Latest Reviews

Name: Carol Bright
28 June 2018;

Genre: Adventure

What a gorgeous picture book - any child who has or who longs for a dog will love this story and there is also a beautiful message for young children about appreciating the skills in others but also valuing one's own uniqueness. On the first page we, the reader, are greeted by an energetic if sl...

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Name: Rhiannon Cook
27 June 2018;

Genre: Adventure

Told with Julian Clary's distinctive warmth and affection, The Bolds in Trouble is a very enjoyable romp with a clear message about the human impact on nature and consideration for the world's animals. In this wonderfully silly story, the Bolds hit a snag: there's a wild - and not especially nice...

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Name: Carmen Smyth
27 June 2018;

Genre: Adventure

From the duo who created The Night Gardner comes an equally elegant and poignant picture book that tackles bereavement and memories. Like The Night Gardner, the book has a other-worldly feel to it, this time taking shape through the dream world of a little boy whose grandfather, we learn, has di...

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Name: Carol Bright
26 June 2018;

Genre: Adventure

Young children will love finding out about jungle creatures with these smart 'snappy' pop-up books. Each of the five spreads features a pop-up bird, animal or reptile (a crocodile, hippo, toucan, orangutan and a leopard), but the pages are split so you don't know which mix of animals you will fin...

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Name: Alice Young
25 June 2018;

Genre: Baby & Toddler Books

Play is the latest book in the series that follows a little chimp, Bobo, who gets up to all sorts of mischief as he introduces very young children to different ideas. The earlier books are Hug, Yes and Tall and they each use very minimal text to explore the word of the title. In Play, it is Bob...

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Name: Alice Young
25 June 2018;

This is a wonderfully energetic story for toddlers and pre-schoolers, which builds up to all the excitement of a special celebration through its bouncy text, busy sounds and exuberant young characters. From the moment Ellie and Lump wake up, they are on the go - bouncing on the bed, eating bre...

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Name: Melanie Chadwick
21 June 2018;

Genre: Adventure

One night adrift on the ocean with only a stolen wetsuit and his dreams and determination to keep him alive, Kai faces some hard truths about himself and the choices that have led him to the brink of death. The tale is told mainly through the eyes of Kai and his 'will-they-or-won't they' girlf...

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Name: Laura Taylor
18 June 2018;

Genre: Adventure

A fantasy story that is perhaps something of a surprising departure from her recent controversial YA novels 'Only Ever Yours' and 'Asking for it', Louise O'Neill's latest novel is a re-imagining of Hans Christian Andersen's Little Mermaid story. The Disney version of the story may be the more fam...

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Name: Max Age 10
18 June 2018;

Genre: Real life

The main character (Budi) has a simple dream to one day play football in front of an audience and be a star - but with no money, a medical condition and a boring job stitching shoes, Budi is tied down by reality. Yet with help from his best friend and all the stories his grandparents give him, he...

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Name: Kyle Matravers
14 June 2018;

Genre: Representation & Inclusion

Who is the best? Reds? Blues? Yellows? Mixed is a refreshing take on the importance of respecting and valuing everyone, regardless of colour. The story begins with three colours (red, blue and yellow) and their own personalities. All live in harmony until, one day, the reds de...

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