Author jillrbennett

Jack the Fairy: The Week the Bad Fairies Escaped / Toby and the Pixies: Pixie Pandemonium

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Jack the Fairy: The Week the Bad Fairies Escaped
Tom McLaughlin
Oxford Children’s Books

As a member of the magical world, ten year old Jack is not a role model. Indeed he’s broken a couple of rules – taking his wand to school and even worse, letting Charlie, his best friend, know that he’s a fairy. However, when he accidentally magics Charlie through an inter dimensional portal to a sinister place – Lonely Island – home to creatures who hate humans, he has to inform his Mum and Uncle Dave what has happened. His Mum is furious: Uncle Dave says an emergency plan must be put into action. Off they go on operation rescue but they’ll have to contend with snot-firing Bonzo the Bogeyman and the evil Twinkle and her gang who want to take over control of the world.

Can they possibly rescue Charlie? Maybe, with assistance from Father Christmas, the Easter Bunny, the monstrous Nessy and an elf who insists that Charlie’s memory must be wiped.

Liberally scattered with Tom’s black and white illustrations, the whole thing is utterly crazy but huge fun. Ideally you should have read Jack’s previous two adventures before this one, so if you haven’t and you enjoy magical shenanigans, with occasional flatulence, then get hold of all three books and start with The Day the Unicorns Stopped Farting.

There are also plenty of crazy happenings in:

Toby and the Pixies: Pixie Pandemonium
James Turner and Andreas Schuster
David Fickling Books

If you don’t know Toby, he is just a normal boy except that he’s accidentally become King of a magical pixie realm hidden at the bottom of his garden. Events herein include a visit to the dentist accompanied by his father, a cooking lesson catastrophe and a dose of a brain power-increasing potion – or is it?
This is chaotic madcap magic and some: you’ll likely end up with aching ribs from laughing as you follow the events herein.

The Angel and the Mermaid

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The Angel and the Mermaid
Becky Cameron
Frances Lincoln Children’s Books

Meet siblings Avery and Mira born one midsummer’s night. Baby Avery was ‘gentle and quiet as the whispering breeze.’ In contrast, baby Mira was ‘as wild and loud as a crashing wave.’ As they grew, despite their differences they spent their days playing together close to their home. However as the days turned to years the siblings become curious about the world and one day Mira suggests they play a game: whoever went the furthest and found the best treasure would be the winner.

Excitedly they begin their quest, Mira diving deep down in the ocean and Avery taking flight to the highest mountain. On their return the two compare treasures and Mira considers her shell the best whereas Avery declares his feather much better.

They squabble and part company but soon begin to miss one another. Suddenly a storm blows in and Mira, concerned for her brother’s safety, determines to find him. Meanwhile Avery is missing his sister too and the thought comes to him that she probably feels the same. Unable to swim, he dives courageously into the waves but starts sinking.

Fortunately a hand stretches out and takes hold of him: it’s Mira, and they give each other sorry, forever friends hugs.

Henceforward no matter where their lives led them, they’d always return home to their special place where sky and sea meet.

An unusual magical tale of two siblings and their unbreakable bond. Becky Cameron’s illustrations are a delight, detailed and capturing the feelings of the siblings beautifully.

Albert’s Bubble Bath / Bert and the Bubble

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Albert’s Bubble Bath
Mark McKinley
Oxford Children’s Books

Albert the bear is a grumpy character but there’s one thing that makes him feel good. No it’s not picnics, nor fishing, and definitely not singing around a campfire: it’s relaxing in a bubble bath. However, Albert’s bubble bath is the envy of the forest creatures and they’re keen to try it too. Albert though, is certainly not going to allow this and makes it quite clear with the signs he puts up around his home. When they have no effect he hires top security, again with no effect. The subterranean relocation of the bath fails too. Time to don those thinking specs Albert. After much hard thinking he has an idea of the constructive kind: surely this must work.

Oops! He hadn’t factored in sharp-beaked birds. POP! Albert plus his beloved bath tumble earthwards but the bath gets stuck before reaching the ground. Reluctantly Albert asks for ideas and up steps a beaver. Maybe he and his family can help … Seemingly they do so in more than one way.
With it’s fun finale this is a dramatic story with plenty of giggle-inducing moments that ensure that the learning to share message is imparted lightly.
It makes a satisfying read aloud and should definitely go down well with foundation stage/ KS1 children.

Also about sharing is:

Bert and the Bubble
Kim Hillyard
Ladybird Books

When Bert the frog finds a beautiful shiny bubble he shows it excitedly to his friend, Sandra. Sandra is eager to hold the bubble; Ben agrees but asks she treat it carefully. Pop! That’s the end of the bubble: clearly Sandra wasn’t careful enough. The following day Bert finds another bubble, a bouncy one that Norman wants to play with. ‘Yes”, Bert says, “But please bring it back.” But Norman fails to do so. Poor Bert is starting to think his bubble luck has run out when down floats the biggest bubble in the world.

So eager is Bert to keep this one safe that he goes to great lengths to protect it. Determined not to share this time, he builds a fort and locks himself and the bubble inside. It’s a tight squeeze but Ben remains shut away pondering upon the terrible consequences should he come out.

Suddenly there’s a tapping on the door accompanied by voices calling him to come out, apologising and promising to be more careful in future: it’s his friends. Out comes Bert and out comes the bubble looking bigger than ever. The three frogs have great fun playing with it all afternoon and just as Bert is thinking he’s having the best time ever …

However now Bert’s reaction is somewhat different. He’s clearly learned that when it comes to friendship and bubbles, one is definitely way more important than the other.
An amusing, learning to share story with funny froggy scenes at every turn of the page.

A Totally Big Umbrella

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A Totally Big Umbrella
Sarah Crossan and Rebecca Cobb
Walker Books

Tallulah hates the rain; it spoils things for her and after a downpour she dashes inside to her Grandma and asks to borrow her umbrella. Grandma says that the rain has stopped, but Tallulah explains that if it starts again, ‘her life will be ruined’. The girl insists on carrying around the brolly no matter what. However, walking about clutching an umbrella presents Talulah with challenges aplenty, outside, in the classroom and at home.

Nevertheless, back she goes to Grandma, still very concerned and her Gran finds her a larger umbrella and a teapot. Talullah’s worrying continues and so does her brolly carrying.

Then comes the day of Grandma’s party and guess what; down comes heavy rain. Up goes Talulah’s umbrella and she takes cover. However, nobody else seems to be particularly bothered by the downpour.

A realisation dawns: maybe squelchy rain-soaked parties can be fun after all and her constant worrying about the rain means that she’ s missing out on so much.

A sensitively written story infused with gentle humour that is ideal for sharing with young children who will see how it can take some time to overcome anxiety, be it about rain or something else. Sharing ones feelings with a trusted adult or friend is the best way to help manage them. Rebecca Cobb’s portrayal of the endearing Tallulah and her emotional learning journey are truly captivating: I love the range of view-points she has used.

Dragon Cat

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Dragon Cat
Pie Corbett
Otter-Barry Books

A cracking collection of over fifty new poems from Pie Corbett, many of which are of a playful nature, several of which sent me back to my childhood. One of the latter is The School Photo when I was dared to do just what the narrator describes, ‘One year I was placed right on the end / of the line – the idea was that we all stood still while the camera panned round. / I waited till it had taken our side, jumped down and raced behind the rest of the school – to reappear the other end.’ The problem for me was that I got caught in the act.

Another is Owl where one of the verses goes like this:
‘Owl, owl, / head spinner, fly-by-night,silent flight, / feared by mice and voles. / Owl, owl, / is it true that you’ve taken up residence / in a hole in the trunk of a tree?’
An owl had definitely taken up residence in the large oak tree in our garden and I used to get out of bed and sit waiting for it to appear.

Many of the poems are ideal as models to inspire children’s creativity. One such is When I Blew the Magic Dust, which goes on to use this line to begin three subsequent verses. Another is One -Word Bird Poems.

As a Result is great for starting with an image – in Pie’s poem, ‘As a result of dark clouds – snowmen gather at dusk./ As a result of snowmen – no carrots for lunch.’ Children can then explore and create their own concatenations of images and ideas.

This collection is a veritable treasure trove of imagery and the poems are a delight to read aloud.
Pie has used a variety of techniques and poetic forms – acrostics, kennings, riddles and more and employed lots of word play. Indeed there’s humour aplenty, not least in Tom Morgan-Jones’ black and white illustrations.

A must have book for poetry collections both at home and in the classroom. I can’t close without mentioning Torn by War – Ukraine, Palestine and Too Many More: I’d buy the book for this one alone.

Badgers Are Go: Revenge of the Claw

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Badgers Are Go! Revenge of the Claw
Susannah Lloyd, illustrated by Nici Gregory
David Fickling Books

It’s a new term at Rumpington Academy of Badgering and the Major announces excitedly that there is a new member of staff, an inventor, one Professor Archibald Briskwhiskers and from the outset he seems to have taken a dislike to Lulu Rifferton Rear. Moreover, he’s interested in why Lulu hasn’t on this occasion been assigned a mission.

Then comes a notice in the paper concerning a custard craze and guess who is given the role of piloting BOP 92e; that involves so the Prof insists, one simple manoeuvre … The next thing, or almost the next, is that Lulu is accused of a serious crime and there’s only one way to prove her innocence. She must discover the truth by going undercover to Mole HQ.

Full of splendidly scandalous sharp practice on one side and courage, confidence and cleverness, not to mention some treacle, on the other, this will have readers rooting for young Lulu as she goes all out to save the world.

After this deliciously daft adventure, with Nici Gregory’s unforgettable drawings throughout, whither next for our young hero?

Little Snail Goes House-Hunting

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Little Snail Goes House-Hunting
Bia Melo
Happy Yak

Little Snail is an ordinary little snail living in Snail Garden in an ordinary house. Despite loving her large family, Little S sometimes feels rather different and consequently wants to try something different too. She decides to go house-hunting and off she goes hither and thither trying out different life styles, Her first idea is to try living like Frog; yes Frog’s house has its own swimming pool but Little S finds it’s far too wet.

An upside-down house like the bats doesn’t suit her either, nor does the countryside where she feels a tad stuck and as for a house share – that’s a definite no on account of the crowd. Transformational living is another no thank you, as is an underground abode.

Off goes Little S to pay a visit to her aquatic cousins with their variety of houses and even after trying so many different ones, none of them feels like home. A realisation takes place

and back she goes towards Snail Garden in her perfectly sized, perfectly shaped house and there her appearance proves inspirational..

Young children will love following Little Snail as her quest takes her far and wide and will be much amused at the final outcome of her travelling. The story is illustrated with zany humour in Bia Melo’s bright, textured, patterned scenes.

Thank You, Old Oak

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Thank You, Old Oak
Britt Crow-Miller and Amy Schimler-Safford
Barefoot Books

Old Oak has flourished in the forest for more than 400 years but now it’s tired and one morning just as Owl has settled into his hole, down she crashes sending him skywards. Then all manner of forest creatures – squirrels, moths and butterflies,

rabbits, possum, deer and black bears gather to show appreciation for the food and shelter Oak has provided over the years. Indeed every branch in the forest is also crowded ‘with noisy nuthatches, blue jays, and thrushes, each crooning a call of gratitude, creating a symphony of crowing, whistling and lively trills.’ All these and more are shown in Amy Schimler-Safford’s mixed media textured illustrations.

Yes, that might be the end for her rooted life but in other ways it’s another beginning. Old Oak still has a key role bringing new life: trees growing nearby gain strength from her minerals, animals of various kinds feast on her trunk and come the spring rains, her softened logs help young mosses and ferns to grow (nurse logs, they’re called, so the information after the story tells us).

It’s wonderful to see a whole new generation of oak seedlings (Old Oak’s legacy), planted by forest animals starting to grow as sunlight fills the earth that Old Oak once shaded.

A moving story that also contains a considerable amount of information about oak trees. Well worth getting for family bookshelves and primary class collections.

The Remembering Candle

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The Remembering Candle
Alison Goldberg and Selina Alko
Barefoot Books

This is a beautiful book that teaches young children about the Jewish tradition, Yahrzeit, for remembering lost loved ones. Herein, with a small boy acting as narrator, we join a Jewish family on the anniversary of Grandpa’s death one year ago.. They are observing the tradition of yahrzeit by lighting a candle in honour of his memory. The candle burns from one sunset to the next and during this time the various family members share the wonderful memories they have of him.

Each of their reminiscences links to something Grandpa used to enjoy: looking through a telescope at the night sky, and being shown Orion in the summertime is recalled by the boy;

this prompts him to start creating a memories collage and his sisters joins in making images of Grandpa’s hats. These hats are also remembered by Mum and Aunt Sara who joins the others for lunch bringing one of Grandpa’s favourite desserts to share.

Then Mum sits at the piano and recalls how she and Grandpa used to play duets. All the while the candle burns, then come nighttime again they gather to watch it go out. Yes, there is sadness but Grandpa’s memory still remains bright in their hearts and minds.

Alison Goldberg’s poignant tale shows so well how the ritual and the memories help the family to deal with their grief and Selina Alko’s sensitive, beautifully crafted collage illustrations wherein she uses white dots to great effect throughout, enhance the family’s feeling of connection to the memorial custom and one another.

(After the story are notes from both author and illustrator and information about Yahrzeit, Jewish Memorial traditions and the Jewish Calendar.)

Fox and the Mystery Letter

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Fox and the Mystery Letter
Alex G Griffiths
Frances Lincoln Children’s Books

There’s a clue on the cover as to the sender of the mystery letter Fox receives as he sits alone in his cottage in the middle of a forest. He’s just sat down to breakfast when there’s a knock at the door; it’s a mail bird with a letter for him sent special delivery. It’s ages since Fox has received any post, his last being from … he pushes the thought away and opens the letter. It’s something of a puzzle and instructs him to head to the forest path to begin his journey and is signed ‘from an Old Friend’. After musing on the message he decides to take a quick look at the first clue, so he packs a few things in a bag and sets out, telling himself he’ll come straight back.

Soon he comes upon a fragment of a map and an arrow marked on the ground. He follows the direction of the arrow and the next one, eventually seeing a moose sitting by a campfire waiting. The Moose says, “I have a little gift for you,” handing him a box but refusing to say who it’s from.

Instead he gives Fox a clue – a photograph – and off goes Fox again in a northerly direction as indicated by the compass also in the box.

Come nightfall, after journeying, over land and water and another encounter –

with a Mole this time – Fox is sure he knows the sender of the letter and despite memories he’d been continually pushing to the back of his mind, he finally hears the gentle voice of his dear friend with whom he’d quarrelled so long ago. It had taken a treasure trail to bring him to face his ursine pal and resolve whatever they’d fought about.

Illustrated in Alex Griffiths’ characteristic detailed pen and ink drawing style, coloured in predominantly earthy hues, this is a story of friendship, forgiveness and revealing your true feelings. Sharing this with a KS1 class could lead to some interesting discussion.

The Enchantment of Golden Eagle

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The Enchantment of Golden Eagle
Margaret Wild and Stephen Michael King
Allen & Unwin

Ella and her younger brother, Leif, live with their father in a small village at the edge of a forest. One day the siblings discover a fledgling Golden Eagle with a broken wing. They take it home and with their father’s help, they care for it for seven days and seven nights. With its wing mended, the bird is then ready to fly away but despite having looked longingly skyward, the bird promises to remain with them.

After a while their father is called away and it’s then that the Golden Eagle senses the wind calling and decides to take to the air – ‘just for a moment’. While he’s gone, the children are very frightened.

They tell the eagle that when he returns some time later and Ella even pushes him away when he tries to enfold them in his wings, cursing him thus, “You will fly without stopping for a year and a day.” Off he flies through all kinds of weather, longing for a rest, for the chirping of other birds and for warmth from a wing.

Eventually, completely exhausted the eagle drifts home once more and is greeted by Leif. As they face one another, eagle and Ella, the girl says that the curse wasn’t real and apologies are made. The three celebrate that night and Ella imagines the future when the Golden Eagle is once again well and strong, ‘larking about in the sky as all birds do.’

This is a multi-layered story that can be interpreted in many ways depending on the reader. Stephen Michael King’s wonderful ink and watercolour illustrations of Lief, Ella and their world work in harmony with Margaret Wild’s text with its themes of letting go, forgiveness and appreciation.

Beastie Bros: Dungeons and Dragonflies

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Beastie Bros: Dungeons and Dragonflies
David O’Connell
Scholastic

Set in Bugtown, this second adventure of best friends Dribble the snail and Dash the firefly sees the two attempt to recover a priceless treasure.

It’s festival time in Bugtown and after an embarrassing moment, or several, with Dribble’s Tummy Tickler invention, they come upon their friend Tilda the earthworm. She suggests they join her on a tour to see the display of the queen ant’s crown jewels. Dribble and Dash are somewhat suspicious of the bus driver and tour guide but they climb aboard nonetheless and the bad feeling Dash has worsens at the sight of the dung beetle passengers already seated.

Having arrived at the displays the friends are taken o a huge room wherein they are shown a fabulous addition to the queen’s collection of gemstones, the Gumdrop of Light.

As they gaze at it some fireworks are thrown, the Gumdrop of Light disappears and so it’s announced, some visitors have been kidnapped.

Realising that his bad feeling about some of those dung beetles was justified, Dash tells Dribble that they are actually master criminals, the Dung Heap Gang. Almost immediately Dash and Dribble are hot on the trail. They pursue the thieves into the maze of dark tunnels. where they soon find themselves confronting gigantic dragonflies; moreover the two friends get separated.

Can the heroic pair find a way to get past the menacing beasties, and can they locate the criminals, retrieve the precious gemstone and restore it to the rightful owner?

Full of zany drawings, a choose your own adventure chapter, a poem about custard and much more including a smashing supporting cast, the entire story is absolutely bonkers and enormous fun. On the serious side, the author aka Professor Crispin T. Earthworm has provided some fascinating bug facts and there are ideas for readers to create their own fantasy stories and a game.

Newly confident solo readers and those sharing the book will relish this.

Medusa Gorgon’s Bad Hair Day

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Medusa Gorgon’s Bad Hair Day
Bethany Walker, illustrated by Katie Abey
Scholastic

Meet Medusa Gorgon age twelve. She works as a guardian in the temple of the goddess Athena. Medusa is rather hot-tempered and her best friend, Arachne has suggested that writing a diary to release and channel her feelings would help her. A good idea indeed but then Medusa upsets Athena who banishes her to the twenty-first century to retrieve the goddesses’ shield, the very shield and prized possession that Medusa might have disposed of into Hades’ well in a fit of anger over her friend, Arachne, being turned into a spider.

The outcome is that Medusa’s life becomes a series of very bad days. For starters, thanks to Athena, she’s had her hair changed into snakes, ‘vile, ugly, angry, slithering snakes’ that constantly hiss atop her head. There’s an awful lot to learn in this place of banishment including things relating to human homes in England. She certainly can’t let her ‘carers’ do such things as drink from the toilet

and as for life at Shadwell Academy secondary school, bewilderment doesn’t come into it. Then comes the language issue: yes she is able to understand and speak the language of the twenty-first century but ‘actually knowing what they’re talking about’ is a very different matter (so true). And who should Medusa try to make friends with – another tricky thing to try and get right.

With friendship at the heart of the whole story, this is a great read – funny, pacy and splendidly illustrated by Katie Abey. The book draws quite heavily on the Greek myths but it matters not if readers are familiar with Medusa, Arachne, Athena, Hades et al. (I should mention that there’s an on-going correspondence between Athena and Hades via Hermes Express Air Tortoise aka H.E.A.T.) And as for the shield – is it ever returned to Athena? Then what about the fate of Arachne? To find out, you must get a copy of this hilarious book for yourself.

The Great Nut Hunt

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The Great Nut Hunt
Karl Newson and Nia Havilliard
Scholastic

Squirrel has spent a lot of time and energy collecting nuts, so much so that his home is full and he has to stash lots of them around in the woods. But then he realises that he’s completely forgotten where they are. Off he goes to Bear’s cave; maybe he’s left them there. Bear is fast asleep but is disturbed by Squirrel’s intrusion as he grabs a case in his paws and beats a hasty retreat. Anticipating a breakfast of nuts, Squirrel opens the case only to discover a sock.

Off he goes again on his nut search, next stop Owl’s. Owl seems to be out so up the tree goes Squirrel, ‘Sneakily, Sneakily, Snoopily …’ Squirrel makes off with a sack of … nuts, he expects. But …

Beaver’s dam is his third possibility but there are no nuts there either. Squirrel is by now looking so down in the dumps, his friends ask if he’s OK. Squirrel apologies for being a bad friend but the other animals respond by offering to join the nut hunt. They look in lots of possible places but of a nut there’s no sign. Suddenly Owl realises what has happened to all the nuts Squirrel buried. Can you guess what is revealed?

Karl’s rhyming text bounces along in dialogue form and in combination with Nia Havilliard’s dramatic scenes of the search and animal interactions, makes for a fun read aloud, one I’d suggest saving for the autumn to share with young children.

Funnily enough my partner pointed out three saplings growing in the front garden our home yesterday. “Those are black walnuts buried by squirrels and unfortunately are totally unsuitable to grow where they’ve been planted, less than a metre from the front wall of the house,” he said.

Max & Chaffy: What A Delicious Discovery!

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Max & Chaffy: What A Delicious Discovery!
Jamie Smart
David Fickling Books

As this story begins Max and Chaffy are sound asleep in the lighthouse but then a massive explosion wakes them from their slumbers: their help is needed urgently. The sound emanated from the bakery where Crumble lives and she’s having a crisis of confidence. Her new recipe has gone completely wrong and apparently so have her other recent recipes. The last time one went according to plan was when she was at baking school with her best friend and baking partner, Sprinkles.

Sprinkles now lives far away on Food Island and Max resolves to see the two reunited. Captain Foghorn refuses to take them in his boat but fortunately along comes Orlando Pig in a new hot air balloon. With thoughts of some possible new chaffies for Max’s book off they fly and after a somewhat hazardous landing at their destination, the friends are greeted by Mayor Chomp Chomp. He informs them that the Grand Food Festival is taking place but every recipe the chefs prepare ends up tasting disgusting.

Unsurprisingly Max offers to help find out why, the first stop being Pasta Hills. The pasta looks good but as Pasta Pete explains everything is going wrong.

Chaffy disappears and reappears to report a displaced Burger Chaffy. And so begins a concatenation of brand new chaffy findings in different locations on the island. There’s one in Veggie Park, another in Sushi Land and one more in Bakersville – brand new flavoursome combinations galore. But in Bakersville Crumble’s old pal Sprinkles just isn’t coming up with the goodies any more: time for them to start inspiring one another all over again. As for the Grand Food Festival – who will collect the winners’ cup?

A tasty treat that includes a ‘Help Max find Chaffy’ spread at the end of each part and a help Sprinkles locate his lost ingredients. With its brightly hued panels, established fans of Max and Chaffy will gobble up this fifth book and the two will likely win lots of new followers too

Froggy: A Pond Full of Pals!

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Froggy: A Pond Full of Pals!
Paige Walshe
Flying Eye Books

Froggy lives with his parents and lots of other frogs in a village until one day he decides it’s the right day for him to set off on an adventure. He collects his belongings together and sets off to the stream where, having promised his parents that he’ll write home, he’s seen off by all the frogs of the village, Froggy’s adventuring has begun.

Almost immediately though, a hungry bird seizes him in its beak, lily pad boat and all. But Froggy has no intention of being another creature’s next meal and he manages to escape, plunges downwards landing on the earth with a thump and enters an ancient pond. There he meets and is befriended by a fish that introduces itself as Fishtopher. However the next thing Froggy knows – he has a big heart after all – is that he’s coming to the aid of a love struck bee. When hunger strikes Froggy finds himself sharing delicious treats with all manner of other creatures in the wondrous forested place he’s adventuring in.

Further encounters see him engaging with humans – not a happy experience, a nine hundred year old fluffy being, a wizard and in between finding time to send his parents occasional letters by snail mail.
You’ll find Froggy experiencing wonder, frustration, loneliness, and delight especially at a joyful reunion, during the course of his adventuring.

Divided into ten chapters and illustrated in vibrant shades, this is just the book to tuck into your own backpack, find a shady spot to sit down by the waterside and enjoy adventuring along with the endearing protagonist.

The Snappy Shark

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The Snappy Shark
Michelle Robinson and Tim Budgen
Scholastic

It’s not a good day for Mark the shark.When he plays with his friends nothing goes right be it during the hide-and-seek game,

the painting session or the shell hunting. Eventually he swims off in a big huff and goes into a cave, overwhelmed by his feelings.

Alone now, Mark has time to think and he recalls how his inability to keep his temper in check has upset his pals. Several slow, deep breaths later, Mark feels a lot better and ready to apologise to his playmates for his snappiness. “I’ll NEVER snap again,” he promises but suddenly a large fishing net entraps them all. Now Mark has a dilemma: to snap or not to snap …

Fortunately for all, he makes the right decision and henceforward he’s a ‘brand-new fish’ safe in the knowledge that he has a strategy to use whenever he starts feeling stressed and tempted to snap. Moreover his friends know the perfect game they can all enjoy together.

All children feel overwhelmed by their feelings from time to time and the calming strategy Mark used in Michelle’s fun rhyming narrative is one that any youngster should learn to do.

Hangry

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Hangry
Kathryn Wanless and Fred Blunt
Templar Books

Whenever Evangeline feels hunger pangs she gets grumpy. This is a frequent occurrence: it happens when she wakes up but once she’s had a snack, she feels better again albeit only temporarily. After breakfast as she heads to school all is well: Evangeline is a happy girl but come lunchtime, those rumbles return and once again she’s HANGRY! Woe betide anyone who crosses her path.

Hunger satisfied again after consuming her packed lunch, Evangeline enjoys the afternoon session, yet when school is over for the day back comes that HANGRY monster. Her poor mother has to put up with her demands to know when dinner will be ready, which of course delays things monstrously. Can a snack sate her monstrous appetite?

Told through Kathryn Wanless’s jaunty rhyming text and Fred Blunt comical scenes of what we’re led to believe is a typical day in the life of young Evangeline, this zany story will resonate with parents of many young children and those they share the book with will likely find they see themselves in Evangelina, when they have rumbly tummies.

Perfect Pedro

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Perfect Pedro
Simon Philip and Ella Okstad
Oxford Children’s Books

Meet Pedro, he’s a perfectionist. His toys are always perfectly organised, his name perfectly spelled, he plays only perfect dings on his triangle and performs perfect somersaults. However despite all this, there’s something lacking in his almost perfect life. He doesn’t have the perfect friend and he really needs one soon as the school talent show is imminent and for that he wants a perfect partner.

Step forward Poppy one playtime. At first everything she does is perfect and then Pedro is invited to play at Poppy’s home after school one day. All starts perfectly but soon things deteriorate. Poppy’s chip eating disgusts Pedro and despite being too polite to comment at first, eventually he shouts out, “Your manners aren’t perfect at all!”. Poppy retaliates pointing out that his are equally imperfect.

Nevertheless the pair have a show to rehearse and this they are determined, will be performed to perfection.. Errr! looks as though this might not be the case. PIC Pedro decides that they should each do their own routine and Poppy stomps off in a huff.

Back at home Pedro practises into the night and as a consequence is tired and edgy the following day. Up steps Poppy to do her routine; it’s not perfect but a crowd-pleaser nonetheless. Then comes Pedro, starting perfectly but then OOPS!

Now what? Can Poppy perhaps save the day? Possibly, so long as Pedro can finally embrace imperfection …

Ella Okstad’s characters are a joy and the inherent message in Simon Philip’s pitch perfect text is an important one. Every child deserves a friend as perfectly imperfect as Poppy. After all no-one is perfect and too many children from far too young an age worry about their imperfections, which after all, are part of what makes everyone unique.

A perfectly delightful story to share and discuss at home and in EYFS/KS1 classrooms.

No, I’m a … Flamingo!

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No, I’m a … Flamingo!
Catharine Robertson and Ana Gomez
Happy Yak

Like many three and a half year olds, the little girl narrator of this story only ever wants to wear one particular item of clothing. In this case a pink flamingo onesie. I had a relation who at the same age insisted on wearing what she called her fruit shorts wherever she went.

Our narrator’s patient Dad suggests that as it’s very hot, she should put on her elephant T-shirt. You can guess the response. A panda themed offering is similarly rejected. So, he tries clothes depicting a different sort of bird – a penguin, or a puffin perhaps?

“NO, I’M A FLAMINGO! I only wear pink.” comes the reply.

Now this Dad knows something about flamingos that his little daughter does not. At her age, flamingos are grey and only turn pink when they’re older. Time to find that old grey T-shirt.

Suddenly the little girl is a flamingo no longer so Dad quickly produces some jazzy shorts. Dad might know more about flamingos but our narrator is a creative thinker … Will they ever leave the house and if so, what will that little girl be wearing?

The combination of Catherine Robertson’s text that takes the form of the dialogue between father and daughter and Ana Gomez’s disarmingly charming scenes will ring true with many adult sharers whereas young listeners will find the little girl’s choice entirely logical and delight in the final twist to the tale.

Frank is a Butterfly

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Frank is a Butterfly
Alex Latimer
Oxford Children’s Books

The story starts with ten caterpillars of various shapes and sizes all munching on a leaf for breakfast. There are caterpillars small, caterpillars large, caterpillars short, caterpillars long, hairy caterpillars and hairless ones and nine have a spotty and stripy pattern of some kind. The tenth one, Frank is brown and bears no distinctive marks. In between nibbles the nine talk of the kind of butterfly they will morph into. One says ‘magnificent’, another ‘handsome’, a third the prettiest … on Earth’, the fourth ‘fabulous’ and so on. Frank, in contrast says nothing; he’s ‘happy to be a plain, medium-sized caterpillar on a leaf in the sunshine.’it’s not long before the caterpillars turn into chrysalises to await their transformation.
When they emerge from their chrysalises, despite looking gorgeous, nine of the butterflies are thoroughly dissatisfied with their appearance: they definitely do not live up to their expectations.

Finally Frank appears and he’s elated with his plain strong brown wings that will enable him to take to the air: he anticipates a world of flowers.

After some time, thanks to Frank’s positive example,

the other butterflies realise that what is more important than appearance is being free to explore the beauty around them without that nagging feeling that you’re not enough.

Alex’s richly hued scenes have a gentle humour about them that ensures that the important messages about self-acceptance and self-possession in his words don’t weigh heavy.
(After the story there’s a page showing Frank’s life cycle from egg to butterfly.)

A book for family bookshelves and KS1 class collections.

Paul the Peacock (Reluctantly) To the Rescue

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Paul the Peacock (Reluctantly) To the Rescue
Tilly Matthews
Happy Yak

Time was Paul the Peacock was the most egotistical creature in the forest but recently he’s endeavouring to live up to his new persona as Mr Nice. It’s exhausting however and he longs for a brief spell of peace and quiet. While snatching a few relaxing moments alone, his slumbers are disturbed by the arrival of a letter. This he throws away without bothering to open it and continues snoozing, albeit briefly, for a few minutes later, there is Norris clutching the now opened letter and looking very worried. The letter is from Paul’s cousin Connie the Peahen far away and Paul’s help is urgently required.

Immediately Norris packs their bags and off they sail to save the day, After a testing journey over stormy waters, through a horrendously hot deserts, up the side of a bubbling volcano they eventually reach the forest. Now to find Connie. The local creatures are unhelpful but then a gorilla appears and points to the direction in which Connie lives. Or does she? All they discover when they reach the spot is one egg in an abandoned nest. Norris begins a series of attempts to get the egg to respond. They’re on the point of giving up and returning from whence they came when the egg cracks revealing a perfect peachick.
At Norris’s insistence Paul agrees that after he’s rested they should take it home with them.

Norris goes to find the best route and Paul convinces himself that he’s been left by his best pal. Not by Chick though: the fluffy creature has already become a Paul devotee.

Next morning with the three of them reunited, they prepare for the homeward journey. Suddenly Connie appears whereupon Paul decides that he and Norris have one final task before their departure …
Thanks to Chick, Paul has learned that caring has something to offer even the most selfish animal.

A droll telling that carries vital messages about loving and caring and the environment, with some deadpan comic incidents theatrically portrayed in Tilly Matthews’ scenes.

Snore, Sneeze, Burp!

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Snore, Sneeze, Burp!
Moira Butterfield and Ro Ledesma
Happy Yak

Body emanations, be they sounds or smells often feature in books; this one focuses on the former. In the company of some children and Charlie, a ‘brainy’ dog, readers will discover why we humans (and other animals) are sometimes noisy by accident.

In addition to the titular burps, snores and sneezes, several other sounds are discussed. I had to laugh when I read that the scientific term for the gurgling noises caused by muscles moving food and liquid through the stomach and intestines is borborygmi.

As well as those snorty snores lots of people make when they’re asleep, sometimes a person might talk in their sleep. Children, we read, sleep talk more often than adults.
Hiccups are particularly annoying especially when they seem to start for no apparent reason and none of the cures suggested work for me. Apparently hundreds of years ago elves were blamed for hiccups in England.

Other spreads explore those clicks, creaks and pops that various joints in our bodies might make;

sounds a doctor may explore with a stethoscope; deliberate noises we make to convey a message such as clapping to show appreciation; ‘shushing’ to indicate to ‘be quiet’ and finally comes what is deemed the best sound of all – laughing. The book ends with some suggestions about how to be a ‘body noise hero’.

Moira Butterfield has a special skill: when writing for primary age children, especially those in KS1, she includes lots of facts but the style she adopts makes it seem as though she is talking directly to readers. There’s often a gentle humour that engages children from the outset and Ro Ledesma captures that gentle humour in her bright, colourful illustrations.

How to Tame a Mummy Monster

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How to Tame a Mummy Monster
Rochelle Falconer
Oxford Children’s Books

Siblings Ruby and Junie are perpetual bickerers. They argue over breakfast, they pick a fight over a pencil (albeit a special one) and come to blows over clothes. “You two are acting like cheeky monsters! How would you like it if I was a monster all day?” their Mum says. The bickerers dismiss this as an impossibility.

However, they are so sure of this that they don’t notice that their Mummy has indeed morphed into a huffing, fluffy-tailed, horned being, one that gobbles up their favourite snacks.

Not only that but Mummy Monster starts using Ruby’s special pencil,

trying on the sisters’ clothes and generally creating havoc: a taste of their own medicine indeed and enough is enough. They really need to turn Mummy Monster back into nice Mummy and as soon as they possibly can. Of course, to do this they’ll need to set aside their own silly squabbles and find their affable selves again.

Rochelle Falconer’s debut picture book is imbued with humour, engaging and shows the ups and downs of family life. Young children will love the drama and the story’s denouement.

Is It Asleep?

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Is It Asleep?
Olivier Tallec
Gecko Press

If you’ve read Tallec’s A Better Best Friend, you will already be familiar with best friends Squirrel (the narrator) and talking mushroom Pock. One of the things they love to do is to sit and watch the birds flashing past but on this particular day. having grown tired of so doing, they’ve moved on to the meadow to listen to their favourite bird, the blackbird. However, after searching carefully, eventually they spot it lying motionless on the path; perhaps it’s deeply asleep. After waiting quietly for some time for it to wake up. they decide to try being noisy but this has no effect so they fetch Gunther the mouse. Gunther’s idea of launching the bird into the sky doesn’t work and that’s when Pock suggests that perhaps it’s dead.

After another long wait they all decide that indeed the blackbird has in fact, died.
Working together the three bury it under a large pile of the prettiest leaves they can find

and once this is complete Gunther reads a poem, after which they stand and Squirrel thinks about the beautiful songs the blackbird sang. Having thought about ways to remember the bird, they pay it tribute in the very best way possible and finally a different bird pours forth its beautiful song.

A poignant story that explores death simply and frankly and in so doing, offers possible starting points for adults in school or at home to discuss with young children what can be a very difficult topic. That the book’s creator has given the story an autumnal setting is especially appropriate: the warm red and gold hues of the scenes subtly convey sadness and the sense of an ending.

I Am So Strong

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I Am So Strong
Mario Ramos
Gecko Press

Self-opinionated and a bully, wolf decides to go for a walk in the woods and while so doing find out what others think of him. His first encounter is with a tiny rabbit. In response to wolf’s question, “Tell me, who do you think is the strongest around here?” the rabbit answers that it’s certainly Mister Wolf. This boosts the lupine’s ego (not that it needs any boosting) and he continues on this way. Little Red Riding Hood, the three little pigs and the seven dwarves respond in similar fashion.

Wolf decides it’s his best ever day but then he meets ‘a little toad of some sort.’ Could wolf be about to get his comeuppance at last?

At each encounter it appears that the wolf is thinking of something else in addition to polishing his ego: he addresses the little rabbit as ‘sugar bun’, Red Riding Hood is told she looks sweet enough to eat and called my little strawberry and the three little pigs are ‘little bacon bits’: is he creating a mental menu?

A thoroughly nasty bully finding someone who stands up to them calmly is a really satisfying occurrence, be the bullying physical, verbal or psychological and in this instance the little toad’ s use of calm reasoning completely surprises the wolf, pulling the rug from under his feet.

With Ramos’ s bold bright illustrations, repetitive textual pattern and almost exclusively conversational style narrative, this is a great book for dramatic reading aloud. (Imagine yourself with wolf’s super-scary teeth as you share it) I wonder what that little red bird watching the action from the safety of a tree branch is thinking: why not try asking your listeners.

The Week Junior Guide to the Environment

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The Week Junior Guide to the Environment
Dr Sai Pathmanathan
Bloomsbury Education

Environmental issues seem to be at the forefront of everyone’s agenda with global warming being the burning concern and conflicting views being held by the world’s politicians and scientists. With the prospect of the voting age for children in England being lowered to sixteen, the publication of this book aimed at KS2 readers by Dr Sai Pathmanathan, a science education consultant is a timely one. Herein children are told at the outset not to panic, rather they should look for ways that they as individuals can take action.

First though they need to know something of the science behind climate change, which is the subject of the first chapter. Nine further chapters follow covering the weather and natural disasters, pollution, biodiversity, the interconnectedness of the health of all living things, food and farming, leisure and entertainment, fast fashion, travel and finally money and power.

Yes, there is a fair amount of cutting edge science information, but what I like most are the practical suggestions that anybody can adopt. For instance we’re told that the majority of mobiles become fully charged within two hours so if you’re guilty, stop leaving yours to charge overnight: in the UK alone nearly £50 million is wasted each year by overnight charging.

How many emails have you got stored on your mobile that you’ll never read again? If we all deleted just ten emails that would save 55 million kilowatts of power – sufficient to power five thousand homes for a year.

Then what about fast fashion? It’s appalling to discover that three out of five fast fashion items end in landfill within just a year: try charity shops instead is the suggestion. In addition, buy clothes made from sustainable materials that you’ll get a lot of wear out of; buy from shops rather than ordering lots on line, keeping just one item and sending the rest back; and definitely avoid anything with glitter.

Greta Thunberg isn’t the only young activist you’ll meet herein. Among others is Marinel Samoa Ubaido who lived through Typhoon Haiyan, a campaigner for bans on single-use plastics and the reduction of carbon emissions; she has successfully taken the biggest polluters in the Philippines to court.

A smashing little book that should be on every family bookshelf and in every class collection: think of the difference a whole class or school taking action could make.

Gina Kaminski Rescues the Giant

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Gina Kaminski Rescues the Giant
Craig Barr-Green and Francis Martin
Little Tiger

Gina Kaminski, the book’s narrator, is a wonderful character and she’s back sorting out the errors in another fairy tale.

She and her classmates are on a school trip to a large art gallery, one Gina deems is rubbish as it’s too big, too brightly lit and lacks an obvious place for her to eat her lunch. On the first spread readers will notice she’s carrying a card with emojis and is accompanied by her helper, Anya. Realising Gina is stressed Anya takes her to the reading room, and selects two books asking the girl to choose but this is also stressful and so Anya decides on Jack and the Beanstalk.

Straightaway, Gina’s analytical mind gets working and she points out that the book has ‘three massive mistakes’. She picks up her teddy, Lady Wiggles, puts it in her backpack and off they set to fairy land to sort out the mistakes. First comes getting a better deal in exchange for the cow: Gina negotiates two cakes in addition to the three magic beans.

Second, why actually plant the beans – that will put paid to any beanstalk. However, as she sits eating her cake a beanstalk grows, seemingly by itself.

Gina gets going on plan B: she warns the giant, confronts the villagers making them drop his harp and most special hen, deals with the beanstalk and bids farewell to the giant. 

She then returns to the Reading Room – job done, Gina informs Anya. Meanwhile Anya has found a map of the gallery which they use to find the place to have their lunch before taking Gina to an exhibit of everyday giant items that meet with her approval as well as causing her to reconsider her initial judgement of the school trip.

Practical, inventive and a hugely engaging hero – that’s Gina Kaminski; she’s also neurodivergent and looks at things in her own way as readers who have read her previous story will know, and others will likely have worked out.

Craig Barr-Green has carefully chosen his words for Gina so as to present her as someone who feels safer in an orderly, rational environment. Illustrator, Frances Martin’s illustrations ensure that in the busy opening scene, we readers share Gina’s unease, which continues until she gets to the reading room, then gradually become more relaxed as she takes control of the events.

Altogether a smashing book to share with KS1 children especially; they will love the protagonist and her alternative version of a favourite fairy tale.

First Friends: Colours, First Friends: Opposites / Don’t Ever Mess with a Monkey

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First Friends: Colours
First Friends: Opposites
Mk Smith Despres and Libby Burns
Barefoot Books

Colours begins with the nursery children and their teachers heading outside to play. The instruction is, ‘Look high, look low. / Look all around!// So many colours/ to be found.’ There are black ants marching across the sand, pink worms wiggling on two children’s hands, a red slide, a blue swing and a purple bar to swing along, as well as a wonderfully messy opportunity to use mud and leaves to create mudpie faces. Meanwhile at the water tray a floating and sinking activity has yellow, orange and white objects to test. Then just before snack time everybody blows bubbles with rainbow colours. The final spread encourages interactive learning with a ‘can you find’ showing all the coloured items featured throughout the book.
In Opposites, we join the children preparing for a rest time with some winding down movements that involve stretching high and low, then yawning, mouths open and sleepy eyes closed. When everyone wakes up, some are smiling, others frowning as they stack the mats up and take down the toys.
During the remainder of the session the narrative builds in other opposites – empty/full, small/big, behind/ in front and the final spread asks listeners to act out eight pairs of opposites.
Both books have bright, inclusive illustrations that show a diverse cast of characters.

Don’t Ever Mess with a Monkey
Harriet Evans and David Creighton-Pester
Little Tiger

The latest in the Don’t Ever pop-up series features five wild animals that live in the savannah region. Readers/listeners are warned against riding a zebra, boxing with hyenas, question the decision of rhino, rob an ostrich or give a monkey food that isn’t to its taste. For sure, the results will be far from pleasant for anyone who ignores the warning on each spread.
Harriet’s rhyming text accompanies David Creighton-Pester’s dramatic scenes, each of which includes one or more bit part players that young children will enjoy spotting

No More Mr. Mice Guy

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No More Mr. Mice Guy
Fiona Ross
Little Tiger

This was originally published almost a decade ago as Hyde and Squeak, which may give today’s readers a clue as to the story it’s based on. This book features a young mouse, Squeak, that lives with Grandma and loves to enter competitions. We first meet them as Squeak has won another competition, the first prize being a rather large wobbly jelly, with so we read , ‘a whiff of something monstrous.’ Disgusted by it Grandma throws it in the bin straightaway but that doesn’t prevent Squeak from thinking about his slimy prize.

That night once Grandma is fast asleep, he creeps downstairs and tastes the squidgy thing. Big mistake! He grows and grows transforming into Hyde, a horrifying monster mouse. Said mouse consumes everything it can lay its paws on, clearing out the fridge and cupboards completely. Desperate for more food Hyde storms into the town and as he grabs a string of sausages his stomach starts aching and POOF! Hyde reverts to Squeak.

Grandma meanwhile wakes to find no food in the house and just as she’s setting out to buy something for breakfast another jelly desert prize is delivered.

The process starts over again but now as there’s no food Hyde decides to make a Mega Munch Machine that will turn everyday objects into food. Back comes Grandma to a find a slimy mess and nothing much else besides a sleeping Squeak who remembers nothing. The police are called but it’s Grandma who saves the day by means of a very large fruit. To say what happens would make me a story-spoiler so I‘ll say no more.

Presented in comic book style, there’s tension and craziness in both words and pictures making this a fun read, but beware, you’ll never again want to eat green jelly.

Score Like A Striker

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Score Like A Striker
Ben Lyttleton
Puffin

Have you ever imagined yourself scoring the vital goal in the soccer World Cup final, if the answer’s yes, this first title in the author’s Football Skills series is likely to be the ideal book for you; it’s written by Ben Lyttleton, a former soccer scout, now broadcaster, football club co-owner and penalty coach.

The author showcases and analyses the techniques used by brilliant goal-scorers such as Lionel Messi, Harry Kane and Chloe Kelly (she who scored the winning penalty against Spain in a thrilling penalty shootout which secured England the UEFA Women’s Championship a few days back); showing readers what is necessary to become a shining star on the pitch. First you need to love the game for its own sake, but in addition to skill, a great deal of practice, dogged determination and resilience are necessary; so too is a willingness to learn from your own mistakes.

The chapters are kept short, the facts are punchy, there’s humour in the writing and the illustrations are detailed, so whether readers want to sharpen their footie skills or just read yet more about their favourite sport, then they should get hold of a copy.

Up Close and Incredible: Dinosaurs

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Up Close and Incredible: Dinosaurs
Eric Huang, illustrated by Facundo Aguirre
Wide Eyed

Dinosaur fans will delight in joining a team of tiny, diverse palaeontologists in this interactive investigation. First though you’ll need to release the 3x magnifying glass from the cover and grab whatever tools you think necessary – dental probes and rock hammers for instance – and you’re ready to explore an array of dinosaurs both living and fossilised. You’ll look inside and out: Huang lists the details of ten significant anatomical features to spot on each spread starting with a T.Rex’s head and jawbone. Therein you’ll find what the author calls the ‘lethal bananas’ (very long side teeth) in its mouth; just right to slice through the tough skin of its prey.

If feet are more your interest then head to the spreads with claws in the title. Thereon you’ll encounter both the claw bones – unguals to be more scientific – of Therizinosaurus; these were the longest of any animal ever. Then there are the ‘killer claws’ of Velociraptors (the second toe on each foot and they’re curved like a sickle). Look out for the other kinds of toes a velociraptor had too.

Well known dinos are of course featured, as is Archaeopteryx with its bird-like features, but unless you’re an expert you may well come across a new name. I’d never heard of Parasaurolophus, (one of the duck-billed dinosaurs) before reading this book

A scientific search-and-find adventure bursting with facts and visual jokes, gently humorous but also included are timelines, a size comparison spread and a glossary.

Aguirre’s zany illustrations are full of hilarious details that readers will want to return to over and over again

Changing Tides

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Changing Tides
Júlia Moscardó
Little Tiger

Lula and her dad are going on holiday to the seaside, Lula’s favourite place, but for the first time Theo and his mum, Simone, are coming too. Lula isn’t at all sure about this; even though her dad reassures her that they are now part of the family. Having a big brother is something new for Lula.and she’s far from pleased when Theo gets her bucket and spade and puts them in the car.

Once they reach the seaside, Lula dashes straight down onto the shore but Theo is reluctant to go near the water. Simone suggests the two children make a sandcastle together and as they do so, they begin to bond

and by the end of the day, having co-created a wonderful sandcastle, they are good friends despite the stormy water destroying the castle. As they walk back to the caravan together, the children are already making plans for the next day.

So realistic are Júlia Moscardó’s soft illustrations you can almost feel the sand between your toes, smell the salty sea and hear the waves breaking on the shore as the two children – full of life and enthusiasm – go about their play.

With its theme of adapting to change, and particularly relevant to blended families, this is a lovely book to share with young children at home or in the classroom.

Paddock Grove: A Pony To Own

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Paddock Grove: A Pony To Own
J.P. Rose
Walker Books

Georgia Harris (George) is thrilled she’s been awarded a scholarship to Paddock Grove, an elite equine boarding school. She’s far less thrilled though when instead of her beloved Timmy, the horse she’s already bonded with, her parents, (unable to afford Timmy) have bought her Bear, a mischievous horse also from the local riding school. Bear loves to get muddy all over and even does so on the day George is to start at her new school but that’s just the start of her troubles. When she arrives at the school parking area, Mrs Hawksworth, the headteacher of Paddock Grove greets her with the words “Miss Harris. You and your pony have made quite the entrance.” Fortunately though, soon after, Katie arrives on the scene and her kind manner as she shows George around, makes the newcomer feel a lot better.

She discovers that she’ll be sharing a room with three other girls one of whom is Katie. The others are Tabitha (who seems a tad cautious but has a big heart) and Lili whose home is on a small island near Fiji.She appears to be keeping things about her family life to herself but has a playful nature and is very enthusiastic about riding. The four roommates make a great team. But can George and the mischievous Bear become a team too? That is a vital if George is to keep her place at the school and there’s definitely one girl who does not want that to happen.

This first of an equestrian series is really well crafted and the storylines cleverly interwoven. I’d not read any other books by J.P. Rose; now I’m eagerly awaiting Riding For Gold, the next in this series.

The Lost Book of Undersea Adventure

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The Lost Book of Undersea Adventure
Unknown Adventurer, Teddy Keen
Frances Lincoln Children’s Books

This begins with the author inspired by his grandmother’s stories, embarking on a quest to find the legendary sea nomads of the Coral Triangle. Five days later something terrifying happens. Having stumbled upon their dangerous cargo it’s the intention of three smugglers to silence him by killing him. He’s tossed from the ferry and struggles to stay afloat until eventually he reaches land – a deserted island. Utterly alone and initially exceedingly frightened, but having found his journal and pencils, he decides to start the journal he’d promised his siblings he’d write. He also puts his survival skills to the test and after a couple of days, he’s made a camp, a hammock, fishing spear and found a way to make fire.
A couple of weeks later he sees that the island is split into two and that something leaps from the water in the middle of the lagoon – a ray perhaps. Not long after he notices a moving light reflected on the water: it’s time to investigate. The following day having finished building a raft it’s time to go. But the waters are extremely dangerous and the next thing he knows is that he’s in a stilt house. Woken by voices and three pairs of staring eyes, they’re not smugglers but children, the adventurer realises.

Prepare to be transported to distant seas and a coral reef with incredible marine life,

discover ancient legends of sea spirits, face unimaginable perils and meet with some amazing people in this exhilarating story of survival and friendship.

Utterly engrossing, the book is presented in the form of an artist’s journal/log with diagrams, close-ups of marine creatures and more.

Enchanted Beach

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Enchanted Beach
Esther Freud and Emma Chinnery
Walker Books

A boy shares with readers the joys that each season brings him and his family when they visit the beach, not just in the summer when he relaxes on the sand, shell to his ear listening to the musical sounds, but in the winter, the spring and autumn too. ‘When autumn’s here I fly my kite. / Chase the seagulls. hold on tight. / Typhoons, whirlpools, fog, a gale. / A rainbow when the sun meets hail.’

You can almost feel the chill of the seawater on winter days as they all plunge into the waves with a shriek and then beat a hasty retreat back to the shore.

The sing-song narrative is mostly in rhyming verse and for the most part reads well aloud though I don’t advise sharing it sight unseen as there are a few bumpy bits.

Emma Chinnery’s detailed scenes are a delight and beg to be lingered over; the more you look the more you see. Young children might create their own stories using a picture, be it large or small, as the starting point: Emma Chinnery’s style reminds this reviewer somewhat of Simon James’ watercolour illustrations.

When The Storm Comes

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When The Storm Comes
Polly Ho-Yen
Knights Of

One rainy day, with considerable reluctance four children, Mali, (who narrates the story) Fara, Jonesey and Petey find themselves together in the school library after lessons. They’ve been chosen by very pregnant teacher, Ms Devine, to form a book group panel and she joins them to explain what this entails. Meanwhile, the weather has deteriorated and a fierce thunder storm brings floods. Leaving for home is now impossible as the doors are jammed. Worse, they’re unable to make contact with the outside world so bedding down for the night appears to be their only option. What to do about food soon becomes an issue with Petey keen to have more than his fair share and this contributes to the worsening mood of them all.

Suddenly a man appears: it’s Lowly, the school caretaker and he’s been on site all the time. As things become increasingly perilous, the children begin to realise that they must all trust one another and pull together. Then Jonesey is injured by a falling branch and loses consciousness. Can they escape from the terrible danger? Mali will have to give it his all if he’s to find a way through to the outside and get the aid of emergency services.

With the issue of climate change rearing its head, this is a thrilling, thought-provoking story, full of tension wherein the four children learn much about themselves and one another.

To Catch A Ghost

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To Catch A Ghost
Rachel Michelle Wilson
Scholastic

Young Sam has recently started at a new school and now must contend with her first Friday show-and-tell. Anxious to make a good impression, she decides to bring a ghost. Gumption is what’s needed for the task, Sam tells readers and plans the entire operation out in three easy steps: find the ghost, observe and get to know it and finally, catch it.

Having donned a hat with attached camera, Sam hunts everywhere in the playground until whoppee! A ghost. Time to get to know the presence. This Sam does by playing hide-and-seek, watering plants and sharing a pizza.

Then comes cage building (done while the ghost is having forty winks) and when complete Sam baits the trap.

By now though Sam has come to think of the spectre as a friend and so trapping it feels all wrong. Off comes the padlock and the ghost is free. Sam sits and weeps briefly but what will happen at show-and-tell? A disaster or a rewarding experience? That you must find out by getting your own copy of this deliciously quirky book. It’s penned in the second person and the interplay between the words and the wonderfully expressive chalky illustrations exudes a gentle humour that will delight both young readers and adult sharers.

How To Train Your Teacher

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How To Train Your Teacher
Bethany Walker and Sophie Kent
Scholastic

From its title you anticipate this will be a fun story and so it is. Having taught both nursery children and reception classes for a considerable time I found it particularly amusing.

Our narrator is a member of a class of lively reception pupils and she is very welcoming and reassuring from the outset, for the teacher, Miss Piper, is in need of a lot of help. First she’ll struggle to remember names so needs to use a special list – the register and that’s before activities begin – activities such as ‘washing up’

and ‘make and build’. Alternatively you can opt to work outdoors and perhaps serve Miss Piper with her favourite snack.

As the day progresses she’ll definitely need help with her maths (numerical sequencing) as well as her favourite thing – really! – ‘making funny sounds’ aka phonics. No wonder she needs a ‘play’ at lunchtime while the children get their well-deserved rest from their jobs, especially as she’s likely to have to contend with some ‘difficult situations’

Come the end of the day, the children help an exhausted Miss Piper relax by listening intently to her as she reads a story.

This is vital as she’ll need lots more assistance the following day by which time, more than likely, she’ll have forgotten what she’s learned.

Bethany Walker’s carefully chosen words in combination with Sophie Kent’s scenes of young children clearly having a great time make this a highly reassuring book to share with young children, especially those transitioning from a nursery setting to a reception class.

Five Little Friends

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Five Little Friends
Sean Taylor and Fiona Woodcock
Walker Books

What a treat for anybody who wants to get young children moving their hands, arms and sometimes their whole bodies, and using their imaginations too. This collection of thirty five short rhymes that cover all manner of topics both of the everyday and those full of drama, from tree climbing to teeth brushing, a bubble to a bike and a snake to snow.

There’s a wealth of lovely, playful language such as this from The Waterslide – ‘I’m sliding, sliding, sliding, / in a slipping, speeding flash. // Then I’m out the end / and ready for the … SPLASH!’

I had to laugh to myself as I read On My Phone that encourages young children (for the duration of the rhyme I hasten to add) to imitate the adults around them: it includes the lines ‘On my phone I listen music / and hear messages from my boss’ and concludes ‘I am on my phone so much / I think it’s stuck to my hand …’

The way Fiona Woodcock has incorporated visual cues to suggest actions for the rhymes into her mixed media illustrations is nothing short of genius. See how she presents The Wind –


Totally different but equally clever and highly effective is the Snake portrayal –

Teachers, librarians and carers have long used finger plays and action rhymes with young children; this new collaboration from Sean and Fiona offering hours and hours of enriching fun is a must have.

Totally Chaotic History: The Stone Age Runs Wild!

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Totally Chaotic History: The Stone Age Runs Wild!
Greg Jenner, illustrated by Rikin Parekh
Walker Books

In this third book of the series, author Greg Jenner is aided and abetted by Dr Brenna Hassett, archaeologist and biological anthropologist whose voice is a great complement for Jenner’s chatty style.

Almost immediately many readers will find that what they thought they knew about the Stone Age is actually wrong. For starters scientists don’t use the term ‘Stone Age’, rather they divide it into eras and so we read, ‘there were loads of different species of hominids appearing, dying out, exploring new lands, inventing new technologies and experimenting with new ways to live.’

You’ll discover amazing buildings such as Gôbekli Tepe – the world’s first stone temple, and visit the Catalhôyûk,

neither of which I’d heard of before.

My head was spinning long before I finished this, which is no surprise because as the author tells us near the end, things were constantly changing during the time they were writing the book and they had to rewrite things on five occasions as new discoveries were made.

Bursting with facts, the whole thing is hugely amusing from cover to cover, made all the more so by Rikin Parekh whose illustrations are splendid. If this fails to engage children, then I’ll spend a night on that luxurious-looking stone bed. Ouch!

Millie Fleur Saves The Night

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Millie Fleur Saves The Night
Christy Mandin
Scholastic

Those living in Garden Glen fear the dark and come nightfall, everybody switches on their lights and keeps them on until daybreak. Everybody that is except Millie Fleur La Fae; she loves the dark and since moving to the locality has missed all the nocturnal creatures that stay away from all the lights. To try and bring them closer, she plants a moon garden. Her mum removes the bulb from the streetlamp outside their home and this displeases the local committee whose members claim that’s dangerous and scary. Millie assures them that dark isn’t scary, “You just need to get to know her.” she says.

The girl embarks on a new plan: she makes moon pies and takes them out to the edge of the woods where she meets the Dark

and then the two of them lead the night creatures to her garden. There plants spring to life, their delicious aromas wafting towards the homes of her neighbours who decide to follow their noses and are drawn to Millie’s garden eager to see what lies therein.

Millie Fleur tells them all to be brave, extinguish their lanterns and leave them behind, which they do; their path being lit by glowworms, fireflies and plants with delightful names such as ‘snoozing sugarplum’ and ‘forty-winks fern’. In the sparkling light the visiting children soon discover that the Dark offers amazing new experiences not found in the light.
Consequently, the lights around Garden Glen are switched off, magical moon gardens spring up and start to flourish as the nocturnal creatures settle in.

Finally, thanks to Millie Fleur the townsfolk have embraced the dark.

A magical bedtime tale that should help reassure children who are frightened of the dark. Christy Mandin’s illustrations of flora and fauna of the darkness evoke a sense of wonder that will enchant both young listeners and adult readers aloud.

Live Like A Tudor

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Live Like A Tudor
Claire Saunders, illustrated by Mia Underwood
Button Books

Primary age readers with an interest in history can step back in time, at the invitation of eleven year old Mary who lives with her family in an English manor house and has a sister who is a maid of honour to Queen Elizabeth 1st.

The latest in the ‘Live Like A … ‘ series covers a wealth of topics including the jobs people did, family life and childhood, education (the poorest children were not even taught at home but had to work instead), religion, trade and exploration when the seeds of the transatlantic slave trade were sewn.

There are spreads on a typical Tudor village, a look at a townhouse both inside and out,

health and medicine, crime and punishment, games, sports and entertainment and fashion as worn by workers and nobles. In Elizabethan England, those who were able to a afford it wore a ruff and so doing was a sign that you were sewn sufficiently wealthy not to have to undertake any hard physical tasks and had servants to look after your ruffs, some of which were very elaborate. One of the craft activities in the book gives step by step instructions to make a ruff and matching cuffs.

Did you know that England’s first theatre was built in 1576 in London and was soon followed by others including the Globe Theatre where William Shakespeare’s play were performed?

Tudor Christmases were celebrated across twelve days and readers can join young Mary and her family and discover what they might have done.

The final spread asks “Could you have lived like a Tudor? and the author poses several questions to discuss. There’s also a glossary.

An engaging book that helps bring the era to life; it’s worth adding to to KS2 class collections, and to home bookshelves if you have a child interested in the past.

The Tour at School (Because You’re the New Kid!)

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The Tour at School (Because You’re the New Kid!)
Katie Clapham and Nadia Shireen
Walker Books

As the young narrator/guide informs us, ‘When you show a New Person around, it’s called giving them The Tour.’ The aim of this really important job is to make the new arrival feel welcome. As you might expect the tour begins with the toilets – a vital place of course but our guide feels things need to be made more fun with some additional facts such as, “The soap smells like strawberries” and there’s an ‘amazing-zing-zing’ echo when you sing (lots of people love to sing in the toilets after all).

The next most important task is to decide on an ‘Emergency Meet-Up Place’

but it’s hugely important too to show off the best places – the playground and the library and to tell inviting stories about them but not to take too long.

Sensitivity is key so our guide considers introducing the newcomer to someone she knows, however this sensitive guide doesn’t notice everything especially that the new person is looking increasingly alarmed, overwhelmed even and may just have gone missing. (of course readers/listeners will have noticed).

Fortunately our guide tries putting herself in the new person’s shoes and also recalls ‘how it feels not to know anyone.’ This experience she shares with the new person whom she finds in the Emergency Meet-Up Place before proceeding to answer the all important question, “What happens when the Tour is over?” For any newcomer, the response cannot be better.

A smashing story that captures so well those collywobbles that many children feel when starting a new school. Equally it’s reassuring to know that an empathetic someone will be there to help. Both author, Katie Clapham and illustrator Nadia Shireen clearly understand how it feels to be starting something new. Nadia’s choice of colour palette is great and her illustrations are hugely expressive and in tune with the words. The use of capitalisation and font size make the book a terrific read aloud to share with a class or group.

The Last Pebble

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The Last Pebble
Alex Horne
Walker Books

This story is set in the seaside town of Bognor on the south coast and we follow a boy named Trader who struggles to make real friends at school but is fascinated by rocks and loves spending time beachcombing with his Grandfather.

One day Trader finds a very special pebble associated with which there seems to be a mystery. Grandfather helps him clean it up but it appears that the old man knows more about the pebble than he’s letting on. “This stone will change everything,” he tells Trader as the two part company for the day. There are only a few days before Trader leaves his primary school but he manages to get through it and starts to forge a friendship with Charlotte, a relative newcomer to his school. Hopefully she will be interested in his find, Trader says to Grandpa who seems far, far away.

The next day Trader shows the pebble to Charlotte but there’s no time to tell her all about it, something he wants to do. Meanwhile Grandpa disappears returning a few days later with a piece needed to fix the stone tumbler.

Then when Charlotte and Trader are on the beach together, Charlotte shows Trader a bottle that she’s found containing a message. Who could have left such a strange message and the subsequent ones? The Mystery deepens. Can the two friends get to the bottom of it?

A compelling story, gentle and thought-provoking, a story of family, friendship and loyalty that is beautifully crafted and ideal for summer reading.

The Sleeper Train

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The Sleeper Train
Mick Jackson and Baljinder Kaur
Walker Books

A little Sikh girl relates what happens when she and her family take an overnight trip on a sleeper train.
Having settled into their carriage and briefly look through the window. it’s time to open their bunks and get ready for bed. Mum and Dad are soon fast asleep but not so the little girl; she’s way too excited. She decides to bring on a sleepy feeling by remembering all the places she has slept starting with her parents’ room. She also recalls sleeping in a seaside hotel bedroom, a sleeping bag in a tent in a field, staying overnight in hospital for an operation and sleeping over at her grandparents home.

Seemingly by this time only the narrator and the train driver are still awake but eventually, lulled by the rocking of the train, the little girl goes off to slumberland. Come morning, the family dress, have breakfast and look out through he window until the train reaches its city destination.

There the family spend an enjoyable time with friends. Now the little girl has another memory to recall should she be unable to sleep on future occasions.

A warm-hearted tale of family love and togetherness. Baljinder Kaur’s vibrant scenes have lots of images that anybody who has visited India will recognise and the motifs in framed borders on many of the pages are reminiscent of block-printed designs.

Try sending your little one(s) off to sleep with this soothing bedtime story.

Will Wolfheart

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Will Wolfheart
Teresa Heapy, illustrated by Adam Beer
David Fickling Books

Will loves his dog, Whiskers, more than anything and is devastated when, having moved house, Whiskers goes to live with Will’s grandma, Gran-Mishti, meaning he only gets to see Whiskers at weekends. Then on one of these eagerly awaited weekends, Will is suddenly transported to a magical world wherein Whiskers is a wolf and the two can speak to one another. This world is Wolf World: enchanted and exciting yes, but danger is never far away.

The author’s portrayal of the relationship between Will and Whiskers is superb but equally so is that captured in Adam Beer’s illustrations. However there are a number of other memorable characters too: not least Clara, a human girl and members of the adversarial wolf packs, some of which are friendly towards humans, others far from it; and the wild, magical setting wields a power of its own: I really loved the descriptions of the changing skyscapes. I loved too the support Will’s Dad gave him at a crucial point in the story when the boy was showing great stress.

Animal lovers will certainly relish the tale with its perils aplenty and powerful messages about belonging and ways of loving . However you definitely do not have to love dogs to enjoy this book; I’m petrified of them having been attacked by an Alsatian as a child and was captivated by the story. It would make a terrific read aloud to share with KS2 classes but make sure you show the final illustration of Gran-Mishti’s gate.

Every BOTTY Burps

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Every BOTTY Burps
Becky Wilson and Alex Patrick
Little Tiger

A fantastically silly but reassuring book about those rear end fizzling flatulences that tend to trump forth, often at the most embarrassing times. As the author reassures readers, ‘It’s just what bottoms do!’ We all break wind …” and she then proceeds in rhyme to give a host of examples from penguins’ popping parps to sharks’ silent but sometimes violent whooshing poots and elephants’ mega-trumps to the mini put-putts of mice; and if you can believe it, the pointy parps that shoot forth from the butt-butts of porcupines.

I could go on but then who wants to spoil the fun for anyone wanting to get their hands on a copy of the book.

Alex Patrick has certainly illustrated each of these examples and the others with an abundance of humour and should I say enthusiasm (he probably had some kind of air freshener to hand as he worked).
As for enthusiasm, this topic is one that seems to get young children thoroughly enthused whenever it crops up in a picture book and I’m sure Becky and Alex’s presentation will do so. I foresee cries for repeat renditions when you share this comical collaboration with an individual, group or class.

Blue, Barry & Pancakes: Mount Choco Meltdown / Supersize Squirrel and the Attack of the Zombears

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Blue, Barry & Pancakes: Mount Choco Meltdown
Dan Abdo and Jason Patterson
Rock The Boat

In this third instalment featuring three best friends, worm, Blue, is excited to show Barry (frog) and Pancake (rabbit) a poster about an ice-cream sundae contest. They take some persuading but eventually agree to participate but they have just one hour to create the sundae and win the much coveted trophy – something to put in Barry’s empty trophy room. He decides that the way to win is to get a tub of chocolate ice-cream from Mount Choco. The trouble is its location is closely guarded by a giant, razor-toothed yeti.

There are obstacles in their way – the Sea of Sea Sickness to cross, sunglasses to extricate from a very tricky place, not to mention performing some funky dance moves to impress the yeti and each of the three friends is key in overcoming an obstacle. But will they make it back in time to present their creation to be judged and if so what will the outcome be?

Absolutely absurd but young fans of graphic novels will gobble it up and enjoy the ingredients that comprise the back matter.

Supersize Squirrel and the Attack of the Zombears
Luke Séguinn-Magee
Oxford Children’s Books

Despite being billed as a supersized hero of the forest and starring in two previous books, this is my first literary encounter with Sonny aka Supersized Squirrel and his sidekick Blaze Bunny.

Their third mission is full of action and we see the two facing a very spooky zombear mystery in the middle of a storm in the dark dark woods: surely their most chilling challenge ever. Squirrel calls it the Zombi-pocalypse. Scary as it is after an unexpected encounter, he insists they plus their old enemies the F.A.R.T. ‘march into this challenge with our weird superpowers and our heads held high.’

Can they together get rid of the poisonous pollution unthinkingly dumped into Bear Pond that’s at the heart of the trouble, restore the zombears to ordinary bears and put everything back to normal? And what of that movie in the Warren: can they catch the ending?

Silly, satisfying and fast moving with friendship and super-heroic feats at its core..

Heave Ho

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Heave Ho
Sally Anne Garland
Sunbird Books

After a bad night, Cub is so full of big feelings that there’s no room left inside his mind and body for anyone or anything else. As a result he lets fly at his friends and classmates refusing to allow them to participate in activities and even tosses Mo’s teddy bear way up into a big tree when she offers it to him to cuddle. Then having stamped and stomped around he begins to swing on a bendy tree branch that is even stronger than his feelings.

Gradually as he does so, with each pull and push, Cub’s big angry feelings begin to get smaller and smaller and he starts to feel he’s going to a good place. Eventually his friends Ossie, Flick, Rhu, Mo and Nook feel able to come and swing with him on the branch and they set off on a flight of fancy to an imaginary world far from their classroom: joy and happiness have replaced Cub’s inner turmoil and all is well once more.

A story that young children can relate to as they watch and hear how Cub responds to his big feelings that push him over the edge. If shared in a nursery setting or EYFS classroom, it could be followed by a circle time discussion.