Bob the Dog Gets a Job Tracey Hammett
Category: Book review
Ebb and Flo and the Sea Monster Jane Simmons
Ebb and Flo and the Sea Monster by Jane Simmons
Paperback published by graffeg 26th May 2022
Size of large paperback 250 x 250mm
ISBN 97811802580730
Pages 36
A journey home from Granny’s house turns into a big adventure when the family’s boat is stranded and they have to camp out for the night. Ebb and Flo keep a lookout for the mythical Morgawr, but sea monsters don’t really exist do they?
An enchanting seaside tale about the myth of a local sea monster.
MY REVIEW
All grannies love reading to young children !
While Flo is at her Grannies house, her grannie reads Flo a story from the newspaper of sightings of the Morgawr Sea Monster.
On the way home by boat Flo looks out for the sea monster. And Ebb the dog drops his ball in the sea.
Flo and her mum, with Ebb the dog are on their way home and stop of on the sand to make a camp for the night before setting of agin to go home. Flo and Ebb see a really dark big shadow appearing over the sea and sand. But sea monsters don’t really exist do they?
This is a lovely illustrated children’s book to add to the collection of Ebb and Flo series.
The other books in the collection of this series are,
Ebb and Flo and Their New Friend
Ebb and Flo and the Sea Monster
Ebb and Flo and the Baby Seal
Ebb and Flo and the Greedy Gulls.
About Author Jane Simmons
Before I could walk I was painting and drawing. I was desperate to go to school and cried after my first day, because they hadn’t taught me how to read and write in one day. When I was a child, I painted, drew and wrote all the time as I moved with my family around the world, living in houses, flats and camper vans moving from school to school, sometimes home ed., and back to school again. We always had animals, usually strays we picked up on the way and they were often my closest friends. I have continued to travel, write, draw and paint, always with animals, living in squats, tents, vans and boats. As a mature student I studied a BA in illustration at Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge and won the highest awards given in the Macmillan Children’s Book Prize for both my final two years. I had a great success with the DAISY picture books and EBB AND FLO, whose characters were brought to life on television.
I am now, after many years of living on an old fishing boat with my husband whilst travelling around the Mediterranean(the same one featured in SHIP’S CAT DORIS and EBB and FLO), have settled with three rescued dogs, a horse and 4 donkeys in a barn we’re converting in France.
Rita Wants a Genie Maire Zepf
Rita Wants a Genie by Maire Zepf
Illustrated by Mr Ando
Paperback published by Graffeg 28th April 2022
Size of paperback 250 x 250mm
ISBN 9781802580464
Pages 28
Meet Rita. She’s a little girl with very big ideas. Rita wants a genie who will obey her every command and give her all that she dreams of. Alacazam! Alacazee! Zim! Zam! Alacazoo! But what if someone else gets their hands on the genie?
MY REVIEW
It’s great to see Rita back again!
Rita wants a genie as it will do anything you ask no matter what. The only thing is a genie will obey anyone who rubs the lamp. This story children will love its as full of special magic. I highly recommend Rita Wants series as they are so much fun.
This is a fabulous book to add the collection of the book series.
The other books in the series are
Rita Wants a Dragon
Rita Wants a Robot
Rita Wants a Ninja
Rita Wants a Fairy Godmother
Rita Wants a Witch
Rita Wants a Genie.
Máire Zepf has written 12 books for children, from picture books to a YA verse novel. Winner of the KPMG Children’s Book of the Year, the Réics Carl Award and a White Raven in 2020, her books appear in 8 languages worldwide. The Co. Down author was the first Children’s Writing Fellow for Northern Ireland and is Artistic Director for Quotidian.
Andrew Whitson is an award-winning artist and Belfast native who likes to be called Mr. Ando! He lives in an old house which is nestled discreetly on the side of a misty hill; at the edge of a magic wood, below an enchanted castle in the shadow of a giant’s nose. His house looks down over Belfast Harbour where the Titanic was built and up at the Belfast Cavehill.
Imagine Eating Lemons Jason Rhodes
IMAGINE EATING LEMONS BY JASON RHODES
ILLUSTRATOR RICHARD DEARING PAPERBACK
PUBLISHED BY GRAFFEG 16TH JUNE 2022.
ISBN 9781802580891
Pages 36
Follow Chester’s journey as he gains a clearer understanding of his thoughts and feelings through the practice of mindfulness. With vibrant instructions and playful rhyme we discover some of the simple benefits of mindfulness and how we can use it to settle our busy everyday minds.
MY REVIEW
Chester Chestnut is a happy little chap, but sometimes even the happiest of chaps get worried or nervous and when this happens Chester’s tummy starts to hurt. Follow the journey of Chester Chestnut as he learns about his anxious thoughts and feelings, where they come from and how to control them.
Imagine Eating Lemons, is an important book for children, as they often suffer from anxiety, or feeling nervous with having to do something at school.
This book shows children what they can do when they find themselves in a situation of feeling nervous of how they can simply gain the confidence they need, to do what ever they want to. This book is an introduction to mindfulness and mental health, with nice and exercises, aimed for children, with anxiety problems.
About author Jason Rhodes
Jason Rhodes came to write the children’s bookImagine Eating Lemons as part of a much larger vision. He wants to educate the younger generation with the simple tools needed to help manage their thoughts and feelings, resulting in a much more peaceful and connected world. Having suffered from extreme anxiety himself for many years he discovered the practice of mindfulness and life quickly began to change. He has now ended his career as a film actor and decided to focus all of his energy on helping to spread awareness of this life-changing practice.
About Illustrator Richard Dearing
Richard Dearing is a digital illustrator based in Bristol, UK. In the past, Richard has created illustrations for Swedish Prog band PreHistoric Animals, Californian wine company Stella Rosa, musician Von Geigerfelt and the card game “Exploriana”. He was also featured in the Broken Frontier Award nominated Jeremy Corbyn Comic, for Selfmadehero and in the Amazing Adventures Exhibition in London April 2019.
Lord of the Forest Caroline Pitcher
LORD OF THE FOREST BY CAROLINE PITCHER
ILLUSTRATIONS BY JACKIE MORRIS
HARDBACK PUBLISHED BY GRAFFEG 15th SEPTEMBER 2022
Hardback Size 365 x 270mm
ISBN 9781802581645
Pages 32
Everything little Tiger hears is new and exciting. When he tells his mother of the sounds all around him she reminds him when you don’t hear them, my son, be ready. The Lord of the Forest is here ! But who is the Lord of the Forest, and when will Tiger find out?
MY REVIEW
Lord of the Forest is a beautiful extra large hardback book. The pictures inside are amazing they look like paintings of animals on each page. Tiger was born fluffy and small. Every time he could hear something his mother would say, “When you don’t hear the forest, then my son, Tiger is still listening for the silence, still waiting for the Lord of the Forest. But who is the Lord of the Forest? Every animal that Tiger meets, they all claim to be the Lord of the Forest. The ending is a big surprise and beautiful.
All children are going to adore this adventure of Lord of the Forest.
About author Caroline Pitcher
Caroline Pitcher is an award-winning author who celebrates through writing, like living life twice. She has written many novels and stories, including the picture books The Snow Whale, The Time of the Lion, Mariana and the Merchild, Nico’s Octopus, The Littlest Owl, Time for Bed, Home Sweet Home and The Winter Dragon.
About Illustrator Jackie Morris
Jackie Morris is an artist, writer and painter. She lives and works in Wales and her work is informed and inspired by wild places and creatures. Her books include The Lost Words, co-created with Robert Macfarlane and recipient of The Greenaway Award for illustration, The Lost Spells, also with Macfarlane and How The Whale Became written by Ted Hughes.
Praise for the Lord of the Forest
An outstanding example of the art of the picture book in which the combined qualities of text, illustration, typography and book design are brought together in almost perfect combination. School Librarian.
A lovely lyrical fable Morris’s beautiful watercolours of animals in their natural habitat further distinguish this story about grace, humanity and identity. Kirkus Reviews.
The Invention Julie Hubery
THE INVENTION BY JULIA HUBERY ILLUSTRATIONS BY JAMES MUNRO
Large paperback published by graffeg 21st July 2022
Size 250 x 250mm
ISBN 9781802580907
Pages 36
Caretaker’s daughter Fili is sad to see her city neighbours hustle in and out, too busy to talk. But will feeling sad help or is it a bit more imagination needed? Fili gets to work creating a mysterious something that just might build little bridges between them all.
MY REVIEW
This book The Invention, has the most fabulous illustrations I have ever seen!
A caretakers daughter Fili is making an invention of her own, but doesn’t know what it will do, or how it will work. I absolutely love the idea that Fili sends everyone an invitation to come to her invention party.
Julia Hubery was born in Stamford and trained as an architect. She loves the countryside and nature, finding it a pool of inspiration to draw on in her writing. Julia now lives in Gosport with her husband and three children and hopes one day to get back to doing pottery – once her children have all grown up! She has published 16 picture books, translated into many languages, including When Granny Saved Christmas, A Little Fairly Magic and That’s What Friends are For.
James Munro has been drawing since he could grasp a pencil. Since then, everything in his path has fallen prey to his doodles, from books and magazines to films and animations. He lives and works in a pile of pencil shavings and spilled ink in Liverpool. James’ ambition is to one day have a shed like Fili’s father.
Foodie bags ideal for carrying shopping with surprises inside
Today I want to show you something different. I have a foodie bag, that’s big enough and strong enough to carry heavy shopping.
What I like a about this foodie bag is that it comes with beautiful cards that have 8 food designs on.
4 big cardboard designs to take pictures on, that I’m using quite regularly to take pictures of my books on.
Here today I have used some of extra large printed cardboard to take my pictures of some of my food that I brought with my favourite meal, pasta bolognese, with tin tomatoes, and mushrooms.
Plus inside this foodie bag I have a large reflector inside a carrying case, that I have found extremely helpful taking pictures outside in the sun when I get shadows it stops the sun giving them shadow lines. This fabulous big reflector folds up and fits into the black zip up case. I’m so pleased with my foodie bag with lots of these goodies inside and I have a fabulous bag to carry my shopping to my car.
Inside the bag has a zip pocket to put my purse and keys for when I go shopping. There is also inside a large net pocket to put packets of food in.
Here is the link where I got my big foodie bag from with the reflector and food cards and the colourful cardboard to take my picture on.
https://cottonbagco.co.uk/?s=Foodie+bags
I really love this company that supply Selfie bags, foodie bags, that I now want to get one of their paper bags. And here’s links where I’m looking at their paper bags.
Mula and the Snooty Monkey Lauren Hoffmeier
A FUN YOGA STORY MULA AND THE SNOOTY MONKEY BY LAUREN HOFFMEIER
ILLUSTRATED BY ELA SMIETANKA HARDBACK PUBLISHED BY SWEET CHERRY PUBLISHING 8th March 2022
Hardcover pages 32
ISBN 9781782267607
4-6years
Svadi is a very snooty monkey. But when he hears the jungle beat, Svadi stops worrying about how he looks. He is ready to move his hips and sings the songs inside his heart!
MY REVIEW
Mula and the Snooty Monkey is a fun yoga story for children aged 4 to 6 years. Mula the tiger likes to do yoga but the snooty monkey Svadi tells Mula he looks silly doing yoga. But Mula doesn’t care because it’s fun, doing yoga, he doesn’t care how he looks. when Svadi hears some tapping he begins to move. This book is great helping children with simple yoga moves. Plus if you buy the book, there’s a code to scan to hear the story.
Lauren Hoffmeier was raised in the heart of New York City with a performance background in opera and musical theatre. She is a certified vinyasa yoga instructor and graduate of Boston University. In this brilliant world of oddballs and misfits, she aims to inspire positivity by encouraging an international mindset of joy and uniqueness.
You can find author Lauren Hoffmeier on
Twitter @LaurenHoffmeier
Instagram laurenhoffmeier
https://www.laurenhoffmeier.com/
M is for Mummy Katy Cox
M IS FOR MUMMY BY KATY COX
Hardback published by Corvus 5th May 2022
Pages 384
ISBN 9781838953133
Your family doesn’t fit the mould.
So what?
Lucy had it all, an exciting career, a rock star husband, great friends, and pelvic floor mussels that could crack a walnut. And then she had kids.
Since giving birth to her second child, Lucy’s life is totally unrecognisable: the romance in her marriage is officially dead and so is the career it took her years to build.
Instead of playing the cello behind superstars at packed-out arenas, Lucy now spends most days mopping up broccoli vomit whilst listening to her four-year-old recite facts about the gallbladder. Something needs to change.
With a little help from her friends, Lucy comes up with a plan to get her life on track, claw back her career and help her extraordinary son to find his place in an ordinary world.
MY REVIEW
What I like about this book is how the author has invented a mother, that every mother can relate to in one way or another.
I have two daughters, that are fully grown up now, but I remember how difficult it was to run baths, washing and ironing, cooking and cleaning with not much time for myself.
Here we find Lucy a stay at home mother, committed to looking after her demanding son while expecting another baby, with being up at 6.30am in the morning to see her husband Ed set off to play his guitar live on TV.
I did feel quite sympathetic towards Lucy as she found it hard to loose the weight after her second baby. After both of my daughters were born I immediately lost the weight, but I know a few mothers don’t, this one of the reasons why this story is so relatable.
I was really happy for Lucy as she is finally going to have time for herself, getting her escape back into playing her cello, at a gig.
I found the story full of humour with a diet plan, that left me feeling heartbroken for Lucy, when her diet plan leaves her frustrated.
Although author Katy Cox has based her life as a professional musician and a mum of boys, on the main character, I can honestly say that M IS FOR MUMMY, is one those page turning stories that has plenty of laugh out situations, plus with lots of other mixed emotions.
With my fast forward thinking I’m wondering what will author Katy Cox write about next time?
My memories of this hilarious story is sealed inside me, that’s why for me I just can’t resist giving this funny novel five big stars!
About author Katy Cox
Katy Cox is a Welsh professional musician who has performed with artists including Michael Bublé, Elton John, Paul Weller and Take That.
After the birth of her first child, Katy took a break from touring and swapped a life of wild backstage parties and 4 a.m. lobby calls for one spent burping babies and mopping up broccoli vomit. As an alternative creative outlet to performing on the world’s biggest stages, Katy started writing and illustrating a comedy blog called ‘Carry On Katy,’ and for two consecutive years, she was voted through to the finals of the Britmum’s ‘Brilliance In Blogging’ awards alongside some absolute legends like ‘The Unmumsy Mum.’
Katy is a mum of two incredible autistic boys who blow her tiny mind on a daily basis. Her sons can identify any country of the world by shape alone, yet she still can’t point out France or Germany on a map without the help of Google.
But don’t pity her.
She might not be a geography expert, but she can make an orgasmic lasagne, play a mean Twinkle Twinkle on the recorder and, unbeknownst to many, she was awarded a ballroom dancing medal at the age of nine for a mesmerising performance of the Cha Cha Cha with an eighty-year-old woman.
‘M is for Mummy’ is Katy’s first novel.
Here is the link to the hardback M is for Mummy.
The Great Fox Illusion Justyn Edwards
THE GREAT FOX ILLUSION BY JUSTYN EDWARDS
Paperback published by Walker 7th April 2022
Pages 228
ISBN 9781529501940
Secrets and illusions abound as a group of young magicians competes for the prize of a lifetime in this gripping adventure, the first in an enthralling new series from debut author Justyn Edwards.
Magic is about dreaming what is impossible and making it possible. It’s the innocent young mind in all of us that loves it. We want to be filled with wonder; we want to believe. I want the winner of this competition and the recipient of my legacy to dare to dream big. So, let The Great Fox Hunt begin.” Thirteen-year-old Flick Lions has won a place on a new television show, in which young people compete to win the legacy of the Great Fox, one of the world’s most famous magicians. But Flick isn’t interested in uncovering the Great Fox’s tired old magic tricks – she’s after something much more important. The magician destroyed her family, and this is Flick’s only chance to put things right. Inside the Fox’s house is a secret that will change the world of magic for ever, and Flick will go to any lengths to find it.
MY REVIEW
The Great Fox Illusion book, is an ideal story for me as I love watching magic tricks on Britain’s Got Talent, and often wonder how that magician do that.
I loved idea that this fictional story is full of magic tricks and although this novel is set for 9 + it’s quite easily suitable for adults too. I myself thoroughly enjoyed it all with its magic and mystery.
The Great Fox Hunt was a new TV show about solving the magic tricks in a dead magician’s house. It was hosted by another magician who wanted to get his hands on his rival’s illusions.
The Great Fox and Flick Lions father had been rivals. Felix father had been a highly skilled magician that had big shows on Blackpool Pier and the Fox was performing in London. Chanel Seven visited both shows but the Chanel chose the Fox to work on their new TV show. Sadly as Felix’s father couldn’t find any work he left home.
A magic trick will be performed, then questions will be asked how the trick was done. Felix didn’t care about winning the competition. The Great Fox had destroyed her family and all she wanted to do is to get the Bell System back that her father had invented.
Felix’s dad, taught her all of his secrets, and she knew how all the tricks were done. Her father designed the most amazing trick that had ever been created and the Great Fox had stolen it, and Felix was at the magic show to get the Bell System back. Although Felix had only one leg it was the love of magic that kept her going.
A fantastic page turning experience! Congratulations to the author Justyn Edwards who has pressed all the right buttons for me, as there isn’t a book like this with magicians anywhere.
If you want to know how tricks are done then this is the book for you.
I recommend snapping up this book as everyone is talking about The Great Fox Illusion.
I would like to thank Walker books for sending me this fabulous new book by Justyn Edwards
About author Justyn Edwards
Bookread2day 