Marv, a young magician, had a slight accident with his last magic trick, so he’s chucked it all in. However, when a self-aware magic book turns up to help him, he can’t not have another go, sometimes, with even more disastrous consequences. Marv first started doing magic because of his Grandad Jim, who said he…
An attractive book that features 20 inspirational stories of world-changing women in STEM. The women come from around the world and the time frame spans from ancient Mesopotamia to the present. Some, such as Mary Anning and Rosalind Franklin, are well-known, but others were new to me, such as Tapputi Belatekallim and Inge Lehmann.…
This book explores the life of a nightly mountain ash tree. As it says on the back cover ‘A Magnificent exploration of a mighty tree, from its roots to the tips of its upper branches’. Each page of this book has been beautifully illustrated by Jess Racklyeft, supporting Claire’s text and the book develops the…
A decidedly quirky and humorous story about a family of criminals; that is with the exception of the son, Theo, who can’t tell lies and does not want to be involved with theft. So, when his mum and dad seem determined to steal a famous diamond, Theo and his sister have to break their gran…
Aisha is waiting impatiently for the crescent moon to show itself, because this signals the end of Ramadan – the festival of Eid-al-Fitr. Her brother Samir comes back from the mosque with the news that the crescent moon has been spotted in the sky and Eid is definitely tomorrow. Aisha was particularly excited because family…
Another brilliant combination of Barrington Stoke and the stellar Katherine Woodfine. It is the fourth of her titles in the Little Gems series, for the younger reader. It tells the story of the young Lottie Dod, who loves tennis, but is constantly being told that women cannot play as well as men. However, with grit…
An upbeat book that presents 365 facts that brighten every day of the year. The Founder of The Happy News has the knack of selecting positive pieces of information. The artwork helps create a joyous mood with bright colours and attractive illustrations. Here are some entries that caught my eye: A blue wale’s tongue is…
The latest collaboration between Susan Martineau and Vicky Barker uses their trademark visual and verbal humour to explore the vast world of dinosaurs. While many books focus on naming the different types of dinosaur, this one answers some of the questions not often asked, for example about the growth of baby dinosaurs or just how…
Another delightful tale of the ‘Story Shop’ by the hugely funny talent that is Tracey Corderoy. This series feels like a ‘Mr Benn’ for the modern age and this fourth in the series brings us the adventures of Suzy Sloth as she becomes a detective for a day. There are three separate stories, taking our…