Newest For Sharing Reviews

Kitchen Disco by Clare Foges and Al Murphy

For Sharing

If the ‘‘Toy Story’’ films taught is nothing else, they taught us that when we are not paying attention, toys come to life. Call me old fashioned, I am not impressed as this is common knowledge, but did you know that fruit also awakens? If you listen closely as you go to sleep you may just hear the soft pulse of some Happy House or Dubstep as down in the kitchen the fruit are having a disco. Full review...

Rabbits Don’t Lay Eggs! by Paula Metcalf and Cally Johnson-Isaacs

For Sharing

Life’s boring in the burrow so Rupert rabbit decides to tunnel over to the neighbouring farm. There he meets a very bossy duck, Dora, who tells him that only animals who can do a job can live on this farm. What can a rabbit do? Full review...

Mermaid by Cerrie Burnell and Laura Ellen Anderson

For Sharing

Bringing important issues such as race and disability to a child’s attention is a vital thing for any parent to do if they want their child to understand the world better. Why does that person look different and should I be scared? The answer is obviously no, but how is a child supposed to know this? Books are a great way of explaining diversity without making the lesson too preachy or obvious. Perhaps a story about a mermaid who, when out of the water, is in a wheelchair? Full review...

Goodnight Already by Jory John and Benji Davies

For Sharing

If you list all of my favourite things you may be surprised what one of my top choices is – sleep. Lovely, blessed sleepy sleep. There is nothing quite like the feeling of waking up at the usual time, only to roll over and go back to Slumberville as there is no work today. If you wake me up too early, I have been described as looking somewhat like a grumpy bear, but what do you expect if you try to stop someone who is hibernating? Will you learn the lesson of this little duck who would not let a sleeping bear lie? Full review...

Daddy's Sandwich by Pip Jones and Laura Hughes

For Sharing

One day, a little girl decides to make her daddy a sandwich. It starts out well, with two slices of bread, but things soon slip and slide from there into culinary chaos as she searches through the house for all of his favourite things, like biscuits dunked in tea, and his favourite slippers, and even the remote control! Full review...

Pizza for Pirates by Adam Guillain, Charlotte Guillain and Lee Wildish

For Sharing

George has been exploring before. He’s taken spaghetti to the Yeti, marshmallows for the Martians, and doughnuts for Dragons. In his fourth adventure, he’s off in search of a pirate crew and he’s again armed with a tasty snack. Pizza! Full review...

At The Animal Ball by Ella Bailey

For Sharing

The animals are having a ball. Join them as they 'dance and roar', 'flutter a fan' then 'tap your toes on the floor'. This is flip flap fun in the parlour game tradition of 'heads, bodies, tails'. On Midsummer's Eve a veritable menagerie of very cute animals in what appear to be a range of national costumes, are assembling to bounce, shimmy, swagger and stroll. You can mix the animals up by flipping the flaps but watch out! Moving the pages out of sequence also mixes up the dance moves. Join in and keep up! Full review...

Slug Needs a Hug by Jeanne Willis and Tony Ross

For Sharing

Growing up, my experience with slugs mainly revolved around spotting them in the garden and being sent out with the pot of salt to send them to a salty (and frankly, disgusting) death! My mum was forever waging war on these creatures that were hell-bent on eating everything in her garden that she loved best. Since those happy childhood moments, I have had other difficult moments with slugs including the one who dared to come into our house, into the lounge, and who I trod on in the dark one night. Yuck! All of which means that, to be honest, I wasn’t sure this book would be very enjoyable for me! Still, I’m never one to say no to something illustrated by Tony Ross, and he and Jeanne Willis make a reliably good team, so I put my salt pot away and sat down to read. Full review...

Azzi in Between by Sarah Garland

For Sharing

Our story begins in a country at war. Unfortunately you could probably put a name to it (although it isn't named) as it happens all too regularly. Our heroine is Azzi, a young girl whose life was not too affected by the war, but every day it came a little closer. Her father still worked as a doctor and her mother made beautiful clothes. Her grandmother wove warm blankets. Then the day came when they had to run, for their lives, and escape was by boat and they became refugees. The three of them - for Grandma had been left behind - had been luckier than most for they were accepted on a temporary basis into another country (again it's not named) and they had a home, although it was just one room. Full review...

Eddie's Tent and How to go Camping by Sarah Garland

For Sharing

Mum, Tom, Tilly, Lily and Eddie wanted to go on holiday and camping seemed like the ideal way to go. Lily and Tilly thought it was a brilliant idea and they had some experience, although their 'tent' did look just a little bit like a duvet over a chair. It's surprising what you need for a holiday, but Lily and Tilly had to be told to start again when Mum saw what they'd packed! But finally, Tom began to load the car and off they went. Full review...

Hungry Roscoe by David J Plant

For Sharing

Roscoe is hungry. He dreams of eating fresh fruit and fish rather than the rotten scraps he scavenges from the bins in the park where he lives. When his friend Benjy tells him that the animals in the Zoo get fresh food every day, Roscoe has to go. But he quickly finds that there’s no way the bad-tempered Zoo Keeper will let Roscoe anywhere near the food. Determined not to give up, Roscoe tries to disguise himself as a tortoise and then as a penguin. When that doesn’t work, the monkeys suggest an alternative idea with devastating consequences for the poor Zoo Keeper. Full review...

Mimi's Magical Fairy Friends Catkin the Fairy Kitten by Clare Bevan and Cally Johnson-Isaacs

For Sharing

Children’s books are wonderful things to read full of vibrant colours and flights of fancy, but they can also be sickly sweet. Designing a book for a young girl does not mean it that has to be bright pink and float into the room on the wings of a Pegasus. It seems that this fact has not stopped countless authors trying to do just this. Some girls may indeed love fairies, mermaids or ponies, but this does not mean that they hate concepts such as rounded characters, plots that make sense, or feelings of empowerment. Even a magical fairy kitten is not enough to disguise a book with no plot. Full review...

Ten Little Dinosaurs by Mike Brownlow and Simon Rickerty

For Sharing

When I was a child it was ten green bottles standing on the wall. Since then Mike Brownlow and Simon Rickerty have brought us the exploits of Ten Little Princesses and Ten Little Pirates. Now they invite us to explore the prehistoric world of Ten Little Dinosaurs. Full review...

Ready, Steady, Jump by Jeanne Willis and Adrian Reynolds

For Sharing

If children’s books are a great way of introducing the varied world of the animal kingdom. There are books on lions, kangaroos, monkeys, aardvarks, ostriches and so many others. However, children’s books since the days of Rudyard Kipling’s ‘‘Just So Stories’’ have also been confusing kids with animal facts that just aren’t true. Are we to believe that an elephant got its trunk by having it pulled on by a crocodile? To compound the issue, author Jeanne Willis is now suggesting that not only do elephants have an elongated nose, but they are also unable to jump – how silly! Full review...

This is My Rock by David Lucas

For Sharing

Once you have claimed something as your own, the temptation to not share it is enormous, whether you’re three years old or thirty three! In this story we are introduced to a little goat who has climbed to the top of a mountain, claimed it as his own, and is unwilling to allow anyone else up there with him. Full review...

Please: A First Book of Manners by Patricia Hegarty and Fhiona Galloway

For Sharing

Ah, that age old battle, of how to teach your children to be polite. I had a teacher who had magic hands, and she would only release what she was holding if you remembered to say please and thank you to her! This board book introduces the word please in a lovely way, right from a very early age! Full review...

The Giant of Jum by Elli Woollard and Benji Davies

For Sharing

The Giant of Jum is hungry and it’s making him grumpy. Luckily he remembers his brother telling him a story about a beanstalk and a boy called Jack and this leads the Giant to set off to find his own Jack. The boy will, he decides, make a very tasty snack. But things don’t work out as he plans. Instead of eating the children he meets along the way he ends up helping them, using his extra height to fetch a lost ball and rescue a cat from a tree. When he finally finds Jack will he really be able to eat Jack up? And if he doesn’t eat Jack, how will he fill his rumbling tummy? You’ll have to read the book to find out. Full review...

My Pet Book by Bob Staake

For Sharing

I have a deep regard for books; they led to my love of reading and later my career as a Librarian. Over the years I have had some books that I have read many times and are firm favourites, but would I go so far as to call them my pets? I don’t keep them in a little book house (unless that’s how you describe your bookshelf) and I don’t walk around the street with them on a lead. Who on Earth would do that? Full review...

Where's the Elephant? by Barroux

For Sharing

We've all had great fun with books such as Where's Wally, haven't we? They appeal to children and adults and everyone who has seen Where's the Elephant? has jumped in with great enthusiasm, keen to show just how observant they are. We start off with a forest - actually it's the Amazon Rainforest - full of glorious colours and our three friends, who are hiding in there. Elephant is probably the easiest to spot, but Snake and Parrot are in there too and with a little concentration you'll find them. When you turn the page you'll scan the trees again and discover their hiding places. You even wonder if it might get a little boring if it goes on like this. Full review...

One Thousand Things by Anna Kovecses

Children's Non-Fiction

When you are just short of two years old there’s a whole lifetime of learning ahead. Where to begin? Well, you could do a lot worse than get Mum or Dad to buy a copy of Anna Kovecses’ One Thousand Things. Don’t believe the mouse on the front cover holding a balloon saying learn your first words. To bill this book as a ‘vocabulary builder’ is to woefully underplay its hand. Study hard and this book will see you safely through nursery and in to reception as an assured four year old who can hold their own in the cut and thrust of classroom debate. Full review...

Train by Judi Abbot

For Sharing

Kids nowadays have far too many toys to play with; whilst I had to make do with a piece of string tied around a rock, today’s youth have rooms filled with more plastic contraptions than an aging Hollywood Starlet’s cheeks. Even with all this stuff at hand most parents will tell you that their child will still gravitate more to a few of their favourite things, ignoring a lot of the other offerings available. Perhaps they have a toy train that they are obsessed by? Train! Full review...

On the Train by Carron Brown and Bee Johnson

For Sharing

There’s nothing me and the little ‘un like more than a good transport themed book. Tractors remain top of my toddler’s pops but trains run a close second. One glimpse of the cover of On the Train and his little feet did the happy dance. He hunkered down and the journey began. Full review...

Colours by Aino-Maija Metsola

For Sharing

Lift the flaps books are very popular in my house, though I seldom use that term to describe them. Rip the flaps is more apt. I imagine fellow parents reading this review will wince and nod at this point whilst librarians will perspire and reach reflexively for the sellotape. 'Colours' by Aino-Maija Metsola is a lift the flaps book for the very young. As the title suggests, this edition aims to teach the concept of colour with the added spice of extra pictures hidden behind flaps. Full review...

Construction by Sally Sutton and Brian Lovelock

For Sharing

I live near what is currently a pretty massive building site and I don’t think there is anything particularly magical about the noise and mess that a bunch of huge vehicles make, but try telling that to a three year old. The bright yellow colours and obvious power of these machines can spark a child’s imagination. So, a book that evokes all this building and construction is hypnotically powerful to the right child. Full review...

Recipe For A Story by Ella Burfoot

For Sharing

I’m sure you love reading, but have you ever wanted to write a book? Would you even know where to start? In this delightful, whimsical look at the topic, we learn that writing a story could be like baking a cake, with lots of ingredients mixed together in just the right way for a wonderful creation. Full review...

Frida and Bear by Anthony Browne and Hanne Bartholin

For Sharing

Frida, the elephant, and Bear, the, um, bear, are great friends who love to play together. This book teaches us one of their favourite games and it stems from their mutual love of drawing. If you didn’t think that was a two-player activity think again. Full review...

I Need a Wee! by Sue Hendra and Paul Linnet

For Sharing

Is there anyone who looks forward to the potty training stage? No, I didn't think so. I'm there again at the moment with my little boy. Everyone delights in telling me how boys are a lot harder to train than girls. So far they're right! I was hopeful that this book might help things along a little but, sadly, it succeeded only in making all of us laugh (and left us hoping that our small boy didn't get any naughty ideas from it!) Full review...

Bears Don't Read by Emma Chichester Clark

For Sharing

You might think a picture of a bear reading a book, on the cover of a book itself called Bears Don’t Read is confusing, but it quickly becomes clear. George is a bear doing bear things with his friends and family but he’s getting a bit bored of the same old, same old. So when he finds a book some poor human type person has dropped he’s a bit excited. The only thing is, he doesn’t know how to read it, so he can’t release the exciting adventure that’s cooped up inside. With his fellow bears showing little interest in his find, he sets off for the town to try to locate someone who can help. Full review...

The Great Big Book of Families by Mary Hoffman and Ros Asquith

For Sharing

Dolce and Gabbana would not like this book, that much I’m sure of. I think it’s ace, though.

Families are no longer 2.4 children with a mummy and a daddy. To be fair, that wasn’t even the case 30 years ago when I was a toddler, but most books at the time hadn’t clocked the change yet so in literature at least that’s what a family was. Not any more. This book, not the first of its kind, I’m sure, but a very welcome addition to the market, highlights and celebrates the diversity of family life in Britain today. Full review...

When Dad Showed Me the Universe by Ulf Stark and Eva Eriksson

Emerging Readers

Dads are wonderful, aren't they? One minute they can be working as a dentist, the next they can be showing you the universe, and even tell you how cold it is. Mind you, mothers can be fabulous too, making sure you're going to be warm enough if you go out to see the universe. But dads are best – they even make sure you get chewing gum as provisions when you're exploring the universe. And what a universe it is – from what's right under your feet to what's right out in the furthest reaches of the night sky… Full review...

The King and the Sea by Heinz Janisch and Wolf Erlbruch

Emerging Readers

Meet the King. He's a very good King – or is he? He has to be taught by a cat that there is more to worship – the sun's rays, for one. He is so powerful yet he cannot get a trumpet to play without him being its servant, and giving it his air; he cannot persuade a cloud to stay and enjoy his kingdom; and even he is resigned to a shadow that turns his petite, glistening gold crown into a large grey shape on the floor. No, the King might think he has it all, but he hasn't. Full review...

Paddington at the Zoo by Michael Bond and R W Alley

For Sharing

Cast your mind back to the weeks before the Paddington movie enchanted the world. There was a lot of press at the time about how the film had such mild peril and sexual innuendo that it was a PG-rated movie, and not a U. It became headlines due to the unassailable fact that Paddington just never seems to carry any threat to the audience, and to not have a single daunting bone in his body. But those larger books can easily be daunting to the very young people in which you wish to instil love of the character, which is where the picture book range of stories comes in. They're a lot smaller than the chapters in the main novels, and while those main books were still being produced as well they were quite uncommon occurrences, but with the 'proper' books out the way, these were pretty much all Michael Bond was producing as regards our favourite bear. Which can only mean one thing – they're equally brilliant. Full review...

Kipper's Toybox by Mick Inkpen

For Sharing

There are things in life that make you feel old; when the last Premiership footballer born the same year as you retires, or when their arresting officer looks like they don’t even shave. The fact that Kipper is over 25 years old makes me feel my age; this collection of books always felt a little ageless and classic. The new 25 year anniversary releases look to cement this. Full review...

Sardines of Love by Zurine Aguirre

For Sharing

This is a love story about Lolo and Lola, and grandfather and grandmother whose lives revolve around sardines (stay with me!) Lolo goes out fishing for sardines, and loves to eat sardines, whilst Lola his wife runs a shop selling sardines. Lola doesn't like to eat sardines, but she happily cooks them for her husband, albeit with a peg on her nose because of the smell! But one day, the unthinkable happens, and Lola finds that she has run out of sardines for Lolo. What will she do? Full review...

I Love You to the Moon and Back by Tim Warnes

For Sharing

I do love a good bear story, and the bears in this one are wonderfully appealing. Sweetly drawn, in a gentle, loving story, this is a perfect 'winding-down' story. It's loaded with sentiment (I'm sure I'd be crying if I were pregnant!) and is just very sweet to share with small, snuggly, just out of the bath toddlers Full review...

Hoot Owl, Master of Disguise by Sean Taylor and Jean Jullien

For Sharing

As quick as a shooting star, like a wolf in the air, who could it be? It’s Hoot Owl! And Hoot Owl is hungry. Owls are well known for being wise, but what people don’t know is that Hoot Owl is also the Master of Disguise; a skill which he’s going to use to use to get himself some dinner. The question is, will it work? And what will he be eating for dinner? I don’t think you’ll be able to guess... Full review...

The Hog, the Shrew and the Hullabaloo (A Harry and Lil Story) by Julia Copus and Eunyoung Seo

For Sharing

Harry the hog is just trying to get to sleep, when he hears a terrifying noise outside. It frightens him so much that he has to call his best friend Lil the shrew over to try and help him find out what the noise was. As the night goes on, they hear many a wild thing, but none of the noises are what Harry heard. Will they ever find out what it was? Will they ever get any sleep? You’ll just have to read and see for yourself! Full review...

Pete the Cat Rocking in My School Shoes by Eric Litwin and James Dean

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My love of Pete the Cat is well documented here at The Bookbag, as I’ve previously reviewed two of his adventures. This latest title, Pete the Cat Rocking in My School Shoes hasn’t let me down, and I think it’s great. Pete is going to school, which can be a bit scary, especially when you’re having to do lots of new things, like go to the library or eat in the lunch room. Is Pete scared? Goodness no, he’s rocking, reading and eating in his school shoes. Full review...