An entertaining fairy tale story of a magical princess with a twist. In a world where royals and nobles are given magical gifts at birth, Jane’s were given to the family cat by mistake. Jane grows up having to hide her giftedness, preparing for a summer camp attended by the other royal and noble children on the continent. Can she successfully pass as gifted? Her time at camp will open Jane’s eyes and change the kingdom forever. I liked this entertaining twist on a classical fairy tale style opening, where three fairies appear to deliver gifts ... View Full Review
A picture book for young animal lovers introducing you to the Pentro horses. A call for a greener world comes in the form of this picture book about the Pentro horses of the Spoon-Shaped Valley. An Italian, endangered breed of horse, we see how the Pentro worked alongside people until the human population increased and tractors replaced the need for them to help in the field. After describing their previous idyllic life balanced with people and the nature surrounding them, there is a call to action for children to look after the world around them so that the Pentro horses ... View Full Review
An exciting sci-fi adventure for young readers featuring space, robots and gadgets and time-pausing marbles. I was first drawn to The Girl Who Sold Time because of the vibrant cover. Upon reading the premise I was intrigued by the main character Violet and wanted to know more about the world. Violet searches for time marbles that allow the consumer to pause time for varying periods and allow them to move around uninhibited by anything, including gravity, while the effects of the marble lasts. But the forest Violet lives in is increasingly hostile to the few humans who remain, and Violet ... View Full Review
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Continuing on from The Traveller’s Stone, in this new fantasy story, Xander is ready to take the next step in his Traveller training, but a sinister blight is spreading and he is once more drawn into a search for answers to help those he holds dear. This is the second book in the Haven series that follows Xander King, a boy who discovered he’s part of a parallel, magical world filled with mythical creatures. Struggling to balance his “normal” life and school work with his time in Haven and studying lore ... View Full Review
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At the start of the book, Emily Webster seems like an 11 year old any reader would recognise, forgetting homework and sometimes a bit too distracted by her phone and friends. But her mum finds a listing for an old farmhouse and the family take a year off from a busy suburban life to move to an area with no internet, television or phone. What follows opens Emily’s eyes to a wonderful world of imagination that allows her to understand more about herself without her previous distractions.
Emily Swan and ... View Full Review
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Siblings Kya and Neo want to have fun, not sit and listen to their Grandmother’s lecture about the Thirukkural. So they escape to her shed and discover an ancient stone archway that transports them onto an adventure that helps them learn more about the Thirukkural in a different way. Finding they’ve travelled back in time to a Tamil village they meet Thiruvallavar and through a series of quests and riddles uncover the first piece of wisdom of the Thirukkural.
The First Letter & The Forgotten Path ... View Full Review
A daft rhyming caper about the misfortunes of Poor Barry. Poor Barry is very accident prone, a fact that isn’t helped by the rather clueless adults in his life. One accident swiftly follows another and the illustrations show Barry is now a rather sorry sight trapped in a full body cast. However his friends are on hand to do as much as they can to keep him out of their teacher’s way and further mischief. The rhyming throughout dives the story onwards and makes this quite a pacey read. Although the rhyming style means that the ... View Full Review
A sweet story of finding where you belong, with a cute Pug main character. In Janina Kelly’s vibrant picture book we meet Paula the Pug who lived a luxurious life in a castle until her human had to send her to live in the mountains. In her new chalet home her human is grumpy and she is laughed at by her neighbours. A chance encounter of a family of marmots helps to welcome her to her new home. The Pug Who Didn't Belong is a really sweet story about belonging, opening up conversations about spreading kindness, friendship and ... View Full Review
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Just as vegetables are packed with nutrition, this book is packed with humour. The vegetable characters are beautifully illustrated and have amusing expressions, guaranteed to make you smile or laugh out loud. Ralphie’s vegetables all have something to say to him, especially those who think they have been unjustly treated, like Green Pea, who was eaten by the dog, or Sprout who was thrown in the bin! It’s such a unique idea to bring vegetables to life and write letters to a little boy. Vegetables and fruit are not always liked by children, ... View Full Review
A story filled with empathy and love told through a young boy’s conversations with his dog. Alex loves playing with his mum but sometimes she’s unable to do the things he wants. But that’s ok, Alex assures his dog Nico, because he knows she loves him by the things his mum is able to do, and how she is able to spend time with him. This is a really sweet story filled with empathy as each day Alex shows understanding as to why mum can’t do all the activities. I also love ... View Full Review
A beautifully illustrated book that highlights the importance of all the animals found in a woodland ecosystem. When a man in the bulldozer arrives to tear down trees declaring that “this land is too full” he finds the animals of the woodland in his way. He takes the time to ask each one what they do and realises they’re important to maintaining the woodland. This is a gentle way to introduce young children to the role each child has in an ecosystem, from the typically less likable creatures like wasps and rats to more cuddly characters ... View Full Review
