THE BLUE UMBRELLA – What inspired the story…. I wrote The Blue Umbrella during the first lockdown for Covid-19. I was home-schooling my daughter, as the schools were all shut, and I made sure I had one dedicated day to writing each week. One day,…
When it comes to pizza, I hold my hands up. Without a doubt, the best pizza in my eyes is a Margherita pizza, nothing more. I definitely don’t need everything on it. BUT when it comes to books, I totally recommend A Pizza With Everything On It, written by Kyle Scheele and illustrated by Andy…
Got To Dance, written by Josette Reeves and illustrated by Annabel Tempest is a beautifully bright and uplifting picture book. Magnus is the very best dancer in the forest. He loves to shimmy and boogie, but when Betty moves into the forest, who also loves to dance, all the animals in the forest are impressed.…
In 2019, I was lucky enough to go to the Cambridge School of Art exhibition for the MA course in Children’s Book Illustration, where Al Rodin won the Sebastian Walker Award. I instantly fell in love with Little Echo when I saw it on display. Since then, I’ve often thought about that story and wondered…
Goodnight Veggies is a wonderful way of introducing a wide variety of vegetables and how they grow, to younger picture book readers! The story is set in a rooftop community garden where the ‘tossing, turning veggies need to get some rest.’ The story follows a sleepy worm throughout the book as he says goodnight to…
Luna Loves Art follows in the footsteps of Luna Loves Library Day, and just like the first book was a true celebration of libraries and books, Luna Loves Art is a celebration too, of art this time. We are a HUGE fan of Luna in our house! Joseph Coelho and Fiona Lumbers have created such…
Superheroes Don’t Get Scared… Or Do They? is a funny, uplifting picture book that is sure to grab your attention with it’s eye catching front cover and comic book style title. Kate Thompson’s lively rhyming text combines laugh out loud moments with a heart-warming moral. Clare Elsom’s fun, bright and bold illustrations match the superhero…
We’ve already been lucky enough to review one of Mia Underwood’s activity books, which we just LOVED. So, when I saw she had another one out, I couldn’t wait to dive into it with my daughter! I’ve come across a few books now by ‘Button Books’ and I am always blown away by the quality…
Beast Feast is a monstrously marvellous picture book by Emma Yarlett, published by Walker Books. As soon as you open the book, you just know it’s going to be something special by the amusing monstrous recipes. I love the recipe for Shepherd Pie (the preparation time for this recipe is as long as it takes…
This year it was the 50th anniversary of man’s first step on the moon. So, it is no surprise that there has been an influx of children’s book published around the theme of space. Therefore, it would take something special for a book to stand out among the others on the shelves. What could be…
Illustrator Dominika Lipniewska has created a bright and engaging non-fiction book that takes the reader on a magical journey through a day in the life of a city. The distinctive graphical style of In The City makes this book stand out from other books out there. The text is simple and easy to understand, perfect…
We were really lucky and saw Tracey Corderoy at an event sharing ‘The Christmas Extravaganza Hotel’ with the audience. My daughter giggled throughout it and this story certainly put us in the Christmas spirit. The story begins with Bear settling down to his favourite book, all ready for a nice, simple Christmas, that is until…
The Terribly Friendly Fox is a masterpiece of deception and darkness. At first glance, I thought that this would be about a misunderstood fox. Very quickly though, I realised the reader is in on the joke. The fox in this story is ever so friendly… in fact, he’s terribly friendly! It all begins when Gerald…
Discover our Solar System, written by Colin Stuart, is jam packed full of out of this world facts about our awe-inspiring solar system. The illustrations by Charlie Brandon-King will definitely capture your child’s imagination. The front cover is inviting and eye-catching, and the sparkly stars are a lovely touch. This non-fiction book is aimed at…
My daughter has just turned 5. I know this because I’m her Mum and also because she reminds me every minute that she can do things ‘because I’m 5!’. For her party, we had a magical explorers party in the woods. It was an amazing day, with wand making, spotting hidden unicorns in the woods…
Stay notified of new posts!
Or subscribe here via email!
activity (39) adventure (420) animal (235) Australia (60) Australian Author (198) Author Interview (192) bedtime (23) Best Book 2017 (24) books about books (31) Chapter Book (554) Christmas (89) Christmas Eve (25) dogs (25) Easter (24) environment (85) family (580) fantasy (108) Friendship (732) grief (49) Halloween (70) historical fiction (37) history (72) humour (659) identity (44) illustrated chapter book (63) Illustrator Interview (60) imagination (64) individuality (89) magic (45) middle grade (49) mystery (90) nature (156) nonfiction (128) picture book (940) rhyme (60) school (41) series (49) space (23) travel (24) UK Author (196) UK Author & Illustrator (33) verse (25) World War Two (23) Writing Tips (112) Young Adult (37)