantastical.’ As she tries to pick the lock to her mother’s private study at 2am, she’s frustrated in her efforts by Rohan (her grandmother’s valet). Instead, unable to sleep she goes downstairs and having seen a strange light outside, follows and catches ups with a stranger in Grandmamma’s rose garden. He’s tending the roses, so he tells Wendington. However, this is no ordinary gardener, it transpires he’s actually Grigor Rasputin, a supposedly dead, monk, healer and close friend of the last Russian royal family.

Things get progressively stranger: while Wendington and Cordelia, her friend from school are looking at a book together, Cordelia says that she’s pretty certain that the young Tsarina in a photo of the Romanovs, she who had supposedly died nearly three years ago, is the spitting image of Octavia Winchester, head girl of their school. The girls decide to go to school and a plan is formed, one which becomes blazingly hot.

Meanwhile her Grandmamma is about to hold a grand event for international dignitaries including some Russian notables- the revolutionaries. Just before though, Wendington discovers that her dead mother had Romanov connections.
As more is revealed, Wendington and the faithful Rohan are soon dashing across Europe towards Venice seeking Anastasia the Tsarina in an effort to save her from Rasputin. So doing will bring her back in contact with those who bear a huge grudge against her, the Dominos.

With perils aplenty, this cracking period adventure, superbly plotted, with some terrific and some terrifying characters, as well as a satisfying finale, is every bit as gripping as the first book.

Toddler Treats To Share

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Matty and Mo: The Lost Teddy
Matty and Mo: Are We There Yet?
Rosalind Beardshaw
Campbell Books

When you’re little there are SO many life lessons to be learned. So it is with the pups in this new series.
Matty and Mo are sibling puppies, Matty being the elder of the two. We meet them on a rainy day playing inside picnics together.. Matty notices that Ted is missing and Mo, of course wants to help find him. They search in the likely places – the bed, a cupboard and in their liege toy pile but there’s no sign of Ted. This upsets Matty and Mo attempts to cheer him up and suddenly Matty notices something sticking out of Mo’s ‘new useful bag’. What could it be? Mo, so it appears can sometimes be a little silly
In the second book Matty and Mo are off to the beach in the car with Mum. It’s quite a distance so patience is needed. In her excitement Matty gobbles all her snacks in one go and then inevitably, one of the pups needs a wee. It’s Mo. (Matty went before they set off.) Inevitably too, boredom sets in and Matty gets busy with her sticker book … Mum must have a lot of patience as she drives and at last the beach is in sight, but the puppies can’t see it until they wake up.
Trying to be patient has tired them out – only for a short time though.
Little humans will have a giggle at the puppies as they earn to deal with what to them are challenging experiences. They will also enjoy using the moving parts – flaps, a wheel and the final fold-out heart in both books that were inspired by real-life family experiences..

Duck & Friends
Octopus & Friends
illustrated by Surya Sajnani
Quarto Kids (Wee Gallery)

Wee Gallery are a husband and wife team who create books to help babies and very young children develop through visual learning.
Both of these take the shape of the titular character and little ones will love joining in as both Duck and Octopus look for their friends in these splash splash bath books wherein each black and white creature magically comes to life in full colour when wet. Duck will meet the likes of frog, dragonfly and swan whereas Octopus’s friends include a large fish, jellyfish and a crab..
Splishy, sploshy, squishy, squashy tactile bath time fun for tinies.

Hippo’s Garden Day
Nicola Kent
Little Tiger

Lion and Hippo have very different gardens. Lion’s is neat and nothing looks out of place. In contrast Hippo’s is overgrown. I assume it’s not been left to grow wild deliberately. Hippo decides he needs to do some serious work on his grade. Having collected tools from his shed he sets about mowing, trimming, watering and in due season, harvesting fruit to share with his friend, Lion.
With some onomatopoeic language for small children to join in with as Hippo works, flaps to explore, a slider and wheels integral to the bold bright illustrations, this is a fun introduction to a task some adults thoroughly enjoy, some do under sufferance and others – those in favour of rewilding – don’t do at all. Toddlers however, will love the opportunity to assist Hippo in his work.

Marv and the Duck of Doom / Kitty and the Clifftop Peril

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These are both additions to popular series for new solo readers: thank you to Oxford Children’s Books for sending them for review.

Marv and the Duck of Doom
Alex Falase-Koya, illustrated by Paula Bowles

Marvin and his Grandad (plus Marvin’s high-tech side-kick Pixel) are visiting Adventure Zone. They’re going to meet Grandad’s best friend Steve (once Professor Feather, a powerful supervillain, but now a reformed character as Grandad explains before Steve arrives). With Steve is a girl around Marvin’s age so he thinks; her name is Izzy. After some rounds at the bowling alley Pixel picks up a supervillain signal and warns Marvin and later after spending more time with Izzy, during which she shows him her grandfather’s Duck of Doom, Marvin feels very uneasy about her.

The following week as Marvin and his Grandad are enjoying a picnic in the park, there comes a loud scream and the boy sees people running from something: it’s a gigantic robotic duck – the Duck of Doom. Time for Marvin to don his super-suit and morph into Marv. That way he can use the suit’s special facilities; he makes himself invisible and gets closer to the monstrous duck. Sure enough, who should be sitting on its back controlling the thing but Izzy, calling herself Professor Feather and issuing a challenge – superhero versus supervillain. Then suddenly it’s not just one gigantic robot duck but a whole army of robotic ducklings too. Can Marv and Pixel discover their weakness? Maybe the answer is in the elements … but even if they can see off the ducklings what about that Duck of Doom? And the Professor?

With themes of determination, friendship and forgiveness, some interesting new characters and gentle humour, this latest story leaves the door open for a new direction. Add to that Paula Bowles’ lively illustrations and we have another cracker for readers in years 1-3 and for home collections.

Another series featuring a superhero (in training) is

Kitty and the Clifftop Peril
Paula Harrison, illustrated by Jenny Lovlie

This is Kitty’s sixteenth adventure and she and her family are holidaying in the sleepy seaside town of Pebblecove, so Kitty’s not anticipating using her feline superpowers. As the book begins they’re visiting a seal rescue centre. Just before they have lunch Kitty encounters young Lee who tells her he’s helping his father by feeding the seals. It’s when she rejoins her parents that the trouble starts.

First crates of fish intended for the rescue centre seals are scattered everywhere, then stands of things from the shop fall over and the cafe menus are ripped. It must all be due to a mysterious creature rather than Kitty’s friend Cutlass the pirate cat. Now Kitty must put on her superhero cape, go in search of the culprit.and find out why they are causing such chaos. Could they be looking for something and if so, what?

A gentle story but one where Kitty has to be especially brave as she’s not in familiar territory. Jenny Lovlie’s black and orange illustrations throughout, heighten the drama.

The Doughnut Club

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The Doughnut Club
Kristina Rahim
Nosy Crow

There are a fair few children’s stories about blended families these days but this is the first I’ve read about donor parents.

Ollie and Quinn have always known that they were born to their mums by sperm donation and are both comfortable with this fact.

As the book opens the family is travelling to their annual holiday destination, a hotel at the seaside and the children learn from Mum and Mama as they call their parents, about a website giving more information about their sperm donor and that they have additional siblings, something neither has thought about before. Ollie doesn’t seem especially interested whereas Quinn, who is twelve and has always felt a bit different from the rest of her action-loving family, is eager to find out more. Maybe she can find a sibling who likes to take things more slowly and enjoys arty pursuits, as she does.

Mama in particular is adamant that Quinn is too young to make contact but she quickly becomes obsessed: perhaps there will be another red head with green eyes. She’s aware that tracking them down in secret involves doing things that are wrong, taking and using Mum’s bank card to pay for website access for instance, but she’s completely driven and unable to stop herself sneaking opportunities to do more research on the website without her mums knowing. Also staying in the same holiday hotel complex is Quinn’s arch enemy, Monika who starts getting rather too close to Ollie. When Quinn hears that she too had a donor, she begins to worry that Monika might turn out to be one of her donor siblings.

Before long Quinn’s focus is not on the family she loves so much and consequently she’s late to meet Olly, who ends up getting hurt. It’s pretty clear she’s out of her depth and needs to put things right with her mums but is she brave enough to talk with them before it’s too late?
Inclusive, humorous and tender, this thought provoking book will be enjoyed by children from year 4 up and should, I think, be in every primary school collection.

I Could Be Eaten By a Shark

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I Could Be Eaten By a Shark
Marcela Ferreira and Mark Chambers
Oxford Children’s Books

One day when on the beach with his grandfather, Louie sees a shark, albeit only a small one, and refuses to go back in the water. So instead his grandpa takes him to a variety of other watery places – the lake and swimming pools but they too cause the boy to see sharks. As do even paddling pools and bubble baths, indeed anywhere where there’s water. How can this problem be sorted out?

Grandpa (‘who is very wise)’ takes Louie to the library to learn about sharks. Having discovered that shark attacks are rare and been surprised to read of a shark that’s smaller than a human hand, Louie remains cautious, refusing to go right up close to relevant book. Moreover he sees potential sharks lurking in places everywhere, even the loo.

Now, rather than telling his grandson not to worry, Grandpa says something else, for he knows how Louie feels as he too was terrified of a large creature and convinced it would eat him. Maybe through ‘time – and hard work’ Louie, like his Grandpa, could learnt to live with his fear and keep it under his control. That way he wouldn’t miss out on the wealth of opportunities life has to offer …

Cleverly interweaving basic shark facts into the narrative, Marcela Ferreira offers a story that demonstrates how one’s fears can be embraced and made manageable: in tandem with Mark Chambers’ witty scenes full of amusing details, this is a book that offers reassurance and lots of discussion possibilities, especially for anxious little ones.

Finders of Silverthorn Forest: The Lost Treasures

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Finders of Silverthorn Forest: The Lost Treasures
Rachel Chivers Khoo, illustrated by Laura Catalán
Walker Books

As the story opens we meet almost simultaneously the two protagonists: a small boy, Max, and the more diminutive Tuft, who wears odd shoes. It’s partly on account of this footwear that the two meet. Tuft (a Finder) is looking for treasure and Max is a passenger in his mum’s car that almost crashes into what Max mistakes for a tea towel.

Back at Grandma’s, Max continues his mission- to help her find the time capsule she buried almost seventy years ago, before she has to move out of her home. The problem is Grandma can’t remember where she buried it; maybe it was in her garden, or perhaps in the surrounding woods, or even in a treehouse in an ancient oak tree. Off goes Max in an old faux-fur coat of Grandma’s to search the treehouse but is surprised to discover it’s occupied.

Occupied by Finder, Tuftorius Snook, the very creature that Max mistook for a tea towel. Finders are woodland creatures that ‘scavenge lost objects’ that their whiskers help them find and treat them as treasure, even keeping an inventory. “Finders keepers’ is their rule. The two start chatting over tea and a friendship begins. Suddenly a lot more Finders turn up including Tuft’s grandfather, Old Grey.

Tuft persuades his grandfather that Max means no harm and on the way back through the woods, he tells Max that the next day is Domesday. When they arrive at Grandmas’s cottage Max asks Tuft for his help and a plan is formed.

The following morning Mr Pellington, the new owner of Grandma’s cottage arrives telling her that diggers are a coming and she must be out by noon. When they discover his real reason for buying the cottage, Max becomes desperate to see Tuft despite their having said their goodbyes to each other. Can they still do something to stop the entire wood being demolished and most importantly save the oak tree with that treehouse?

Another entrancing story from Rachel (I’ve loved both her previous books) with detailed illustrations by Laura Catalán adding to the pleasure at almost every turn of the page. Woven into the tale is a vital theme about tree preservation.

The Big Day

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The Big Day
Rachel Plummer and Forrest Burdett
Little Tiger

The child narrator of this story receives a very large envelope containing an invitation to the wedding of two giants.. “ I fashioned a pen from / the trunk of a tree// and used it to / write a HUGE RSVP.” A detailed one asking about means of transport to the celebration and listing such possibilities as ‘travelling on the omnigrobbliwobblibus’ .

Come the big day, off sets the child in a smart new outfit feeling not particularly brave and keeping the destination secret from Mum. The church is full of enormous wedding guests of the fantastical kind such as witches, monsters and goblins and Giant Aunt Clara wearing her ten-ton tiara. The organ starts up and in come the two male giants (one carrying ‘fresh morning dew from the dawn’ (something new); the other holding ‘sky that bright stars wandered through.’ (something blue). They say their vows before a official,

everyone sits for the grooms’ speeches and the feasting commences.

Why was I invited wonders the small human narrator and groom two reveals the reason: there’s a message to go back with “love is just love, whether GIANT or small.”

A joyful, life-affirming demonstration that everyone matters and love is love delivered in Rachel Plummer’s rhyming text with lots of playful language and Forrest Burdett,’s illustrations in suitably vivid hues on pages that will excite with their flaps, die-cuts, and gate folds.

Wild

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Wild
Katya Balen and Gill Smith
Walker Books

A child with a great affinity for the countryside moves to live in the city. Replacing the wildness, especially the bird with blue wings that sings and the earth full of stories, are grey glass buildings with ‘their fish scale sides’ that cannot be climbed, pavements that cannot show their secrets and skies without any visible stars. The city is lonely, so too is the young narrator who tells readers, “I’ve lost my wild.’

Somehow though, in response to a plea for help in this grey wilderness, the bird with blue wings appears in the dark sky calling to the child. Swooping and looping, the bird leads the protagonist through the crowded city streets to a river. a river that ‘rolls and twists and shows me the secrets hidden under its tongue.’ This is a place where herons wait to catch silvery fish and there’s an abundance of other birds.

The child carries on following the lead of the blue-winged bird and they find leaves, wild flowers and insects.

In a little forest place, the child climbs a tree and can hardly believe the abundance of wild life -: ‘A burst of parakeets colour the air green’ and then as day turns to night a fox appears and stars light up the sky. Now the child realises that there is wildness everywhere’.It’s both within and all around.

Katya Balen’s poetic narrative reads aloud well and accompanied by Gill Smith’s mixed-media scenes of the contrasting grey cityscape and the vitality of the wild places will, one hopes, encourage children to look for and appreciate their own wild areas.

Stitch Head: The Pirate’s Eye / Donut Squad Take Over the World! / Toby and the Pixies: Best Frenemies!

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Stitch Head: The Pirate’s Eye
Guy Bass and Pete Williamson
Little Tiger

For those not yet acquainted with Stitch Head, he’s the first creation of the mad Professor Erasmus and resides in Castle Grotteskew along with various other weird creatures.
Then there’s a recent one of the Prof’s creations, an Octopus, and as ever Stitch Head has to use one of his potions to turn the creature into a kindly one. We also meet Arabella Guff from the village, she who fears nothing. Arabella tells Stitch Head as they read a diary together that he’s part pirate because he has a blue eye that once belonged to its writer, Captain Dash Flashpowder. Could that really be so?
Stitch Head recruits a crew and as he prepares for a life of derring-do on the high seas, some decidedly suspicious business closer to home threatens to put a stop to his harum-scarum swashbuckling plans…
Fans of Stitch Head, as well as others who love gothic tales, wacky adventures, mystery with the occasional scary character will love this graphic novel presentation of the original book.

The next two are both David Fickling Books graphic novels:

Donut Squad Take Over the World!
Neill Cameron

Herein you’ll find a lot of daft doings by the Donut Squad who have decided to take over the entire world. The squad comprises Sprinkles (their leader) Jammyboi, Chalky (tho ghost one), Justice Donut, Anxiety Donut, Caramel Jack (a tad salty) Daunt and Li’l Timmy, and Spronky.
The trouble is though they have some serious opposition in the form of the Bagels – arch nemeses of the Donuts that abready have plans of their own including a (w)hole lot of new merchandise.
Uh-oh1 Seems that those Donuts are also launching a lot of new merchandise – they’re definitely endeavouring to out-MERCH the Bagels..
Now I have to say that both sides are wasting their time as this reviewer strongly dislikes both Donuts and Bagels – I wouldn’t eat either of these foods. Nevertheless I found myself having a really good giggle at the utterly daft shenanigans of both torus teams in their fight for world domination.

More giggles assured when you read:


Toby and the Pixies: Best Frenemies!
James Turner and Andreas Schuster

With Toby having accidentally become king of the Pixies that reside at the bottom of his garden he discovers that misunderstandings are all too common with those little folk. Now though Steph, Toby’s nemesis at school has learned of his regal status and contrary to Toby’s expectations, rather than teasing and insulting him about it, she thinks it’s cool. She even becomes, along with his best pal Mo, a part of Toby’s adventures. Rather we should say misadventures, for whenever those Pixies get involved something is absolutely certain to go wrong. There’s the school disco for instance and much, much more.
At the end Steph makes a surprise revelation and it’s one that lets Toby know how she really feels. Zany chaos abounds but importantly there’s a heartwarming message about acceptance and friendship. (If you’ve now taken to Toby’s erstwhile enemy, there are a couple of ‘How to draw Steph spreads at the end of the book).

Soni and the Life Drinkers

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Soni and the Life Drinkers
Shiko Nguru
Lantana

With just a few days to go, twelve year old Soni has her sights firmly fixed on winning first prize at the annual middle school dance competition, Vunja Mifupa. To that end even after her fellow members of the dance squad have left, she remains behind in the studio to continue practising. While so doing she hears a heartbeat that makes her blood run cold; it’s no ordinary one but that of a shiqq, an underworld monster.

As Soni leaves, her father greets her with devastating news. Her beloved mentor and teacher, the already ailing Mr Lemayian, has taken a turn for the worse. It must be the malevolent Life Drinker that is the cause. Mr Lemayian has helped Soni and the other Intasimi Warriors—Mwikali, Odwar, and Xirsi—come into their powers and defeat evil, so now these powers must be used to save their beloved teacher. Soni calls a meeting with her friends and tells them the awful news. During the meeting there’s an unexpected arrival – it’s a hybrid (part human, part shiqq ) claiming to be able to help them, saying her name is Thandiwe and that the Final Battle is nigh. Moreover Thandiwe hands Soni a brass bracelet saying, “ … it belongs to our family. It’s your Entasim.” But can Soni trust her to help find the Life Drinker that’s draining Mr Lemayian of his life force? Then Soni learns that her mum has a twin sister who has a dark secret – a key to finding the identity of the Life Drinkers perhaps?

With their mentor growing weaker all the time, surely they can’t refuse Thandiwe’s help, despite the Intasami Warriors already having been betrayed? Maybe it’s the only way to go so long as when working with others, Soni can manage to moderate her impulsive nature.

The book ends with the Final Battle yet to happen, leaving readers eagerly waiting for the next episode.

My Rice Is Best!

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My Rice Is Best!
Selina Brown and Maxwell A. Oginni
Puffin Books

There’s absolutely nothing in the entire world that Shane prefers to eat than his Mum’s home cooked rice and peas. She uses a recipe passed down to her through many generations. When Mum suggests he take some for his school lunch the following day, he jumps at the chance.

Next day Shane sits beside Yinka and is surprised to learn that she considers the best rice in the whole world is Jollof rice. The two children have a loud dispute which is interrupted by Chong who insists his fried rice is undoubtedly the best. Then several others join in, each claiming their version of rice is BEST. The vocal dispute degenerates into a physical one

that ends up with the contents of Shane’s lunch box scattered all over the floor.. He’s devastated, but quickly Yinka offers her tub to him and as Shane tastes her Jollof rice, he’s surprised how tasty it is. There follows a lot of sharing between the rice eaters but one child, Tim, is confused for he has rice pudding not for lunch but for breakfast, which all the other children think must be pretty scrumptious.

I must admit I have to disagree with that however: the only time I ever got a detention at school was when lukewarm, stodgy rice pudding was served for afters. I discreetly – so I thought – opened the canteen window and threw the contents of my bowl out onto the path and the teacher on duty caught me in the act.

Selina Brown’s deliciously funny story is vibrantly illustrated by Maxwell A. Oginni whose scenes of the rice face-off are wonderfully dramatic and expressive. A super story to encourage children to try new foods, especially those from cultures other than their own.

A Mouse Just Ate My House!

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A Mouse Just Ate My House!
Kes Gray and Sebastien Braun
Happy Yak

The narrator of Kes Gray’s text speaks in rhyme as he relates the disaster that has befallen him, or make that sequence of disasters. There’s a mouse in his house and she has nibbled, munched and chomped her way through pretty much everything except the resident himself. First, as you might expect she sank her teeth into the skirting board but as soon as the narrator had retired to bed, she got started on the downstairs rooms and their contents.

Traps proved totally ineffective, indeed they merely served as part of the rodent’s repast before she proceeded to the bathroom, followed by the bedroom,

where not even poor Ted escaped from a severe nibbling. Other deterrents – a cricket bat, the neighbour’s cat

and pest controller and much more failed to survive. It will come as no surprise to readers that the mouse’s belly appears to have increased in size considerably after all this but there’s no sign of her suffering from indigestion or nausea. How is that possible?

This whole sorry saga is heightened by Sebastien Braun’s dramatic, hole-strewn depictions of the trail of destruction.

With an absolutely delicious throwaway final twist this one has winner stamped all over it. Listeners and readers aloud will relish it.

So Devin Wore a Skirt

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So Devin Wore a Skirt
Shireen Lalji and Lucy Fleming
Frances Lincoln Children’s Books

Devin’s family are getting ready for Nanabapa’s Big Birthday party. Everybody in the household has already found their perfect outfit for the celebration: Jay’s new tie makes him look super stylish, Amaia’s wings give her a magical look, Mummy looks like ‘a soft, pink cloud’ as she wafts around in her lengha but Devin still can’t make up his mind what to wear. He tries all kinds of things such as his red trousers, his favourite jumper and several hats. He keeps the blue beret on and eventually decides to put on his sister’s blue and purple sparkly skirt. He likes what he sees in the mirror but then in bursts Amaia protesting “You can’t wear my SKIRT! What will Nanabapa say?”

Rather than taking off the skirt, Devin decides a disguise is needed so he selects a ninja suit and a wizard cape. Then with a feather in his hat as a finishing touch, he’s good to go. By this time the party is under way and he joins his mum in the dancing.

Having bopped and boogied for some time Devin is very hot and decides it’s time to shed a layer or two but he gets even hotter as he continues dancing. Eventually he removes the ninja suit revealing the sparkly skirt. As Devin stands nervously in front of his Nanabapa he’s worried about what his family will say especially Nanabapa. Not for long though as the response is unexpectedly positive. Soon everyone is dancing joyfully including Devin who feels as magical as the others but most importantly, he feels like himself.

Lucy Fleming’s textured illustrations capture so well Devin’s changing feelings as layer by layer he takes off his disguise and finally reveals his skirt to everyone in Shireen Lalji’s warm-hearted family story about being true to yourself.

This Letter Says I Love You

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This Letter Says I Love You
Lucy Rowland and Sharon Rentta
Scholastic

This book was inspired by the true story of ten year old Matilda Handy who, when thinking of ways to connect with her grandma and grandpa, had the idea to set up a memorial post box to send letters to loved ones who have died.

In the story, a little girl misses her grandmother and wants to be able to talk to her so she decides to write her a letter. Somewhat stuck for a beginning, Mum suggests she should, “Try to fill it with what’s in your heart.” And so she does, drawing things that she herself has done as well as those she and her gran shared, things such as baking cakes together, den building and games they played together.

Included too are some of the sad and angry occasions and how her Mum helped her cope with them.

When the letter’s done, the girl narrator and her Mum set off to post it, the former wondering how Gran will know what’s been said and how she’ll reply.

When they reach the white post box, the narrator feels a little better so she tells us, and her mum reminds her that “We’re always connected to those people we love.” and suggests the girl continues to share things. By the time they walk back home the stars are shining above and they seem to have a special message for the letter writer.

Lyrically told in Lucy Rowland’s rhyming narrative and beautifully illustrated by Sharon Rentta whose scenes of everyday events and fond memories exude warmth, tenderness and love.
(The postboxes like the one in the story are to be set up at 36 other sites across the country after Matilda’s moving tribute to her grandparents proved so popular.)

Pearl & The Fish

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Pearl & The Fish
Patricia MacCarthy
Patricia MacCarthy Books

Many young children fear the dark and so it was with little Pearl who imagined shadowy things hiding under her bed. That however was before she had her brainwave. At bedtime she’d bake six imaginary biscuits using her toy kitchen set and put them on an invisible plate in a particularly shadowy place. Come morning the biscuits had always disappeared and the shadowy thing that consumed them had become her friend.

Then one night a rumbling sound wakes Pearl from a dream about a goldfish and ,secure in the knowledge that whatever made the sound must be friendly, out of bed she gets and discovers a huge goldfish snoring. A gentle poke causes it to release a bubble and then many more, until her room bounces with ‘bubble popping play, jubilant jumping and glorious giggles.’ The two enjoy themselves until come the dawn the fish vanishes and Pearl gets back into her bed and sleeps till morning.

Was it all a dream, she wonders but the following night, the fish is back. Introducing itself as Goldie, the fish explains how it came to be and the two of them fly to the Moon, Pearl taking delight in the shooting stars around. She even catches one and takes it back to Earth.

The next morning after a cosy sleep, she is woken by her mum talking of a special surprise for Pearl. That evening she still makes her six friendship biscuits but these have for a different purpose altogether.

Magical, reassuring, and with fantastical, luminescent illustrations, Patricia’s telling reads aloud really well: I love the playful alliteration and the way Pearl takes the initiative to control her fears.

Alex Rider Stormbreaker

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Alex Rider Stormbreaker
Anthony Horowitz
Walker Books

This is a silver edition celebrating the very first of the Alex Rider novels. The story begins with an ordinary fourteen year old boy being woken from his slumbers by the doorbell ringing. It’s the police with the news that his only known relation, Uncle Ian has been killed in a traffic accident. However, suspicious of the explanation he’s given, Alex starts his own investigation and discovers his uncle’s car full of bullet holes. Why kill a banker, he wonders, having just missed being crushed to death himself when his uncle’s BMW is tossed into the crusher.

When Alex climbs through a window to gain access to his uncle’s office it transpires that Uncle Ian was not a banker at all but a field agent for MI6 – a spy in other words. Before long Alex finds he’s been dragged into the world of cloak and dagger intrigue and espionage Then, having undergone an intensive programme of training, he reluctantly becomes MI6 youngest ever spy. His mission revolves around one Mr Herod Sayle and Alex sets about infiltrating Sayle’s operation and the revolutionary Stormbreaker computers set to be given to schools.

To call the assignment action-packed is a complete understatement: it’s totally gripping and has spawned a series that has become something of a rite of passage for pre-teen readers.
This 25th anniversary edition includes a brand new Alex Rider short story but you’ll have to get your own copy to discover what happens therein.

Afia in the Land of Wonders

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Afia in the Land of Wonders
Mia Araujo
Scholastic

In the remote desert village of Dafra, sixteen year old twins Afia and Aya are about to become crystal merchants like their parents. On the eve of their ewende ceremony (coming of age) Afia encounters a mysterious young carver at the monthly market and he makes her an offer. Unlike her dutiful sister, Afia does not want to follow in her parents’ footsteps; instead she wants to see the world. Consequently she flees from the initiation ceremony and heads to the forest. where she joins Bakame, the carver on a journey that takes her far from her familiar homeland community. She’s intrigued by what he tells her of Queen Ukiwa and her palace in Ijábù. What he doesn’t tell her however, is that the Queen’s palace and her entire kingdom are built on the cruel, cunning ensnarment of the lives and dreams of her courtiers.

Eventually though, Afia witnesses her awful cruelty, which changes her initial impression of the Queen and she realises that she’s made a terrible mistake. Determined to leave Ijábù. she agrees to a bargain proposed by Ojike, a spirit of a boy who’s wearing a carved cat mask: He’ll help her find her way back home if she helps him overthrow the evil Queen. But is she sufficiently brave and resilient to free not only herself but those trapped by the queen’s controlling power? She’ll certainly face terrific danger, but she will discover allies willing to assist in her mission to return and make amends to her precious twin.

Celebrating curiosity, family bonds, independent thinking, friendship and compassion, this fantasy with its stunningly beautiful colour illustrations, draws both on African folklore and on elements of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. Older readers who have read the Lewis Carroll classic and have an interest in folklore from around the world will get the most from this fascinating story.

Higher Ground

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Higher Ground
Tull Suwannakit
New Frontier Publishing

In this highly visual story we follow the lives of a grandmother, a brother (the narrator) and sister and their pet rabbit who are stranded in their city apartment as a result of what Grandma calls The Great Flood. Everybody else left before the water came and so there was nobody to see their rooftop message pleading for help. Thus this space becomes their entire world but Grandma tells the children they must never lose hope.

Day by day she teaches them everything she knows: things about sowing and planting, making repairs, fishing, reusing and recycling, observing their changing surroundings and more. The children seize upon her teachings with enthusiasm, optimism and creativity. The seasons change but so too does Grandma: little by little her strength diminishes. With the waters continuing to rise, the children start building a raft and loading it with produce.

Grandma knows she has little time left so she encourages the children to sail away leaving her to protect their garden: ‘with each ending a new beginning unfolds’, she tells them giving her necklace to her granddaughter and saying that she’ll always be with them.

Weeks later, having been completely lost, battered by fierce stormy waters and on the point of despair, a seabird flying overhead reminds the siblings of Grandma and with lifted spirits they struggle on, eventually finding dry land and a new home among other people. Using their experiences they then show compassion towards other people who also find themselves lost, stranded.

Tull Suwannakit uses predominantly mixed media visual imagery to convey the story, skilfully blending wordless graphic novel sequences, some in black and white, beautiful softly hued landscapes

and double spread diagrams of instructions for such things as catching a fish. The result is a hugely moving account of how even under the very worst of circumstances, like those two protagonists, we should never give up on life.

Embracing such themes as home, belonging, loss, grief, refugees, self-sufficiency and the consequences of climate change, this is a book that deserves to be widely read at home and in classrooms.

A Good Night’s Sleep

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A Good Night’s Sleep
Emma Chichester Clark
Harper Collins Children’s Books

Young listeners will likely know what Little Red Riding Hood did when she discovered the big bad wolf in the woods. However young Maudie uses rather different tactics. Moreover she actually has several animal intruders in addition to the hungry bear she meets lurking among the trees. Having dealt with the large hungry ursine and proceeded to the woodland house, she finds a lion in the kitchen that has designs on her as part of his late-night snack. Rather than panic, clever little Maudie makes a request of the lion and then proceeds to mix up some ingredients for a chocolate cake, which she then puts into the oven, goes off upstairs

and leaves the creature drooling. But what should be waiting in the bedroom with hungry grins upon their faces but a pair of wolves. These too she cleverly outwits,

only to come upon a crocodile in the bathroom: can she get the better of him as well?

Suddenly Maudie remembers that cake in the oven. Downstairs she goes to find the lion still drooling, plus the bear. Now you’ll have to admit that this young miss is a canny character and does something nigh on genius after she’s added icing to her cake. However, to discover what, you’ll have to get your own copy of this super fun tale. Assuredly Emma’s latest offering is a book that children will relish and want further helpings soon after.

I Am Raven

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I Am Raven
Alastair Chisholm
Nosy Crow

You really need to have read I Am Wolf before embarking on this sequel. Herein the main protagonist is Brann, once a member of the Raven crew but with the destruction of her construct by Dragon, she is now searching for any members of her tribe that may have survived and for answers. Desperately determined, she and members of the atypical Cub crew are intending to head northwards both to look for clues as to what happened to Raven and to find the source of the strange signal, Rieka one of the crew has been tracking. However there are more besides Reika, Brann and others aboard looking for answers and it’s not long before Cub’s crew find they’re on a mission that is of importance to other Constructs as well as themselves.
From a tiny Construct steps a stranger informing them that Brann (or Leondra) as the woman calls her) is ordered by the High Constructs to attend an interview.

Following this meeting during which they learn more about the realm wherein they all live, Cub is invited to travel with the enormous Bear and they continue moving until they reach Puma territory and there they come upon Dragon: dead. At least it looks to be Dragon but Brann insists it isn’t. The closer they get to where they believe the information they seek can be found, they will find that truths much darker than they envisioned hidden there. Brann, a very complex character not supposed to feel fear, is convinced that Raven’s fate is due to her actions and this makes her committed to track down this construct and atone for what she did.

With its themes of loyalty and friendship, readers are quickly drawn into the terrifying world of Cub and crew. I read late into the night to finish this brilliant book. It ends on an enormous cliff-hanger leaving us desperate to know what happens next.

The Best Garden in the World

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The Best Garden in the World
Alice Courtley
Ivy Kids

When Steve the squirrel moves from the city to the forest. he’s intent on finding his wild side in the countryside. He has resolved to build the best garden in the whole world and is bursting with ‘big and very particular plans.’ His new forest dwelling neighbours are eager to help and Steve gives them clear instructions as they plant, prune, sow and sort all day. Everyone then agrees that Steve’s is the best garden they’ve ever set eyes on, despite it also being the only one.

Steve meanwhile settles down to enjoy some peace and quiet. Not for long though: very soon his new friends are busy doing their own things. Shock horror, they’re ruining the garden.

Time for some ground rules, a plethora of signs and … the disappearance of all this friends. It’s peaceful, yes

but Steve decides he should do some market research: what is it that makes for a perfect garden?

Steve is startled by his discoveries and so down come all the signs and up goes a completely different one. Manicured lawns and trimmed hedges are all very well but it’s time for a spot of rewilding that will attract his new friends and accommodate their particular requirements and ways of living.

A great story to demonstrate to young children that is everyone is different and so too are their needs.

The Bear-Shaped Hole

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The Bear-Shaped Hole
John Dougherty and Thomas Docherty
Frances Lincoln Children’s Books

Loss , especially death is always difficult to deal with even when you know it’s coming. So it is with this companion book to the creators’ The Hare-Shaped Hole. Skilfully written in rhyme, poet John Dougherty tells the story of Gerda and Orlo. Orlo bear is gentle, caring, kind and fair – the most respected creature in the woods. Orlo is much loved by young Gerda and the two spend a great deal of time together walking, talking, playing and telling stories but one day Gerda notices a change in Orlo. He’s much slower and seems to have lost that zest for life. Orlo explains that he’s ill and will soon die. Gerda’s initial response is one of anger and she runs away roaring uncontrollably in her misery.

However as we read, ‘ … you can’t outrun sorrow. You can’t outrun pain’: Gerda returns tearfully to Orlo who welcomes her with a big bear hug and then goes on to validate her feelings, assuring his young friend that despite her hurt – that hole in her heart – she will feel happiness again and Orlo will live on in her heart and her head as she remembers the wonderful times they shared. Eventually, come the autumn after making more memories together through the summer,

Orlo dies. Eventually Gerda does find she’s ready to make new friends and have happy times with them.

A reassuring message and it’s stunningly illustrated by Thomas Docherty whose scenes are bright and over-flowing with love. A must have to share with children at home and in the classroom.

Minibeasts / What Can You See? In the Garden / We Love Fruit!

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There are all new board books from Little Tiger – thanks to the publishers for sending them for review.

Minibeasts
Patricia Hegarty and Xuan Le

The first of a nature new series where the featured creatures almost leap out from among the plants growing in the flowerbeds. First comes a bumblebee that is busily collecting pollen from a composite flower; then there’s a ladybird that opens up its scarlet wing cases as though to take flight. Next not just one but – well maybe your little one can try counting them – the beautiful butterflies that, wings spread wide, take to the skies and flutter on the breeze. Meanwhile much closer to the ground, a shiny shelled snail climbs slowly, steadily amongst the grasses and ferns while, down by the pond darting among the lily pads, transparent wings shimmering is a dragonfly and finally, peeking from the foliage of blooming wisteria is a chirping grasshopper; but if you look very closely, there’s also one unnamed minibeast making its way along the branch.

Little ones will love watching all these small creatures as they peruse Xuan Le’s vibrant settings for Yoojin Kim’s cleverly engineered scenes.

More minibeasts appear in

What Can You See? In the Garden
Rosamund Lloyd and Maria Perera

At Rosamund Lloyd’s suggestion, young children take a walk in the garden and discover minibeasts in flight, follow a butterfly through its various stages of metamorphosis, watch honey bees at work, see camouflage and other ways minibeasts keep themselves save from predators. If you take time to forage in the plant litter there are woodlice, millipedes and snails to discover whilst beneath the ground earthworms burrow and ants create colonies. Little humans will delight in such facts as “some millipedes eat their own poo’ and that unlike themselves who have a backbone, insects have a skeleton on the outside called an exoskeleton .
The cutaway pages are cleverly positioned to allow readers to peep through and see what awaits.

Spring is here so share the book and then see what awaits outside your front door.

We Love Fruit!
Becky Davies and Ailie Busby

Don’t play with your tasty food. This is frequently said to little ones by parents or carers but now this book gives toddlers permission to do just that. Indeed they will love pulling out the double-sided fruit characters from the sliding tray inside the front cover and meeting the eight different fruity personalities. From these, little humans must follow the clues given on each page and choose the matching cardboard piece. Can they discover which fruit grows in bunches and when dried is called a raisin or which one might take as long as three years to grow?

A clever interactive guessing game, playfully illustrated by Ailie Busby with words by Becky Davies that offers opportunities for adult sharers of the book to talk about the importance of fruit in a healthy diet. I suspect several helpings will be desired by toddlers.