The nights are drawing in; the temperature is dropping; spooky season is upon us. This autumn has delivered a wealth of stories to send shivers down your spine and make you hide underneath your blankets. Trick or Treat? by Catherine Emmett & Laura Brenlla (Oxford University Press) Trick or Treat? is a delightfully vibrant picture… Continue reading Spooky Season 2024
Midnight Adventures in Primrose Park contains two beautiful stories about the dangers British wild animals face. With short chapters and appealing illustrations, readers are taken from the animals' natural habitats to the scary city. Dogs, barbed wire fences, cars and flooding threaten the animals' health and separate them from their families. Hassan's mum works for… Continue reading Midnight Adventures in Primrose Park by Helen Peters
Wildsmith by Liz Flanagan is the loveliest series for readers age 7+. Full of adventure and heart, these stories pull readers into the magic and provide characters to look up to. In the third instalment, The Hidden Sea, Rowan finds herself on the run as she tries to find her way back home to her… Continue reading Wildsmith: The Hidden Sea by Liz Flanagan
Holly Webb's animal stories are so engaging. Full of relatable child characters and wonderful connections to animals, readers understand the importance of looking after wildlife and how much they can do themselves. Positive relationships with older family members reflect how much we can learn from those who have come before. The Summer Dolphin takes readers… Continue reading The Summer Dolphin by Holly Webb & illustrated by David Dean
My daughter's best friend has a sausage dog, Bertie, who is a bit of a superhero! He's absolutely adorable and most definitely the leading character in his life. Although the girls are 16 now, they would have loved these two books when they were younger. Funny, surprising and absolutely charming "Super Sausage to the Rescue"… Continue reading Super Sausage Dog Stories to Make You Laugh!
I'm delighted to share the third book in the Ivy Newt series, Ivy Newt and the Swamp Dragons. Return to the magical world of Miracula with Ivy – daughter of the King and Queen of the Sand Witches - and her best friend Tom, a shape-shifting wolf boy. This is a wonderful chapter book series… Continue reading Ivy Newt and the Swamp Dragons by Derek Keilty & Magda Brol ~ Blog Tour
After being treated to a sneak peek from Sophy Henn herself at the Simon & Schuster Middle Grade Spring Showcase in March, I couldn't wait to get my hands on a copy of Happy Hills: Attack of the Giant Danger Kittens! This bright and cheerful comic style novel is so appealing! The illustrations are absolutely… Continue reading Happy Hills: Attack of the Giant Danger Kittens by Sophy Henn
Rory and the Snack Dragons is absolutely delightful! With Paper Bag Princess vibes, an intelligent girl outwits a dragon and they form the most unlikely of friendships. The development of the dragon character as one who doesn't really like eating princesses and just wants to do good adds to the charm of the story. Rory… Continue reading Rory and the Snack Dragons by Louisa MacDougall & Giulia Cregut ~ Blog Tour
Helen Peters writes the most delightful stories from her fun animal adventures to her wartime middle grade mysteries. New Arrivals at Willow Farm, published by Barrington Stoke, is another chance for young readers to see the world through the eyes of animals. The book is split into two stories - "Snowy the Sheepdog" and "Cowslip… Continue reading New Arrivals at Willow Farm by Helen Peters & Isobel Lundie
Stories by Gill Lewis are always gentle and heart-warming but with an incredibly strong message. A champion of nature, she leaves her readers with a sense of responsibility for taking care of our world. The Island Vet series continues in this manner. It promises to be an absolutely charming series for readers age 7+ full… Continue reading The Island Vet: Pirates and Sea Monsters by Gill Lewis & Irina Avgustinovich
Scope for Imagination 