The Castle of Tangled Magic is a book full of the anticipation of something truly special. The wisdom of the elderly, ancient magic and Russian folklore flows off the page in language full of wonder and enchantment. Sophie Anderson is a master storyteller with a richness unparalleled and an ability to draw readers into gloriously… Continue reading The Castle of Tangled Magic by Sophie Anderson
Rocket Boy shows just how much children can achieve when left alone with their imagination and a very big cardboard box! Like a slightly more grown-up “Whatever Next” by Jill Murphy, Rocket Boy is an exciting space adventure with a trusty sidekick. Callum is an absolute gold-mine of facts about the universe. He is always… Continue reading Rocket Boy by Katie Jennings & illustrated by Joe Lillington
Kiki is a beautiful, white cat. She’s absolutely adorable but doesn’t feel special like the other brightly-coloured animals she knows. More than anything, she wishes she could be colourful like her friends. On each page, Kiki tries to add a bit of pencil, ink or paint to improve her appearance. Unfortunately, the other animals just… Continue reading You Are Special by Sam Loman
1920’s Paris and a bold, adventurous cat who believes in herself from the tip of her tail to the ends of her whiskers makes for a wonderful combination! Cat starts life as a Paris alley cat – nothing special, nothing important but she has a dream. She wants to make something of herself and find… Continue reading Paris Cat by Dianne Hofmeyr & illustrated by Piet Grobler
Even when things seem at their darkest, there is always a flicker of light. The Midnight Guardians by Ross Montgomery is so much more than a story about the Second World War. It explores darkness, light, hope and love within layers and layers of meaning. Both the internal and external battles portrayed in this story… Continue reading The Midnight Guardians by Ross Montgomery
Joy by Yasmeen Ismail and illustrated by Jenni Desmond is just that – an absolute bundle of kitten joy! We are smitten cat lovers in our house so this charming book is purr-fect for us! I read it with my son and he giggled and “awwww”ed his way through the entire story. There’s nothing better… Continue reading Joy by Yasmeen Ismail & Jenni Desmond
Girl by day, Cat by night, Ready for Adventure Kitty is ready to be a superhero and use her feline powers to help others! With the wonderful ability to talk to cats, Kitty and her cat crew of Pumpkin, Figaro, Pixie and Katsumi make sure their neighbourhood is happy and safe. She is as charming… Continue reading Kitty and the Treetop Adventure by Paula Harrison & Jenny Lovlie
I first fell in love with the mysteries of Venice many, many years ago. As a child, I listened to the audio book “Vivaldi’s Ring of Mysteries” with gondolas, masks, music and the Island of the Dead. In 2017, I was so fortunate to visit this floating city myself. I was enchanted by the maze-like… Continue reading The Mask of Aribella by Anna Hoghton
Since reading Malamander by Thomas Taylor, I have been waiting to return to Eerie-on-Sea with great anticipation. It’s sequel, Gargantis, did not disappoint. In fact, it is even better than the original with more monsters, strange happenings and heart-stopping moments! From the very first moment, readers are pulled into the magical, other-worldly town of Eerie-on-Sea.… Continue reading Gargantis by Thomas Taylor
Captain Whiskers, written by Jeremy Strong and illustrated by Matt Robertson, is a wonderful, laugh out loud story of a boy who desperately wants a pet. Published by Barrington Stoke, it is an appealing “Little Gem” story for young readers (age 5-8). As an early chapter book, it builds confidence through manageable sections of text, short… Continue reading Captain Whiskers by Jeremy Strong
