Picture Books

Lunch on a Pirate Ship – Caryl Hart and Kristina Stephenson

September 14, 2018 by penny Leave a Comment

I’m pretty sure I’m not the only parent out there with a fussy eater. Even if you’re blessed with a child who is prepared to try most things put in front of them, all children still go through phases of refusing to eat something they’ve been given. Even if they ate the same thing happily the day before. That’s what makes Lunch on a Pirate Ship ring so true.

Jack is so busy playing with his toys in the garden that he doesn’t hear his mum calling him in for lunch. By the time he makes it to the kitchen his chips were cold and his baked beans had gone hard. He understandably doesn’t want to eat that, so instead turns his imagination to what it might be like to eat with his pirate friends.

Here begins his food adventures on the high seas. But he soon learns that life as a pirate isn’t necessarily all that great when it comes to food. Pickled crabs and rotten fish aren’t everyone’s first choice at mealtime, so imagine Jack’s delight when he finds cupcakes, jelly and ice cream. But life’s not as simple as it first looks and Jack and the pirates soon realise that they’ve been lured there by a troll who is planning to eat them all for his lunch!

Jack and the pirates return home, realising that mum’s cooking is actually pretty good after all!

Lunch on a Pirate Ship has some lovely, fun illustrations from Kristina Stephenson which go alongside the fast-paced rhyming text by Caryl Hart. It’s a brilliant book to read aloud, either at bed time or to a group of children. It’s also perfect for kicking off discussions with children about food and the different things that they like (or hate) to have served up for lunch or tea.

Lunch on a Pirate Ship was published by Simon & Schuster on 5 July 2018. Paperback ISBN 978-0-85707-942-8 Priced at £6.99. It can be bought online via Amazon here.

Disclaimer: We were sent a copy of Lunch on a Pirate Ship for the purposes of this review. All opinions remain my own. This post contains affiliate links.

Tom’s Magnificent Machines – Linda Sarah & Ben Mantle

September 1, 2018 by penny Leave a Comment

As soon as I opened the package containing Tom’s Magnificent Machines I just knew that Master C would be excited by it. He loves making things and has such a brilliant imagination and combined with that a fantastic understanding of how things work.

I’m going to start with a warning though. Tom’s Magnificent Machines is one of those pictures books that you read and suddenly find yourself with a lump in your throat and something in your eye. It’s beautifully poignant.

Tom lives with his Dad and together they have a pretty special life – sharing a love of making things. Especially things that move. They started simple, but soon moved on to bigger and better inventions which almost took over their house. A house that was full of giggles. Lots and lots of giggles.

But then Tom’s Dad lost his job and everything changed. Gone was the funny, smiling dad that he was used to. The machines that they had made together started to gather dust. When he thought that things couldn’t get any worse Tom’s Dad told him that they could no longer afford to live in their home and they were going to have to move house. Tom was heartbroken.

He knew that he had to do something. Had to come up with a plan to change things. Luckily after lots and lots of thinking he came up with an idea. Something that would make the most of all the inventions that Tom and his Dad had made and hopefully allow them to stay in their home. He just needed to convince his Dad that his plan was worth trying.

Tom’s Magnificent Machines works so perfectly on two totally different levels. Simplistically there’s the amazing inventions that Tom and his Dad have come up with – and Master C absolutely loved these and the way that they are illustrated by Ben Mantle. On a second level there is the partnership between father and son. The two-way love and support between them. It’s simply beautiful. Even if it did have me reaching for the tissues.

Tom’s Magnificent Machines was published by Simon & Schuster on 23 August 2018 Paperback ISBN 978-1-4711-2246-0 Priced at £6.99. Available to buy online here.

Disclaimer: We were sent a copy of Tom’s Magnificent Machines for the purposes of this review. All opinions remain my own. This post contains affiliate links.

How to Nab A Rabbit – Claire Freedman & Monika Filipina

August 17, 2018 by penny Leave a Comment

Kids love the idea that all the different world’s that they encounter in books are all linked together. Little Red Riding Hood and Goldilocks are friends. Harry Potter has met Ben and his Gangster Granny. The logic that the Big Bad Wolf would therefore feature in another book came as being totally normal to Master C. And that’s exactly what happens in How to Nab a Rabbit.

In How to Nab a Rabbit, the Big Bad Wolf himself provides some foolproof tips as to how to get yourself a rabbit for the pot. In the words of the wolf himself:

For hungry wolves, this book is a winner,

It shows you how to catch your dinner.

Love bunny pie and rabbit stew?

They’ll soon become your dream come true.

The Big Bad Wolf covers off all sorts of different tactics, from stalking rabbits to creating holes for them to simply fall in to. He even addresses the most daring tactic of them all – The Love Lure.

Despite his fictional reputation, it seems that the Big Bad Wolf isn’t actually all that successful in nabbing a rabbit. So much so in fact that by the end of How to Nab a Rabbit the Big Bad Wolf has come up with a new idea for a book: How to be a Vegetarian!

I guess it just goes to show that it’s always worth having a back up plan for when things don’t go according to plan.

How to Nab a Rabbit is a proper laugh out loud kids book. With its rhyming verse it’s perfect for reading out loud at bedtime and Master C was chuckling along as I read. Author Claire Freedman knows exactly how to make kids laugh, and Monika Filipina’s accompanying illustrations capture the Big Bad Wolf’s attempts perfectly.

If you’ve enjoyed How to Nab a Rabbit then why not check out some of Claire Freedman’s other books that I’ve reviewed:

How to Nab a Rabbit was published by Simon & Schuster on 9 August 2018. Paperback ISBN 978-1-4711-4451-6 Priced at £6.99. It can be bought online via Amazon here.

Disclaimer: We were sent a copy of How to Nab A Rabbit for the purposes of this review. All opinions remain my own. This post contains affiliate links.

The Night Watch Ninjas – Lilly Roscoe, Lisa & Damien Barlow

August 8, 2018 by penny Leave a Comment

Master C has been a huge fan of Supertato recently, and so it came as no surprise when the first book that he picked out in the latest pile sent from Simon & Schuster was The Night Watch Ninjas.

He instantly fell in love with the idea of Stinker the Stink-Meister Smellykins Skunk being on the loose, although to be honest he didn’t really seem that concerned with capturing him. Instead he was just getting excited about how smelly he was. I guess that’s boys for you!

The Night Watch Ninjas are concerned though. They make it their mission to capture him, despite the skunk’s best attempt to put them off his scent. Stink Bombs and Smelly Cheese won’t beat the ninjas, although a supermarket full of skunks does slow them down a bit. Luckily they remember their training and try to get inside the mind of their opposition. That’s the best way to success in a situation like this.

This is a fantastic, action packed book that Master C absolutely loved. The addition of the membership test for being a member of the Night Watch Ninja Club was a fantastic final part. Master C jumped out of bed and took the test incredibly seriously, jumping around his bedroom like a proper ninja. Well as much as he could in a bedroom that was reading about 28 degrees at the time! He just now wants to know what his first ninja assignment will be.

The Night Watch Ninjas is a great book to appeal to children who love a bit of action in their bedtime stories. Lily Roscoe has done a fantastic job in writing a story that really is packed full of action (and smells) and this is accompanied wonderfully by husband and wife team Lisa and Damien Barlow’s great illustrations.

Watch out for the Night Watch Ninjas (probably with Master C in tow) keeping your town safe from night-time mischief!

The Night Watch Ninjas was published by Simon & Schuster on 12 July 2018. Paperback ISBN 978-1-4711-6467-5 Priced at £6.99. It can be bought online via Amazon here.

Disclaimer: We were sent a copy of The Night Watch Ninjas for the purposes of this review. All opinions remain my own. This post contains affiliate links.

The Secret Sky Garden – Linda Sarah & Fiona Lumbers

June 29, 2018 by penny 1 Comment

There’s a whole range of emotions that go with pregnancy. The thing I found myself sobbing over the other day though was the fact that it means I’ll still be able to keep enjoying picture books with my kids. It’s a stage of parenting that I love. Little Miss C is definitely an independent reader now and somewhat beyond picture books. Master C though is still a huge, huge fan and usually chooses a couple every bedtime. Books like The Secret Sky Garden are ones that I particularly love though. The messages in them are just perfect.

Funni loves playing in the old airport car park. She goes there most Saturdays and either takes hire kite or recorder with her. She loves watching the planes take off and land. She’s learnt to imitate the notes from the tannoy system in the airport terminal on her recorder. She loves looking out over the city.

But, something was missing.

In that beautifully innocent way that only a child could, Funni decides to make a difference. Over the weeks she turns that disused car park into gorgeous garden. She tidies up, plants flowers and creates something really, really special.

But still, something was missing.

One day Zoo is flying into the airport and spots the garden from the aeroplane window. He decides that he needs to find the garden and visit and that’s exactly what he does.

He finds Funni and the beautiful world she has created. They fly kites together and he also brings his harmonica to play alongside her recorder.

Now, nothing is missing.

The Secret Sky Garden is one of those books that really can only be described as beautiful. Linda Sarah’s story, combined with Fiona Lumbers’ gorgeous illustrations are the perfect match. Just like Funni and Zoo. It’s beautiful to see a book celebrating the environment, kindness and friendship like this. It’s the perfect launchpad for a discussion with children about how we can all make a difference in life. An important message for everyone.

The Secret Sky Garden. Written by Linda Sarah and Illustrated by Fiona Lumbers. Published by Simon & Schuster on 28 June 2018. Paperback £6.99 ISBN 978-1-4711-1926-2. Available in bookshops and online.

Disclaimer: We were sent a copy of The Secret Sky Garden for the purposes of this review. All opinions remain my own. This post contains affiliate links.

Supertato Veggies in the Valley of Doom – Sue Hendra and Paul Linnet

June 28, 2018 by penny Leave a Comment

Supertato is a hero in our house. It’s about three years since he first arrived in our family and he’s made quite an impression in that time. Master C still regularly asks for his books at bedtime and still loves them just as much as he did when Supertato first came on the scene.

It was lovely therefore to receive the latest Supertato adventure to review – Veggies in the Valley of Doom.

Once again, we’re back in the supermarket and it’s night-time. The veggies are bored and don’t know what to do until broccoli suggests a game of hide and seek. The veggies all go off and hide whilst Supertato counts.

When they counting is up he sets off and managed to find several of the veggies before carrot finds a treasure map and the seeking steps up a level.

Their adventure takes them down the gardening aisle and then on to the Valley of Doom. But, just why is it called the Valley of Doom? And why does Supertato think they need oven gloves? And why do he and the veggies need too call upon Evil Pea for help? And will Evil Pea actually respond to a request for help?

Not forgetting what is possibly the most important question. Whether or not anyone will actually find broccoli ‘s hiding place.

It’s lovey to welcome Supertato back to our bedtime story time. Any child who has enjoyed his previous adventures will love this particular game of supermarket hide and seek. Sue Hendra and Paul Linnet have again worked their magic in the supermarket’s frozen food aisle.

Superato Veggies in the Valley of Doom, published by Simon & Schuster on 28 June 2018. Paperback ISBN 978-1-4711-7170-3 Priced at £6.99. The book is available in bookshops and also online.

Disclaimer: We were sent a copy of Supertato Veggies in the Valley of Doom for the purposes of this review. All opinions remain my own. This post contains affiliate links.