Newest For Sharing Reviews

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Desert Rose by Alison Jackson and Keith Graves

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Desert Rose is mucking out the pig stalls, when she stumbles across a giant gold nugget. She decides to buy the fattest hog in Texas, so she can win first prize at the state fair - a gal's gotta have a dream. However, she gets one highfalutin hog who won't do as it's told, so she ropes in all the other inhabitants of Laredo to help her out, and win the prize. Full review...

Snow White by Jane Ray

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Jane Ray has taken the classic fairy tale of Snow White, the dwarves and the wicked queen, and created beautiful three-dimensional tableaux. It's a much-loved story that everyone is familiar with, and this is a great opportunity to rediscover a classic in an interesting new way. Full review...

The Circus Ship by Chris Van Dusen

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When a circus ship sinks off the coast of Maine, the animals escape and make their home in a nearby town. They soon enchant the locals, who in turn decide to protect the animals from the greedy circus-owner. Very loosely based on the sinking of the Royal Tar in 1836, The Circus Ship is a fun picture book that animal-lovers will enjoy. Full review...

The Night Before Christmas by Rachel Isadora and Clement Clarke Moore

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Everyone knows and loves Clement Clarke Moore's poem A Visit From St Nicholas. Even if you don't go the whole hog, gathering the family round by the log fire, and reading it together, its opening line of 'Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house, not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse... fills you with a warm glow. You can practically smell the mulled wine and hear the snores of Auntie Gertrude during the Queen's Speech. It's an absolute classic. Full review...

Christmas Is... by Karen Sapp

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Christmas is looming and thus the market for picture books featuring santas, presents and Christmas trees. It's hard to come up with anything new here, and it's rather not the point - is it? Christmas is, after all, about annually repeated celebration of traditional rituals that add delight and nourishment to the spiritual, emotional and social fabric of life. Full review...

The Penguin Who Wanted To Find Out by Jill Tomlinson and Paul Howard

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Otto the penguin lives on his father's feet at the bottom of the world. He's an inquisitive little thing and wants to know why they haven't fallen off the world. His dad explains that they won't Because I say so. Otto and his friend Leo gradually expand their horizons from their fathers' feet - they meet other penguin chicks, get to know their aunts who watch them when their fathers are away, and eventually grow feathers so they're big enough to toboggan on their bellies and swim in the sea. Full review...

You Are The First Kid On Mars by Patrick O'Brien

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It is a sci-fi future of no danger whatsoever, with no technological breakdown, and no fatal meteor strike, but that of course is only to be expected for this market. I say it more to highlight how well the book has been illustrated. Digital airbrush techniques and more have taken the antiseptic sheen off the whole experience, but have still allowed for a great detail in the machinery, and also a lovely warmth in the face of the lad we're empathising with. Full review...

Cromwell Dixon's Sky-Cycle by John Abbott Nez

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Meet Cromwell Dixon. He's a real tinkerer, forever in a barn or somewhere building something manically unusual. Luckily - although his long-suffering mother may disagree with that word - he's around at the birth of powered flight. Will his plans for a pedalled air machine work? Full review...

Oh No, Monster Tomato! by Jim Helmore and Karen Wall

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Marvin is entering the Great Grislygust Grow-Off, but just like him, his tomatoes aren't growing very big. He takes the only sensible course of action: he sings his tomatoes a song. The results are spectacular. Victory is surely within his grasp. Full review...

The Wide-Mouthed Frog by Iain Smyth and Michael Terry

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Do you know the joke about the wide-mouthed frog? You must have heard it. It's a classic. It's one that you really need to tell in person, with your fingers pulling your mouth wide open, but to hopefully spark your memory, the wide-mouthed frog introduces himself to a number of animals until he finally comes across a crocodile who eats wide-mouthed frogs, and the frog does his best to disguise who he is whilst saying Ooh, you don't see many of those round here, do you? I'm hardly doing it justice, but it's very cheesy and funny. Anyway, this is a book of that joke. Full review...

The Princess Who Had No Kingdom by Ursula Jones and Sarah Gibb

Confident Readers

The princess who has no kingdom wanders around in a cart pulled by her horse Pretty. She's very polite, friendly, and kind-hearted, but she feels like something is lacking because she doesn't have a kingdom of her own. The other royals she meets treat her nicely enough, but there's always a feeling that she's not quite as good as them because she isn't the princess of anywhere. Full review...

The Happiest Man in the World or the Mouse Who Made Christmas by Mij Kelly and Louise Nisbet

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Mouse doesn't like anyone and keeps herself to herself. Her things are her things and she is too selfish to share them with anyone else. One day, an old man moves in to Mouse's house. He used to be the happiest man in the world, but now he's sad. He's fed up of having given, given, given all his life and never got anything back. He just sits quietly and mopes. This makes Mouse miserable, so one day she decides to cheer him up by giving him a clementine... Full review...

The Very Cranky Bear by Nick Bland

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Moose, Lion, Zebra and Sheep head into a cave to get out of the rain, but little do they know that Bear is fast asleep in there. When they wake him up, he roars at them, chasing them outside, so they decide to cheer him up somehow. Zebra paints stripes on him, Moose fashions antlers for him and Lion sticks a mane of straw on him. Unsurprisingly, this makes Bear even crankier, so it's down to Sheep to save the day... Full review...

Mum and Dad Glue by Kes Gray and Lee Wildish

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A young boy's parents are splitting up. He's going through the usual emotions that children of divorce go through: worry, feeling unsure, blaming himself, anger, denial, and then trying to get them to stay together. His method for this isn't the usual response though: he looks for glue to stick his mum and dad together. Thankfully, he finds some wise and kindly advice in the process. Full review...

The Bear With Sticky Paws Won't Go To Bed by Clara Vulliamy

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It's Pearl's bedtime, but she says she's really busy and isn't going to sleep. She just wants to play and play and play. When the bear with sticky paws rings the doorbell, he whisks her away on an amazing adventure - although as you might expect, the bear has a little more energy than Pearl and eventually she does get a little sleepy. Full review...

Miki by Stephen Mackey

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It's cold, dark and icy, and Miki and Penguin are trudging through the snow. But it's Midwinter Eve, when wishes come true. They wish for a tree, lights, someone strong to power the lights, and finally a star that will shine brightly forever. Miki is taken deep below the ice to find the star, whilst up top Penguin and new friend Polar Bear start to worry about her. Full review...

Magical Princess Stories by Margaret Mayo, Geraldine McCaughrean, Rose Impey, Andrew Matthews, Jane Ray, Ian Beck, Angela Barrett, Emma Chichester Clark and Alan Snow

Confident Readers

Most little girls would love a pretty pink book all about princesses, wouldn't they? This one has seven retellings of traditional fairy tales accompanied by beautiful illustrations and would make a lovely gift for a birthday or Christmas. Full review...

The Monster Who Ate Darkness by Joyce Dunbar and Jimmy Liao

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Jo-Jo is scared that there might be a monster under his bed. He's right! The hungry monster doesn't want to eat little boys though; he eats darkness. He starts with all the darkness in Jo-Jo's room, and keeps eating and eating until he's eaten all the darkness in the world. With no darkness at all, strange things begin to happen... Full review...

Peanut by David Lucas

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One day, a flower opens up and a little monkey the colour of a pea pops out. He soon turns brown, and is the size of a nut, so of course he decides he's a peanut called Peanut. Peanut is a nervous little thing: dragonflies are monsters coming to eat him, the rain is the sky falling down, and night is the end of the world. Thankfully, he meets Beetle, who sets him straight about a thing or two. Full review...

Red Ted and the Lost Things by Michael Rosen and Joel Stewart

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Red Ted is handed in to a lost property office, where he meets Crocodile. Red Ted is sure Stevie will come to find him, because she loves Red Ted as much as she loves cheese. He then starts to have a nagging doubt - Stevie doesn't know where he is, so what if she never comes? Full review...

Let's Play Peeka! (Waybuloo) by Various

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Come to the land of Nara and meet Nok Tok, De Li, Lau Lau and Yojojo. Let's Play Peeka! accompanies the CBeebies show Waybuloo, and is aimed at the very youngest children. Full review...

Piplings Come and Play! A Sound Book (Waybuloo) by Various

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A tie-in with the CBeebies show Waybuloo. There's nothing really to recommend it as a standalone book: it's just an introduction to the characters, with annoying (and difficult to press) sound-producing buttons. Take a look at Let's Play Peeka! instead. Full review...

The Extraordinary Adventures of Mr Benn by David McKee

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Ooh, it's a book of Mr Benn! Excellent! For those of you not already wrapping yourselves in the comforting blanket of nostalgia, I suppose an introduction is warranted. Mr Benn lives at 52 Festive Road, and enjoys visiting his local fancy dress shop. When he tries on a costume and steps through a secret door, he finds himself transported to a new and exciting world. Full review...

Room On The Broom by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler

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As the witch flies around the countryside, she drops various objects, which are picked up one by one by animals. As thanks, she offers all the animals a lift, but will there be enough room on the broom? This book comes with a fantastic interactive CD to stick in your PC. Full review...

What's In The Witch's Kitchen? by Nick Sharratt

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The witch's kitchen is magical: if you open the fridge door one way, there's something tasty inside. Open it the other way, and there's something scary and gruesome. Dare you look in all the drawers in this delightful pop-up book? Full review...

Jim, Who Ran Away From His Nurse and Was Eaten By A Lion by Hilaire Belloc and Mini Grey

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Hilaire Belloc's Cautionary Tales For Children are rightly lauded as classics. Mini Grey (also rightly lauded), has illustrated one of these fine tales, so that a new generation of children can discover just what happens when you run away from your nurse and a lion eats you. Pay attention kids. Full review...

The First Christmas by Jan Pienkowski

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The First Christmas is, as you might expect, the story of Jesus' birth, Gabriel, Mary, Joseph, shepherds, wise men and Herod, presented as a picture book. Full review...

Stormy Weather by Debi Gliori

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It's bedtime in millions of bedrooms across the world. Stories are being read, children are being tucked in, glasses of water are being fetched. Parents (of all animal species) explain what will happen if stormy weather hits, and how they'll keep their children safe, warm and cosy. Full review...

Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star and Other Nursery Favourites by Mandy Stanley

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Every small child should have book (or a few) containing traditional nursery rhymes, and every so often newly illustrated collections are published.

Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star is part of such a new series called Time for a Rhyme, published by Harper Collins and illustrated by Mandy Stanley known for her Lettice stories and other picture books. Full review...

The Everyday Witch by Liz Martinez and Mark Beech

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Jimmy has heard rumours of everyday witches living amongst us, then one day he spots his mother riding a broomstick with Tiddles the cat in tow. Are his eyes deceiving him? Is his mum really a witch? Full review...

Spells by Emily Gravett

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A frog discovers a book, but he wishes it was a boat, so he tears and folds the pages to turn it into the boat. He soon tires of that game, and wishes it was a castle, so he tears and folds it again, as well as cutting out a model of a beautiful princess. As fun as his new game is, it lacks a certain reality. Spotting that it's actually a book of spells, he sets about putting together the torn bits of paper, so he can turn himself into a prince. Full review...

Trixie The Witch's Cat by Nick Butterworth

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Trixie loves being a witch's cat, but from time to time she's upset by her white paw: witch's cats are supposed to be all black. Trixie finally has a brainwave and uses magic to turn her white paw black, but will she really be happy? Full review...

Captain Duck (Duck in the Truck) by Jez Alborough

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Duck runs out of petrol in his truck. Luckily, Goat's house is nearby and Goat uses petrol in his boat! Duck 'borrows' the can of petrol and trots off to fill his truck when the appearance of Frog distracts his attention. Frog and Sheep are ready to go on a boat trip with Goat! As Goat pops back to get something from his shed, Duck jumps in, un-moors the boat and off they go, along the river and into the stormy sea: and then the boat runs out of fuel! Will Goat save them? Or will the tide bring them back? And what about the truck that Duck abandoned for his maritime adventure? Full review...

Lulu's Christmas by Camilla Reid and Ailie Busby

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Lulu is getting ready for Christmas and she'd like you to help her to decorate the tree. After that there are cards to make, streamers to put up and then she helps to ice the cake. After that it's time to go outside and have a little bit of fun and build a snowman, but it made her hands cold so she came back inside again! At bedtime she hangs up her stocking and leaves a mince pie for Father Christmas and a carrot for his reindeer. In the morning she has some wonderful presents, but the best one of all is the one you might least expect! Full review...

The Orchard Book of Magical Tales by Margaret Mayo

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Is it sensible to build your house in the path of an enormous one-tusked elephant? Or to visit the house of Baba Yaga Bony-Legs the witch if you don't have to? This beautifully produced collection of folk tales featuring magic will give you the answers to these and many other questions. The collection was first published in 1993, and it had become quite difficult to find, so it's great to see it reissued. Full review...

Who Wants To Be A Poodle? I Don't by Lauren Child

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Trixie Twinkle Toes Trot-a-lot Delight hates being a pampered pooch. This primped and preened poodle can think of nothing she'd rather do that get messy, splash in a muddy puddle, and tear about the park like all the other dogs. Mademoiselle Verity Brulee may take good care of Trixie Twinkle Toes, but she's just not in tune with her needs as a scruffy mutt in the body of a poodle. Full review...

Bear Flies High by Michael Rosen and Adrian Reynolds

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Michael Rosen builds on the success of The Bear in the Cave with Bear Flies High. This sequel follows the same poetic formula of the original, with its ask and answer I'm a bear on a beach. On a beach? On a beach... Everything is as it was first time round, but this time Bear decides he wants to fly like the seagulls, so his friends take him to the amusement park. What follows is a gentle tale of a day out, of being scared and exhilarated by rides, and of imagining oneself soaring higher and higher. Full review...

The Magical World of Milligan by Spike Milligan

Confident Readers

Some people you just have to love. It's the law. Spike Milligan was always fantastic, and he's much missed. He's got the perfect mix of nonsense, heart, and surreal humour. He speaks to people of all ages, and he's just plain lovely. Full review...

Kave-Tina Rox by Jill Marshall and Sam Childs

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Kave-Tina Rox lives with her Mug, Pug and brother Dave-Kave in a cave. Her Mug tries to brush her hair and make her look pretty, but Kave-Tina's having none of it. When the Caveman Games come to town, Dave-Kave doesn't let her join in with any of the games, because she's just a girl, but Kave-Tina's having none of it. She shows she's perfectly capable of joining in, and indeed of doing it better than Dave-Kave and his mates. Full review...

Cross Crocodile by Mwenye Hadithi and Adrienne Kennaway

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There's no water on the Great African Plains, and Cross Crocodile sits beneath the mango tree, guzzling the sweet fruit and snapping at anoyone who dares to come near her. One day, monkey hits on a great idea for how the other animals can get to the fruit... Full review...

Inspector Croc Investigates by Sam Lloyd

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All is peaceful in Whoops-a-Daisy World, until the phone rings at the police station. Someone has knocked over Rory Lion's paint, ridden their bike through Fix-It Fox's concrete and stomped all over Farmer Moo's crops. There's only one thing for it: Inspector Croc is going to have to investigate. Full review...

Dragon's Dinner by Susannah Corbett and Lynne Chapman

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A hungry dragon heads into the woods to see what he can catch for his lunch. He's soon chasing after a bear, fox, cat and other animals, desperately trying to munch them. When the dragon comes across a mouse, he soon discovers that the most unlikely animal might just fight back. Full review...

The Clever Stick by John Lechner

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The clever stick has all manner of wonderful ideas and things he wants to share with the world, but he has no mouth. He wants to write poetry, help others and tell roses how lovely they look, but he can't. With a heavy heart (I think sticks have hearts even if they don't have mouths) he drags himself home, and discovers that he does have a way of expressing himself after all. Full review...

I'm Number One by Michael Rosen and Bob Graham

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When the girl leaves for school in the morning, her toys do what all toys do during the day: they hang out with each other as friends do. A-One, the drummer boy, is at pains to point out to the other toys that he rules, that he's number one, and that the others are no good, hopeless and useless. He tricks Maddy into giving him her hat, Sally into giving up her rucksack and Sid into giving up his scarf. He's a bit of a meanie is A-One. Full review...

Not Last Night But The Night Before by Colin McNaughton and Emma Chichester-Clark

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Not last night but the night before, a large cast of characters came knocking at the door. The three little pigs, Goldilocks, the man in the moon and many others come rushing in, knocking the young boy over and barely paying him any attention. They each shoot straight upstairs and before he has time to think, there's yet another knock at the door, and another, and another. What are the parcels, balloons and cakes they're carrying with them? Full review...