Pages

Wednesday 29 May 2013

Zoe and Beans - Hello Oscar by Chloe & Mick Inkpen‏


My Review

Zoe and Beans - Hello Oscar is a super cute little book that will have you laughing out loud throughout!

The illustrations are absolutely stunning - Zoe and Oscar have the cheekiest but cutest little faces ever! We loved looking at all the animals and we were excited to see which animal was going to appear next!

The storyline is super fun and it follows little Zoe and her dog Beans - they are outside playing when along comes a guinea pig and then some more animals. Eventually along comes a parrot that says "Hello Oscar" constantly, which makes Zoe kinda mad. But who is Oscar anyway?

This has a surprising little ending that is sure to put smiles on faces everywhere. We simply adored everything about Zoe and Beans and we will definitely be looking out for more of their adventures.

5/5 Stars!

*Special thanks to Macmillan for the review copy*

Check Zoe and Beans - Hello Oscar out on Amazon

Monday 27 May 2013

I Love My Daddy by Giles Andreae & Emma Dodd


My Review

"I love my daddy, yes I do, He's very kind - and funny too."

Aw, this is yet again another adorable book from a really amazing author/illustrator duo!

I think this would be appealing to a wide age range but my 6 month old seems to love it the most. He babbles away when we are reading it and we really do have the best of fun! The rhyming quality to this book makes it so beautiful to be read out loud, I really do think it holds attentions better!

The relationship between father and child is really special and this stunning little book showcases that brilliantly. We are taken along on wild and super fun adventures and everything winds down so perfectly at the end for a lovely bedtime cuddle and story!

The illustrations are sooo good, which I have come to expect with the super talented Emma Dodd! They are BIG, bold, bright and super duper cute!

This is another favourite for our favourites shelf!

A BIG 5 Stars!

*Special thanks to Orchard for the review copy*

Check this book out on Amazon.




Friday 24 May 2013

Bubble & Squeak by James Mayhew & Clara Vulliamy - Review & Interview


My Review

Bubble and Squeak are two fabulous new characters that were both a joy to get to know!

Bubble is a super talented and very famous circus performer! But fame isn't everything and more than anything else Bubble just wants a friend!

Squeak is a brave little mouse who just wants a place to call home. He sees Bubble preform and can't quite believe his eyes. He stays hidden around the circus so he can watch her some more.

But when Bubble and squeak's worlds collide they become the best pair of unlikely Friends.

This is a touching, thrilling and very exciting story that lets little people know that friendships can be found in the most unlikely of places, and also in all different shapes and sizes.

Clara Vulliamy and James Mayhew are simply a match made in heaven and we simply loved everything about this book - especially the outcome!

Bubble and squeak are brought so beautifully to life with Clara's fabulous illustrations. They  are big, bold, bright and quite simply wonderful!

Another big winner for our favourites shelf!

A BIG 5 Stars!

*Special thanks to Orchard for the review copy*

Check this book out on Amazon

Now, I have something a little bit special for you all today. Clara and James interview each other for a super fun guest post! I really hope you enjoy reading it as much as we did! A big thank you to James and Clara for doing the post! :) x

Three questions for James from Clara: 

1. Please introduce Bubble & Squeak! Can you tell everybody a little about the story? 

Bubble the elephant is a famous star and Squeak is just a very small, rather lost little mouse. In the story, Bubble is terribly lonely, performing every day for Mr Magnifico's theatre show, endlessly moving on to another town. When Squeak sees her for the first time, he adores her, but hasn't the courage to speak. He hides away and travels with them. Mr Magnifico discovers his cheese is being nibbled, and he knows elephants don't like mice. But if he catches Squeak, how will our little mouse ever get to meet Bubble? To say more would spoil the story, but the end is VERY exciting!


2. Usually you both write and illustrate your books. What do you like about collaborating on a book with someone else? 

It's extraordinary how much you can learn from working closely with someone as I have done with you, Clara. We spark ideas off each other and they grow much faster than when on my own. And I admire your skills hugely - you are an inspiration! It's also exciting to see characters you imagined take on a life of their own. Magical really. Working by yourself can be satisfying. But it can be lonely and limiting. Collaborating on Bubble and Squeak has been wonderfully creative and most of all, delicious fun!

3. Describe a perfect day that Bubble and Squeak might spend together. 

I think Bubble likes to lie in which makes Squeak rather impatient. He would love a picnic in the country, perhaps a boat on the river, lots of cheeses to choose from, and a wind up gramophone to accompany them. Bubble would prefer to take tea at the Ritz I think, followed up by a box at the opera. She would take lots of tissues to blow her trunk if it was a sad opera.

But TOGETHER what they would love most of all would be to go to the seaside and eat ice cream and lollies and go beach combing. Squeak would find shells for a necklace for Bubble and she would build a sand castle for him to take a little nap in. Of course she would need her parasol to keep the sun off her. But a snooze in the sun, listening to the waves lapping, would be bliss after the Pyramid of Peril! I think the Riviera beckons!

Three questions for Clara from James:

1. Please can tell us about Bubble's luxury perfumes, hats and furnishings. Is this inspired by how you live yourself? 

I think that Bubble has perfumes carried all the way from Paris by a flock of birds, and hats hand-stitched by tiny mice. Her train carriage is decorated in pink velvet and gold, with a plate always piled high with the most delicious cakes. But OF COURSE this is just how I live myself!
In my imaginary world, that is.

2. Now Squeak. You created a magical matchbox bed for him in the book. What else would you like to make for him, now he's part of the team? 

I wonder if Squeak – in his navy jacket with brass buttons – has a rather nautical look about him? Perhaps he would like a little boat to set sail in, made out of an empty bonbon box, with a cake wrapper for a sail. If the river was too big and the sea was too wild, he could float happily around in Bubble’s bubbly bathtub!

Or a teeny tiny train carriage, to be attached behind Bubble’s, all decorated in silver and blue?

3. Where do you think Bubble and Squeak will go next? 

After their blissful travels you describe in my third question for you, I think how lucky they are! What could possibly be nicer?

 I feel they would LOVE New York – jumping in and out of yellow cabs, visiting all the very fanciest shops, waving to their fans from the top of the Empire State, and performing on Broadway, of course…

Wednesday 22 May 2013

Skullbones Island: Pirate Time written by Fiona Munro & illustrated by Sharon Harmer‏



 My Review

Pirate Time is super fun and is simply perfect for all those little pirate fans out there!

This is a lovely board book that has a big clock with moveable hands at the top, I really liked that the hands clicked into place and don't move again because kids can get a little frustrated when the time moves while they are trying to show you.

Each page shows a time and tells us what the pirates are doing at that time - kids will then have a blast putting their clock to the correct time! This is a really fun and easy way to introduce telling the time!

The illustrations are excellent and we really enjoyed going on adventures alongside the pirates.

At the end of the book there are lots of different times to do and there is no picture of the clock, so kids can practice what they have learn't throughout the book.

Because this is a Ladybird book there is a lovely little ladybird on each page to discover - which is always super!

4/5 Stars!

*Special thanks to Ladybird for the review copy*

Carly

Sunday 19 May 2013

Baby it's You written by Ruth Redford & illustrated by Amy-Lou Sharpe


My Review

Aw, Baby it's You is such a super fun 1st activity book for babies everywhere. Thank goodness it's a very sturdy board book because my son just seemed to hammer and chew on the pages for the first little while. But now he gets all excited when he sees it coming and babbles away when we're looking through it!

What I loved about this was the little Hello Mummy section on each page - each page has a different fun thing to try and do with baby, from exercises to rhymes.

Everything is bright, bold and beautiful - each page will either have something shiny or textured to find, discover and enjoy. Babies will adore exploring each exciting page.

My son's favourite bits would have to be the cuddly sheep, he loves to feel her wooly coat and of course he loves to look at himself in the big mirror at the back! After doing the copycat movements he was sticking his tongue out all day long lol!

This is a really big winner for us and we would definitely recommend it!

A BIG 5 Stars!

*Special thanks to Red Fox for the review copy*

Carly

Check tjis book out on Amazon

Zoe and Beans - How Many Pets? by Chloe & Mick Inkpen


My Review

Yay! We simply adore this super fun counting board book! It has a beautiful rhyming quality to it, that makes reading out loud a real treat!

The illustrations are fabulous and I really do think Zoe is simply the most adorable little girl ever! The animals are super cute too and we loved to turn each page to see which animal we were going to discover next.

Counting can be fun and this super little book proves that point perfectly. And really what couldn't be better than counting fuzzy animals?

This board book is super strong - which is perfect for rough little fingers and sometimes mouths. We really cnnot wait to go on more adventures with Zoe and Beans!

A BIG 5 Stars!

*Special thanks to Macmillan for the review copy*

Check this book out on Amazon

Thursday 16 May 2013

The Wonky Donkey by Craig Smith & Katz Cowley


My Review

Ha! This is quite possibly the best picture book EVER! I definitely think I enjoyed this more than the kids. We adore funny books and this is hilariously funny and rhymes in a sing songy way - which is awesome!

Did I just say sing song? Yes, that's right this is also sung and the CD is even included with this book! What a fabulous addition the CD is , we love singing along to the super silliness. On a more serious side - this is a great way to help kids remember.

The illustrations are crazy and we love looking at Wonky Donkey, who was brought to life so fabulously throughout.

The storyline follows a rather cheeky old donkey on his wild and super fun adventures. He gets up to all sorts of mischief and kids (and adults) will be itching to turn the pages to discover what trouble he's going to get up to next.

We can't urge everyone enough to go pick up this fantastic book, we recommend it very highly indeed.

A BIG 5 Stars!

*Special thanks to Hodder for the review copy*

Check this book out on Amazon

Tuesday 14 May 2013

Egg by Alex T. Smith‏


My Review

Egg is a very humourous and witty book that had us wondering with suspicions throughout,

Foxy DuBois is a very cheeky old fox indeed and we loved watching her hatch a cunning plan on poor unsuspecting Egg.

The storyline is put together so wonderfully and follows Foxy DuBois and her plans to turn the little egg into a BIG breakfast for herself. But things don't quite go to plan....

We laughed out loud at the turning of the tables at the end and we very quickly went back and read it all over again.

The illustrations are brilliant and we loved watching little Egg grow throughout the super bight pages. We also especially liked looking at all the delightful treats that Foxy laid out on the table to fatten Egg up!

4/5 Stars!

*Special thanks to Hodder for the review copy*

Carly :)

Check this book out on Amazon

Monday 13 May 2013

Lion vs Rabbit by Alex Latimer‏


My Review

Can we get a big YAY for overcoming a big mean bully?! We do love a brill outcome for the little people!

Lion Vs Rabbit is a brilliant story that is full of wit, fun, humour and very sneaky behaviour.

The illustrations are big, bold, bright and quite simply fabulous. We adored looking at the fun little rabbit on every page!

The storyline follows a very mean Lion who always bullies all the other animals. So, they decide to take matters into their own paws and hire someone to MAKE him stop! Quite a few animals turn up but they fail. Then a little rabbit turns up and Lion thinks he is a laughing matter - but could the little guy pack a big punch?

The ending is soooo unexpectedly good it will put smiles on faces everywhere!

4/5 Stars!

*Special thanks to Red Fox for the review copy*

Carly :)

Check this book out on Amazon or Goodreads

Sunday 12 May 2013

The Fairytale Hairdresser and Cinderella by Lauren Beard & Abie Longstaff‏


My Review

The Fairytale Hairdresser and Cinderella is the perfect glitzy, glamorous book for all those little girly girls out there.

It is a wonderful twist on our well known fairytale characters. The busy illustrations are a real treat - they are big, bold  and bursting with colour. Little ladies will love looking at all the different ball gowns, hairstyles and all the other sparkly things that are inside.

The storyline follows a fairytale hairdresser, who gets so busy that she has to hire Cinderella to help her out in her shop. When they are invited to do the Queen's hair for the ball, Cinderella bumps into Prince Charming and things really do start looking up...

What little girl doesn't love to read about a little romance and the handsome Prince Charming? This is a fab little book and we will most definitely be going back and getting The Fairytale Hairdresser and How Rapunzel Got Her Prince!

4/5 Stars!

*Special thanks to Red Fox for the review copy*

Carly

Check this book out on Amazon

Saturday 11 May 2013

Princess Polly - I'm a New Big Sister! Written by Amanda Li & Illustrated by Melanie Williamson


My Review

Aw, this is a wonderful little book that introduces becoming a new big sister gently, reassuringly and in a big positive way!

It starts off with mummy's bump, then when mum comes home from hospital and then we are taken through all the very new but exciting things a big sister and baby go through together.

My daughter is very interested in all things babies because she is quite a new big sister herself. I think this really helped her see that other big sisters really aren't too different from herself.

The illustrations are really fun and tell a beautifully colourful story all of their own. We adored watching Princess Polly help out her mum and play with the baby on every page.

There is a press the button to hear the baby giggle, and while this is a  great addition to the book it tends to get annoying when it is pressed repetitively - so I would suggest NOT letting kids take it to bed LOL! :)

Another super fun addition is the lovely little ladybird that is on every page, kids just love to discover her hiding on each page.

4/5 Stars!

*Special thanks to Ladybird for the review copy*

Carly

Check this book out on Amazon

Friday 10 May 2013

Lulu Loves Nursery by Camilla Reid & Ailie Busby‏


My Review

This is a beautiful little book about going to nursery for the very first time, it is handled gently and is very reassuring for nervous little people! It wonderfully teaches kids to be brave when trying new things because new adventures are fun and your mummy will always come back for you!

Lulu is such a sweet little lady and we really enjoyed going on a fun new adventure along side her. My daughters favourite bit was when Lulu managed to make a new friend.

The illustrations really are stunning and we really didn't know which delights to feast our eyes on first.

The ending wraps up perfectly and Lulu is left excited about going to nursery the next day. New things really are fun but sometimes a little scary at the start, this lovely little tale will really help anyone starting nursery believe that too.

A wonderful addition is the cute pull out first day of nursery certificate that is in the back of this book.

4/5 Stars!

*Special thanks to Bloomsbury for the review copy*

Carly :)

Check this book out on Amazon

Thursday 9 May 2013

The Dark by Lemony Snicket & Illustrated by Jon Klassen‏


My Review

Most children (and quite possibly some adults) have a fear of the dark but The Dark so wonderfully and subtly lets kids know that without the dark there can be no light.

It is written so fantastically and we really enjoyed following brave little Lazlo on his quest to conquer his fear of the dark. When reading out loud you can't help but whisper the bits that The Dark says, as that's the creepy way you would expect it to speak.

The illustrations are fabulously quirky and the light and shade made The Dark have the full on creepy effect that it achieved.

My daughter is a little bit of a thrill seeker and she makes me read this again and again before bed, so she can get a little thrill at the middle bit! But on the plus side she doesn't need her light on going to sleep (she has a torch - lol) and it's all because of this brilliant little story.

5/5 Stars!

*Special thanks to Orchard for the review copy*

Carly

Check this book out on Amazon

Tuesday 7 May 2013

Baby Touch - Rainbow! Illustrated by Fiona Land

My Review

Wow, what a big, bold and super bright delight for babies! My son (6 months) adores this book and gets very excited every time we look through it.

It's a very sturdy board book, which is brilliant because babies really do like to eat everything they can manage to get their paws on.

On each coloured page there's a fabulous illustration that is textured - this is a brilliant touch and babies will find it very interesting to discover everything. Also it really helps improve baby's motor skills, reaching and feeling each for each of the different shiny things on every page.

There is a lovely little short rhyming line on every page - which is a huge plus! Everything winds down nicely for sleepy little heads by the end of the book.

This is such a favourite in our house and we manage to pick it up every day. We would definitely recommend it!

5/ 5 Stars

*Special thanks to Ladybird Books for this review copy*

Carly

Check this book on Amazon

Monday 6 May 2013

Babies, Babies, Babies by Catherine and Laurence Anholt‏


My Review

Babies, Babies, Babies is a wonderful book and I'm sure you have guessed is all about babies! It rhymes and flows so beautifully that it is a real joy to read out loud!

The illustrations are super cute and very interesting. On each page there is a hidden funny bunny - which is a big plus because kids will just love searching for the little bunny and feeling a fab when they manage to find him.

My daughter is obsessed with all things babies at the moment, because she has a baby brother - so this was the perfect book for her. She got to discover all the super exciting things that babies love the most.

The ending winds down really nicely for sleepy little bedtime heads.This would be the best read for a new or soon to be big brother/sister.

4/5 Stars

*Special thanks to Orchard for the review copy*

Carly :)

Check this book out on Amazon

Friday 3 May 2013

The Runaway Bunny by Margaret Wise Brown & pictures by Clement Hurd‏


My Review

This is a very simplistic picture book full of the most quirky little illustrations and a great little message!

We enjoyed the storyline as a whole, but my daughter and myself were a little annoyed at the repetitiveness and I found my daughter lost interest in places.

The illustrations are very different indeed and we loved them! I really do think that they are what made the book. On each page with writing there is a black and white picture illustrating what is being talked about, and on the next page there is a big bright illustration of it actually happening!

This story follows a little bunny who just wants to run away! His mother explains that she would do absolutely anything to find and keep him safe again, no matter what tricks he would like to pull.

The ending is truly beautiful. This reassuring little picture book stands out from the crowd and is a real heartwarming tale of a mothers love.

3/5 Stars!

*Special thanks to Harper Collins Children's books for the review copy*

Carly :)

Check this book out on Amazon

Thursday 2 May 2013

My Granny is a Pirate by Val McDermid & Arthur Robins‏



 My Review

My Granny is a Pirate is the perfect book for all those pirate fans out there - which of course we arrrrrr! :)

The best thing about this book is the way it rhymes so beautifully! The super bright and very detailed illustrations are definitely a huge plus! Everything bumps along wonderfully and the storyline is full of fun, adventure, danger and best of all PIRATES!

What couldn't be better than finding out your granny is a pirate. This tale tells us all about a little boy and his wonderful Gran - who has the best adventures as a secret pirate. There is a lot going on in this fab storyline and I can guarantee everyone will have the very best of fun reading this book!

This is a real keeper that we will love reading again and again!

5/5 Stars!

*Special thanks to Orchard for the review copy*

Carly :)

Check it out on Amazon