Difference between revisions of "Newest For Sharing Reviews"

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{{newreview
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|author= Rachel Bright and Jim Field
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|title= The Squirrels Who Squabbled
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|rating= 5
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|genre= For Sharing
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|summary=First we had a cute little mouse finding his inner beast in [[The Lion Inside by Rachel Bright and Jim Field|The Lion Inside]] and then we had a nervous koala trying to move out of his comfort zone in [[The Koala Who Could by Rachel Bright and Jim Field|The Koala Who Could]] and now we have a couple of greedy, fighting squirrels. Whatever next?
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|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1408340488</amazonuk>
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}}
 
{{newreview
 
{{newreview
 
|author= Michael Morpurgo and Emma Chichester Clark
 
|author= Michael Morpurgo and Emma Chichester Clark
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|summary=Ah Rapunzel, how well we all know about her long golden hair and her difficult-to-escape tower!  Here, however, the story is told with a twist, because there is no handsome Prince who comes riding by to save Rapunzel from her incarceration.  No, instead we see Rapunzel is smart enough to figure her own way out, defeating the witch, and going on to a successful witch-hunting career.
 
|summary=Ah Rapunzel, how well we all know about her long golden hair and her difficult-to-escape tower!  Here, however, the story is told with a twist, because there is no handsome Prince who comes riding by to save Rapunzel from her incarceration.  No, instead we see Rapunzel is smart enough to figure her own way out, defeating the witch, and going on to a successful witch-hunting career.
 
|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1509842675</amazonuk>
 
|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1509842675</amazonuk>
}}
 
{{newreview
 
|author= Simon Puttock and Daniel Egneus
 
|title= The Thing
 
|rating= 5
 
|genre= For Sharing
 
|summary= One day ''the Thing'' falls from the sky and four strangers stumble across it. At first they are confused. What is ''the Thing''? What does it do? What is it for? Then the four of them decide to work together to look after and care for '''the Thing''. Soon word spreads about ''the Thing'' and others come from far and wide to find out more. Gradually a media circus builds up around ''the Thing''. Throughout all of this ''the Thing'' remains silent. Then just as suddenly and silently as it arrived ''the Thing'' departs.
 
|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1405283718</amazonuk>
 
 
}}
 
}}

Revision as of 08:04, 24 September 2017


The Squirrels Who Squabbled by Rachel Bright and Jim Field

5star.jpg For Sharing

First we had a cute little mouse finding his inner beast in The Lion Inside and then we had a nervous koala trying to move out of his comfort zone in The Koala Who Could and now we have a couple of greedy, fighting squirrels. Whatever next? Full review...

Toto: The Dog-Gone Amazing Story of The Wizard of Oz by Michael Morpurgo and Emma Chichester Clark

4star.jpg Emerging Readers

The timeless story that we all know as The Wizard of Oz is given a twist in this original interpretation by master story-crafter Michael Morpurgo. It's the tale of a character that seems to be so often overlooked in the well-known story: Dorothy's faithful dog, Toto. We hear the whole story from his point of view, told in first person narrative from the moment the tornado sweeps across Dorothy's Kansas farm. Toto continues to tell the story as it happens to him in a witty and charming manner as their house is lifted into the air and whisked away to the mysterious land of Oz. Of course, Toto and Dorothy meet the absurd but loveable scarecrow without a brain, tin man without a heart and lion who lacks courage, and together they set off along the yellow brick road to find the Wonderful Wizard of Oz, hoping that he might help Toto and Dorothy return home. Along the way, the tin man, scarecrow and lion learn that what they think they are missing might have been there all along. Full review...

Peter Pan and Wendy by J M Barrie and Robert Ingpen

4star.jpg For Sharing

It's a childhood staple - the story of Wendy, John and Michael Darling and their beloved nurse, Nana the Newfoundland dog who took them to school each day. It's George Darling, their father, who makes the mistake when he locks Nana in the yard and the children are whisked away to Neverland by Peter Pan and Tinkerbell. There's a wonderful mix of characters, from Peter Pan, the boy who never wants to grow up, Tinkerbell, the rather unpleasant fairy, Captain Hook, Tiger Lily, the lost boys and - of course - Wendy, but then it wouldn't have been a classic since the original stage production in 1904 and the novel of 1911 if it were otherwise. Full review...

Bathroom Boogie by Clare Foges and Al Murphy

4star.jpg For Sharing

Every day I leave the house with the feeling that I left it in a pretty tidy state, but on my return some things always seem out of place. This is especially true of my bathroom. Why is there toothpaste on the mirror, or a flannel on the floor? It would appear that I may not actually be to blame and that when I'm at work all the bathroom items come out for a boogie. Will I ever catch them in the act? Full review...

Yoga Babies by Fearne Cotton and Sheena Dempsey

4star.jpg For Sharing

Radio host, TV presenter, fashion designer, author – is there anything Fearne Cotton can't do? Based on the content of this book, we can undoubtedly add Yogi to the ongoing list of talents, because it's hard to imagine any other way in which this came into being. Full review...

Florence Frizzball by Claire Freedman and Jane Massey

4.5star.jpg For Sharing

Florence Frizzball has the frizziest, curliest, most out of control mop of hair you've ever seen! And she longs for smooth, sleek, brushable locks like all her friends. As a kid, I remember being chased round the garden by my mother, brandishing a hair brush and trying to get me to sit still and have my frizz sorted out. To say I identified with Florence would be an understatement. As the tale goes on, though, we see another side to the story. Florence gets what she wants, but when her dream comes true she quickly learns that maybe she was wanting all the wrong things, and that actually her frizzball is part of her identity. Full review...

Clumpety Bump by Phil Allcock and Richard Watson

4star.jpg For Sharing

Clumpety Bump likes apples. Nothing wrong with that, after all: they're tasty and full of goodness. But you don't get delicious, juicy treats like that unless you deserve them, and naughty Clumpety is a bit too keen on saying I can't be bothered when his friend Wally asks for help. So, after several disasters, Wally decides he'd be better off leaving Clumpety at home and using his tractor instead. Unfortunately, things don't turn out too well, and our two heroes learn that if you want to be properly happy, other people need to be happy too. Selfishness just makes everyone sad. Full review...

Mrs Noah's Pockets by Jackie Morris and James Mayhew

5star.jpg For Sharing

The heavy rains, Noah building his ark and the animals going in two by two to be saved. This most familiar of stories has been retold time and time again but not like this. This time there is twist and someone else quietly takes centre stage. When Mr Noah builds the ark, he makes two lists - one for all the animals who will come on board and one for those troublesome creatures he will leave behind. Meanwhile, Mrs Noah gets out her sewing machine and makes a coat with very deep pockets. Lots of pockets. Full review...

Madeleine Finn and the Library Dog by Lisa Papp

4.5star.jpg For Sharing

Madeleine Finn doesn't like to read - not anything. It's not really her fault, you know. Her teacher tries to encourage her, but some of the other kids giggle when she makes mistakes. And they pull faces of the type which would have given me my head in my hands to play with when I was a child. The words just don't seem to come out right for her. The other children are getting gold stars (I've never liked that system) but all Madeleine gets is a heart sticker which tells her to keep trying. She's got plenty of those. All week she tries her best but doesn't get the star she longs for. Full review...

Going to School by Rose Blake

4star.jpg For Sharing

At the start of a new school year parents often ask for recommendations for books that would help make things a little easier for those about to start school for the first time or for slightly older children making the transition to Junior School. This vibrant and cheerful picture book contains much in both text and images that would be useful and encouraging for anxious children and equally anxious parents. Full review...

Kevin by Rob Biddulph

5star.jpg For Sharing

Sidney Gibbons is always in trouble and, to make matters worse, he insists on blaming the mess he makes on his invisible friend – Kevin. This, however, changes when Sidney actually meets Kevin and discovers what it is like to be on the receiving end of bad behaviour. In a magical world of make-believe, Sidney finally comes to realise that he's been selfish and resolves to put things right for both his invisible chum and his very own mum. Full review...

Sunk! by Rob Biddulph

5star.jpg For Sharing

Hoist the Colours! Set the Sail! It's time to hit the treasure trail. Penguin Blue and his friends are prepared to sail the seven seas in search of gold but they become unstuck when a rip in their ship means they're suddenly SUNK! Luck is, however, on their side and they find a handy desert island in the nick of time. Here they make a special new friend and ultimately find a treasure that's worth much more than gold. Full review...

The X-Files: Earth Children are Weird. A Picture Book by Jason Rekulak and Kim Smith

4.5star.jpg For Sharing

We know that Dana Scully and Fox Mulder didn't know each other as children, for they met much later on, at work for the FBI. But if they had, they may well have camped out in the back yard. They made have read scary stories to each other, but one thing is for sure – Mulder's imagination would have seen aliens everywhere. He would have seen mystery in the deep impression in the yard, horror in the shadows, and the unexplained in any vaguely mysterious noise. For that's what happens on the pages of this picture book – but that's not all that happens – the truth is something much more peculiar… Full review...

You Can do Anything by Akala and Sav Akyuz

3.5star.jpg For Sharing

If you think about rapping, what comes to mind? The hard streets of the East Coast and West Coast of America as they brag about what cars they own and women they date? Rap is like any musical form; it varies greatly. There is loads of Gangster Rap, but what about the pop of Will Smith, or the Grime of the UK? Just have a look at the 80s for loads of unqualified people having a dabble in the format (Wham! Rap). Rap in of itself is nothing but a way to project a message and if this message is about trying hard and succeeding, it could just be suitable for a kid's book. Full review...

Rhyme Crime by Jon Burgerman

5star.jpg For Sharing

Sometimes books for sharing need to be calm and gentle, soporific even, to lure little ones under the duvet and off to sleep. And sometimes books need to be utterly zany, full of bright colours, daft doodle-style illustrations and crazy rhymes for the child to shout out loud. Please, dear parent, do not try to read this wonderful book to your offspring within an hour or two of lights out. Seriously, be warned - You Will Regret It. Full review...

10, 9, 8... Owls Up Late! by Georgiana Deutsch and Ekaterina Trukhan

4.5star.jpg For Sharing

It's tough being a mother owl. Rather than just one or two rambunctious little ones to calm down ready for bed, she has ten of them! And there's so much going on in her tree that she must sometimes despair of ever getting them to sleep. But gradually, one by one, the owlets' eyes begin to droop and they make their way to their comfy little nest until at last . . . zzzzzz! Full review...

Have You Seen My Giraffe? by Michelle Robinson and Claire Powell

4.5star.jpg For Sharing

Imagine, if you will, a world in which you no longer win goldfish at the fair, but you could potentially be coming home with a giraffe! This is the situation that the family in this story find themselves in, and it turns out that having a giraffe in your house may not go down too well with your parents! Full review...

Fluffywuffy by Simon Puttock and Matt Robertson

3.5star.jpg For Sharing

Mr Moot, and his dog Fluffywuffy, are very happy in their quiet little life together. But one day, Mr Moot's cousin, Clarence, comes knocking at the door and announces that he has come to stay for a week, or a month, or a year! Clarence turns out to be a most inconsiderate house guest. Whatever will Mr Moot do? Full review...

The Secret Life of a Tiger by Emilia Dziubak and Przemyslaw Wechterowicz

4star.jpg For Sharing

If David Attenborough has taught us anything is that a lot goes on in the natural world that we are unaware of. Animals will hunt in interesting ways, or find a mate using secret dances, but did you know that Tigers sometimes sneak up on apes and give them new haircuts? You will be amazed with the revelations found in Emilia Dziubak and Przemyslaw Wechterowicz's book, but I am not convinced that this kid's book is based on facts. Full review...

A Home Full of Friends by Peter Bently and Charles Fuge

4.5star.jpg For Sharing

Bramble Badger was out looking for nuts by the river when the storm broke and he was so cold that he decided to go straight home. On the way he met a trail of devastation: Snuffle Dormouse's house has been squashed by a falling tree. She'd like shelter in Bramble's sett, if he has room. He's a little bit reluctant because he thinks his sett is in a mess and there isn't much space or dinner available, but what can you do when a friend is in need? Next it's Tipper the Toad whose home is full of mud, then Boo the Hedgehog's nest has been covered by leaves. Full review...

Peck, Hen, Peck! and Ben's Pet (Early Reader) by Jill Atkins and Barbara Vagnozzi

4star.jpg For Sharing

It probably sounds obvious, but you really shouldn't keep your pet chickens in a bag! Well, that's what I learned from this book which tells us first the story of Tom who puts his hen in a bag. The hen pecks through the bag, as hens are wont to do, and escapes! A simple and somewhat tragic tale! This is swiftly followed by a story about Ben's pet. Will it be another hen, I wondered? No, actually, after several incorrect guesses, we discover that Ben's pet is only a rabbit! Full review...

Buzz and Jump! Jump! (Early Reader) by Alice Hemming and Louise Forshaw

5star.jpg For Sharing

After hearing a mysterious buzzing in the kitchen, mum traps a fly in a jar, but then she hears the buzzing again...what could be going on? Meanwhile, Ken the Kangaroo (who declares himself to be the best at jumping), is jumping everywhere he can. In this red level book, aimed generally at those who have completed their reception year in school, there are two simple, sweet stories in one book, perfect for those who are just learning to read. Full review...

Bamboo and I Wish (Early Reader) by Alice Hemming and Julia Seal

5star.jpg For Sharing

With two stories in one book, there's plenty to like about this simple, and funny, early reader. The first story, Bamboo, deals with a cheeky panda who has run off to hide. Where can he be? The second story is about a wishing well which is granting wishes left, right and centre! Evaluated as a red level book, it sets itself as being about the right level for those around the end of their reception year. Full review...

Storm Whale by Sarah Brennan and Jane Tanner

5star.jpg For Sharing

This is one of the most beautiful picture books that I have read for a while.

Bleak was the day and the wind whipped down When I and my sisters walked to town…

So begins this story of three sisters who set off to walk to the beach together in this stunning and rather special picture book. The cover illustration is reminiscent of traditional family holidays depicting three girls, hand in hand and wearing sunhats disappearing over sand dunes on their way to the beach. The story then departs from a typical seaside theme as the sisters find a stranded whale on the beach and spend the day in desperate attempts to save it. Full review...

Chengdu Can Do by Barney Saltzberg

5star.jpg For Sharing

There's something utterly delightful (and, it must be said, sometimes infuriating, especially when you're in a hurry) about the toddler's determination to be independent. Scrambling along using any handy piece of furniture or, if they don't move fast enough, the family pet as a prop, exploring cupboards full of the most enticing objects, and the daily struggle to get as much dinner in his or her own mouth as on the walls – all that requires grit and a refusal to fail which augurs well for the little one's future. That can-do attitude, so lauded by education, enterprise and big business, is a quality Chengdu the panda has in bucket-loads! Full review...

I am Actually a Penguin by Sean Taylor and Kasia Matyjaszek

4.5star.jpg For Sharing

Do you know a child who loves to dress up? Well this is the perfect picture book for that child. Quite probably the perfect picture book for the parent of that child too. Full review...

Chengdu Could Not, Would Not, Fall Asleep by Barney Saltzberg

4star.jpg For Sharing

The list of entertaining things about toddlers does not include any of the following; throwing food against your recently painted walls, nappy deposits, or deciding to stay up way past their bedtime. There are few things more unsettling to a parent than a toddler used to their routine suddenly deciding to stay up way past their bedtime; they scream, they procrastinate, they blub and then finally collapse (and that is just Mum and Dad). The reason that so many children's books are about settling down and going to bed is to avoid the staying up eventuality, so will a book about an insomniac panda work? Full review...

Hidden World: Forest by Libby Walden and Stephanie Fizer Coleman

4.5star.jpg Children's Non-Fiction

Sometimes, less is more. But a wood doesn't understand that, does it – it just stretches on and on, expanding outwards and outwards, and upwards and upwards – it's quite a galling thing for a young person to understand. This book reverts to the very basic detail that will let the very young student get a grip on the life in the forest, whether they can actually see it for the trees in real life or not… Full review...

Nee Nah! Nee Nah! To the Rescue: Press the tabs, hear the sounds (Sound of the City) by Carles Ballasteros

4star.jpg For Sharing

The cover of this book might tell you all that you need to know if you're buying a book for a boy who loves noisy vehicles, but if you dismiss it on those grounds you might be making a mistake. Let me tell you a bit about it. It's a substantially-built board book with suitably rounded corners for when it's used as a missile and it has tabs which take you to the pages for the vehicles we're going to be looking at. There's a helicopter, a police car, a fire engine and an ambulance. For a lot of books for the youngest children that would be it - and a lot of children would enjoy looking at the pictures. But - there's more... Full review...

Town and Country (Turnaround Book) by Craig Shuttlewood

5star.jpg For Sharing

I know I should have been working but I've just spent the last hour pouring over Town and Country. On the face of it there's a very simple idea here: on each double-page spread you get examples of what happens in towns and what happens in the countryside with regard to various activities, modes of transport and even things like beaches and snow. You turn the book one way for the country scene and then flip it over for what happens in the town. Down the side of each page there's a list of things for you to find, complete with a thumbnail of what it is you're looking for. Full review...

Henry and the Hidden Treasure by B C R Fegan and Lenny Wen

4.5star.jpg For Sharing

Henry is a careful young man. He has a lot of treasure and he keeps it very well hidden. We might not call it 'treasure': like his parents we'd probably call it 'pocket money' and suggest that what he's not going to spend he should put in the bank. But Henry's worried and he knows that only he can keep his treasure safe. But what, or who, is he keeping his treasure safe from? Well, he has a little sister called Lucy and despite the fact that his parents think he should be nicer to Lucy, Henry knows that she's really a secret ninja spy sent to steal his treasure. Isn't that true of all little sisters? Full review...

Counting Things by Anna Kovecses

4star.jpg For Sharing

Little Mouse is learning lots of new things in this series of books by the Hungarian illustrator Anna Kovecses, and here we see the delightful little rodent counting its way through the jungle, the farmyard, the countryside and the town. On every page the same question is asked, beginning with 'How many . . . ?', and the toddler, with the help of an adult or older sibling, will soon learn to touch the named items on the page and under the flap. Full review...

Alison Jay's ABC by Alison Jay

4.5star.jpg For Sharing

At first glance, this is a beautiful but fairly standard alphabet book: one letter per page with a nice big picture of an apple or a panda front and centre - after all, the ABC format is pretty restrictive, isn't it? And truth be told, that's all most small people will see first time round. But look a little closer . . . Full review...

Opposite Things by Anna Kovecses

4.5star.jpg For Sharing

Rearing a child is not a competition, but have a conversation with a certain type of parent and they won't agree. Their child can speak four languages. Their child wrote their first sonnet at the age of three. Their child can be seen wistfully looking into the middle distance just wanting to play on the bouncy castle. For me, I am happy, if my child is happy; be that doing sums, or eating play-doh. However, even with a relaxed attitude to educating your kid, it can be fun to learn a little, especially when a book is as fun as Little Mouse's Opposite Things. Full review...

Search and Find: Pride & Prejudice: A Jane Austen Search and Find Book by Sarah Powell

4star.jpg Emerging Readers

Search and find books are usually aimed at children. They are a good bit of fun, but they are also a good study tool for adult readers alike. Jane Austen is a fantastic novelist, but her style of writing can be daunting for those not used to such heavy prose. It is very easy to become lost in the myriad of dialogue, characters and events. I find a good plot summary helps when approaching her works, this was especially so in the case of the perplexing and long-winded Emma. Full review...

The Scariest Book Ever by Bob Shea

3.5star.jpg For Sharing

Ghost is a bit of a scaredy-cat! After spilling some orange juice on his sheet, he stays at home, naked, and we as readers head out into the woods to tell him what's there. Whilst he tries to persuade us that the woods are super scary and full of bad things, and that we'd be much better off staying in and cleaning the bathroom, we get to see what's really going on in the woods, and try to persuade ghost to come out with us… Full review...

Rapunzel by Bethan Woollvin

4star.jpg For Sharing

Ah Rapunzel, how well we all know about her long golden hair and her difficult-to-escape tower! Here, however, the story is told with a twist, because there is no handsome Prince who comes riding by to save Rapunzel from her incarceration. No, instead we see Rapunzel is smart enough to figure her own way out, defeating the witch, and going on to a successful witch-hunting career. Full review...