Glam and Beardy (book 1)

By Author / Illustrator

Ruby Clyde and Rachel WD, illus Vincent Batignole

Genre

Fantasy

Age range(s)

Publisher

Little Tiger

ISBN

9781788958127

Format

Paperback / softback

Published

02-04-2026

Synopsis

'The five Kindoms of Kin Isle have stood since the dawn of time. Each holds its own unique power, its own importance in the balance of our world. We all belong to one of these ancient Kindoms.

'When we turn ten, we Meet our Familiar, and our Familiar bears a Mark that reveals which Kindom we belong to, and we fit into our Kindom perfectly and feel wonderful and happy and good forever and ever and always.

'Unless you're me, that is. This is the historical record of how I, Glam, FINALLY met my Familiar, Beardy, and how we learned that NOTHING about our world is as it seems... (And that parkour and dandelions are ALWAYS the answer - Beardy said it was very important that I add that!)'

Written as a shared diary (well, it's very much Glam's diary, but she can't stop Beardy writing in it!), Glam and Beardy is packed with humour and adventure. Perfect for fans of Loki, Diary of an Accidental Witch and Frostheart.

Extract from Glam and Beardy (book 1)

Download Extract

Reviews

Amanda

Glam and Beardy is a captivating shared diary that will spark the imaginations of young chapter book readers. Authors Rachel and Ruby draw on their fantastic experience as comedy writers and performers to craft a story perfectly pitched for early readers stepping into longer fiction. Vincent Batignole's illustrations add humour and detail throughout, with a clear, cartoon‑like style that blends elements of diaries and graphic novels, while still feeling very much like a novel.

The book includes a wide range of text types - family trees, speech bubbles, maps, invitations, and plans. In school, these could be used to explore and compare different information‑sharing styles and discuss why Ruby and Rachel chose them. However, I think its strongest use would be as a reading‑for‑pleasure text. It would be an ideal choice for a Year 4 or Year 5 book club, offering plenty to enjoy and discuss.

I'm sure Glam and Beardy will quickly become a favourite. Im already looking forward to their next adventures in book 2.

240 pages / Reviewed by Amanda Shipton, teacher