Peapod’s Picks – All Sorts of Lost Property!

I've talked briefly about The Lost Property Office by Emily Rand before, but we've revisited it this week as I popped it in Peapod's downstairs book basket near the trains he's been playing with and he's really taken to it. As luck would have it, I'd also just bought another Emily Rand book - All...

The Girl Who Became a Tree

I was lucky enough to request and receive a free copy of this from Bounce. All views and opinions are my own. The Girl Who Became a Tree by Joseph Coelho, illustrated by Kate Milner Those of you who've been around the blog for a while will know I'm a sucker for a novel in...

A First Book of Animals

I requested and received a copy of this free from the publishers, in exchange for an honest review. All views are my own. A First Book of Animals by Nicola Davies, illustrated by Petr Horáček Polar bears playing on the ice, tigers hunting in the jungle, fireflies twinkling in the evening sky and nightingales singing...

Flights of Fancy

I requested and received an advance copy of this free from the publishers, in exchange for an honest review. All views are my own. In this lively anthology, the UK's best-loved writers and illustrators share their top tips and ideas to inspire budding artists and writers. Published to celebrate 20 years of having a Children's...

The Afterwards

I'd seen and heard all sorts of good things about this on twitter before I received a copy from Bloomsbury for review (imagine my excitement at finding it was signed too!). However, as is so often the case, I'd heard how great it was but didn't actually know anything about it! Normally, I'd find out...

Picklewitch and Jack

As part of my quest to read more younger chapter books as well as 'MG', I requested a copy of this from Faber (who very kindly obliged - thank you!) and it's safe to say I'm thrilled I did as it's become one of my favourite books of the year. Picklewitch lives in a tree...

Hubert Horatio Bartle Bobton-Trent

Hubert Horatio: How to Raise Your Grown Ups I first read about Hubert Horatio Bartle Bobton-Trent almost 15 years ago when the picture book above was released. I was (and still am) a huge Lauren Child fan - her books felt (and still feel) like something different: the illustrations, style and design; the vocabulary, language...

The Restless Girls

When I was younger, Twelve Dancing Princesses was one of my favourite stories. Something about the midnight trips out, the worn out shoes, the boats to magical forests and dancing maybe. As a huge fan of Jessie Burton's adult novels 'The Miniaturist' and 'The Muse', I was very excited to hear she was writing a...

Mini Mondays

As I may have mentioned (you know, just once or twice..) I'm finding it hard to find enough time to read, let alone review anything since Peapod made his entrance into the world. Last week, I saw this post from BookBairn and it gave me the idea of 'Mini Mondays' - can't promise I'll manage...

Into the Jungle: Stories for Mowgli

First published almost 125 years ago, the combination of the wild world, freedom and adventure in The Jungle Book mean it is just as appealing today as it was then. And that writing a 'companion' for it would be no easy task. Luckily, Katherine Rundell is more than up to the task. Already a huge...