Author jillrbennett

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.

Hercules Hero to Zero

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Hercules Hero to Zero
Tom Vaughan, illustrated by David O’Connell
Scholastic

Hercules Braver returns for a third set of adventures presented in the usual diary form and taking place during the school summer holidays. With his stepdad Ken having set off on an expedition to Canada, and his pals all going for holidays abroad, Hercules is sure he and his mum are going to have a great time, but then he hears his mum say that her job as a translator is now precarious, though he’s not really sure what this means. Could it be something exciting maybe? Not so, when Mum says she’s selling the family car.: Hercules decides he must make some money to help the situation, after all it can’t be that difficult to become mega-rich.

First, aided and abetted by Hatty, Pav and Natthew, he tries a genius invention he calls VegFund, a safe for valuables but he ends up making a loss and owing money. He then ‘borrows’ the money from the sale of Mum’s car, the intention being to buy raffle tickets and win a super-duper car.

Then comes a phone call from Zooey aka Zeus; he’s furious about people writing bad things about him on the internet, Natthew in particular who is unaware of the true identity of Herc’s Dad. There follow surprise news about the raffle winner; the next money-making project (Toybay website), Mum’s announcement about the Young Explorers Camp where she’s to be a camp leader and Herc. a participant, a discovery that others besides Natthew are writing about Zeus on the internet and shock horror! Mum has been busy writing a book, one that Hercules wants to get rid of pronto.

Once at the camp Herc decides it seems ‘kind of all right’ but that’s before he and Pav cascade over a waterfall and find themselves face to face with a a prankster saying he’s been sent by Zeus. It’s Hermes and he’s looking for the self-same hard-drive that has on it both a special book and the toybay website.
All this and we’re less than halfway through August. There’s still the camp play – A Midsummer Night’s Dream, more donkey dramas than the one in the play

and lots more.
Will Mum find out that Hercules.took her £400 and what of her book? 


Loosely based on the next three labours of Hercules, this is exceedingly funny, made even more so by David O’Connell’s liberal sprinklings of illustrations.


Betty and the Yeti: Friends at First Fart / Blue, Barry & Pancakes: Escape from Balloonia

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Betty and the Yeti: Friends at First Fart
Hugh Raine
Farshore

This book features Beano characters Betty and Yeti; there are four parts, one for each season of the year., all of which contain appropriate seasonal happenings. Betty is a quick thinker which is just as well; how else would she be able to keep a stray yeti in her suburban home, despite having parents who grew up in Nepal. And how on earth will she keep the presence of this Yeti (discovered by Dennis the Menace eating slops from the school bins) a secret from them? She’s also a smart talker which proves a great asset both for readers and the story characters.
It’s no surprise that it’s an exceedingly challenging task what with Yeti’s massive build and its exceedingly whiffy emanations.

Children will delight in the escapades herein and have fun trying the games and puzzles at the end of each section.

Blue, Barry & Pancakes: Escape from Balloonia
Daniel Rajai Abdo and Jason Linwood Patterson]
One World Publications

If you’ve not met them before Blue, Barry and Pancakes are a trio of tree-dwelling, fun-loving friends but their idea of fun isn’t the same. Bookworm Blue’s favourite activity is reading, frog Barry especially enjoys building models and then there’s adventurous Pancakes. Just as Blue and Barry have settled down to their peaceful pastimes in bursts Pancakes. She’s just made a balloon rocket and wants her pals to join her on a trip to Balloonia (a balloon planet). After some hair-raising situations, they find themselves in the stomach of Balloon Kong, the biggest, meanest Balloonian of all. How can they get themselves out of that?

A zany tale that explores themes of friendship and individuality; with much of the story told through the wacky artwork, it’s especially suitable for readers whose preference is for highly visual storytelling.

Ady and Me

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Ady and Me
Rich & Rox Pink, illustrated by Sara Rhys
Words & Pictures

“I have a secret that lives in my brain. / I call him Ady, that’s not his name … / Doctors told Dad it’s called ADHD. / But that’s way too boring for Ady and me.” So says young Sophie at the start of this story.
We follow Sophie through a day at school as she experiences good times and bad starting with being late and her teacher’s upsetting response.

More negative responses follow when she doodles on her book during history, talks during another lesson and despite her best intentions in science, is made to sit on a table labelled ‘naughty’. (The teacher part of me is horrified at this). Then in art Sophie accidentally knocks a pot of paint on Miss Brackley’s shoes. The response to this is almost unbelievable and Sophie is taken to the head’s office. However it’s not Sophie but Miss Brackley that gets the dressing down; moreover Headteacher Grant loves Sophie’s rainbow painting and has another surprise in store for her, Ady and for readers.

Told through a rhyming text written by partners Roxanne who brings her ADHD experience and Rich who brings his neurotypical perspective to the story and Sara Rhys’ eloquent scenes of a neurodivergent girl attempting to cope in a classroom where for the teacher, only neurotypical behaviour is acceptable.
This is an important picturebook that uses a metaphor one hopes will help children (and adults) see that ADHD should be accepted and understood.

The Floofs Reach For The Stars

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The Floofs Reach For The Stars
Penelope O’Neill
Frances Lincoln Children’s Books

Meet the Floofs: there’s Wizard, who has magical powers) Bean (an avid reader), treasure hunter Dill, Anise – the wise one that loves baking, Leaf, mushroom enthusiast, fashionista Clementine and laid back Teasel; each introduces him or herself on the second spread, as does not-Floof, Mica, There’s a map of their homeland on the first.
Having set the scene, there follow three short tales: in the first the friends endeavour to find out why the stars are missing from the sky when Wizard endeavours to cast a midnight spell.

The second story sees Leaf arriving at Dill’s door accompanied by a creature that introduces itself as Comet. Comet tells them that its spaceship crashed near a lake and the glowing orb vital to get back home is missing. The friends decide this is an adventure and off they set to the Great Lake in search of the orb.

An adventure it surely is but will they succeed in their mission?

Bean has just settled down to enjoy a quiet read when in burst the other Floofs disturbing her peace and prompting her to stomp off to be alone. However the park is anything but peaceful; but what about Dill’s suggestion, the forest? There follows another amazing adventure of the Floof kind but peace? Hmm – eventually though of the kind that pleases both Bean and adventurous Dill.

With bright, quirky illustrations, unique characters, a surreal backdrop, wisdom, working together and adventures of the magical sort, this is an absolute. delight from cover to cover.

Clem Fatale Has Been Betrayed

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Clem Fatale Has Been Betrayed
Eve Wersocki Morris, illustrated by Honie Beam
Little Tiger

This story of gangsters, hoodlums and heists is set in London in the early 1950s. Herein we meet fearless young crook twelve year old Clem Fatale as she embarks on the night’s robbery to be led by her dad at Lord Weatherdale’s North London abode. Things don’t quite go to plan however as said dad, Jimmy Fatale leader of the Spider Gang and notorious jewel thief, seems to have gone missing along with the Fool’s Canary, a rare yellow diamond cut in the shape of the bird. However, Clem and her mates appear to have got themselves a young prisoner.

The outcome is that Clem along with her captive Gilbert, the terribly polite, unadventurous son of Lord Weatherdale for company, follow a trail of clues that take them on hair-raising adventures in greasy spoon cafes, nightclubs, safe houses and through London’s back alleys where rival gang leaders, fences and henchmen all operate. Aided and abetted by the son of Clem’s parents’ Polish cook, Konrad, and Winnie, a cab driver from the West Indies Clem learns that her Dad’s criminal operation has a secret side.

Will she find her father safe and sound or will the most dastardly villain of all prevent her so doing? That is the leading question as the plot turns this way and that. Clem is a great character, determined and resourceful; to her surprise, so too is Gilbert who sticks with her through everything. The dialogue between them is superb. There are lots of other superbly imagined characters including cranky crooks and dizzy dames, some will make you laugh, others hold your breath in horror. Many of these are depicted in Honie Beam’s black and white illustrations

The story’s ending sets the scene for Clem’s next adventure: this reviewer and I have no doubt, countless KS2 readers will await it with bated breath.

Twigs and Stones

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Twigs and Stones
Joy Cowley and Gavin Bishop
Gecko Press

Snake and Lizard live in a hole under a rock and like all friends they have their ups and downs with one another.

One day Lizard decides it would be good to collect twigs with which to put both their names above the entrance to their home. Off he goes to the river in search of sticks and mud. On his return he sets to work carefully arranging the sticks to form the letters; Snake is unable to assist on account of her bad eyesight. However Snake listens dozily to Lizard’s comments,

the task is completed and the names written large stand on the ledge until along come Tortoise.and Owl warning of the likely consequences of a desert wind. The wind comes, blowing down Snake’s name but then out of their hole comes Lizard to retrieve the fallen letters after which he returns to bed.

Next morning though, Snake emerges first and is furious to see that his friend has accidentally misspelt Snake.

Lizard’s way of dealing with things only makes his friend angrier and both have a most unsatisfactory day in silence.

That night it’s Snake’s turn to go out and check the names: now is her chance to teach Lizard a lesson. Fortunately though all ends well: the letters are removed and the friendship is restored.

There’s a gentle humour in both Joy Cowley’s telling and Gavin Bishop’s pen and ink and watercolour illustrations . The expressions on the faces of both Snake and Lizard are splendidly done heightening the drama throughout the squabbles, making this a great read aloud story with lots of potential for class discussion. It should certainly reassure children that friendships are important and silly incidents should be forgotten quickly.

Paper Dragons: The Rise of the Sand Spirits / Treasure Hunt

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Paper Dragons: The Rise of the Sand Spirits
Siobhan McDermott
Hodder Children’s Books

The second in this gripping series sees Zhi Ging continuing her journey in the magical underwater school Hok Woh. Now she undertakes a highly dangerous mission to rescue her friends and the villagers of all six provinces in the realm from attack. Accompanied by now-phoenix Malo she has to face dangerous sand spirits, enemies hungry for power and awesome lightning breathing dragons if she’s to save both her new home in the world of the immortals and her friends. However as secrets are uncovered, Zhi Ging must work out not only who she can trust but vitally, how she can survive.

With the author’s wonderfully imagined world-building and vivid, lyrical descriptions that include communicating jellyfish, readers will soon find themselves fully immersed in the twisting turning, fast moving plot. However, Zhi Ging’s journey is not only physical but it’s also one of self-discovery and personal development. She gains a considerable amount of wisdom concerning compassion and the power of words. With its blend of Chinese folklore, this is spellbinding indeed. Wither next, one wonders.

Treasure Hunt
Ann Bryant, illustrated by Laura Wood
Graffeg

This book continues the tale begun in The Rock. The twins, Finola and Zane are at a traditional country fete in Cafner where they enter a treasure hunt that they hope might lead them towards their father. A local girl named Sylvie helps them understand the meaning of the clues but it’s not long before Zane catches sight of Nick Robinson whom he believes is somebody dangerous.. Should they abort the hunt and hurry to safety or continue following the clues to the end; clues in which their Dad has left messages for them. They really need to apply those lessons from Mum about Earth’s culture as well as the analytical thinking that Dad has advocated. And what about Nick Robinson – friend or foe?

The exciting story ends on a cliffhanger leaving readers eager to know if the family will ever be reunited.

Hupo and the Wonder Thief

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Hupo and the Wonder Thief
Billy Partridge
Flying Eye Books

This is Billy Partridge’s debut graphic novel; it’s set in a mysterious land called Yip within which is a bustling town named Yorger, the noisiest place in all of Yip. Therein resides Hupo, a dog-like creature with a longing for adventure who also makes very frequent visits to the library from which he borrows the same book every time, this being his 763rd borrowing of The Adventures of the Great Humdingo. Hupo can’t resist reading it aloud to his best friend the Aletha (a cross between bird and a serpent) as they walk along the streets but no-one else has the slightest interest in Hupo or the wild exploits he talks of in the shops he visits. Suddenly, having missed the bus home, he’s surrounded by a thick fog that descends and everything becomes weird.

“The Dark One is waiting,” one of the crows remarks. Now it appears that Hupo is finally going to get that much desired big adventure as the crows surround him and the Aletha is no longer by his side.

Hupo soon realises that real life heroism is way harder than any book has led him to think, but he’ll do anything for his friend no matter the danger involved. And danger there certainly is in the massive form of the Wallower. He, so a little creature named Choomo tells Hupo, was once none other than the great Humdingo but has become the beastly Wallower, determined to remove all traces of wonder and joy.
Use of scale makes Hupo’s encounter with the Wallower even more alarmingly dramatic,

but can his unwavering determination save the day and the town of Yorger?

A pacy tale with a vital message – ‘never be anything but yourself’ that will have young fans of graphic novels rooting for Hupo from the start.

Gargoyles: The Watcher

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Gargoyles: The Watcher
Tamsin Mori
UCLan publishing

With the evil ghasts defeated and the Source purified, Callen is eagerly embracing his Guardian training with his gargoyle, Zariel. As a novice though, he still has a great deal to learn and when Oculus (the organisation that oversees all the magical Sources) learns that Callen has been made a Guardian, they send a Watcher to assess his skills. Callen is only too aware that if he fails, he risks losing both his new home and his gargoyle. However with ghosts prowling, a missing kelpie to find and tainted magic spreading beyond Gargoyles Rest, Callen’s courage, friendships and his resourcefulness will all be put to the test. However the Watcher has decided that Callen is worth training and stays on to help him and his friends.

Who will Callen trust and when faced with choosing between defending the Source and protecting his friends, what will he do? The choices he faces will push him to his very limits for he cannot bear to see any creature suffer. Teamwork and loyalty area key factors for Callen when it comes to finding the right path.

With it’s fast-paced action and dangers aplenty, Tamsin Mori’s wonderfully imagined, multi-layered second Gargoyles adventure is totally gripping and packed with magical realism. Don’t miss this one.

Zizzi Moonbeam

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Zizzi Moonbeam
Emily Hibbs and Natalie Smillie
Little Tiger

It’s Zizzi Moonbeam’s first day as an official party planner at Fairy HQ and she’s fizzing with excitement!. Having made her way to the Party Planners floor, she’s greeted by chief party planner Elvina Glass who hands her the day’s assignments.

Anxious to impress, Zizzi turns down the offer of help from Caspar who is seated next to her and sets to work by herself. She wizzes to the rescue to make sure every party is successful despite there being in turn, rain on the day of a garden party, a bridesmaid’s dress spattered all over with jam

and an ice-cream shop whose owner has forgotten to send out the invitations to its grand opening.

Seemingly no problem is unsolvable when it comes to Zizzi; but just before she’s due to go home she discovers another letter. How could she have overlooked it? There’s definitely not sufficient time to solve this party problem alone. Finally Zizzi realises she needs to act on Elvira’s advice and see if one of her new friends can come to her aid and save the day. Perhaps teamwork will become dreamwork of a very special kind.

Young listeners, party fans in particular, will love Emily Hibbs’ enchanting story and Natalie Smilie’s richly detailed scenes with their letters to open, books to consult, as well as the spreads showing the outcomes of Zizzi’s magical interventions.

Moon Girl

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Moon Girl
Thomas Docherty
Oxford Children’s Books

Leila loves bright colours and uses them in her painting; however she has a fear of the dark. One night as she looks out from her bedroom window at the moon in the dark sky, Leila sees what she thinks is a girl’s face peering down at her. The moon girl waves and so she waves back. Suddenly, as if by magic the bright-faced lunar girl descends earthwards landing on Leila’s windowsill. In her hand is a paintbrush. With this she starts to paint the world in a shimmering light and so begins a friendship.

Together the two friends embark on a midnight adventure as the paintbrush held by the moon girl lights up the darkness, gradually enabling Leila to let go her fears of the dark and replace them with a sense of wonder at each new thing she discovers.

Thomas Docherty’s reassuring story conveys both verbally and visually how Leila’s friendship enables her to overcome her fears and see things with a different perspective, that of awe and wonder. Young listeners will delight in the inviting, magical atmosphere created in the beautiful illustrations of a tale that is a must for those who have their own fears of the night.

Our Tree

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Our Tree
Jessica Meserve
Little Tiger

When Little Red the squirrel scampers up the trunk of the titular tree uttering, “This tree is all for me” he receives some surprises and several lessons.

Before long the squirrel realises that he is not on his own: animals of all shapes and sizes spend time on or around the tree. They use its branches to rest upon, they nibble its leaves, use it as a place to congregate; Elephant even enjoys using it as a back scratcher but none of these trouble Tree; rather it makes them feel welcome. Little Red has no intention of sharing however and decides to seek a tree of his very own, but in his haste, he slips,

tumbles and lands on something soft.

What follows is a somewhat perilous encounter with a leopard and thereafter a change of heart from Little Red. He finally realises that to be surrounded by friends who are ready to cover your back is extremely valuable. Will his host allow him to stay? Indeed yes and Tree even introduces Little Red to a special new playmate. Undoubtedly, life is better together: community is the way to go.

This message comes across loud and clear from Jessica Meserve’s treasure of a tale with her delicately detailed illustrations. It’s one that shows young humans how important it is to learn to accept others and to share.

These Are My Rocks

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These Are My Rocks
Bethan Woollvin
Frances Lincoln Children’s Books

An inveterate collector of things offers would-be collectors ie readers, a tour of collections. First comes the instruction to turn on the light which serves to illuminate the narrator’s cleverly curated collection of ‘small things’. These include an ant, a paperclip, a button and an acorn. To most of these items, Bethan Woollvin has given eyes. The same is true of those in the other collections be they big (you’ll need to pause and assist in a spot of reorganisation to prevent them spilling right off the page), pointy, or prickly (the difference is known only by expert collectors), the most exciting (rocks). After which there come stinky items,

fan mail, bananas (have a joke at the ready to amuse them), and then it’s time to stop for some lunch. Each spread offers readers an opportunity to participate: you can blow away cobwebs from the prickly assemblage, find the stinkiest item in the relevant collection, sort particularly delicate objects – ‘Gently does it!’ Whoops! the teapot’s become a potential addition to the broken things collection, then grab a straying spider. Our narrator places this in the collection of things having ‘far too many legs’.

Eventually as the objects start nodding off, it’s time to turn out the light and bid everything goodnight. The last page suggests that young readers could themselves become collectors though having enjoyed Bethan Woollvin’s chatty conversational text and offbeat illustrations, one suspects little persuasion will be needed.

Your Forest / Your Farm / Your Island

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Your Forest
Your Farm
Your Island
Jon Klassen
Walker Books

Eyes, eyes and more eyes. Every element in each of the three books has an eye, most have two and they all begin the same way. ‘This is your sun. It is coming up for you.’ Thus it positions the child reader as central to the whole.

Your Forest then gives that child suggestions to allow them to assemble a woodland scene comprising trees, a cabin, rocks, a friendly forest ghost (that only appears at night), a stream and a bridge. As the sun sets, the eyes close and the forest sleeps, all but one thing …
Sleepy time pleasure of the inimitable Klassen kind.

Like the previous book, as well as starting at sunrise, Your Farm, ends at night with the young reader receiving permission to sleep and think about the following day. Little ones then meet in turn a tree, a barn, a horse (to go in the barn) ditto some hay, a truck – in the barn too, a stool upon which to sit beneath the tree and a fence to surround everything. The sun then starts to sink, the eyes become sleepy and eventually close altogether. On the final page, it’s the moon that is wide-eyed and wide awake.

In common with the other books, little readers are given the power of creation of Your Island and it’s evident from the outset that the objects belong to the child. Item by item a palm tree, plants, a tent (to go beside the plants beneath the tree, a fire of the magic kind for it never goes out, a boat, a bird that takes to the wing from time to time comprise the island which is fully assembled come sundown. Then eyes close, the island sleeps , the reader contemplates tomorrow on the island under the watchful eyes of the moon.Another whimsical wonder to fuel the imagination and provide pre bedtime pleasure of the empowering, world-creating kind. If you have a toddler, I urge you to try all three and see … see… see.

Loki: A Bad God’s Guide to Unruly Activities / Bunny vs Monkey The Whopping World of Puzzles

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Loki: A Bad God’s Guide to Unruly Activities
Louie Stowell
Walker Books

Loki’s fifth diary is rather different from his previous ones. and that’s on account of his having played too many pranks of the poo-related kind around the house. As a consequence Hemdall has challenged Loki to find ways to keep himself entertained and sent him off to his room so to do. These ways must definitely not be of the messy ie poo variety. Tedious or what? It shouldn’t be very hard though as Loki is a clever god and aided and abetted by his pals, he amasses a fun assortment of puzzles, quizzes, games and drawing activities.
There is for instance an Insult Generator with which to enjoy insulting your nearest and dearest, and Thor’s non-violent means of winning a fight to contemplate and possibly test at a later date- it’s a bum thundertron.

It’s true to say that there are activities for anyone and everyone and you don’t even need to have read the other Loki diaries to enjoy this one.

More fun and games of the interactive puzzling kind in


Bunny vs Monkey The Whopping World of Puzzles
Jamie Smart
David Fickling Books

Herein Bunny, Monkey et al visit a secret theme park deep in their woods and human puzzlers join them as they discover this lost location. Once there they will enjoy all sorts of tricky mazes, word searches, crosswords of the cross words kind, or even try their hand or paw at creating squared paper on which to ‘embiggen’ a character like Pig.

Just the thing for a rainy day or with holidays approaching, a book to take on a long car journey to stimulate your little grey cells instead of constantly fiddling with your phone.

The Seaside Sleepover

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The Seaside Sleepover
Jacqueline Wilson, illustrated by Rachael Dean
Puffin

This latest addition to the Sleepover series takes place during the summer holidays. (For those who haven’t read the previous ones, Daisy’s elder sister Lily is a wheelchair user and uses Makaton to communicate.) Daisy wonders what she’ll find to do with her best friend, Emily having gone on a seaside holiday in a caravan.

Next door to Daisy’s family lives old Mr Norman and his dog, Scruff. She’s very fond of the dog but Mr Norman is standoffish and proud so resents interference from other people. However when he takes a tumble and has to go to hospital there’s really nobody else to take care of Scruff and reluctantly Mum agrees that the dog can stay with them. This makes the school holiday a rather more exciting prospect. Then Daisy starts wishing they could take Scruff to the seaside; she’s sure he’d enjoy that as much as she would.

That evening Daisy’s Uncle Gary face-times them and is very excited: he’s putting on a family friendly comedy show at the seaside. He’s staying in a posh hotel that has additional holiday homes including one he thinks would suit them. At last Daisy’s parents agree and on the Saturday, they’re off, accompanied by Scruff and Lily’s friend, Natalie who uses a support for walking.

What an eventful time they have especially being in the front row for Uncle Gary’s performance when he cross-dresses and becomes Gloriette; but there are surprises, new friends

and some difficult situations to deal with too.

There are few authors who both understand children so well and portray them so credibly in stories as Jacqueline Wilson. Rachael Dean’s light-hearted illustrations further enliven the drama.

KS2 readers will devour this and I throughly recommend it for classroom collections and home bookshelves.

The Worry Bee

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The Worry Bee
Nicola Kinnear
Alison Green Books

Little Izzy the bee longs to fly to the flowers with the other bees in her hive but she’s beset by ‘what if?’ worries: What if her wings aren’t strong enough ? What if she fell?’ So rather than trying to get airborne, she stays behind for a while and then starts walking, This gives her the opportunity to see interesting things on her journey. But there are disadvantages too including getting tangled in spider webs and even worse, a huge river to cross. She definitely can’t walk over that. Time to try flying, thinks Izzy but soon meets with an accident that sends her crashing to the ground.

She’s on the point of walking back to her hive but there comes a strange noise nearby. A baby bird lies flat on its back at the base of a tree. When it asks Izzy to demonstrate her flying prowess, she doesn’t know what to say, but suddenly the baby bird mentions a big fluffy thing coming towards them. Izzy realises what it is and that they need to take to the air to escape it’s clutches .After a lot of flapping … they’re flying, first stop the baby bird’s nest and then Izzy flies to join the other bees in the field of flowers..

There’s gentle humour buzzing right through Nicola’s latest story both in the words and illustrations. Young listeners will love the dramatic scenes of Izzy and how she finally overcomes her fear of flying.

There’s No Such Thing As … Fairies / One Goose Two Moose Three Raccoon Four Baboon

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These are both additions to popular series: thanks to Scholastic for sending them for review.

There’s No Such Thing As … Fairies
Lucy Rowland and Katy Halford

Having explored the possibilities of there being unicorns, elves, mermaids, dragons and ghosts, team Rowland and Halford turn their attention to Fairies in their latest search and find story. The young girl narrator has been told by her daddy that fairies don’t exist and she sets out to check the veracity of his assertion the very next day. First in the meadow where the family have a picnic, then the woodland stream, followed by the park, the beauty salon, the aircraft show

and the hothouse. She even checks out the dentist, the library and the theatre, after which she’s ready to agree with her dad, “There’s no such thing as fairies,” she confidently tells him, “It’s really TRUE.” Realising his little girl is upset dad lifts her up onto his shoulders and they start walking home. Suddenly a rainbow appears and …

Katy Halford’s vibrant, playful, detailed scenes wherein fairies hide in plain sight complement Lucy Rowland’s expressive, patterned rhyming narrative with its repeat refrain, making this a book that young children will find great fun and likely want to hear several times: oh how they love being in the know with the author.

One Goose Two Moose Three Raccoon Four Baboon
Kael Tudor and Nicola Slater

Rule stickler Simon is back and once again he’s having trouble getting the animals into their proper lines. Then there’s Moose who is as eager to help as ever..
In this instance help is definitely required during an animal outing to the park for which there are three vehicles, one for the raccoons, one for the geese and the third bearing the sign Magical Moose Tours. When it’s time to reboard their respective buses is when the problem starts. There are mix-ups of raccoons and baboons, hares and bears, bees and fleas, eels and seals, a cockatoo and kangaroos; even a fox and a box – hmm!

Poor goose is going crazy with frustration and confusion. Forward steps Moose hoping to give some assistance. Can he persuade Goose that there is more than one way to do things and allow the tour to continue?

Another gigglesome delight with a wealth of possibilities for preschoolers and beyond, from author Kael and illustrator Nicola.

Solving Crimes Is Not My Superpower

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Solving Crimes Is Not My Superpower
Nathanael Lessore, illustrated by Simran Diamond Singh
Little Tiger

Everybody living in the town of Walsham has a superpower, everybody except Sara (narrator) whose parents are members of the IPA (Incredible Protection Agency). Her mum can control the wind and her dad has super strength. Her best friend, Georgie can smell fear and is a football fanatic as well as captain of the school team; the mayor emits multicoloured farts and an old lady can levitate squirrels (albeit waist high only). Although she’s great at cracking really funny jokes, Sara is still waiting for her power to appear (she’s around the age it usually happens).

So when their school’s all important soccer trophy is stolen just four days from the final match, Sara has no choice but to solve the crime using only her powers of deduction. As well as a notebook in which to jot down clues and suspects, she has her two pals Georgie and Javier close at hand to help investigate.

Sara is especially determined as Walsham’s school team has never lost to Ramsdale in eighty years due to the power of the soccer trophy.

During their investigation the three uncover some town secrets but will they recover the all-important trophy and will Sara discover her superpower. (I love what Sara’s dad says to her early in the story, “And remember: the only TRUE powers are … a lovng heart, a helping hand and the courage to do what’s right.”)

This funny story is witty and warm and the dialogue is great: it will have young readers laughing frequently as they whizz through the story perhaps solving the mystery before the threesome.
It’s the first in a new series and has lots of lively drawings by Simran Diamond Singh. I look forward to the next adventure, Time Travel Is Not My Superpower.

Food For All

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Food For All
Mary Hoffman and Ros Asquith
Otter-Barry Books

We all – humans and creatures large and small – need food of some sort in order to live. Some, including lots of humans eat other animals, some eat plants and some eat fish and other sea creatures. Interestingly, as the extraterrestrial creature that comments on various pages informs us, the largest creature on planet earth – the blue whale – eats krill, one of the tiniest. It’s not the only being that makes thought-provoking comments from time time time; so too do various animals and humans of different ages.

Almost twenty aspects of food and feeding are explored starting with growing food for both human consumption and for animals. This is followed by a look at what plants require to grow and the topic of chemicals is mentioned – their uses and the harm they cause.

There’s a spread about harvest and a look at associated festivals in various parts of India.
For me the most distressing fact is that despite there being more than enough food in the world for everyone, starvation still abounds and even in rich countries like the USA and Great Britain, there are many people who need to regularly rely on food banks. Equally shocking is that there is an awful lot of food wastage.

But, as we read, there are things that all of us can do.

Mary Hoffman’s engaging style makes a wealth of information easily digestible for primary age readers and Ros Asquith’s droll illustrations help keep the tone of the whole book light and inviting. A thought-provoking book that offers a wealth of discussion topics.

Dungeon Runners: Sky Battles

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Dungeon Runners: Sky Battles
Kieran Larwood and Joe Todd-Stanton
Nosy Crow

This is the powerful sequel to Hero Trial featuring team Triple Trouble: Kit, (not the most optimistic character), Sandy – the mage and more upbeat, and Thorn the vegan vampire healer. In this story they’re off to Cloudroost, a city in the clouds to participate in a competition as real Dungeon Runners.
Shortly after arriving at their destination, they’re surprised to find someone offering them sponsorship. Her name is Gilda Grubfoot and she’s the owner of a product called Troll Bogeys. (It actually makes excellent glue.) As well as the possibility of any amount this (yuck), she gives them an old steel shield on which has been sprayed the name of her product. Surprisingly Kit is quite pleased to receive this despite the words thereon.

During the introductions by commentators Jenna the Giant and Dirk the Ork, team Triple Trouble are made to feel objects of derision, but thanks to words of support from the captain of one of the other teams Kit feels slightly more positive. Then it’s time to head to the actual dungeon deep inside the mountain.

What will be their fate, a downfall thanks to ghastly threats and cheating by other teams, or, with a little help from kindly gobrots and a touch of magic from a staff courtesy of Grandpa Klot, can Triple Trouble prove they’re worthy of a place at the next level? They’ll definitely need to keep their wits about them all the time.

There’s a gripping storyline with excitement aplenty, characters familiar and new, humour and Joe Todd-Stanton’s terrific illustrations that are full of atmosphere, sprinkled with humour too, all of which make this a book that older KS1 / younger KS2 readers will love.

Puddle & Lettuce: The Treehouse

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Puddle & Lettuce: The Treehouse
Ilaria Ranauro
Happy Yak

Meet best friends Puddle, a frog and Lettuce, a snail. Puddle’s little house beside the pond is perfect for a frog and Lettuce’s warm, cosy house on her back is perfect for a snail. They share each other’s special interests: Lettuce loves to listen to Puddle play his guitar and Puddle relishes the cakes Lettuce loves to bake.

One day Lettuce pays a visit to Puddle but the latter suggests they go to Puddle’s much larger house. Suddenly they have an idea: a treehouse that is big enough to accommodate them both. However in his enthusiasm to start building Puddle dashes off to collect suitable bits of timber and doesn’t hear what his friend has said regarding the drawing of plans.

So, with the job complete Puddle excitedly calls his pal to come up and join him. The problem is the treehouse is way too far up for Lettuce to reach. A sudden realisation dawns. Can they work together and create a treehouse that is just right for them both, a place wherein they can both enjoy sharing their favourite things – pancakes especially?

With an important message about seeing things from another person’s viewpoint, this story with its endearing characters, will likely make young humans think about how they treat their own friends.

Ant Party

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Ant Party
Ross Montgomery and Sarah Warburton
Walker Books

It’s Andy the ant’s birthday so he decides to throw a party – just a small affair to which only his neighbours are invited. But the neighbours haven’t any food to contribute so they invite the farmer ants. News of the party quickly spreads throughout the ant community to the worker ants, the soldier ants and the Queen. She takes it upon herself to invite residents of other ant hills nearby

and before long there are thousands of excited ants ready for a rave. Andy finishes his preparations just as there comes a knock on his door. He can’t believe what his sees right before his eyes. In they come and immediately begin partying madly but suddenly there’s a horrifying sound that makes Andy’s house shake. It’s a gatecrasher in the form of an anteater and the ants are trapped, and terrified.

All that is except Andy who is absolutely furious. At his behest, the other ants rally round, form a conga line and the anteater gets his cum uppance. This will surely get child audiences cheering.
Having bested the intruder the ants celebrate long into the night giving Andy a terrific party, the greatest ever, despite not being exactly what the birthday ant had imagined.

Ross’s telling is thoroughly engaging and young children will adore Andy (I love his leafy apron) and the other ants, each of which Sarah Warburton manages to make different with spectacles, eyebrows, moustaches etc. Every turn of the page invites readers to linger long and enjoy all that’s going on. I’m sure this is a party children will want to go to many times over.

Oh, Carrots!

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Oh, Carrots!
Mariajo Ilustrajo
Frances Lincoln Children’s Books

Mr Rabbit lives all alone and has grown used to so doing, occupying himself caring for his plants, keeping his place clean and reading, though at times it’s so quiet he does feel a tad lonely.

Now with the coming of spring Mr Rabbit can plant his favourite thing, carrots. It certainly keeps him busy and after 240 seeds are safely in the soil he’s more than ready for a hot drink and some relaxation. But suddenly he spots another seed in the packet. “Where were you hiding?” he asks seed 241, carefully planting it and resolving to give it a little bit of extra TLC so it doesn’t feel overlooked again. With daily watering, singing to the seeds, sunshine and loving kindness the carrots start to grow, one especially well.

One day he notices a carrot top give a wriggle. He pulls, pulls and pulls and out pops a walking, talking carrot. “Hello Mr Rabbit” it says. ”Oh, Carrots!” comes the reply and Mr Rabbit dashes off home, forgetting to close the back door.

It soon becomes evident that Carrot just wants to be Mr Rabbit’s friend but Mr Rabbit wants his visitor to leave him alone not jump on the sofa, interfere with his record collection or rummage through his books. Carrot’s lively antics irritate Mr Rabbit who is not at all used to mischief. However during the course of the day our lupine friend gradually finds that he’s enjoying himself.

So used to being a loner, he’s never considered having somebody else around. Could it he that needs a friend after all?

Mariajo’s combination of words and pictures is a winner with its striking illustrations and text both imbued with gentle humour and wisdom. A book that celebrates the joys of making new friends and a demonstration of how a close friend can help a person learn more about themselves.

The Old Watering Can

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The Old Watering Can
Louise Royston-Smith
Graffeg

Grandma has two watering cans, one she’s had a long time that is leaky, the other is new and somewhat ornate. Every spring and summer day she carries them both to her greenhouse at the end of the garden to water the plants. First though she goes to the tap to fill them but by the time she’s walked to the greenhouse, half the water from the old watering can has leaked out. The proud new one however is still full and likely to splash over the rim.

As a consequence only one and a half cans of water reach her greenhouse and this makes the old can feel the need to apologise for its leak. However Grandma is quick to point out the array of flowers growing on the old can’s side of the garden but not on that of the new can. She explains that she was aware of the leak, so had planted seeds only on the old can’s side and as they walked to the greenhouse they got watered. She tells her old can that she’s been able to share these flowers and make her friends and neighbours and of course, its owner. happy.

A story about accepting and celebrating your imperfections from a debut author/illustrator whose illustrations are infused with a playful energy and their charming details will bring a smile to the face of readers. Grandma is the only character mentioned in the words but there’s also a little girl, a lively dog and a bird that appear on many of the spreads – plenty of storying there.

The Bird Thief

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The Bird Thief
Rachel Keating
Cadno Graffeg

Twelve year old Erin has OCD with symptoms including continually checking things and counting. Her mother is depressed and has been since her much loved sister, Erin’s aunt Sophie, died in an accident some years ago.

Now it’s the summer holiday and Erin, her parents and younger sister, Lena, are staying in a static caravan in the Welsh countryside near to a spot that was special to Erin’s mum and Aunty Sophie and near to where Bampi (the girls’ grandad) lives.
Before long strange things begin to happen: first Erin sees a girl lying face down beneath the caravan next door and then later that day the woman staying in the same caravan is screaming in alarm about there being snakes in her son’s bedroom.

The following day Erin has a through the fence encounter with the girl she’d seen under the caravan, only this time she’s telling Erin not to feed bread to the ducks. The girl introduces herself as Bess, says that she’s thirteen and offers to show her a nest with chicks in. Despite Bess’s somewhat unkind behaviour Erin feels drawn to her and with Lena, ends up going through a hole in the fence surrounding the caravan park and into the woods beyond. Several times she goes and eventually Bess tells her the truth about the ‘snake’ episode. Later she takes them to the Goldfinch nest. Erin climbs up to get a closer look and ends up falling to the ground. It’s then her bird experiences begin: not only do the goldfinches heal Erin, they pass on some if their avian nature. Erin finds she’s able to fly, to slow down time and to communicate with one of the goldfinches, calling it Fable as it reminds her of her soft toy comforter.
Over the next few days Fable and Bess (despite some misunderstandings) lead Erin to realise that there’s something threatening the goldfinches and they find themselves caught up in a very dangerous situation when a forest fire breaks out.

Can Erin save herself, her friends and family, with or without her special powers?
Erin is a fascinating character and the author draws on her own childhood experiences both for her protagonist and her magical tale wherein mental health, the natural world and friendship are explored. There are occasional strategically placed black and white illustrations by Naomi Bennet that add to the emotional power of the telling.

Gargoyles: Guardians of the Source

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Gargoyles: Guardians of the Source
Tamsin Mori
UCLan Publishing

When Callen and his parents move into a ramshackle country mansion in need of restoration that used to belong to his grandmother, he’s far from happy. Every ledge has gargoyles frowning down, there’s a secret tunnel and weird sounds coming from the basement, as well as locked rooms. Seemingly there are secrets nobody has told him about. Then he comes upon an old journal in one of the rooms and learns of protector gargoyles and how human guardians are able to summon all the gargoyles to their aid.

The sense of unease Callen feels about the place is proved correct when come midnight he’s awoken by what he thinks is the sound of claws: the gargoyle from his bedroom windowsill has come to life. This precipitates events that see him endeavouring to take on the family role of Guardian, the ability for which the gargoyle doubts because it takes years to train. Callen will certainly need to win the trust of said gargoyle, Zariel and find lots of courage to undertake especially with a threat of evil magic poisoning the source creating a sense of urgency.

As he meets new friends with experience of magic, Callen begins to realise his own potential.

With themes of friendship, hope and the power of dreams, and dangers aplenty, this action-packed fantasy ends with the promise of more; KS2 readers who enjoy adventures infused with magic will eagerly await the second book.

Get Dressed Belly Button! / So Tired, So Wide Awake!

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Both these board books are from Gecko Press: thanks to the publisher for sending review copies.

Get Dressed Belly Button!
Lucie Brunellière

It’s a chilly day so the toddler must be suitably dressed before heading outside into the cold. Tinies will enjoy watching as the adorable infant is clad in ‘two soft socks’, a ‘toasty t-shirt’ and a pair of jeans; but there’s a belly button still visible. What else will be needed before we’re ready to sally forth? Squeaky sneakers, a cosy warm coat, two woolly mittens, a bobble hat and a scarf and a special kiss. Hurrah! Off you go, little one.
An external narrator, presumably the parent or carer, does the talking in this cleverly designed, vertical flip-flap board book

So Tired, So Wide Awake!
Susanne Strasser

A small bedroom drama unfolds as Hedgehog, Fox, Donkey, Pelican and Crocodile lie fast asleep in bed; but not so Seal. He apparently needs to visit the bathroom so up and out of bed he wriggles. Then in turn, his previously snoozing pals leave the bed and troop to the bathroom: Crocodile has forgotten to brush her teeth, Pelican needs a drink of water,

Donkey has itchy ears and so on, until only a scared Hedgehog remains. Up she scrambles and off she tip, tip tips to find the other animals. Where have they all gone? Somewhere where they can each receive a goodnight kiss before falling fast asleep. Unsurprisingly though, the kiss giver is still wide awake, squashed beneath the heap of slumberers.

Suddenly, a voice calls out, “What a stink! Who did that?” Thereupon, the animals rapidly return from whence they came and crash out in their own bed at last.

Little humans will enjoy watching the build up of tension before it’s revealed where the animals are all going, and delight in the whiffy solution that has them hastily retreating to their own bed. Fun to share with tinies especially as a pre-bedtime read.

The Playdate

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The Playdate
Uje Brandelius and Clara Dackenberg
Lantana

This story is narrated by a little girl who accompanies her mother to the house of Henry Henriksson. On the longish journey from their flat, the girl notices a robot in a toy shop window. It’s something she’d dearly love but keeps quiet knowing that it would be way too expensive.

Henry’s mum welcomes the two and the narrator goes off to play with Henry. They play all kinds of games until Henry’s mum announces that it’s time for lunch . She asks her visitors if they’d like to join then but the girl’s mum says they have sandwiches and so they eat in separate rooms. After lunch Henry goes off to play on his computer leaving the girl to amuse herself, which she does by playing chase with the dog.

As a result she goes into a room she’s not seen before and there on the floor is a huge bag of discarded toys. Atop the pile is a robot exactly like the one in the toyshop.

After a while Henry’s mum calls the children to eat fruit together and they watch tv.
When it’s time to leave the girl’s mum suggests that Henry might like to come and play at their home sometime. “Hmm, maybe” Henry’s mum responds.

On the journey home, the little girl tells her mum that Henry is her best friend. Suddenly she remembers that there’s something she needs to confess and tearfully she takes Henry’s robot from her backpack and explains that she stole it. Mum remains calm and merely says she’ll return it the following week.
We’re not told that the girl’s mum is the cleaner for Henry’s mum and it’s evident from the illustrations that the two families live completely different kinds of lives.

Cleverly presented with the words telling one story and the illustrations showing another, this is a comment on the class divide and on our throwaway society. I envisage KS2 children (or even older) having interesting discussions after a class sharing though I’m not sure what children around the age of those in the story will make of the multi-layered book.

Agent Harrier Mission Impossib-Hole/ Adventuremice: Mice, Camera, Action!

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These are both additions to popular series: thanks to Little Tiger and David Fickling Books for sending them for review.

Agent Harrier Mission Impossib-Hole
Ben Sanders
Little Tiger

Agent Harrier is back for his third mission of the secret spy kind. However before he can even get going, the bottom falls out of his world – literally – and having plunged downwards, he finds himself face to face with his trusty friend, Mr Mole. Mole informs him of a new case : the case of the Mysterious Holes and our agent is not happy. Holes in his precious book, holes that transport him to different dimensions starting with a strange fairy tale where a princess dances till the clock strikes twelve. Then comes a kind of detective story where he meets a dragon and lastly, a scary sc-fi adventure in outer space.

Time is running out for Agent Harrier: if he can’t uncover the offending hole-maker very soon, not a single one of his books will make any sense and it’s curtains for the entire series. With Mole looking decidedly untrustworthy, – the villain maybe – to whom can Harri look for assistance?
With punny daftness and word play in abundance, this is a hilarious dose of meta-fictive madness that Agent Harrier’s fans will love. If you’ve not met this particular detective before, I suggest starting with This Book Will Self Destruct.

Adventuremice: Mice, Camera, Action!
Philip Reeve and Sarah McIntyre
David Fickling Books

The Adventuremice series gets progressively crazier and this one definitely takes the biscuit – enough said about biscuits.

The Adventuremice are super excited to receive an invitation to Hollybush, reputed to be the most glamorous place in all of the Mice Islands, the place where all the big mouse movies are made. Needless to say, Pedro isn’t too thrilled about this but that’s Pedro for you. Skipper too is unenthusiastic about going, but in the end they all board the Daring Dormouse, Hollybush bound. Apparently however, despite it being called the Adventuremice movie, the team won’t actually be acting; rather they’ve been invited to visit the studio and watch the making of the movie .

On arrival they’re greeted by Scoot McHairy, Mr Cheezeburger’s assistant. The film set is certainly a glitzy place but Pedro is confused by all the fakery including an exceedingly large mechanical otter

and it’s not long before he ruins a scene making Mr Cheezeburger furious that his precious film will never be finished in time to be shown at the film festival. Can the Adventuremice team come to the rescue and save not only the movie but a real live baby creature too?

Established Adventuremice fans will certainly be cheering them on and the team will likely gain lots more followers too.

Ten Whizzy Racers: Chaos at Crackling Creek

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Ten Whizzy Racers: Chaos at Crackling Creek
Timothy Knapman and Richard Merritt
Ladybird

This is the first in a new countdown series with a racing theme. The whizzy racers are Boo, Bolt, Bounce, Dash, Drift, Glint, Scoop, Speedy, Tricks and Zip. As the book begins they’ve all assembled in their vehicles at the start line in Fairytale Forest ready for the great Beanstalk Cup race to begin. The starting gun pops and off they go, but almost immediately there’s some thieving, out goes Drift and on go nine whizzy racers. Zip’s a kindly character and he pulls out of the race to pick up Red Riding Hood and deliver her safely to her Grandma’s house. And so the number of whizzers diminishes as all manner of accidents, alarming incidents

and other reasons for pulling out occur until only Bolt and Bounce remain in the running. Who will be first to cross the line and take the cup? One very happy racer. However, there’s another racer that is anything but happy and that, despite his shenanigans.

Timothy Knapman weaves a host of fairytale characters into his bouncy rhyming narrative including infuriated fairies, a terribly large troll and a mischievous unicorn. Each of these and lots more appear in Richard Merritt’s vibrant, action-packed scenes of the event. There’s so much to look at on each spread that little humans will be reluctant to whizz through the pages, rather they’ll want to take it slower and savour all the details.

I’m Building A Nest

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I’m Building A Nest
Saskia Gwinn and Adam Ming
Happy Yak

Author Saskia Gwinn entrusts Bird to act as our guide in this journey to discover how other creatures build their homes.. We meet more than fifty large and small : can any of them surprise Bird and show that their home is best?

First Bird visits other nest builders including a stork that reuses its stick nest year after year, a trumpeter swan that builds a nest on a beaver’s floating lodge and a red-headed woodpecker that pecks a hole in a tree trunk.

Next to be investigated are spiders. these eight-legged arachnids make webs for a variety of purposes. The garden web spider’s web is an insect trap; the golden diving bell spider weaves a web under water to trap air then uses it as a submarine and the crab spider makes a balloon of silken threads that float on the wind, enabling it to find a new home. Is Bird impressed by these? Well yes, but not persuaded.

Do you know which animal’s home has a feeding tunnel, a larder and a bedroom as well as a super-speedy escape tunnel? It’s a mole, one of the tunnellers we meet.


These are just some of the places of residence Bird discovers, but at the end of a long learning journey, there’s been a change of heart in our feathered escort. It concludes, ’Every home is best for the clever creature that made it.’

Curious young readers will enjoy discovering the wealth of animal homes on our planet and be amused by the speech bubbles and Adam Ming’s playful illustrations.

Messi Mania

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Messi Mania
Luis Miguel Echegaray
Holler (Quarto)

Lionel Messi is a soccer superstar, of that there is no doubt. I was astonished to hear that one of my young relations had spend £12 of his pocket money to buy a single card about him. He certainly is infected with Messi Mania.

In this book sports presenter/journalist, Luis Miguel Echegaray, pays tribute to the player many consider the greatest of all time. Rather than presenting a chronological account he weaves into a kind of patchwork tale, significant elements of Massi’s life.

Starting with his arrival in the USA, he then goes back in time to his birth and early life in Rosario, Argentina, and forward to October 2024 when he was playing for Inter Miami and the team were knocked out in the first round of the MLS playoffs. In relation to this Echegaray writes this ‘And here’s the biggest message of all that we have learned from Messi’s entire journey. When you fall, that’s when you’re at your strongest because you have the chance to get up and try again. And that’s the true meaning of character.’ A powerful message to everyone, no matter what their walk of life. Moreover it’s not merely Messi’s hard work and soccer prowess that make him so special; it’s also his friendships and what he’s done and continues to do for others, all of which are included herein.

We hear what other soccer stars think of him, his style of play, there’s an interview between the author and Messi and more.

A legend indeed who, thanks in no small way to his devoted grandmother and father, overcame challenges in his boyhood including a growth hormone deficiency.

The penultimate paragraph in the book contains vital messages for all young people and he ends thus: ‘Little Leo is actually in all of us, just waiting for the glorious moment to shine,’

Blue Jelly and Strawberries

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Blue Jelly and Strawberries
Attie Lime, illustrated by Kate Sheppard
Otter-Barry Books

Brimming over with playful notions is this debut collection of poems by Attie Lime, with black and white illustrations by Kate Sheppard.

Herein you’ll find whimsical wonderings (What can you carry in your hat?) and thought provoking possibilities – What might your magic bean grow? and What would you do if you were spring? – ‘hang jellybeans from all the trees’ like the author maybe, curious questions (do triceratops wear pyjamas?) and nonsensical wordplays – ‘im am oo / sploosha whoosha / flim flam floo!’

All of these and many others powerfully convey the message that language is fun. Nevertheless my very favourite poem is I Love Books – a straightforward tribute to the vast variety of books and by implication what might be found within.

I also love The Pancake of Positivity the first two verses of which go thus:
‘My pancake is a CANcake / full of positivity / bursting full of yes-es / so sweet and syrupy. // My pancake is a problem-solver / helpful, kind (and sticky) / it finds a way to save the day / when life gets really tricky.’

There are concrete poems of the curious kind as well as an acrostic and several quatrains. All this adds up to a book with something , make that many somethings, to please young readers and listeners; if you are a KS1 teacher definitely share this with your class; if you’re a parent who wants your child to discover the joys of poetry then get them a copy.

Early Years Bookshelf: Little Dino Boo-Boos! / Bear

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Little Dino Boo-Boos!
Sophie Aggett , illustrated by Jannie Ho
Little Tiger

The little dinosaurs are a very lively lot and inevitably accidents happen: Triceratops gets a graze, Spinosaurus gets a soaking, followed by a cold, Velociraptor take tumble and bumps his paw and so on, so it’s important to know what to do when one gets hurt or doesn’t feel too good.

Through this delightful interactive board book, with its first aid kit containing a set of reusable stickers in the form of a fold-out inside the back cover, very young children can begin to learn about first aid and care in a playful way. On a first reading you may just want to point out each item and name it, but this is a book you can share over and over so your little one can learn more about each item as appropriate in addition to enjoying Jannie Ho’s humorous scenes.

Bear
Natalia Shaloshvili
Frances Lincoln Children’s Books

A story about learning to share – maybe.
Bear is very happy with his ursine life: he loves his cookie, his book and his balloon; and he loves to sit by himself on his bench. As he sits comfortably contemplating, up comes Fox wanting to sit beside him on the bench. Wolf too wants something belonging to Bear – a delicious cookie; Rabbit wants a look at his book and Elephant asks for the balloon. Bear’s problem is that he doesn’t know how to say no to their requests

and consequently ends up with nothing. Now our ursine friend isn’t happy, he’s very, very unhappy as he sits thinking. Some while later along comes Duck with a cookie. Now we know Bear loves cookies so he requests a bite of Duck’s. I wonder how Duck will respond.

It’s important to know when to say no to others and this seemingly simple story with its wonderfully expressive, smudgy illustrations created with watercolour crayons and acrylic paints offers a good starting point for discussion with little humans.

The Only Monster

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The Only Monster
Matt Coyne and Brendan Kearney
Frances Lincoln Children’s Books

This is a story with a message about being an only child in a family and not comparing one’s family with other families.

Residing happily with her parents on Grönklebad Street, in the monster town of Bonglibod is a little monster. Then at monster school it’s the day class photos are taken. Little monsters wear their ‘bestest monster clothes’, mess their hair, leave teeth unbrushed and have bogies in their noses. The teacher calls her students in turn, instructing them to say ‘stinky cheeeese’ as they sit in front of the camera for their photo. This little monster does with a big smile.

However when the teacher announces brother and sister photos, little monster begins to feel sad

and this feeling of sadness continues right through until she’s walking home with her dad. He notices her demeanour and asks what’s wrong. She explains that everyone else – the Jooberwibblies, the Bogeynoodles, the Humplebutts, the WindyFlips and the Parps, the Dombledoofs,.the Humplejoys, the Marmaflippydoofs and all the rest have siblings, lots often. Dad acknowledges that this is so but goes on to reassures her that families should be measured by love, not numbers. Moreover, the little monster has all of those friends plus their brothers and sisters, and that is marvellous.

By the time the two reach home little monster is feeling cheerful enough to sing with her dad. However, she still has one more thing to say …

Little humans will love the final twist and all the fun vocabulary, especially the crazy monster names. They’ll love too Brendan Kearney’s superbly imagined, highly detailed illustrations.

Wild Magic: Legend of the Black Lion

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Wild Magic: Legend of the Black Lion
Abiola Bello, illustrated by Emma McCann
Simon & Schuster

Meet twins Misha and Ziggy. They each have a secret superpower: Misha can talk to animals and Ziggy can transform into animals of all kinds. As the story opens the summer holidays have just started when their Dad, a wildlife photographer, receives a phone call from his producer. He’s off to Ethiopia the following week to film the Black Lion recently spotted there. However when he rings Grandma Joy to ask her to look after the twins, he discovers she’s somehow got the dates mixed up and is on a Caribbean cruise. Consequently Dad has no option but to take the twins with him to Ethiopia. Needless to say they’re absolutely thrilled: maybe they will see a Black Lion.

However, soon after arriving Dad receives bad news; the Black Lion hasn’t been seen for several days. Moreover poachers have been sighted in the area. While Dad and the crew work on a new plan to find the lion, the twins start finding ways of their own to communicate with the local animals.

Before long they learn that the Black Lion has been hurt when poachers tried to steal him

and now he’s in great danger.. The twins are determined to save him but can they?

Abiola Bello’s pacy tale is just right for younger KS2 readers. Emma McCann’s black and white illustrations add gentle humour to the telling and in addition to the story there are some facts about both Ethiopia and black lions.

Bree Boyd is a Legend!

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Bree Boyd is a Legend!
Leah Johnson, illustrated by Mirelle Ortega
Scholastic

Thirteen year old Bree Boyd spends her life trying to live up to her father’s high expectations and the shining examples set by her older sisters Lex (state debating champion) and Christian (at law school); Boyd Black Excellence is what it’s called. Dad a college professor is currently campaigning to become the next state senator. Her mother has left the family home. Bree, an ace speller and winner of spelling bees, studies with her tutor leaving little time to spend with her closest friends, Sammy, Abby and Ellie.

Having reached the next level in the spelling competition she starts feeling distracted and when a lightening strike knocks out the power to her home, she flips a switch on the breaker and gets an electric shock that gives her telekinetic powers. With this new-found ability Bree is able to help her friends and have some fun but with the approach of the district spelling bee, Dad ups the pressure and she’s completely torn between loyalty to her Dad or her friends with whom she’s agreed to perform. Even worse, the final spelling bee and the talent show are on the same day. It feels like her life is spinning out of control. However she has to decide whether to stick to her father’s plan or follow her own path.

Infused with humour, this is a very credible portrayal of the inner turmoil suffered by youngsters who have huge adult pressure put upon them and it’s wonderful to see the protagonist working out the true meaning of ‘being best’. There are many poignant moments and it’s great the way the Boyd siblings support one another; how each of them continues to grow despite everything and how they eventually work out how to communicate with their dad.

Recommended for readers from around eleven.

Cafe Chaos

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Cafe Chaos
Catherine Wilkins, illustrated by Katie Abey
Nosy Crow

On Hope’s first day at secondary school, she and her best friend Leila are shocked to find that Skyla, the bully from primary school has not moved abroad as she’d told everyone but is also there. As if Hope doesn’t already have a great deal to contend with: her family’s cafe, Cafe Crumble, needs to start making a profit and then her Auntie Rita turns up, announcing that she’s come to visit for a while.

Moreover, she’s to share Hope’s bedroom. Rita’s son Connor is already living with them and thinks he knows all there is to know about running a business. Then there’s her elder sister who is only interested in acting. Hope’s life is descending into chaos and nobody at home, especially her mum, has time to listen to her.

Thank goodness for Leila who is ready and willing to help her deal with bullying Skyla and her cronies. As for the cafe, could it be possible that dressing up as a giant ice-cream can help make sufficient money to pay off the bank loan and finally become solvent. That and Grandma Margery’s skills in baking pastries perhaps.

A heart-warming story engagingly written, delivered with a large slice of humour thanks in no small part to Kate Abey’s sprinklings of amusing drawings. With a cast that includes several quirky characters, this book will definitely tickle the taste buds of readers around Hope’s age, especially those who have a penchant for cake.

Rex Dinosaur in Disguise: Museum Mystery

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Rex Dinosaur in Disguise: Museum Mystery
Elys Dolan
Walker Books

This is the third tale of dinosaur hero Rex (now a PE teacher/netball coach) and his nine year old human friend Sandra, her investigations partner Anish, et al.

Rex can hardly wait for his first trip to the city museum but he and his friends learn from a security guard that strange things have been happening with exhibits moved around. The guard quits his job, Rex is interviewed and goes undercover as his replacement. This enables him to be there overnight to investigate and try to find the cause of the havoc before the museum’s biggest event of the year, The Big MuZZZeum Sleepover, the following evening. Of course he’s going to need the help of Sandra, Anish and Bigfoot.

Unexpectedly Rex makes a new friend; it’s an ancient Egyptian mummy named Amenphut 11 or Phut for short.

This mummy absolutely loves pizza but he really needs help to return to his own land; however he has an awful lot of stuff including a stuffed ferret, Imhotep. Can Rex help him catch his plane and crucially, can he make the museum sleepover the greatest ever?

With a plethora of laugh out loud moments, many of which are illustrated, this is a great book for KS2 readers. Hot chocolate anyone?

The Tortosaurus

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The Tortosaurus
Katie Cottle
Little Tiger

It’s Dot’s first day at her new school; she wants to fit in and make friends; but maybe she’ll start joining in tomorrow, she decides. Dot as you’ve likely realised already, is a person who likes taking things slowly, something her pet tortoise Monty truly understands.

In class during a discussion about pets, Jude tells everyone that he has a tortoise and Dot is on the point of saying something when Jess makes the disparaging comment that tortoises are old and slow. As a result Dot puts her hand down but is spotted by her teacher and so she announces that she has a Tortosaurus and will bring it for show and tell.

Fortunately Dot is a creative child and so she sets to work on Monty transforming him into an amazing creature that awes her classmates. Very quickly Monty becomes something of a ‘shell-ebrity’ which is not at all what he wants. Indeed he finds being in the limelight is really hard but he doesn’t want to let Dot down. After a while Monty is awarded a certificate of reptilian excellence and the stage lights make him feel all hot and bothered so he wriggles around until he’s removed every bit of his costume.

Initially Dot is angry; she grabs Monty and makes a dash for home but once there she calms down and on realising she’s forced the creature to be something he’s not, she apologises profusely.

Thereafter Dot decides it’s time to start being true to herself; gradually she comes out of her shell and makes friends with fellow tortoise owner, Jude.

This is a celebration of being one’s true self, allowing others to do likewise: and valuing them for what they are: that way real friendships based on honesty are formed and sustained. Katie Cottle’s illustrations speak volumes as we see Dot’s changing emotions throughout the story. Read at home and read in the classroom. I can imagine a lively circle time discussion resulting from a sharing with KS1 children.

A Card For My Mum

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A Card For My Mum
Bashabi Fraser and Maanvi Kapur
Lantana Publishing

It’s the day before Mother’s Day and the shops are busy with people looking for the perfect present to bring a smile to their mum’s face. However the little girl narrator can afford only a card for her mum and although she searches high and low she cannot find a single one that has a picture that looks anything like her own mum. She who loves to wear dangly gold earrings and bangles that jangle as she mixes the dough for naan and rotis; a dark-haired mum who goes to the vegetable market clad in her silk kameez and flowing chunnie. A mum who loves bhangra dancing.

Suddenly her mum’s smiling face is there before her for real and the little girl decides that there’s only one way she can give her mum a card that is just right … Time to get creative.

It’s very important that all young readers/listeners see themselves represented both in books and also on cards. The former has improved thanks to publishers like Lantana but it’s not so where cards are concerned and this story makes youngsters stand behind the head of someone who cannot find themselves and in this instance their mum, represented. A thought-provoking book to share as widely as possible and not just around Mother’s Day.

Mr Norton’s New Hat

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Mr Norton’s New Hat
Huw Lewis Jones and Corey Egbert
Little Tiger

Horace Norton is a kind character so when he discovers one Monday morning that a mouse has taken up residence in his hat, he leaves it there and cycles off to work. On Tuesday he notices some birds have made a nest in his bicycle basket but he pedals off obligingly with both lots of tenants.. Come Wednesday there’s a squirrel asleep in one of his shoes. What does he do? The same as on the previous two days. Subsequently he decides to leave undisturbed the stoats in his satchel, and the cats curled up in his coat. By the weekend it’s evident that Horace needs some time to relax. It’s not to be, for the animals are clearly taking advantage of his good nature. Having realised a wash is out of the question, he decides to return to his bed but …

Mr Norton’s increasing frustration with his ever growing menagerie builds to a response which surprises the man himself: “Enough is Enough!’ he shouts causing the animals to scamper away. Is this the response he longed for though? Not so, for he realises how very lonely an empty silence in one’s home can be.

When the next Monday comes around, Horace finds a surprise parcel at his front door; it’s a gift from the animals and one that results in a welcome solution to his solitude.

Young listeners will love Huw Lewis Jones’ zany cumulative tale with its wealth of alliteration, as well as lots of repetition to join in with. They’ll love too Corey Egbert’s scenes of the mischief-making animals and the growing mayhem they cause for their host. A smashing amalgam of words and pictures; it’s sure to be a story time winner.

Croaky: Caverns of the Gemosaurus

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Croaky: Caverns of the Gemosaurus
Matty Long
Oxford Children’s Books

Book three in Matty Long’s Croaky series starring as the introduction reminds us, Croaky Hopper (excitable, enthusiastic, full of energy and leaps before he looks) and fellow Wogglescouts, Winston leader of the 7th Patrol, and bright, willing badge collector Sheena, is every bit as funny as the first one.

In their latest expedition the three embark on a mission to locate the Gemosaurus, a creature reputed to live deep underground in the Crystal Caverns, supposedly seen by Winston’s Grandpa back in the day. Now with an article published calling him a fraud, when Croaky suggests an expedition to find the Gemosaurus, it’s all systems go. After all Winston possesses proof in the form of a special gemstone given to said Grandpa by the creature.

Full of gemstones is what the caves certainly are and Croaky takes one and puts it under his hat for safe keeping. There follow a fair few misinterpretations as they encounter carnivorous flora, sticky situations, a parting of company,

an unexpected taxi ride and have an awful lots of stairs to climb. Is it mission accomplished though?

To find out, you’ll need to read the book but rest assured, with mayhem aplenty, this is a sparkling adventure (pardon the pun) for newly confident readers, particularly fans of madcap tales.