Tag Nosy Crow

A Whale Of A Time

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A Whale Of A Time
sel. Lou Peacock, illustrated by Matt Hunt
Nosy Crow

Wow! What an enormous undertaking on Lou Peacock’s part, selecting a funny poem for every day of the year, including one for a leap year, was my immediate thought on receiving this book. My next, following almost immediately was, what an enormous amount of pleasure this carefully selected collection will give to children, families and classes.

There are twelve sections, one for each month. The spreads have between one and five poems and each spread is illustrated with panache by Matt Hunt in a way that draws together all the poems thereon. This makes it hard to resist reading each poem, if there’s more than one; why not say I.

Most of the poets – a diverse lot – whose work is included herein are familiar to this reviewer, though there’s a sprinkling of new names too and a fair few that are anonymous. I’d not before encountered Rolli; the first verse of The Moonless Night goes thus: ‘Oh, please, / Oh, please! / The moon’s not cheese. / It’s golden-crumbling / tummy-rumbling / crispy-flaking / hungry-making / butter-fluffy / oven-puffy / rich and tasty / PASTRY!’ What a lot of tasty kennings.
However, if your preference is for Jumblies, Jellicle Cats or Jamaican Summers, you’ll find those too.

There are nursery rhymes re-written including an anonymous version of Mary Had A Little Lamb: ‘Mary had a little lamb, / A lobster, and some prunes, / A glass of milk, a piece of pie, / And then some macaroons.’
There’s also this ‘Mary had a crocodile / That ate a child each day; / But interfering people came / And took her pet away.’

Everyday topics abound – there are socks, shoes,

sneezes, spinach as well as dogs, dinosaurs, the weather, and family members, to mention a few.

Whatever way you choose to read this book – preferably aloud with other people – you are guaranteed to find an abundance of fun. Every primary classroom needs a copy.

Animal Tales From India

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Animal Tales From India
Nikita Gill, illustrated by Chaaya Prabhat
Nosy Crow

The ten tales in this beautifully presented book are from the Panchatantra, an ancient collection of animal fables written in Sanskrit around 200BCE and now brought to life by Nikita Gill and Chaaya Prabhat. Nikita’s narrative style reflects the fact that she is also a poet and Chaaya’s vibrant illustrations of the various animals in their natural settings are truly captivating.

Among others you will meet lazy lions, a lapwing loth to listen to his wife’s advice, the result being an angry Sea and the washing away of the lapwings’ eggs.

There’s also a crocodile of the cunning kind, a talkative tortoise whose garrulousness results in him plunging headlong from a great height but fortunately landing on soft ground, and an egocentric elephant.

Yes the stories are ancient, but the messages they carry – many about friendship – are relevant to today’s children and Nikita’s warm, gently witty way of telling makes them easy to assimilate when read aloud.
A splendid addition to Nosy Crow’s Classic Series: I strongly recommend adding it to family bookshelves and primary classroom collections. These fables would also make good stories for sharing in assemblies.

The Deadlands: Trapped / Press Start: Super Rabbit Boy vs Super Rabbit Boss!

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The Deadlands: Trapped
Skye Melki-Wegner
Walker Books

In this the second of the series the last surviving dinosaurs continue to do battle for territory and a cabal of the carnivorous kind are aiming to provide a killing field of plant eaters on which to feed.
But with the predators drawing ever closer, Eleri and the other members of the Grotto herd decide to go on the attack. Out on a scouting exercise, Zyre is spotted and with their whereabouts now known to the enemy they need to find a hiding place. But what is the Feast of Flames that Zyre has heard the enemies speaking of?
As night turns to day it seems that the only choice for Eleri et al, so Zyre suggests, is to head towards the Salted Scorch, a secret path across the Deadland. Perilous, yes but they might be able to enlist some help and anyway they are out of options.
So, on they go, only to discover a general and her squad of raptors are hot on their trail, not safe at all but in the magma-heated tunnels of the Fire Peak, headquarters of the Carrion Kingdom. Surely not? But it is so and they’re trapped right at its heart.
Now, not only are they facing the likelihood of being captured and the horror of being consumed at any time, the exiles then come upon a captive herd of herbivores urgently requiring rescuing. Moreover the carnivores have a stash of weapons. This means that the continuing overarching carnivores vs herbivores war will henceforward be devastatingly different.
As things become ever more perilous, can Zyre and the others free the prisoners? It will need a ruthless plan but if successful it might just secure their release.

With nail-biting happenings coming thick and fast, this twisting, turning fantasy adventure will have readers on the edge of their seats right through to the end, an end that doesn’t mean the war is finally over.
For younger readers is

Press Start: Super Rabbit Boy vs Super Rabbit Boss!
Thomas Flintham
Nosy Crow

An addition to Thomas Flintham’s series based on video gaming, this fourth story begins with Super Rabbit Boy setting out on a rescue mission, destination Boom Boom Factory, home of his enemy King Viking. On arrival he enters a room he thinks is the King’s workshop and there he ignores a ‘Do Not Push Button’, warning sign. Big mistake! He finds himself in a back-to-front world where everyone good is now bad and everyone bad is now good including King Viking – confusing indeed.
How will Super Rabbit Boy extricate himself from all weirdness and find his way back to his proper world?

Great for building reading confidence, this is brimming over with brightly coloured comic style illustrations. It will appeal especially to young readers who are partial to video games.

Alice Eclair Spy Extraordinaire: A Sprinkling of Danger / Montgomery Bonbon: Death at the Lighthouse

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Alice Eclair Spy Extraordinaire: A Sprinkling of Danger
Sarah Todd Taylor
Nosy Crow


Gifted young baker and spy, Alice is back for a third adventure, set in and around the grand Palace of Versailles which is being used as a film set for a team of American movie makers.


Arriving at Claude’s flat, she learns that he thinks the film director, Glen Carmine, could be a spy and wants Alice to get herself onto the film set and discover what is going on. In addition she is to take on a new agent recruit, Pierre, whom she soon finds out, resents her ‘nannying’ as he calls it. He gets himself a role on the set as hairdresser to star, Catrine Bell, but thanks to her patisserie skills, Alice gets herself hired on set too, to the chagrin of Pierre, who appears to have his own agenda. She does though make an ally of Milton, nephew of the director.


The weather becomes increasingly worse and so too does Alice’s feeling that somebody is trying to get rid of her, perhaps even kill her. Then due to heavy snow, the cast, crew and staff are forced to stay overnight in the palace, giving Alice opportunities to snoop around for clues. In addition she is beginning to suspect that Pierre isn’t to be trusted.


As more alarming things happen to Alice, she starts to think that maybe she’s not up to this case; does she even want to continue being a spy? But then things happen to make her change her mind; she just has to get to the bottom of this, her hardest mission yet.


Sarah Taylor-Todd’s crafting of the setting for this tale is superb, as are the details of the splendid sweet treats that Alice herself crafts. Readers will find their mouths alternately watering over the descriptions of Alice’s confections, and going dry at the life-threatening events that happen to her.
Definitely as tasty as the previous books in the series, though also, I think, the most perilous.

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Montgomery Bonbon: Death at the Lighthouse
Alasdair Beckett-King, illustrated by Claire Powell
Walker Books

Ten year old Bonnie and Grandpa Banks head to Odde Island for a much needed holiday, but when you’re a private detective, it’s unlikely that a quiet rest without mystery, intrigue or murder is what will transpire even if you have deliberately left your sleuthing gear safely at home in your bedroom.
They’ve barely set foot in the place when they learn of the death of lighthouse keeper, Maude Cragge who had supposedly been blown by the storm and fallen from the top of the lighthouse.
Fortuitously, so it would seem, Grandpa just happens to have packed Bonnie’s yellow bag of equipment after all. It’s time to investigate. And it looks as though the two holiday hopefuls have a murder mystery to solve.


It’s not long before Bonnie decides it isn’t just the one mystery relating to this strange island that she needs to get to the bottom of.

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She can however call on the assistance of friend Dana, who is also staying on the island.


Wit and humour abound, there’s a plethora of puns, and at the same time, intrigue and high drama, and I love the Poirot speak. All this accompanied by Claire Powell’s delightful illustrations which help elucidate some of the clues. A terrific sequel with more to come.

A World of Dogs / Illuminoceans

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A World of Dogs
Carlie Sorosiak and Luis Uribe
Nosy Crow

Since being attacked by an Alsatian as a five year old in the park, I have suffered from cynophobia and so I thought it best to ask a relation, ten year old Leo, who is a dog lover and owner, to read this book, which is packed with fascinating facts, historical information and real-life stories, and tell me what he thought. He absolutely loved it and has read it several times.


“My favourite parts of the book are the section about different breeds of dogs – I never knew there were so many” … “and I really enjoyed the pages telling of dogs in the war. I especially liked finding out that they could win medals for military service.”

Beautifully presented and illustrated, this is an excellent book to include in a school topic on pets, as well as a great book to give to a dog lover.

Illuminoceans
Carnovsky and Barbara Taylor
Wide Eyed

Using art from the same design duo as previous titles such as Illuminature, author Barbara Taylor takes readers deep into the world’s oceans. In order, we visit the Arctic Ocean – the smallest, shallowest and coldest, followed by the Pacific Ocean with its Great Barrier Reef. The saltiest ocean, the Atlantic, the home to the largest number of different fish species, is the next stop, after which comes the Mediterranean Sea with its blue sparkling waters but large amount of pollution.

The Indian Ocean is the third largest and warmest ocean. Sadly its increasing warmth and low oxygen content mean that the growth of plankton – the beginning of most ocean food chains – is limited and of course this has a negative affect on the variety of other species that can thrive in its waters. Nevertheless it’s home to a wealth of rare species and humpback whales use the western part as a breeding area. (All this information is given on each ocean’s first spread via an introductory paragraph and a box containing statistics.) The Southern Ocean, surrounding Antarctica, the youngest and second smallest ocean, is the final ocean we visit.
The concluding sections explore the ocean depths, the shallow seas and takes a look at oceans in prehistoric times.

The other clever feature of the book is the way colour is used together with a three colour lens (found inside the from cover). Using the red lens, on the next (wordless) spread you see fishes native to the ocean, the green lens highlights the habitat, and the blue shows other ocean creatures. Following this, using only black and white, is a double spread for each ocean giving information about the fishes on the verso and on the recto, information about the other ocean creatures.

On the final page is a QR code, which when scanned, allows the reader to use a smart phone as a three-colour lens.
Engagingly written and cleverly crafted, this is yet another immersive look at the natural world,

Butterfly Skies / Fletcher and the Seasons

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Butterfly Skies
Lauren Fairgrieve and Kate Read
Nosy Crow

Readers can enjoy creating their own 3D butterflies – twenty in all – using the thick cardboard press-outs at the front of this book, which is published in collaboration with the National Trust.
The second section contains beautifully illustrated spreads of in turn, the Orange-tip, the Camberwell Beauty, the Clouded Yellow, the Comma with those wonderful patterns on the upper surface of its wings,. Then come the Swallowtail, the Peacock with its startling eyed wings, the Chalkhill Blue, (one of my favourite butterflies)

the Purple Emperor, the Pearl-bordered Fritillary and the Green Hairstreak. All these are European species, some being rarer than others, the Green Hairstreak, the UK’s only green butterfly, for instance.

The caterpillars of each species are also included in Kate Reid’s illustrations, as well as the flora – often the food plant – on which they are frequently found.

My only slight criticism of the art is the use of ‘googly eyes’ for the butterflies and caterpillars.
Give this to a child and you may well spark a life long interest in butterflies.

Fletcher and the Seasons
Julia Rawlinson and Tiphanie Beeke
Graffeg

As little fox Fletcher journeys through the four seasons accompanied by his friends, he enjoys what each one has to offer and what makes it different from the other seasons. Spring brings woods with blossom on the trees; summer is warm and a great opportunity to play in the sun; autumn is the time when the leaves come fluttering down from the trees and winter often brings snow and ‘cosy lights aglow’.

With Tiphanie Beeke’s softly glowing illustrations evoking each different time of year and featuring the characters from the Fletcher picture books, and a brief accompanying text, this board book offers a good opportunity to introduce them to younger children, as well as to talk about what they enjoy about each season.

I’m Going To Be a Princess

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I’m Going To Be a Princess
Stephanie Taylor and Jade Orlando
Nosy Crow

Maya and her Mum are walking home from school one day, the former clutching a drawing she’d done in class of a princess. “because I’m going to be a princess when I grow up1”, she announces.
Mum agrees that it’s a fun idea but encourages her daughter to think about other possibilities. She goes on to share information about some amazing Black women through history: a doctor perhaps like Alexa Canady, 

or an award-winning ballet dancer like Misty Copeland? Other suggestions are an athlete like Alice Coachman, 

a rocket scientist, like Annie Easley, and several others. Maya agrees that they all sound brilliant but remains firm that she is going to be a princess. 

However the girl has a surprise up her sleeve: her princess role model isn’t the usual fairy tale kind; instead she wants to be just like Princess Amina, a warrior princess who, five centuries ago, ruled the Zazzau Kingdom in West Africa, a fearless leader, totally devoted to her people for whom she worked tirelessly.

I love the clever flip of the narrative and the trashing of the prevailing princess stereotype. Stephanie Taylor uses a chatty style for her telling which works well and in tandem with Jade Orlando’s lively illustrations, make for an informative, empowering book that deserves to be in all KS1 classrooms.

Don’t Take a T-Rex Out For Tea / My Big Playbook / Polly Put the Kettle On

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Don’t Take a T-Rex Out For Tea
Harriet Evans and Michael Slack
Little Tiger

The five dinosaurs lurking between the covers of this large format board book practically leap off the pages as you turn them. In turn young children will delightedly encounter a stegosaurus – a decidedly bad sport that can’t bear to lose, a pterodactyl, not a creature to challenge for a race, then comes a diplodocus, an unsuitable dino. to try to hide in your bedroom on account of its colossal size, a triceratops that will put paid to any musical activities you might engage in, and finally be warned: T-Rex is always on the lookout for a tasty treat, so don’t even contemplate inviting one out for tea.
A rhyming text accompanies the prehistoric pop-outs depicted in Michael Stack’s splendidly silly scenes.

My Big Playbook
Ingela P Arrhenius
Nosy Crow

A large format board book, with a die-cut and felt flap to explore on every page. There’s a double spread devoted to numbers 1-5, with other pages of things that go, things you would see outside, shapes, weather-related words. things to find at home, colours, animal sounds and finally, bedtime, which includes a surprise hidden mirror.
Ingela P Arrhenius’ bright, enticing illustrations show either separate items each set against its own coloured background, or a whole scene.
Interactive fun learning for the very youngest to enjoy at home or in a nursery setting.

Polly Put the Kettle On
illustrated by Yu-hsuan Huang
Nosy Crow

The local cafe is the setting for this version of a favourite nursery rhyme, its customers being a variety of anthropomorphic animals and Polly is a panda. Once the tea has been duly served, it’s down to pooch, Sukey to remove it from the stove. Off go all the tea drinkers and cake consumers waved on their way by Polly.
One of the ‘Sing along with me!’ series that has a sliding mechanism to add to the enjoyment on every spread and a QR code on the back cover to scan, which enables you to listen to the song. With ever fewer young children starting nursery knowing any nursery rhymes, this is a good place to start.

Hubble Bubble Granny Trouble

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Hubble Bubble Granny Trouble
Tracy Corderoy and Joe Berger
Nosy Crow

If you’ve not yet read the stories narrated by a little girl whose Granny is a witch, then this book containing three stories is well worth investing in. Tracey’s magical tales told in a bouncy rhyming style accompanied by Joe Berger’s zany illustrations with their abundance of witchy details are a delight.

In the first – the title story – the girl narrator decides to try and reform her granny who is forever stirring up trouble, but having given her a make-over which includes a new hairdo and dressing her in a tweed suit and exchanging her weird assortment of pets for a cuddly pink rabbit, realises that all that she’s done is make Gran miserable. Time to allow her be herself again.

In Whizz Pop Granny Stop, the girl narrator is determined to have a normal ie magic-free birthday, starting with the birthday cake. Then come making a new dress and at the party, Granny paints everyone’s faces without using her ‘Helping Kit’. It’s a terrific party – but the mess?

Perhaps it’s now time to call upon the assistance of a supersonic broom, and finally, Granny has some very special magic to conclude the celebrations.

Spells-A-Popping Granny’s Shopping involves a trip to the supermarket but the narrator’s request, “No crazy stuff” is not what transpires. Instead out comes Granny’s wand and in no time there are biscuits dancing, popcorn a-popping, packets of soap pursuing underwear, runner beans racing around and that’s not all. Embarrassing indeed, but then a pair or robbers with a large sack appear. Time to make use of that wand, again Granny.

Huge fun from cover to cover and much too good to restrict to Halloween time.

Kevin the Vampire / Victoria Stitch Dark and Sparkling

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Kevin the Vampire
Matt Brown, illustrated by Flavia Sorrentino
Nosy Crow

Having enjoyed the proof I couldn’t wait to see the published book with all the wonderfully entertaining illustrations by Flavia.
Star of this fangciful story is ten year old Kevin Aurelius, not quite the same as other boys his age for he has fangs and being a vampire he’s immortal. Kevin belongs to a family of travelling performers and as the tale begins they are supposed to be en route to Monstros city for the Festival of Fear but instead have wound up in Lower Drudging in the middle of Nowhere. Batnav failure maybe? With them are an assortment of other eccentric monster characters.

Nowhere is human territory and none of Kevin’s family has seen a human. However, a suggestion is made to put on a performance in Lower Drudging – an impromptu one in the hope of earning some gold that will enable them to get back on track to their original destination.

Also in Lower Drudging, suddenly awoken from her slumbers is a young human, Susie Cabbage who lives with two unpleasant aunts. She is eager to know the cause of her rude awakening so out she goes to investigate. Inevitably Kevin and Susie meet and a friendship develops between them.

Meanwhile shock horror: – the mayor and his council members have noticed the sign put up about the performance to be held that very evening. This is horrifying because nothing fun has happened in Lower Drudging for seventy five years on account of the ‘You-Know-What’ that lives inside Cold Mountain. Is this something that Kevin and Susie can investigate and discover the truth about? It might just save the town …

With its wealth of wordplay, this is a really funny start to a new series with some serious underlying themes about acceptance, friendship and not judging others by their looks. Add to all that a number of monster fact cards strategically placed throughout and a final monster themed alphabet and the result is a cracker. Bring on book two.

Victoria Stitch Dark and Sparkling
Harriet Muncaster
Oxford Children’s Books

Heavily laced with gothic glamour, is this third in the series starring the unstoppable young Victoria Stitch recently made co-Queen of Wiskling Wood along with her twin sister Celestine. As the story opens there’s also news of a soon to be born new royal baby. Fast forward eleven months and Princess Minnie Stitch, next in line to the throne, bursts forth from her crystal and in the blink of an eye is making Victoria Stitch’s heart glow.

With Wiskmas approaching, Victoria Stitch takes a trip to Spellbrooke where she encounters a pair of Sapphire Society members who are clearly far from pleased to see her. She then learns that the group meets regularly and being Victoria Stitch, she just can’t stop herself using some invisibility dust and going to listen in on their next get together. What she hears makes her think a plot is afoot.

Shortly afterwards Princess Minnie disappears, followed fairly soon by news of a prison breakout. That means two of Victoria Stitch’s greatest enemies are at large again and it’s likely that the two events are connected. Moreover, their destination is the human world. The police tell her to remain in the safety of the palace but feeling as though she’s inflicted a terrible wound upon herself, Victoria Stitch certainly has no intention of so doing.

With her sister’s blessing, off she goes over the magic boundary wall on operation rescue Princess Minnie and recover the stolen Book of Wiskling. The following morning she and her human friend, Naomi, set out, destination Pinks Rock. Can she pull off a very difficult task, or even two?

Another absolute delight despite the setbacks; Victoria’s character continues to develop interestingly the more challenges she faces and as always, the book explodes with magical images.
I know a lot of children will be jumping for joy at the chance to read this.

The After School Crime Club / Sticky Pines: The Wrath of the Blob

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The After School Crime Club
Hayley Webster
Nosy Crow

Willow is a loner, she’s grieving for her beloved Nanna. Now she’s starting to feel a sense of isolation for no-one can fill the void left by Nanna who was a huge fan of 50s musical films especially Singing in the Rain, which is mentioned frequently throughout the story.

Then she joins an after school study group, at the local bookshop, The Book Box, and there all the other students are way more confident than she is; some are members of her year 6 class although they’ve never conversed. One is Tay Welding who intrigues Willow: she appears to be the school ‘bad girl’ but her nonchalant, I don’t care attitude rather appeals to Willow. She now begins to reflect on her social isolation and starts to feel she might just want to feel accepted and to fit in somewhere.

When some of the study group members take advantage of Willow, daring her to do things she knows in her heart are wrong, to gain membership of their club, she does so. However she keeps hearing Nanna’s voice questioning the choices she’s making and she feels increasingly conflicted.

Can she work out who her true self actually is? In so doing perhaps she can help her Mum process her own grief too.

Hayley Webster writes about the need for acceptance with sensitivity, honesty and empathy. I’ve not read any of her previous books but will certainly seek them out. This one is pitch perfect for older KS2 readers.

Sticky Pines: The Wrath of the Blob
Dashe Roberts
Future Human

This is the concluding story in the epic, action-packed, sci-fi adventure series: it’s at once wonderfully weird, funny and full of mystery, danger and risks.

Lucy Sladan races against time in an endeavour to save the world from total obliteration. Her friends, the Nagalons, are fighting to survive having been captured by Milo’s despotic father, largely because he considers them different and thus a potential threat, while Milo himself has been trapped in a huge impenetrable blob, which has been exposed following the draining of Black Hole Lake. Lucy though is an enormously brave, tenacious character who doesn’t stray from the path she believes to be the right one; she has some difficult decisions to make along the way and faces huge danger. As her friendship with Milo develops, the boy too has difficult decisions to make, for he’s conflicted between his father’s expectations of him and the feelings he has for Lucy

You will be on the edge of your seat from beginning to end of this thrilling series finale. You’ll find yourself thinking hard about some of the issues raised – particularly difference and acceptance, understanding and showing empathy – long after you’ve closed the book, but that’s what cracking writing like this should do to its readers.

Mrs Owl’s Forest School: The Very Big Den / Getting Ready for Autumn

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Mrs Owl’s Forest School: The Very Big Den
illustrated by Seb Braun, written by Ruth Symons
Templar Books

You never know what you will find, if you go down to the woods today, perhaps a forest school in progress.
Herein we join Mouse, Squirrel, Fox and Rabbit in a woodland setting beneath the trees where Mrs Owl holds her forest school. During the process of den building the animals use all their senses to learn about wildlife, both flora and fauna of the surrounding environment, as well as learning an important lesson about friendship and inclusivity. In addition they gain some useful skills such as how to tie knots and how to build a bug hotel. 

Written in consultation with Lizzie Noble, a forest childcare provider with a wealth of experience in running creative, play-based forest school sessions for families, this is a book that may well inspire youngsters to get out into the wild, wonderful world of nature. Seb Braun’s inviting, detailed, richly hued scenes help underscore some of the instructions woven into the narrative and should encourage young children to find and explore their local woodland places and perhaps try their hand at den-building. In my experience, children need little encouragement when it comes to the building of dens.

Getting Ready for Autumn
Kathryn Selbert
Nosy Crow

This seasonal sticker storybook is published in collaboration with the National Trust. Herein readers join a family and friends as they enjoy a range of early autumnal activities. Mum, Dad and two children walk in the woods where the trees now have their rich golden, orange foliage, and they keep their eyes open for woodland creatures such as deer, squirrels and birds. They also spend a fun afternoon apple picking in preparation for some baking and take advantage of windy days to fly kites. 

With the new term about to begin there are the inevitable getting ready activities as the siblings are starting school. On their first day, Grandma comes to meet them and they visit the park to hunt for conkers. As the chillier days arrive, it’s time to put up some bird feeders and with the approach of Halloween, some ripe pumpkins are ready and waiting to be picked. The book concludes with some Halloween activities.

After the narrative come two ‘can you spot’ pages that will send children back to each spread to find the items shown; there are also several pages containing 120+ stickers to add to the relevant spreads.
A useful, book to have to hand as summer ends, especially on a rainy day.

Too Small Tola Makes It Count / Mermaid Academy: Cora and Sparkle

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Too Small Tola Makes It Count
Atinuke, illustrated by Onyinye Iwu
Walker Books

This is the fourth book in the enchanting series set in Nigeria featuring Tola who lives in a small flat in Lagos, Nigeria, with her older brother, Dapo, and sister, Moji and Grandmummy, the boss. Lockdown is now over and the four are back together and feeling very happy so to be. In the first story, Tola Finds a Solution, Tola’s friend, Mrs Shaky Shaky, who likes to come down and sit on the outside steps and chat to passers by, is having difficulty with the stairs. Tola too is having some difficulty at school because nobody believes that she knows and worked for the most famous Afrobeat musicians in Nigeria. Tola is great at solving maths problems but loneliness is much more tricky. Can she find a way to help Mrs Shaky-Shaky, and perhaps herself too? Tola certainly isn’t one to give up easily

In Tola Counts the Uncountable Grandmummy announces that they are going to take a holiday, something Tola and her siblings have never done before: they’re off to the beach! In the end only Grandmummy and Tola go. Tola is shocked at the amount of rubbish all over the beach, covering a lot of the sand and she realises that she’s found something impossible to count – the grains of sand. Later on she finds two more uncountable things: one is the waves; what could the other be do you think.

In Too Small Tola is a Rock Star, Tola is looking after baby Jide for Mr and Mrs Abdul. Suddenly she realises that he’s crawled off. Where can he be? Can Tola find him?

Readers and listeners will be charmed by these tales, which as always, celebrate family, community and love, as well as trying to find answers to sometimes tricky concerns. Onyinye Iwu’s illustrations are full of warmth and gentle humour adding to the delights of Atinuke’s text.

Mermaid Academy: Cora and Sparkle
Julie Sykes and Linda Chapman, illustrated by Lucy Truman
Nosy Crow

In this second tale set in and around Mermaid Academy the focus is the under-confident Cora and her dolphin partner, Sparkle. Cora has now been at the academy several weeks and still misses spending most of her time close to her twin, Issy. However, she is excited to hear the news that instead of normal lessons on Fridays, the students would participate in ‘enrichment activities’ or clubs. The club of Cora’s choice is music club, despite what her friends select but then she changes her mind and opts for what her sister has chosen. The day doesn’t go well until much later when she’s back with Sparkle and discovers her magic – it’s whirlwave magic, so Sparkle tells her and reluctantly agrees to Cora keeping this to herself until Issy has found out what her magic is. That means that any practice at creating whirlwaves must be covert.

Meanwhile her friends are excited about the repairs they’d been able to carry out on the damaged Glass Ocean reef but anxious to discover who or what is causing the destructive damage. To this end they all pay a visit to the Sea Sphinx,

the result being the possibility of a clandestine night-time adventure. Soon both Cora and Sparkle are heading towards the diminishing reef to find her friends and hopefully, the coral-crunching culprits. Great danger awaits but can the friends finally solve the mystery? And will Cora eventually decide to be true to herself in choices she makes?

Sparkling fun: younger readers will enjoy diving into the world of Cora and her fellow mermaids made even more magical with Lucy Truman’s drawings.

The Dog Squad: The Newshound / Peanut, Butter & Crackers: River Rescue

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The Dog Squad: The Newshound
Clara Vulliamy
Harper Collins Children’s Books

Eva has always wanted to be a journalist, so when she finds a stray dog almost outside her home, she could have found her first real case. Can she, along with her best friends, Ash and Simone, at the Newshound local newspaper, find the real owner of Wafer, as she names the whippet on account of his thinness. This is necessary because Eva’s mum insists that the dog can only stay with them in their rented flat for one night, partly because their landlord has a strictly no pets policy.

However the search the friends undertake leads to a series of dead ends during which Eva becomes more and more convinced she doesn’t really want to solve the mystery of Wafer’s owner anyway.

This first of Clara’s new series for younger KS2 readers introduces some charming characters: Eva, the star reporter, is compassionate, determined and sticks to her principles. Then there’s Simone who is artistic, and ‘brainy’ Ash who happens to be non-binary.

Can Eva overcome the obstacles she faces, including the landlord and his no pets rule,

and perhaps even get to keep Wafer?

The story includes several issues which are important for children to understand: the responsibilities involved in having a pet being the main one, but also touched on is puppy farming and the treatment of unwanted pets, as well as the aforementioned gender alignment. With plentiful black and white illustrations by the author to captivate and motivate less confident solo readers, this will warm the hearts of youngsters, whether or not they are dog lovers like Eva. Who knows it might even encourage some children to become animal rights activists .

Peanut, Butter & Crackers: River Rescue
Paige Braddock
Nosy Crow

The second of the funny graphic novel series for pooch and cat lovers sees the friends off in their human’s camper van to spend some time in the great outdoors.

When the decidedly indoor moggy, Butter, discovers that said human has not brought a litter tray, he decides to go and search the forest for one. Otherwise, how will he go to the loo. Having clawed an exit hole through the mesh, off he sets accompanied by Peanut the puppy, on a litter tray exploration. However they get lost and then things rapidly deteriorate when Butter hears the sound of running water and misunderstands what this means. What it does mean is that the two friends suddenly find themselves in a river, clinging to a lump of log for dear life.

Meanwhile Crackers has discovered the two are missing and is searching for them. Can he locate and rescue them? Perhaps, with some assistance from a precision-obsessed beaver.

Full of heart, very amusing and just right for new solo readers, particularly those who are keen on visual storytelling. Bonus pages give guidance on how to draw the three characters, a peep behind the scenes and a sneak peep at the next book in the series.

Peekaboo Car / My First ABC

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Both books are Nosy Crow publications – thanks to the publisher for sending them for review

Peekaboo Car
Camilla Reid and Ingela P Arrhenius

Even before opening this, toddlers will likely be captivated by the opportunity to manipulate the car’s headlights on the cover illustration. Going through the book presents them with an oilcan, a drill, a line of cars, a lorry, traffic signs, a petrol pump and other items that can also perform surprise actions when the sliders are used. Then on the final spread , there’s a mirror waiting to be revealed for a ‘Peekaboo … you!’
Offering lots of occasions to develop their fine manipulative skills, little ones meet vehicles, passengers, tools and drivers in this fun game of peekaboo presented through Camilla Reid’s simple rhyming text and Ingela P Arrhenius’s bright, patterned illustrations.

My First ABC
Edward Underwood

This is the latest of the excellent large format 100 First Words series. There are two letters on every one of the thick card pages, on which are various size boxes within each of which is an appealing image and a single word label in a clear, unadorned font. Toddlers will delight in engaging in a ‘point and name’ game with an adult or older child and in so doing will likely learn some new words, as well as seeing familiar ones in print.

Equally, they will enjoy guessing and then looking to see what’s hidden beneath the flaps on every spread – another feature that both publisher and illustrator know appeals strongly to very young children. In this book the hidden object begins with the same letter as that depicted on the flap.

Hours of fun learning potential in this well-designed, attractively illustrated book.

Shifty McGifty and Slippery Sam: Train Trouble

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Shifty McGifty and Slippery Sam: Train Trouble
Tracey Corderoy and Steven Lenton
Nosy Crow

It’s almost impossible to believe that this is the tenth anniversary of the robbers turned bakers/cum mystery solvers, Shifty and Sam. Now the delightful dogs are off to bake on the deluxe train, The Pawrient Express, destination Venice for Carnival Night.

Little do the duo know but their old adversary, Kitty Claw, is also aboard the train ,masquerading as a porter. However just as the pooches have served supper – of their very highest quality of course –

out go the lights and there comes a cry, “I think we’ve been robbed!”. That’s when they realise the identity of the thief.

The chase is on; but manipulating a gondola through the carnival crowded canals is difficult as they pursue Kitty on water, and then on paws through the city square

and even through the air. But can the dogs retrieve the stolen gems and will they be able to apprehend the criminal?

Tracey’s rhyming text bounces along in the jaunty fashion one has come to expect of this smashing series and Steven’s illustrations are as delicious and zesty as ever, whether or not they include any actual confectionery items.

An action-packed read aloud that fans will relish, and if you’ve yet to savour their canine capers, you are sure to be wanting more.

Nabil Steals a Penguin

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Nabil Steals a Penguin
Nishani Reed and Junissa Bianda
Nosy Crow

On the last day of a holiday in France with his parents, Nabil is at the zoo watching the penguins when one of them addresses the boy introducing itself as Pierre. The penguin goes on to complain about his dull diet – fish, fish and more fish, saying he’d love to sample something more exciting. Obligingly, Nabil offers to share his lunch with Pierre and before you can say ‘spicy’ the penguin has scoffed the lot.

As the family are departing, Pierre bids farewell to his fellow penguins and dives into Nabil’s backpack and eventually, after a somewhat worrying journey for Nabil, the family plus penguin reach home. Very soon Nabil’s sister suspects something strange is going on: how on earth is the boy going to conceal his increasingly lively guest from his parents?

The answer is, he can’t. Into the bathroom comes Mum;

what will her reaction be? Young readers and listeners may well be surprised at what happens thereafter. I’m sure they’ll approve however.

Deliciously daft, this tasty offering is author Nishani Reed’s debut picture book. Junissa Bianda’s wonderfully expressive illustrations capture Nabil’s consternation at the antics of the lively stowaway and the delight of the entire family in the final few spreads.

Vegetable biryani anybody?

The Quickest Bedtime Story Ever!

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The Quickest Bedtime Story Ever!
Louise Fitzgerald and Kate Hindley
Nosy Crow

Most young children will go to extreme lengths to delay getting into bed and this behaviour is what debut author, Louise Fitzgerald, plays on in her story.
According to our narrator, the story contains just ten words: well that’s as maybe, but there’s a whole rigmarole to go through beforehand. First, we – the listeners and the four little animal characters herein – need to promise to go to sleep at the end of the book. Then, in fairness, the grown-up reader aloud must promise to use their best reading voice and of course that will only be possible if said voice has done a whole-hearted warm-up. Comfort is crucial for all parties involved, so pillows must be plumped up,

a check kept so no pages are skipped (as if!). It’s vital too, for all the toys to be tucked in (they love a bedtime story and you can devise a way of doing this) – check they’re all present as the odd one could still be lurking unnoticed. Oops! almost neglected a bit of a razzmatazz,

but that over – hurrah! We can begin – we’re on the way … zzzzzzz.

This hugely funny take on the bedtime formalities will surely strike a chord with vast numbers of humans, young and adult but it’s difficult to know which category will like it more. I really, really, really wish I’d had this book yesterday when I was putting a very reluctant three year old relation to bed; a procrastinator of the first order, she could give Louise Fitzgerald more than a few additional ideas. I know young Faith and countless other preschoolers will love exploring the plethora of funny details in some of Kate Hindley’s spreads and joining in with the actions depicted on many others (more opportunities for delaying tactics).
I suspect sharing this story will become part of the bedtime routine in many a household.

Princess Minna: The Best Princess / Dragon Storm: Skye and Soulsinger

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Both these books are additions to Nosy Crow series that are hugely popular with fantasy loving newly independent readers: thanks to the publisher for sending them for review

Princess Minna: The Best Princess
Kirsty Applebaum, illustrated by Sahar Haghgoo

For those not familiar with Princess Minna, she lives in Castle Tall-Towers with the King and Queen, wizard Raymond and Lorenzo, the princess’s best dragon friend. Princess Minna loves to sort things out when something isn’t right in the kingdom and she also loves to hear her magic mirror say that she is the best princess of all.

One day though, when she asks the mirror her usual question, she is first puzzled and then very upset at its response: “Well, at the moment, Princess Sky-Blue is the best princess in all the kingdom.” Said princess is apparently on holiday in Princess Minna’s kingdom. Time for the resident princess to put her sorting out skills to use and get rid of this visitor.

Little does Princess Minna know however, that the rival princess also has a number of special skills for sorting things out and she is able to counter each of the brilliant ideas Princess Minna tries with one of her own. It’s only when a unicorn emergency suddenly hits the town that Princess Minna realises that she must reveal what she’s being trying to keep hidden from Princess Sky-Blue.

Will she be happy with what happens thereafter? Let’s just say that those doves are once more swooping around Castle Two-Towers, which once again has that delightful aroma of tutti-frutti ice cream.

These stories are deservedly popular with young first-chapter book readers and her latest adventure will win Princess Minna many more fans as well as pleasing her established followers.

Dragon Storm: Skye and Soulsinger
Alastair Chisholm, illustrated by Eric Deschamps

When Princess Skye returns to Riven, she discovers changes are afoot in the city. Quickly she learns that the kingdom of Draconis is under attack from two previously friendly kingdoms and the king himself has been hurt by dragons. As a result citizens of Draconis are preparing to go to war with the Dragonseer Guild. Skye though, is against the war and knows there is no threat from the Guild. So, when her brother is at a meeting, she creeps into Prince Harald’s room, locates the Dragon’s Eye and asks a question of it.

However, she is discovered in the act by her returning brother and has to postpone her anti-war plan until later. This she then sets in motion with the help of her friend and maid, Moira, eventually finding herself face to face with Mira.

Before long Skye meets Lady Bernie and is told that she’s a dragonseer whose dragon is Firedreamer, about which the princess has serious doubts, doubts which are later justified. Eventually with the danger of dragons disappearing for ever, thanks largely to her brother’s reckless warmongering deeds, Skye brings about a transformatory action and there before her is Soulsinger, her dragon.

How this story ends, I won’t divulge, but with Alastair Chisholm’s exciting storytelling and Eric Deschamp’s splendid illustrations, it will surely satisfy readers.

Peanut, Butter & Crackers: Puppy Problems

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Peanut, Butter & Crackers: Puppy Problems
Paige Braddock
Nosy Crow

Butter (a cat) and Crackers (a dog) are rescue animals living a life of harmony – more or less – until their human brings home a large box containing not snacks aplenty as they’d hoped, but Peanut, a puppy. Said puppy pees in such inappropriate places as beside Crackers’ water bowl – not the thing to do to a sensitive, considerate home loving dog – especially when the pup then proceeds to drink from the bowl and gobble up Crackers’ favourite crunchy food. If that’s not bad enough, young Peanut keeps both Crackers and Butter up at night and then has the audacity to demolish half of Crackers’ breakfast before the dog has surfaced after a decidedly delayed sleep. The little mischief then upends the rubbish bin leaving the contents strewn across the floor.

My favourite part was Butter introducing the toilet as a jacuzzi and demonstrating how it works; we end up with loo paper strewn across the bathroom floor and wrapped around instigator of the incident. 

This is followed by chewed trainers, a chomped cushion and dare I say, shredded books.

Back comes the human: now surely such has been the puppy’s behaviour it will mean farewell to him but all that happens is a finger wagging, not even a raised voice. Something must be done and done it is, accidentally on purpose by Butter, at night and it results in the Peanut being alone and lost in the dark. 

This could be the time when, for the two long-time residents, compassion kicks in. Can the three find a way to co-exist so all ends happily in this first book in a series of highly humorous graphic novels?

Paige Braddock’s action-packed illustrations together with the affable banter between Butter and Crackers make for an ideal comic book style starter that younger readers will love, be they or be they not, pet lovers. (An author’s note explains that Peanut, Butter, and Crackers are based on her real life pets; she also provides introductory character information and a pictorial map of the setting.)

What Can You See? At the Zoo / Word Museum / Where’s Mr Train?

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What Can You See? At the Zoo
Katie Ware and Maria Pereira
Little Tiger

Maria Pereira’s cutaway scenes of a zoo park present an absolute wealth of animals, large and small. Reptiles and insects share the first spread, along with several frogs. Turn over to see lots of brightly coloured birds and a pair of slumbering owls; then it’s off to a more arid part of the park where meerkats await. On the last three spreads there are tigers and monkeys; a watery area with penguins, seals and sharks and finally, hippos keeping cool, rhinos, elephants, zebras and giraffes – two of each creature as well as a couple of wading water birds.
At each location there’s a ‘can you spot … ?’ question and some snippets of information. Plenty to engage little human visitors to this particular zoo.

Word Museum
Sophie Ledesma and Isabel Otter
Little Tiger

Along with Oriel ostrich and her students, little human learners can explore the word museum in this interactive book that introduces them to learning topics – museums and words. The tour starts in the ancient pottery arcade, proceeds to the animal gallery and thence, the furniture hall, after which it’s time for a quick snack break at the rooftop cafe. Next comes an exploration of gadget corridor with lots of different devices on view and the tour concludes outside in the fashion courtyard.
Sophie Ledesma’s lively, patterned illustrations and Isabel Otter’s engaging text will set young children on the road to becoming culture vultures as they explore the exhibits, peek through die-cuts, lift the gatefold on each spread and answer the questions posed, while learning lots of new words along the way. Fun learning, quality board book style that’s just right to share with toddlers

Where’s Mr Train?
Ingela P Arrhenius
Nosy Crow

The latest in this felt-flap hide-and-seek series introduces toddlers to four different means of travelling: a tram, a ferry boat, a bus and a train. Each except the completely hidden bus has a small part slightly visible before the flap is opened and the final spread shows all four in their entirety and there’s a mirror behind the flap.
With simple bright illustrations and a simple question and answer text, this is ideal for the very youngest children.

The Horse who Came Home / The Lost Bear Cub

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The Horse who Came Home
Olivia Tuffin
Nosy Crow

Hannah and her elder sister, Millie live at Heartwood, a pony farm and stables. Their dad, an ex-showjumping champion, trains and sells on only the most exclusive ponies; though in reality this means he leaves much of the day to day business to a young man, Ashley, who Hannah increasingly distrusts, despite him being the son of the highly trustworthy old Johno.

Already we see that this is no run-of-the mill pony book merely about winning rosettes and cups at gymkhanas and championships – although that is part and parcel of the story. So too is the fact that film makers, Horsetalk, want to make a six-part documentary about Heartwood.

Then Hannah rescues a dirty, thin pony, Bella, which seems to recognise their stableyard and she suspects her father recognises the pony although he denies it. However nobody appears to want to help care for the pony so Hannah decides to do so herself. She’s supported in her endeavour by her pal, ace photographer, Freddie and riding friend, Gaby.

Unlike pony books back in the day when the young me loved reading them, the internet, mobiles and social media play an important part in this one. There’s a fair bit of wheeling and dealing as Hannah discovers the further she digs into Bella’s history and she realises that Heartwood stables is not the perfect place she had always believed it to be. Can she unscramble what is going on and if so, where will her loyalties lie – with her family or with the horses she loves?

A gripping read, that includes a rescue, some heart-breaking revelations for Hannah and Millie, and an optimistic ending for the sisters.

The Lost Bear Cub
Holly Webb, illustrated by David Dean
Little Tiger

Lucy is thrilled to be spending her summer holiday in Canada, staying with cousins and her Uncle Pete and Auntie Cass. She’s fearful though, at the possibility of encountering bears, cougars, coyotes and eagles on their first hike and even more so when she goes camping with her relations, but without her parents.

Wandering along the waterside alone at the campsite looking for pebbles, Lucy suddenly has the feeling that she’s being watched. There just a few metres away, she sees a small black bear and thinks it’s most likely a cub that’s got separated from its mother.

That same evening after a pretty wet end to their camping expedition, Lucy looks through an upstairs window of her cousin’s house and there she spies a bear trying to drink from the water feature in the grounds – a small bear that looks familiar. Now it’s definitely the bear she feels frightened for, not herself. The trouble is, nobody else believes her.

The following day, after an exchange of feelings between Lucy and her cousin Kitty, the girls have a narrow escape from a cougar after which the girls see a very angry adult black bear that starts taking swipes at the big cat. Some very scary moments follow but there’s not just one, but two happy reunions, one human and one ursine.

With several nail-biting episodes, some of which are shown in David Dean’s black and white illustrations, Holly Webb’s latest story offers something rather different from her cat and dog books. Confident new solo readers will enjoy Lucy’s adventures on the wild side..

Never Ever Ever Ask a Pirate To A Party

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Never Ever Ever Ask a Pirate To A Party
Clare Helen Welsh and Anne-Kathrin Behl
Nosy Crow

When is a party not a party? Find out in this zany book.

The child narrator of the story is planning the perfect party and as readers are being told what they need to know about how so to do, there’s a knock at the door. In bursts a sword wielding pirate accompanied by Polly parrot, ace stealer of presents. 

Said pirate is closely followed by a huge scary dragon, a unicorn with a hatred of ‘mess’ and a resulting need for the perfect bath, 

and a spaceship full of little aliens. Our narrator says the only option is to send the whole lot packing; but is a quiet party with not a single guest to share in the delights of cake, or to give a present, what a party giver really wants?

Perhaps there’s a much more enjoyable alternative where all those aforementioned party-wrecking guests are on their very best behaviour.

Ah-ha! It seems as though the aim – a perfect party – is getting under way at last. 

Or possibly not …

Anne Kathrin-Behl’s lively illustrations of the ensuing chaos caused by the unruly behaviour of the various guests, combined with Clare Helen Welsh’s text with its ‘never, ever, ever ask’ refrain, lots of knock knocks to join in with and a surprise ending, make a lively read aloud that makes clear the pleasures of sharing fun times with your friends.

Special Delivery / Good Night Little Bookshop

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Special Delivery
Polly Faber and Klas Fahlen
Nosy Crow

Children who love reading and books will be fascinated by the story of a book – a book just like this one – that goes on a journey.

It starts with Jay counting down the sleeps to his birthday and on the opposite page we see people on their way into a factory in a distant land, the factory being where copies of the book are being printed, cut, pressed and packed

ready to go in a container lorry to the docks and onto a massive freight ship to continue its journey.
Having sailed across the sea, the book travels by train to a warehouse before being loaded into a delivery van and taken to a book shop., Pip’s Bookshop.

Along cycles Jay’s Gran who goes in, buys a copy of Special Delivery and goes to the post office. Then follows further travelling for the book – to the sorting office where it’s placed in a sack, collected by a postie named Molly (many of the workers involved in this whole journey are named) and finally delivered to Jay.

He loves his present. Being a thoughtful boy, he makes a thank you card for his Gran – his ‘special delivery’ is by hand.

As well as a subtle look at international trade and those who make it happen, this book with illustrations of all kinds of machines and workers involved in the processes, will be a good introduction to interconnectedness of both objects and people. For those who want to know more, there are three pages of ‘Special Delivery Numbers’.

Polly Faber provides just sufficient information in her text and Klas Fahlen’s bright digital illustrations provide further details in visual form. An interesting, thought-provoking book that can be shared in KS1/ lower KS2 classrooms that covers several areas of the curriculum.

Good Night Little Bookshop
Amy Cherrix and E.B. Goodale
Walker Books

The special author event is over and it’s almost time for Little Bookshop on Little Street to close for the evening. First though there’s a goodnight ritual to perform. We see a little girl reaching for a picture book from those displayed on the shelves; a woman leaves to the accompaniment of of the door bell’s ‘Ding, ding, ding’, followed by a goodnight to the till with its ‘Ring, ring, ka-ching!’ And so it continues with goodnights to friends who’ve come from afar,

to familiar pooches and their owners, to forgotten glasses and hat, to the bookshop cat and the boxes of new books waiting to be shelved for the following day. Each of these and more are bid goodnight as well as discovering something of the work of bookshop owners and booksellers.

We see it all in E.B. Gooddale’s detailed illustrations that accompany Amy Cherrix’s gentle poetic words, which, in addition to being an ode to this particular independent bookshop, mentions little bookshops everywhere and concludes with a wish to “dream  big, dear readers, wherever you are.”

A lovely bedtime rhyme with a difference that had a special appeal for this adult reviewer who is a fan of indie bookshops and has worked in a couple too.

Pip and Posy In the Garden / Pip and Posy At the Seaside

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Pip and Posy In the Garden
Pip and Posy At the Seaside
Axel Scheffler
Nosy Crow

Best friends Pip (rabbit) and Posy (mouse) takes turns to play hide-and-seek. In the Garden has Pip doing the hiding and Posy searching in various places, first the shed, then up the tree, behind the space hopper and in the vegetable patch. None of these are her friend’s hiding place, although a variety of smaller creatures are revealed when he brightly coloured flaps are opened. But who does that pair of ears poking up above the top of the bush belong to?

On and around the beach provide possible places for Posy to hide herself At the Seaside. Maybe she went behind the lighthouse. No! Perhaps under the umbrella – err sorry, mind the pincers though Pip. Nor is Posy making a purchase at the ice-cream shop. Could that ice-cream Pip is enjoying help him discover her whereabouts and you never know she might have been joined by another of their pals.

The simple repeat pattern text, Axel Scheffler’s delightfully detailed pictures of the friends at play and the hidden surprise endings work perfectly with little humans who will enjoy participating in the fun of the two searches.

Wigglesbottom Primary: The Sports Day Chicken / The Princess in Black and the Prince in Pink

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Wigglesbottom Primary: The Sports Day Chicken 
Becka Moor and Pamela Butchart
Nosy Crow

Herein are three more splendidly daft episodes in the life of a certain class at Wigglesbottom Primary whose mildly anarchic behaviour fueled by their wild imaginations, frequently has repercussions far outside the classroom as well as inside.

In the first story, the school chicken is absolutely determined to be a participant in the school sports events, first inside its pen and then, after the egg and spoon race – but don’t ask how – in the BIG RUNNING RACE actually on the grass. I wonder who wins the trophy in that one.

The second episode, The Ant Queen begins when the headteacher gives the class an ‘Educational Surprise’ in the form of an ant farm. 

What rapidly ensues is an escape, a frantic search for the escapees and a case of misidentification of the ant queen.

Finally we have another puzzler, The Green Slime Mystery, which begins in the school canteen, quickly becomes a toxic shock inducer for Joel Jack, and results in one or two rather green faces, not all on the pupils.

Giggles galore assured thanks to Pamela’s hilarious storytelling and Becka’s equally hilarious illustrating, this time using liberal amounts of day-glo green.

The Princess in Black and the Prince in Pink
Shannon & Dean Hale, illustrated by LeUyen Pham
Walker Books

In this tenth book in the popular series, Princess Magnolia (aka the Princess in Black) and her royal friends are celebrating the annual Flower Festival, the season’s biggest event. Princess Snapdragon has asked Princess Magnolia to take charge of the Festival Ball to be held in the evening and it’s a pretty big responsibility. As she starts unpacking the decorations there comes a scream and an angry emu stomps through the festival wrecking everything in sight, 

including Princess Magnolia’s boxes of decorations most notably the one containing her special secret surprise. 

Along comes a knight in shining armour and sees off the bird. Now Princess Magnolia, is not used to being rescued and the knight, Prince Valerian, is not keen to stay around and leaves. However he returns later eager to try out his special skills and for this he becomes the Prince in Pink. Then together he and Princess Magnolia create something beautiful from the shattered special secret decoration.

Meanwhile Emu, who loves to dance as much as to kick out, recruits her feathered friends, the Ostrich Twins and the Flightless Bird herd sally forth to crash the ball, arriving with the dancing in full swing. Is there any way that everyone can be accommodated happily without wrecking the dancing? One thing is certain, this will definitely be a party to remember.

Full of action, gentle humour, kindness and teamwork and with a new multi-talented superhero who sometimes likes to wear pink, as ever the Hale’s latest story gently subverts gender norms and with LeUyen Pham’s energetic and expressive illustrations, will please established fans of the series and surely win plenty more followers among new solo readers too.

Everything You Know About Sharks Is Wrong

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Everything You Know About Sharks Is Wrong
Dr Nick Crumpton, illustrated by Gavin Scott
Nosy Crow

Having set the record straight about dinosaurs and minibeasts, Dr Nick Crumpton has (along with illustrator Gavin Scott) turned his attention to the oceans and in particular, sharks. Writing in an entertaining style he discredits many of the shark-related myths that have grown up over time and it’s likely they have the worst reputation of all living creatures. Remember those dogfish you studied in zoology at school back in the day? They are related to sharks, both being elasmobranchs.(cartilaginous fish).

Assuredly sharks are predatory creatures but do they kill lots of people? Worldwide sharks killed 11 people in 2021 but cows killed 22 people and that was just in the USA and snakes were responsible for the deaths of 50,000 people worldwide: the numbers speak for themselves. On the other hand, we read, humans kill 100 million sharks and rays each year and sharks are unable to replace those lost quickly enough, so actually a number of species are at risk.

What about those fearsome-looking sharp pointy teeth all sharks have. No they don’t, at least not all of them: different sharks have different sorts of teeth, which help them eat a wide range of food by piercing, slicing or crushing their prey. Did you know that all sharks’ skin is made from millions of tiny teeth and whale sharks even have teeth on their eyes. Moreover, these ‘dermal denticles’ each have elements – dentine, a pulp cavity containing blood and nerves and an enamel covering – similar to our own teeth. Knowledge about how these v-shaped denticles work has led scientists and technologists to develop swimsuits that enable swimmers who wear them to move faster through the water.

Amazingly the prey of Cookie Cutter Sharks are much larger than their predators; these sharks don’t hunt, rather they lure their fleshy prey to them. There’s a whole spread on how various sharks hunt: filter feeding whale sharks don’t bite, instead they open their mouths and swim straight into clouds of microscopic planktonic organisms. On the other hand, some of the smaller sharks might end up as food for other, much larger sharks, and recently there have been reports of orca whales eating sharks.

An absolute wealth of fascinating information is packed into the pages of this book and Gavin Scott has done a terrific job with the illustrations. The mystery, power and beauty of these amazing creatures and the underwater world they inhabit are spectacularly portrayed in his scientifically accurate paintings.

Primary readers (and beyond) with an interest in biology will find this absorbing.

The Goat and the Stoat and the Boat

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The Goat and the Stoat and the Boat
Em Lynas and Matt Hunt
Nosy Crow

Sit back, sail along and enjoy the rhyming fun from the team who gave us The Cat and the Rat and the Hat; the text for this one is every bit as funny and lively and Matt Hunt’s highly energetic scenes of what turns out to be a fair bit of rocking and rolling, which inevitably leads to some pretty catastrophic consequences, are just superb.

It all begins with Stoat floating merrily along in his favourite boat when along comes Goat. Goat too wants to float in that same boat so on he leaps.

The problem is that although Stoat is well aware of the way to keep safe therein, Goat most certainly is not. All he wants is to have fun too. Pretty soon however, things start to turn nasty. Stoat seizes a pencil and lays claim to the boat, which develops into a pencil power dual.

That is when, in addition to the rocking and rolling, the boat starts wibbling and wobbling, tilting and tipping and it’s not long before there’s a big splash in the moat. You’ll quickly guess the cause of that. Now the thing is that Goat in that colourful coat is able to stay afloat; not so however, Stoat. Is it time for a truce?

Adult readers aloud will need to take care their tongues don’t get into a twist when they share this cleverly constructed tale. Young listeners will delight in the cumulative chaos that the animals cause; Matt Hunt’s expressive illustrations portray this with panache..

Welcome to Our Table

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Welcome to Our Table
Laura Mucha & Ed Smith, illustrated by Harriet Lynas
Nosy Crow

Poet, Laura Mucha and chef cum cookbook writer, Ed Smith, will make your taste buds tingle with their food related descriptions of dishes from all around the world. Inevitably there are some that didn’t make this vegan reviewer’s mouth water for, in addition to the fruits – several double spreads are devoted to these and tomatoes get an entire page – vegetables (green and otherwise), spices, herbs, nuts and sweets, there are eggs, fish (including the dangers caused by over-fishing) and meat of various kinds.

After a look at the various tools people in different parts of the world use to eat their food, followed by a consideration of taste, smell

and texture of foods, the authors focus our attention on staple savouries: ‘Remarkable rice’, ‘Amazing Maize’ ‘Brilliant Bread’, ‘Noodles, Noodles’, among which are not only spaghetti and vermicelli, but also Ukrainian lokshyna.

As well as entrees

and side courses in abundance, the authors look at milk including non dairy kinds, sweet pastries and puddings and ice creams. Foods of the future – those grown in laboratories are pondered upon, as is the possibility of more people turning to insects and seaweed for food.

On the final pages children wearing national costume demonstrate how to give appreciation for what you have eaten and how to say goodbye to those who have shared your food; there’s a world map surrounded by flags of some of the countries whose foods were mentioned; the countries and places featured are listed and then it’s ‘The end’ in 20 languages.

Harriet Lynas images are brightly coloured and every spread includes a child or children – a diverse lot – interacting in one way or another with the food presented thereon.

A lovely celebration of difference, showing how we are all linked by the fact that we eat and for the most part, enjoy so doing.

Playing and Learning with Board Books

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Little Bear Where Are You?
Little Dog Where Are You?
Ekaterina Trukhan
Nosy Crow

It’s true to say that babies enjoy playing with mirrors and this new Where Are You? series has a mirror on every spread.
Taking inspiration from the hugely popular Family Finger rhyme, Little Bear introduces in turn little frog, little deer, little rabbit and little bear by means of a text with a repeat pattern: ‘Little —— , / Little —— , / where are you? // On the opposite page, comes the reply, ‘Here I am! Here I am! / Where are you?’ When the animal’s face is flipped down we see the words, “There you are!’, and a mirror is revealed for little humans to see their faces.
The final spread shows all four animals and beneath the fold, the titular character addresses the baby whose face is reflected in the mirror.
The large card flaps are easy to manipulate and sufficiently sturdy to stand up to the frequent use the books are likely to have.
Using the same structure, in Little Dog, illustrator Ekaterina Trukhan portrays first little hamster, followed by little bird, little cat and lastly, little dog (sporting a bobble hat).

Peekaboo Lion
Camilla Reid and Ingela P Arrhenius
Nosy Crow

This latest in the novelty series with sliders and a final mirror, features wild animals, although they look deceptively friendly in Ingela’s vibrant, patterned illustrations. The playful rhyming text comprises two words per page and introduces animals large and small; and there are opportunities to meet both adult animals and their young on some spreads.
A fun way to develop tinies’ language and manipulative skills together with a surprise finale.

Don’t Mix Up My Puppy
Rosamund Lloyd and Spencer Wilson
Little Tiger

Little humans will enjoy getting their paws on this mix-and-match doggie delight, with its five different puppies depicted, one per spread, in Spencer Wilson’s bold illustrations.

First we meet a Dalmatian with a spotty, dotty tail, then a velvety tailed dachshund, next comes a sly terrier whose tail is fancy and flowy; the white poodle’s tail matches his cute, curly self and finally there’s an Irish setter with a fluffy, furry tail.

Toddlers can have fun turning the wheel, finding each pup’s tail and feeling the respective tactile rear end appendages. Just right for developing hand-eye coordination too.

Mermaid Academy: Isla and Bubble / The Magic Faraway Tree: A New Adventure

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Mermaid Academy: Isla and Bubble
Julie Sykes and Linda Chapman, illustrated by Lucy Truman
Nosy Crow

Fans of the Unicorn Academy books will love this, the first of a magical new series set beneath the waves of Wild Sea. Just as the pupils of that establishment have captured the hearts of countless younger readers, I’m sure those of Mermaid Academy, led by headteacher, Dr Oceania, will do likewise, starting with Isla and the twins, Isobel and Cora who join the school on the same day.

Once the new pupils have been allocated their dorms, rather than lessons, they all participate in a treasure hunt intended to enable them to get to know one another, the dolphins and their new environment. Isla is a spirited character with a tendency to be headstrong, so when it comes to saving the woolly seahorses, even if that means breaking one of the Academy’s strict rules and venturing beyond its walls, she feels compelled to do so, however much danger that puts her team in.

Can she perhaps use her bubbliness to extricate them all from an emergency situation?

With adventure, friendship and discovering their magic and bonding with a special dolphin awaiting, (not to mention Lucy Truman’s black and white illustrations) who wouldn’t want to join Isla as she dives into this underwater world and helps protect its fauna and flora.

The Magic Faraway Tree: A New Adventure
Jacqueline Wilson, illustrated by Mark Beech
Hodder Children’s Books

The Faraway Tree is a series of popular children’s books by British author Enid Blyton. Blyton’s classic The Magic Faraway Tree, first published in 1939, was Jacqueline Wilson’s own favourite book as a very young child. Now the accomplished, popular contemporary children’s author, Wilson, has woven a new story that revisits this much-loved magical world in A New Adventure, that is just right for the next generation of young readers.

Those familiar with the original classic will remember some of their favourite characters, Moonface, Silky the fairy and The Saucepanman who loves to make up songs (and is now selling his wares on-line); but it’s the turn of a new family to experience what the magical tree has to offer.The family – dad, mum and three children are to spend their six week holiday staying at Rose Cottage and almost immediately, Birdy the youngest of the children meets a fairy outside her window. She invites the little girl to the Faraway Tree and so begins their adventure.

The next day Milo (10, the oldest), Mia about a year younger and Birdy (fourish), led by a talking rabbit, venture into the Enchanted Wood where among the whispering leaves stands the Faraway Tree: the tree that offers those who climb to the top, the opportunity to discover extraordinary places. Newly created by Jacqueline Wilson, the places the children experience are the Land of Unicorns – Mia absolutely loves this one,

the Land of Bouncy Castles, the Land of Princes and Princesses and finally, the Land of Dragons where a dangerous encounter awaits one of their number. This fourth story ends somewhat suddenly, I suspect to leave the way open for another Wilson sortie into the Enchanted Wood.

While keeping a strong sense of the original place, Jacqueline Wilson has challenged the stereotypical Blyton attitudes and language, one example being the way Mia is quick to admonish Mr Moonface: “Why on earth should it be Silky’s job to clean up after you … It’s terribly old-fashioned to expect a woman o keep a house tidy, … My mum and dad share all the chores and we have to help too.”

Also helping to give the book a modern feel that is just right for 21st century readers are Mark Burgess’ lively, often gently humorous illustrations.

Total Splashdown / Press Start: Super Rabbit Racers!

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Total Splashdown
Beth Garrod & Jess Hitchman, illustrated by Chris Danger
Scholastic

This is two stories in one book and features those five inflatable pool float pals, Flamingo, Cactus, Donut, Watermelon and Lynn Lilo, residents of Have a Great Spray Water Park.

The first, Do-Nut Panic sees the friends, led by Donut on an epic quest to find the one and only remaining Cookie of Contentment, thus preventing the closing down (so they think) of the Slip ’N’ Slice Pizza stall. Said quest is perhaps THE most dangerous on earth and certainly in the entire inflataverse. Needless to say their journey is fraught with dangers,

not to mention a fair few disasters as the puffed up pals head towards the desert island whereon said Cookie is heavily guarded by not one but three protectors, Fickle Pickle, Energetic Enchilada and Unimpressed Pretzel.
Could our questers be on a hiding to nothing? It certainly seems so when they fail dismally to sweet talk the three into handing over their keys. But our friends don’t give up that easily: let the show begin. Crumbs! That pretty much sums up the next few spreads but all ends let’s say, pretty tastily.

However before they’ve had time to digest those cloned goodies, the gang are off on another mega daft adventure: The Splash of the Titans. Bring on those Air-lympic Games – the most competitive day in the inflate calendar and bring on Team Watermelon. Needless to say there’s a lot of shenanigans from some of the other entrants but which team will emerge victorious, winners of the much coveted Golden Pump?

Replete with puns and jokes, these super-silly stories with those mega-dramatic black and white graphics will have readers rolling around at the delicious daftness of this graphic novel.

Press Start: Super Rabbit Racers!
Thomas Flintham
Nosy Crow

Book three in the Press Start graphic novel series follows along similar lines as the previous two, only Chris has joined Sunny and Rue to play the Super Rabbit video game, Rabbit Racers, which is new to him.

Obviously the main conflict is between the racers, with King Viking determined to win the Super Cup (a special power up that gives the winner the power of super speed) and he’ll go to any lengths to do so. However there’s also a bit of bad feeling at one stage between Sunny and Rue over an accidental sideswipe. With four races in all, who will be the victor in the Super Cup Grand Prix?

Like the previous books this fast moving tale is ideal for new solo readers with a penchant for video games.

Marvellous Margot / Nila’s Perfect Coat

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Marvellous Margot
Lou Peacock and Ingela P Arrhenius
Nosy Crow

Margot has a big heart and is always ready to lend a helping paw to her friends; she’s also aware that cake and kindness are the ideal combination. With that in mind, one sunny morning she bakes a special cake for her pal Oscar, places it in her little wagon and sets out through the city to Oscar’s home. 

On the way though she encounters several other friends each of which is either upset, cross or frustrated. Now Margot has a fix-it attitude and stops to assist each one, also offering them a slice of Oscar’s cake once their problems are solved. 

You’ve probably guessed what has happened to the cake by the time she arrives at Oscar’s but he greets her with a big hug, kind words and a surprise.

Lou Peacock’s wonderfully warm story with themes of friendship and kindness and the repeat refrains for joining in with, is charmingly illustrated by Ingela P Arrhenius with sufficient detail and bright colours to keep youngsters engaged.
Share with little ones at home or in a foundation stage setting. Teachers, there’s lots of potential if you read it in the classroom.

Also with themes of kindness and friendship is

Nila’s Perfect Coat
Norene Paulson and Maria Mola
Beaming Books

Nila enjoys ‘treasure hunting’ in charity shops and one day when out shopping with her Mum, a coat catches her eye. It’s warm and a perfect fit but her mum tells her that she doesn’t need another one. However she is willing to let her buy it using birthday money given to her by her Dad, if he agrees. Meanwhile it must go back on the stand. Dashing out to catch the bus the following morning, Nila forgets her coat, only to find there’s another girl, Lily also sans coat. This means both girls have to stay inside at playtime as it’s cold. Nila’s invitation to Lily to join her in a game is turned down: in fact Lily seems distant and the mention of a coat by their teacher at hometime upsets her.

Having spent the weekend with her Dad and getting the go ahead for the purchase of the coat, they go back to the charity shop and Nila makes the purchase. As they walk past Lily’s home, she notices a For Sale sign outside and Dad says “Her family is going through a hard time,”.

Back with her Mum, Nila contemplates her new coat 

and says that there is somebody who needs it much more than she does. Her decision about what she should do means that nobody has to stay inside during playtime on Monday.

This gentle lesson showing the difference between needing and wanting something, and the role of charity shops in reducing waste, is told in a non-preachy, sensitive way, and equally warm are Maria Mola’s illustrations

Grandpa and the Kingfisher

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Grandpa and the Kingfisher
Anna Wilson and Sarah Massini
Nosy Crow

This is such a gorgeous book, lyrically and lovingly written by Anna Wilson in memory of her father whose favourite bird was the kingfisher.

It begins one spring with a young child, Grandpa and their dog sitting together beside the river when suddenly there’s a flash of blue and a kingfisher darts past: ‘Its beak long and sharp. / Its wings shining like jewels. / It’s breast golden-red, like a sunset.’ Arrowlike it dives down beneath the water and when it surfaces, there’s a fish in its beak.

As spring gives way to summer the child narrator tells how on another visit to the river, they notice there are now two kingfishers – the original male and a female.

They watch the birds create a nest and eventually have a brood of chicks.

All the while, Grandpa has become more and more tired and frail looking. He tells the child, “No one lives forever … There wouldn’t be enough room for us all! …. Only nature goes on forever.” Adult readers can sense what is coming. even as the child says, “I’ll look after you, Grandpa.”

By December the adult birds have died and Grandpa reminds the child, “No one lives forever.”

Next spring Grandpa too has died and the child narrator tells us how much he is missed. In this gentle way one young child has experienced some of the wonders of nature and learned about the cycle of all life.

Now on my walks beside a stream near to where I live, not only will I be watching out for the kingfishers I know to inhabit its banks, I will be thinking about this story with Sarah Cassini’s beautiful, superbly well-observed illustrations of the natural world and Anna’s touching text.

A must for family and classroom sharing.

Clutch / Dragon Storm: Connor and Lightspirit

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These are additions to two exciting series:thanks to Walker Books and Nosy Crow for sending them for review

Clutch
M.G. Leonard
Walker Books

This is the third story of the Twitchers and for me it’s even better than the previous two.

Twitch and Jack are alarmed to hear that somebody has been stealing eggs from the nest of a peregrine falcon in Aves Wood. As the Easter holidays start, all the Twitchers come together for the first time in a while and are determined to solve the mystery of the missing eggs before the thief strikes again.

In the knowledge that the thief’s actions are both against the law and immoral, the gang set off to find clues and learn what they can about any possible suspects. With the police involved Passerine Pike is now a crime scene, but is the criminal a local or somebody from outside come to participate in the Canal Masters fishing competition? With the competition only lasting a few days and a pair of Spoonbills nesting on the edge of the pond in the locality, time is of the essence in catching the thief.

However, suddenly Twitch receives a visit from the police and learns that he fits the suspect profile and evidence places him at the crime scene. Now it’s not only the nesting birds but Twitch in need of saving and the evidence against him seems to be mounting.
With several red herrings and wrong turns, the friends finally succeed in their mission: all ends well for Twitch, the real crooks are unmasked and there’s a new member of the Twitchers too.

With its superb mix of mystery, crime and environmental issues, this is another cracker for established fans of the series but others new to the Twitchers will quickly find themselves engrossed too. Whither next for these conservationists? I can’t wait to find out.

Dragon Storm: Connor and Lightspirit
Alastair Chisholm, illustrated by Eric Deschamps
Nosy Crow

This is the seventh of the author’s Dragon Storm series for younger readers and what a gripping tale it is. Relatively new to life in the Dragonseer’s Guild, Connor and the other children are told by vice-chancellor Creedy of a code that needs solving. But how trustworthy is Creedy? Connor thinks he’s OK but not all the others agree. The boy sets about cracking the code, which he does, helped by a clue about some of the symbols from Cara.

However the more involved he gets with Creedy, the more troubled Connor is by doubts that he’s doing the right thing by helping him, especially when under cover of darkness Creedy leads him to the Royal Palace. Moreover, Lightspirit is far from happy about what is happening: the truth is what matters to this dragon. Is King Godfic up to no good, or is it his son, or somebody else?
The Dragon Storm grows ever closer but can trust and truth save Draconis from a horrific war?

The story, with its atmospheric black and white illustrations by Eric Deschamps, ends on a real-cliffhanger leaving readers eager to discover what it is that Connor knows.

A Little Dose of Nature / Look What I Found: On the Farm

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A Little Dose of Nature
Dr. Alison Greenwood and Anneli Bray
Ivy Kids

Written by psychologist, Dr Alison Greenwood who has set up a charity called Dose of Nature, this book as the cover says, suggests ‘outdoor fun to help happiness bloom’. To improve mental health and wellbeing, twenty five activities are suggested for children (and adults), all to be done outside in the natural world, well away from the distractions of social media, computer games etc.

First though the author states that nature has five active ingredients that are of benefit to humans; these will give us more energy, improve concentration and sleep, help us to relax, and to be in a better mood. These include fractal patterns, nature’s sounds, phytoncides (natural chemicals), soil bacteria and sunlight. I expect some of these science terms will be unfamiliar to younger children and Alison pitches her explanations at just the right level. The book has five main sections, entitled Nature’s Fractals, The Science of Sounds, Fresh Air, Soil

and Soak Up the Sunshine!

Who could fail to connect with nature as they collect and arrange natural objects to create a mandala – in my experience children love to do this.

The same is true of getting messy by sculpting animals using sludgy mud or running around barefoot in a muddy patch and then comparing the experience with walking barefoot on grass.

Brilliant for forest school and outdoor science. I love that Alison’s final words include paragraphs on awe and what she calls ‘wow moments’.
Anneli Bray’s detailed illustrations are an inclusive delight and certainly make this particular book stand out from others on the theme of appreciating the great outdoors..

Look What I Found: On the Farm
Moira Butterfield and Jesús Verona
Nosy Crow

Bursting with information, this is the third title in a series published in collaboration with the National Trust.
Readers join the three young adventurers on a new expedition one spring day as they investigate their surroundings while following the path through the fields. Each in turn exclaims in the rhyming narrative, “Look what I found!”

excitedly showing the others and readers the discovery, be it animal related, such as a tuft of sheep’s wool or a feather, or plant-related like the fluffy head of dandelion seeds.


Another engaging mix of story, non-fiction and search-and-find, illustrated by Jesús Verona whose scenes of the natural world, both the close-ups and landscapes are immersive.

Recommended for family bookshelves and KS1 class collections, especially if you want to encourage children to get outside and explore their surroundings.

When I Became Your Brother / Some Do, Some Don’t

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When I Became Your Brother
Susannah Shane and Britta Tekentrup
Nosy Crow

Written in rhyme that shows tenderness and devotion, and illustrated with gorgeously warm scenes by Britta Teckentrup, this book told from the viewpoint of the older one, celebrates the bond between a brother and his new sibling.
From sunrise to sunset two fox cubs love to spend time exploring their woodland surroundings and playing together. They dash through the fields, play with pinecones

and laugh and leap together beneath the setting sun before snuggling up under the stars. Being an older sibling brings companionship, responsibility for guidance and above all, love.

With its comforting text and sparkling art, this is a book to give a young child when a new sibling arrives in the family.

Some Do, Some Don’t
Dipacho
Mineditions

Dipacho uses jabiru storks in this presentation of individuality. By means of a simple, straightforward text and elegant images of these storks he depicts them in various sizes and in a range of situations starting thus: ‘Some of us have no family’ accompanied by an image of a solitary bird. Turn the page and we see two jabirus flapping, almost dancing and the words ‘Others do.’
Some take off alone to explore what the world has to offer, others stay behind. Some like to be in the company of others, in family groups or more of a crowd; some want solitude. Some live together reluctantly; some are distanced but want to be near another.
Some have families with differences, indeed many do

and sometimes new family members arrive; some in contrast have left for ever. Some jabirus prefer to ‘stick to our own kind,’ whereas others are interested in a variety of types of birds. The author concludes, ‘Some of us fly off and follow our own path. …Actually we all do.’
In eighteen double spreads Dipacho covers almost each and every experience a child may have.
The final page provides three factual paragraphs about jabirus including that they are the second largest birds in the world. I didn’t know that; thanks to this book now I do.

My Life on Fire

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My Life on Fire
Cath Howe
Nosy Crow

Ren, her mum, dad and younger brother Petie arrive home after spending an evening with friends and discover their house ablaze. The fire-brigade tell them it can’t be saved; “we’re so lucky” say her parents, “we’re all OK. That’s all that matters.” But what about all those toys, books, photographs and other things that make a house a home; they’ve all gone up in flames.

Having spent the first night in a B&B, the family moves in with Gran but she only has one spare room. This the children use but their parents occupy a caravan in the driveway. Nothing feels right: Mum and Dad are busy trying to keep their business going while also making an insurance claim and Gran (an ex headteacher) has lots of rules she expects the children to keep.
All of this makes Ren feel very stressed, even more so when she overhears snippets of conversations between her parents. Then Petie starts getting upset at night over the fact that Mr Softie is missing and wanting big sister to tell him stories about his beloved teddy. 

This adds to the pressure on Ren and realising she really doesn’t have a life any longer, sad and angry, she starts stealing again, mostly small items from people at school.

Enter Caspar, the second of the book’s narrators. He is in Ren’s class and is enthusiastically involved in the class project ‘My Life in a Box’ that is underway when Ren returns to school. He also lives not far from Ren’s gran and so when she and Caspar’s dad decide to share getting the children to and from school, they find themselves spending much more time together. Almost inevitably he discovers what his friend is up to and is shocked that she can be thieving. He is determined to help Ren return all the items she has taken and stashed away. What will be the outcome of his endeavours?

The way Cath Howe tells the story from two viewpoints is superbly done; one cannot help but feel for both characters, each of whom feels things deeply. Engrossing and thought-provoking, with themes of sharing problems, friendship, taking responsibility for one’s actions and the importance of family, this is another powerful piece of writing from an author who gets better and better.

Bear and Bird: The Picnic and Other Stories / A Rabbit Called Clover / The Railway Kitten

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Bear and Bird: The Picnic and Other Stories
Jarvis
Walker Books

Bear and Bird are best friends and like most close pals they have their ups and downs:there are jealousies, misunderstandings and some tetchy words but fundamentally each of them wants to make the other happy. Consequently their friendship is strong enough to withstand the downs and focus on enjoying each other’s company. 

In four short stories with Jarvis’ super-cute digital illustrations, readers learn of a rather unfortunate misunderstanding with a talking flower that results from a toppling Bird; a picnic, the preparations for which Bear isn’t completely honest about, the result being the outing doesn’t quite go as intended; an afternoon of painting when Bird feels his talent isn’t quite up to the standard of Bear when it comes to representing a tree,

and finally, a warm, snuggly, fluffy blanket that is very hard to stir from under.
A lovely book for bedtime (especially curled up under a cosy blanket), for foundation stage classroom sharing and discussion; and it’s ideal for those just starting to gain confidence as independent readers.

With a rather more challenging text::

A Rabbit Called Clover
Helen Peters, illustrated by Ellie Snowdon
Nosy Crow

It’s the start of the Easter holidays and Jasmine, daughter of a vet mother and farmer father is anticipating spending lots of time looking after animals, especially keeping things trouble free. But early one evening Jasmine spies two pet rabbits and so begins ‘operation rabbit, the aim being to catch and return the two creatures, which she and her little brother name Clover and Dandelion, safely back to their owner. Not such an easy task as Jasmine first thought but with a bit of help from her best friend, Tom, it might just be possible at least to get them safely into a cage and home to Oak Tree Farm.

It becomes evident that Clover is ace at escaping and they only manage to catch Dandelion, so the hunt is on for the elusive Clover. Moreover, finding the person who is responsible for looking after the pair is only part of the battle.

Delightful, gentle storytelling once again by Helen Peters whose writing is supported by Ellie Snowdon’s plentiful black and white illustrations.

The Railway Kitten
Holly Webb, illustrated by Sophy Williams
Little Tiger

Cat lovers especially will enjoy this heartfelt tale of Scarlett and her friends. On the way to school they notice a kitten at the railway station and are so enchanted by Whiskers as they name her, that when she gets run over, they decide to do everything in their power to save her. 

They take her to the vets and are told that an expensive operation is needed to mend Whiskers’ shattered leg. Her owners can’t possibly afford the vets’ bill but Scarlett and her friends are not going to give up easily. Is there a chance they can raise the money needed to prevent Whiskers from being put down? If so what will happen to her afterwards.

Determination and friendship are key in this gentle story of a Tortoiseshell kitten for younger primary readers. Occasional black and white illustrations by Sophy Williams show just how those involved with Whiskers are feeling.

The Nowhere Thief

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The Nowhere Thief
Alice M. Ross
Nosy Crow

This story is a multiverse adventure starring Elsbeth and Idris. Elspeth lives with her mother in an alternate UK, capital city Lunden. She helps her mother in their shop that sells antiques in the seaside town of Lewesby, sometimes using her rare power to visit other spheres in the multiverse and acquiring items to sell in their failing business. This she does through an unworldly portal using a kaleidoscope of colours. Now to make financial matters worse, the rent is due and there’s insufficient money to pay the unpleasant landlord, Mr Lennox.

With eviction imminent Elspeth needs to generate custom and when it comes in the form of the strange Mr Persimmon, she is unsure whether to trust him. Does he know how she obtained the items he has purchased?

What about the boy Idris who keeps appearing wherever she goes? Is he following her and if so why?

Crime, as we know, has consequences and Elspeth’s actions soon catch up with her. Forced to flee from the draconian law enforcement services of the universe next door, Elspeth’s actions soon catch up with her. Idris; who, it turns out, has very similar talents, comes to her rescue and a friendship between the two begins to develop.

When she discovers her mother is missing, Elspeth is faced with a difficult choice: flee with a boy she’s only recently met or trust Mr Persimmon. She opts for the former and the bond between them becomes stronger as they travel together to Nowhere and different Somewheres with all sorts of people eager to find Elspeth on account of her gift. However, by using her powers Elspeth seems to have disturbing meteorological side-effects. Indeed everything she knows about her powers and her family are called into question in her rescue mission.

Providing plenty of food for thought is the relationship between Idris and his grandmother and later, his mother too.

Set against a backdrop of different worlds, there is so much to be learned herein but to give too much away will spoil the story, so let me just say, the author keeps readers gripped and open to new developments as the plot turns hither and thither towards its satisfying conclusion.

Let’s Go Home, Baby Tiger / Eggs! / Pip and Posy: Favourite Things

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Three new board books all published by Nosy Crow: thanks to the publishers for sending them for review

Let’s Go Home, Baby Tiger
Carolina Búzio

By means of the sliding discs on each recto, little humans can help the baby animals featured in this chunky book to find their way home. First comes baby tiger, followed in turn by baby parrot, baby elephant and finally, baby crocodile, each of which responds to the respective adult animal’s ‘Let’s go home baby …’

The moving discs and tracks will help to develop hand-eye coordination as young children endeavour to keep the baby animals upright and not make them dizzy by revolving the discs. There are several items to look for on each journey and the verso pages show what they are.

Lots of of fun learning here.

Eggs!
Katie Dale and Jenny Lovlie

A counting book with an egg theme that invites young children to guess what’s inside the eggs shown on each spread. What could be in the one egg about to crack open in the desert?
The nest beside the river contains two eggs: what is soon to crawl out of each? The jungle nest holds three eggs, each with a baby animal waiting to emerge, but what? Four eggs are ready to crack in the nest beneath the ocean: the babies within have lots of legs. I wonder what they could be … The farmyard nest holds five white eggs, just starting to crack and five fluffy birds are ready to hop right out.
A ‘guess what’ game and counting practice presented through Katie Dale’s rhyming text and Jennie Lovlie’s detailed scenes of the nesting locations of the five featured creatures. With a new life theme it’s just right for Easter and beyond.

Pip and Posy: Favourite Things

Inspired by illustrator Axel Scheffler’s original series and based on the TV show for preschool children, this tabbed board book introduces the best pals Pip (a rabbit) and Posy (a mouse) and their other friends, showing how they love playing together dressing up and having adventures. The friends in turn introduce their favourite toys: Froggy is Posy’s favourite and Piggy is Pip’s.
We also meet Jamila the squirrel, Zac the terrier pup who loves to zoom around on his bike, and level-headed Frankie the cat. All very different but with one thing in common: they love playing together.

I suspect adults and toddlers will enjoy reading this together.

Press Start! Game On, Super Rabbit Boy! / Super Rabbit Powers Up!

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Press Start! Game On, Super Rabbit Boy!
Press Start!! Super Rabbit Powers Up!
Thomas Flintham
Nosy Crow

As the first story opens in this graphic novel series, Sunny, the boy protagonist starts playing his favourite video game – Super Rabbit Boy – and its that storyline which comprises most of the book. The setting is Animal Town, a peaceful place where the inhabitants are fun-loving animals, especially Singing Dog who loves to make others happy.

Enter fun-hating King Viking who aided and abetted by his army of robots dog-naps Singing Dog. Who can save the day? The best chance is to send Simon the Hedgehog, the fastest among the Animal Towners, to get help from Super Rabbit Boy; he who gained his powers by consuming a super magical carrot.

Subsequent chapters take Super Rabbit Boy through six increasingly hard levels each of which has classic, video game–style settings and enemies to defeat.

No matter what happens though, the game player protagonist must not give up. Nor of course must Super Rabbit. Can the latter save not only Singing Dog but Animal Town’s fun.

Two, brightly coloured artistic styles distinguish the two storylines, the human one ending with a “PLAY AGAIN?” to set things up for a new adventure.

In Super Rabbit Powers Up Sunny’s family can get involved in what’s going on in the adventure as the game console is connected to the television. Super Rabbit receives a letter from King Viking informing him that he intends to find the legendary Super Power Up. This is supposed to make the finder invincible.

The race is on to discover its whereabouts. First stop for Super Rabbit is to ask for assistance from Wisdom Tree whose help comes in the form of a map (only to be used in times of great need)

leading to the Secret Dungeon wherein the Super Power Up is hidden. Off he goes but can that Super Rabbit find the three keys and get inside that large door to discover that which he seeks? It might be possible with some help from a friendly ghost (so it says) named Plib the Plob. If so it will stop the dastardly king’s plan to gain immeasurable power.

Just right for those readers just starting to fly solo: paying tribute to the power of video games Thomas Flintham’s series is a treat which imparts the occasional life lesson as each pacy story unfolds.

Puppy Club: Coco Settles In / Dragon Storm: Erin and Rockhammer

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Puppy Club: Coco Settles In
Catherine Jacob, illustrated by Rachael Saunders
Little Tiger

The second of the series sees Elsa and her fellow Puppy Clubbers – Jaya, Arlo, Willow, Daniel and Harper – all coping with the ups and downs of life with a new puppy. Elsa especially is finding things tough with two cats in her home as well as her puppy Coco. The cats chase Coco all over the house, Coco chews everything left lying around and Mum seems stressed all the time.

Thank goodness Elsa has fellow club members ready with lots of useful suggestions for keeping Coco out of trouble and ideas for helping her bond with the moggies.

Meanwhile other things on the Clubbers’ minds are the imminent visit to the vets for the puppies’ injections and a class presentation related to an organisation that helps animals. No doubt readers will guess what Elsa et al choose as their subject. However with frequent disasters in Elsa’s home, she cannot help but feel anxious: suppose her mum has had second thoughts about keeping Coco.

With puppy love aplenty, strong supportive friendships, training advice and puppy facts and lots of Rachael Saunders’ black and white illustrations to break up the text, young solo readers with a liking for animals especially, will enjoy this.

Dragon Storm: Erin and Rockhammer
Alastair Chisholm, illustrated by Eric Deschamps
Nosy Crow

This is the sixth of the fantasy series set in the land of Draconis and it’s another exciting, action-packed page-turner that’s ideal for new solo readers. We’re plunged straight into the drama with Erin in the sand circle facing a number of opponents in some Dragonseer sword-fighting training. A training session it may be but Erin is determined to beat each of the other trainees and this she does. She’s less successful at summoning her own dragon, something that her fellow Dragonseer students seem to find easy – a click of the fingers is all they need do.

As a result Erin is somewhat lacking in self-confidence: she’s fearful of the feelings she experiences when trying to summon her dragon, Rockhammer despite the reassurance that Drun offers her. She becomes even more worried when Lady Berrin, Dragonseer Guild’s chancellor informs her there’s a place just outside the city she wants her to go to that might help with her panic attacks. Despite what she’s told, it seems to Erin that she’s being thrown out just like happened when she was in foster care.

Both Erin and fellow Dragonseer trainee, Connor (who Erin doesn’t get on with) are sent off to Stillness. Perhaps spending time here will help the two build a better relationship and maybe with Connor’s support Erin can succeed in summoning Rockhammer just when he’s most needed.

Courage, friendship and trust are key themes in this powerful tale which ends on a cliff-hanger.

There’s A Beast in the Basement!

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There’s A Beast in the Basement!
Pamela Butchart, illustrated by Thomas Flintham
Nosy Crow

We’re back in the company of Izzy and her friends for yet another splendidly silly, chaotic tale that begins with their headteacher Mr Graves dashing around the school emptying the contents of every cupboard onto the floor. Strange indeed, so what is bothering him? He even starts sobbing during assembly. Assuredly something is wrong.

The following day they hear talk of ‘missing treasure’. The obvious answer is that hidden away somewhere in their school lies something very valuable. It’s time for the gang to investigate. Led by Gary Pertie (they had to let him be involved because he seems to know things the friends don’t) they start following him to an area that’s out of bounds.

They discover that beneath the school is a basement; add to that those decidedly weird scraping noises and sighs: the assumption is that not only is there treasure down there but also a sinister guardian beastie watching over it.

Probably Mr Graves has his sights set on securing the treasure for his own purposes.

We can always count on the gang to let their imaginations run wild: they certainly do here with wonderfully wild theories coming thick and fast. There’s lots of ‘FREAKING OUT’, a very clever invention or two (that’s down to Gary) and Jodi jostling to take back leading the investigation, all of which result in a hugely entertaining read. All this plus Thomas Flintham’s very funny illustrations, the liberal scattering of capitalised and otherwise adorned words in the text: what more can one ask? A pizza made by Gary’s dad to consume while reading the story, perhaps.

Where’s Mrs Panda? / Bizzy Bear: Chinese New Year

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Both these board books are from Nosy Crow – thank you to the publishers for sending them for review

Where’s Mrs Panda?
Ingela P Arrhenius

In addition to Mrs Panda, Mr Elephant, Mrs Yak and Mr Leopard are hiding.n this latest in Arrhenius’s popular, fun, find the animals felt-flap book. Little ones are asked to help a bird, a small rodent or a butterfly discover their whereabouts. On the final spread is a hidden mirror for the little humans to see their own reflections.

Simple, effective and ideal for sharing with the very youngest.

Bizzy Bear: Chinese New Year
Benji Davies

We join Bizzy Bear and his pals as they celebrate Chinese New Year together. Young children will enjoy using the five sliders to help Bizzy Bear decide on which outfit to wear and hang up the lanterns in a straight row to welcome guests. That done, it’s time to sit down with his friends for a special meal. Then everyone gathers in the square to watch the firework display light up the sky ready to welcome that special festive dragon.

The simple rhyming text, Benji’s spirited scenes that are full of detail and a slider on each spread, ensure lots of involvement for little ones, who along with enjoying story with its interactive element, will develop their fine motor skills and learn something of how the festival is celebrated. If you’ve yet to introduce your little human to Bizzy et al, this is a good place to start especially as it’s the lunar new year this weekend that starts the Year of Rabbit, which Bizzy’s rabbit friends will love.

Frank and Bert :The One Where Bert Learns To Ride A Bike

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Frank and Bert :The One Where Bert Learns To Ride A Bike
Chris Naylor-Ballesteros
Nosy Crow

Chris Naylor-Ballesteros’s bear, Bert and fox, Frank, return in a new story again narrated by the latter.

The two pals would dearly love to go on a ‘big bike ride’ but as we see, although things start off satisfactorily, it’s not long before Bert gets the wobbles and something goes wrong.

However one day with Bert claiming that he’ll be just fine, they set off together once more. After a while those wobbles start and oops … 

Frank’s not giving up that easily though and he comes up with a supportive idea … or perhaps not.

Can Frank manage to think up something very special to help his best friend get back into the saddle again? And if so, can the two of them get all the way up to the top of that steep hill and safely down again without a disaster?

With its fun final twist, Chris’s story shows friendship at its best – understanding, trusting and ever patient.

Giggles galore guaranteed when you share this comic combination of words and pictures. I love the measured use of florescent colour and the unspoken commentary on Bert’s efforts provided by the bit part players.

I look forward to further episodes starring this delectable duo.

We Disagree About This Tree / The Big Christmas Bake / A Family Christmas

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We Disagree About This Tree
Ross Collins
Nosy Crow

The duo from There’s a Bear on My Chair are back and as usual they are disagreeing: why break an established habit just because it’s the festive season?

Mouse is excited when Bear bursts through their front door clutching a large Christmas tree and urges him to relax and leave the adorning to him. Inevitably Bear soon begins making disparaging comments about Mouse’s efforts and this precipitates back and forth critical animosity, culminating in tree overload

and disaster. However, not everything is a cause for contention thanks to two neatly wrapped packages waiting to be opened. Have the two bickerers finally found a way to share a Merry Christmas?

The interplay between Ross Collins’ sparkling verse telling together and his superbly expressive illustrations that are simply bursting with humour, is wonderfully done and will appeal to both young listeners and adult readers aloud.

The Big Christmas Bake
Fiona Barker and Pippa Curnick
Happy Yak

Author Fiona and illustrator Pippa cook up a wonderful festive tale based on the structural rhythm of the traditional Twelve Days of Christmas.

On the first day of Christmas two children head to the kitchen and begin to make a Twelfth Night cake. The list of ingredients is long and they wonder where everything will come from. Happily however, day after day for the next eleven days animal friends of all shapes and sizes show up bringing in turn, dried fruit, flour, sugar, candied peel, eggs, spices

and all the other things needed, until on day ten, ten lords come leaping in ready to carry the cake to the stove for baking. All that’s left then is the piping pipers to show up on the eleventh day to add the finishing touches so that come Twelfth Night, the most incredible confection is set on the table ready for every single one of the contributors to enjoy. I wonder who finds the bean that was hidden in the mix …

A tasty treat indeed and don’t forget to check out the recipe after the story.

A Family Christmas
Alana Washington and Emily Nash
uclan publishing

With echoes of Clement Clarke Moore’s ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas Alana Washington relates the events of a family’s Christmas day. There’s excitement about the arrival of guests and a kitchen of hot chocolate drinkers with cousins squeezing close together clutching their mugs.

Then at dinner time, dish after dish of delicious food is served up, an unexpected visitor turns up and when everyone is bursting with extra helpings of pudding, it’s time for a toast to the host.
In order to work off some of that food, family members go for a walk, followed by further indoor festivities: dancing and games, singing and the playful adornment of those who take a snooze.
With the washing up duly done, it’s present time at last. Darkness comes all too soon and some of the family must head for home, but there’s one final treat still to come: something big and extra bright high up in the sky. What better way to end the day than by sharing a special story and watching a sprinkling of snow fall before snuggling down in bed after a perfect family celebration.

With joyful scenes of togetherness, Emily Nash’s gently humorous art captures so well that magical feeling of the festive season described in the author’s text.

Dragon Storm: Kai and Boneshadow / Duck’s Backyard

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Dragon Storm: Kai and Boneshadow
Alastair Chisholm, illustrated by Eric Deschamps
Nosy Crow

This is the fifth book in Alastair Chisholm’s fantasy series for younger readers, set in the city of Rivven.

After dinner one night Kai and his fellow dragonseers are called to the office of Berin, Chancellor of the Dragonseer Guild. She informs them that at the king’s beset they have been summoned to the Royal Palace where trade negotiations are taking place. There they are to act as ‘apprentice clerks’ to assist Prince Harald by copying out various relevant documents because members of the clerical division at the palace have been struck down by a mysterious sickness. 

Following their first day’s work, the children are talking in their dormitory and Tom mentions seeing a dragon entering the palace. They decide to search in secret for this dragon and while so doing Kai picks up a leather pouch, containing a bottle holding a mysterious potion. This Kai has in his hand when he is rushing to get back to the dorm; it breaks and a shard of glass penetrates his palm and the liquid goes all over his hand. The result is that Kai starts feeling completely different – more confident and powerful.

Back home at the weekend Kai’s dragon Boneshadow notices a change in the boy. The dragonseers are also warned by Berin not to go exploring the castle on their return there the following week. During the weekend Kai’s actions cause consternation among his friends especially when he causes Erin to get injured. Back at the palace, when he starts following the call of that other dragon, Firedreamer, 

not only does he risk losing his human friends, it appears that he might lose Boneshadow too. Will Kai realise what is happening to him before it’s too late? Will Boneshadow discover what her power is? And what is the significance of that crest on the leather pouch …

Gripping reading and a cracking addition to the series.

Duck’s Backyard
Ulrich Hub, illustrated by Jörg Mühle
Gecko Press

A duck with a ‘wonky’ leg lives a lonely life in a backyard from which she’s never ventured. Then one day in wanders a chicken wearing dark glasses. The chicken is rather egocentric, determined and also blind, almost immediately deciding that the duck will be her guide on a journey to a place “where all our secret wishes come true” She knows not where this place is but is certain she’ll know when they reach there. Duck eventually accedes to Chicken’s wishes and off they go, taking it in turns to lead the way. 

They talk and they squabble and dance a fair bit as they conquer ‘the darkest forest in the world’, cross a huge ravine, on a plank placed there by duck, 

and climb the world’s highest mountain. Or do they? No matter, for they find themselves and each other; and they certainly find what matters most of all.

There’s a great deal to ponder upon in this superficially simple, philosophical tale, the drama of which is underscored by Jörg Mühle’s humorous depictions of the travellers. A small piece of thought-provoking brilliance this.

My First lift-the-flap Nursery Rhymes / Bizzy Bear My First Memory Game: Things That Go

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Hours of fun guaranteed from these two Nosy Crow board books – thanks to the publisher for sending them for review.

My First lift-the-flap Nursery Rhymes
illustrated by Ingela P Arrhenius

In this sturdily built, large format nursery rhyme board book Ingela P Arrhenius illustrates fourteen popular nursery rhymes and songs, each with a flap to lift. Her beautifully patterned, striking scenes playfully hide either key elements of each rhyme, or sometimes, additional characters. From Sing a Song of Sixpence to Incy Wincy Spider and Little Miss Muffet

to Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star, it’s never too early to introduce little ones to the delights of nursery rhymes, the bedrock of playful language, though sadly many children start preschool knowing none at all, or only one or two. On the back cover is a QR code to scan enabling adults and little ones to listen to and sing along to the rhymes as they turn the pages of what I suspect will quickly become a favourite book that parents and carers will enjoy sharing over and over.
The same is true of

Bizzy Bear My First Memory Game: Things That Go
Benji Davies

Containing four scenes with lots of action going on – the construction site, the city, the airport and outer space – each venue offers three games to develop memory skills and enhance the vocabulary of little humans. To play hide-and-seek the sliders all start closed and a little hand should open them one at a time and then search the full page scene opposite for the vehicle revealed. Matching pairs requires players to remember the positions of the vehicles beneath the sliders and the search and find game has three questions, the answers being found in the relevant large illustration.

Bizzy Bear has a special role to play at the building site: he drives a large yellow bulldozer clearing the site for the other team members to begin their work. The city scene shows a railway line as well as things that go up in the sky and on the road. In this illustration, Bizzy Bear is a passenger on the train rather than a worker.

He’s taken on a new role as a pilot of the jumbo jet in the airport scene and finally, in the space scene Bizzy is an astronaut. His rocket has just landed on a green planet far from earth where there are aliens waiting to greet him – let’s hope they are friendly ones. Benji Davies’ Bizzy Bear character is already popular with young children: I suspect he’ll win even more fans with this book.

My Dog, Hen / Ruffles and the Cosy, Cosy Bed

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My Dog, Hen
David Mackintosh
Prestel

Owning any dog brings big responsibilities but adopting one from a rescue centre, even one as adorable looking as Hen, is likely to bring challenges. However as the child narrator of this story says, ‘why should we get a brand new dog when Hen is as good as new to us?’ So back he goes to his new family.

Although family members provide everything they think Hen needs in the way of food, water, a cosy bed and plenty of toys to keep him amused, such is Hen’s appetite that not only does he consume all his food but goes on to eat his bowl, items of furnishings and more.

Let’s say he’s a tad destructive, even gobbling up a supposedly indestructible dog toy. Enough is enough say the child’s parents.

But then Gran comes to visit bringing something with her. Could this perhaps help headstrong Hen relax?

David Mackintosh mainly uses solid blocks of red, beige, blue and black etched with white lines and patterning to create his stylish and striking illustrations that are full of playful touches. I love the spread of socks that Gran has adorned with cross-stitch darning that help to underscore the make-do-and-mend environmental message.

Ruffles and the Cosy, Cosy Bed
David Melling
Nosy Crow

The adorably playful Ruffles returns as lively as ever, but with something new to dislike – loud noises. These make him all jumpy and jittery and his instinct is to run away. However loud noises at night are far worse especially if they are the thundery kind that bring flashes, bangs and crashes. Time to hide, thinks Ruffles but where?

It must be a quiet place that’s also safe and snuggly. Hmmm… suddenly the little dog thinks of the perfect place and it’s ready and waiting for him. Now where could that be? Assuredly it’s the ideal place to wait until the storm has abated.

Sometimes set against a vibrant colour, sometimes only black and white, it’s amazing how much David Melling manages to convey through his seemingly simple humorous illustrations of this little pup, especially in those sequential strips of Ruffles responding to the scary sounds when his body language and facial expressions speak far more that the accompanying words.