For February we have a whole host of books that we think you will LOVE for you to choose from. Hope you find something that suits your little mini travelling readers in the choices below…
Board books
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Baby on Board – Boat and Bus – Seb Braun (illustrator), Templar Books (publisher)
If you are going anywhere this half term holiday then these are is the board books to take with you to entertain your little ones. Bus and Boat are the two latest books in this interactive chunky board book series.
So let me tell you more about them both: they are fun-filled slider books, perfect for reading with babies and pre-school children, particularly if they have a fascination with vehicles and travel. The rhyming text is sweet and fun and allows young children who are learning vocabulary to join in whilst the wonderfully bright and beautiful illustrations provide eye-catching scenes for maximum engagement whilst encouraging a broad vocabulary. Your little one can spot lots of friendly animals going on special trips on the baby boat or the baby bus. They can pore over wonderful details in vibrant scenes on the chunky pages. We also love how interactive these board books are: each book has sliders to push and pull on each two-page spread and a fun, spinning wheel on the final page. These interactive elements provide much fun for little ones and help them develop those all important fine motor skills.
Two joyful, bright board books with engaging interactive elements, adorable illustrations and a bouncing rhyme, we hope your little one gets much fun from them. (Ps – they are also a great size to pop in a changing bag to keep your little one entertained whilst travelling.)
Love – Fiona Munro (author), Laura Hambleton (illustrator), Design Eye (imprint of Quarto Group) (publisher)
Well, this book really pulled on my heart strings. I had a proper lump in my throat and a tear in my eye as I was reading it because it is so heartfelt and beautiful.
“And if you should come across somebody who looks a bit lonely or feels a bit blue, Be kind, be friendly, and show that you care, because there’s love in YOUR heart, with plenty to spare.”
This sturdy board book is definitely not just one for babies. It is a superb book to share with children of all ages to help them feel loved, seen and connected. The rhyming words of the story make it a beautiful read aloud and the heart shaped laser cut out on each chunky page, combined with the adorable illustrations, make it visually appealing to all.
Not only does it help a child realise that no matter how they are feeling, or what cross words they have said, they are always loved by their family, but it also helps to develop empathy with others. And we ADORE the soft, cuddly red heart which can be given to a child as a visual representation of your love whether you are near or far. A superb book to encourage talking about feelings, to develop empathy and to encourage love of family and friends. Helping children feel secure, connected, loved, warm and happy, this is a beauty of a book.
Last update on 2026-09-21 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Picture books
Boobies – Nancy Vo (author and illustrator), Faber & Faber Ltd (publisher)
Quirky, cheeky and fun, all my children have had a hoot with this fantastic celebration of boobies!!
This book is so clever. From the cover, you think it is going to be a book about Boobies. But the blue-footed bird kind. Not the “my mummy has boobies” kind. But it is not. Cleverly introduced to us by the blue-footed booby (who does not have boobies because she’s not a mammal, and only mammals have boobies), this book is a superb blend of fun and fact celebrating all things booby. We learn that mammals have boobies to feed their babies. And that boobies differ from person to person and from animal to animal. Most mammals have boobies in sets of two (a pig has 12-14) but opossums have 13!
There are brilliant play on words and facts thrown in with the humour – there are some mountains named after boobies (or “tetons”) so this book will not fail to have you laughing out loud while learning some astonishing facts.
The illustrations are superb and set in a striking yet retro colour palette which we love. For any curious child (my twins), for any child (or adult) who likes a giggle (all my lot!), for any child exploring their body, for any child who loves facts, this is a bold, fresh and fun celebration of boobies and we adore it. Let’s all shout boobies!! Five stars 🌟
Last update on 2026-09-21 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Bee – Rachel Fuller (story and music), Emilia Wharfe (illustrator), Published in the UK BY Rachel Fuller in partnership with Whitefox Publishing
Oh my! I have never come across a book quite like this one. It sings with joy yet pulls at the heartstrings. It dances with music and love and prompts discussions about emotions and feelings with your children.
A picture book for children aged six and above, this beautiful book, inspired by the ballet BEE and by the author’s own personal experience of neurodivergence, is a powerful celebration of individuality all wrapped up in a highly original blend of words, music and illustrations.
You see, this is the story of a child with a beautiful mind. But the child feels out of place and like they do not fit or belong. Bee (the child) finds it hard to make connections and often misunderstands her peers. They feel restless and fidgety at school and struggle to concentrate unless it is in subjects that they love. Bee has a special fairy friend, Sprout, who they fly with and Sprout teaches Bee all about people’s individuality. Bee begins to learn that everyone has special talents and that differences between people are to be embraced and celebrated. With this, Bee begins to love themselves.
We love how this book matches words with music and stunning illustrations. At each stage of Bee’s journey there is a QR CODE to scan to give your readers access to the music which engrosses them further in Bee’s journey and takes them on a magical and immersive tour beyond the pages of the book. Just sublime.
We love the way the book encourages acceptance and helps to develop empathy in children as it explores themes of difference and celebrates neurodiversity and individuality. It would be a truly empowering and powerful read for any child who is struggling to fit in at school and we have used it to talk to our little boy about his concentration in the classroom, or when we ask him to do things.
It’s a creative, magical, truly immersive read which will bring a tear to your eye and yet put a smile on your face. Just wonderful.
Last update on 2026-09-21 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Mrs Owl’s Forest School – The Wet Welly Day- Seb Braun (illustrator), Templar Books (an imprint of Bonnier Books) (publisher)
“There’s no such thing as bad weather- just the wrong clothes!”
Written in consultation with forest childcare experts, this is the latest book in a superb series of picture books designed to get your children outside and exploring nature. Join Mouse, Squirrel, Fox and Rabbit as they gather deep in the woods for Mrs Owl’s Forest School. But today the animals are sad because it is raining and they don’t think they will be able to play. Oh, how wrong they are!! They just need to make sure they have the “right clothes” on! Your children can learn along with the woodland animals as they have fun in the marvellous mud. Not only that but they can get creative in this unique “faction” book (a blend of fact and fiction).
Your little nature enthusiasts can learn about how to recognise the weather from looking at their surroundings (did you know that pine cones close up when a storm is coming?!), learn how to making a boat from natural items, how to identify animal tracks, , how to make a mud hedgerow and much more. There are activities to try at the end of the story and symbols throughout to show to children when certain activities are more dangerous than others and there is even a forest school kit list!
We also love how the book explores the feelings of the animals and acknowledges that some children are excited by the rain and mud while others don’t like mud and messy play as much and that both of these behaviours is normal: children just need to have empathy and awareness of the feelings of those around them.
The illustrations are gorgeous: adorable animals and bright, colourful drawings of nature in all her glory (yes, even in the rain!!). This is our favourite book yet in the series and it’s perfect for any nature enthusiast or forest school lover. Particularly at this time of the year when it rains so much!!
Last update on 2026-09-21 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
The Gnome Book – Loes Riphagen (author and illustrator), Pushkin Press (publisher)
I may have a new favourite book!! Never mind the children! As a child I would have adored this book! It reminds me of The Borrowers except it is all about the gorgeous make believe (or is it?!) world of gnomes.
Your children can have every myth they thought they knew about gnomes dispelled in this adorable picture book. Forget forests and toadstools, you see, modern gnomes live in cities and towns, right alongside us in the cracks of our buildings. Let Kick, a cute little gnome child, show your children around his world as they learn about gnome healthcare, the food they eat, the things they avoid (cats and dog wee (much hysterical laughter on this page!)), the pets they keep, the schools they go to, the games they play, the disguises they don and soooo much more.
It is quirky, really funny and incredibly well illustrated and your children will be captivated by the details and the world building that the author/illustrator has created. Each page is brimming with beauty in the form of amazing artwork and fascinating gnome facts, jokes and even activities (to make a gnome hat). It’s a stunner of a book in every sense of the word. We’re off on a gnome hunt to find our little gnome neighbours!
Last update on 2026-09-21 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Ratty’s Big Adventure – Lara Hawthorne (author and illustrator), Big Picture Press (imprint of Bonnier Books) (publisher)
Inspired by a mindblowing scientific expedition to the secluded Mount Bosavi in Papua New Guinea, the story of Ratty has fascinated us all. Based on the real life Bosavi woolly rat (which is as large as a cat and lives inside the crater of the extinct volcano) we have loved this unique blend of fact and fiction book.
Ratty has lived his whole life in the crater of a mountain, nestled in the deep rainforest. But one day he notices an enticing yellow fruit hanging from the top of a nearby tree and he climbs up to reach it. From up in the tree canopy, he spies the vast landscape beyond his world and thinks that there must be better, bigger things out there to discover. So, off he goes, fearless and brave into the beyond. At first he thinks that everything is much more beautiful, much brighter and far more sophisticated but, as the animals in the outside world shun him, one by one, he starts to despair. Until, a rather too friendly crocodile invites him to dinner that is …. Rescued by his old friends, the bats, from his close encounter, Ratty ends up back in his crater realising that there is no place like home!
We love this story with its warnings of “the grass isn’t always greener” and being grateful for what you have. Each page is covered in stunning illustrations of the flora and fauna of the region. We have been fascinated by the facts detailed at the back of the book about the scientific breakthroughs of the expedition in which over 40 new species of animals (including Ratty) and plants were discovered. It seamlessly combines Ratty’s relatable adventure with fabulous facts and even has a terrific “did you spot” section. Our favourite faction book this year!
Last update on 2026-09-21 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Bunny’s New Brakes – Caroline Crowe (author), Jess Pauwels (illustrator), Faber & Faber Ltd (publisher)
The marvellous author/illustrator duo are back with a new, seasonal beauty of a book all about chocolate and bunnies, just in time for you to grab a copy before Easter.
Blade the bunny doesn’t see much fun in hippity-hoppety-ing around like the other bunnies. She’s a bunny who feels the need for speed! But when her super-fast scooter’s brakes fail and she ends up smashing head first into the chocolate Easter egg display, she annoys all the other rabbits and feels really bad about it. But what can she do? Especially after she manages to break all the Easter egg moulds as well!! She’s a quick thinking bunny so will she come up with an idea in time to save Easter?! You bet your bunny she will!
This is a funny, rhyming romp of a story which my son, in particular, has loved. It is a story which is made to be read aloud and giggled over as you pore over the pages of hilariously descriptions and laugh out loud, colourfully cute illustrations. Yes, it is a real hoot of a story but it also has a superb message about uniqueness and celebrating differences which we love. A chocolate-filled caper which would be a brilliant Easter present for your little reader.
- New Store Stock
- Hardcover Book
Last update on 2026-09-21 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Come What May – Debi Gliori (author and Illustrator), Bloomsbury Children’s Book (publisher)
Join adorable foxes Large and Small as they go about their day. It’s a bad day for Small though. Nothing is going right. Everything is smashing, or splashing, cracking or breaking as they pair try to bake and Small is frustrated and angry, rolling around on the floor and very cross. So Large suggests that they go into the countryside for a walk to decompress and help bring some calmer feelings to Small. But Small is worried – how can Large still love Small when their moods are always changing?! Small’s imagination knows no bounds as they come up with all kinds of scenarios but Large always comes back to saying that they will love them “come what may”. Because love, you see, “stays for ever, unchanged …. Come what may.”
This is a heartwarming, funny and tender story with exquisite illustrations which soothes the reader. It explores big feelings in little people and provides reassurance to the reader, reminding them that a parent’s love is everlasting, “come what may” and that all feelings will pass. It has a gorgeous, timeless quality and charm about it that will appeal to readers young and old and it would make a beautiful gift to buy for a new baby.
Last update on 2026-09-21 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Chapter books
Gruff Justice – Ross Montgomery (author), Marisa Morea (illustrator), Barrington Stoke (publishers)
This book is the perfect book for my son at the moment. He would rather be read to by other people (love this 😂😂) even though he can read so this book, with its short paragraphs, plentiful illustrations, great layout and larger font size is superb to encourage him to read a little bit more. A few pages at a time. Indeed, this series of Little Gems books, by publisher Barrington Stoke, are brilliant books for early chapter book readers, like my twins.
And this book is so much fun. Someone has taken a big bite out of the farmer’s cake that he has made for his wife’s birthday!! The farmer assumes that it is the fault of none other than the greedy goat dustbin, Gruff, and threatens to cook Gruff in a goat pie that evening!! For once though, it’s not Gruff who is to blame so he and his pal Billie set out around the farm to find out who the naughty nibbler is. But no one’s gnashers seem to fit the bill. Will Gruff be able to find out who the gutsy guzzler is before he is made into goat pie?!
As I have mentioned many times before, Barrington Stoke test all their books for children by children and this one is a superb early chapter book filled with fun, witty words and lots of humour (the ending is brilliant) but which also teaches children a valuable lesson about jumping to conclusions. There are plenty of gaps between the paragraphs, short text blocks of story and lots of cute, colourful illustrations by Marisa Morea interspersing the wonderful words and these really help to bring the story to life. We are also huge fans of the funny goat-themed jokes at the front of the book which are guaranteed a giggle from your little readers.
Last update on 2026-09-21 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
George and the Mini Dragon – George Webster and Helen Harvey (authors), Tim Budgen (illustrator), Scholastic (publisher)
What a gorgeously fun and joyful chapter book this one is! Filled with mischief and mayhem, playfulness and magic, it cannot fail to light up your little one’s day.
Perfect for those readers transitioning on from picture books and for those starting their independent reading journey, there are plenty of superb black and white illustrations dotted throughout the text which provide for maximum engagement and fun.
George really, really wants a pet. But his mum and dad are too busy to look after one … surely at 7, George is old enough to look after a pet though?! He doesn’t mind what kind of pet he gets, he would just really like anything to look after. And he knows that the best way to get what you really want is to wish for it. While blowing out the candles of your birthday cake! So, when he stumbles across an adorable dinky-sized dragon behind the shed, he shouldn’t really be surprised!
What follows is a hoot: mischief and playfulness are in Lava (his mini-dragon)’s middle names!! When Lava follows George to school, a whole lot of chaos ensues. Which is not great when George and his friends are trying to win the talent contest by performing a magic show. But poor Lava just wants to have a friend of her own… Will George manage to keep her a secret, keep her happy AND win the talent show? If anyone can, he can!
Written by George Webster in partnership with Helen Harvey, this book is insightful and moving, showcasing a main character who has Down Syndrome and allowing children to understand how that might affect George (how his speech can run together when he is excited and how he learned Makaton because it took him longer to learn to speak, for example). This is a book which encourages empathy and celebrates individuality and personality and highlights the importance of representation in books and inclusive behaviour in children, empowering them to see that our differences make us all unique and special.
The storyline is magical, fun and cheeky and we love little Lava as well as George’s gang of friends. The illustrations are engaging and funny, really bringing this joyful text to life. Five stars from us!
Last update on 2026-09-21 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Marty Moose – First Class Mischief – Claire Powell (author and illustrator), Walker Books Ltd (publisher)
Claire Powell bursts on to the early chapter book reader scene with her first book as author and illustrator, introducing us to the darling world of Little Ditch and the marvellous Marty Moose. Who’s actually a mouse but, owing to an unfortunate blob of ink, will forever be known as Marty Moose.
This adorable read will get your little one’s whiskers twitching as they enter Marty’s world as a newbie Postmouse. He really wants to be as brilliant at it as his Great Aunt Ada and is ready and raring to go on his first day, with his buttons polished and his whiskers combed but mischief is afoot and poor Marty has a riot of wrongdoings to contend with! I mean if tussling toads and confusing curves in the twisty-turny Whisker Warren aren’t enough, he also has to deal with an overly-cuddly-turtle-neck-wearing bunny following him everywhere! And someone has definitely been messing about with his mailbag. Will Marty be able to post all his parcels, or will his day be stamped by disappointment and cheese sandwiches (he detests them)?!
We adored this early chapter book read which is jam-packed (jam’s Marty’s favourite sandwich fyi!) full of mischief and fun and sparkles with humour. We love the bouncing bunny Nibbles and her boundless energy and enthusiasm and the fun characters that the author has created throughout the pages of this plentifully illustrated book. The illustrations strike joy in our hearts and brilliantly portray this adorable adventure story with its quirky characters and vivacious humour. First class fun. We can’t wait for more adventures with Marty and Nibbles.
Last update on 2026-09-21 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Dream Keepers: Secrets of Moon Wood – Rebecca Lewis-Oakes (author), Anastasiya Kanavaliuk (illustrator), Piccadilly Press (imprint of Bonnier Books) (publisher)
This is the first book in a fantastic and super-sweet magical adventure series and we loved it.
Bella and her friends live in Sunny Wood, a quiet, happy town with a run-down library and a yummy ice-cream and waffle shop. When the four friends wander into the newly re-opened apothecary shop one day, they are very excited about all the treasures that it holds. Bella picks up a gorgeous pink feather and takes it home with her and it allows her to dream-travel to the magical dream location of Moon Wood. Anxious for her friends to believe her and join her in the beautiful location, the friends go back to the apothecary shop and they each find their own tokens to place under their pillows, hoping for sweet dreams and adventure!
And that is just what they get. The friends are whisked away in their sleep to the magical Moon Wood where they meet the magical animals they are paired with (Bella’s is a stunning Pegasus named Skye) and they realise that Moon Wood and Sunny Wood are intricately linked. The girls discover that they are Dream Keepers and the joy and happiness and good that they spread in the dream world will help in the real world. But their lightness and friendship has awoken the dark Queen of Nightmares and they must work together to try and banish her to the shadows ….
Filled with fantasy, friendship and fun, this was an adorable chapter book read with plenty of gorgeous black and white illustrations to keep children entertained. We loved the themes of friendship, community spirit, helping one another and togetherness as well as the magical world that the author had created. We hope for many more visits to the magical Moon Wood.
Last update on 2026-09-21 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Middle grade books
The Great Theatre Rescue – Judith Eagle (author), Faber & Faber Ltd (publisher)
We love a good Judith Eagle story in our house and this latest, fast-paced adventure does not disappoint!
Soho, London in the 1930’s is a dazzling place to grow up and Charley loves her life in the heart of theatre land, seeing the stars and rushing about behind the scenes of one of London’s most illustrious theatres, The Wren. Yes, it might be small, but, golly is it good!! Charley is so proud of her father who runs the theatre and she longs to tread the boards herself and tap dance her way to stardom!
But one thing after another begins to go wrong for Charley … first, she is paralysed by the most awful stage fright for her debut performance, then her father gets called away to look after her sick grandfather and her estranged Aunty comes to look after her. But her Aunt Constance says that the theatre is in trouble and making a loss. How can that be when it is packed to the rafters every night?! Her Aunt needs to concentrate on the business and so Charley is packed off to a remote boarding school.
Things are not what they seem at the hideous school – it is more like an unpaid labour camp than anything else and Charley knows she cannot stay there. She must get back to London. With the help of Jewel, a kitchen maid she met at the school, Charley determinedly makes her way back home. But when she arrives, she finds the theatre has closed down. Things don’t feel right and there are strange goings on afoot. Who shall Charley trust? And will she be able to save her beloved theatre?
This was a gripping, pacy storyline which I read eagerly. Although this is very much a standalone book, I enjoyed the nods to some of the author’s earlier work with references to Patch Leonard for example. I loved the time period that the story was set in and the mystery and plotline surrounding Charley’s father. Brimming with excitement, friendship, adventure, love, razzle-dazzle theatre and fun, this was a superbly written story with a fantastic cast of characters.
Last update on 2026-09-21 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Speedwheels 3000- The Race Against Crime – Jenny Pearson (author), Katie Kear and Nick East (illustrators), Usborne Publishing Ltd (publisher)
Queen of funny, Jenny Pearson, zooms into pole position once again with her hilarious new novel!
Evie Clutterbuck’s father enters his car, Toots, in the Speedwheels 3000 race every year. But this year, sick of being ignored and determined to spend more time with him, Evie stows away in the boot of his car. She’s set off on the most extraordinary and exhilarating race of her life. But what will her dad say when he finds her?! He might not be as bothered about that as he will be about finding 8 bars of gold bullion in his protein powder! How on earth did they get there?!
Join Evie and her dad in a race across Europe, filled with smelly barking dogs, lots of statues, fish-fuelled competitors, police chases and edge of your seat moments as they try to solve the crime of the stolen gold bars (clue: it wasn’t them!).
Expect fast-paced fun and giggles galore as you strap yourself in for the ride of your life! But it’s not all side-splitting laughter. As is usual with Jenny Pearson books there is a serious and moving side to the story. In this raucous race, the author explores themes of loss and parental grief and how this can impact siblings. Uplifting, poignant, warm and funny, you’ll zoom through the pages of this wonderful book.
Last update on 2026-09-21 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
The Mizzy Mysteries: A Skeleton in the Closet – Claire Hatcher-Smith (author), Lester McGoogan (illustrator), Farshore (publisher)
Mizzy’s Great Aunt Jane died in her sleep, or so everyone says. But when Mizzy stumbles across her Great Aunt’s long-lost diaries in a closet, she begins to suspect foul play was afoot. And the only people that could have bumped poor nosey-old Great Aunt Jane off are Mizzy’s relatives. But she isn’t going to let that stop her cracking the case. In fact, nothing is going to stand in her way of justice for GAJ- not her jumping to conclusions, or her love of tall tales, or her shaking fear of escalators, and certainly not her Down syndrome.
Mizzy is determined to turn detective and solve the crime, not just for her GAJ but also for herself. She’s sick of being treated as a My Little Pony, Flower Fairy and Pipsqueak- loving girl who needs to be babysat and played with. She wants to be Mizzy the Marvellous. Under the guise of a school project on ancestry, she sets out to become just that! But will Mizzy manage it? Will she solve the murder of her Great Aunt without too many skeletons falling out of the closet?!
I cannot tell you how much I enjoyed this marvellous mystery. It sucks you in right from the first page with Mizzy’s brilliantly fun personality and unique character. In fact, for me, the mystery was just an added bonus, I could have gone along with Mizzy on her adventures any day! The author’s representation of her neurodiverse protagonist is absolutely brilliant and I was rooting for Mizzy all the way through this story. It’s fun, it’s well-written and there’s a mystery to solve to boot- we are in love with this new detective on the block. Here’s to many more Mizzy mysteries.
Last update on 2026-09-21 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Magicalia – Thief of Shadows – Jennifer Bell (author), Walker Books Ltd (publisher)
I loved the first book in this brand new series of magical adventure stories so I was excited to pick up the story again where it left off last time.
Bitsy and her best friend Kosh are learning how to summon magicores using their emotions and a wonderful piece of wizardry called a farthingstone. But when a key piece of fragment disappears and Kosh is accused of theft, the two friends go on the run. They are being hunted by the terrifying and sinister Shadowsmith, whose identity remains a mystery. Working with Riddlejax, the Shadowsmith seems to become more powerful by the minute so Kosh and Bitsy will have to keep their wits about them if they want to prove Kosh’s innocence, save the cosmodynamic and cosmotypical worlds from warring and defeat this powerful enemy. That’s a lot for two children who are only learning about magicores!! Will they figure out who to trust and manage to save the world around them?
I enjoyed this second story in the series: I loved the imaginative world-building by the author and meeting yet more types of magicores. The illustrations of the magicores by David Wyatt are superb and the plot is filled with thrilling twists and turns which add even more to the storyline which bursts with magic and adventure. We hope for many more books to come!
Last update on 2026-09-21 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
The Falling Boy – David Almond (author), Hodder Children’s Books (imprint of Hachette) (publisher)
If I am totally honest with you, I found this book to be really unsettling for me. Not because it isn’t beautifully written and heart-wrenchingly moving, but because it rings too close to home for me with my own personal experiences. Even down to the hospitals described. But I am getting ahead of myself… let me tell you what it is all about!
Things are strange for Joff this summer. He’s just left primary school, his dad is undergoing chemotherapy for cancer, he doesn’t want to be around his old friends and there is a new, rather strange, girl in town. All Joff wants to do is to be left alone to go exploring with his beloved dog, Jet. But there is one place he is forbidden from exploring – the Chapel of Doom! It’s set high up above the town, is falling down and it’s notoriously dangerous to set foot there because of the crumbling walls and ancient stone-work. And Joff is also terrified of the legend of the Falling Boy. He dreams about him often and those dreams fill him with terror.
Joff and Dawn, the new kid on the block, go up to the Chapel of Doom and there it feels like Joff starts to make sense of his life once again. As does Dawn. The pair experience the unexpected and unreal and something very magical happens which brings the whole community together.
Filled with poignant writing and unbelievably moving words, this story has a beautiful, other-worldly quality to it. I was swept up in the storytelling immediately and I couldn’t put the book down. It’s a book which deals with the effect of serious illness of a parent on children and the effect of a sibling death on a child (Dawn’s twin brother has died) and yet it is also a story about life, hope and adventure. It’s a story about one boy’s loneliness and his struggle to deal with his feelings as well as a story about familial love, true friendship and a warm, welcoming community spirit. It’s a lyrical, lump-in-the-throat story and was a difficult book for me personally but it is undoubtedly a five star read.
Last update on 2026-09-21 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Leo and Ralph – Peter Carnavas (author and illustrator), Pushkin Press (publisher)
I cannot even begin to tell you how sensitively written and moving I found this book to be. I absolutely adored it and zoomed through it like a rocket taking off into space (all the while wishing it would never end).
Leo is not the best at making friends. His words come out too slowly and he doesn’t understand the rules of the games that the other children are playing. Until that is, he meets Ralph. Ralph who has a croaky voice, a mushroom nose, shaggy hair and two stubby horns on his head, and who has flown down to earth from one of Jupiter’s moons. From that point on, the two become inseparable, bonded by their love of the infinitesimal sky and the vastness of space. But now that Leo is older and is moving to a new town, Leo’s mum and dad think he is too old for Ralph and that it is time to say goodbye to him. They think it is time that Leo made an effort with his new classmates and tried to find a real friend. But leaving behind a friend like Ralph is really very difficult and Ralph will only truly leave Leo when he doesn’t need him anymore. But, despite connecting with a boy called Gus, Leo cannot ever see that happening ….
Heartfelt, moving, poignant, uplifting, sensitive, gentle … these are all words to describe this stunning story. It’s a stellar tale of friendship (both real and imaginary), familial love, loss and grief which celebrates individuality and uniqueness. As a parent, I thought it beautifully moving and I appreciated the viewpoint of Leo’s parents whilst also identifying with him (and I loved the twist about Leo’s mum at the end too). It’s all wrapped up together with a fascination and awe about the wonder of our solar system and deep space. But by far my favourite thing about the entire book was the question mark over Ralph and his existence. Because, you know, just because you can’t see something, doesn’t mean it is not there. In the language of the Grimbles from Flumblebot, “book this read must you”. Five stellar stars from us.
Last update on 2026-09-21 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Shadowhall Academy – Ghost Story Society – Phil Hickes (author), Usborne Publishing Limited (publisher)
Now, scary stories are definitely not my thing in adult fiction but I do love a chilling children’s book and I adored the first book in this brilliant boarding school spine-tingler series so I knew I would love this one too. And it did not disappoint- in fact, this has been my favourite creepy read so far! Just the perfect amount of spine-tingling thrills, mystery and fast-paced adventure, I raced through this book in one day again.
Shadowhall Academy is distinctly creepy. But Lilian and her friends love a bit of spook and drama so they decide to create the Ghost Story Society and meet in the library at the dead of night to share their terrifying tales. It’s supposed to be a harmless bit of fun but things take on a decidedly dark turn when they learn about an eerie, dangerous book which has been long-since hidden away in the school. This book is truly disturbing- it brings your deepest, darkest secrets to life in the most sinister of ways.
So, obviously Lilian has to go on a hunt to see if she can find the witch’s book and when she unearths it under the floorboards of the school’s theatre, she cannot resist trying it out. She and her friends are not ones to shy away from adventure but messing with dark magic comes at a high price! As Lilian feeds the book with her deepest, darkest secrets, she unleashes destruction and danger that jeopardises all her friends and school mates…..
Just like the first book in the series, this was a real page-turner of a middle grade book. Creepy and chilling, I was desperate to find out what happened next but also pulling the duvet cover up over my eyes!! I was genuinely pretty terrified in places! I loved the firm friendship between the dormitory girls (even if they were in disagreement at times) and the hair-raising chill of Miss Sunshine, the macabre, jealous childhood friend of Lilian. A brilliant book for any time of the year but particularly great to read now when the nights are still long and dark! We survived the term at Shadowhall and hope for many more!! Five stars from us!
Last update on 2026-09-21 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Oops, I kidnapped a Pharoah! – Luan Goldie (author), Walker Books Ltd (publisher)
Skylar is just your average, appropriately obsessed AZ8 fan but her world is about to turn upside down and her life is to become anything but average when she and her best friend Dana (who is outgrowing the Glows and becoming a Lilac Teer – it all makes sense in the book, I promise!) accept a ride “home” in her Nana’s tuk-tuk! They don’t expect to be whisked back thousands of years to the time of Tutankhamun and Ancient Egypt!
Things go from bad to worse as they accidentally transport Tut (as he’s affectionately known) back to the current day and take him to a K-pop convention where he becomes an instant sensation!! Skylar and Dana embark on a hilarious journey through time (fancy meeting Shakespeare anyone?!) as they try and put things right before they change the course of history forever!
Laugh out loud funny, filled with friendship and fun, this was a brilliant book about change, letting your friends grow, appreciating what you have got, love and friendship… and not forgetting fandom, of course! We loved how the story didn’t shy away from the insecure thoughts and feelings Skylar had about her friendship with Dana but was also light-hearted and fun. We also enjoyed the tongue-in-cheek historical idol quiz at the end of the book.
Last update on 2026-09-21 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Non fiction
Little People, Big Dreams – David Beckham – Maria Isabel Sanchez Vegara (author),Fernando Martin (illustrator), Frances Lincoln Children’s Books (imprint of Quarto) (publisher)
As a teenager I *might* have had a crush on David Beckham (I mean, let’s face it, who didn’t?!)! In honour of my sixteen year old self, I jumped at the chance to review this fabulous fact book.
From an early age, David dreamed of playing for Manchester United, his dream team. He played for his local team, the Ridgeway Rovers, and put in lots of hard work until Manchester United finally spotted how well he played and offered him a place on their youth team. From there, he went from strength to strength scoring goal after goal. He began dating “posh Spice” Victoria Adams and later married her. The press couldn’t get enough of this golden couple. But the publicity could turn on a knife edge and David found himself the subject of much criticism after England were knocked out of the World Cup after a red card against Argentina. But David kept doing what he loved best and let his boots do the talking as he went on to play in Spain, the US, Italy and France. Even after hanging up his boots, he didn’t leave the pitch: he started a new football team in Miami. David teaches us to never give up on our dreams and to work hard. But his story also inspires a motto of “when one door closes, another one opens” and our adventures are never over unless we want them to be.
There’s a fantastic further facts and black and white photo section at the back of the book where your little reader can learn more and be inspired by the lifetime achievements of this sporting sensation and fantastic football player.
As is fitting and usual for this stunning series, the artwork is sensational – bold, colourful and celebratory, really bringing to life the determination and spirit of this sporting great. And maybe my crush has returned. Just a little.
- New Store Stock
- Hardcover Book
Last update on 2026-09-21 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Little Explorers – Food; Little Explorers – Weather, Templar Books (publisher)
We love this series of educational, lift-the-flap board books so we are calling all Little Explorers!!! These are the latest board books in the Little Explorers series and they are both interactive, educational and fun!
In Little Explorers – Weather book your little one can head off on a journey in and around the planet into the wonderful world of weather. They can have fun with the sun and learn how it affects the seasons, learn all about the water cycle (and all importantly, how rainbows are caused), wonder at the wind (there’s a brilliant flap to lift for each stage on the Beaufort scale), marvel at extreme weather such as tsunamis and tornadoes, take a look behind the science and much more. Importantly, there is a two page spread on climate change and what we can do to help which we love. There are fantastic interactive flaps to lift as your child works their way through the pages so that they can discover lots of extra details about our wonderful and wild weather.
In Little Explorers – Food your young explorer can find out all about what happens when yummy food gets into our tummies and so much more. This is a brilliantly bright, colourful and educational book which emphasises the importance for children to eat well and what goodness our bodies extract from different types of food. There are pages on grub through the ages, delicacies round the world (we all want to try conchas from Mexico), where to find food, celebrations involving food and what is eaten at these festivals, a page on allergies and issues with food and a final spread on predictions for the future of food (not sure my lot are keen on eating algae burgers, thank you!). Again, there are fabulous interactive flaps to explore where your child can find out further fascinating details all about fantastic food and its importance to us. I have to stop typing now, I am getting hungry so I’m off in search of a custard cream!
Both board books are bright, bold and beautiful, filled with colour and wonderful detailed drawings, as well as being packed with fascinating facts. Interactive and fun, they are a superb addition to the each series and an educational read to boot!
Last update on 2026-09-21 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Last update on 2026-09-21 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Oh No They Didn’t- Remarkable Women -Eric Huang (author), Sam Caldwell (illustrator), Words & Pictures (imprint of Quarto) (publisher)
We love the idea behind this series of fantastic fact books. The cries of “oh no, she didn’t” are just brilliant!
Your readers can gobble up the facts about these fantastic females and marvel and the stunning illustrations along the way. You see, misconceptions about women are all around – from the present day and throughout history – and this book aims to dispel those myths by telling us the remarkable facts about lots of remarkable women. The book is split into broad chapters of legends, geniuses, creatives, superstars, leaders and trailblazers so if your child has a particular interest in one of these areas then they can turn to that section. However, we read it all in one go – my youngest devours fact books, particularly beautifully illustrated ones and ones which showcase strong female role models like this one.
From Joan of Arc to Hedy Lamarr, Florence Price to Millie Bobbie Brown, there is a wealth of fabulous information-busting common myths about such women. Set out in short paragraphs of easily digestible chunks, this book is a really engaging, fabulously illustrated read filled with colour, facts and fun. It’s a brilliant book. Oh yes it is!!
- New Store Stock
Last update on 2026-09-21 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
MEGA – Jules Howard (author), Gavin Scott (illustrator), Nosy Crow Ltd (publisher)
We are mega fans of this wonderful work of non- fiction in our house! Following the stories of the most humongous animals to roam our earth, this book is a fantastic celebration of the world’s most massive animals.
Your reader can explore the megafauna of days gone by and modern megafauna, marvelling about facts on enormous elephants and gigantic giraffes, massive megalodons to colossal cats. We can learn how these huge animals have shaped the world and also look at why some animals became extinct (and the human contribution to this). There is a wealth of wonderful information set out in engaging text blocks of information and against a background of stunning illustrations of the marvellously mighty natural world.
This is a book about evolution and the wonders of the natural world, really allowing children to appreciate the way these mighty beasts have evolved and been engineered by nature. We also love the pages explaining what we can do to help the gentle giants and not so gentle giants that we still have roaming the earth.
The jacket cover of the book also unfolds to make a cool mega-size poster which my children have loved. Filled with fauna facts, massive mammals and colossal creatures, this fact book is a real treasure trove of information for all animal lovers out there.
Last update on 2026-09-21 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Little People, Big Dreams – Katherine Johnson – Maria Isabel Sanchez Vegara (author), Jemma Skidmore (illustrator), Frances Lincoln Children’s Books (imprint of Quarto) (publisher)
As a child, little Katherine was always fascinated with numbers… she counted anything that moved. And anything that didn’t! She was an exceptionally clever child but the laws of the day meant that Katherine and her siblings weren’t allowed to go to public high schools because they were black. So, her family moved 120 miles away so that Katherine could get the education she deserved. She forged a path through the racist laws of the time and graduated high school and college and became the first black woman to go to the top university in West Virginia. She became a mum and a teacher and then landed her dream job doing calculations for aeroplane missions. This led her on to form part of the team for NASA, a new space agency, and Katherine began writing reports and calculating safe flight paths for astronauts! With determination and hard work, her story inspires us to give our all to everything that we love and to continue on even in the face of adversity.
As usual, there is a fantastic further facts and black and white photo section at the back of the book where your little reader can learn more and be wowed by the lifetime achievements of this marvellous mathematician. The artwork is absolutely exquisite: vibrant colours and stunning scenes of this genius at work . If you would like to find out more about this wonderful series, do take a look at the Little People, Big Dreams website Little People, BIG DREAMS – Be Bold, Be Brave, DREAM BIG! (littlepeoplebigdreams.com) to subscribe to their newsletter so you can stay up to date with the latest releases.
- New Store Stock
- Hardcover Book
Last update on 2026-09-21 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
