Whether you are jetting off on holiday this summer or staying at home, one thing is for sure… it’s a long time for your children to be off school. Take a look through our bumper summer edition to see if any of these boredom-busting books catch your eye ….

Board books

I Spot a Snail – Kay Vincent (illustrator) Nosy Crow Ltd (publisher)

Do you have a child who loves a lift-flap book? (Let’s face it, that’s all of them, right – even us big kids?!) Well, then you must pick up this fabulously fun, bright and chunky board book which is perfect for little nature lovers.

Produced in collaboration with The National Trust, this beautiful book prompts a love of nature and the outdoors by encouraging young children to spot familiar garden creatures while they are out and about. There are vibrantly colourful chunky pages to turn with large, uniquely-shaped lift-the-flaps to explore. Each flap poses a question and the answer is detailed underneath. Your little one can have great fun learning about the true size of minibeasts (see, a ladybird is as tiny as your little fingernail), where they live and what colours they boast.

We love how these books are an ode to the outdoors, as well as being bright, interactive and extremely engaging. The illustrations are super-sweet, colourful and great fun, making this chunky board book an eye-catching read, as well as an interactive one. Let your little one explore nature and watch as their imaginations grow with this bold, bright and beautiful board book.

Cities of the World – Becky Davies (author), Josie Portillo (illustrator), Little Tiger (publisher)

Did you know that every year Venice sinks into the mud a little bit? Or that Dubai is one of the fastest growing cities in the world? Maybe you knew that the national animal for Japan was the green pheasant? 

Take your little one on a globe-trotting adventure around some of the most iconic cities in the whole world! This uniquely crafted sturdy board book is a fabulous first introduction to some of the most stunning and exciting cities our planet has to offer. 

They can peep through the pages and explore the bustling streets of New York City,  wade through the waters in beautiful Venice and splash around the harbour in Sydney. Each two-fold spread about these 8 scintillating cities (Tokyo, Moscow, New York, London, Venice, Sydney, Dubai and Rio de Janeiro) contain bite-sized fascinating facts and a synopsis which includes the population of the city, its year-round weather forecast and its national tree and animal as well as its country’s flag. Each page is awash with colourful details and brilliant landmarks to spot meaning that this book is such an eye-catching read as well as a feast for the brain cells. 

Vibrant, filled with fascinating facts and superb details, exquisitely illustrated and innovatively designed with its laser-cut pages, this is a fabulous first adventure around some of the most exciting cities on Earth. Perfect for your mini travellers! 

Big Outdoors for Little Explorers: Jungle,  Anne-Kathrin Behl (illustrator), Nosy Crow Ltd (publisher)

Get ready to take your little ones on an adventure in the big outdoors! This series of sturdy board books is superb for exploring the big outside world and having fun with your young readers.  The latest in the series, Jungle, is brightly coloured and hugely interactive. It encourages your young child to hone their fine motor skills with fun sliders to push, pull and spin to uncover more about the natural world around them and explore the vibrant jungle animals and scenery.  The gentle rhyming text in the book is a fun way to allow your child to learn about the birds, animals and wildlife of the lush jungle. 

The pages are chunky, allowing those little fingers to be able to grip and turn them, and the illustrations are both colourful and completely adorable, giving the animals the sweetest of expressions and detail.  Vibrant and engaging, this board book is perfect for little animal lovers everywhere and a handy size to pop in a changing bag or bottom of a pushchair to take on your adventures out and about this summer.

Picture books

Who Ate Steve? – Susannah Lloyd (author), Kate Hindley (illustrator), Nosy Crow Ltd (publisher)

Get ready to laugh your feathers off with this hilarious new picture book from publisher Nosy Crow. 

This book is all about size. Nothing funny about that, right?! Wrong. Marcel, the pigeon, is big. Steve, the worm, is …. Well, Steve is … erm, hang on… Steve seems to have gone missing…. Where could he be?! Surely Marcel doesn’t know anything about it?! Marcel!!! Return that poor little worm at once!! 

With an outrageously fun sense of dark humour which will have you and your little ones laughing out loud, this witty and brilliant picture book has been on repeat at my house ever since it dropped through the letterbox. My twins adore the wickedly fun humour and the quirky style of the book. I won’t spoil the ending for you -it’s brilliant-  but let’s just say that it is giggle-inducing and will leave you “feline” flabbergasted. The illustrations are hilarious: filled with fun, colour and expressive emotions which will have your little ones giggling with glee. Clever, extremely funny, nothing much to do with size at all, filled with superb illustrations, this picture book has become a firm favourite in our house. A must read for the summer. 

The Tooth Fairy and the Crocodile – Julia Donaldson (author), Lydia Monks (illustrator), Macmillan Children’s Books (publisher)

From the dazzling, dynamic duo behind What the Ladybird Heard series comes a new, fantastic picture book release. It is tooth-falling-out-central in our house at the moment as my twins try and out-do each other to waggle their baby teeth out!! So, this book could not have come at a better time. In fact, I could barely prize it away from my little boy’s podgy grip, so smitten is he with it. He came home raving about it after they had read it at story club (in school) and now it holds a special place in both of their hearts. 

Have you ever wondered who collects the tooth fairy’s teeth? Now you get to find out in this sweet, colourful picture book …

Ruth Mary is a tooth fairy. She usually collects teeth from under children’s pillows but, one day, the Fairy Queen asks her to collect the teeth of some jungle animals instead. All is going well with her night until she comes across a less-than-friendly crocodile who has lost one of his gnashers! When Ruth May collects it, he seems to think that a tasty tooth fairy would be a great swap for his tooth ….. Will Ruth Mary ever escape from his snapping jaws? With friends like hers, she is bound to! 

We love this bouncing bundle of colour and fun. It’s such a happy, sweet story with a wonderful ending, filled with friendship and community spirit. The illustrations are vibrant, colourful and filled with fun and really bring the story to life. A teethrific tale for any young reader, especially fans of this author/illustrator combo, like us.

Maisie Jones and the Dinosaur Bones – Lily Murray (author), Jenny Lovlie (illustrator), Macmillan Children’s Books (publisher)

One of our favourite author/illustrator combos is back with a fantastically informative picture book!

Maisie Jones lives by the sea and loves to find fossils and treasures around the shores and cliffs to sell in her family’s fossil shop. She loves what she does but she is desperate to find something big- a creature no one has discovered before… she’s desperate to find her very own dinosaur bones. And she does just that! But then a stuffy old bore, with a condescending tone and a top hat, steals her discovery and runs off to London with it. There, he tries to pass it off as his own finding!! Maisie must track the pompous professor across the big city to make sure he doesn’t take credit for all her own hard work.

Based on the real-life story of the proper dinosaur bone lady, Mary Anning, this rhyming romp of an adventure story is just made to be read aloud because of its sing-song rhyme. It’s the perfect book for dinosaur enthusiasts, fact book lovers, treasure hunters and big dreamers. My twins adore it, not least because they are obsessed with Mary Anning after learning about her at school this year. The illustrations are typically superb: colourful, detailed and packed with beauty and imagination. We also adore the two page spread providing further factual information about Mary Anning and her fascinating and groundbreaking discoveries in a time when women were overlooked as second class citizens. A fossil-filled, feminist, fun rhyming picture book about dreaming big and standing proud.

Up High- Matt Hunt (author and illustrator), Nosy Crow Ltd (publisher)

A beautiful book to share with father figures, this is a heartwarming story about the special relationship between father and child.

Every Sunday, father and son take a walk to the park through the busy streets of town. But town is scary when you are little so being up high on your daddy’s shoulders is the perfect way to feel safe, secure and BIG. Things below can seem small and less terrifying. But at the park, everything is calm and beautiful so the little boy starts exploring the small things – squirrels gathering nuts, frogs on the lily pond, ants scurrying to their anthill. Maybe, just maybe, being down low is just as good as being up high ….

This is an exquisitely illustrated ode to the special bond between father and son and the calming influence of nature, exploring its beauty and noticing the small things in life. My children love seeing the little boy flying on his father’s shoulders as they love to take it in turns doing this with their Daddy. A brilliant book for a present for any fathers out there to enjoy for years to come.

My Dad and the Toot that Shook the World – Matt Coyne (author), Richard Merritt (illustrator), Hodder Children’s Books (imprint of Hachette)

A tootally fun and frivolous tale all about bottom burps, let’s be honest, what child is not going to love this one!?! 

But it’s not all toilet humour and trumping you know,…. no… there is actually a lot of education jam-packed in this story as your little one globe-trots round the world trying to save it from the horrendous smell which escaped from Dad’s bottom! 

My twins laughed out loud at the descriptions of the parp-powered stench being chased all around the world, its noxious gases bending the Eiffel Tower in Paris, France, moving on to dissolve the nose off the Sphinx in Egypt, and poisoning the crowds at the Carnival in Rio, Brazil! This colourful and fun book has been a huge hit in our house because of its deliciously fun toilet humour. I have also loved it because it has educated my twins about various places around the globe, allowing them to remember them in the most funny way. Learning through humour, what’s not to love!!?! 

The fantastically fun illustrations are comical, full of bright, bold colours and filled with details. In fact, we notice something new every time we read it. For any child (young or old!) who loves a giggle over a bottom burp then this is the book for them.

The Crossodile – Rachel Morrisroe (author), Ella Okstad (illustrator), Puffin Books (publisher)

Do you have any Crossodiles in your house? We certainly do (but shhh, I am not saying who!!). If so, then this is the book for you …

Hayden Hill has a lovely pet lizard. But when the local vet comes to school and gets distracted by other pets, something very unexpected happens. His lovely little lizard turns into an angry, red, giant Crossodile that rampages through the classroom destroying everything in sight and upsetting everything. Saddened by its outburst and the effect it has on his friends, poor Hayden realises that he cannot keep letting it take over. With the help of a lovely friend, Hayden learns to figure out how to understand his angry “Crossodile” and tame it once and for all.

This is a funny, relatable, heartwarming picture book which is made to be read aloud with its rhyming text. It gently, positively and age-appropriately, explores the emotion of anger and looks at ways to help dissipate this as well as shining a light on the role that wonderful friendships and understanding behaviour can have. It’s joyful and funny and this mixture helps to open up conversations with little ones about anger. We love the helpful tips on dealing with anger at the back of the book (on how to tame your Crossodile), helping children to realise that it is a normal emotion and that there are ways to try and deal with it when it becomes overwhelming. We also love the fact that it acknowledges that sometimes all the mindful activities in the world may not work, sometimes you might just have to sit with your anger in a safe place until it dissipates. 

As is characteristic with picture books from this pairing, the illustrations are bright, filled with humour and fun and designed to captivate its target audience. A hugely important and fun book to have in any parent’s arsenal, or any classroom. 

Let’s all Say Yes! – Nia Roberts (author and illustrator), Nosy Crow Ltd (publisher)

Bright and uplifting, a gorgeous new picture book is on the block. Or should that be spot!?! 

Sometimes a block might love a spot. And sometimes a block might love a block. And sometimes a blue block might love a pink spot…. And what’s wrong with that?! Why, nothing at all, of course.

Written in simple, joyful text with uplifting and vibrant colour tones and illustrations, this picture book is an inclusive, heartwarming read encouraging empathy, kindness and love in young readers. It pops with colour and beauty and brings a wonderful simplicity to complex topics of inclusivity, diversity and acceptance. This is a story that encourages every reader to be whoever they want to be and to be accepting of those around them, regardless of their “shape” because “in this wonderful world, we are all bright stars!” And that is surely all that matters, right? 

 The Big Day – Rachel Plummer (author), Forest Burdett (illustrator), Little Tiger (publisher)

When a small boy is invited to the wedding of two giants, you know it’s going to be a pretty special book!

This little human just does not know what to expect when they are invited to fairytale-land to the wedding of two giants. But they are captivated by the mesmerising wedding guests – from witches to unicorns – and have the most magical time celebrating love in all its forms. Are you ready to be swept away by love and dance along with them?

We love this joyful celebration of LGBTQ+ love that this story has in bundles. It’s packed with interactive elements, – menus, invitations, rsvps – flaps to open and heart-shaped laser cut-outs, and the illustrations are bright, filled with fun and beautiful. We love the romping rhyme which playfully bounces this story set in fairytale-land along and we adore the message of live and let live, love and celebration of individuality in all its forms. A bright, happy, beaut of a book!

Hot Dog – Doug Salati (author and illustrator), Pushkin Press (publisher)

It’s summer in New York City and it is scorching hot. So hot that this little dachshund is sizzling like a sausage in the sun! He’s had enough of the melting-hot sidewalks, the crush of the crowds and noise of the sirens. So when he plops right down in the middle of a crossing and refuses to move, his owner knows just what to do to give him the peace and the coolness he so desires!

The pair jump in a taxi, ride a train and hop on a ferry to arrive at the beautiful, wide-open space of the beach. Here, a pup can run free and splash and frolic and breathe. The joy emanating from the pages is palpable.  And once the former hot dog and his owner have had their fill of the tranquility and beauty of the beach, they take that calm back with them to the city.

This is an exquisitely illustrated picture book. There are lots of pages where the lyrical text does not feature and the beauty of the artwork washes over your soul, having the effect of calming waves lapping over you and your reader. It’s the perfect book to read on a long, hot summer’s day to help calm and refresh your young readers, particularly if they have been struggling with the heat. Packed with stunning illustrations, this is a sensational summer read.

Chapter books

Dungeon Runners – Level 1: Hero Trial – Kieran Larwood (author), Joe Todd-Stanton (illustrator), Nosy Crow Ltd (publisher)

A fantastic new black and white chapter book series by one of my all-time favourite authors has hit the shelves!

Calling all heroes! Do you think you have what it takes to fight your way to the top and become a dungeon runner?! Kit the Gnorf – part gnome, part dwarf – has  been watching the leagues of Dungeon Runners for years. In fact, his grandfather was once a Dungeon Run champion! So when there is a space for a new team to enter the games, he cannot wait to try out. 

But Kit needs a mage and a healer on his side so he teams up with a vegan vampire (well, most of the time!!) called Thorn and a gnorf mage called Sandy (and her crab, Mr Pinchy). The unlikely threesome are determined and spirited and ready to take on whatever the trials throw at them- mazes, monsters, trouble, treasure and, ahem, broom cupboards! Are you with them for the underground adventure of a lifetime?! 

I adored this unique chapter book – it’s filled with humour and fun as well as being a huge page-turner of a story. I loved Kit and his friends and cheered on the when the bullies were defeated and everyone rallied around Kit and his team (but I won’t spoil the ending for you!). I loved the chat-show hosts, Jenna and Dirk, and their brilliant commentary throughout as well as the superb black and white illustrations which are plentifully interspersed throughout the pages and really bring the world-building to life. With larger font size and a gripping adventure, this is a superb chapter book for those starting out on their independent reading journey. Five stars from us! 

Grimwood- Party Animals – Nadia Shireen (author and illustrator), Simon & Schuster UK Ltd (publisher)

Awooga!!!!! The Grimwood Gang are back!!! A hilariously funny tale (with laugh out loud illustrations to boot), the story of Sharon the Party Crow losing her mojo will have you and your little ones desperate to turn the pages to find out what happens (even if, ultimately, that might be nothing!!). With masses of “Awooga’s”, games of ‘treebonk’, narrating woodlice, dancing delights, collections of crows and so much more, this book is everything and more you would expect from Nadia Shireen.  

Three parties in one day have proved too much for Sharon the Party Crow and her mojo has left her. So, it’s up to the Grimwood Gang of Ted, Nancy and Willow and the rest of the forest friends to help Sharon get back in the party spirit. But with Ted and Willow fighting and Pamela having flown off somewhere, it’s not looking good for poor old Shazza. Teamwork, friendship and dance skills are needed to get the groove in Grimwood back but will these be forthcoming?

A quirky, fun read with fabulous black and white illustrations on each spread, this book is filled with friendship, heart and frivolity and would make a great read over summer.

Tiny Dogs – Bea’s Secret Friends (book one) and The Lost School Pet (book two), Rose Lihou (author), Puffin Books (publisher)

It’s no secret that in this house that we adore dogs. Our furkids may not be tiny but they are very cute. But these pawsome pooches are on another level of adorable!

Bea and her Mummy are set to move in with her grandparents. She cannot wait to see them again and explore their beautiful garden that she has such wonderful memories of. But when Bea arrives, she finds her grandparents’ garden wild, unkempt and unloved. It’s not at all how she remembers it. But, exploring one day, she discovers that it is home to the most extraordinary creatures! Meet Willow, Pepper, Clover and Sorrel, the Tiny Dogs!! These pawdorable pups are small enough to hold in the palm of your hand. Too cute. But Bea’s grandparents’ garden is under threat from troublesome neighbours threatening to pave it over. With the help of her new friends, will Bea begin to feel brave enough to save their home and her grandparents’ garden?

In the second brilliant book, the tiny pups are having big adventures with Bea again as she starts life at her new school. She’s really nervous about going but her new school friends and teacher help to make her feel settled. Until, that is, the class hamster, Bamboo, makes a bid for freedom and escapes from its hutch…. can Bea, her new friends and the Tiny Dogs find the lost school pet?

Woof, woof, frantic tail-wags!! We absolutely adore this new series of full colour chapter books. The stories are filled with adventure and excitement and are adorable in the extreme. There are sweet full colour illustrations on every two-page spread making these an engaging and eye-catching read for their target audience. The larger font size, shorter chapters and plentiful illustrations make these brilliant chapter books for those setting out on their independent reading journey. Five pawsome stars from us, we hope for many more in the series.

Lola and Larch Save the Sunshine Spell – Sinead O’Hart (author), Rachel Seago (illustrator), Nosy Crow Ltd (publisher)

A magical new chapter book series is on the block and Lola and Larch are back for their second adventure. 

Granny’s garden is totally out of control and all the plants in the forest are turning wild and overgrown!  Lola’s Granny is happy about how magnificent her prize marrows are looking but when Lola sees two onions fighting a duel she knows that dark magic is afoot! It seems that the evil fairy, Euphorbia Spurge, has been sending bad magic across the forest and turning all the plants wild. So

Lola and her fairy friend Larch go off into the forest to try and sort out the problem. The two friends will have to work together to battle the evil fairy. Swamps, biting plants and sinister spells abound in this adorable, magical adventure story.

This is such a sweet chapter book. I loved the messages of friendship, working together and community spirit. The adorable black and white illustrations are plentiful  and help to bring the story to life. Filled with fairy fun, nature and fizzing with magical adventure, it is a wonderful early chapter book for those aged 6 plus. 

Astrid and the Space Cadets! Race from Planet Peril! – Alex T.Smith (author and illustrator), Macmillan Children’s Books (publisher)

We are huge fans of Alex T. Smith in this house so we were very excited when this, the second book in this fabulous intergalactic space adventure series, dropped onto the door mat for review!

Let your young reader blast off on an out of this world adventure with Astrid Atomic and the rest of the Space Cadet crew. Astrid is six. But she is very special. Because each night when the lights are turned off, and the clock strikes midnight, she climbs into her Intergalactic Transporter Pod (cleverly disguised as a wardrobe) and blasts off to meet the Space Cadets to be briefed on their next mission. Sounds fun, right?!

Well, it might be…. But things don’t often go to plan when you are on your intergalactic travels! The Space Cadets are on a mission to try and retrieve a special trophy for the Supersonic Saturn Spin Race. But there’s someone naughty tailing them hard on their rocket blasters …. Dr Boris Uranus is going to try and sabotage their mission. With Moon Muffins, wiggly-bottom dances and great friendships galore, this is an out of this world adventure that your readers will certainly not forget! 

With its larger size font and short paragraphs, combined with stunning black and white illustrations across every page, this is a brilliantly fun first chapter book for those children transitioning from picture books or starting their own independent reading journey. The story is full of adventure and the brilliant illustrations are quirky, humorous and plentiful making this an engaging and funny read.  In fact, I think we have enjoyed this second book even more than the first. We look forward to more out of this world adventures with the Space Cadets (pretty please!).

Graphic novels

How to be a …. Genius Kid – Waldo Pancake a.k.a. Jim Smith (author and illustrator), Faber & Faber Ltd (publisher)

From the author/illustrator behind Barry Loser comes this hilarious new graphic novel

bursting with comic genius  and zany facts. Your reader can pore over the life lessons of Graham Knee (aka Genius Kid (not)) and his neighbour, Flea, as they teach you everything they know (and don’t know) in this laugh-out-loud full colour graphic novel.

I mean, have you ever wondered why rain on a hot pavement smells so good? Or how the universe began? Or maybe you are dead good with numbers and want to know what that has to do with hands and fingers?! Maybe you are interested in the sun and the moon and why it goes cold when a cloud crosses the face of the sun (you’ll have to google this) …. Whatever, there are loads of cool “fings” in this book and you can get brainy without even trying by reading it!

We have loved it. It’s crammed full of super-scintillating facts, silly jokes, brilliantly colourful illustrations and bonkers ideas. Both my daughters have loved it and have wanted to pass it on to their friends at school and I am not sure there is a better recommendation than that! There are even some bonus drawing tips at the end of the book to inspire your reader to get creative into the bargain. It’s an ingenious, funny, fact-filled, five-star read from us. 

Rune – the Tale of a Thousand Faces – Carlos Sanchez (author and illustrator), Flying Eye Books (publisher)

For graphic novel fans aged 8 and over comes a spell-binding new series filled with delicious dark magic, dragons and druids.

Best friends Chiri and Dai lead a fairly miserable life at St Clare’s Orphanage, being picked on by the bullies. Until, one day, they stumble into a forgotten, magical realm which is being tormented by an evil shadow king. The Shadow King wants to annihilate the lands, spreading terror and turning all into his clockwork minions. But these two terrific friends might have more to offer in the magical lands than they realised… Will they be able to help the druids and warriors in the magical realm overcome evil? And will they be able to stop the Shadow King crossing over into their own world?

We have loved this unique middle grade graphic novel. We adored Chiri, the deaf protagonist, and loved the way her signing was depicted in a different colour text box in the story. We loved how her ability to sign was a huge benefit in the magical realm as it enhanced her spell-casting magic. We loved her love of food. We loved the bond of friendship and the relationship of Dai and Chiri and the fact that they always seemed to stick up for each other, no matter what. We loved the fast-paced adventure, the creepy clock-work minions, the fantasy, the magic, the adventure …. We loved it all. A gripping graphic novel filled with friendship and quirky humour, we cannot wait for the next in the series.

Pizza my Heart – Mika Song (author and illustrator), Pushkin Press (publisher)

Warning! Do not read this book if you are hungry!!!  Norma and Belly are back!!! If you are nuts about these sensationally cute squirrels then you are in for a treat!! A pizza-shaped one! We have loved the first two books in this fabulously fun series, so we were very excited to read this, the next instalment (which can easily be read as a standalone book).

This is the third graphic novel for younger readers which follows the delicious  adventures of squirrels Norma and Belly. This time, instead of donuts or pies, they are hungry for hot, cheesy pizza….. but no one seems to deliver to the branches of their trees! So, the cheeky squirrels have to get creative to nab themselves a slice. But their adventure with a pizza delivery person takes them to a block of flats with a ferocious cat (named Tomato – I’ll leave you to find out why!). Will they manage to get out alive? And will they ever get a taste of that perfect pizza pie? 

This is a laugh out loud, sweet, jam-packed, adorable adventure story which your little readers will love. The storyline is hilarious and brought to life in the brilliantly funny illustrations which make up the book. But I warn you that if you read it while you are hungry, you will be drooling by the end of it!!  We are nuts about these squirrels and we hope Norma and Belly have many more adventures together. If the little reader in your life loves a graphic novel then this graphic novel series is just the set for them.

Garbage Night – The Complete Edition – Benji Lee (author and illustrator), Flying Eye Books (publisher)

If your child enjoyed the original Garbage Night graphic novel then they will love this book which combines the first story and a brand new sequel in one special collected edition.

Simon, Cliff and Reynard used to have “garbage nights” where they would feast on the contents of rubbish bins and devour what the humans didn’t want. But these nights are a distant memory! The humans have all disappeared and the food has vanished with them. So, Simon, Cliff and Reynard are on a mission to try and find an inhabited town so that they can scavenge food again and bring back their revered “garbage nights”. But the world out there is really rather scary …. They venture off into the post-apocalyptic wilderness and meet plenty of animals like them along the way. But not all of them are friendly! Will they learn who to trust and will they be able to find a place to call home in this strange new world without humans?

This is a great graphic novel filled with friendship, survival and (ultimately) community spirit in a post-apocalyptic world. The illustrations are captivating and the colour tones used are haunting and resonant of a scary, new type of world. We found this book to be relevant, contemporary, fresh and unique. 

Middle grade books

Impossible Creatures – Katherine Rundell (author), Tomislav Tomic (illustrator), Bloomsbury Children’s Books (publisher)

I am just going to call it – for me, this has been one of my favourite middle grade reads of the year. If not, THE favourite. It’s not a brand new book but it is new to me and if you haven’t read it then you must rectify that. AT ONCE (sorry for the shouty text, but you really should read it!).

Christopher Forrester has to go and spend the holidays with his grandfather in the wilds of Scotland and he is not very happy about it. Until the day, that is, when he rescues a drowning baby griffin from a lake on top of a hill and his humdrum life changes forever! Meeting a young girl with special powers called Mal along the way, Christopher journeys on an adventure like no other. An adventure which will take him to the Archipelago, a secret cluster of islands where all manner of mythical creatures of varying degrees of terror reside, side by side with humans. An adventure which will help transform the sickness that is taking over the world and will shape its destiny forever…. An adventure that you will not want to miss out on!!

Honestly, this book was the most addictive reading ever! I was absolutely gripped, desperately turning the pages to find out what was going to happen next. And the twists and turns!! Oh my! I still cannot quite believe the ending! Utterly brilliant (I won’t spoil it for you!). I loved the bonds of friendship in this story as well as the fast-paced storyline and the brilliance of the world-building. I loved the Guardian’s Bestiary at the beginning of the book which brings the author’s imagination to life. I just loved, loved, loved it all. If you have a child that loves adventure stories, who is into mythology or who loves a fast-paced read then this book is a must read for the summer. Five of the biggest, fattest stars from us!! 

Starminster – Megan Hopkins (author), Harper Collins Children’s Books (publisher)

What a book!! So unique!

Astrid has never seen starlight before. For her whole life, she has been locked inside the rhubarb shed. Her mother says it is because the world outside is dangerous but Astrid longs to breathe fresh air and to explore the wide world. She’s never met another child, or played outside or seen the twinkling stars……

But one night her safe world within the shed implodes: a stranger with wings unlocks the door and beckons to her. And, despite all the warnings about scary strangers, Astrid goes with her. To a place called London Overhead. A secret, shimmering city in the skies. But why has she been taken there? 

Astrid is special, you see. She is a Librae. This means she will grow wings and be able to soar through the sky if she learns how to harness her ability. But for that she needs to attend a magical school: Starminster, where she will learn all about the ancient ways of the Librae and their powers. But children are going missing in London below and some teachers are acting strangely. Astrid begins to realise that the world outside her rhubarb shed can be a dangerous place … but, with the help of her new-found friends, she learns just how determined and resilient she has become.

This is a stellar debut middle grade novel from Megan Hopkins. I loved the originality of the world that the author has created (although, as a parent, the rhubarb shed and Astrid’s mother’s behaviour at keeping her prisoner still makes me cringe!), with its unique sky-city and brilliant detail about the Librae and the birds that they are based on (the register at the back is fascinating). It’s a real page-turner of a story which contains all of my favourite things to read about: magic, adventure, intrigue, friendship, nature and huge imagination. Pure joy: get ready to take to the skies!

How to be Free – Daisy May Johnson (author), Pushkin Press (publisher)

This is a book about three things: friendship, mysteries and cakes. What more can you ask for in a book, I would query?!  But don’t believe everything you read.  This is a book about so much more.  Victoria sponges and pink wafer biscuits, candy floss and kale (happily not together!), nuns and narrators, clues, coastlines and countryside, to name but a few.  It’s also a book about true friendship, and finding your true self and setting it free, however long that might take. And I mustn’t forget the footnotes. There are lots of footnotes. So, grab yourself a custard cream and see if this synopsis of the book is for you:

It’s the start of a new term at the School of the Good Sisters and Hanna, Edie and Calla soon realise that something is amiss. In fact, a very big something- their Headmistress, and great friend, Good Sister June has disappeared and nobody knows where she has gone. The three girls set out on a quest to find Good Sister June, travelling across the country with little more than an emergency tin of anchovies in their socks and a packet of biscuits in their bag. Good Sister June has left a Hansel-and-Gretyl-like trail of biscuit crumbs for them but does she really want to be found…? 

I just loved this book.  Much like a delicious Victoria sponge (you’ll get the reference when you read the book!), I savoured every mouthful, ahem, I mean page.  It was funny, it was heartfelt, it was poignant, it was delightfully descriptive.  It’s a beautiful, heart-warming, quirky book filled with lashings of love and friendship, the power of family and the importance of cakes and biscuits in our lives!! A five star read from me.  

Alice Eclair Spy Extraordinaire- A Dash of Daring – Sarah Todd Taylor (author), Nosy Crow Ltd (publisher)

We were so excited when this book dropped onto our doormat for review because my eldest daughter and I have absolutely loved the other books in the series, all about Alice, a talented baker and spy extraordinaire!  But, sob!! The author says in her acknowledgment at the back of the book that this is the “end of Alice’s journey”. Wah!! 

But what a show-stopper of a final book. Your reader can immerse themselves in the splendour of Paris and the French countryside once again as Alice gets herself a job at France’s Olympic training camp where a brilliant young cyclist and her twin need Alice’s help. The twins’ father, inventor of a complex and unique unbreakable code-making machine, has gone missing and the twins’ lives are in danger. Alice is struggling to not only crack the case but to try and make delicious pastries without lashings of butter! She’s on a hugely important mission but there are those who are not whisked (pun intended) away by Alice’s brilliant bakes and perfect patisseries. Her Uncle Robert is still working for the enemy and is determined to spoil Alice’s rise! Can Alice manage to whisk herself away from danger? Can she cook up a storm and find out just what is going on before it is all too late?

With spoonfuls of spying and subterfuge, cupfuls of charm (and cycling), lashings of French glamour and a large dash of adventure and danger, this book is the perfect recipe for any adventure-loving reader to delve into.  We adore Alice: her bravery, her ingenuity, her imagination, her capableness and we loved that friendships of old and characters from previous books were brought back in this story. The plot is fast-paced, full of the perfect blend of fun and beautiful bakes set against a serious backdrop of potential world war and espionage and it is extremely addictive reading.  Chefs hats off for this superb series, we have loved its recipe of daring and danger combined with a light and airy passion for pastry.

Delta and the Lost City – Anna Fargher (author), Macmillan Children’s Books (publisher)

It’s 79AD in Italy and the earth around Pompeii is shaking. The humans think it is an angry god but the animals seem to have disappeared from the region. Delta is a wolf dog. She looks big and scary but she is actually a gentle giant, albeit she is fiercely protective of her family and friends. 

After witnessing a horrific crime committed by a ruthless member of the family, Delta goes on the run, leaving behind her home and most of her friends and family. Bellona the eagle, and her friend, stays by her side and helps the young Delta navigate the landscapes around her home and the threats of the city.

Delta is desperate to reunite with her family and prove the treachery of the human that caused her to flee but she is also running out of time. Because the mountain is shaking, the ground is quaking and an acrid smoke is filling the air ….. Mount Vesuvius is about to erupt!!

Can Delta be reunited with her family and guide them to safety before it is too late…?!

I thoroughly enjoyed this fast-paced adventure story written from the perspective of Delta, the wolf dog. I loved being inside her head and seeing the world from her point of view. I enjoyed the themes of loyalty, friendship, love and strength which shone through in the book and I was fascinated by the reenactment of the volcano erupting. I also loved the black and white illustrations which added atmosphere to the story and really brought the history of the book to life. Gripping, unique and uplifting, this is a beautiful story of loyalty and love. 

The Day of the Jackdaw – Jo Simmons (author), Lee Cosgrove (illustrator), Barrington Stoke (publisher)

Award winning publisher Barrington Stoke publishes yet another stellar short middle grade novel in this comedic caper by comic genius Jo Simmons and laugh out loud illustrator Lee Cosgrove.

Alex is not happy about his family’s move to the country. He really dislikes angry badgers and cannot see that any good will come from the move to the quiet village of Noggings. So, he’s even less than pleased when he discovers that the village is under attack from a dive-bombing, vicious jackdaw named Graham! Will he find a way to settle into village life? And what will happen with the gruesome Graham? Maybe the brutal bird is just misunderstood and a little bit lonely, much like Alex himself?

This book was non-stop fun. The giggle a minute variety where the author hooks you in right from the first page and you are taken on a hilarious ride of a madcap adventure in this silly story. And yet even with all the comedy, there are some important messages in this book about loneliness,  true friendship, being empathetic  and lots of praise for the cleverness of jackdaws. Printed on off-white paper with plenty of paragraph spacing, accessible, engaging, filled with hilarious black and white illustrations to bring this madcap caper to life, this is a marvellous middle grade adventure. We loved it, enjoy. 

Rosie Raja – Undercover Codebreaker – Sufiya Ahmed (author), Bloomsbury Education (publisher)

If you have a child that is fascinated by the world of espionage, sabotage and secrets then this is the summer read for them!

It’s 1942 and Rosie Raja and her father, Captain Camberwell, are sent on a top-secret mission to Station X, also known as codebreaker central: Bletchley Park. Why are they there? Because a Nazi spy has infiltrated the place where Alan Turing and the country’s top codebreakers are attempting to crack Germany’s code. Rosie and her father must work against time to try and find the Nazi spy to help save lives ….. but will Rosie jump to the wrong conclusions? Will she ever know who she can really trust in a world full of secrets and sabotage? And when her father is taken, will she be able to save him?

Gosh, I know that books about WWII and that  spies and sabotage are my jam but this one was absolutely brilliant. I loved every minute of it. High adrenaline, fast-paced brilliance. I loved Rosie as a character, with her proud Indian/British heritage (and I loved learning more about the background in relation to what was happening in India during this time period too), resilience, determination and sense of adventure. I loved the codes and learning about how to make an uncrackable code (my daughter and I have had great fun with this!) and I loved the spy world. A not so secret five stars from us!

Bird Boy – Catherine Bruton (author), Nosy Crow Ltd (publisher)

Will’s mother died in a tragic accident which he feels responsible for. Silent, grief-locked and heart-broken he is sent to stay with his uncle in the vastness of The Lake District.

For years though, he was trapped inside a high-rise apartment in London with his mum and her demons so he is not sure about the wild, rugged landscape of the north. But his opinion changes when out on a walk with a friendly boy called Omar: you see, they discover an Osprey’s nest with two tiny chicks inside. The family of Ospreys becomes the boys’ secret but one wild and stormy night, tragedy seems determined to strike once again when one of the chicks falls out of the nest. Will finds her, broken and shivering and all alone. In helping to save the chick, maybe Will can find a way to soothe his broken soul as well? Maybe he will once again spread his wings and soar?

Get your tissues at the ready because this is one heart-tugging, emotional read! I loved everything about it – from the wild beauty of the descriptions of nature in the Lakes, to the portrayal of Will’s character and his struggles with his grief and forgiveness, to the sensitive portrayal of the cheery Omar who hides his struggles and terrifying past in jingling movement. I loved Omar (Will’s friend) in particular and found his story of the atrocities he had witnessed to be harrowing and heartbreaking but the fact he still tried to face each day with optimism and positivity was so beautiful to me. The themes of death, mental health issues, displacement, war, loss and grief are difficult subject matters to write about but they are dealt with so sensitively and in an age-appropriate way. For any nature lover or ornithologist, this would make a superb read for them. 

Reek – Alistair Chisholm (author), George Caltsoudas (illustrator), Barrington Stoke (publisher)

“To keep breathing, insert payment…”

Enter the world of Reek. Imagine a world where the fresh air that you breathe costs money. In this post-climate-disaster world, toxic pollution covers the Earth and the only way to breath is to use the machinery owned and controlled by a large and powerful tech company, run by billionaire Axel Brodie. It is this world that Sparrow lives in and has to fight for the very survival of her family every single day by taking on dangerous delivery jobs to buy credits for air and food. 

But when a clever inventor friend, Miriam, discovers a new, cheap way to survive the Reek, Sparrow’s very survival becomes even more perilous! Someone does not want the world to uncover that secret and they will do everything they can to stop Sparrow revealing the truth.

Out mid-July, this is a high-octane, fast-paced adventure set in an all-too easily foreseeable dystopian world. I adore Alistair Chisholm’s books for the inventive and creative worlds he imagines and this book is no different: I love the world building in this book, with the skates and the air-locks and the sci-Fi elements going hand in hand with important messages about the environment and man-made disasters. As is usual with Barrington Stoke books, there are plenty of paragraph breaks and lots of brilliant and atmospheric black and white drawings interspersed throughout the book, really bringing this story to life. A sizzling, high-energy summer read.

The Super Sunny Murder Club – Serena Patel and Robin Stevens (editors), Harry Woodgate (illustrator), Farshore (publisher)

Thirteen summer sizzlers await your fan of murder mystery in this brilliant compilation of short stories edited by Serena Patel and Robin Stevens. 

This is the perfect book to jet off with this summer: get your sunnies on and take this one to the beach with you. This collection of crime and marvellous murder mystery short stories are written by some of the most exciting children’s authors around: Abiola Bello, Annabelle Sami, Benjamin Dean, E.L.Norry, Elle Nicholl, Dominique Valente, Maisie Chan, Nirzana Farook, Patrice Lawrence, Robin Stevens, Roopa Farooki, Serena Patel, and Sharna Jackson.

These sensationally seasonal short stories are fabulous for summer. With locked room murder mysteries to solve, swinging chandeliers of death at a wedding, legendary sea hags, airport madness and tropical treachery, this is the perfect form of entertainment to pick up and put down over the summer holidays. 

There are stunning black and white illustrations- one for each short story- which bring the pages of the mysteries to life and add a wonderfully fun feel to this book. We love that there are diverse characters represented in this collection of stories, highlighting to all children that anyone can be a hero of the mystery and crime genre, no matter their background.  We have enjoyed all the stories but my daughter’s favourites were the Robin Stevens locked room mystery and the Nirzana Farook tale of tropical trauma.

So, get your magnifying glass out, polish up those sleuthing skills and pack this seasonal sensation in your bag, whatever you are doing this summer.

Foxlight – Katya Balen (author), Bloomsbury Children’s Books (publisher)

Fen and Rey are no ordinary foundlings. Two babies, curled up safe and warm in the fox’s den, they were found, against the odds, in the frozen winter marshes. Now, the twins live in the Light House, looked after by Lissa (who plucked them away from the foxes) and surrounded by other abandoned children. Some of these children have letters from their mothers, or mementos to cherish but all Fen and Rey can do is imagine. They imagine their mother. They imagine the life they could have had. They imagine the life they will one day have, reunited in the future. But one day a fox appears in the garden of the Light House and the girls see it as a sign. From that moment on, imagining is just not good enough. From that moment on, they are going to set out to discover their real story…. Will it be everything they have imagined it to be? 

Beautifully written, evocative and deeply poignant, this is a moving and sensitive middle grade story. I truly felt like I was there in the wildlands with Fen and Rey, hungry, tired and freezing with them every step of the way. I enjoyed this story of self-discovery and belonging and thought that story around them being orphans and not knowing their parentage or history was dealt with so sensitively and was explored in a heartfelt and moving way. I loved the relationship between nature and the girls which was explored throughout the story and the idea that we all have wildness running through us. I celebrated the harshness of nature and its very existence which was balanced against its fragility in the story and humankind’s attempts to destroy and then rebuild it. A heartwarming and hopeful story, beautifully written and  filled with sisterly bonds, love from caregivers, “familial” ties, and the hopeful symbiosis of humans and nature.

Back of the Net – Eve Ainsworth (author), Luna Valentine (illustrator), Barrington Stoke (publisher)

Do you have a football fan at home? Then this is the book for them! 

Eva loves football. And she is very good at it. She stands out every time she plays football at break time in the playground. So her friends cannot understand why she is reticent to try out for the local club, the Lightmoor Lionesses. But Eva has her reasons. You see, she was mercilessly bullied at her last school because of her skin condition. She has psoriasis which can make her skin red, itchy, sore and sometimes weeping. She does not want anyone at her new school finding out but she knows that they will have to learn the truth soon….. will they think that she is an ugly freak, a contagious monster too?!

Can she find the courage to take to the pitch and play the game that she loves? 

Perfectly timed to tie-in with the Euros, this is a truly unique book about a condition that I have never seen addressed in a book. I love that this story tackles themes of bullying, low confidence and low self-esteem and aims to kick them out of the field through friendship, love, kindness and courage. Both my girls love football and they will adore reading this story and I love the enpowering messages that it gives out. Heart-warming and powerful this book shoots and scores with us.

Printed on off-white paper with plenty of paragraph spacing, this book is accessible, engaging and filled with brilliant black and white illustrations to bring this fantastic footballing book to life. A marvellous middle grade read.

Freya’s Gold – Fiona Longmuir (author), Nosy Crow Ltd (publisher)

From the author of Looking for Emily comes this brilliant, fast-paced adventure story. Freya loves living in the seaside town of Edge in the summer. But in the winter, it is bleak, cold and pretty boring. Until, that is, a guest, Ms Oleander, turns up at her Grandmother’s B&B and Freya’s life as she knows it turns upside down.

You see, legend says that treasure is stashed somewhere in the smuggler’s tunnels around the cliffs of Edge. And although Freya and her best friend Lin love searching for lost gold on the beaches of Edge, Freya finds the tunnels creepy … she’s sure she can hear voices in there and it would be way too easy to get lost in those caves … But Ms Oleander has no such quarms … she wants to buy up the village and tear it down … will Freya be able to face her fears and find a treasure trove before time ticks out for her town?

I adored this marvellous middle grade read. The plot twists and turns, much like the smuggler’s tunnels themselves, and I found it to be an addictive, page-turner of a story. It’s inclusive, it’s filled with friendship, community spirit and love but also touches on complex themes of financial hardship, anxiety, being orphaned and the care system in a sensitive and age-appropriate way. A gripping adventure with a heartwarming ending. Five golden stars from us.

Mayowa and the Sea of Words – Chibundu Onuzo (author), Paula Zorite (illustrator), Bloomsbury Children’s Books (publisher)

“Do not stand on that book” is a phrase that has been uttered in our house before. And too right. Everyone knows that you shouldn’t jump or stand on books or you will ruin them. Right?! Well, that’s not quite right for Mayowa and her Grandpa Edward.

You see, the pair of them have a gift. A very ancient and magical gift. They have a huge family secret, passed down the generations… they are logosalters! What now, I hear you cry?! Well, by jumping on books they can harness the emotions inside that book and use them to channel into other people.  Mayowa discovers her talent when she is staying at her Grandpa Edward’s house for the summer and she has to try and use it for good. She’s become firm friends with Hamza and his family who have had to flee their homeland and are now refugees living near Grandpa Edward. So when the chance to use her power to save the lives of countless refugees presents itself, Mayowa knows she has to try. But there are darker forces at work … Mayowa and her Grandpa discover that they are not the only logosalters in the world and not everyone wants to use the power for good ……

This is certainly one book you will want to jump into. I loved the concept behind it, the fast-paced plot and the fact that it highlights the theme of displacement, looking at this with compassion and empathy. The book deals with paternalism, racism and the plight of refugees in a thought-provoking, sensitive and age-appropriate manner. I loved the ending which is ultimately hopeful and heartwarming. A page-turner of a book which we thoroughly enjoyed. 

Pinch Perkins and the Midsummer Curse – Cathy Fitzgerald (author), Chloe Dominique (illustrator), Farshore (publisher)

Something sinister is afoot in Tricky Dragon Lane. Deep in the heart of London’s magical quarter, someone (or something!) is misusing magic. Pinch Perkins’ mum has been struck down, rendered incapacitated and immobile (there’s a reason it’s called the Sleeping Beauty curse!) and no one seems to have a clue who is responsible, or how to help. It’s up to Pinch Perkins to find a cure. But of course she is up against the clock!

Racing against time on Midsummer Night’s Eve, Pinch and her “friend” Henry will have to face Bucca, the slippery boss of the Mudlarks, visit the treacherous realm of the fairy king and queen, catch a lift with King Arthur’s knights and so much more… all while staying out of the murderous and bone-squishing grasp of two fearsome villains.  Will Pinch and Henry be able to help her mum and others affected by the curse? Or will they run out of time?

Although this is a chunky middle grade read, I raced through it, so addictive is the plot and so fast is the pace of the book. It’s filled with adventure, lots of wonderful black and white illustrations and a gripping storyline so I actually think it is a really easy and fun read. I really enjoyed the action, the humour and the themes of friendship and love throughout the story and was gripped by the magical world that Cathy Fitzgerald had created. A sparkling debut, I hope for many more in this series pretty please because it’s a big, fat five stars from us.

The Secret Hen House Theatre – Helen Peters (author), Nosy Crow Ltd (publisher)

Ooo, I did not want this book to end!! It gave me Famous Five combined with All Creatures Great and Small vibes and it is JUST the kind of book I would have adored as a child!! I know that I would have wanted to live on Clayhill Farm (in fact, I kinda want to now!).

Hannah and her family live on a dilapidated, old farm. While her father works the land, Hannah and her siblings have all kinds of adventures on the farm. And Hannah’s latest idea is to set up a theatre in one of the run-down barns, although her father is staunchly opposed to the idea. But when Hannah stumbles across an old hen house, she knows she has found the perfect spot for her plans to come to fruition. The children and their friends aim to put on a wonderful show to try and win the local theatre competition.

Harsh reality pushes into the fun world of theatre that the children have created when Hannah discovers that the future of the farm is at stake. Rents have doubled, there’s a barn fire, assets are being sold… the farm is threatened with demolition and redevelopment but the children are determined not to let that happen. Will they catch a break? And will they be able to work together to try and save the farm whilst also pursuing their dreams?

Bean club members, huge pet sheep and ducks, agas, mud and chicken poo abound in this fantastic work of fiction. It’s a wonderful story with a heartwarming ending filled with family, togetherness and community spirit but it also packs a punch in terms of gritty themes too. The book does not shy away from the harsh realities of the hardships that the farming community face, themes of death, grief and loneliness, sibling rivalry, bullying, physical violence and poverty. And yet, it deals with them all in a sensitive and age-appropriate way. And ultimately, it’s a beautiful adventure story about theatre, dreams and a family pulling together. Perfect for any adventure lovers. Five stars. We loved it and we can’t wait to read the rest of the books. 

Terra Electrica – The Guardians of the North – Antonia Maxwell (author), Neem Tree Press Limited (publisher)

The world as we know has ceased to exist – the last ice cap has melted and a deadly disease has been unleashed on the world. A disease which feeds on crackling electricity, feasts on human beings and is wiping civilisation out. Life is on the brink of collapse. 

In this terrifying and dystopian world, 12 year old Mani has to fend for herself as life becomes chaotic and relentlessly hard. Her family and community have been wiped out by the Terra Electrica but she is convinced that her father must still be alive, out there somewhere. When he doesn’t come back for her, she steps out into this scary world to try and find him. Armed with a powerful, ancient mask passed down through the generations and some ancestral wisdom, she embarks on her journey. Along the way she discovers that she is not like other people. She has the power to survive this disease and she soon finds that the weight of the survival of humanity is on her slim shoulders. Can she piece everything together, harness her new-found powers and save the world? It’s a tall order!

This was an electrifying first book in this brand new series set in this dystopian landscape of melted polar ice caps.  We loved the grit and determination of young Mani and enjoyed the spiritual connections she formed with animals along the way. The parts of the story where Mani is wearing the ancient mask are cleverly depicted by displaying a small mask sign above those paragraphs. An action-packed adventure (with an all-too chilling sense of reality to it!), this book was packed with themes of climate change, man-made diseases, the beauty of the connection between animals and humans, friendship and so much more. It’s like a bold, bolt of bright electricity: enjoy.

Storm Child – Ele Fountain (author), Pushkin Press (publisher)

I absolutely raced through this fast-paced adventure story, finishing it in one sitting.

Maya Penrose has the sea in her blood. Her family has lived in a large house on the coast for generations. Her father is a fisherman and Maya is the best surfer for miles around. But stormy weather is heading their way … their money is running out, they cannot afford the upkeep of their house and a development company has their sights set on their land. And when Maya’s father has an accident on his boat during a storm and the boat goes down, her parents decide that something needs to change in their lives!

So, the family travel half way around the world to tropical island shores and a different sea so that they can teach diving and sailing. But Maya learns the hard way that all seas can have storms, and that life isn’t always easy. But what she and her family realise is that it is how you weather the storm that matters, what you learn from the mistakes you make, and the friendships that you have and the people that will hold your hand through those storms.

This was such a page-turner of a story. I was sucked in right from the start and tossed around like a boat in a storm as the plot twisted and turned (I won’t spoil the ending but I certainly didn’t predict it!). I did find Maya’s parents to be slightly slap-dash in their approach to life but I liked how the family all grew together and everyone learnt from past mistakes. I loved learning facts about the ocean and was so saddened to read about the floating rubbish the size of Mexico (yes, you read that correctly!!) that is drifting on the ocean’s surface! I loved the themes of ocean conservation, sustainable fishing and living and protecting our planet. A swimmingly good summer story to read by the sea. 

Young adult books

The Big Ask – Simon James Green (author), Barrington Stoke (publisher)

It’s four days until prom and Alfie Parker is currently dateless, still in his pjs and ordering a McDonalds to be delivered. Harvey Ledger, on the other hand, was going to prom with his long-term girlfriend Summer. Until, that is, they broke up with just days to go before prom. After Summer’s dramatic dumping, no one is expecting Xbox-loving, uncool Alfie to ask the popular Harvey to be his date to the prom, least of all Alfie. And no one is more surprised than Alfie when Harvey unexpectedly says yes!! But it turns out that amazing things can happen when you seize life and take a  chance on a dream ….

I raced through this incredibly sweet and relatable young adult romance. I loved the characterisations of Alfie and Harvey and the messages of acceptance, living life and being present in the moment. Yes, there are themes of toxic social media, pressure to conform to society’s perceived “norms” and homophobic behaviour but, ultimately, this is an uplifting, heartwarming romance which will have you unable to turn the pages fast enough and you will be rooting for Alfie and Harvey. I absolutely loved the ending which encourages the reader to go with the flow, not pigeon-hole people, live in the moment and just enjoy life. Because life is for loving and living. A warm, funny, fresh story filled with friendship, love and acceptance. Five stars from me.

Sister Spirit – Efua Traore (author), Zephyr (publisher)

Tara is adopted. Since turning sixteen, she’s started having nightmares about strange scenes that she feels like she is a part of. She now has questions about who she is, where she is from, where she belongs and so much more.

As her nightmares become darker and feel more real, her fears threaten to overcome her but she traces her visions back to the sacred Olumo Rock in Nigeria. She persuades her father to let her begin a boarding school in Nigeria and, from there, Tara begins a chilling journey into the past to seek the truth about her roots and the dark spirits that pursue her…..

Anyone who knows me knows that I am not a huge supernatural thriller or horror reader but this book was a gripping page-turner into the past which I enjoyed for its ease of reading. I really enjoyed the beautiful writing style, the colour and the vibrancy of the author’s style which brought the story to life. I enjoyed learning more about Nigeria and its culture and really wanted to know what happened with Tara and her friends after the story had finished. Whilst, ultimately, this is not my favourite genre to read, I wasn’t terrified at the ghostly or spiritual elements – it was just the right side of dark for me!- and I loved Tara and the relationships she forged throughout the story. A good teen read, particularly for those who love a ghostly or spiritual twist in a book. 

Non-fiction books

Terrible True Tales: Egyptians and Terrible True Tales: Romans – Terry Deary (author), Nigel Baines (cover illustration), Helen Flook (inside illustrations), Bloomsbury Education (publisher)

All of my children adore Horrible Histories so I cannot wait for them to get stuck into these books over the summer holidays! From bestselling Horrible Histories author, Terry Deary, comes this fantastic new series of books containing four short stories each based on incredible real-life historical facts and figures.

Each book has four hilariously fun stories contained within it. The book on Romans features real-life gruesome games, evil emperors and stories on Roman life. From Celtic Chief Caratacus to fatal fires in Rome, and from grim ghosts to heroic geese, this book is packed with laugh out loud details featuring the Romans as you have never seen them before. 

The book on the Egyptians focuses on brilliant tales based on real life events in ancient Egypt and details historical figures and fascinating landmarks. From grave robbers chasing gold in Tutankhamen’s tomb to pyramid builders striking, and from a “haunted” trainee scribe to a mummy-maker with a big problem, these fun stories are perfect for little history fans aged 7 plus out there!

We love the brilliant bonus ideas to extend the history lessons and the activities from the author to really get the reader involved in the time period and the fun – think activities like writing a letter to a friend using the hieroglyphic alphabet or making a menu of disgusting things to feed an unwanted guest!

The black and white illustrations are quirky, witty and hugely fun and provide for maximum engagement with these historical books. A brilliant pairing of books for any history buff and brilliant boredom busters, we love them. 

Beasts from the Deep – Matt Ralphs (author), Kaley McKean (illustrator), Nosy Crow Ltd (publisher)

Dare you go down to the deep?!! If you dare, you will discover some of the world’s weirdest, creepiest and most sensational sea creatures!

I have had to prise this book out of my youngest daughter’s hands in order to review it! She’s been so absorbed by it! She loves fact books and anything weird and wonderful so this is right up her street. From the Frilled Shark to the Vampire Squid, the Atlantic Wolffish to the Giant Sea Spider, this fascinating fact book contains a wealth of colour and information about the marine world’s most remarkable residents. Your avid readers can find out how these deep sea creatures survive in this world of total darkness and freezing temperatures – how they eat (sea spiders have no teeth, you know and the chambered nautilus can’t see very well but has a great sense of smell!), how they catch their prey (you want to stay away from a tripod fish) and so much more..

Split into zones of the sea depth – the twilight zone, the midnight zone, the abyssal zone and the hadal zone – this book contains the most stunning and vibrant illustrations of the sea creatures found at this level and provides fascinating text blocks of information about them across a two-page spread. My daughter has loved the Goblin Shark but I am more of a Dumbo Octopus kind of a girl!! 

A fabulously fascinating fact book about these marvellous beasts from the deep. 

Little People, Big Dreams – Taylor Swift – Maria Isabel Sanchez Vegara (author), Borghild Fallberg (illustrator), Frances Lincoln Children’s Books (imprint of Quarto) (publisher)

Are you a Swiftie? This is one book you certainly don’t want to shake off! 

From a young age, Taylor Swift jumped at the chance to sing on stage, even though it meant that she was ostracised at school because the other children thought her style of music was “uncool”.   But she never faltered in her belief to pursue her dream: she knew she wanted to be a performer and after years of singing on stage, she signed with a record label. She enchanted people across the world with her heartfelt lyrics and soon had legions of “swifties” across the globe! She became an inspirational solo artist empowering people everywhere to reach for their dreams, fearlessly trusting in herself and prioritising her mental health and standing up for what she believes in. What a woman! She inspires us all to keep striving for our goals, fighting for what is right and aiming to spread a little more joy through kindness throughout the world

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 inspired by the lifetime achievements (to date) of this superstar.  I cannot sign off without mentioning the artwork.  It absolutely stunning: vibrant colours and gorgeous illustrations of joy and kindness, empathy and fabulous outfits.  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.

What Makes a Family? – Molly Peter (author), Sarah Jennings (illustrator), Bloomsbury Publishing Ltd (publisher)

Do you have a little one who loves asking questions? Who often asks “why?” or “how?”? Then this book all about families is the book for you! 

The latest in the Let’s Talk series, a series of books designed to start topics of big conversations with little people, this diverse and fascinating book helps children understand different types of families. Because “family” can mean different things to different people. Some families are small, some are big. Some include pets. Others don’t!  This book covers lots of different family structures, from blended families to LGBTQ+ families, nuclear families to fostering and adoption and many more. It explains in simple and age appropriate language the differences between families but also what they all have in common. It provides everyday examples and clear explanations and encourages children to celebrate in the joy of their own family, as well as celebrating the uniqueness of other families. 

Perfect for readers ages 4 plus, this book encourages questions and discussions and we love the pages at the back of the book giving readers ideas of how to celebrate their own families, as well as the question starters for care-givers at the end of the book. It’s a bright and beautiful book, filled with vibrant illustrations and details and is a joyful celebration of families of all shapes and sizes. 

On your marks, get set…. GOLD! – Scott Allen (author), Antoine Corbineau (illustrator), Nosy Crow Ltd (publisher)

Hands up: who’s excited for the Olympics?! If not, why not?! There is so much to watch. And as this book tells you, there’s a sport out there for pretty much everyone!

From archery to aquatics, Taekwondo to table tennis, this work of non fiction is a laugh out loud guide to the Olympic sports and what it takes to become an Olympic or Paralympic star. There’s an introduction on how the Olympics began and then for every sport, a two-page spread covers the upsides, the downsides, the skills and the equipment that you will need to start practising your A-game. 

There are hilarious training tips, funny anecdotes about the sport, snippets of information to help you sound like a pro, and an introduction to the basic rules and history. It’s jam-packed full with fascinating, amusing facts, vibrant and engaging illustrations and is sure to inspire young sports readers everywhere. 

The facts are set out in text blocks of information which are spread out across the colourful pages in an entertaining and engaging format. My eldest daughter has devoured this book – she started with the sports she loves (gymnastics, horse riding and tennis) and went on to read everything else. She even used it for her school project on the Olympics. A brilliant book for any sporting enthusiast but certainly one to dip in and out of ahead of the Games starting this summer. 

Up Close & Incredible: Human Body – Isabel Thomas (author), Damien Weighill (illustrator), Wide Eyed Editions (imprint of Quarto) (publisher)

Have you always wanted to see what goes on inside your body?! I imagine good little people getting to work when I am feeling ill! It’s just like this book! And this is certainly an engaging, immersive and interactive work of non-fiction like no other….

Grab the 3x magnifying glass (included at the front of the book) and pore over the team of teeny, tiny nurses, doctors and scientists as you explore the inside of your body’s organs, bones and muscles. There is so much to see and laugh out loud at on every page! In fact, I guarantee you will spot something new each time you open this fabulous fact book. There are fourteen scenes to take in with ten things to spot in each one and laugh out loud hijinks, mischief and jokes and fascinating facts to uncover. And when you have finished poring over the up-close parts of your body, there is a gallery of the different doctors, scientists and nurses that you met along the way. 

So, if you want to get up close and personal with your snot, tangle with your taste buds and tongue, or bump along with the beat of your heart then this is the interactive fact book for you. It’s stunningly illustrated with intricate and humorous drawings, bright colour tones and fun details and we love the interactive magnifying glass which makes this such an engaging and unique work of non-fiction. We love it!

Fantastically Great Women Sports Stars and their Stories – Kate Pankhurst (author and illustrator), Bloomsbury Children’s Books (publisher)

The latest in this best-selling series celebrating fantastic females is this sensational sports heroes work of non-fiction.

Your reader can be inspired by the epic victories of Lottie Dod and her versatile sporting prowess in whatever sport she tried (tennis, golf, mountaineering, hockey, archery, billiards… to name but a few!), or marvel at the perseverance and spirit of mountaineer Junko Tabei, reading her diary as they go. They can dive into the watery world of Ellie Simmonds and her superb swimming ability at the Paralympics or go cartwheel crazy while poring over the detail of Simone Biles’ greatness at gymnastics! 

Each page is filled with stunning and detailed black and white illustrations bringing the stories of these super sporting stars to life in the most fun and engaging way. A fantastic fact book for any budding sportstar to encourage them to strive for the stars and follow their dreams. 

Everything you know about the Human Body  is Wrong! Emma Young (author), Maribel Lechuga (illustrator), Nosy Crow Ltd (publisher)

Did you know that we did not evolve from apes?! Or that just because you smile, it does not mean that you are feeling happy?! How about having a bigger brain – surely that makes you smarter, right?! Wrong!  And wait for it ….. most of your body heat does not escape from your head, after all!!!!! What?! 

We love the format of this myth-busting colourful non-fiction book (yup, your appendix actually DOES do something – who knew?!). It takes everything you think you know about the human body and dispels your illusions in the most interesting way. Many of the facts are mind-blowing and the text is set out in short paragraphs, surrounded by the most fabulous of illustrations, so that this book is very difficult to actually put down because you want to keep reading!  The artwork is colourful and vibrant, representing different parts of the human body and detailing wonderful scenes of human interaction to perfection and making us really appreciate our brilliant bodies. Like the others in this fantastic factual series, this book is inventive, hugely informative, very entertaining and unputdownable! 

Little People, Big Dreams – Rafa Nadal – Maria Isabel Sanchez Vegara (author),Ro Ledesma (illustrator), Frances Lincoln Children’s Books (imprint of Quarto) (publisher)

We love tennis in our house! All my children have tennis lessons and Wimbledon is the highlight of our sporting year so we jumped at the chance to review one of the latest in this fantastic series, all about terrific tennis legend, Rafa Nadal.

From an early age, Nadal showed a sporting prowess and a particular flair for tennis. With his uncle as his coach, he became even more talented, becoming a professional player as a teenager. Although he was undefeated on the court for years, he showed that even the bravest people can still get scared and he needed to sleep with the light on for years. He has had a stellar sporting career, winning over twenty major titles around the world and battling against some legendary players. He’s faced injury and adversity and still come out on top, fighting for his place amongst the tennis greats. But throughout everything, he has remained gracious, humble, kind and a truly charitable human being.

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 (to date) of this sporting superstar.  

The artwork is sensational- bold, colourful and celebratory, really bringing to life the beauty and grace of this sporting hero and lifting the reader’s spirits.

The Body Confidence Book – Professor Phillippa Diedrichs (author), Naomi Wilkinson (illustrator), Frances Lincoln Children’s Books (imprint of Quarto) (publisher)

Shockingly, did you know that by the age of 15, 60% of us lack body confidence?! Are you comfortable in your own skin? I know that there are parts of me that I don’t love but I try not to show this to my children. And it’s why this groundbreaking book is so important.

For readers aged 14 plus, this introduction to body confidence empowers readers to learn to respect and take care of their bodies. This brilliant guide is split into 7 main chapters – body confidence and respect; appearance ideals, society and culture; taking care of your unique body, comparing bodies; social media (and I love that the resources at the back of the book reference social media influencers who are body-positive influencers); family, friends and relationships and creating body-confident communities – which go into detail about the subject matter and then provide practical steps on how to put this into action through the tips and action checklists. 

As a parent, I appreciate the resources section and the part which directs the adults in the reader’s life to some digital tools to help them. It’s a reassuring book, filled with positive messages and brilliant action points. It encourages children to embrace their self and celebrate the power of their bodies whilst also telling them that they are so much more than how they look. The illustrations are bold, fresh and relevant and the colour tones used just make the drawings pop out from the pages. A very useful, much needed book of empowerment, respect and acceptance. 

What if my Snot Glowed in the Dark? – John Bottomley (author), Lee Cosgrove (illustrator), Hodder Children’s Books (publisher)

Warning!! If you are squeamish about bodily fluids then this is not the book for you so stop reading now!! For everyone else, this book is a fabulously fun introduction to the icky, sticky world of grossness that is the human body!

From bottom burps to real burps, gross green snot to stinky sweat, this book looks in hilarious detail at the odious odours and foul fluids that our bodies emit. I mean, come on, surely everyone wants to know that the longest burp in the world was for 1 minute, 13 seconds and 57 milliseconds?! Or that the world’s dirtiest man didn’t have a bath or shower for over 65 years!! This over the top, hilarious guide to parps, poo, wee, snot, sweat, burps and earwax explains the science behind these bodily fluids and functions and also asks eccentric questions like whether you could power a rocket by burping, and considers what the world would be like if your poo was pink!!

The illustrations are bright and funny, adding even more hilarity to this vibrant and quirky book of yuckiness. If you have a child who is fascinated by the gross side of things, then this of the book for them. It’s laughter while you learn: my six year old twins have giggled their way through it and loved it!

The Explorer’s Guide to Going Wild – Preet Chandi (author), Wren & Rook (publisher)

Discover that adventure awaits you just outside your door with this really wild explorer’s guide written by Guinness World Record breaker “Polar” Preet.

Preet Chandi loves to explore and has been on some exciting explorations around the world. In this, her action-packed guide, she shares her tips for becoming an excellent explorer and an amazing adventurer. Your young explorer can learn how to find adventure anywhere, including from their own doorstep. Throughout the chapters they will learn what should go in their backpacks, cool survival skills, how to make do with what you have, how to keep busy with nature crafts and so much more! 

There are tales of Preet’s awesome adventures, practical top tips, mini challenges and activities (from building a den to navigating by starlight) – it’s a fact book, survival book and activity book all rolled into one. Perfect for the summer months, this is one brilliant book to get your child outdoors, excited to explore and nutty about nature. They can really build their confidence, push their resilience, let off steam and go wild. Wonderful, we love it!

Wild Languages of Mother Nature – Gabby Dawnay (author), Margaux Samson-Abadie (illustrator), Wide Eyed Editions (imprint of Quarto) (publisher)

We all know how humans chat to each other, right? But have you ever thought about how kangaroos chat, meerkats mutter or squirrels speak? This fabulous fact book introduces your reader to the whole world around them full of animal, plant and fungal communication.

This fascinating work of non-fiction contains 48 stories of how nature communicates and it truly is a marvel to behold. Most of us have come across a bee bum-waggle before but did you know that chimps shake hands, or that the white-spotted pufferfish woos with artistic sand creations? How about the fact the fruit fly not only talks with her wings but can learn different dialects?! Absolutely mindblowing! From fruit bats to fungus, chimpanzees to cicadas, this book contains sensational facts about how the natural world around us communicates .

For any nature lover, this is a brilliant book to dip in and out of, or to read in one sitting if you have the time. The illustrations are simply stunning: exquisite drawings of the natural world and its animals, flora and fauna which bring the fascinating paragraphs of facts to life. A wonderful book about or wonderful world. Enjoy. 

Activity books

Cluedle: the Case of the Golden Pomegranate- Hartigan Browne (author and puzzle master), Macmillan Children’s Books (publisher)

Well, here‘s a marvellous mystery, a fabulous set of fiendishly fun puzzles to keep your child entertained throughout the summer holidays!! 

Do you have a code-breaker at home? Or a super-sleuth? Then let your readers loose on Cluedle: The Case of the Golden Pomegranate!! Can they work out Cluedunnit?! (Sorry, I will stop the puns!) Can you?

Detective Hartigan Browne has a new case for you to investigate. Is it a robbery, a poisoning, or a spot of blackmail, perhaps? You’ll just have to find out. But you’ll have to solve the password protection first to start start reading the case files …. ! 

Get ready to take to the high seas aboard a super-yacht to discover who broke into Alota Vibratto’s safe; how the Professor’s milkshake was poisoned; what’s hidden in an ancient maze and who’s disappeared overboard?! With a pencil in your hand and your wits sharpened, you can put your detective skills to the test and try to crack the codes, cipher the clues, navigate the maps and examine the evidence to solve the curious case of the golden pomegranate. Do you think you are up to the challenge?

My eldest daughter ADORED the first book in this series so she was so excited to find out about this second, superb super-sleuthing mystery. Again, there are 50 fun mystery puzzles to solve which really get the old grey cells working through the different skills they exercise when you try to solve them – spatial reasoning, map skills, su doku, logic, patterns, code cracking, verbal reasoning, comprehension skills and so much more. Hartigan Browne’s writing style is funny in the extreme, making this an unputdownable puzzle book that will keep your reader entertained for hours. It’s a brilliant, brain-buster of a book which is fun for the whole family. 

Ps – the answers are there in the back of the book. But it would be unbecoming of a rising detective star to use them to cheat! 

Everybody Travels – Kristin Roskifte (author and illustrator), Wide Eyed Editions (imprint of Quarto) (publisher)

What a brilliant book to keep your children busy over the summer period! Everybody Travels is a search and find story like no other. Everyone on the planet is in a constant state of flux- they are coming and going, moving around and being moved. Everyone is thinking about something. Everyone is searching for something. Can your child help them find it?

This is a unique counting book from one to 8 billion which will keep your child entertained whilst also exercising their empathy skills. Because this bright and beautiful book is a celebration of community, togetherness and empathy. It requires your reader to search for a person in the book (and each person is on their own personal journey) and find out more about where that person is going and why. There are fabulous sections at the back of the book encouraging readers to look for further details in the book, to go and think about how others might be feeling, or what they might be thinking about, or what their hopes and dreams for the future might be.

This is a book which is as beautiful as it is entertaining (and, believe me, you can search for some things for hours!!). The illustrations are vibrant, empathetic and quirky. It’s unique, kindness-building and addictively engaging. Perfect for your mini-travellers! Enjoy.

Getting Ready for Summer – A Sticker Storybook – Kathryn Selbert (illustrator), Nosy Crow Ltd (publisher)

Who doesn’t love a sticker book?! And you’d be hard-pressed to find one as bright and colourful as this one! 

Produced in collaboration with The National Trust, your children can get ready for summer with this sensational sticker book which is filled with stunning, summertime scenes. Keep little fingers busy sticking in scenes of picking strawberries, walking 

in the woods, going camping, exploring rock pools and so much more. With over 120 stickers, there is so much to discover and so many busy scenes to fill with bees and butterflies, swimming swans and seaside sandcastles. There’s even a fun “can you spot…?” for each joy-filled scene.

The illustrations are vibrant and joyful, bringing to mind an idyllic summer and scenes that evoke happiness in every child. We will be packing this book in our flight bag when we go on holiday this year but whether you are staying at home, or going abroad, this book will be sure to keep your little ones engaged and entertained. 

Doodle with Duddle: How to Draw Dinosaurs– Jonny Duddle (author and illustrator), Templar Books (publisher)

Do your children love to doodle? Do you have a budding artist at home? Or maybe just a dinosaur fanatic? Well, this is the book to keep them entertained this summer then!

This brilliant book features step by step guides on how to draw a vast range of dinosaurs, including the all-famous Gigantosaurus (not a real dinosaur- just a typo!!), a draw your own story section and the opportunity to create your own dinosaur. It’s jam-packed full of dinosaur facts and trivia and there are dino jokes along the way too. Your dino doodlers can follow the drawing instructions and pick up lots of drawing hints and tips from Jonny along the way. 

For any amateur artist or dinosaur doodler, this is a brilliant, activity-packed draw-along book for keeping your children entertained over the summer holidays. 

Cluedunnit – 5 minute mystery puzzles for kids – E.Z. Case (chief detective of crime), Orchard Books (publisher)

Super-sleuths at the ready! Brush off your magnifying glass, sharpen your pencil, get out your pad because there is a crime-spree in town and Detective E.Z.Case is looking for a clever assistant to help him solve these marvellous mysteries and catch the culprit.

With over 60 puzzles to pore over, your young wannabe detective can test their crime-fighting skills by solving the logic problems, mazes,maps, number puzzles and tests of observation. Each brain-buster should be able to be solved in five minutes and they range from easy-peasy-lemon-squeezy to really-rather-hard so your reader can work up to the diabolically difficult challenges.  This is just the kind of book my eldest adores and would make the best kind of entertainment for travelling on holidays this summer, or for getting out on rainy days. It also keeps the old grey matter ticking over while they are on those long summer holidays. Bonus! So, get their pencils and pads out and enjoy your break in peace!