Newest For Sharing Reviews

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My First Mr Men 123 by Roger Hargreaves

For Sharing

As first books go, board books are good because they withstand a bit of biting, a bit of dribbling, a bit of roughness induced by not quite there yet hand-eye coordination. And as topics go, counting is great when you're trying to teach the skill and just need repetition. Plus it doesn't require the focus of attention that a proper story might. So a board book for counting? Perfect. Full review...

Quick Quack Quentin by Kes Gray and Jim Field

For Sharing

Quentin is a very downhearted duck because his quack is too quick. In fact all he can manage is a Quck. This will never do, so Quentin visits his local doctor to see if there is anything he can give him to make things better. Sadly, although the Doctor is swiftly able to diagnose Quentin's problem, he cannot provide what he needs. Quentin really needs an A so waddles off on search of one. On his journey he visits a succession of animals who, whilst being sympathetic to his plight and helpful in their own way, only manage to subtly change his problem rather than solve it. Therefore, poor Quentin's quest for the missing vowel continues. Full review...

We Are Not FROGS! by Michael Morpurgo and Sam Usher

Dyslexia Friendly

After the storm the frogs and the toads all came out onto the lawn to play long jump. This was the frogs' choice as they could jump further and the toads just wanted an easy life. But - through a series of unfortunate incidents involving lorries, dogs, children, a cart and an ice cream container, first the toads ended up in the ice cream container and after they sold the frogs down the river in exchange for being put into a muddy ditch, the frogs - all twenty two of them - were in the same prison and it was only thanks to Mutt the dog that they escaped. Full review...

Beep Beep Beep Time for Sleep by Claire Freedman and Richard Smythe

For Sharing

Bedtime books are a great way of winding a toddler down before they go to sleep, but haven't they all been done before? Coming up with something a little different that encourages a child to nod off is not always easy and new ideas can be a little bizarre when you think about it. Do bulldozers really need to doze off at the end of the night? At least we will have fun listening to all the machinery as it goes off to bed. Full review...

Winnie-the-Pooh by A A Milne and E H Shepard

Confident Readers

Is there anyone who doesn't know about Winnie-the-Pooh? You might know him as Pooh Bear and even if you haven't read the stories you'll know about playing Pooh Sticks or The Bear of Very Little Brain. This first book about the bear, originally published in 1926, has been translated into numerous language, including Latin - and that edition featured on the New York Times bestseller list. It's difficult to believe that Pooh will be ninety in October 2016, not least because he's ageless and the books which feature him are not in the least dated. Full review...

Blue and Bertie by Kristyna Litten

For Sharing

Bertie is a creature of habit. Every day is predictable but Bertie likes the certainty of the routine. I know how he feels. One day, though, something happens. He oversleeps and when he wakes up the others are gone and he is all alone. Although he still ventures out, he gets a little lost and is soon quite upset. Enter Blue who is just like him but oh so different too. Full review...

Mungo Monkey to the Rescue by Lydia Monks

For Sharing

Fans of lift the flap books may have come across Mongo Monkey before as he has a series of adventures that always seem to entail lifting up some things and flapping others. The interaction in the books is very enjoyable, but sometimes it feels like you are just following a monkey and his family around on a normal day. Couldn't creator Lydia Monks combine this touch and feel element with a story that actually goes somewhere? Perhaps Mungo's day out with his Dad will be key. Full review...

I Love You Already by Jory John and Benji Davies

For Sharing

You may have met Bear and Duck before; one is a recluse who just wants to go to sleep, whilst the other is full of energy and just wants to play. The friction between the two may have been resolved by the end of Goodnight Already by Jory John and Benji Davies, but that does not stop Duck from wondering if Bear really likes him or not. Do our best friends really have to tell us they love us, or should we just assume by their actions that they do? Full review...

Little Why by Jonny Lambert

For Sharing

Many of us have felt the pain of insistent question asking from the back of the car; are we there yet or why is the sky blue? In 2016 we can attach our children to multimedia devices so that they learn all they need to know from the Matrix whilst we get on with driving. However, curious young minds will keep asking questions. Sometimes it is better to give them an answer, rather than just telling later. Full review...

I Am Bear by Ben Bailey Smith and Sav Akyuz

For Sharing

The first time we meet Bear he is bare! Imagine – a naked animal, in the forest with his bottom on display. Squirrel is so shocked he's dropped his nuts. Ooh matron. Full review...

Little One by Jo Weaver

For Sharing

There is a subtle balance needed when finding a book to read to a toddler; one that takes into account the needs of the child, but perhaps also the needs of the adult. Do you really want to be stuck reading an ugly book about a pair of underpants for several months? (Oops we seem to have lost that book!) However, a book with striking visuals that strikes a chord with a parent may not always chime with a child. Is a children's book always meant to be just for kids? Full review...

I Love You More and More by Nicky Benson and Jonny Lambert

For Sharing

I'm something of a connoisseur when it comes to books about bears. I suppose it probably started with Winnie the Pooh, and my dad doing all the funny voices, but even these days I find I am irresistibly drawn to stories with bears in, and this one did not disappoint. If you're looking for a good old pull-at-the-heartstrings read for cozy afternoons with your momentarily quiet little one, then this is a good place to start. Full review...

Wolfie the Bunny by Ame Dyckman and Zachariah OHora

For Sharing

It may be that you are on the lookout for a useful picture book that deals with sibling rivalry in a helpful way. It may be that you have a wolf or rabbit obsessed toddler. Or it may just be that you like a good story that's fun to read. Fortunately for you, this book will cover all of those requirements! Wolfie the bunny arrives in the Bunny family's lives in a rather suspicious way, when he is left on their doorstep in a basket. Mama and Papa Bunny are immediately charmed by their new baby, but big sister Dot remains alarmed, shouting out 'He's going to eat us all up!' but receiving no response from her smitten parents! Full review...

Ralf by Jean Jullien

For Sharing

I'm rather partial to sausage dogs. I met one in Japan once who I would quite happily have tucked into my suitcase to sneak back home. Ralf the sausage dog is just as endearing as these pups usually are, although he is also just as troublesome. For a little dog, he manages to take up quite a lot of space, make a lot of noise, and generally make a nuisance of himself (as most dogs do really). Yet when suddenly the family find themselves in great danger, it is Ralf who saves the day! Full review...

Odd Socks by Michelle Robinson and Rebecca Ashdown

For Sharing

Socks, eh? They never used to trouble me, and would return from the washing machine in pairs, just as they had entered. I never fully understood the whole Land-of-missing-socks thing. Suki and Sosh are Mr and Mrs Sock, a matching pair who live happily together in the sock drawer. They too have never visited the Land-of-missing-socks. See? It's not just me. But something even worse is about to happen to tear this couple apart. Something quite horrible: Suki has a hole. Full review...

Please Mr Panda by Steve Antony

For Sharing

Mr Panda has a box of doughnuts and they look great, such bright colours against his black and white monochrome coat. Full review...

Mr Horton's Violin by Wenhua Wang, Amann Wang and Yu Yan Chen (translator)

Emerging Readers

Meet Mr Horton. He is one of the world's most famous and rich musical instrument players, and has done it all – except, that is, stumble on a music tree. You have to stumble on them, for not carpenters, not sculptors, not even simple woodsmen would give them a second look and think of them as anything special. But when Mr Horton does find one he is able to fashion the best, most magical violin imaginable out of its wood. The only problem after that is working out who deserves to play it… Full review...

The Chief Cellist by Wenhua Wang, Amann Wang and Yu Yan Chen (translator)

Emerging Readers

Meet the Chief. A new cellist in a quite horrible orchestra, he has suddenly turned their fortunes – and his – round. He is now a superstar, and asking for more and more grandeur and help in his life. But one night, when his chauffeur doesn't turn up for him after yet one more sterling performance, he finds himself alone in a world that doesn't care how good a cellist he is, but one where destiny might just depend on him learning the power of teamwork… Full review...

Paddington and the Disappearing Sandwich by Michael Bond and R W Alley

For Sharing

Paddington has a list - a list of shapes which he has to find. The first one was easy - it was a rectangle and he spotted that the front door was a rectangle as he closed it on his way out. There was another shape ticked off as he walked away - all the paving stones were squares! At the corner of the road there was a 'Men at Work' sign (or 'roadworks ahead' if you prefer not to be sexist) and this was a triangle and there, round the roadworks were some cones! There are still quite a few shapes on his list though - an oval, a circle, a star, a diamond and a heart. It was the heart which would prove most difficult to track down and I'm not going to tell you how Paddington did it, but there just might be a clue in the title. Full review...

What Pet Should I Get by Dr Seuss

For Sharing

What would you do, if you found in the shed,
A brand new book, from an author unfortunately dead?
Would you leave it alone as a work unfinished,
Or release it anyway and make a reputation blemished? Full review...

Badger and the Great Rescue by Suzanne Chiew and Caroline Pedler

For Sharing

Upcycling is a great idea, take some old rubbish and make yourself a washing line or new tent. Badger and friends have found some odd bits and bobs around the forest and they all have great ideas on how to use them, but where did all this stuff come from? Sometimes it is best to find out the origins of an item before you repurpose it for yourself, you never know who may need it! Full review...

Little People, Big Dreams: Frida Kahlo by Isabel Sanchez Vegara and Eng Gee Fan

Emerging Readers

Frida Kahlo was born in Mexico. When she was a young schoolgirl she contracted polio and was left with a leg which was skinny as a rake, but she bore the problem stoically and in some ways delighted in being different. Then one day Frida was in a bus which crashed into a car. She was badly injured and even when she was over the worst she still had to rest in bed and filled the time by drawing pictures, including a self portrait. Eventually she showed her pictures to a famous artist - Diego Rivera - who liked the pictures, and Frida. They married and Rivera encouraged Frida's painting. She exhibited, eventually in New York, to great acclaim. Full review...

Little People, Big Dreams: Coco Chanel by Isabel Sanchez Vegara and Ana Albero

Emerging Readers

Gabrielle Chanel lived in an orphanage in a French town and after the death of her mother she went to a strict convent school. The fact that she was different didn't make her life easy, but there were early indications that she was going to be a seamstress. After she left school she sewed by day and sang by night and it was as she sang that she gained her nickname - Coco - which came from the soldiers in the audience. But her dream was designing clothes and the first step was designing and making hats: this led to her opening a hat shop. One evening, at a party she realised that a lot of the women weren't dancing: their corsets were so tight that they could hardly breathe and it was this that prompted Coco to create a new style. Her clothes were simple, straight and comfortable to wear. Full review...

Odd Job Frog by Colleen Jacey and Zed Jacey

For Sharing

I'm bored, said Frog. Bored, bored, BORED.

And you can see he is: chin on elbow, elbow on knee and, dare I say, a slightly sulky expression on his face. He's not happy. Mouse has the right of it, with his hammock slung in the cornfield, but Frog has made up his mind. He's off to the city which is full of exciting things. And it is. Everywhere he looks there are wonderful things to do, but there's only one snag. They all cost money. And as he hasn't got any he's going to have to get a job. Full review...

Rabbit and Bear: Rabbit's Bad Habbits by Julian Gough and Jim Field

For Sharing

When Bear wakes up early from her hibernation, she decides that if she can't sleep then she might as well do something which she's always wanted to do - build a snowman. It's whilst she's doing this that she meets Rabbit, who tells her that he's an Expert in Gravity. Whatever he is, it doesn't seem to make him particularly happy as he never smiles and isn't exactly big on fun. But there are avalanches around as well as hungry wolves and Rabbit soon comes to the conclusion that it's good to have a friend on your side - even if you have just stolen their food. Full review...

Amazing Animal Journeys by Chris Packham and Jason Cockroft

Children's Non-Fiction

It's only relatively recently that man has actually moved home at certain points of the year to take advantage of the weather or the availability of food, but wild life has been doing it for much longer and every year billions of animals move from one part of the planet to another - that's birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians, fish and insects. This is known as migration - and it's a real pleasure to see it used other than in the context of sensationalist newspaper headlines. Wildlife expert Chris Packham has written this introduction to the subject and it's been beautifully illustrated by Jason Cockroft. (He's the man who did the cover artwork for the final three Harry Potter books!) Full review...

Skimbleshanks: The Railyway Cat by T S Eliot and Arthur Robins

For Sharing

I have to say, on opening this book I was tempted to break out into song! This is due to a lot of my teenage years spent listening to, and singing along with Andrew Lloyd Webber musicals (I know...I do apologise!) You'd think being an English graduate I'd take a T.S. Eliot poem more seriously, wouldn't you? But no, it's the musical of Cats that leapt instantly to my mind. Anyway, if an Eliot poem seems an unlikely source for a children's picture book, think again, because this is a lovely book, both funny to read and listen to, and with lots to see and discuss. Full review...

The Nutcracker by Jane Ray

For Sharing

There's something rather magical about Jane Ray's stories. The Doll's House Fairy continues to be one of my daughter's favourite stories, even though she's now a rather grown up nine year old, so we opened up this new story with a great deal of anticipation. It remains close to the traditional Nutcracker story, and there is a wonderful feel of Christmas throughout. I'm sure you can read it quite happily all year round (I know we will!) but it's particularly special in the run up to Christmas. Full review...

Time Travelling Toby and the Battle of Britain by Graham Jones and Neil Parkinson

For Sharing

Toby lives in an unremarkable village and goes to an unremarkable school - just like millions of other boys - but he has a secret. We're told it's humongous and I think that's right. You see, Toby has (wait for it...) two brother, a Mum and a Dad, a Nanma, two dogs, three fish and two rabbits as well as...

... a time machine that looks just like a sports car. Full review...

Asterix and the Missing Scroll (Album 36) by Jean-Yves Ferri

For Sharing

Asterix is those rarest of book series; one designed for kids which is actually even funnier when you are an adult. I used to love Asterix as a child, but now that I reread them I can't help but wonder why, because they are so full of hilarious jokes that I definitely wouldn't have understood when I was younger. I laughed loud and hard to myself twice within the first two pages of Asterix and the Missing Scroll, so I'd definitely say that this was a hit. Full review...

Blue Penguin by Petr Horacek

For Sharing

Blue Penguin is about a penguin who is, well, blue. Most penguins are not blue, so he stand out. He's different. They don't think he belongs with them. He's not part of the gang because of the way he looks. Full review...

Green Lizards vs Red Rectangles by Steve Antony

For Sharing

Young children have inquisitive minds and they do not view the world in the same way we do. Trying to explain abstract concepts to them is almost impossible as they like to know exactly why something does what it does. Why is the Sky blue? Where do babies come from? Why do people fight wars? Many a parent has tried and failed to tackle these troublesome questions, so perhaps a book can help? Or perhaps, you are best off leaving the answer alone for a few years so that they are more mature? Full review...

Charlie and Lola: One Thing by Lauren Child

For Sharing

I am yet to meet a child that doesn't like Charlie and Lola, and Lauren Child doesn't disappoint at all in this latest book in the series, which combines numbers with the usual warm humour and fun of this brother and sister double act. Full review...