From the first page, The Book of Stolen Dreams pulls the reader right into mystery and adventure. There is a classic feeling to this story – a weightiness of something you just know is going to be epic. Brother and sister, Robert and Rachel Klein, are left orphaned in Krasnia – a city devastated by… Continue reading The Book of Stolen Dreams by David Farr
I think this just might be my favourite book in the fantastic Dragon Realm series! Full of action and excitement, the gang are even more reliant on their relationships with each other as they try to rescue their dragons and find their way home. We rejoin Billy, Dylan, Charlotte and Ling-Fei in some sort of… Continue reading Dragon City by Katie Tsang & Kevin Tsang
This is a book for cat people and everyone else who has yet to realise that they are cat people too. Based on the true story of a little cat who makes his home in the Faber and Faber offices during the Second World War, it’s a book full of charm, energy and the loyalty… Continue reading The Book Cat by Polly Faber & Clara Vulliamy
Family, loss, heartbreak and healing. Keeper of Secrets is a beautiful story of the power of nature. Everything has been wrong since 11 year-old Emily’s mother died in a tragic accident. The happy life she once knew with her favourite person by her side has completely disappeared. When her grief-stricken father, a vet, needs a… Continue reading Keeper of Secrets by Sarah J Dodd
When I was a child, I loved the "Choose Your Own Adventure" books. If you want to explore the castle, turn to page 71. If you want to battle the troll, turn to page 96. There were so many possibilities and so many endings. This week, I was thrilled to discover two new books that… Continue reading Choose Your Own Adventure for the next generation
Curse of the Dearmad is an engaging new middle grade fantasy from Emma Mylrea. Twins, Percy and Nell, are starting high school. As if that isn't challenging enough, there is something the matter with their mother and she has to go away to get well. Heartbroken, Percy and Nell struggle to think of anything they… Continue reading Curse of the Dearmad by Emma Mylrea
Together is a beautiful picture book that teaches young readers that sadness doesn’t have to last – there is comfort in friendship and community. Being together is always better than being alone. This story follows a little gorilla alone in the jungle. Something big and scary comes along. It seems frightening but it’s actually a… Continue reading Together by Jane Chapman
Betsy Buglove is a girl who loves bugs! She does all she can to help them. When she receives a special present from Gran, it opens up a whole new world for her. This magic magnifying glass allows her to hear the insects speaking to her. As they share their worries, she realises they’re in… Continue reading Betsy Buglove Saves the Bees by Catherine Jacob & Lucy Fleming
Our children love exploring the sea: swimming, digging in the sand and discovering the creatures who live beneath the waves. We were so pleased to see this lovely book in the National Trust shop at Corfe Castle when we were on holiday in Dorset. This beautiful picture book follows a small child and their gran… Continue reading The Wide Wide Sea by Anna Wilson & Jenny Lovlie
The Royal Rebel is the inspirational story of Sophia Duleep Singh, granddaughter of Maharajah Ranjit Singh, heir to the Sikh Empire in India. As goddaughter of Queen Victoria, Princess Sophia lived a life torn between two nations. She never felt completely at home in England or in India. This book tells her story as she… Continue reading The Royal Rebel: The Life of a Suffragette Princess by Bali Rai
Scope for Imagination 