Is anyone else wondering where the first few of weeks of the holidays have gone? If you’re unlucky enough to be already hearing cries of boredom, hopefully some of these reading recommendations might just do the trick… First up today is Agent Zaiba Investigates: The Missing Diamonds. This is a pacey, ‘whodunnit’ mystery, which is…
The Past is a Dangerous Country series by S P Moss
Does anyone else struggle to find time for reading during the Summer holidays? I start off with such good intentions, but then time just runs away with me. However, I was very keen to read this series – even if it has taken me a while – as it’s been calling out to me from…
Why? A Sciencey, Rhymey Guide to Rainbows by Billy Dunne and Rhys Jefferys
If, like me, you’ve internally cringed when a youngster has repeatedly asked ‘why?’, then you definitely need this rhyming picture book in your life! While out on a walk, Dad is very pleased with himself after explaining to his daughter how a rainbow is made, but when she continually responds with ‘why?’ after every explanation,…
Reading Roundup: 1/2020
We’re at that time of the year when the blog slows down a little due to the summer holidays; however, as always, I will be sharing our weekly reading roundups so that I don’t miss featuring some fantastic books. First up is this new compilation of 8 stunningly-illustrated, adbridged Dickens stories. My 8-year-old, in particular,…
Troofriend by Kirsty Applebaum
I’ve had both of Kirsty Applebaum’s books on my reading list for a while now. While I don’t naturally gravitate towards speculative fiction, the Artificial Intelligence theme of her second book jumped out at me today, and so I settled in for a one-sitting read… Set in the future – probably one that’s not too…
The Knight Who Might by Lou Treleaven and Kyle Beckett
We’ve enjoyed a number of Lou Treleaven’s stories over the years, and so when the lovely Katie at Maverick asked us if we would like a sneak peak at Lou’s new picture book, which is brilliantly illustrated by Kyle Beckett, we jumped at the chance! The Knight who Might features a knight who tries so…
Ella on the Outside by Cath Howe
This is the first book I’ve read by Cath Howe, and what a relatable and big-hearted story it is. Ella is the new girl at school and the reason for her move is a big secret. Like many kids navigating the path of life, she’s desperate to be accepted and so when one of the…
Song For a Whale by Lynne Kelly
This is a book I read a while ago, and while I reviewed it at the time on my social media pages, I’ve just realised that I didn’t add it to the blog. I thus thought I’d share it today. Song For a Whale tells the tale of Iris, a 12-year-old deaf girl who, while…
The Dictionary of Difficult Words by Jane Solomon
Thigmotropism, ultracrepidarian, ramfeezled, mumpsimus – some of these words have even given my self-confessed language nerd of a husband a run for his money! We’ve all enjoyed dipping in to this fantastic book during lockdown. It’s a highly-visual and fun way to expand vocab: it gives help with pronunciation and has plenty of words to…
Trailblazer: Lily Parr, the Unstoppable Star of Women’s Football by Elizabeth Dale
It’s midway through the second half and time for our stop on the Trailblazer blog tour! Written by Elizabeth Dale and illustrated by Carolina Coroa, Trailblazer tells the inspirational story of Lily Parr, footballer extraordinaire and one of the pioneers of the women’s game. Bearing in mind I have a football-obsessed, factual book-devouring son (Hugo),…