#Christmas Board Book: Tatty Mouse Christmas by Hilary Robinson, illustrated by Mandy Stanley

Cover art by Mandy Stanley, published by Catch a Star, 14 November 2024,
ISBN: 978-1915167576

I am updating and reposting my original review of this book, both as a Christmas recommendation and in the light of all the research about the importance of sharing books with babies and toddlers, that Frank Cottrell-Boyce has been highlighting since his appointment as Waterstones Children’s Laureate. Tatty Mouse Christmas is a gorgeous, festive, lift-the-flap, board book featuring the ultimate recycler, and is absolutely perfect to share with a young child. Everything about this book shouts quality, from the eye-catching gold foiling and gloss detail on the cover, to the heavy duty card and robust flaps to lift inside. Best of all though is the content produced by the brilliant creative partnership of Hilary Robinson and Mandy Stanley.

Tatty Mouse is an adorably cute character with huge appeal for the youngest children. Her big ears, expressive eyes and complete absorption in her creative endeavours are cleverly designed to grab a young child’s attention. I love the way that illustrator, Mandy Stanley, adds so many interesting details to every picture, both on top of, and under the flaps; my favourite in this book was the inquisitive robin! There is so much content on every page to promote discussion, vocabulary building and general contentment, when this book is shared. Additionally, there is a ‘can you find’ challenge on each page which will encourage further interaction with the pictures.

Allied to the vibrant artwork is Hilary Robinson’s perfectly paced rhyming text. The entire story is told in under 50 words, as we follow Tatty Mouse’s preparations for a Christmas celebration with her friends. When read aloud the text has a perfect rhythm which will, I am sure, encourage multiple repetitions. Toddlers will recognise familiar activities such as cutting paper shapes, painting and baking, and I feel sure that they will enjoy lifting the flaps to find the surprises hidden behind them. Knowing how excitable young children can become as Christmas draws near, I think that Tatty Mouse Christmas would be a lovely, soothing story for parents, carers or nursery staff to share with babies and toddlers.

Disclaimer: I am grateful to the publisher Catch a Star for originally sending me a review copy of Tatty Mouse Christmas. It was my decision to write a review and all opinions are my own. I have subsequently bought copies of this book as gifts.

My reviews of earlier books in this series, Tatty Mouse Super Racer and Tatty Mouse Rock Star can be viewed here.

#MG Review: Secret Crush by Lisa Williamson, illustrated by Jess Bradley

Cover art by Jess Bradley, published by Guppy Books, 12 September 2024, ISBN: 978-1916558298

Secret Crush is the third in the Bigg School series of books written by Lisa Williamson and illustrated by Jess Bradley. I love this series (you will find links to my reviews of the first two books at the end of this blog post). They provide an authentic look at the lives of a group of contemporary Year 7 children, are written at a perfect level for tween readers, with each story highlighting an aspect or issue that affects a children in the transition year from primary to secondary school. Secret Crush is told in the first person voice of Astrid who became Lola‘s new best friend in book one.

Astrid has always embraced her status as a nerdy bookworm who likes nothing more than spending time at the Book Burrow, the independent bookshop in town, where she is on first name terms with the owner. She is obsessed with a series of books called Dragon Tamers written by author TS McCloud. Ever since she was little Astrid has spent her free time writing stories, and one day she hopes to be a published author just like her idol, living in New York City surrounded by cute dogs and writing stories all day every day! She can’t believe her luck when a new boy, Teddy, joins year seven and he shares her passion for the same series.

Teddy joins the Scatty Scribblers club led by librarian Mrs Suleman, and offers to help Astrid edit her work in progress so that she can enter it into a short story writing competition. As Astrid spends more time with Teddy, she starts to notice that her feelings for him are rather more than plain friendship; her racing heart, sweaty palms and uncontrolled blushes indicate a first crush. However, Teddy attentions seem to be directed elsewhere, and Astrid’s behaviour appears rather out of character as she tries to win him over!

I really like the way that Lisa Williamson has portrayed this topic with scenarios that will be completely familiar to many tweens. The attempts at a makeover, the difficulty of talking to parents, the looking for answers in works of fiction and the heartbreak when feelings are not reciprocated are all covered with kindness, humour and good sense. I think it is really important for children to see their lives mirrored in fiction, and I loved that Astrid turned to books for answers to some of her questions. The story also provides lovely models of the support of friends and family in enabling an individual to be resilient in the face of rejection, and the importance of staying true to yourself. The humour, perfect storytelling, doodle-style illustrations and super readable font, all make this an appealing and engaging book for children aged 10+. I highly recommend it to school librarians for both the top end of primary school and years 7 and 8 at secondary school.

Disclaimer: I am very grateful to Guppy Books and Dannie Price PR for sending me a review copy of Secret Crush. It was my decision to review the book and all opinions are my own.

You can read my review of Book 1 Best Friends Forever here.

You can read my review of Book 2 Double Drama here.

#MGReview: Secrets of the Snakestone by Piu DasGupta

Cover art by Studio Helen, publisher Nosy Crow, 14 March 2024, ISBN: 978-1839946318

Secrets of the Snakestone is an exciting, middle grade, historical fiction, which brilliantly combines magic, mystery and history. It is set in late 19th century Paris, a time and city in which wealth and poverty co-exist in close proximity. The two main protagonists Zélie and Jules live on opposite sides of the wealth divide, but combine their unique talents to hunt down the sinister and magical snakestone in this thrilling adventure.

Zélie has grown up in Calcutta, the highly educated daughter of two scientists. However, following her mother’s death, her father has sent her to Paris to work as a housemaid in the opulent home of the Malaise family, with whom he has a mysterious connection. Jules works with his father in the subterranean tunnels beneath Paris, cleaning the sewers, and being more familiar with this dark world than the streets above his head. Their two separate worlds collide when Jules discovers a solid gold locket, one which has never been known to leave the neck of Zélie’s father! Suddenly, they find themselves plunged into a quest to find the cursed and magical object that the locket was designed to hold, and to discover what has happened to Zélie’s beloved ‘Baba’. Their adventure brings them to the attention of a secret society, the members of which are prepared to commit murder to further their own mission, and a fabulous circus which harbours many secrets of its own..

The author, Piu DasGupta, has lived in Paris for many years and she conjures the atmosphere of the city beautifully. I love the way that she presents the light and dark of her historical setting; the sewers beneath the city reflecting the stench of crime and malevolence which underlies some of the wealth exhibited in the salons of the grand streets above. This juxtaposition comes alive in a quote from Victor Hugo’s Les Misérables at the beginning of the book. The relationship between Zélie and Jules is authentically rendered, progressing from a purely transactional arrangement early in the story, to a genuine friendship at the end. Finally, I admired the combination of science and magic in the plot and the exploration of the fine line between the limits of scientific discovery and those phenomena which cannot yet be described in scientific language and therefore might be labelled as magical mysteries.

Secrets of the Snakestone is an enthralling adventure which I highly recommend to readers aged 9-12, I think it would be an excellent addition to school libraries and upper KS2 classroom collections. I purchased this book myself after reading many effusive reviews from bloggers whose judgement I know that I can rely on, and I am only sorry that it has taken me so long to retrieve it from my enormous TBR stack!

#PictureBook Review: Clementine’s Christmas by Annie White

Cover art by Annie White, published by Catch A Star, 10 November 2024, ISBN: 978-1916790056

I was delighted to receive a copy of Clementine’s Christmas in the mail this week having previously enjoyed Clementine’s Bath and Clementine’s Treasure. Just like the previous books in this series, Annie White conveys the joy and chaos that a pet dog can bring to any family situation through her delightful creation Clementine.

The narrative is written in rhyming text but so much of the storytelling is done by the gorgeous illustrations. Clementine really does seem to leap around the pages, always involved in the family activity and generally at the centre of disorder! Here we have the family organising the last minute preparations on Christmas Eve before leaving Granny downstairs to finish her knitting while mum and dad take the children up to bed. It would appear that Clementine has been busily playing with Granny’s wool and I am sure that young children will enjoy tracing the purple loops around the presents, decorations and Christmas tree. Unfortunately, when Granny triumphantly raises aloft her ‘lost’ ball of wool, the Christmas arrangements are left in disarray and Granny’s attempts to put things right lead to some rather peculiar mix-ups with the presents on Christmas morning.

This is a warm, funny, engaging story for children of 3-6 to enjoy during the Christmas season. I am sure that they will enjoy the humour and exploring the many details depicted on every page to chat about with an adult. I have a particular fondness for the chickens pecking away on each spread! I think that children here in the UK will be fascinated by the portrayal of a family wearing summer clothes during the Christmas season (Annie White, the author and illustrator is Australian) and this provides an extra layer of interest to conversations about the story. I certainly highly recommend Clementine’s Christmas to nursery/pre-school and early years teachers as well as to parents and caregivers to share with young children.

Disclaimer: I am extremely grateful to Catch A Star publishing for my gifted copy of Clementine’s Christmas. It was my decision to write a review and all opinions are my own.

#Review: Shadow Creatures by Chris Vick

Published by Zephyr/Head of Zeus,
10 October 2024,
ISBN: 978-1837933167

Shadow Creatures is a powerfully captivating fictional recount of courage in adversity, as remembered by two sisters who survived the German invasion of Norway. Author Chris Vick has written a stunning novel, inspired by his mother’s stories of Norway during WWII, woven through with Norwegian folklore. It is a story that is perfect for readers at the top end of primary school through to the early years of secondary school, as it presents the invasion and occupation experience of children of similar ages. I really liked Chris Vick’s approach to the storytelling; a present-day child asking his grandmother and great aunt about their memories, because this will be familiar to many children who have been asked to do this as a task for their own WWII projects. I am sure that many UK readers will be interested to compare their own family’s experiences of evacuation and rationing to the experiences of those families in Europe who lived under German occupation.

As for the story itself, it unfolds with the heart-pounding, page-turning urgency of a struggle for survival mixed with the desire to fight back against the oppressor with any means possible. Told in alternating chapters by adventurous Livia who was nine at the time of the invasion, and her more cautious elder sister Tove, readers will be transfixed by this fictionalised version of living history. The sisters present a tale of families battling to survive the harsh Norwegian winter, using their knowledge of the landscape to outwit the invaders, forage for food and even provide extra rations for Russian prisoners-of-war being held in camps set up on small offshore islands. With their father and teenage brother away fighting with the Milorg (the resistance), Livia and her heroic friend Agna also act like the legendary shadow creatures, the nisse and nixies and huldra, causing trouble and defying the enemy at every opportunity.

The descriptions of the coastal and forest landscape are captivating, you can practically feel the salt spray and smell the astringent scent of pine mixed with woodsmoke. The methods by which the tiny population of Norway caused so much trouble that they deflected many thousands of German soldiers from fighting on other European fronts are made very clear by this author’s detailed geographical representation. I certainly feel as if I have gained new knowledge and a new appreciation for the hardships that were faced historically by the Norwegians, and reading this book has made me reflect on the situation of those affected by war in our current world. I highly recommend Shadow Creatures to any reader of 10 years and above.

Disclaimer: I am most grateful to Chris Vick for sending me a proof copy of Shadow Creatures. It was my decision to write a review and all opinions are my own.

#NNFN2024: Science is Lit – Crazy Chemistry and Epic Experiments by Big Manny, illustrated by Subi Bosa

Cover art by Subi Bosa, published by Penguin/Puffin Books,
8 August 2024, ISBN: 978-0241653722

National Non-fiction November co-ordinated by the Federation of Children’s Book Groups is a firm fixture on the literary calendar; an entire month to celebrate and promote the astonishing range of non-fiction titles which are published each year. The theme for 2024 is Why Don’t You? which aims to stimulate discussion about hobbies and leisure activities and to encourage children to try something new. I am honoured to join the 2024 blogger’s tour and am going to ask readers – why don’t you take an opportunity to learn more about the subject of chemistry and even try a few experiments at home or in the classroom?

I was thrilled to be asked to review Science is Lit by “TikTok Science Sensation” Big Manny (of whom, I have to admit, I was not aware before picking up this book and subsequently looking him up. Having done so, I found his videos engaging, charming and informative). Many moons ago, I did study A level chemistry and a science degree, so I thoroughly enjoyed seeing the way that this book has presented the subject in a palatable format to interest a youthful readership. I would suggest that the content is ideal for children at the top end of primary school and the early part of secondary school.

The book is divided into eight chapters, each exploring a different aspect of chemistry and containing explanations of concepts and the instructions for experiments with a guide to their difficulty level. However, unlike the science books which were around when I was at school, these chapters have playful names – for example: “Do Me a Solid” and “I Can’t Alkalie” and the difficulty levels are: “Simple Ting”, “Come on Now” and “Big Science”. The vocabulary throughout the book is informal, and particularly text in speech bubbles is written in casual language that might be more familiar to many children than traditionally dry science texts. For example colloquial terms such as “lit”, “ting” and “wagwan” will hopefully make science seem fresh, interesting and relatable to a new generation of future scientists. In contrast to the casual language, for each experiment the formal style of scientific reporting is used: a hypothesis, a list of equipment, the method, the results, a conclusion and an evaluation. Thus the reader’s interest is engaged by the accessible explanations, whilst education in experimental rigour is also provided. At the end of the book there is a quiz to test understanding as well as a comprehensive glossary.

I thoroughly enjoyed the engaging format of Science is Lit and the illustrations created by Subi Bosa, which dispensed a great deal of information, encouraged learning through performing experiments, and clearly indicated when adult involvement was required. The equipment required was generally of the type that could be found in many homes, and this book would also be a great classroom resource. The text is laid out on the page in an easily readable style with clever use of typography to emphasise keywords. It is a book which can be read in any order and I suspect is likely to be a popular choice for those children who enjoy Horrible Histories/Horrible Science style books.

Do check out the other stops on the #FCBG #NNFN Bloggers Tour, look out for the tags on social media, and see whether you can find some other new hobbies this month!

Disclaimer: I was sent a free copy of Science is Lit by Puffin/Penguin Random House, facilitated by FCBG. It was my choice to write a review and all opinions are my own.

#MG Christmas Books: The Christmas Wish-tastrophe by Cariad Lloyd, illustrated by Ma Pe

Cover art by Ma Pe, published by Hachette Children’s Books,
10 October 2024, ISBN: 978-1444971484

The Christmas Wish-tastrophe is a charming, funny, warm-hug-in-a-book which I recommend to my teacher, librarian and parent/care-giver friends as an ideal shared read with children aged 7+ during the approach to Christmas. This review is for the illustrated, hardback edition published in 2024; the story has been published in paperback format in 2025 under the new title of Lydia Marmalade and the Christmas Wish. Either version would make a lovely gift for a young independent reader.

Anyone familiar with Cariad Lloyd’s award-winning Griefcast podcast will not be surprised to learn that this story deals with the theme of grief. However, she treats this topic with a lightness of touch and sparkling wit worthy of the great Jane, in keeping with her work with Austentatious (if you are a Jane Austen fan and have not been to one of their performances, I highly recommend it).

Set in 1812, the story revolves around recently orphaned Lydia Marmalade, who is sent to live with Lady Partridge at Peppomberley,

‘the sort of house your parents might drag you to on a weekend, pretending to enjoy looking at old rooms but really wanting to go to the gift shop and the cafe’. Page 10.

Arriving on 6th December, Lydia is informed that she has until Twelfth Night to prove that she can meet the standards expected of a proper young lady and thus be allowed to remain at Peppomberley…otherwise the workhouse awaits! For Lydia, who has been brought up in a cosy cottage, in a small village, where servants and ballrooms and fancy gowns are non-existent, this feels like a major challenge. Additionally, she has smuggled her adorable sausage dog, Colin, into the house – despite being expressly forbidden to bring him, and is in possession of a headstrong, outspoken personality. Oh, and Lydia has accidentally wished on a winter sprite on St Nicholas Day, and with a wish so immense that Bel, her accident-prone and obstinate sprite is now bound to her and causes mischief and mayhem with abandon, at grand dinners and balls!

Fortunately, Lydia finds allies amongst the servants, in particular with Bertie the stableboy and his aunt Harriet, the cook. Will her friends be able to help her overcome the obstacles she faces in proving herself a worthy member of the Peppomberley household? Can she unravel the mystery of Lady Partridge’s connection with her late mother? And who has stolen the Braun ruby necklace during the Christmas Ball? I am sure that young readers will thoroughly enjoy finding the answers to these questions in a story which shimmers with the magical energy of friendships, family love and holding your deepest bonds in your heart. The book is charmingly illustrated by Ma Pe, which will help youngsters visualise the historical details. For any adults reading the book aloud to children, there are witty asides to the reader and Easter eggs for the Austen fans.

I wholeheartedly recommend The Christmas Wish-tastrophe as an essential addition to Christmas book collections.

Disclaimer: I was sent a copy of this book by publicist Lucy Clayton at Hachette Children’s Books. It was my choice to write a review and all opinions are my own.

This post was updated from the original on 8th December 2025.

#NationalNonFictionNovember: Body Detective! by Janet Krauthamer and Christiane Engel

Cover art by Christiane Engel, published by Barefoot Books, October 2024, ISBN: 979-8888592212

Body Detective! is an engaging, interactive, pull-tab and lift-the-flap board book which provides an early introduction to interoception for young children. Interoception is our internal sense, the way that the body sends signals to the brain about what is going on internally.

This book uses the clever concept of a young girl as a ‘body detective’ setting out to help her friends decode the signals that their bodies are sending. On each double-page spread, the body detective is pictured peering through her magnifying glass to investigate the signs being sent by a friend’s body. Whether it’s a rumbly, grumbly tummy, or a rapidly beating heart and sweaty palms the opposing page will have a pull-the-tab insert which shows the message that the body was sending and how the friend should act in response to the signal. The author, Janet Krauthamer, is a qualified Occupational Therapist and has clearly distilled her clinical knowledge to explain this important concept of the internal sense in very simple language that children of 3-6 will understand. The information is additionally expressed in the vibrant artwork of Christiane Engel and the interactivity with the pull-tabs is likely to reinforce learning for youngsters interacting with the book. The scenarios on each page will all be familiar to children, the characters are wonderfully expressive and represent a diverse population. The book is constructed of sturdy card and I think the pull-tabs are strong enough to bear extended use in a home or school setting.

At the end of the book, there are pages with additional factual content and lift-the-flap activities to encourage mindful listening to the body and help develop vocabulary around this topic.

My job as a health librarian has made me aware of the necessity to help individuals become more health literate and I highly recommend Body Detective! as an excellent resource to help build young children’s understanding of the way that the body works and vocabulary to describe the way that they feel. Building this knowledge steadily, in an age-appropriate way is so important to help everyone learn to participate in the care of their own health and this book provides an excellent early step. I do hope that school and public libraries will make it available to their users, and I would recommend it to nursery and reception class teachers, as well as to parents and care-givers of pre-school and early years children.

Disclaimer: I was sent a copy of Body Detective! by publicist Antonia Wilkinson and Barefoot Books. It was my choice to review the book and all opinions are my own.

#MGReview: The Boy Who Cried Ghost by Ian Eagleton

Cover art by Melissa Chaib, published by Scholastic,
1 August 2024, ISBN: 978-0702331374

The  Boy Who Cried Ghost, is a seriously spooky tale with a powerfully, empathetic exploration of OCD at its core. From a third person perspective, we are invited into the life and mind of Richard Barnes, a Year Six child who has clearly experienced some upheaval in his life. He and his mother have just moved from their inner city flat to his late grandmother’s house in a smaller town, and from the moment that he enters his new bedroom, Richard senses something dark and dangerous in the locked wardrobe. Unfortunately for Richard, because of his long list of fears, which we learn dominate his entire life, his mum doesn’t take his warnings of a sinister ghostly presence seriously. Worse still, his mum’s new boyfriend Tony in trying to be helpful, opens the wardrobe and unleashes the seriously scary spectre into Richard’s already terrifying world!

The storytelling in this novel is masterful. Author, Ian Eagleton, has conjured up a ghost story which genuinely sends shivers down the spine, but manages to balance the scares, with a great deal of humour, empathy and a genuinely warm hearted and inclusive atmosphere. The friendship group that Richard gathers at his new school, Amelia, Quinn and Mei, each have distinctive characters and their own strengths and weaknesses. Through their interactions with Richard, readers are shown the power of genuine supportive relationships to help face life‘s problems. Much of the humour in the book is generated by Quinn, and mum’s boyfriend Tony with whom Richard eventually develops a close bond. The narrative is very relatable in its school and family settings for readers aged 10+ years, with contemporary references; definitely plenty here for the Swifties and gamers for example.

As a librarian, I absolutely loved the portrayal of the library as a place for research and the importance of a helpful librarian! I also thoroughly enjoyed the meta aspect of this book in the references to contemporary children’s books, and in particular Quinn’s brilliant synthesis of “Top Tips for Surviving a Ghost Story, constructed from his encyclopaedic knowledge of the Goosebumps and Dreadwood series, and the Ghostbusters films!

I also have to salute the witty word play in every chapter heading: ‘Taking Scare of Business’, ‘Saturday Fright Fever’ and ‘Crypt-ic Clues’ being some of my favourites.

Finally, the author’s notes explain that Ian Eagleton has personal experience of OCD, which he has used to positive effect in this enjoyable and helpful novel. His dedication to his late father is likely to melt even the frostiest of hearts. 

This book was my own purchase.

#BHM #Non-FictionReview: The Story of Britain’s Black Nurses by K. N. Chimbiri

Cover image by Jael Umerah Makelemi, published by Scholastic, 26 September 2024, ISBN: 978-0702314452

As a librarian working in an NHS hospital library I am immensely fortunate to work alongside many Black nurses and I am always delighted to join our multicultural network in celebrating events such as Black History Month. Although it is written with primarily children as the target readership, The Story of Britain’s Black Nurses is, I think, a book which can and should be read by everyone. In fewer than 100 pages, author K. N. Chimbiri, provides an accessible history of the contributions of Black nurses to healthcare, dating from ancient and medieval Africa through to the present day.

The text is presented as a narrative and the book is illustrated in full colour and includes maps and photographs, when the timeline reaches the 20th century. I learnt many new facts and names which did not appear in the history books that I had as a child; for example that West Africans had discovered treatments for smallpox before Europeans did, and that an enslaved African named Onesimus saved many lives in 1720s Boston by teaching this cure to his enslaver. I think it is wonderful that children today can be introduced to the remarkable individuals who contributed their knowledge of the healing power of plants to the development of medicine and nursing. This book explains how this expertise was transferred from Africa to the British colonies in the Americas as a result of slavery and how some free Black and mixed race women became doctresses in the Caribbean, Couba Cornwallis and Mary Seacole becoming the most famous. Readers will also learn about the steady flow of Black nurses to work in the British healthcare system, starting long before the Windrush, and which continues to this day.

The levels of discrimination faced is not glossed over, but the dedication of Black nurses to care for patients and work their way up through layers of bias, is celebrated. There is a lovely photo towards the end of the book of Professor Dame Elizabeth NNeka Anionwu, who worked her way up to one of the highest positions in the nursing profession, carrying the golden orb at the coronation of King Charles III.

I whole-heartedly recommend this book to primary and secondary school librarians and hope that it will inspire gratitude towards those who work so hard to improve the health of our nation, and perhaps inspire a future generation of nurses and healthcare professionals.

This book was my own purchase.