Publishing: January 2022 After reading an extract from When the War Came Home and being carried away to South Wales in the time following the First World War, I was thrilled to be able to read the whole story. Absolutely unputdownable, I spent a wonderful afternoon and evening with Natty, Nerys, Johnny and Huw. When… Continue reading When the War Came Home by Lesley Parr
The nights are drawing in and Christmas is coming! I love this charming picture book about Santa’s early days at the North Pole. As the youngest of the large Claus family, life was tough and there was much to be done but little Santa wasn’t miserable like the rest of his family. He was happy,… Continue reading Little Santa by Jon Agee
Polly Bee Makes Honey is the second in a collection of four titles showing children where their food comes from. A young girl follows some bees as they work together step by step to create honey. Each page has large, clear illustrations with a few sentences explaining exactly what is happening. There is even more… Continue reading Polly Bee Makes Honey by Deborah Chancellor & Julia Groves
Children love to find out why. Why do elephants have trunks? Why does jelly wobble? Why does it rain? Britannica First Big Book of Why answers all of these questions and many, many more with bold print, clear explanations and bright illustrations. Written with younger readers in mind, this engaging book is sure to be… Continue reading Britannica Big Book of Why by Sally Symes, Stephanie Drimmer & Kate Slater
The thing with dragons was that no one expected to find one. Pip loves spending time in the magic and peace of the creek. It’s much better than the tense atmosphere at home where her mum’s partner, Matt, is angry, threatening and controlling most of the time. Pip loves her mum and wants nothing more… Continue reading Dragon Skin by Karen Foxlee
I love this time of year when shiny, new Christmas stories make their way into the world, sprinkling Christmas spirit around the country. It won’t be long until we’re cuddling up in front of the Christmas tree in the twinkling lights sharing these wonderful books. The Christmas Pine is the story of a beautiful pine… Continue reading The Christmas Pine by Julia Donaldson & Victoria Sandoy
As Large As Life is one of those books that calls to readers, tempting them to open the cover and explore inside. The animal illustrations are gorgeous – appealing, sometimes slightly scary, and absolutely majestic. They draw the eye around the page until it settles on a favourite, ready to find out more. I love… Continue reading As Large as Life by Jonny Marx & Sandhya Prabhat
What is “Consent” and why is it so important that everyone understands what it means? This book is the ultimate guide to this essential concept – ensuring that readers make important decisions about what they are and are not ok with and how to communicate this to others. Going beyond “Yes means yes” and “No… Continue reading Welcome to Consent by Yumi Stynes & Dr Melissa Kang
Jenny Pearson is the queen of comedy writing that bursts with empathy and a whole lot of heart! Grandpa Frank’s Great Big Bucket List highlights the value of cross-generational relationships and how rewarding it is to look after someone else. Hilarious and touching, this is a book to smile through. With a dying grandmother’s last… Continue reading Grandpa Frank’s Great Big Bucket List by Jenny Pearson
Beautiful paintings and the simple sentences of a child combine to create a unique perspective on the outbreak of the Second World War in Poland. Asked to keep a journal by his teacher, eight-year-old Michael reflects on the highlights of his days. Walks in the woods, a ride in a car, planes overhead, the start… Continue reading I Saw a Beautiful Woodpecker: The Diary of a Young Boy at the Outbreak of World War II by Michal Skibinski & illustrated by Ala Bankroft
Scope for Imagination 