#PictureBook Review: Follow the Swallow by Julia Donaldson & Thomas Docherty

Cover art by Thomas Docherty, published by Farshore, 05 June 2025,
ISBN: 978-0008670320

This brand new edition of Julia Donaldson’s story Follow the Swallow, with illustrations by award-winning artist Thomas Docherty, will be published on 5th June 2025 by Farshore. It is a gorgeous picture book to share with young children, introducing them to the seasonal changes in nature that they can witness in their own home environments, through a fun story about friendship.

Apollo the swallow and Chack the blackbird meet in their first season after fledging, in a typical urban back garden. After showing each other their nests, Apollo tells Chack that he is practising to fly to Africa, while Chack tells Apollo that his tree will soon be covered with tasty orange berries. Neither bird believes the other, and the repeated line “I don’t believe you!” is one that little children will likely want to echo with repeated readings of the story. Of course Chack’s berries do turn orange, but too late for Apollo to see them because he has already joined his flock on their long migration. There then follows a hilarious sequence of animal-to-animal Chinese whispers when Chack tries to get a message to Apollo who is now enjoying the fruit flies in Africa.

This book contains more text than the rhyming books which we all know and love from this author, but still presents the story in short, rhythmic, humorous sentences which are perfect for children from babyhood onwards. The colourful pictures are bursting with life and do so much additional storytelling. The details of nature found in an average back garden will reward repeated engagement with the book and provide lots of prompts for adult-child conversation. Meanwhile the contrast between Apollo’s habitat in the UK and his habitat in Africa gives a wonderful insight into the topic of migration. There are so many careful little details that make this an appealing book for both adults and children; I especially loved the subtle hint at the berry tree species through the name of Chack’s mate.

I cannot recommend Follow the Swallow highly enough as a wonderful story to share with young children through the summer months – I am certainly looking forward to sharing it with some young relatives!

Disclaimer: I am grateful to Sarah Sleath at Farshore Books for sending me a review copy of Follow the Swallow. It was my decision to write a review and all opinions are my own.

#AudioBook Review: Hunt for the Golden Scarab by M.G. Leonard

Screenshot of Audiobook cover from Borrowbox Published by Macmillan Children’s Books, released 30 January 2025,
ISBN: 978-1035039135

Hunt for the Golden Scarab is the first in a new series from one of my favourite authors M.G.Leonard. This author has an amazing talent for writing enthralling mystery adventures, which feature children using their investigative skills to detect the villains and foil their plots, with each series having a unique milieu which sets them apart. This time martial arts, music and time travel combine in an exhilarating plot! (I will include links to my reviews of her previous books at the end of this post.)

As I cannot keep up with reading all of the new titles that are published whilst still working full-time, I listened to the audiobook version of Hunt for the Golden Scarab via the Borrowbox app supplied by my local public library (a reminder to everyone…please DO borrow from your public library, they need everyone’s support). This audiobook is read by Theo Solomon and he narrates beautifully, with an amazing range of voices and accents, the audio also has the advantage of including extracts of music, which is essential to the plot, and greatly enhances the experience of listening to the story.

This book begins with 12-year-old Sim and his mum, who live in a tiny flat above Sir John Soane’s Museum in central London. It is apparent from the opening lines that they are under threat and it is not long before they are hunted down by representatives of the sinister Council of Keys. Sim very quickly learns that his mum has the ability to open hidden doors in time using the resonance of musical notes; that he has an uncle and cousin with the same ability and that his mum and her brother are both renegade keys who have been on the run from the Council since before he was born. He just has time to pass on some of this life-changing information to his loyal best friend Nelson before he is whisked off to modern day Egypt with his extended family, to hunt down the golden scarab which was buried with Nefertiti, and prevent it falling into the wrong hands.

I do not want to give any plot spoilers because this really needs to be enjoyed first hand. Instead, I would like to say that the story gripped me from beginning to end and I know that I would have loved reading this when I was at the top end of primary school. M.G. Leonard weaves historical and geographical research into the plot seamlessly, I love this ability to teach by stealth through a thoroughly engaging story. Ancient Egypt holds so much fascination and scope for imagination, which is fully utilised in this novel. I also thoroughly enjoyed the early part of the story which brought streets, transit lines, neighbourhoods and buildings in central London to life on the page. Finally the bond which Sim and his formerly unknown cousin, Jeopardy, build up over the course of their adventure is supportive, respectful and heart-warming, adding a positive human factor into the heart of the fast-paced quest.

Hunt for the Golden Scarab is, in my opinion, an absolute essential book to add to school library and primary school classroom collections. If you want to encourage a child of 9 years and older to read for pleasure this half-term, why not buy them a copy of this book, or check it out from your local public library?

Here are my reviews of other middle grade adventures written by M.G. Leonard:

Beetle Boy by M.G. Leonard

Beetle Queen & Battle of the Beetles by M.G. Leonard

Twitch by M.G. Leonard

The Highland Falcon Thief by M.G. Leonard and Sam Sedgman

Kidnap on the California Comet by M.G. Leonard and Sam Sedgman

Murder on the Safari Star by M.G. Leonard and Sam Sedgman

Sabotage on the Solar Express by M.G. Leonard and Sam Sedgman

The Arctic Railway Assassin by M.G. Leonard and Sam Sedgman

#PictureBookReview: The Ordinary Life of Jacominus Gainsborough by Rébecca Dautremer

Artwork by Rébecca Dautremer, published in the UK by Post Wave,
22 May 2025, ISBN: 978-1836270171

The Ordinary Life of Jacominus Gainsborough is an extraordinary book. The author and illustrator Rébecca Dautremer encourages readers to think of this tale of a little white rabbit as “an album of a life well lived, a life worth celebrating.” I cannot imagine how much time it must have taken to create the illustrations, but feel that this amazing endeavour will be repaid by many repeat readings and hours spent observing the intricate details in the pictures.

There are twelve complex scenes on double page spreads, depicting episodes from the life of the anthropomorphised animals, the watercolour artwork is exquisite; not just the animals clothed in historical fashions but also the stunning backdrops. These pages contain a small quantity of descriptive text. Interspersed with these are ten single page portraits of different life stages of Jacominus, accompanied by more detailed musings on events in his life. We learn of his accident as an infant and the long-lasting effect on his mobility, which led Jacominus to lose himself in dreams, philosophy and the study of languages. His travels accompanied by his friends and eventual return to his sweetheart and a life of love and learning to love life.

This is one of those picture books which will have universal appeal for readers of any age. This translation into English by Charis Ainslie is the 20th language into which the original French text has been translated since its publication in 2018. The beautiful hardback is a real keepsake and would make a wonderful gift for any book lover; you can take a peek inside through the short video on the publisher’s website here.

Disclaimer: I am very grateful to publicist Antonia Wilkinson and Post Wave Publishing for providing me with a review copy of The Ordinary Life of Jacominus Gainsborough. It was my decision to review the book and all opinions are my own.

#PictureBookReview: Tiger, Don’t Worry! by Daishu Ma

Cover image by Daishu Ma, published in hardback by Post Wave, 8 May 2025,
ISBN: 978-1836270164 and in paperback on 2 April 2026, ISBN: 978-1836270324

I absolutely loved reading and absorbing Tiger, Don’t Worry by Chinese author and illustrator Daishu Ma; it’s a feast for the eyes and a lovely tale of familial patience, forgiveness and togetherness. Mei and Tiger decide that they would like to make tea, but when their attempts to copy the adults cause a trail of destruction they decide that running away is the best solution! When they eventually realise that they need to go home and face the consequences, a gentle lesson is learned about the need to own up to mistakes. Additionally, this story presents a completely different aspect to the concept of making tea than we would normally think of in the UK, which provides opportunities for discussion about different cultures and geographies when the book is shared between adults and young children.

The unique illustrative style is absolutely fascinating. I am not very knowledgeable about artistic styles, so I don’t feel that I have the vocabulary to do justice to Daishu Ma’s art, but I loved the vibrant colours, the seemingly simple shapes and also the way that she conveys texture, movement and emotions. While many pages contain fully coloured backgrounds, those where Mei and her pet tiger are feeling the consequences of their actions have white backgrounds and often close-ups of their faces so that young (and older) readers can clearly detect their emotional responses. I’m also fascinated at the way the pictures depict the speed at which Mei and Tiger set off when they run away from the mess that they have created compared to the sense of reluctance when they realise they need to head home and own up to their mistakes. I found the blue and green palette of many pages (and the beautiful endpapers) to be very soothing and I can imagine that this would be a lovely bedtime story for pre-school children.

Tiger, Don’t Worry! is a charming book to share with children aged 3-6 and I would highly recommend it to pre-school, nursery and early years settings as well as to parents and caregivers of young children.

Disclaimer: I am very grateful to publicist Antonia Wilkinson and Post Wave Publishing for sending me a review copy of Tiger, Don’t Worry! It was my decision to write a review and all opinions are my own. This blogpost was updated following receipt of a paperback copy of the story after its publication on 2 April 2026.

Review: A Flash of Neon by Sophie Cameron

Cover illustration by Helder Oliveira, published by Little Tiger UK,
01 May 2025, ISBN: 978-1788957366

A Flash of Neon is a thoroughly engaging and enjoyable contemporary fantasy, pitched for readers at the top end of primary school or early stage of secondary school who will relate to the characters and situations portrayed in the story. Author, Sophie Cameron, has written a really clever novel about the importance of imagination and the power of stories and art to transform experiences, which simultaneously explores tween anxieties and family relationships.

Teenage Laurie’s happy place is in the bookshop, Every Book & Cranny, that her mum and Mutti own and run in Inverness, where she can lose herself in stories – either in the books from the shelves or those that she writes herself. She is not having the happiest time at school, the two friends that she met when she first started high school, Hannah and Carrie, tend to gang up on her, making her feel inadequate because she is not into fashion or relationships as they are. They have left her feeling so inadequate that when she was challenged as to whether she had ever kissed a boy, she made up a story about meeting an American boy called Neon during her summer holiday. The lie has spiralled out of control, with Laurie creating an impressive backstory for her fictitious boyfriend, complete with social media accounts for his friends and family. Hannah and Carrie are suspicious that she has invented Neon, so they are shocked – although not as flabbergasted as Laurie – when Neon turns up at the station on the day that Mum and Mutti travel to London for the launch of Mutti’s latest novel!

Laurie’s brother Joel has come home from university for a week to look after her, and he is supportive of this unexpected guest staying at their house. Laurie’s cachet at school skyrockets when she brings her American guest in to visit; Neon is every bit as perfect as she imagined him, and their friendship is charming and mutually supportive. However, life in a small town can suddenly become very complicated when fictional characters cross over from ‘The Realm’ and it is not long before Laurie needs to depend on some unexpected friends to keep her own and Neon’s secret!

I found this book to be a highly enjoyable one to read, with realistic scenarios and relationships written so well that I absolutely bought in to the fantasy element too. The sibling relationship between Laurie and Joel was lovely and the navigation of friendships during the transition from primary to high school was realistically portrayed. The book also contains positive representation of LGBT+ characters. I really enjoyed the exploration of imagination, and loved the way that a fictional character helped Laurie to become her authentic self. Finally, I applaud the author for highlighting the precarious and precious existence of independent bookshops; if my review has tempted you, why not buy A Flash of Neon from your local indie bookstore?

Disclaimer: I am very grateful to Jasmine at Little Tiger UK for sending me a review copy of A Flash of Neon. It was my choice to write a review and all opinions are my own.

#BlogTour: Fyn Carter and the Legends from Atlantis by Ian Hunter

Blog tour graphic created by Ian Hunter, cover illustration by Ian Hunter, publication date 8 May 2025, ISBN: 978-1738506934

Fyn Carter, his best friend Amy, his Grandad Bernie and rescued fox Henry Flame are trapped on Eromlos, an alternative version of earth in the multiverse. On this planet all technology is strictly controlled by “the agents” who are headquartered in the city of Atlantis, which was relocated to Eromlos during a rupture in the gateways between alternative worlds. The other human inhabitants of Eromlos live in a more primitive style as they are prevented from using technology, although they have invented some ingenious mechanical devices. The story begins at the point where the first book in the series, Fyn Carter and the Agents of Eromlos, ended but there is sufficient filling of crucial backstory that this book could be read as a standalone – often an important factor for children who rely on libraries for access to books.

This is a highly enjoyable quest adventure for children who enjoy following a character through a series of journeys and challenges while they seek to fulfil their destiny. Fyn and his allies travel back and forth across Eromlos, trying to stay one step ahead of the agents who are on their trail. Those who help and befriend him are severely punished, the village of Homehill which provided shelter and friendship for Fyn, Amy and Bernie, is burned to the ground when the agents come looking for information on the visitors from Earth. Fortunately, the villagers escape to a sanctuary in the jungle, where Fyn is reunited with his explorer father, Daniel, before everyone flies away on pedal-powered flying machines, pedal-wings, to the High Sky kingdom situated in the snowy High Sky mountains.

In the caves and caverns of the mountain realm, there are whispers of a “legendary mechanism” of which it appears that Daniel and some of the elders have some knowledge. Fyn also becomes aware of his own destiny, as revealed by hidden, ancient wall paintings which depict The Legend of the Last and the Lost, and the burden of responsibility begins to weigh heavily on his young shoulders. Amy is a sympathetic and supportive friend to him, and Grandad Bernie is always on his side, but who else can he trust? Fyn sometimes has the impression that Daniel views him more as a scientific curiosity rather that a son in need of help, and their spiky dialogue reflects the eight years absence of communication while Daniel was trapped on Eromlos with his expedition partner Scott. With twists and turns, an Atlantean military device and volcanic explosions, this story has plenty of elements to keep young readers gripped through to the final conclusion. I think this book will be most enjoyed by readers aged 9-12.

Disclaimer: This review is based on an uncorrected ARC which was kindly sent to me by Ian Hunter, who also invited me to take part in this blog tour. Do check out the other reviews on the tour schedule. It was my decision to write a review and all opinions are my own.

#BlogTour: SuperQuesters Mission: River Crest Rescue by Paul Ian Cross, illustrated by Katie Kear and Cherie Zamazing

Image credit QuestFriendz, publication date 1 May 2025, ISBN: 978-9083294384

Meet best friends Lilli, Leo and Bea who are magically transformed into the SuperQuesters, Lillicorn, Leo Zoom and Bea Bumble after discovering a transformative board game locked away in an old garden shed! Finding themselves clad in superhero outfits, complete with glowing amulets and in Leo Zoom’s case, a pair of high-tech fact finder googles, they have little time to explore the village of River Crest before being alerted to the danger of rising water levels. A flood from Sunny Creek is threatening to disrupt the summer fête taking place on the meadow and the SuperQuesters are directed by their new fairy friend, Clover, to the source of the flood water. A family of beavers have been building a very haphazard dam, and the three friends are at a loss to explain the behaviour of nature’s remarkable architects. Their investigations eventually lead them to the hideout of villainous goblin, Mortifer, who has built a legion of robotic creatures to disrupt the natural harmony of River Crest.

This is a tremendously enjoyable and interactive story for readers aged 6-9 years of age. It cleverly combines facts and fiction in a fast-paced adventure where scientific and mathematical knowledge is threaded throughout the narrative as well as being highlighted in text boxes. Readers are also invited to engage with the puzzles and challenges faced by the SuperQuesters as they attempt to use their maths and science skills to outwit Mortifer’s plan to destroy River Crest. I loved the way that many different STEM topics were organically included in the plot; from Fibonacci sequences, to programming algorithms and seed bombing for re-wilding. This book really does engage children in many of the STEM concepts taught in KS1 and KS2 in an entertaining fantasy adventure. Furthermore, the book is written in a clear font, with plenty of white space on the pages and includes inviting illustrations by Katie Kear and Cherie Zamazing. Examples of illustrations are included with permission from the publisher:

Included with permission from publisher QuestFriendz

There is an excellent glossary of terms at the end of the story along with instructions for four activities which would be easy to perform in school or home settings; I am very tempted to try the seed bombing activity in my own garden.

Teachers’ notes created by the publisher can be found at this link.

I am very grateful to publisher QuestFriendz for inviting me to join the blog tour. If you haven’t already done so, do check out the other posts from a selection of brilliant children’s books bloggers on the schedule below.

#Non-Fiction Review: The Six Queens of Henry VIII by Honor Cargill-Martin, illustrated by Jaimee Andrews

Cover illustrations by Jaimee Andrews, published by Hachette Children’s Group,
10 October 2024, ISBN:978-1444976571

This beautifully produced, hardback, non-fiction title, The Six Queens of Henry VIII will be a perfect addition to primary school classroom and library collections, as well as a perfect gift for any child who shows an interest in history. Honor Cargill-Martin has written a lively, engaging text which provides details to help young readers view Henry’s six queens as individuals with their own strengths and weaknesses, rather than just a list of wives that we reel off as additions to his story. The richly coloured illustrations by Jaimee Andrews add a wealth of extra information to the short blocks of text.

I love the format of the book, which has been designed to be easily navigable, providing quick access to essential information (through the introductory biography page on each queen) in a classroom setting where perhaps a few children have to share a single book. This is then followed by a few pages describing some key details of each queen’s life in a panel layout, and finally an episode of their lives which encapsulates their character is told in a graphic novel configuration. This layering of their stories leaves the reader with an understanding of each of the six women as real people, while learning some fascinating historical facts. At the end of the book there are beautifully crafted double page spreads featuring the Tudor Family Tree and the Tudor Family Timeline, followed by short biographies of each of Henry VIII’s three children.

There is so much more on offer here than in the Tudor history books that I had access to as a child, or indeed that my now adult children had in their history books. Author Honor Cargill-Martin has a real talent for conveying her academic learning in playful language which speaks directly to young readers. Another point that I have to highlight is the clear font and excellent contrast between font colour and background colour in all of the text panels. This ensures that the text is easily accessible for readers with dyslexia or other visual difficulties, and sadly is not always considered by publishers of non-fiction books.

In my opinion, this is a book which schools should certainly add to their non-fiction collections to inspire the next generation of historians.

Disclaimer: I am immensely grateful to Honor Cargill-Martin for sending me a copy of this book. It was my decision to write a review and all opinions are my own.

I have reviewed other non-fiction works by the same author which you can read at the links:

She Speaks: The Women of Greek Myths in Their Own Words

#MGReview: I am Raven by Alastair Chisholm

Cover design by Ray Tierney & illustration by Karítas Gunnarsdóttir, published by Nosy Crow, 10 April 2025, ISBN: 978-1805131267

I am Raven is an exciting, inventive, thrill-ride of a sci-fi novel written for an audience of 9 years and above. The world-building in this novel is extraordinary; a planet populated by mechanical beasts which are known as constructs, each crewed by humans from their own clan, and each roaming their own geographical areas and fighting any other construct that ventures into their territory. The constructs are created from all manner of materials; metal, plastic, feathers, fur, and powered by an element called anthryl which is controlled by the collective mind of the crew.

In this story we follow the narrative of Brann, a young member of the Raven clan, who from the age of six was taught by Claw the clan leader, that “Raven has no fear”. Living by this mantra, Brann was a fearless and successful scout for Raven…until the day that her clan’s construct was attacked and destroyed by Dragon, and her crew members vanished without trace. She is now part of Cub, a unique construct in that it is crewed by young members of different clans: Coll, the leader is Wolf, Rieka who is a Tock (mechanical genius) is Lion, and friendly Fillan is Bear and in possession of a pet Ant called Kevin. Cub are on a dual purpose quest; trying to track down the missing Raven crew and following a signal that Rieka has picked up on an advanced tracking device, which she is reluctant to share many details about. However, when Cub are summoned to Parley, the neutral ground where the High Constructs -Lion, Tiger, Eagle and Bear – meet and accompany Bear on a mission to destroy Dragon, they discover the history of their existence and are plunged into danger.

The storytelling in I am Raven is astonishing and gripped me from beginning to end. The writing style is difficult to categorise, at times it reminded me a little of The Hobbit, but it is also quite spare (the book has fewer than 220 pages) without a single word wasted. Therefore the narrative is fast-paced which will hold the attention of young readers, but every so often you encounter a sentence that makes you stop to admire its beauty. Take this example from when Brann is describing Dragon’s attack to the leaders of the High Constructs:

The chamber was quiet and her voice seemed to curl round it like smoke; it felt like someone else talking, as if she was just a witness, like them. page 74

It is clear that there are forces at play which will require the co-operation of multiple clans to overcome, and during the dangers faced throughout the narrative Brann has to reassess her relationship with fear. The story ends on a heroically tense cliff-hanger which leaves me desperate for the next book in the series We are Dragon!

I highly recommend this book to parents, caregivers, teachers and librarians to put into the hands of readers aged 9+, it is a book to power the imagination.

Disclaimer: I am grateful to publisher Nosy Crow for my gifted copy of I am Raven. It was my decision to write a review and all opinions are my own.

#MGReview: Runaways by E.L. Norry

Publisher Bloomsbury Children’s, 3rd July 2025, ISBN: 978-1526683335

A sunny bank holiday by the sea, an escape from the shadows of abandonment and a search for security…

Runaways is a contemporary story of two eleven-year-olds from London, who despite living in very different circumstances, both suffer from poor parenting and individually decide to take an extreme form of agency in changing their circumstances. The book is beautifully and sensitively written, so that despite covering difficult themes it is not just suitable for a readership aged 10+, but also helps tween readers empathise with children living under difficult conditions.

Author E.L. Norry has a warm writing style which introduces the reader to the lives led by the two child protagonists, July and Jamie, and generates empathy for the two characters from the start. I loved the device of a meal at Nando’s with their mothers being used as the introduction to each of their home circumstances. This will be such a relatable experience for many middle grade readers, and therefore transports them into the characters’ lives. July is instantly suspicious that her mother has brought her out for a rare treat which normally they cannot afford, recognising from prior experience that her mother prefers to break bad news in a public space where July will not react with a scene. Jamie, on the other hand, is taken for a treat by his affluent mother because her new live-in partner does not approve of fast food or fizzy drinks and she is possibly feeling some guilt at dragging her son shopping for new uniform before sending him to the boarding school that Garrett (the partner) has suggested for him. The subsequent chapters, which alternate between July and Jamie’s first-person narratives, show us two children whose childhood experiences have had inconsistent levels of care and nurturing due to choices made by their parents.

When events in each of July and Jamie’s lives spiral beyond their capabilities to cope, they both run away from their respective homes. A chance interaction at Waterloo station and subsequent meeting on the train to Bournemouth, followed by further serendipitous encounters, eventually leads to the runaways accompanying each other in their search for trusted adults in the seaside town. July is looking for Bee, who was a loving and caring foster parent to her, while Jamie is in search of his auntie Liz from whom his mum has been estranged since the time that his Dad disappeared from his life. Their backgrounds have given both children high levels of wariness, and each of them spin alternate realities for their current circumstances, only beginning to trust each other with their real stories as the weekend progresses.

This book highlights an important issue (The Children’s Society estimates that around 100,000 children go missing from home each year in the UK) which I have not seen covered in a contemporary work of UK middle grade fiction before. In a gripping narrative, readers are given insights into the difficulties and dangers that face young people on the streets; how to obtain food and drink, where to find a safe place to sleep, the threat of falling victim to thieves or other forms of exploitation. These issues are intrinsic to the storyline but written in a manner suitable for readers aged 10 years and above, and at no time does the book feel ‘preachy’. I was drawn into the story to such an extent that I read the book from cover to cover in one sitting; the author (who grew up in the care system) has expertly blended her lived-experience and research to craft characters and a storyline which makes readers care about an issue they might not have considered before. I thoroughly recommend Runaways to teachers, public librarians, and school librarians at both primary and secondary schools to add to their collections, publication is due on 3rd July 2025.

Disclaimer: I am grateful to Isi at Bloomsbury Children’s Books for sending me an ARC of Runaways ahead of publication. I believe that the published version will contain a collection of helpful links on subjects such as foster families and parents in prison which will be useful to anyone affected by the issues faced by the fictional characters in the story.