The Flying Bath by Julia Donaldson and David Roberts
It’s long been accepted that when you go to school and your parents are at work, your toys come alive and have adventures until you return. EVERYBODY knows that. But have you ever thought about the other things in your house and whether they have a second life? Here’s a hint: they DO. Welcome to the Flying Bath. Full review...
Milly and the Mermaids by Maudie Smith and Antonia Woodward
Mermaids are a great way to stretch young imaginations. Imagine living in an underwater world, swimming with the fishes in a pleasant way (rather than in a Mafioso way). This is exactly the type of excitement that Milly longs for in ‘Milly and the Mermaids’ by Maudie Smith and Antonia Woodward. When her parents take her on a trip to the seaside, all she can think of is finding a Mermaid, but do they really exist? Full review...
My Teacher is a Monster! (No, I Am Not.) by Peter Brown
School can be a difficult place for children, especially if your teacher is a stomping, roaring monster like Miss Kirby. Bobby spends most of his time worrying about what to do about his monster of a teacher, and the best place for him to think about it is in the park. He goes there one day to contemplate the situation, but who does he meet? Miss Kirby! She isn't stomping or roaring though, she is feeding the ducks. Full review...
Fiddlesticks! by Sean Taylor and Sally Anne Garland
This is the story of a Mouse with very helpful friends, maybe even a little too helpful! Each time they fix something in his new, almost perfect house, they break something else. Things escalate until there is almost nothing left of the house at all and poor Mouse is despairing. What will he do to make things better and, more to the point, where will he live?! His friends soon come to the rescue and manage to make amends. Full review...
Marshmallows for Martians by Lee Wildish, Adam Guillain and Charlotte Guillain
What kid doesn't like sweets or aliens? This book combines the two as George packs up and leaves his house on a mission to Mars to find out what sweets aliens love best. He builds a spaceship and takes off, meeting some very surprising aliens along the way. From the first page, I knew I would enjoy this story and I wasn't disappointed at all. I laughed throughout and looked forward to turning each page to find out what happened next. Full review...
Cat and Dog by Michael Foreman
Cat is only doing the motherly thing and looking after her kittens when tragedy strikes. As she goes off to find them food, she accidentally gets whisked away in the fishmonger’s van. How will they survive? When night falls, who will protect them from the baddies that lurk on the streets? Sometimes, though, friends can come in the most unlikely of forms, and in this case it’s Dog. He’s no substitute mum, though. Will Cat find her way back to her brood? Full review...
Tales From Hans Christian Andersen by Naomi Lewis and Emma Chichester Clark
As a child, fairy tales for me were synonymous with the Ladybird Classics series. Whilst the memory of the stories and the accompanying paintings remains very fresh, I don’t recall any mention being made of the original authors. I was eager then to read Tales from Hans Christian Andersen, a collection of nine stories, and identify which classic tales from my childhood he wrote. Full review...
My Amazing Dad by Ross Collins
Snip the little crocodile is worried. He doesn't know what his dad does all day. All his friends seem to have really cool dads. Monkey's dad is super fast at swinging through the trees. Little zebra's dad is excellent at hiding, and Snip's elephant friend's dad is amazing at spraying water higher than the highest tree. Poor Snip doesn't think that his dad can do any of those things. Full review...
Supertato by Sue Hendra
Oh my goodness, whatever can we do? There's an evil pea on the loose in the supermarket, causing havoc wherever he goes! He has sticky-plastered poor carrot to the conveyor belt, and drawn a mustache and glasses on broccoli, and poor old cucumber has been mummified with a bandage! Still, try to calm your frayed nerves because, never fear, Supertato is here to save the day! Full review...
Chicken Clicking by Jeanne Willis and Tony Ross
Chick has a problem. Every night, when the farmer and his wife are asleep, she sneaks into their house and goes online on their computer to order things. She starts with a teapot, and a motorbike! Soon she's buying diamond watches and a hundred handbags, for which the farmer blames his wife - she, of course, gets angry and blames his dodgy software since she certainly didn't order those things! Chick starts to buy gifts for all her farm animal friends, but all too soon she realises she's alone on the farm and in need of a friend. Can she find one online? Full review...
The Secret Dinosaur: Giants Awake by N S Blackman
When Marlin Maxton goes on a school visit to the local museum, he is looking forward to seeing Protos - the dinosaur that his Uncle Gus remembers so fondly. But Protos is nowhere to be seen and the museum's Mr Grubbler seems to be doing his utmost to take all the fun out of the school visit Marlin had been anticipating with such excitement. So Marlin sneaks off to explore by himself... Full review...
Light-Fingered Larry by Jan Fearnley
Larry the Octopus has eight tentacles, and each and every one is used to half inch other people's stuff. As he travels through Bottlenose Bay, he fills his net with more and more loot until everyone has just had enough. Officer Pavani comes to the rescue, but will Larry manage to escape? Full review...
The Lazy Friend by Ronan Badel
In a remote jungle, near the top of the forest canopy, Sloth, Snake, Frog and Bird hang out together. Whilst his pals play cards, Sloth does what he does best, sleep. When a lumberjack fells the tree that they are sitting in, three of the friends make a hasty escape but Sloth just carries on snoozing. Luckily Snake acts fast and slithers aboard the truck carrying their tree trunk away with Sloth still in it. Can Snake save the day and get them both back home? Full review...
Hogs Hate Hugs by Tiziana Bendall-Brunello and John Bendall-Brunello
Little Hog is the cutest little thing you ever did see. And that’s a bad thing. Because he never gets peace. Everyone wants to hug him ALL THE TIME. What’s a poor, over-hugged hog to do? Well, in this case, Little Hog has a solution. He makes a bold sign and hangs it on the tree. HOGS HAT HUGS! it reads. And that’s that. Full review...
My Teacher is a Monster! (No, I Am Not.) by Peter Brown
School can be a difficult place for children, especially if your teacher is a stomping, roaring monster like Miss Kirby. Bobby spends most of his time worrying about what to do about his monster of a teacher, and the best place for him to think about it is in the park. He goes there one day to contemplate the situation, but who does he meet? Miss Kirby! She isn't stomping or roaring though, she is feeding the ducks. Full review...
Greek Myths: Stories of Sun, Stone and Sea by Sally Pomme Clayton
University Challenge questions frequently have me stumped, but it’s ones on Greek mythology that highlight a gap in my knowledge and make me yearn for the classical education that I never had. Who or what is Erato? Should I be concerned if I meet Kerberos? And why did a delivery company decide to call itself Hermes? Consequently, I had high hopes for Greek Myths: Stories of Sun, Stone and Sea, a collection of ten myths retold for children. Full review...
Sir Scallywag and the Deadly Dragon Poo by Giles Andreae and Korky Paul
King Colin has spent his fortune on a giant sweet machine, which he guzzles from each and every day. The entire kingdom has grown fat and lazy, except for Sir Scallywag. It's lucky somebody in the castle still has their wits about them, because Baron Greedyguts has heard all about their sweet machine, and he's coming to get it! Full review...
Bob and Rob by Sue Pickford
Rob is a burglar who is very, very bad. Bob is his dog, who is very, very good. Well, as good as a dog whose owner is a burglar can be... Full review...
Cantankerous King Colin by Phil Allcock and Steve Stone
King Colin definitely got out of the wrong side of the bed this morning. He’s being very crotchety and rude, but whenever anyone tells him off he ignores them. After all, a king can do what he wants. Full review...
Hocus Pocus Diplodocus by Steve Howson and Kate Daubney
Magic is a lot of fun, but did you ever think about how it started? Pre-David Blaine? Pre-Dynamo? Pre-Paul Daniels and Debbie McGee? You need to look much further back than the 80s to find the answer, you know, because the first magician was in the days of the dinosaurs. Meet Hocus Pocus Diplodocus. Full review...
Nine Words Max by Dan Bar-El and David Huyck
Some children talk lots and some talk quite little. Some jabber away incessantly, while others prefer contemplative reflection. It’s the same the world over, and it’s true whoever you are, from an average Joe to a member of the Royal Family. Prince Max is a talker, full of fun, interesting facts and observations he’s keen to share with everyone around him. His brothers, on the other hand, are boys of fewer words, and don’t have much time for Max’s waffling on. Full review...
None The Number (The Hueys) by Oliver Jeffers
A Counting Adventure! the subtitle of this book boasts. How exciting! I love numbers and counting, and so does a little boy I know. This one’s a bit old for him just yet – he’s the wrong side of 24 months – but I can’t wait to share it with him in the future. The item of question here is whether 0 is a number. After all, a number is something you can count. And if there’s 1 of something and you take 1 away, you’re left with a different number: 0 Full review...
The Very Noisy House by Julie Rhodes and Korky Paul
I might live in the middle of the country now, with nothing but pheasants and the odd wild turkey for neighbours, but I remember well what it’s like to live in the hustle and bustle. In fact, unless you too have lived on the main artery of Mexico City in a single glazed apartment, you’re going to come 2nd in the Who’s lived in a noisier house? competition. Well, it would have been second, but after reading this, I think we’d both have to bump down a spot, because nothing, and I mean nothing, compares to this house. Full review...
Betsy Goes To School by Helen Stephens
What a lovely book! Betsy is a big grown up girl so it’s time to start school, but that’s a scary thing to do. There are so many other boys and girls there, and she doesn't know any of them. Will she make it through the first day with no tears? Full review...
Dylan's Amazing Dinosaurs - the Tyrannosaurus Rex by E T Harper and Dan Taylor
Everyone love dinosaurs, that is as long as they stay millions of years in the past and don’t suddenly turn up in the park next time I am having a picnic. Dylan is a character who certainly loves dinosaurs, enough so that he is able to travel back in time to answer any questions he may have about their existence. Seems a little dangerous to me, especially when he comes up against the king of lizards in E T Harper and Dan Taylor’s, ‘Dylan's Amazing Dinosaurs - the Tyrannosaurus Rex’. Full review...
Children are Naughty by Vincent Cuvellier and Aurelie Guillerey
Children are naughty. You don't have to tell me that. I have two monsters, one of whom I found this very morning standing on top of the toilet and putting nappy cream all over himself (fully clothed, of course!) I only left the bathroom for a moment! Anyway, this story tells you all about the naughty antics that children can get up to, with everything from biting to throwing food on the floor! Prepare yourself, things could get messy...! Full review...
Have You Seen My Dragon? by Steve Light
You’d think a dragon would be hard to lose. This one is bright green and hiding in the city streets. A little boy sets out to find him. Visiting all the dragon’s favourite haunts, the boy counts objects, from one to twenty, as he goes. Follow his route, enjoy the journey and practise your counting skills. Full review...
The Short Giraffe by Neil Flory and Mark Cleary
Anyone who has ever been to a Wedding and saw the photographer trying to wrangle the bride and groom’s families together for a group shot will know all about the perils of mass photography. Neil Flory’s new children’s book, ‘The Short Giraffe’ suggests that the issue is not only human based, but also happens in the animal kingdom. Full review...
Two Giants by Michael Foreman
In this reissue of a book first published in 1967, the Two Giants live in a nice world where things are lovely and they get along brilliantly. What fun it must be to have your best friend around all the time. Until, that is, they have a fight. Before they can think about reconciling, they are separated and forced to live apart. Their animosity grows. Will it be possible for them to ever be friends again? Could something as simple and insignificant as sharing a pair of socks make it all ok? Full review...
Teddy Bedtime by Georgie Birkett
I haven’t much hands on experience with young children and bedtime, but from various alleys and avenues of my family I have a seen a few do and do nots. One thing I have learnt is that routine can be a vital tool in getting a child to bed. Whilst one set of Nephews come up to you and ask to go to bed at 7pm, the other are bouncing off the walls at 1am. Children’s books can be a great way to entertain and teach younger children a bedtime routine and Teddy Bedtime by Georgie Birkett may just be the best example I have seen. Full review...
Hilda and the Black Hound by Luke Pearson
Hilda and the Black Hound is the fourth book in the “Hildafolk” series, each of which is a self-contained tale about a highly inquisitive little girl and her adventures. This time Hilda joins the Sparrow Scouts and befriends a house spirit whilst in the meantime a mysterious beast stalks the town of Trolberg. Full review...
Baby's Got The Blues by Carol Diggory Shields
I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve been toting my baby in my arms, pushing him in his buggy or carrying him in his baby back pack and strangers have remarked ooh – lovely! I wish I was a baby! Well, do you think babies have it easy? Really? Well, listen up because the apple cheeked, down in the mouth hero of Baby’s Got The Blues is going to set you right. Full review...
Little Frog's Tadpole Trouble by Tatyana Feeney
I’m the little sister. I never had to deal with the threat of an impending arrival to unsettle my world, but I can’t imagine it’s always fun. There are, of course, lots of books on the subject, seeing as it’s a big topic that affects lots of families every day, but here’s a new book on the market. Can it add anything to the existing stack of Becoming a big sibling books? Full review...
Macavity,the Mystery Cat by T S Eliot and Arthur Robins
There’s nothing my little boy likes more than to sit down with a tome of good poetry. Currently he is reading T.S. Eliot. Well, that’s what I will be telling them down at playgroup anyway. No need to add that it’s not ‘The Wasteland’. The poem in this volume is actually just one from ‘Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats’ and features the inimitable scoundrel of the title, Macavity. Full review...