Picture This: I'm Sorry

Swoop and Scribble are the best of friends, but when they move in together, communication issues lead to arguments and it looks like their friendship may come to an end. Scribble knows the important word he needs to say is 'sorry' but he quickly discovers that saying sorry only helps if you mean it. 

This story covers so many relevant themes for young children: saying sorry, learning to share, making up with friends, and the importance of clear communication. It is also a really lovely story, with sweet, relatable characters, which children will enjoy without feeling as though they are being 'taught'. 

I'm Sorry would work very well in an early years setting and also made a soothing bedtime story at home. 

Thank you Little Tiger Books for sending me a copy to review. 

 

I'm Sorry is written by Barry Timms and illustrated by Sean Julian

The Vanishing Trick

The Vanishing Trick is a dark, twisted fairytale which kept me on the edge of my seat. This creepy MG novel will be a huge hit. Here are three things are really loved about it:

1.  The relationship between Leander, Charlotte and Felix was lovely. This is a story about found family, the importance of bonds and intimacy, and learning to love and trust after you've been abandoned and mistreated. 

2. The atmosphere was also brilliant - The Vanishing Trick was so dark and creepy, with ghosts, magic and danger at every turn. The magical elements were woven into the story well, with clear limitations and plenty of fun details that led to interesting plot points. 

3. Pinchbeck was a superb villain! She was nasty, twisted and unpredictable, a perfect antagonist for such a creepy children's story. Throughout The Vanishing Trick, she was able to manipulate the protagonists and trick them into thinking that she cared - leaving the reader screaming at the children not to trust her!

Thank you Simon & Schuster UK for sending me a copy of The Vanishing Trick to review on Netgally.

Picture This: Impossible!

Dog has always dreamed of visiting the sea, but he runs a laundry in the middle of a city and the ocean is too far away - impossible to visit. When Crab arrives in a box of laundry detergent and is determined to return home, no matter how impossible the journey, Dog takes the plunge and goes with him. An amazing road trip filled with fun and friendship follows. Dog soon learns that something is only impossible if you say it is. 

Impossible! is a great book for encouraging children to follow their dreams, no matter how impossible they might seem. Venturing out into the unknown is easier with friends and a strong sense of determination, and sometimes changing your own attitude is the most important step towards achieving what you want. 

We really enjoyed The One-Stop Story Shop, so I was sure we would love this picture book too. The story is lovely and encouraging. So many schools now promote determination and resilience in their school values and this story would be a great way to explore those to younger children. 

The art work is also bright, busy and very sweet. It really added to our enjoyment of the story. This is a picture book I can see us returning to again and again. 

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

Impossible! Is written by Tracey Corderoy and illustrated by Tony Neal

Incendiary

I am Renata Convida.

I have lived a hundred stolen lives.

Now I live my own.

Renata Convida was only a child when she was kidnapped by the King's Justice and brought to the luxurious palace of Andalucia. As a Robari, the rarest and most feared of the magical Moria, Renata's ability to steal memories from royal enemies enabled the King's Wrath, a siege that resulted in the deaths of thousands of her own people.

Oh wow. I loved this story so much. It was a wild, emotional ride that I didn't want to end. I'm only going to list two things I loved about it, instead of my usual three, because everything I want to say is full of spoilers and I definitely don't want to give anything away. 

1) The emotion in this story was what made it so special. I felt keenly for Ren - her sadness, her elation, her victories and her losses. There were moments when I thought I might cry, and others where I cheered. She is a wonderful protagonist and Córdova does a superb job of making you feel every second of her journey. 

2) The magic in Ren's world is fantastic and so well defined. I loved all the limitations and details, the way it made the characters feel and the way it drove the plot. Ren's memory magics were particularly intriguing. There was so much complexity to her role as a Robari, she is wielded as a prize and a weapon, valued but also feared. Stealing memories takes a toll on Ren, shrouding her own past in  the fog of the Grey, and it also alters how she sees and values herself. 

I can't wait to return to Ren and her brilliant friends in book two. I wish I could start it straight away!

I was provided with a proof of this novel for review via Netgally  

Five Picture Books about Dragons

In honour of St George's Day yesterday, here are five dragon filled picture books to enjoy at home. 

In Ten Little Princesses, one fearless princess has to defend her friends from a fire breathing dragon. This story has been very well read in our house and the series is one of our favourites. 

The knight in The One-Stop Story Shop has to find a new adventure when the dragon he's preparing to battle goes on holiday. The shop is full of so many exciting storylines that by the time the dragon returns, the knight has discovered a new world of adventures to set out on. 

Room on the Broom is one of our favourite stories. I've read this so many times I can tell it to my children by heart. The dragon in this story likes eating witch and chips, but luckily the witch has some clever friends ready to rescue her. 

Marmaduke is different. The other dragons tease him for his large ears and unusual wings. But sometimes being different is useful, and brings new opportunities for fun and friendship. 

The Trouble with Dragons is that they don't look after the world around them, polluting the atmosphere and wasting food. This is a cautionary tale of the importance of protecting the environment. 

Picture This: Once Upon an Atom

Once Upon an Atom is another wonderful addition to the Once Upon series, which introduces big scientific ideas to little readers. 

This ambitious picture book gives readers an overview of Chemistry, Physics and Biology. It introduces key scientific concepts like electricity and gravity with vibrant pictures and fun language, that even my three-year-old can follow.

Once Upon an Atom encourages children to see science as something exciting and limitless, with plenty of opportunity for exploration and questions. 

Each page is bold enough to be a piece of artwork and this story would be a great introduction to science lessons in primary school, as a way to build enthusiasm and interest. 

Once Upon an Atom is written by James Carter and illustrated by Willian Santiago

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

Seven Endless Forests

On the heels of a devastating plague, Torvi’s sister, Morgunn, is stolen from the family farm by Uther, a flame-loving Fremish wolf-priest who leads a pack of ragged, starving girls. Torvi leaves the only home she’s ever known, and joins a shaven-skulled druid and a band of roaming Elsh artists known as the Butcher Bards. They set out on a quest to rescue Torvi’s sister, and find a mythical sword.

On their travels, Torvi and her companions will encounter magical night wilds and mystical Drakes who trade in young men. They will sing rowdy Elshland ballads in a tree-town tavern, and find a mysterious black tower in an Endless Forest. They will fight alongside famous Vorseland archers and barter with Fremish wizards. They will feast with rogue Jade Fell children in a Skal Mountain cave, and seek the help of a Pig Witch. They will face wild, dangerous magic that leads to love, joy, tragedy, and death.

Torvi set out to rescue a sister, but she may find it’s merely the first step toward a life that is grander and more glorious than anything she could have imagined. {goodreads summary}

I haven't read the Boneless Mercies, but I will be after finishing this story. 

The best thing about it was, without doubt, the world building, which has the richness that only a novel set in an already well-fleshed out fantasy world can achieve. There were so many places, people, customs and types of magic. It read like a classic fairytale, which was reflected in the prevalence of bards and storytellers in the story. Songs of old sagas and heroes were woven throughout Torvi's quest, which was epic in scope and full of adventure. 

Tucholke's writing rivals her world building. It was as lyrical as one of the fairytales within Seven Endless Forests. I loved her descriptions (especially the Night Wild).

At times it felt as though this novel could have been split into a series, with more time taken over each individual quest. The ending felt rushed, more like a summary epilogue than part of the story. I would have liked even more about Torvi's world and her adventures as she passes through it.  

I was provided with a copy of this novel for review through NetGalley. 

Picture This: Once Upon a Raindrop

Filled with beautiful watercolour artwork, Once Upon a Raindrop is a soft, soothing exploration of the water cycle and the importance of water which young children will enjoy reading again and again. 

The Once Upon series is perfect for little readers with an interest in science or the natural world. Big concepts are introduced in informative, exciting and easy to understand ways. My daughter used to ask me about rain and clouds on a fortnightly basis, but since Once Upon a Raindrop arrived, I think she finally understands it, thanks to the clear pictures and memorable verse. 

I would recommend this series for anyone who enjoys science-based picture books, or enjoys verse stories with beautiful artwork.

Once Upon a Raindrop is written by James Carter and illustrated by Nomoco

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

Survival in Space: The Apollo 13 Mission

This month marks 50 years since the Apollo 13 mission. In this new book from Barrington Stoke, David Long describes how a "boring" mission to the moon became a struggle for survival. From a brief history of space travel, with a fascinating look at the Saturn V, to fixing breathing equipment with bits of spacesuit and socks, Survival in Space covers everything aspiring astronauts might want to know about this historic space adventure. 

Every page is packed with interesting facts, making this book a hit both with my space-mad five-year-old and my Physics teacher husband. Tension runs high throughout and the story is brought to life with artwork from Stefano Tambellini. 

I was lucky to be able to ask David Long a few questions about Survival in Space, and you can read his answers below.

1. Are there any other missions to space you would like to write about?

This is the most important one for me, but I previously wrote another book about the other Apollo missions because I am old enough to remember them (only just!) and have always found the idea of going to the Moon absolutely thrilling.

2. What can aspiring astronauts learn from the complications on the Apollo 13 mission?

It shows what humans in desperate situations can achieve by staying calm and working as a team. I think that is a really important message for readers of all ages, especially children.

3. What was the most surprising/interesting fact you learnt while researching this story?

The fact that these three men travelled further from Earth than any humans had before, and that half a century later they still hold the record.

4. Which of Stefano Tambelini's illustrations in this book is your favourite?

That’s really hard. I think he has done such a tremendous job but I particularly like the one showing the little boy and his father watching the events unfold on television. It’s because I remember so clearly doing that with my own father when I was eight years old.

5. What is your favourite space fact?

Another hard one. I think it’s knowing there are billions of stars out there, not millions but billions, that one of them might have a planet a bit like Earth orbiting around it, and that there could be people a bit like us living there. They might be more advanced than us, or they might still be cavemen -  no-one knows.

6. Have you ever been to NASA (and if so, were you able to watch a live launch?)

I haven’t, sadly, but I have met and shaken hands with two of the 12 men who walked on the Moon (Buzz Aldrin and Harrison Schmitt). That’s one of the reasons I wrote this book.

7. What is the most exciting moment in space travel you can remember from your own childhood?

Oh, that’s easy. Watching Apollo 11 take off and afterwards seeing grainy black and white film of Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin walking on the surface of the Moon.

8. Where do you think humans will venture next in space?

Back to the Moon. I think this will happen before anyone gets to Mars, and actually that excites me more than anything to do with Mars although I can’t really say why that is.

Thank you so much Barrington Stoke for sending me a digital copy of Survival in Space to review, and thank you David Long for taking the time to answer my questions. Survival in Space: The Apollo 13 Mission is out now and is a brilliant book for young space enthusiasts. 

Five Picture Books about wildlife

Since we can't go out this Easter holiday, we've been bringing wildlife home with livestreams from webcams and bird feeders in the garden. Here are five picture books full of amazing wildlife you can enjoy at home. 

The Monkey with the Bright Blue Bottom is a colourful story about a variety of animals that will have children giggling from start to finish. 

Giraffe's Can't Dance is a children's classic about a giraffe who learns the value of being different and dancing to your own tune. 

Another classic, The Tiger who Came to Tea is a much-loved children's story which quite literally brings the wild protagonist into a child's home. 

Most of the Better Natural Things in the World is a wonderful exploration of the natural world, following a white tiger on his journey home. 

Oi Duck-Billed Platypus is a hilarious rhyming story about all kinds of interesting animals who don't rhyme with anything. 

All five of these stories will brighten up your day! Let me know in the comments if you have any wildlife favourites. 

Picture This: The Monkey with a Bright Blue Bottom

Have you ever wondered where a leopard's spots came from, or a giraffe's pattern of squares, or how about why some monkey's have blue bottoms? This funny picture book will have young children laughing with delight as they watch a cheeky monkey try to brighten up his surroundings with a paint pot and brushes!

This story is a lot of fun to read and had us giggling on every page. It's a great book to enjoy at home, perhaps followed with some research into the different animals in the story, making use of webcam footage to see the monkey's 'artwork' in real life. 

The Monkey with the Bright Blue Bottom is written by Steve Smallman and illustrated by Nick Schon

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

Picture This: Bee

I love Britta Teekentrup's picture books. Tree is one of my favourites and we've borrowed Moon from the library multiple times. This is new board book edition of Bee is really sweet and perfect for little hands. 

Bee is a peek-through book with cut outs, so the reader can follow the same little bee as it journeys through the countryside, spreading pollen between flowers and leaving an explosion of colourful petals in its wake. 

The art work is bright and beautiful, with lovely scenes of wildflower meadows and blossom covered trees. My five-year-old and I spent a long time looking at the detail in the final page. The words are also soft and lyrical, making this perfect for bedtime as it's soothing to read aloud. The final words "For every plant and flower you see was given life by one small bee" stress the vital importance of bees, making this story a true celebration of nature's tiny miracle.

Bee is written and illustrated by Britta Teekentrup

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

Five Picture Books for Spring

This Easter weekend is a little different to normal! Here are five picture books you can sit in the garden and enjoy at home.

We're Going on an Egg Hunt is a lift-the-flap Easter story that's lots of fun. Look out for the big bad wolf on every page, and count yummy chocolate eggs as you go.  

Tree is a peep through picture book about nature throughout the year. The Spring pages, filled with blossom and animals, are particularly sweet. 

In Don't Wake the Bear, Hare, a Spring party is put in peril by the appearance of a sleeping bear. The animals are terrified that he will eat them if they accidentally wake him, but this story teaches children not to judge others based on appearances. 

The Teddy Bear's Picnic was one of my favourite stories as a young child and I love returning to the wonderful story with my own children now. 

The National Trust's ABC board book will give you plenty of things to look out for on a family walk. Make your route more exciting by having a go and finding natural objects that start with each letter of the alphabet, using this lovely story for inspiration.

Let me know about your favourite Spring or Easter stories in the comments. Are there any we should buy? 

Conjure Women

Today is my stop on the blog tour for Conjure Women by Afia Atakora.

Conjure Women is a sweeping story that brings the world of the South before and after the Civil War vividly to life. Spanning eras and generations, it tells of the lives of three unforgettable women: Miss May Belle, a wise healing woman; her precocious and observant daughter Rue, who is reluctant to follow in her mother's footsteps as a midwife; and their master's daughter Varina. The secrets and bonds among these women and their community come to a head at the beginning of a war and at the birth of an accursed child, who sets the townspeople alight with fear and a spreading superstition that threatens their newly won, tenuous freedom.

Magnificently written, brilliantly researched, richly imagined, Conjure Women moves back and forth in time to tell the haunting story of Rue, Varina, and May Belle, their passions and friendships, and the lengths they will go to save themselves and those they love. {goodreads summary}

The writing in Conjure Women is beautiful. I will immediately order whatever Atakora writes next as her storytelling is sublime. 

Miss Rue has followed in her mother's footsteps as the healer on a plantation of former slaves. She births babies, cures fevers and offers hope and support to those around her in their time of need. 

Her settled, newly-free community is troubled first by the arrival of 'Black Eyed Bean' a pale baby with entirely black eyes who cries when he's bathed and makes those around him uneasy. It is disrupted further by the return of Bruh Abel, a travelling preacher who shakes the villagers' faith in Rue and leads them to questions whether she and Bean can be trusted. 

Rue knows she isn't guilty of the whispered charges laid on her by the increasingly superstitious community, but she does have dark secrets she'll go to great lengths to maintain. 

Reminiscent of Toni Morrison, Conjure Women is split across multiple timelines, following Rue and her mother, Miss Mae Belle through slavery, the American civil war and the tentative 'peacetime' that follows it, which is still fraught with danger. 

Conjure Women is a multi-generational tale of magic, gender and race. It explores faith, rapidly changing times, witchcraft and superstition, against a backdrop of racism, slavery and brutality that makes for uncomfortable, but important reading. It is historical fiction at its finest. 

The novel is full of magical realism, with Rue and Mae Belle's conjuring blurring the lines between lies told to ease pain, and other worldly curses and cures. 

Rue is a character you immediately root for, both as an adult and a child. She has a complex relationships with almost everyone in her life - from her mother, to her white mistress Varina, Bruh Abel and Bean. My favourite was her troubled, almost-friendship with Bean's mother, Sarah, and the lasting effect they have on each other's lives.

You can continue the Conjure Women tour until the 18th April at these brilliant blogs!

Picture This: The One-Stop Story Shop

The fearless knight at the start of this story is off to battle a terrifying dragon, but when he arrives at the dragon's cave, he discovers his fearsome foe has gone on holiday! A passerby points him in the direction of an extraordinary shop selling "wigs, wands, characters plots and more". Once inside, the knight embarks on a variety of adventures, facing challenging terrains, battling terrible beasties, and making new friends. 

The One-Stop Story Shop had us laughing out loud from start to finish. The plot was unexpected and kept us guessing from page to page. It was an immediate hit at bedtime and we've read it many times since. 

This picture book is so much fun to read aloud, with lots of potential for silly voices imitating cinema trailer voiceovers when a new story is introduced. It's a book you can't help but perform.

The artwork is bright and fun too, with so much to look at on every page.

The One-Stop Story Shop is written by Tracey Corderoy and illustrated by Tony Neal

Thank you Little Tiger for sending me a copy of this brilliant story to review!

Prentending

April is kind, pretty, and relatively normal - yet she can't seem to get past date five. Every time she thinks she's found someone to trust, they reveal themselves to be awful, leaving her heartbroken. And angry.

If only April could be more like Gretel.

Gretel is exactly what men want - she's a Regular Everyday Manic Pixie Dream Girl Next Door With No Problems.

The problem is, Gretel isn't real. And April is now claiming to be her.

As soon as April starts 'being' Gretel, dating becomes much more fun - especially once she reels in the unsuspecting Joshua.

Finally, April is the one in control, but can she control her own feelings? And as she and Joshua grow closer, how long will she be able to keep pretending? {goodreads summary}

April is messy and imperfect and real, so heartbreakingly, relatably real. She feels broken inside and doesn't know how to fix herself - doesn't know that she can fix herself. So she decides she needs to fake it until someone else believes she's fixed and she can obtain the relationship she believes her life needs. 

Because I'd already read (and loved) How Do You Like Me Now?, I wasn't sure how Pretending would end, but I knew it would feel honest and true to the characters. I was sure we would see April grow and end up happier than she started - and that her growth and happiness would be down to her as an individual, rather than because a romantic relationship had magically fixed everything for her. Bourne's ending did not disappoint. 

I think my favourite moments in Pretending were linked to April's job as a charity worker. She had such an interesting but intense role that helped so many people with very limited resources. Pretending doesn't hold back in its exploration of trauma, and the varying and long lasting effects it can have. It makes for difficult reading in places, but necessarily so. If you have experienced sexual abuse in any form, this novel will help you feel seen. If you haven't, it will force you to reconsider the way you react to trauma and triggering situations, more aware of the effect your words and actions could have on others. April's brilliant boxing group, and the group chats which emerge from it, create some of this novel's most special scenes. 

Bourne writes for the modern reader, perfectly encapsulating what it feels like to be a woman in the 21st century. I can imagine Pretending being read in decades time as an insight into how we live and love now. 

Generation Hope

Meet the young people around the world who are acting now to make a difference. 

From taking climate change and animal welfare, to fighting for equality and advocating kindness, the young activists profiled in this book show how we can all make a positive change. 

Ready... Steady... Activate - the future is now!

This book is bright, bold and packed with information for children and teenagers who want to make a difference. It would make perfect reading for secondary school students stuck at home, wondering if they can change the world from their bedroom. 

Written in accessible language with lots of colour and great artwork. This is a book anyone can enjoy. 

It features some fantastic activists, from big names like Greta Thunberg, to equally amazing but less well known teenagers such as Storm Delaney, who has crafted her own range of eco-clothing, and Genesis Butler, who gave a TEDx talk on the benefits of a plant-based diet when she was ten! I was in awe of the fantastic teenagers featured in this book and it will be hugely inspirational for young fans of the Rebel Girls books, or Little People, Big Dreams series who want to know they can make a difference right now. 

There are ideas for eco-businesses - and an easy outline for how to start one - a list of ways to save water, and eight ways you can help homeless people. It would be impossible to write a review that outlines all of the brilliant topics covered in Generation Hope - there is something to inspire everyone, no matter where your passions lie. 

There is also a detailed list of websites at the back, giving readers somewhere to check out next (great for a bit more home-learning).

Generation Hope is a brilliant, informative book that shows youth can make a difference. 

Thank you so much Scholastic for sending me a copy of Generation Hope to review.  

Picture This: Unicorn Club

Amy's Unicorn Club begins this Saturday in her tree house, but when none of her friends arrive Amy is devastated. Until she finds some new friends waiting in her treehouse that is...

Unicorn Club is full of colour and fun. My five-year-old screamed when she saw it and wanted it read to her immediately. It has inspired a unicorn club of her own, with plenty of colouring and make believe, and of course story reading too. 

The rhyming scheme is a joy to read and it's impossible to read this story without sounding as excited as Amy. 

Liere Martin's artwork is really adorable and will appeal to unicorn fans everywhere. The shiny pink cover got huge plus points from my daughter too - it would be impossible to walk past this in a shop without stopping to take a closer look. 

Unicorn Club is written by Suzy Senior and illustrated by Liere Martin

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

The Strangeworlds Travel Agency

When 12-year-old Flick Hudson accidentally ends up in the Strangeworlds Travel Agency, she uncovers a fantastic secret: there are hundreds of other worlds just steps away from ours. All you have to do to visit them is jump into the right suitcase. Then Flick gets the invitation of a lifetime: join Strangeworlds' magical travel society and explore other worlds.

But, unknown to Flick, the world at the very centre of it all, a city called Five Lights, is in danger. Buildings and even streets are mysteriously disappearing. Once Flick realizes what's happening she must race against time, travelling through unchartered worlds, seeking a way to fix Five Lights before it collapses into nothingness -- and takes our world with it. {goodreads summary}

I was so excited to have my NetGalley request to review this accepted. It sounded absolutely brilliant and I couldn't wait to dive in. Here are three things I loved about The Strangeworlds Travel Agency (and why you should definitely be preordering it for the MG readers in your life).

1. The world (worlds?) building was so imaginative and such a delight to read. The descriptions had a cinematic quality that made them easy to picture and each world was more fun and amazing than the last. It made me think of the Diagon Alley/Hogsmede sections in Harry Potter, but woven through the whole story, rather than just the odd scene. At a time when you can rarely leave your own house, Strangeworlds is a wonderful place to escape to.

2. The concept of Strangeworlds was really unique and interesting. There's so much scope for creative writing tasks and imaginary games inspired by the story. This novel will have children peering hopefully into every suitcase they come across.

3. Flick was an interesting and endearing character who I think a lot of young readers will relate to. I liked her reluctance to dive head first into the travel agency, even though she was so excited by the idea and desperate for adventure. I can't wait to find out more about her in the second book! 

I was provided with a review copy of The Strangeworlds Travel Agency through NetGalley