Picture This: Sea and Shore

This beautiful pop-up board book is filled with wonderful facts. Even grown-ups will learn something new!

Each page includes a lovely pop-up sea creature and lots of fascinating facts - I didn't know that a crab's teeth are in its stomach, or that a starfish can push its stomach out of its mouth. My five-year-old was amazed by how fast a sailfish can travel and she enjoyed looking for camouflaged seahorses. 

The illustrations are bright and engaging and there is enough detail on each page to keep little eyes occupied while you read all the facts aloud. The pop up elements look robust and well designed, so they won't break immediately when handled by little fingers. 

Sea and Shore is a visually stunning and informative story. It looks like the start of a really wonderful series, perfect for engaging young readers with the world around them.

Sea and Shore is written and illustrated by Christiane Engel

Thank you Little Tiger Group for sending me a copy to review

Hamnet

Hamnet is heartbreakingly beautiful. I will be thinking about this novel for a very long time. 

Hamnet tells the story of Shakespeare's only son, who died age eleven of unknown causes. It flows between voices and timelines effortlessly, detailing the early relationship of Hamnet's parents, the dynamics of his family life, and, once it builds to its devastating climax, the heart-wrenching impact of his death.

If a reader knows what's going to happen before a story begins, there's a danger the emotional impact can be dampened, but O'Farrell paints a vivid, heartbreaking picture of a family in grief. She explores the unimaginable devastation of losing a child, and the different forms grief can take. This novel brought me to tears for chapters. It explores the wonder and cruelty of life, the inconstancy of relationships and the effect our lives have on others.

The backdrop of plague, the ease and yet also complexity, with which it is transmitted, is particularly poignant in our current times. The playhouses close, public gatherings are banned in London, and Shakespeare returns to Stratford to spend weeks and months with his family. The plague gives them time together, yet it also takes so much. Shakespeare doesn't explore the plague in any of his plays, and O'Farrell uses its striking absence to weave her imagining of Shakespeare and his family's life. 

The narrative switches between Hamnet, his siblings Judith and Susanna, his mother Agnes, his grandmother Mary and his unnamed father. For, while he is crucial to the narrative's every twist and turn, Shakespeare is referred to only as 'the tutor', 'the father' or 'the glovemaker's son'. Yet he still comes vibrantly to life. Lost in the world of his narratives, driven by love and emotion, it is an image of a mysterious historical figure that feels realistic and influenced by the few facts we do know about his life. 

Agnes was my favourite character. I loved the surreal, other-wordly sphere she occupied, her knowledge and use of herbal remedies, and the fierceness of her love, which brings both rapture and despair. 

Hamnet is superbly written, with brilliant historical details and complicated characters. It is an imagining of how one of Shakespeare's greatest works came into being and has left me desperate to read the play once more.

Blood of Elves (The Witcher #1)

For over a century, humans, dwarves, gnomes, and elves have lived together in relative peace. But times have changed, the uneasy peace is over, and now the races are fighting once again. The only good elf, it seems, is a dead elf.

Geralt of Rivia, the cunning assassin known as The Witcher, has been waiting for the birth of a prophesied child. This child has the power to change the world - for good, or for evil.

As the threat of war hangs over the land and the child is hunted for her extraordinary powers, it will become Geralt's responsibility to protect them all - and the Witcher never accepts defeat. {goodreads summary}

While Blood of Elves is the first novel in the Witcher saga, it does follow on from the events in the short stories. If you haven't read those (or seen the TV show) there's no reason why you couldn't start with the novel, but I think the opening would be a bit disorientating if you didn't already know the characters and back story, so I would advise checking out the start of the tale first.

I've had a huge fantasy hangover since finishing The Witcher Netflix show late last year, so it was brilliant to return to this world and its characters, and to learn more of its backstory. 

The world building is rich, with complex history and politics woven throughout in a way that is endlessly fascinating and will be popular with anyone who enjoyed reading the Song of Ice and Fire series. The action scenes are fast-paced, fun and easy to visualise. The translation is also superb, and remains smooth and natural throughout.  

There are some excellent 'montage' sequences in Blood of Elves, where long periods of time are conveyed entirely through dialogue. The way Sapkowski conveys actions and description only using speech is clever and engaging, and I found myself picturing scenes perfectly even without any additional wording around the dialogue. 

I really enjoyed Blood of Elves and am looking forward to reading more about Geralt, Ciri and Yennefer's adventures.

I was provided with a review copy of Blood of Elves via NetGalley

Picture This: ABC of Kindness

I think this must be the sweetest ABC book I have ever seen!

ABC of Kindness is a really different look at the alphabet - A is for "all of us" and M is for "making time for everyone". It's such a lovely idea and has made me smile every time I pick it up. It is a particularly good book to snuggle up with at the moment, when the world feels so scary and strange.

There are six animal characters: a lion, a giraffe, a mouse, a bear, an elephant and a rabbit, who play together and look after each other throughout the pages of this book. The gentle rhyme scheme is soothing, making this a brilliant book for bedtime, especially as it ends with the characters falling asleep. 

The illustrations were adorable and I could easily imagine them hung on a nursery walls, especially as the words carry such wonderful messages. 

The ABC of Kindness would make a lovely addition to any nursery, and a fantastic present for newborns and new parents.

The ABC of kindness is written by Patricia Hegarty and illustrated by Summer Macon

Thank you Little Tiger Group for sending us a copy of this story to review

The House of Hidden Wonders

Zinnie and her sisters live in the murky tunnels beneath Edinburgh's Old Town. They keep out of the way of the authorities and remain undetected. Until, that is, rumours of a ghost bring unwanted visitors into the caverns they call home. Among them, a young Arthur Conan Doyle, keen to investigate, and MacDuff, the shady owner of Edinburgh's newest attraction, the House of Wonders. Caught up in a world of intrigue and adventure, Zinnie seeks answers. But how can she discover what secrets lie in the House of Wonders while also protecting the sisters she holds so dear?

Fast paced and full of heart, I loved this MG mystery novel and think it will be a huge hit with young readers this year. Here are three reasons why:

1. There is a beautiful sibling relationship at the heart of this novel - in Zinnie's found-family of girls - and the affection the sisters felt for each other was at the heart of their every decision. Nell, the youngest sister, falls ill at the beginning of the novel and it is her survival and happiness that drives many of Zinnie's actions. Aelfine is the newest sister and her resourcefulness and bravery made her a fantastic character, along with her lovely pet monkey Ruby. I also loved the clever, resourceful Sadie who has a brilliant knowledge of herbal healing.

2. The Victorian Edinburgh setting was incredible, with plenty of atmospheric historical details. The inclusion of real historical figures like Arthur Conan Doyle, was a lot of fun and I loved all of the little references to his writing, and the Sherlock Holmes vibes which ran throughout the book. It was also particularly interesting to learn about Dr Jex-Blake and the struggles the first female doctors faced and there were some great facts included at the back. I can see this novel being great for classes studying the Victorian period as it provides a vivd representation of what life was like at the time, especially attitudes to race, gender and disabilities. 

3. The House of Hidden Wonders was a mystery story with a difference. We know who committed the crime quite early on in the narrative, and the protagonist is instead trying to prove their guilt. This provides a change of pace from a traditional mystery, but there's still plenty to speculate and wonder about. There is a lot at stake for Zinnie and her sisters and it was thrilling to watch them cope with all the complications that came their way.

Thank you Little Tiger for providing me with a copy of this novel for review. 

Picture This: Bunny Makes Breakfast

This lovely picture book has over 35 flaps and a recipe in the back!

Follow Big Bunny and Little Bunny as they gather up the ingredients for Little Bunny's breakfast. Butter from the fridge, berries from the garden and even eggs from a chick coop. This book is extremely interactive and lots of fun. My three-year-old giggled with glee when we opened a flap to find something you definitely wouldn't want to bake. My five-year-old took the search for ingredients very seriously. 

Bunny Makes Breakfast is bright and engaging. It explains the different steps that go into baking and even gives you a yummy recipe at the end so you can have a go yourself - which both of my children are very keen to do. 

The illustrations are sweet and there's lots of detail and fun things to find beneath the flaps. On the day this arrived, I was asked to read it repeatedly in quick succession and it's still just as popular now.

Bunny Makes Breakfast is illustrated by Seb Braun and written by Kathryn Smith

Thank you Little Tiger Group for sending us a copy to review. 

Captain Whiskers

Cats in the bath! Cats in the cupboards! Cats and more cats everywhere!

Everyone in Jackson’s class has a pet, but all Jackson has is his little brother Freddie. And little brothers don’t make very good pets. But when Jackson meets The Man With The Top Hat and his lovely cat Mrs Wilson, he’s about to get the pet he’s always wanted – and many, many more …

This fun book is part of Barrington Stoke's Little Gems series - short, first chapter books with bright illustrations that are perfect for emerging readers (5-8). It has a dyslexia friendly layout that makes it clear and accessible to a large range of readers.

Jackson is desperate for a pet. When a man in a top hat offers to give him some of his (100 to be exact!), he agrees, certain the old man must be joking. But when he gets home, there are 101 cats in his house. 101 might be too many, but if the man takes 100 back, maybe what's left will be just right...

My five-year-old really enjoyed reading this story out loud to me. She needed a but of help, but I think in another year she could read this to herself. It's a good level of difficulty and the bright, funny illustrations make it easy to follow and interact with.

We giggled throughout Captain Whiskers and especially loved all of the cats' names. We don't have any pets, so Jackson's predicament was familiar to my daughter (luckily allergies mean that she's not now on the look out for her own top-hatted pet provider!) He was a thoughtful and likeable protagonist, who many readers will identify with.

Captain Whiskers is written by Jeremy Strong and illustrated by Matt Robertson. 

Thank you Barrington Stoke for sending us a copy to review. 

Picture This: Most of the Better Natural Things in the World

Sometimes with picture books, less is more. Most of the Better Natural Things in the World is a visually stunning tour of the Earth's geographical features which leaves the pictures to tell the story. 

With only one word on each page, the illustrations take centre stage, and I could easily sit and look at them for as long as I would usually spend reading the text. My three-year-old especially liked the Oasis and Taiga, and my favourite page was the Chaparral. The same tiger features on each page, carrying a chair on his back, and we had fun guessing what he might be up to, until his journey comes to an end on the final page of the book.

I came across geographical terms I hadn't heard before, but the detail in the illustrations gave me a clear idea of what each feature looked like, and the back two pages of the book contain a really useful glossary (great for when young readers ask what the words mean and you're not sure how to describe them!) This story is both informative and beautiful. It is very special and is one we will enjoy looking at again and again. 

Most of the Better Natural Things in the World is written by Dave Eggers and illustrated by Angel Chang

Thank you Abrams & Chronicle Books for sending us such a stunning book to review. 

Eco Rangers: Wildfire Rescue

There’s been a devastating wildfire in the bushland and Ebony and Jay, our Eco Rangers, are doing their best to find injured animals. As they rescue a cute little possum with burned paws, they also discover that some people have been camping in the area that was devastated by the fire. What were they doing there? This is a mystery for the Eco Rangers!

Eco Rangers is an action-packed series centred around two best friends, who rescue and rehabilitate sick and injured wildlife through their local conservation centre. Ebony and Jay love helping others and looking after the environment. In each story, they meet new animal friends, solve mysteries and learn more about nature. Meet the Eco Rangers and dive into their brand new adventures! {goodreads summary}

With the recent devastation of the Australian bush fires, Eco Rangers: Wildfire Rescue is a very timely story which will capture the imagination of school children who watched the fires blazing and wished they could help. Here are three reasons I would recommend it:

1. Eco Rangers: Wildfire Rescue is packed full of brilliant information about caring for Australian wildlife. I loved Mira, the possum, and how devoted Ebony and Jay were to helping her - and how she, in turn, wanted to help them.  While Ebony and Jay work closely with their local vets and always seek an adult's approval before doing anything, there were lots of small things that readers could pick up on and learn from. There is even a list of ten ways to be an eco ranger at the end of the book. As I was reading, I was reminded of the Animal Ark books and I think this series will be just as popular with readers who enjoy stories about animals. 

2. The mystery element to Wildfire Rescue was really fun. The narrative was fast paced and there's plenty to keep readers guessing and lots to discuss as the story progresses. 

3. As well as being full of animal facts, Wildfire Rescue also has lots of practical advice about looking after the environment. Even children who don't live in areas prone to forest fires will be able to learn from the fire safety tips in this story. There is some really good advice about how to behave if you are caught in a fire of any nature and I think Ebony and Jay's adventure will stick with readers long after they have finished. 

Thank you New Frontier Publishing for providing me with a copy of Eco Rangers: Wildlife Rescue for review.

Picture This: Where do Teachers Go at Night

Where do teachers go at night? Do they swim from sharks with very big teeth, or watch the Aurora Borealis in Scandinavia? Do they jet around the world and return to their classrooms ready to teach the next day without any sleep?

With bright, funny artwork these picture books ask the question that a lot of young school pupils are thinking. 

Some of the humour in these stories was lost on my children as my husband is a teacher, so they've never viewed their teachers as people who live in schools and don't exist outside of them! But children without that personal connection would definitely find lots to smile and wonder at, and my children still enjoyed the silly antics the teachers get up to.

I was really excited to spot a page about the Isles of Scilly in Where else do Teachers Go at Night as it's one of my very favourite places. Across the two books, the teachers visit everywhere from New Zealand to Iceland, so these books are also a great way to look at different countries.

Where do Teacher go at Night is written by Harriet Cuming and illustrated by Sophie Norsa

Thank you Little Steps Publishing for providing us with copies of this story for review

Clever Cakes

Are you smart enough to escape from a hungry grizzly bear? Could you trick a grumpy king out of a giant golden belly-button?

It pays to be able to think on your feet, especially if you’re about to be eaten alive or cheated out of a valuable prize! So it’s just as well that Masha and Peggy are two clever kids, each with a cunning plan …

This wonderful book is part of Barrington Stoke's Little Gems series - short, first chapter books with bright illustrations that are perfect for emerging readers (5-8). It has a dyslexia friendly layout that makes it clear and accessible to a large range of readers. Clever Cakes is split into two very funny stories.

Masha's Granny warns her not to venture too far into the woods, but when Masha gets caught up in a game of hide and seek she ends up kidnapped by a bear! Masha will need to combine her baking skills and quick thinking to outmatch her captor and return home to Granny. 

King Jabber is bored of all his usual entertainments, so he devises a competition that will be sure to amuse him: whoever tells him the biggest lie will win his Great Golden Belly-button ("Use? You don't use a Great Golden Belly-button. It just is.") The competition isn't as exciting as King Jabber had hoped, until a clever girl called Peggy arrives. 

Both of these stories really made us laugh! They were just right for my five-year-old to read aloud to me, providing some great variety from her usual phonics-based schools books. My three-year-old enjoyed listening in too, and they both loved the colourful pictures and quick-thinking, clever protagonists.

Clever Cakes is written by Michael Rosen and illustrated by Ashley King

Thank you Barrington Stoke for providing us with a copy to review

5 Picture Books for British Science Week

British Science Week is coming to an end, so here are five picture books to keep scientific discussions going at home.

Engibear's Dream is a fun STEM book about engineering and the importance of redesigning, never giving up, and learning from your mistakes.

The Astronomically Correct Twinkle Twinkle is a picture book version of this song which rewords the classic nursery rhyme so that it's scientifically correct. 

Once Upon a Star uses gentle rhyming verse and beautiful artwork to explore the Big Bang and the formation of life on Earth. 

The Darkest Dark is the story of Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield's early love of space and experience of the first Moon landing. 

Questions and Answers about Animals is a lift-the-flap book full of interesting questions about animals. We learn something new every time we open it. 

I would have loved to include Look Up on this list too, but I didn't have a copy to hand to photograph  with the group (it's one we borrowed from the library) so it is my bonus sixth choice - a must-read for young, aspiring astronauts!

Picture This: The Boy on the Page

One morning, a boy landed on a page. What follows is a story filled with amazing experiences and wonderful connections. From planting a tree to helping someone in need, the boy - who becomes a man over the course of the pages - impacts the lives of everyone around him, but one thing still troubles him: why is he there?

The Boy on the Page is a lighthearted way to discuss big questions about the purpose of life and our value to those around us. The final pages show how even our smallest actions can have a big effect on those around us and that everyone is vitally important to someone else. 

It is a story about growing up and finding your place, and gently encourages children to acknowledge that it's okay to feel a bit lost sometimes. 

The artwork in this picture book is colourful and sweet, often telling its own story beyond the words on the page. 

The Boy on the Page is written and illustrated by Peter Carnavas

Thank you New Frontier Publishing for providing me with a copy of this book for review - and for introducing me to Peter Carnavas' books, which are now firm favourites in our house!

Picture This: Round Fish Square Bowl

This fun, silly picture book turns cliches on their heads to show young children that it's okay to be different. 

The first half of Round Fish Square Bowl features some well known sayings - as mad as a hatter, ugly duckling - and the second reverses them in fun ways, pointing out that ugly ducklings turn into beautiful swans and that the slow tortoise beats the hare. 

Everyone has their own unique time to shine and Round Fish Square Bowl encourages children to be themselves - while giggling at the funny artwork.

Round Fish Square Bowl is written by Tom Skinner and illustrated by Mini Goss

Thank you New Frontier Publishing for providing me with a copy of this book for review

5 Board Books for British Science Week

It's British science week! Because my husband is a physics teacher and my house is full of scientific picture books, I've written two posts for this week about our favourites (I could picked five per day but I'm restraining myself!) This first post is about some of the science board books we love. 

The Baby University books (Quantum Physics for Babies, Astrophysics for babies and the ABCs of Physics) make brilliant presents for new parents with an interest in science. We've bought so many of these for teacher friends expecting their first child, making use of the maths, biology and chemistry ranges too. While my children haven't started telling me about quantum mechanics over breakfast (thankfully!), they do really enjoy having these stories read to them and as my five-year-old learns about science in school, she's starting to recognise the occasional term. 

Peep Inside Space is part of the brilliant Peep Inside range from Usborne. This story features the same cute artwork and fun flaps as the other stories in this range. It teaches young readers about space suits and life on board the International Space Station. 

Another scientific ABC, my husband picked up the ABCs of Particle Physics in the gift shop at CERN. This board book has a sweet rhyming scheme and adorable artwork. "C is for cryostat, so icy and cold. D is for detector, where collisions unfold."

Picture This: Dear Earth

Tessa's Grandpa is an explorer who has been on adventures all over the world. When they go out for walks together, Grandpa tells Tessa all about the amazing things he has seen and it inspires her to write a letter to the Earth. Tessa's wonderful letter details all the things she loves most about the Earth, and the importance of protecting it. 

The illustrations in this book are BEAUTIFUL. I wish I could buy prints of some of the pages for my children's bedrooms - especially the vertical underwater page which we could have looked at all day. My five year old is also a big fan of the narwhal page. 

Environmental children's books are really popular at the moment, capturing the interest and imagination of a generation of children who are already passionate about the environment and encouraging them to look into how they can help the world. Dear Earth has prompted some brilliant conversations in our house and has helped my children to think about how they can help the environment. 

This story will inspire your own children to write a letter to the Earth and think about the aspects of nature they love the most and the ways that they can help save it. There are helpful facts at the back which would work well in a classroom, or at a youth group (I can definitely see myself taking this one into Rainbows). 

Thank you Little Tiger Group for sending me a copy of Dear Earth to review.

Dear Earth is written by Isabel Otter and illustrated by Clara Anganuzzi

The Midnight Lie

Where Nirrim lives, crime abounds, a harsh tribunal rules, and society’s pleasures are reserved for the High Kith. Life in the Ward is grim and punishing. People of her low status are forbidden from sampling sweets or wearing colours. You either follow the rules, or pay a tithe and suffer the consequences. {goodreads summary}

The Midnight Lie is a wonderful New Adult fantasy from Marie Rutkoski, creator of one of my very favourite fantasy series - The Winner's Trilogy. It is filled with magic, romance and so many twists. Here are three reasons I enjoyed this story:

1) Nirrim's voice captivated me throughout The Midnight Lie. There was a sense of detachment, of regret, that was really interesting, especially with a first person narrator. 

2) In a similar vein, I really liked Nirrim as a character. Her naivety and her foibles, her inability to see the truth due to her desperation to believe people are good. I liked the very relatable way in which she made herself believe that everything was her fault and that the people around her had her best interests at heart - and I loved her eventual realisation that this was happening, and the steps she took afterwards. Nirrim felt complicated and real. Sid was equally superb, but in a completely different way. Imagine a lesbian, female Nikolai Lantsov and you have Sid: arrogant, flirtatious and irresistible.

3) The way the world connected to the universe of The Winner's Trilogy - the small hints and larger twists - was very clever. I hope there is more interplay in the next story, and possibly appearances from some of my favourites, although so long as Nirrim and Sid are still taking centre stage, I'll definitely be preordering book two.

I was provided with an eARC of this story through NetGalley.

Picture This: Bear was There

Mouse's mother warns him to be wary of Bear, but when Mouse finds himself caught outside in the snow, Bear might be the only creature able to help him.

This is a beautiful story about finding friendship in unexpected places and not judging others based on unfounded fears. The illustrations are really special, with a soft, comforting colour scheme, and backgrounds that progress slowly through the seasons. My children really enjoyed this story and it is one I think we will read a lot.

Thank you New Frontier Publishing for giving us a copy to review.

Bear was There is written and illustrated by Sally Anne Garland

Anna K

Every happy teenage girl is the same, while every unhappy teenage girl is miserable in her own special way.

Meet Anna K. At seventeen, she is at the top of Manhattan and Greenwich society (even if she prefers the company of her horses and Newfoundland dogs); she has the perfect (if perfectly boring) boyfriend, Alexander W.; and she has always made her Korean-American father proud (even if he can be a little controlling). Meanwhile, Anna's brother, Steven, and his girlfriend, Lolly, are trying to weather a sexting scandal; Lolly’s little sister, Kimmie, is struggling to recalibrate to normal life after an injury derails her ice dancing career; and Steven’s best friend, Dustin, is madly (and one-sidedly) in love with Kimmie. {goodreads summary}

I haven't read Anna Karenina since I was the age of the characters in this book, so Anna K was a really interesting way to return to this story. I loved all the little hints to the original, but also the very fresh modern twist Jenny Lee gives her retelling. 

Anna K is a story of love, luxury and letting go of who the world expects you to be. Here are three reasons I would recommend it:

1) I loved all the main protagonists and was never disappointed when the viewpoint shifted - everyone's story line was unique and interesting, and I enjoyed them all. Having an insight into everyone's thoughts meant I was never suspicious of characters having ulterior motives. It was also great to see so much diversity in the characters - this is Gossip Girl for the 2020s.

2) This novel is full of moments of astute social commentary, addressing difficult topics which affect teenagers today, in particular mental health and social media. Kimmie's story arc was particularly strong from this point of view, but I also loved Steven and Lolly's discussions about the gender imbalance when it comes to cheating. Drugs featured quite prevalently in Anna K, but the novel explored their less glamorous, sometimes devastating, side to great effect. 

3) The ending took me completely by surprise - which is saying something as the ending was probably what I could remember most vividly from the original. 

Anna K was utterly addictive and a lot of fun, retaining the spirit of the original but bringing it firmly into 2020.

Thank you Penguin for letting me review Anna K via NetGalley.