The Exploding Life of Scarlett Fife is a fantastically funny story bursting with personality and full of all the things that are important to children. Maz Evans really hit the nail on the head with the challenges families face and how children see the world. With so many laugh-out-loud moments, I also found myself feeling… Continue reading The Exploding Life of Scarlett Fife by Maz Evans & illustrated by Chris Jevons
After loving Susie Bower’s first book, The School for Nobodies, I was really looking forward to her second middle grade fantasy with Pushkin Press. The Three Impossibles is a fascinating story of secrets, discovering the truth and the power of having an enquiring mind. 11-year-old Mim’s mother died the day Mim was born when a… Continue reading The Three Impossibles by Susie Bower
With beautiful rhyming text and an honest discussion of emotions, Sometimes: A Book of Feelings explores the ebb and flow, the highs and lows of life. The beautiful metaphor of the sea helps young readers to understand how our feelings develop and change. The gorgeous colours of the brilliant illustrations by Elisa Paganelli reflect the… Continue reading Sometimes: A Book of Feelings by Stephanie Stansbie & illustrated by Elisa Pagnelli
The Queen’s Fool is an intriguing historical adventure set at the Tudor court. King Henry and Queen Katherine are on the throne and everyone must bow to their will. Young Cat Sparrow sees the world differently from other people. Her innocent perspective takes readers on an eye-opening journey with love, family and friendship at the… Continue reading The Queen’s Fool by Ally Sherrick
Peril at the Bake Off is a brilliant children’s mystery story. Ruth Quayle has captured the essence of childhood when life is one big adventure. This story is about kids being kids - having fun and getting into all sorts of trouble with their cousins. Bella and Joe are spending the summer with their granny… Continue reading Peril at the Bake Off by Ruth Quayle & illustrated by Marta Kissi (Blog Tour)
The Storm Keepers’ Battle is the action-packed, emotional conclusion to Catherine Doyle’s Storm Keeper Trilogy. This brilliant middle grade fantasy will carry readers away on an exciting adventure through wind, waves and the magic of memories. The island of Arranmore off the west coast of Ireland is bursting with magic. Good and evil have long… Continue reading The Storm Keepers’ Battle by Catherine Doyle
The Long Way Home is a beautiful, hardcover, early reader book for children who are just taking their first steps into longer stories. Each page is overflowing with gorgeous, soft colour. Kristyna Litten’s warm illustrations are full of personality and the wonderful relationship between the young elephant and his grandmother shines through. Otto and Nanu… Continue reading The Long Way Home by Corrinne Averiss & illustrated by Kristyna Litten
How to Be Brave is a funny and engaging book uniquely told through the power of footnotes. With a chatty style, the reader is pulled right into the story almost as an additional character. The narrator breaks the fourth wall by addressing the reader directly, drawing us into every questions, dilemma and decision. Calla lives… Continue reading How to be Brave by Daisy May Johnson
When I first saw this book, I was immediately reminded of the scene in The Return of Mary Poppins where Mary Poppins and the children visit “The Royal Doulton Music Hall” – with its song that my daughter regularly takes great delight in singing at full volume – especially when she was performing in a… Continue reading The Animals of Madame Malone’s Music Hall by Laura Wood & illustrated by Ellie Snowdon
Edgar and Adolf is a beautiful story published by Oxford University Press in association with Barrington Stoke. It is the perfect combination of a rich, heartfelt story with accessible vocabulary, spacing and font. This story bridges the gap between middle grade and young adult wonderfully and I can already think of so many children with… Continue reading Edgar and Adolf by Phil Earle & Michael Wagg
Scope for Imagination 