Newest For Sharing Reviews

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Ten Terrible Dinosaurs by Paul Stickland

For Sharing

Some things are easier to count than others. How many pens are there on the desk is simple enough. A little trickier is the number of cars on the road, but stand back and you can see them. The fact is that the bigger something is, the further you will need to be from it to count more than one. What would happen though if you were counting something that was not only big, but moving and also prone to eating you? Full review...

The Night I Followed the Dog by Nina Laden

For Sharing

There's a Boy (who doesn't have a name) and a Dog (likewise) and in the beginning you get the feeling that the Boy would prefer to have next door's Dog who wins prizes in obedience classes and does clever things with the television remote control. That is until one morning when Boy opens the door a little earlier than usual and spots Dog getting out of a limousine. In a tuxedo. The he disappears into the back garden. Boy's shocked but a few minutes later he goes to the back door and whistles for Dog, who comes dashing in, anxious to eat. At first Boy can't quite believe what he thinks he saw, so he determines to follow Dog the next night. Full review...

Something for Mummy (Bing) by Ted Dewan

For Sharing

Having a child gives you a glimpse into a world that you never knew even existed. Unfortunately, this not a winter wonderland hidden in a wardrobe, but a world of children's TV characters. The mainstays of the genre have still survived; Sooty, Noddy and Postman Pat, but who is RaRa or Mr Tumble? One popular show that takes some getting used to is Bing, a series all about a rabbit that seems to have a stuffed animal as a carer. There are seemingly no parents in the show as if the town is one giant crèche, so how come Bing and his helper Flop are making a gift for Mummy? Full review...

My First Animals by Aino-Maija Metsola

For Sharing

Get used to two simple words if you have a child, What's That? You will hear it over and over and over again. If you are lucky they are pointing at something that you actually know – chair, hat, my sense of regret. Sometimes they will point at something that is not too familiar. Here the parental practise of making something up comes into play – it's a bird type thing. Books that show images of items, colours or animals may seem a little dull to an adult, but to a toddler learning about the world they are a who's who of what's that. Full review...

The Story of the Dancing Frog by Quentin Blake

Dyslexia Friendly

When Jo's Great Aunt Gertrude's sea captain husband is drowned at sea she is grief-stricken and, in despair, she goes for a walk alone. During this walk she notices a small frog on a lily-pad. But he is no ordinary frog - he's a dancing frog and the two quickly become good friends. Soon the duo are touring the world with their routine, spreading joy and fun - and carrying out the occasional rescue - wherever they go. Full review...

Tiger Tiger by Jonny Lambert

For Sharing

Until you spend a day hanging out with a child you will never know how exhausting it can be. As an adult you are used to peppering your day with little downtime treats; a cup of tea perhaps, a biscuits, or maybe even a cheeky nap? The kids I know have no end of energy and at best you will get a sip of cold coffee, have to give them most of the biscuit and a nap would consist of them jumping on your head. However, although their enthusiasm and zest may be tiring, it is also infectious, just ask any old tiger you meet. Full review...

Baby Dinosaurs (Follow the Trail) by DK

Children's Non-Fiction

If you ever have the misfortune to stumble across some as yet undiscovered dinosaur I offer this piece of advice; don't take your finger and track their spine, don't put it in their mouth and don't go following them to their parent. Instead, run. Run faster than you have ever run before in the opposite direction. The unfortunate thing is that anyone with a toddler knows, they love to grab and poke anything – including terrible lizards if they got the chance. Better play safe than sorry and just get them a book that allows them to get their dinosaur touching thrills vicariously. Full review...

My Tail's Not Tired! by Jana Novotny Hunter and Paula Bowles

For Sharing

Little Monster is supposed to be going to bed, but how can he, when his knees are still bouncy and his arms still need to fly and his bottom has lots of jiggling and wiggling left to do?! As Big Monster groans and sighs, Little Monster's energy seems to have no end. But will Little Monster finally wear himself out and end up in bed? Full review...

The Hamster Book by Silvia Borando

For Sharing

Look! You finally have your very own pet, a sweet little hamster. You can give her a name, smooth down her fur, watch her do tricks and give her some food. It’s not all fun and games with your new hamster however! Of course, every responsible pet owner knows that they need to clean up after their pet, if there are any little accidents... Full review...

Pigeon P.I. by Meg McLaren

Emerging Readers

The world of birds is in a flap. They're being nabbed – plucked from the air (or at least from their cages). Murray MacMurray, the brilliant pigeon private eye, doesn't want anything to do with crime now his old partner has flown the roost, but an eager and bright young thing might just about persuade him to take up the case. But both will have to be plucky to survive the dangers it leads to… Full review...

My Pictures after the Storm by Eric Veille

For Sharing

One of the staples of baby books are those that look at opposites. This elephant is big, whilst this mouse is small. They help children to understand the world around them, but can also be a little dull. What about a more interesting book about cause and effect that looks at what happens before and after an event. You could start off gently by seeing what happens to items after a storm, but if you are Eric Veillé you can soon spiral into a madcap world of elephant stampedes and babies being born. Full review...

Norton and Alpha by Kristyna Litten

For Sharing

We are used to the world around us and every day take amazing things for granted; a sunset, or that cold bite in the air that makes you want to go and walk the dog. To a robot, our world would look pretty strange as everything would be new. What would you think the first time that you happened upon a flower? Full review...

Dalmation on a Digger by Rebecca Elliott

For Sharing

What's all that noise just outside the bedroom window?

DUGGER DUGGER DIGGER

It woke our young pup up!

DUGGER DUGGER DIGGER Full review...

Bathtime for Little Rabbit by Jorg Muhle

For Sharing

Bathing a child normally goes one of two ways; they love it, or they hate it. Very rarely will you find a child that sits in the bath with a nonplussed expression on their face, suffering the ridicules of hygiene with an air of indifferent sanguine. You are much more likely to have a child that splashes water everywhere in the hopes of finding that one gap in the grouting, or a child that will arch their entire body in the hope that doing so will prevent them touching anything wet. A book that teaches a toddler how bathtime is meant to be may just help your nightly routine, but also greatly entertain everyone. Full review...

The Lumberjack's Beard by Duncan Beedie

For Sharing

Jim Hickory is a Lumberjack of routine. Every morning, after he gets up, he does his limbering up exercises (very important for a lumberjack!), then he eats his breakfast of pancakes with maple syrup, before finally getting his trusty axe and heading out into the forest. One day, however, this routine becomes interrupted when he hears someone peck-pecking at his door, only to discover it's a small owl who has been made homeless by Jim's tree felling. Jim allows the owl to set up home in his big bushy beard, without realising just quite what he is letting himself in for… Full review...

Barking for Bagels by Michael Rosen and Tony Ross

For Sharing

Barking for Bagels is the story of Schnipp the dog, who loves her owners very much, though she does find their snickering a little annoying from time to time. One day, whilst out for a walk in the park, she starts to run away, and she finds that once she starts running she can't stop, and she runs and she runs until she finds Bessie the Bagel lady and thus discovers her new favourite food, and her new home. Full review...

Thank You, Mr Panda by Steve Antony

For Sharing

Mr Panda is back! And this time, rather than his box of doughnuts, he has a large pile of presents for all of his friends. Accompanied by his friend, the ring-tailed Lima, he goes around giving out the presents, whilst Lima helpfully reminds everyone on the receiving end that it's the thought that counts since it turns out that Mr Panda is perhaps not the best judge of gift giving! Full review...

Fairytale Frankie and the Mermaid Escapade by Greg Gormley and Steven Lenton

For Sharing

If you think about it enough it is amazing how many characters in fairytales are thick. How long would it take you to figure out that was not your Nan, but a wolf? Or, how many people would decide to start eating a house that appears to be made out of gingerbread, but is overseen by what looks like a crazy lady? Nope, the only reason that fairytale characters make it half the time is because a sensible and brave character saves the day; an intelligent brick laying pig, or a feisty woodsman. Your average story dweller needs a guardian angel and this may just come in the form of Fairytale Frankie. Full review...

Edie by Sophy Henn

For Sharing

Edie is a gorgeous little girl and with the sort of nature which we all hope that our children will have in abundance. She's just so helpful. For instance, she's gets up extra early herself just so that she can make certain that everybody else in the house gets up in good time. The cymbals work well on her brother, but if not, dragging him out of bed usually achieves the desired result. As for her parents, playing her guitar and serenading them usually does the trick. She's an independent young lady and likes to dress herself. It's not exactly school uniform and her mother might well be wondering where some of her clothes have got to - but what's a girl to do? Full review...

My Mummy by Roger Hargreaves

For Sharing

In My Mummy we learn of all the ways Mummy is wonderful. And, funnily enough, her positive attributes are quite a lot like those singular, nominal traits beheld by certain Little Misses. For example, she is happy like Little Miss Sunshine, she is curious about things like, erm, Little Miss Curious, and she enjoys her cake, just like Little Miss Greedy. Ooops. Full review...

The Glump and the Peeble by Wendy Meddour and Rebecca Ashdown

For Sharing

When does someone learn who they truly are? As a baby, you don't know what your feet are, so any sense of true self-discovery is going to at least wait until you are out of nappies. As a child you start to see the world, but most of us only see our part in it. Enter your teenage years and twenties and you start to understand what role you play in life, but do you really know yourself? If you are lucky, very lucky, you may start to figure stuff out in your thirties and know who you are and what you want to do. Things may have happened a little quicker if you had read more books as a child all about being whomever you want to be. Full review...

How to be a Tiger by George Szirtes and Tim Archbold

Children's Rhymes and Verse

Wet again, yet again! Down it drips, little fingertips, tapping and snapping as if the rain were cross.
See the branches toss? See the puddles grow? Has it stopped raining? NO.

Yes, sometimes only a quote will do. After all, we do come to poetry for snappy concision, and that's what we get here… Full review...

Everybunny Dance by Ellie Sandall

For Sharing

Children's book have a long history of the lion lying down with the lamb when most adults understand that the only thing that the lamb would be lying on is the lining of the lion's stomach. However, there is plenty of time to learn about what creature eats what creature and perhaps we should just allow children to imagine that bunnies like to dance the night away and perhaps even get along with a fox. Full review...

What are Aunties Made Of? by Carna Brooks

For Sharing

We all know what little boys and girls are made of, although I have to confess to having always been just a little bit jealous of the puppy dog tails and quite willing to pass on the sugar, spice, slugs and snails. But what are aunties made of? Could it be:

Smelly old cars and old milk jars?
Or fragrances of lavender and roses in our noses? Full review...

Queen Munch and Queen Nibble by Carol Ann Duffy and Lydia Monks

For Sharing

Queen Munch and Queen Nibble are two very different queens, in two very different kingdoms. Queen Munch, as you might imagine from her name, really loves her food. Her Saturdays begin with 'The Munching of the Breakfast' which is a grand extravaganza that her people all come and watch involving a grand setting, the Royal Musicians playing the 'Queen Munch Tune', dancing and an important reader of the menu, a delicious breakfast all finished off with a nice belch from the Queen! Queen Nibble, then, is much the opposite of Queen Munch. She is tall and as pale as a stick of celery! She lives alone, barely eats, but she makes beautiful jewellry from raindrops. One day, Queen Munch invites Queen Nibble over for a visit, and what will happen when these two extremely different rulers come together? Full review...

Rabbit and Bear: The Pest in the Nest by Julian Gough and Jim Field

Emerging Readers

Rabbit was struggling. There he was having a nice, peaceful sleep in his friend Bear's cave when a terrible noise woke him. Was it thunder? No, it was Bear snoring. Very loudly. Rabbit tried putting his paws over his ears although that's not very successful when you have small paws and very big ears. But there was something good: when Rabbit went outside the cave he realised that spring had sprung. Suddenly he felt strong. After a winter spent in his friend Bear's cave it was time to go home to his burrow. Only there was a surprise lurking there - and it looked suspiciously like a snake. Full review...

This is a Serious Book by Jodie Parachini and Daniel Rieley

For Sharing

If you want a silly book, this is not the one for you. This is, as the title says, a serious book. And just so there's no doubt, it shows you all the things you won't find in this book (because they are silly and this is serious). So we see pictures of donkeys pulling silly faces and doing backflips but only as a warning. They are examples to show us what we won't find in this book. For they are silly things (yuck). Full review...

I Don't Know What to Call My Cat by Simon Philip and Ella Bailey

For Sharing

Getting a new pet is rife with things that you have to do. Where will they sleep? What will they eat? And, of course, what on Earth are you going to call them? Giving a pet the right name when they are tiny can be an issue in itself – a cute fluffy dog can grow into a massive hound called Fluffy, or you could call your male cat Claire. Perhaps it would help if the animal itself could tell you what name they want? Full review...

That's Not How You Do It! by Ariane Hofmann-Maniyar

For Sharing

Lucy the cat knows how to do everything. Yes, she is one of those dreadful know-it-alls who can build a tower, play the xylophone, eat with a knife and fork...you name it, she can do it! Everyone knows that she's the best at all of these things, so she's the one they go to if they need help. One day, however, there's a new panda in town, Toshi, and Lucy watches him and sees that he doesn't know how to do anything right at all! His music is strange, and he eats differently to everyone else, and he can't make paper stars, only some weird-looking bird! Lucy finds this more and more frustrating until she suddenly can't contain herself any longer and she tells Toshi that he's doing everything wrong… Full review...

Stone Underpants by Rebecca Lisle and Richard Watson

For Sharing

Poor Pod has a chilly bottom! His leafy clothing is just not cutting it, and he needs to find an alternative. But what can he use to make himself some pants? This is a madcap story that will see Pod wearing everything from stone pants to feather pants, to even, in desperation I suspect, some pants made from spider's webs! Will he ever manage to find something suitable to make his pants from? Full review...

The Liszts by Kyo Maclear and Julia Sarda

Emerging Readers

When you read enough children's books you start to be able to pick up patterns in the genre. There are books that are aimed at the child alone and alienate the adult and there are those that cater for both. Perhaps the oddest grouping is those children's books that are seemingly designed for adults to enjoy and do not appeal to children. Full review...

Sun Moon Star by Kurt Vonnegut and Ivan Chermayeff

For Sharing

In his own delightfully imaginative way Kurt Vonnegut tells the story of the birth of Christ in this unique and long out of print children's book. Told from the perspective of the new born infant in his first hours of birth, this charming little story feels different to other children's Christmas books whilst at the same time goes back to the basics in exploring the true nature of Christmas. Full review...

Lump Lump and the Blanket of Dreams: Inspired by Navajo Culture and Folklore by Gwen Jackson and Lissa Calvert

For Sharing

In the fir tree in the forest there were two holes: in the small hole at the top Blue Bird lived, but the big hole, in the ground below the fir tree was the home of Mother Bear and her little bear, Lump Lump. It was coming to the time when bears should be hibernating, but Lump Lump wanted to run in the forest and eat more honey. Somehow he didn't think that sleeping could be that much fun. Blue Bird sang him a song about a blanket of dreams and Lump Lump had to have one. There was a snag though - before the blanket could be woven Lump Lump had to collect the white light of morning, the red light of evening, the falling rain and the rainbow for Spider Woman to weave into his blanket. Full review...

As Nice as Pie by Gary Sheppard and Tim Budgen

For Sharing

The day that you build that bird table and set out some nuts you are unwittingly creating a millstone for your own neck. From now on your inner voice is going to keep telling you to keep the food topped up. What will happen to those poor little birdies should they go without, will you be to blame for their hunger? Worse than the voice in your head is if the birds themselves started to demand more food. Could you deal with a cheeky chaffinch or a rabid robin? Full review...

Raven Child and the Snow Witch by Lina Sunderland and Daniel Egneus

For Sharing

A beautiful story of hope, family and love. In the frozen north and safe away from the icy wilderness, young Anya lives a happy care-free life in the Snow Garden. She plays, she is at one with the animals and she dreams. On one day, no different from any other, Anya’s mother sets off on a journey to the glacier to collect a special flower to plant in the Snow Garden. Anya waits for her mother’s return and keeps busy throughout the day. After a long while of waiting Anya falls asleep and dreams of a terrible event involving the most dreadful enchantress of them all – the Snow Witch. From here on, Anya becomes determined to find and save her mother but she has no idea what lies ahead. Can Anya pit her wills against the frozen wilderness, the wild wolves and ultimately the Snow Witch herself? Full review...