For sharing
Grimm's Fairy Tales: Twelve Dancing Princesses by Saviour Pirotta and Cecilia Johansson
There was once a king who had twelve beautiful daughters. Frightened that they would sneak out and go dancing he locked them in a big bedroom at night, but each morning he would find their satin shoes danced to pieces. As he couldn't work out how they escaped he issued a proclamation to all the young men of the land. Any prince who worked out how they escaped could marry one of the daughters and would inherit the kingdom. But - if after three nights he hadn't discovered the secret, he would lose his head. Full review...
Where is Fred? by Edward Hardy and Ali Pye
Fred, the fluffy, white caterpillar loves hiding and playing games as he is very good at camouflaging himself amongst dandelions and sheep. It’s a bit dangerous when he tries to eat lush green leaves though as there is nowhere to hide. That’s normally OK but one day Gerald, the crow, happens to catch sight of him and is determined to eat him. Fred will not give up without a fight though and scarpers off down the High Street. When Gerald catches up, he is only able to see a smart looking lady wearing a fluffy necklace. She says that she has not seen Fred so he moves on until he meets a man with grey straggly hair and lovely fluffy white eyebrows. He also has not seen Fred so Gerald moves on to ask a little girl with a fluffy white hair band and an elderly man with a big white moustache. Of course, any eagle eyed child will soon spot where Fred is hiding in all of the pictures but luckily Gerald does not. Full review...
I Want My Hat Back by Jon Klassen
The poor bear has lost his hat. He wants it back. As with all bears, he's a bit of a surly ol' thing. His pointy red hat is about the only thing that puts a smile on his face, and he just can't find it. The fox and frog don't know where it is, the rabbit is evasive, and the tortoise is more interested in climbing a rock. How will the bear ever find his hat? Poor bear. Full review...
When I Dream of 123 by Oakley Graham
'When I dream of 123' is an enchanting book that would make any bedtime very special. It is a counting book that starts at number one and goes all the way to one hundred which is a bit unusual for many picture books. This also makes it an ideal book for slightly older children as well as the very young. It is also a lovely book because each number is accompanied by a gorgeous illustration and some unusual and often comical information about what is seen. It reads like a non-fiction book but all of the pieces of information are mainly imaginary. Full review...
Quack Quack Moo, We See You! by Mij Kelly and Katharine McEwen
Poppa Bombola has lost his darling daughter! He's hunting high and low, under tables, under chairs and all around the farmyard - but she is nowhere to be found.... Or is she? Maybe Poppa Bombola isn't looking close enough... Full review...
The Big Jungle Mix Up by Gareth Edwards and Kanako Usui
Big Bear is teaching little bear all about the animals in the jungle as they are out walking one day. But Big Bear keeps mixing them up and little bear has to keep putting him straight:
'We might find a monkey, with feathers and beak, pea-green, carrot orange, we'll teach it to speak…
You've got it mixed up! As orange as a carrot? A beak that can speak? Then it must be a… *open flap* PARROT!' Full review...
The Big Animal Mix-Up by Gareth Edwards and Kanako Usui
We're back with Big Bear and little bear again and this time, Big Bear is teaching little bear all about the animals from little bear's big Book About Animals as they are settling down for bed one night. But Big Bear keeps mixing them up and once again little bear has to keep putting him straight:
'This is a fish. It has very soft fur. If you give it a cuddle, you'll hear it go 'purr'…
'Hang on a minute! A fish can't do that. If it's purry and furry, it must be a... *open flap* CAT!' Full review...
Bramble the Brave by Amber Stewart and Layn Marlow
Bramble and her friend Twig love adventures especially when it comes to digging very deep molehills. Bramble leads and Twig follows whether they are digging, wading through ponds, climbing or rolling down hills. You would think that this brave little mole would be prepared to try anything and she is. That is until it comes to food when she turns into the fussiest little mole imaginable. She won't eat pondweed soup because it is too slimy; four-leaf clover salads are too crunchy and she won't even try Mummy's hazelnut pie because she only likes berries. Her parents try to persuade her to try all of this lovely food but eventually they get fed up of making a fuss and just let Bramble eat berries for a whole week. At first, Bramble is delighted but soon her paws look as if they have been splashed with purple paint and her whiskers feel sticky all the time. Full review...
Little Princess: I Want to Win! by Tony Ross
The Little Princess always likes to win so, when at the castle sports day she finds herself trailing in the running race, she insists that they all run in the opposite direction and then she has least far to go. When playing table tennis with the maid, she is always allowed to win. She is so used to winning that it comes as a big shock at school when other children win the prizes for numbers, painting, science and poems. It's especially disappointing as she really tried her hardest in all of those subjects. However, some of her efforts are quite scary, unorthodox, and even a bit dangerous as she almost blows up the science lab. Luckily, there is one more cup and as that's the prize for 'trying the hardest', there is obviously only one worthy winner! Full review...
The Goggle-eyed Goats by Stephen Davies and Christopher Corr
Life is pretty chaotic in Timbuktu where Ali Haji Amadu lives with his wives, children and their many animals. They have one dangle-tailed donkey, two snaggle-toothed camels, three curvy-horned cows, four wobble-legged lambs and five goggle-eyed goats. That would probably be enough if the goats were not so troublesome and mischievous, munching and chewing everything in sight. At the insistence of his three wives, Fama, Rama and Sama, Ali Haji sets off to Mopti Market with the intention of selling the goats. It's a long trek but he finally arrives early the following morning and tries to find someone to buy them. It's not as easy as he expects though, especially when certain members of his family, having followed him, decide to intervene. It seems that the goats are wanted after all even though there is always such a hullabaloo when they are around. Full review...
Wave the Flag and Blow the Whistle by Ronda Armitage and Andrew Gordon
A little boy and his grandad, and a spotty giraffe toy go out one day for a ride on a train. They're off on a journey to Blueberry Hill. What will they see? What will they do? All the excitement of travelling by train are looked at in this story! Full review...
The Lying Carpet by David Lucas
There is a room in a big old house where nothing moves but the insects. An empty chair sits to one side, a stone statue of a girl called, and representing, Faith, the other. In between is a tiger rug. What potential is in that for the setting of a charming book? What potential indeed... Full review...
Pants, Vest, Getting Dressed! (All By Myself) by Debbie Foy
Have you ever noticed that there are certain processes which a child needs to master but which cause quite a lot of grief along the way? Most children are alright with one or two but stick on others - and they're the ones which parents come to dread each day. Getting dressed is one of these. The need for it isn't immediately obvious and - let's be honest - there's not a lot of fun in it is there? Well - that might be about to change with a series of books from Debbie Foy which inject some fun into the processes. Full review...
Christopher's Caterpillars by Charlotte Middleton
Christopher Nibble, a charming little guinea pig, loves gardening with his friend Posie. When they find six munching caterpillars on their plants though they decide that they cannot stay and choose to keep them as pets instead. They make a list of the things that they think that the caterpillars will need such as woolly socks and mini hairbrushes. When they visit Mr Rosetti, who runs the local café, he puts them straight and suggests that they get some clean jars, juicy leaves, twigs, and make lids with holes in them instead. They now know exactly what to do in order to look after their new pets and they do – very carefully. Full review...
Marco Moves In (A Rather Remarkable Grizzly Bear) by Gerry Boland
It's not every day that a grizzly bear turns up on your doorstep. Yet, this is exactly what happens one night at Patrick'shouse. The grizzly bear, Marco, has escaped from the local zoo and is looking for somewhere to live. The entire town is on the lookout and a grizzly can be rather hard to hide. After a host of close calls, Patrick and Marco find the perfect place. Full review...
Elmer's First Counting Book by David McKee
It's a lovely board book in the Elmer series and a lovely way of introducing the youngest readers to the patchwork elephant although there's only one of him and as this is a counting book he only gets to feature on the front and back covers and the first page. Full review...
Little Mouse by Alison Murray
'Sometimes, when I am being very quiet and cuddly, my mummy calls me her little mouse'. Although mostly, Little Mouse is anything but quiet, just as you would expect from a pre-school age child; she can waddle like a penguin, eat like a horse and splash like a whale in author Alison Murray's gorgeous wander through the daytime exploits of an imaginative little girl, who likes to turn the plainest of activities into something fun and adventurous, becoming her favourite animals en route. Full review...
The Big Adventure of the Smalls by Helen Stephens
Paul and Sally Small live in Small Hall; except Small Hall isn't very small… It's HUGE! On one especially special night – the night of the Small Hall Grand Ball – Paul and Sally Small are having a peek at the guests arriving, when disaster strikes! Paul's beloved bear, Mr Puddles, falls through the banisters and into the throng. Full review...
The Quest In A Vest (Gordon the Goblin) by Tariq Kurd and Laura Robertson
Gordon the Goblin is more than a little fed up because he is so small and not big and tough like all of the other goblins. They are all fearless hunters and go off on exciting adventures whilst Gordon is left behind. He decides that there is nothing else for it but to set out on his very own quest even though he feels very nervous at the thought of it. He approaches the chief goblin who laughs at him, before deciding to send him off to capture a dragon – not for one moment thinking that Gordon will succeed. It does look like an impossible feat especially as Gordon does lack strength and muscles. Maybe though, he will be able to use his brains and charm rather than relying on brute force. Will Gordon be able to find a dragon and actually persuade him that he wants to be captured and what will happen if he does? Full review...
Love Monster by Rachel Bright
At the start of this lovely book, the reader meets a red googly-eyed monster who is a 'bit funny looking to say the least'. Unfortunately for him, he lives in a world of cute looking things which only make his strange unorthodox looks more noticeable. He feels lonely when he sees that everyone loves the cute bunnies, kittens and puppies who live close by but no one seems to love him. Rather than be downhearted though, he decides to set out to find someone who will love him. Full review...
Babies Don't Bite by David Bedford and Tor Freeman
Hegley the pony is excited. His mummy is having a baby! His friends, however, don't seem to share his excitement...their mums are all having babies too, but they know that babies just mean trouble! Full review...
Who Am I? by Gervase Phinn and Tony Ross
When a funny little creature hatches out of an egg deep in the jungle, all alone, he sets off to try and discover who he is. Wandering through the jungle he meets lots of different creatures and he asks each of them Who am I? but they are all mystified, able only to tell them who they are. Will he ever meet another creature just like him? Full review...
Red Riding Hood and the Sweet Little Wolf by Rachel Mortimer and Liz Pichon
'Once upon a time there was a Big Bad Wolf who lived in the woods. Well. That's not quite true... Really, she was a Sweet Little Wolf who loved all things pretty and pink, especially fairy tales.'
From the very start of this wonderful book the reader discovers that not all wolves are big and bad and is introduced to the sweetest, mildest wolf that ever lived. The only problem is that her parents are big and bad and they want her to be exactly like them. This is why they send her out with a shopping list for dinner which along with the onions, potatoes and carrots includes 'one little girl (tender and juicy)' Full review...
The Great Explorer by Chris Judge
I really enjoyed Chris Judge's first book, The Lonely Beast so I was excited to pick up his latest story. This time we're following the story of a young boy called Tom. His dad, a famous explorer, has gone missing at the North Pole and so Tom sets out to find him. His adventurous, exciting journey sees him facing dangerous animals and the treacherous terrain. Will he make it to find his dad? Full review...
Chloe, Instead by Micah Player
When Molly imagined her little sister she thought she'd be someone just like her, but instead she got Chloe! Molly loves to draw, Chloe loves to eat the crayons! Molly loves books, and so does Chloe but in a rather more page-ripping way! This lovely story looks at an older sibling trying to cope with her shattered expectations of what having a little sister would be like. Full review...
The Treasure of Captain Claw by Jonathan Emmett and Steve Cox
This is the story of what happens when two dogs, Oscar and Lily, are on holiday together and come across an old treasure map. In their adventurous quest to find the treasure they are captured by pirates but they cleverly manage to outwit them in a way which leads to a laugh-out-loud conclusion to the story! Full review...
My Granny is a Pirate by Val McDermid and Arthur Robins
It seems the pirate phase is something all small children go through at some point. My daughter spent several months dressed as a pirate, completing her outfit with a knitted eye patch, which she asked my mum to knit for her, swiftly followed by a knitted parrot! It is rather fun to run around shouting 'Arrrrrrrrrr me hearties!' actually, so I can see the appeal. Anyway, this story caters beautifully for all the little wannabe pirates out there and tells of one little boy's granny and her secret life story. Full review...
There's a House Inside My Mummy by Giles Andreae and Vanessa Cabban
The arrival of a new sibling can be a tricky time in any child's life, but this lovely book helps ease the way for a new baby and explains about pregnancy in a very easy, funny way that is perfect for sharing with toddlers. The idea of there being a house inside mummy's tummy is a clever one, and instantly understandable by small children, and the loving family relationship that is depicted in the story is wonderful to see. Full review...
Tattybogle by Sandra Horn and Ken Brown
At the start of this story, Tattybogle stands in the middle of the field in which he has stood for a long time. He is made of sticks and sacks, wears the farmer's old clothes and his head is full of straw and cheerful thoughts. It would seem that this scarecrow's life is a very good one especially when the wind blows because he likes a bit of a dance. He also likes the rain and when the stars twinkle at night. Full review...
Pushka by Stephen Mackey
The circus train is coming to town and little Pushka is asleep in the last wagon. Unfortunately, he topples out and wakes up in fright amongst the enchanted trees of the forest. He is scared by enormous thuds on the ground but then he spies a beautiful dancing girl and instantly falls in love. Little does he know that the lovely girl, Lulu, is a puppet and there is an evil giant controlling her strings and using her to lure Pushka to danger. He finds himself in a lot of trouble when he is enticed into the giant's oven with its fierce burning flames. Luckily, the giant does not reckon on the strength of the love that Lulu feels for her new friend, at it is the power of this that helps her to save him. Full review...
The Totally Terrifying Three by Hiawyn Oram and David Melling
This story sees the gathering together of three unlikely friends: a dragon, a witch and a giant. They all consider themselves to be TOTALLY TERRIFYING, yet when they meet each other, they're not scared. As they wander around together they come across a toddler. She isn't phased by any of them and the totally terrifying three soon find themselves entertaining her with a shoulder ride, a trip on the broomstick and a sweetly crooned dragon lullaby. It seems the three friends are not so terrifying after all! Full review...
Slobcat by Paul Geraghty
Slobcat is our cat.
He does nothing but lie
about and sleep.
Well that is what the little girl who tells this wonderful story about a most endearing cat thinks. Actually, she is quite wrong, as the reader discovers, as the story progresses. Because she and the rest of the family only see him lazing around and sleeping, they have named him Slobcat. It is a term of affection though as they do really love their cat, even though they have got him quite wrong. She tells the reader that Slobcat is too lazy to eat his dinner; often comes home soaking wet because he can't be bothered to shelter from the rain and he would be totally useless if there were any rats or mice that might need catching. Full review...
Leave Me Alone by Kes Gray and Lee Wildish
A young boy sits in a field, and to every advance by the animal friends around him he declares 'Leave me alone.' He finally explains that his problems are too big for anyone to help him with because his problem is a giant who bullies and teases him. When the bully appears the animals gather together and tell him to leave the boy alone. Full review...
Pedro The Penguin (Get Well Friends) by Kes Gray and Mary McQuillan
It is a beautiful Polar morning. The sun is shining, the icebergs are glistening, and Pedro decides to start the day with an early morning swim! He gets ready to dive in, tucks in his tummy, point his beak to the sky, and dives high, high, high into the air. But oh dear. He forgot to break the ice before diving in! CRUNCH! But don't worry, with a little help from Nurse Nibbles and his Get Well Friends, he'll soon be feeling better. Full review...
Zoe the Zebra (Get Well Friends) by Kes Gray and Mary McQuillan
It was a beautiful day in Africa. The sun was shining, the birds were singing, and all the zebras were peacefully eating their lunch. All except for Zoe who is so busy looking out for big, scary animals that she isn't looking where she is going and trips up over a teeny-tiny tortoise! However, Nurse Nibbles is on hand and with the Get Well Friends it seems that Zoe will soon be on the mend. Full review...
Sir Charlie Stinky Socks and the Tale of the Terrible Secret by Kristina Stephenson
The brave and bold Sir Charlie Stinky Socks and his companions - who are, as I am sure you already know by now, his good grey mare and his pet cat, Envelope - are led to a castle that teeters on top of a hill from which strange cries are heard. Sir Charlie knows that even though he is a bit scared, he must be brave and put right the terrible thing that has happened in the tall, tall tower (with the pointy roof). And so our hero's tale begins… Full review...
Magic Beans by Adele Geras, Anne Fine, Henrietta Branford, Jacqueline Wilson, Malorie Blackman, Philip Pullman, Tony Mitton, Alan Garner, Berlie Doherty, Gillian Cross, Kit Wright, Michael Morpurgo, Susan Gates and Linda Newbery
I was attracted to this book because it features stories from Jacqueline Wilson, Philip Pullman, Michael Morpurgo, Alan Garner and many other prominent children's writers. I thought it might make a great Christmas or birthday present (and it would). There's a selection of stories from traditional sources such as Hans Christian Andersen, and Aesop, and I imagine that the authors were inveigled into writing for publisher David Fickling with a free choice of original stories. So don't expect a collection or compendium, but rather an anthology of tales that have entranced and inspired these writers in their own childhoods – magic beans indeed. Full review...
Predators by Steve Backshall
Many readers would probably know that on the simple count of humans they helped to dispatch, mosquitoes may be the most deadly animals ever. But did you know that if you take into account the success rate of hunts, diversity and spread, ladybirds are more successful predators than tigers? Full review...
Dear Zoo (Noisy Book) by Rod Campbell
There is something slightly unsettling about the notion of a noisy book; the very idea that you can make a racket with something intended as a quiet pastime is a tiny bit of an oxymoron for me. But not, of course, for your average toddler (let's assume that we are disregarding the din they are able to make just by banging a fair sized hardback such as this, on the table!) And I've never met a child who did not like a book with interactive buttons and flaps – never. Full review...
Cat on the Hill by Michael Foreman
The story is told through the eyes of the nameless cat. It starts in Summer when he tells how he loves living at the top of the hill with its tremendous views of the sea and the constant visitors who are only too happy to share their sandwiches and the drips from their ice creams. Life is good even with horrible squawky gulls trying to steal his food. He explains how he used to be a ship's cat until both the skipper and the ship became too old to sail the seas. Full review...
The Day The Gogglynipper Escaped by James McKnight and Mark Chambers
One day, when rounding up the rather dangerous and often very smelly Gogglynippers, Diggle discovers that there are only nine of the purple monsters, instead of ten. Full review...
Don't Invite Dinosaurs To Dinner by Neil Griffiths and Peggy Collins
Don't invite dinosaurs to dinner, or take them to the shops… don't take them to a football match, or to sports day, or to the zoo …. In fact, DON'T take a dinosaur anywhere because, as you will find out, it's a really, really bad idea! I've got to tell you now, that I really love this book – firstly, the stanzas are the well-paced rhyming variety and not your moon, June, spoon assortment of verse, either, which was a pleasant surprise and went down very well in our house and secondly there are fold out flaps which are huge and beautifully illustrated, often with hilarious punch lines lurking inside. Full review...