Newest For Sharing Reviews
Two Giants by Michael Foreman
In this reissue of a book first published in 1967, the Two Giants live in a nice world where things are lovely and they get along brilliantly. What fun it must be to have your best friend around all the time. Until, that is, they have a fight. Before they can think about reconciling, they are separated and forced to live apart. Their animosity grows. Will it be possible for them to ever be friends again? Could something as simple and insignificant as sharing a pair of socks make it all ok? Full review...
Teddy Bedtime by Georgie Birkett
I haven’t much hands on experience with young children and bedtime, but from various alleys and avenues of my family I have a seen a few do and do nots. One thing I have learnt is that routine can be a vital tool in getting a child to bed. Whilst one set of Nephews come up to you and ask to go to bed at 7pm, the other are bouncing off the walls at 1am. Children’s books can be a great way to entertain and teach younger children a bedtime routine and Teddy Bedtime by Georgie Birkett may just be the best example I have seen. Full review...
Hilda and the Black Hound by Luke Pearson
Hilda and the Black Hound is the fourth book in the “Hildafolk” series, each of which is a self-contained tale about a highly inquisitive little girl and her adventures. This time Hilda joins the Sparrow Scouts and befriends a house spirit whilst in the meantime a mysterious beast stalks the town of Trolberg. Full review...
Baby's Got The Blues by Carol Diggory Shields
I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve been toting my baby in my arms, pushing him in his buggy or carrying him in his baby back pack and strangers have remarked ooh – lovely! I wish I was a baby! Well, do you think babies have it easy? Really? Well, listen up because the apple cheeked, down in the mouth hero of Baby’s Got The Blues is going to set you right. Full review...
Little Frog's Tadpole Trouble by Tatyana Feeney
I’m the little sister. I never had to deal with the threat of an impending arrival to unsettle my world, but I can’t imagine it’s always fun. There are, of course, lots of books on the subject, seeing as it’s a big topic that affects lots of families every day, but here’s a new book on the market. Can it add anything to the existing stack of Becoming a big sibling books? Full review...
Macavity,the Mystery Cat by T S Eliot and Arthur Robins
There’s nothing my little boy likes more than to sit down with a tome of good poetry. Currently he is reading T.S. Eliot. Well, that’s what I will be telling them down at playgroup anyway. No need to add that it’s not ‘The Wasteland’. The poem in this volume is actually just one from ‘Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats’ and features the inimitable scoundrel of the title, Macavity. Full review...
The Queen's Hat by Steve Antony
A naughty gust of wind comes along and blows the Queen’s hat right off her head. Her Majesty simply cannot be seen bare headed, and so she follows it in hot pursuit. Full review...
The Farmer's Away! Baa! Neigh! by Anne Vittur Kennedy
Flobba dob. Eh-oh. Or should I just stop the words completely and communicate with a swanee whistle? From the Flowerpot Men to the Teletubbies via the Clangers, the substitution of ‘real’ words with made up language and sounds has always been controversial. So I’ll level with you straight away and spoil the ‘surprise’ of The Farmer’s Away! Baa! Neigh! by revealing that, bar the title, there are no proper words in this book. When this book is described as being told in the animals’ own words it means quite literally that. Barks. Hisses. Neighs. Cheeps. And lots of them. For 32 pages. Full review...
Eric the Boy Who Lost His Gravity by Jenni Desmond
Everyone gets angry sometimes. Maybe all it takes is someone queue-jumping, or in the case of my toddler, all it takes is the wrong colour cup, or someone playing with the one toy in the world that he wants right at that moment! The challenge for children growing up (and for adults too sometimes!) is how to deal with that anger. This story is about what happens when a little boy called Eric gets angry. Full review...
How to Catch a Star by Oliver Jeffers
The boy makes various attempts to catch his star. He spends most of the day waiting for a star to appear, and when one finally does he tries climbing a tree, or dragging his father's lifebelt to lasso the star down. Each attempt, however, fails. Finally, down by the shore, he sees a star that has fallen into the sea. He walks along the beach, hoping that the star will wash up on the sand and, finally, it does! They boy and the star walk away together, hand in hand. Full review...
Rex by Simon James
Tyrannosaurus Rex is the scariest dinosaur around. He can pull whole trees out of the ground, crush boulders with his bare claws and chase away the other dinosaurs with his mighty roar! Everything changes one night when he finds an abandoned egg in a cave. A baby dinosaur pops out and decides that T.Rex is his Dadda. Full review...
The Big Splash! by A H Benjamin and Jon Lycett-Smith
The forest animals are all quietly minding their own business when:
DA-DUMP! DA-DUMP! DA-DUMP!
Something big causes the ground to shake, the trees to tremble and the rocks to rattle. It was a terrible noise! Full review...
When Angus Met Alvin by Sue Pickford
Angus is not like other aliens. He is a peace-loving little fellow, who likes nothing better than sitting in his garden watching the flowers grow and sipping a nice cup of tea. Unfortunately, one day, a strange spaceship crash lands in his garden and out pops a cheeky, hyperactive green alien called Alvin who is rather a show-off. It’s time for Angus to teach Alvin a lesson about manners. Can the two aliens put their differences aside and become friends in the end? Full review...
Secrets of the Seashore by Carron Brown and Alyssa Nassner
This book starts in a rock pool. It’s not a boring, quiet, calm place, though, it’s bustling with life, and with every page that turns we learn more about the mysterious creatures that live within it. You might not see them at first, but with a hint of magic they appear. Full review...
Tilly's At Home Holiday by Gillian Hibbs
Tariq is going to India. Chanel is going to Spain. And Paris, of course, is going to Paris. Poor Tilly. She’s not going anywhere. Not even to Grandma’s. Mum thinks that they can still enjoy themselves at home. Tilly’s not so sure. Can a visit to the library, the swimming pool, the park and a market really be as much fun as a proper holiday? Full review...
The Ice Bear by Jackie Morris
Long, long ago in the mists of time in an icy and barren landscape a bear gives birth to two cubs. While curled up close together the raven tricks the bear and steals one of the cubs away. The mother bear grieves and never forgets her loss. However the raven drops the bundle in the path of a hunter and he and his wife discover a longed for child. Seven years pass and the child wanders from his home and finds himself back in the land of the bears. He loves both families and both families love him so they must find a way to resolve this dilemma and learn to live together in harmony. Full review...
This Is Me Eating by Neal Layton
Babies love books and babies love eating, so a book about eating is bound to be a hit with the toddler brigade. This book comes to life the moment you pick it up and feel like someone is watching you. As the cover baby’s eyes roll ominously from side to side you feel a frisson of excitement. What more fun is hidden within the pages? Full review...
Boom, Baby, Boom, Boom! by Margaret Mahy and Margaret Chamberlain
Aeroplane noises, choo-choo sounds, demonstrations of mouth opening wide. I’ve heard them all suggested to help with weaning reluctant baby eaters. Never though, has it crossed my mind to bang a drum set whilst lunch time is in session. Not even at my lowest point, when I made the rookie error of crouching to pick up dropped food enabling baby to lovingly ruffle my hair with his sweet, tiny, and Weetabix concreted fingers, did this occur to me. Obviously I’m not as cool a Mama as the Mama in 'Boom, Baby, Boom Boom!'… Full review...
Shh! We Have a Plan by Chris Haughton
When four friends go out together to hunt a bird they have a specific plan in mind as to how they will do it. One of the friends, however, isn't really in on the plan and is just tagging along for the fun of it, and he finds himself getting shushed along the way each time he shouts out 'hello birdy!' Full review...
So What! by Tracey Trussell and Neil Price
Girls can be horrid sometimes. You know how it is - one girl in the playground says quite innocently that their mum bought them some new sandals at the weekend and another, louder, bigger, bossier one says 'so what!' And then perhaps every time that quieter girl opens her mouth to say something the other girl is there to shout her down with a 'so what!' This book captures those feelings, and demonstrates a way to deal with any 'so what' nonsense that comes your way! Full review...
Barbapapa's Ark by Annette Tison and Talus Taylor
Barbapapa’s Ark is the fourth book in the popular series about a shape-shifting pink blob, his wife and seven children. It follows on from the previous book, in which Barbapapa and his family built themselves a beautiful house in a peaceful valley. One day, after a picnic, the family decide to take a leisurely ride along the river, but are horrified to see sick and injured animals suffering from the effects of pollution. Over time, more and more animals come to Barbapapa for help. He decides that the only way to teach the humans a lesson is to take the animals to a new, green planet where they will be safe. Full review...
A First Book of Nature by Nicola Davies and Mark Hearld
There is a difference between a book for children that the kids themselves will like and one that adults will like. A more mature person may like some interesting illustrations or imaginative story, but most of the children I know are happy just to see some dinosaurs in their pants. However, there are books that transcend this and can appeal to both groups. Books that may have slightly dry reading for the very young, but illustrations that will transfix and amaze – introducing ‘A First Book of Nature’ written by Nicola Davies and illustrated by Mark Hearld. Full review...
Grandma by Jessica Shepherd
Oscar loves his Grandma very much so it’s scary and frightening when she starts forgetting things and acting differently. She has to go and live somewhere else and it smells funny and is full of new people. Full review...
The Way To The Zoo by John Burningham
It’s easy to lie in bed and see shadows on the wall and imagine what they could be. I still do it now though I know better than to think something that looks like, say, a door in the wall, might be a portal to another universe. Sylvie, though, wants to double check when SHE sees what looks like a door and it’s just as well she does, because lo and behold it IS a door and it DOES lead somewhere. It goes all the way to the zoo! All the animals look nice and friendly so because it’s getting late and she has school in the morning, Sylvie heads back to bed and invites a little bear to come with her for the night. She has her own real live teddy. What fun. Full review...
Mrs. Mo's Monster by Paul Beavis
What would you do if you answered the door one day, only to find a mini monster standing there? Most of us wold probably weep a little and find somewhere to hide, but not the brave Mrs Mo. She appears to know this monster and will do anything to keep him entertained. Will he help round the house? Nope? How about baking a cake? That may just get anybody’s attention, but will this book capture your little monster’s imagination? Full review...
A Day At The Airport by Richard Scarry
Father Cat was taking the kids sailing, but it started to rain so they had to call it off. On the way home, though, they bump into Rudolph Von Flugel who suggests a detour to the airport as there’s lots of things to see and do there. Full review...
Let's Go, Baby-o! by Janet McLean and Andrew McLean
Hey! Baby has woken up in his cot and wants to play. Luckily his singing, dancing, jiggling and bouncing older cousin is there to spring him free and start the fun. They leap and chant and jump and sing. Meanwhile, in the garden, the rest of the family, the pets and the wildlife are having some drama of their own. Baby and his dancing cousin pause to look out the window. Their observations inspire them to move and sing again. Full review...
I Will Eat The Moon (Tiny the Giant) by Dom Conlon and Nicola Anderson
We first met Tiny when he was but a young giant and determined to prove that he was big. When all seemed lost he was proved to be right and the day (as well as his pride) was saved. This time he's taken on an even bigger task. He knows that giants need big things to eat and he's got his eyes on the moon. Actually, he's licking his lips, but it doesn't impress the moon... Full review...
Convertible Spaceship by Claire Philip and Belinda Gallagher
When is a book, not a book? When it is also a playmat and also a spaceship. With ‘Convertible Spaceship’ you get all three; a book that folds out into a playmat or into a spaceship. Can I hear the excitement from here? Full review...
Love Monster and the Last Chocolate by Rachel Bright
Love Monster has been away on holiday, and he's just come home with that 'holiday's over' feeling, only to find that someone has left a large box of chocolates on his front doorstep! Who left them there? And why? And would it be okay to eat them by himself or, actually, should he really be sharing them with his friends? Full review...
Never ask a Dinosaur to Dinner by Gareth Edwards and Guy Parker-Rees
I don't expect you've ever thought about asking a dinosaur to dinner. In case it ever crosses your mind to do so, this helpful book informs you of the probable consequences of such a rash action. It will also prove helpful should you be thinking about using a tiger as a towel or, heaven forbid, if you wondered if it would be okay to share your toothbrush with a shark! Full review...
Off to the Park! by Stephen Cheetham
It's a nice day and we're off to the park. Shoes on first - tie the laces - and then we're off down the street. We go over the road by the crossing (press the button, please) and open the gate into the park. It's a metal gate and we can feel the cold of the metal and hear the squeak as the gate opens and we're on to the gravel path. It's a long, winding path and we can hear the stones scrunch. But there's plenty to play with here, from kicking a ball around to going on the swings and climbing the steps so that we can come down the slide. There's even a tyre to swing on - and when we've played for ages there's sure to be an ice cream to enjoy. Full review...
Chocolate Porridge (Early Reader) by Margaret Mahy and Terry Milne
Young Timothy has been drummed out of his mother's kitchen by her and his sisters, so he cannot join in with their baking. Instead he goes to the garden and devises chocolate porridge – a lot of mud, plus some other ingredients. But only when he's happy with his craft does he begin to realise that not even calling mud chocolate porridge makes it edible. Oh what is a boy to do? Full review...
Barbapapas New House by Annette Tison and Talus Taylor
At the end of the last Barbapapa book, our pink protagonist and his lovely wife were blessed with the addition of seven new shape-shifting Barbababies. A house that was already cramped for a couple was literally bursting at the seams as the family of nine squeezed and squashed themselves into every available crevice. Something had to give; the walls collapsed and out spilled the unfortunate family. Full review...
