Newest For Sharing Reviews

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Sing Along With Me: We Wish You a Merry Christmas by Yu-hsuan Huang

For Sharing

I'm not normally a great fan of Christmas-themed books: after the day they're a bit old hat - for the adults if not for the children, but just occasionally something comes along that's so well done that an exception can be made. As soon as I touched We Wish You a Merry Christmas I could feel the quality: it's a chunky board book with added extras. The fun starts on the cover: there's a slider (look for the red ring with the yellow arrows) which makes a penguin (I think!) and a fox appear and disappear from behind a Christmas tree. As the animals move you can see pictures of two more animals playing in the snow. Full review...

Lamellia: The Kingdom of Mushrooms by Gloria D Gonsalves

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Lamellia is a kingdom of mushrooms lying deep within a forest. It is ruled by Polipoli, its big brown king. One day, a group from his mushroom army finds a human baby abandoned in the forest. The baby is hungry and crying. What will the mushrooms do? Will they reject the baby as a member of a hostile species? Or will they take care of it and accept it as one of their own? They choose the latter option, but how will a kingdom of mushrooms take care of a human baby? By working together, of course! Full review...

The Tale of Kitty-in-Boots by Beatrix Potter and Quentin Blake

For Sharing

At night a serious, well-behaved and (let's be honest) rather superior young black cat goes out hunting. Well, if we're being totally honest, there's a little bit of poaching in there too. By day she is Miss Catherine St Quintin, although her owner calls her Kitty. Other cats call her Q, or Squintums, but they are very common cats and Kitty's owner would have been scandalised had she known that there was an acquaintance. The reaction would have been even stronger had she known that Miss Kitty went out in a gentleman's Norfolk jacket and fur-lined boots. With a gun. Full review...

The New Libearian by Alison Donald and Alex Willmore

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For a job that often deals with words, Librarian is not an easy thing to spell. I often drop one of the Rs and end up with Libarian and that just will not do. One simple spelling mistake can make a word take on a whole new meaning; what would possibly happen if you spelt it Libearian? Is it a mistype, or does the person behind the Help Desk look a little hairy to you? What big paws you have Libearian – all the better to stamp your books with. Full review...

Meltdown! by Jill Murphy

For Sharing

Before I say a word about this book, I want to offer a few words of reassurance. Firstly, we've all been there, cringing, trying to pretend that it's not your child. Secondly, it doesn't mean that you're a bad parent - or, if you are, so is everybody else. Finally there is nothing wrong with your child: they've just got a dose of the terrible twos (or threes) or the frightful fours. It will pass. Honestly. Right? Are you ready to read on now? Good. Just take it steadily. Full review...

Amma, Tell Me About Diwali! by Bhakti Mathur

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Klaka had celebrated Diwali and it had been great fun - a wonderful, beautiful day and tonight the city is lit up by thousands and thousands of lights. Amma and daddy had given many gifts to their boy and Klaka and his brother had lit the earthen oil lamps known as diyas. They didn't just eat and have a good time - they also offered their prayers for good fortune, prosperity and health to Ganesha, the God of new beginnings and to Lakshmi, the Goddess of wealth. But Klaka was curious: Amma he said, tell me about Diwali. Full review...

The Snowflake Mistake by Lou Treleaven and Maddie Frost

For Sharing

Princess Ellie lives in an ice palace that floats high in the sky. Her mum is the Snow Queen and they have a very special machine that collects clouds and turns them into snowflakes. The machine works perfectly until the day that Princess Ellie is left in charge – the machine breaks and Ellie has to find another way of making snowflakes. Luckily her friends the birds are able to help. Full review...

An Alphabet by Oliver Jeffers

For Sharing

Some might say you only ever need one alphabet book in a home. Considering we have half a dozen (and, as it happens, no little ones in the house) I would counter this with a question: how many words are there in the world? Because when you only get one for each letter, you may find a simple book of 26 entries may not be enough. Full review...

Mog Time by Judith Kerr

For Sharing

Mog Time is a compendium of six stories about the beloved cat. It is a beautiful, heavy hard back book which means it is perfect for reading together. The pages are large so everyone can crowd round and have a look. It might be a little tricky for smaller hands to manage but that's not a problem as these are much better for reading aloud and enjoying together. Full review...

The Snowman Strikes Back by Allan Plenderleith

Emerging Readers

It's not easy being a snowman, you know - particularly when you are made by Ernest Green-Bogle, who delights in tormenting you. Sometimes he'd make you upside down or looking like a pig (it's just plain undignified, you know). That's not the worst of it. He has been known to attack snowman with a hairdryer, feed his carrot nose to a rabbit and even encase him in a block of ice. The snow clown was not funny and the snow ice cream cone even less so. But one day everything changed when Ernest came home and there was a big boy with him. Ernest had a black eye and the big boy was threatening him. Full review...

Little Monster and the Spooky Party by Nick Sharratt and Pippa Goodhart

For Sharing

There are spooky things happening in the world of books for children that can only mean one thing; Halloween is around the corner. There are books for Christmas, Easter and the August Bank Holiday, so why not some for the scary holiday? After all, themes such as ghosts and skeletons are far easier to write about than traffic jams on the M6 and spending time with your in-laws. One little monster has been invited to the type of spooky party that may just entertain your own little monster. Full review...

Ten Little Monsters by Mike Brownlow and Simon Rickerty

For Sharing

Halloween is a strange event, it has been increasingly Americanised and sold to children as a fun day of scary activities and sweets. However, if you think about it, dressing your child as an undead bride or blood sucking vampire actually seems a little odd. These are the same kids that get scared when Brian Blessed shouts on TV, yet they are happy to cover themselves in fake blood. Creating a book that is Halloween themed is a balance of making it exciting, but not scary; sometimes the books can be both. Full review...

They All Saw A Cat by Brendan Wenzel

For Sharing

If I told you that They All Saw A Cat is a children's picture book about perception, you might be forgiven for thinking that toddlers were taking their pleasures a little sadly these days: you might be slightly mollified when I added in that it was also about the natural world, but it's much better that I just tell you a little bit about the content and I'm sure that you'll understand. Full review...

Ada Twist, Scientist by Andrea Beaty and David Roberts

Emerging Readers

The first thing you must know about Ada Marie is the way she said nothing until the day she was three. Now that's a way to pique your interest from the start. After all what sort of child does not speak until she turns three? In this case it's a very smart little girl. Full review...

The Hippopandamouse by Jools Bentley

For Sharing

When the princess comes to your shop, everyone stands to attention, and Fluffley's Fine Toys is no exception. In preparation, the staff work hard to ensure everything is perfect. The floor is clean, the shelves neat and tidy, a place for everything and everything in its place. And if anything doesn't meet these exacting stands then POOF! It's off to the Unstitcher room. There is no room for anything less than perfection here. Full review...

What's the Opposite? by Oliver Jeffers

For Sharing

When a child is very young they don't have the ability to grasp what their hands are, never mind complex matters of State, but eventually they all must start to learn. One way to achieve this is by reading fun books about the alphabet or numbers, but not all concepts are as clear as letters and numbers. What about the concept of opposites? How do you define to a 16 month year old why one thing is opposite to the other? Thankfully, you don't need to know the answer as the Hueys are on hand to help in their usual irreverent way. Full review...

Super Rabbit by Stephanie Blake

For Sharing

We do love a good Stephanie Blake story in our house, and since we've pretty much worn out Stupid Baby we were very happy to give Simon's newest adventure a go. Simon the rabbit is not just any old rabbit, he is Super Rabbit, of course, complete with cape and mask! He is brave, he is bold, he is adventurous and, oh my goodness, he has got a splinter…! Full review...

The Messy Book by Maudie Powell-Tuck and Richard Smythe

For Sharing

When cat makes a big mess, he'd rather come up with any idea than tidy it up! He tries to get rid of his mess in various different ways, unsuccessfully, until there is no other option but to tidy up properly. It's a familiar scenario for many families, I'm sure, and told here with a great deal of charm! Full review...

The World-Famous Book of Magical Numbers by Sarah Goodreau

For Sharing

If you are very lucky, the act of reading feels just like magic. You pick up a book and your imagination takes you on adventures you could never have in the real world. You should try and start this magic as early as possible and one way is to use interactive books, babies love to grab tabs or lift flaps. You may even stumble across a book all about numbers that provides this magical feeling for your child. Full review...

D is for Duck by David Melling

For Sharing

Duck, the magician, is giving a demonstration of his magical skills, conjuring up a wide variety of items from his top hat. Things begin normally enough with a bunny, but with lizards and lions and dragons following on soon after duck finds that perhaps his magic is getting a little out of hand! Full review...

Eat Your People by Lou Kuenzler and David Wojtowycz

For Sharing

Monty the monster is having his dinner. He is eating all of his vegetables without any problems at all, but when it comes to eating up his people he really isn't happy, declaring them to be chewy and crunchy and full of bones! In a funny twist on the picky eater story, this is a lighthearted way of broaching the tricky 'eat your vegetables' issue! Full review...

Happy Birthday Old Bear by Jane Hissey

For Sharing

It's Old Bear's birthday, and so all the other toys are planning something. In fact lots of somethings: gifts, a cake, a proper celebration. It's wonderful. Elsie the elephant has even made him a present, the talented little thing. But then, as we soon find out, Elsie is good at many things: wrapping presents, baking cakes, blowing up balloons, singing. It's a lovely sunny day, so the toys gather outside but just as they finish setting things up, and just as Old Bear arrives, disaster strikes! Can the toys have a happy ending and find time to finish Old Bear's party? Full review...

One Cheetah, One Cherry: A Book of Beautiful Numbers by Jackie Morris

For Sharing

Once you've seen anything illustrated by Jackie Morris you know that you'll get a book full of pictures, all of which you'd be delighted and proud to hang on your walls. One, Cheetah, One Cherry: A Book of Beautiful Numbers is no exception. We begin with just the one cherry, so red and shiny you are tempted to see if it's real, but you're put off by the next picture. The one cherry is joined by one cheetah and he's got a proprietorial paw resting across the shoulder of the cherry. You're not going to argue with him. Full review...

Your Baby's First Word Will Be Dada by Jimmy Fallon and Miguel Ordonez

For Sharing

What will your baby's first word be? If it is up to the father, the answer is Dada. Every time Mum has her back turned Dad is repeating the word Dada, Dada, Dada, Dada. This secret war has waged for centuries and Jimmy Fallon and Miguel Ordonez have put it to paper. Do you want to know what my children's first word was? Dada, of course. I win! Full review...

Bicycling to the Moon by Timo Parvela

For Sharing

Bicycling to the Moon is a series of short stories which all centre around two main characters: Purdy the cat and Dexter the dog who live together in a sky-blue house on the top of a hill. Purdy is a somewhat selfish cat who demonstrates rather impulsive behaviour and is always rushing around, whereas Baxter is much more refined, thoughtful and is careful to make the right choices. Each story works as an individual tale which could be read out of order; however there is a seasonal progression to the order of the book. Full review...

Boris Babysits by Sam Lloyd

For Sharing

Leaving your child with someone for the first time is a daunting task for any new parent. You want to pick someone for this task that you can trust; a sensible person who has some experience looking after a baby. Perhaps a parent, sibling or a good friend? The person that you are unlikely to pick is Boris. Not only is he irresponsible, he also happens to be a monster. Full review...

A Dog Called Bear by Diane Fox and Christyan Fox

For Sharing

Lucy had always wanted a dog and she'd been preparing for the moment when her dreams could come true for a long time: she'd read all the books, bought doggie things and her bedroom was plastered with doggie pictures. One day she set out to make her dream come true: accosting animals and presenting her credentials (there really is no other way of explaining it...) First up, a frog, who presents the counter arguments to dog ownership and then makes his own case, adding that he would only need a bath every day. Lucy's sorry, but she only has a shower... Full review...

The Detective Dog by Julia Donaldson and Sara Ogilvie

For Sharing

Detective dog Nell, with her great sense of smell, is a rather remarkable dog! She works very hard from Tuesday to Sunday, finding lost things, like a ball down the toilet, and solving mysteries such as where is the lost shoe by sniffing it out. It's in the shed, actually, and if you look a little more closely you might start to suspect that actually Nell might have had more to do with these lost things and mysteries than she should have! Anyway, those are her busy days, but on Mondays she goes to school with Peter, and she listens to the children reading her books. She loves all sorts of books, about dinosaurs and princes and dragons and dogs, and she loves the smell of the books. So when she goes to school one Monday and finds that all the books are missing, Detective dog Nell is the one they need to help find all the books. Full review...

Tickle My Ears by Jorg Muhle

For Sharing

Little Rabbit is getting ready for bed. It's getting late, so can you help him? He's going to need to get his pyjamas on, and his pillow needs fluffing, and he might need a little stroke on his back, or for his ears to have a tickle. What a sleepy little rabbit he is! Full review...

Squish Squash Squeeze! by Tracey Corderoy and Jane Chapman

For Sharing

When Mouse moves into his new house, he thinks it's going to be perfect. But then he finds there's already quite a collection of animals he'll have to share with: he discovers a big brown bear behind the piano and a crocodile crammed in the bath. When a tiger comes whizzing down the bannister it becomes a bit of a squish, a squash and a squeeze. The animals don't know what to do until they hear a rumble under the floor – it looks like they're going to have an even bigger problem. Or are they? Full review...

One is Not a Pair by Britta Teckentrup

For Sharing

I was the type of child that would sit indoors on a sunny day with their head in a puzzle book rather than getting anything important like Vitamin D. I may be pasty white nowadays, but at least I know my way around a good spot-the-difference book when I see one. And I spy with my little eye, one right here. Full review...

Macavity's Not There!: A Lift-the-Flap Book by T S Eliot and Arthur Robins

For Sharing

Looking back, one of the first games I've played with every baby I've encountered is the one where you hide behind your hands and then appear surprised when you drop them and see the baby. It never fails to get a smile. (I know - it was probably wind...) Macavity has perfected the game, because - wherever you look - he's not there. Here at Bookbag Towers we loved the full version of T S Eliot's poem, but what about the very youngest children - the ones who really love the idea of someone - or something - not being where you expect them to be? Full review...

Treats for a T Rex by Adam Guillain, Charlotte Guillain and Lee Wildish

For Sharing

One hot summer our family got a new Labrador puppy and, seeing as I was at home most of the time revising for exams, it was decided that I would be the person to train said dog. After a few months of hard training came a grown dog… that was the worst trained we ever had. Laddy may have been an expert in play fighting and eating, but not much else. With my spotted history in animal husbandry I am not equipped to train any animal and especially not a T Rex, but perhaps George is. Full review...