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Whizz Pop, Granny Stop! by Tracey Corderoy and Joe Berger
Grannies come in for a lot of negative press. Absent-minded geriatric, witch with a black cat, spoiling the kids, always getting it wrong ... you know the stereotypes. Well I’m fighting back. I latched onto this book, of course, as a granny. And in this neatly rhyming story, Granny, as seen through the practical eyes of her small grand-daughter, is all these things as well as being notably peculiar. Tracey Corderoy has pretty much got us metaphorically taped! Full review...
Flight of the Last Dragon by Robert Burleigh and Mary Grandpre
Told in rhyme, this is the tale of the very last dragon on earth. He hides away, deep underground, remembering the times when the dragons ruled the earth until one day a voice from the heavens calls him, summons him, up and away, to fly far, far into the sky and leave this world behind. I rather like the idea of dragons. They're one of those mythical creatures that I still sort of hope might actually be real! My daughter likes dragons too, although when she saw the title of this book she was prepared for a sad story, sensing that we weren't heading towards a happy ending. Full review...
The Princess and the Peas and Carrots by Harriet Ziefert and Travis Foster
Rosebud is a good girl, for the most part, neat and tidy and a happy little girl, at which times her daddy calls her Good Princess Rosebud. But then sometimes things go a little bit wrong, or they aren't quite as Rosebud likes them, so perhaps there's a hole in her tights or snow in her boots or, heavens above, her peas are touching her carrots on the plate at dinner time! When this happens Rosebud becomes Princess Fussy and my, doesn't everyone know about it! Full review...
The Silly Satsuma by Allan Plenderleith
Once there was a boy called Eric Greenbogle. I'd like to be able to tell you that he was a good boy, but that would be wrong. Eric was a bad boy and we all know what happens to bad boys on Christmas morning, don't we? Good boys (and girls) find lots of presents under the tree, but Father Christmas knows who has been good and who has been bad and Eric was about to be taught a lesson. There was just one present under the tree for Eric: a satsuma. Oh, there was something else - there was a note from Father Christmas explaining why there were no presents. Eric was furious. Eric cried, but then... Full review...
Ant and Bee by Angela Banner
When you learn to read it has to be fun. You have to master the skill but it mustn't be too daunting or you're not going to enjoy it and - worst of all - you might be put off reading for life. It's best if you can share the reading until you get to grips with decoding what's on the page, so if an adult could read most of the words but you read others to which you've already been introduced and which are in a different colour then that is going to be a help. If the words are introduced with a nice big picture and if they appear in alphabetical order, then that's going to be fun, isn't it? Full review...
Jumblebum by Chae Strathie and Ben Cort
Johnny McNess is a young boy whose bedroom is a decided mess! He has clothes lying everywhere, and toys scattered around, food discarded in the strangest of places and it all stinks! Disgusting! But his mum has come in and just warned Johnny about the Jumblebum monster who she feels is sure to be attracted by all this rubbish. Can anything really get Johnny to tidy his room? Full review...
Fluff the Farting Fish by Michael Rosen and Tony Ross
Elvie wanted a puppy but she was still rather surprised when her mother agreed. Unfortunately what her mother brought home wasn’t a puppy but a goldfish. Now it wasn’t just a pet to cuddle and play with that Elvie had been after - she’d wanted to train the dog. Being a resourceful young lady she decided to train the goldfish instead. Sit was always going to be rather more than a challenge, but Elvie discovered that much could be achieved with Fluff’s bubbles. Go on - you know exactly what I mean! Soon Fluff was doing mental arithmetic and finally singing. Before long he was in demand at pop concerts and for television appearances. Full review...
No-Bot, The Robot With No Bottom by Sue Hendra
The prospects look good for a story when you're already laughing at the front cover, never mind what's inside. There we have him, our little red robot, holding onto his bottom and giving a coy-looking smile to us as readers. Already we're wondering how he ends up with no bottom, and whether the inside of the story will be as funny as the outside. No-Bot, happily, doesn't disappoint. You can't go wrong, really, with a funny red robot who has lost his bottom can you? Just saying the word 'bottom' to small children usually reduces them to giggles! Full review...
Jack's Mega Machines: The Dinosaur Digger by Alison Ritchie and Mike Byrne
Jack the mechanic loves to repair broken vehicles in his workshop. But the magical Rally Road Workshop is no ordinary garage. Whenever Jack takes one of his vehicles on a test drive, he is wondrously transported to incredible locations or different time periods. Full review...
The Phlunk by Lou Rhodes and Tori Elliott
What is a Phlunk? I know that you're wondering. Well, wonder no more for this book will tell you all about the Phlunk, who lives on a planet shaped like a spoon, looks a bit like a cat but who has very, very large ears. Why, you're now asking, does he have such very large ears? Well, it's all the better to hear you with, of course! And the Phlunk hears everything, from everybody, all over the world! Full review...
Flying to Neverland with Peter Pan by Betty Comden, Adolph Green, Carolyn Leigh and Amy June Bates
There's something perennially magical about the story of Peter Pan. It's timeless, this story of a little boy who doesn't want to grow up, and who lives in a land full of pirates and fairies and mermaids and crocodiles. It's one of those stories that stays with you, which is why it's a classic, I suppose! In this version part of the story is told through the lyrics of two songs from the musical Peter Pan. The songs I'm Flying and Never Never Land are combined together to tell the story as far as the children flying to Neverland. Full review...
Kel Gilligan's Daredevil Stunt Show by Michael Buckley and Dan Santat
Kel Gilligan is a daredevil. He... wait for it... eats BROCCOLI! He even does his poos on the potty. What a brave soul! What a hero! Kel faces all the traumas of childhood, with aplomb. Full review...
I Want a Boyfriend! by Tony Ross
When the Little Princess sees the Maid picking a flower and handing it to the General, she demands to know why. It turns out that the General is the Maid’s boyfriend and he looks after her. Well, on hearing this, the Little Princess declares at the top of her voice:
I WANT A BOYFRIEND! Full review...
Friends in the Snow by Daniel Postgate and Sam Childs
When Lucy’s dad offers to paint her bedroom walls, she is adamant that she only wants them to be white. He is a little surprised by her choice thinking that just white is a little bit boring. However, Lucy jokes that it’s not just white because there is actually a white monster hiding in the white snow. Her dad agrees and before long she has a freshly painted bedroom. The only problem is that, when she tries to go to sleep, she wishes that she hadn’t mentioned the monster because he keeps her awake with his grunting and growling. Full review...
The Best Present Ever! by Neil Griffiths and Melanie Siegel
Long ago and far away lived a kind and generous King and Queen in a land where everyone was well treated and happy. One day the Queen tells her delighted husband that she is to have a baby. The King decides that his lovely wife deserves the very best present ever to mark the happy event. So begins a search by the King’s messengers throughout the country and across the world for the perfect gift for the Queen. Beautiful gifts are brought to the palace from all over the globe for the King to inspect. As he is about to select the best present ever a poor young fisherman arrives and incredibly the gift that he brings might be exactly what the King is looking for! Full review...
Fancy Dress Christmas by Nick Sharratt
Who is who at the Christmas party? All the animals have come in fancy dress, so can you guess who is inside each costume? Someone is dressed as a snowman, someone is dressed as an angel. Someone is even dressed as a candle! Can you tell who each one is? Lift the flap and see... Full review...
The Highway Rat by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler
When you see a new book by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler you know it's already set to be a best seller and that you're in for a treat! Here Donaldson takes the refrain from The Highwayman by Alfred Noyes and weaves it into a story about a rather naughty rat who just can't stop stealing everyone else's food! Full review...
Maya Makes a Mess by Rutu Modan
For once it is almost impossible to make a plot summary without giving almost the whole game away – such is the brevity of this bright and breezy book for those youngsters still reading with some supervision. Maya is at home and nothing she can do when eating lunch is to her parents' taste – her posture, her table manners or her use of the dog for leftovers. But lo and behold when they give the Queen as an example where she might need more decorum, there then comes a summons to dinner from the Queen – who would be more than surprised to see Maya in action… Full review...
Little Bear's Trousers by Jane Hissey
When Little Bear wakes up one sunny morning to discover that he has lost his trousers he feels sure that he will find them quickly with the help of his friends. However, although Old Bear, Camel, and the others have all seen Little Bear’s trousers no-one knows where they are now. So Little Bear sets off on a journey to visit all his friends in search of his missing trousers. What has happened to them? Will Little Bear and his trousers be reunited? Full review...
Old Bear Stories by Jane Hissey
The Old Bear stories are delightful. This collection brings together five stories into one book, introducing us to Old Bear, Little Bear, Jolly Tall and all the other toy friends. The toys look like all those lovely old fashioned toys that children used to have, jointed teddy bears and fuzzy rabbits, and the stories too have a sweet, old fashioned appeal. Full review...
Tales for Great Grandchildren by John Jackson and Daniela Jaglenka Terrazzini
I love old folk tales and fables. The treasure chest of myth and legend contains universal stories, as relevant today as they were in the ancient communities in which they were first told. They speak of love, loss, jealousy, courage, cowardice and grief. They wonder about the world in which we live. They offer explanations, some magical, some plain common sense. They're joyful. They're sad. And sometimes they're frightening. They have all the light and shade that adds up to the human experience. Full review...
Mum's Cronky Car by Anita Pouroulis and Jon Lycett-Smith
Mum's car is, well, not the most recent model. In fact it's falling apart and wouldn't even start if it didn't get a push from Dad. The journey to school in this patchwork car held together by bits of string and willpower is full of uncertainty. When they stop at the traffic lights will the car move again - and when it just dies in traffic what can they do? Then one day something rather magical happens. They're stalled in traffic, wondering what to do next, when the car drifts into the sky and flies them all to the school gates. Suddenly this isn't an old wreck but an adventure. Full review...