This book is brilliantly cheeky, with a whole brilliant series of 'peep through' pages that work so cleverly for tinies who love animals.

Yet the core theme underlying Tim Flach's excellent "Who am I?" is a serious one indeed.

Each of the animals featured in this gloriously photographed book are endangered, their habitats being encroached on by humans, or destroyed for resources.

Find inside a giant panda munching on bamboo.

Some folk have a burning desire within them that's almost impossible to supress. For Sue Hendrickson, that desire was to find things - and in "When Sue found Sue" by Toni Buzzeo and Diana Sudyka, Diana makes one of the most important palaeontological discoveries of the past two centuries.

This charming picture book chronicles the early life of Sue Hendrickson and how her interest in the natural world, and her boundless curiosity as a child enabled her to become one of the world's leading experts on dinosaurs.

In 1990, at a dig in South Dakota, Sue made her biggest discovery to date: Sue the T. rex, the largest and most complete T. rex skeleton ever unearthed. 

Fuel for the imagination - Sue's boundless curiosity began in her childhood.

Under the sea, under the sea there's lots to see!

I've often wondered whether children's books start to tackle issues of feminism and diversity early enough, and in some cases we've seen some truly brilliant books for middle grade kids - but not much for age groups earlier than that.

"Chicks Rule" redresses the balance quite nicely with a gorgeously illustrated and empowering picture book for younger readers (both boys and girls) which is a triumphant rhyming story all about mighty girls - or in this case, mighty chicks.

Girls can do anything - as can chicks! All in step with wing in wing . . . Chicks can conquer anything!

In this story, Nerdy Chick has been waiting all day for the Rocket Club meeting.

But when she gets there, she finds a disturbing sign tacked to the door: “NO CHICKS ALLOWED!!!”

Puzzled, then baffled, then just plain mad, Nerdy Chick sets out to change the rules. Along the way, she meets other chicks who are just like her: passionate and determined. From Soccer Chick to Science Chick and Wordy Chick to Yoga Chick, these chicks aren’t willing to take “NO” for an answer.

Spread the word, little chicks rock!

They rally together, march to the barn at the center of town, and—when they hear “NO” once again—chart their own path forward (or, rather, up, up, and away!)

If there's one thing this book should definitely be praised for, it's the rallying call that 'no' is no longer acceptable for girls when it comes to being involved in all the cool activities on offer to youngsters. We've always made sure C knows that if any boy dares tell her that a particular activity or pastime is for boys only, that she digs her heels in until that attitude changes.

Busy building, busy thinking, busy not accepting 'no chicks' as an answer!

I'm in two minds with the whole 'chick' thing though, I can't help thinking that the message here would have been more strongly reinforced if the story centred around actual girls rather than a comfy compromise of choosing a 'cute' animal. But the message is very strong and clear in this regardless, and that's definitely something to celebrate.

Sum this book up in a sentence: An empowering message in an attractive picture book to kick off a fantastic mindset in the very young, full of positivity and diversity.

"Chicks Rule!" by Sudipta Barhan-Quallen and Renee Kurilla is out now, published by Abrams Young Readers (kindly supplied for review). 

Arthur has a problem. Poor Arthur, the dog in this waggiest of tales is a bit on the nose...

As C's interest in Fashion Design grows, she's beginning to want to know more about the ground-breaking figures who cut their own path through a massively unforgiving - and at one time largely male dominated industry...

Here's a fabulous companion activity book to one of our favourite books ever...!

With a cover that draws you right in, let's take to the high seas in an adorable little ketch along with a thoughtful fisherman in Daniel Duncan's "South".

Our Second Book of the Week this week is dark, gothic and utterly brilliant. Edgar Allan Poe's "The Raven" rises from the grave...!

We're addicts of intricacy. One thing you'll spot in common with all of our book of the week winners is the amazing attention to detail in them. Exactly what you'll find in "Red's Planet" by Eddie Pittman...

There aren't many bedtime reads to go until Christmas so thank you once again for joining us with our Booky Advent Calendar for the month of December. Each day we'll be delving into seasonal, snowy and christmassy books to bring you the very best new books as well as some well loved classics and reprints.

To kick off, we've been very good this year so Santa has bestowed upon us THREE different versions of Clement C. Moore's classic poem in book form, each with a different publisher and each illustrated by a superbly talented artist bringing their own unique vision of Santa's epic sleigh ride on Christmas Eve.

First up, we have Mark Marshall for Little Tiger Press with a glorious fuzzy and dream-like santa for their version of the tale. This big-page-format paperback is absolutely perfect for younger children, filled to the brim with a good dose of yuletide atmosphere. We really loved the reindeers in this version, speeding through the sky on sparkly christmas magic!

"The Night Before Christmas" by Clement C. Moore and Mark Marshall" is published by Little Tiger Press in Hardback and Paperback versions.

Next, we have a rather novel version of the story, this time adapted and illustrated by Daniel Kirk...


In "Twas the Night Before Christmas" from Abrams Young Readers, we get to see Christmas Eve through the eyes of a teeny tiny mouse family who wait for Santa's visit in their tiny mouse house. Once again interpreting the words of Clement C. Moore's poem in his own way, Daniel Kirk has come up with some gloriously colourful and clear illustrations with utterly adorable characters who listen out for the sound of Donder and Blitzen's hoof falls on the roof (and santa's big bum squeezing down the chimney!)

Charlotte adored this version, with one of the jolliest Santas around.

"Twas the Night Before Christmas" by Clement C. Moore and Daniel Kirk is published by Abrams Young Readers in Paperback, Hardback and Kindle versions.

Let's squeeze one more in...this time from Top That Publishing and Marcin Nowakowski...

"'Twas the Night Before Christmas" from Marcin and Top That is very much a beautifully produced and more traditional version of the poem. This time the sumptuously detailed illustrations really feel like they could leap off the page and prance around your living room at any moment. This beautiful version really sets the scene of the poem so well, with glorious snowscapes and a fabulous present-filled sleigh jetting across the inky dark skies as Santa makes his rounds.

This is probably our favourite version for children of Charlotte's age (7 and up). The artwork is truly spectacular and it's easily one of the most impressive versions of the poem that we've ever seen.

"'Twas the Night Before Christmas" by Clement C. Moore and Marcin Nowakowski is available in Hardback and Paperback editions from Top That Publishing. 

Phew! After all that gadding about in the snowy sky we need a hot chocolate! Hope you enjoy these three versions and do watch out for more Booky Advent Calendar posts throughout the rest of December!

Writing a report on something for school? Can you think of anything worse? Well how about a book that will dazzle and inspire you instead!

Carey Armstrong-Ellis is our kind of girl! Not only has she come up trumps with a great little monster tale, she's poked those dreadful "I love you" books firmly in the eye with a squishy tentacle...

Thursdays. I never could get the hang of Thursdays but here's a natty natterjack who looks forward to every Thursday...

Zombies? In a children's book? Is nothing sacred? Step inside for a funny tale of a zombie who's a little different from the rest...

Laurent De Brunhoff's Babar books are utterly fabulous. Picking up the stories after his father's untimely death at the age of 37, Laurent continued making Babar the awesome and timeless character we've come to know and love.

This story is an absolute corker, dealing with a particular story theme that children absolutely can't resist.

Babar and his family are forced to stay in an abandoned castle one stormy night, and as they settle in something seems a little odd about the place. Wise Babar states categorically that ghosts don't exist, so everyone gets some well needed sleep. But there's definitely something else stalking the castle corridors - a ghost!

Babar's children and their cousins can all see the ghost quite clearly, and the ghost isn't just content with rattling a few chains or tipping over suits of armour. This ghost is very naughty, and likes showing off! Surely trouble can't be far behind!

All our favourite characters crop up in this story, but the real star is the ghost - who might just mend his naughty ways with the right incentive after all!

Definitely one of our favourite Babar stories and such a happy discovery!

Charlotte's best bit: The naughty ghost speeding through the town in a stolen car!

Daddy's Favourite bit: A timeless character, utterly brilliantly picked up by Jean De Brunhoff's son after his father's untimely death. This particular tale is a corker, tapping into children's love of characters that they can see but adults can't.

(Borrowed for review from the awesome Abingdon Library)

Like this? We think you'll love these too!

The Babar Collection by Jean De Brunhoff

Babar and the Wully Bully by Laurent De Brunhoff

Babar at the Olympics by Laurent De Brunhoff

This very special book isn't out for a few days yet (the official release date is October 1st) but we wanted to make it book of the week, so we're sneaking in a little early with our review. In this centenary year of the start of World War 1, we've seen many books both fiction and non-fiction that have given children a valuable insight into "The Great War" and the immense sacrifice generations of soldiers made in order to achieve peace.

John Hendrix's masterful story is fictional, but based on a real event. During the first year of the war, a shaky cease fire happened during the christmas period of 1914 and this story tells the tale of a soldier, Charlie, writing home to his mother about this astonishing event.

For a few short hours no bullets were fired, no shells - and British and German forces met in the middle of no mans land. Both sides achieved a temporary detente, exchanged christmas gift, even erected christmas trees above their trenches.

One quote from the book sings out and this was the quote that Charlotte seized on. "Why can't we just go home and have peace?" - in the story this line is spoken by one of the German soldiers to Charlie. Charlotte has been listening to the various news reports on the chaotic conflict in Gaza, and because of that she could draw parallels between what's happening today in our time, and what happened 100 years ago.

War is an uncomfortable subject for parents to discuss with their children, but books like this help. Books that try to demonstrate that underneath the conflict and the high ideals there are people at ground level who repeat that line like a mantra whenever fighting breaks out or some new atrocity happens in their own back yard.

A truly stunning book, thought provoking and atmospheric. John's writing and research is deep and thoughtful, heart wrenching in places as the detente dissolves and we learn that in the years to follow the shaky truce was never successfully repeated as the horrors of war eked away at both sides and their resolve.

The illustrations too are truly special (reminding me a lot of Raymond Briggs' artwork, which is definitely no bad thing). But reading Charlie's words in the story has deep impact, deep enough to make this one of the most impressive books published on the subject of WW1 in this centenary year.

Charlotte's best bit: Learning more about the conflict after we'd read the story, going through John's exhaustive glossary of terms and well researched history of the truce itself.

Daddy's Favourite bit: A truly brilliant book in every respect that will help parents and children learn more about WW1 and the amazing truce that existed for such a short amount of time, but gave early hope that humanity could put aside conflict in the name of something better.

(Kindly sent to us for review by Abrams Chronicle Publishing)

It's quite something to see when a famous author / illustrator's children pick up where they leave off. Richard Scarry's son Huck now draws and writes new Scarry books, and Laurent De Brunhoff has inherited the rich legacy of stories and talent from his father Jean De Brunhoff, to give us all-new Babar tales.

Charlotte wasn't aware that there were newer Babar books than the ones we've been enjoying at home and it took some explaining that these might be different. I hadn't read Laurent's newer stories before so we both wanted to know whether the essence of brilliant Babar stories could be relayed by another, even modernised in places.

Thankfully "Babar's Celestville Games" was deemed "lovely" by Charlotte, essentially a love story with a moral tale about tolerance and nationality woven into its elephantine creases. Babar takes a bit of a back seat in this tale of the Celestville Games, where animals (and elephants) from all over the globe gather to compete in the animal olympics. Babar's children (now all grown up) watch the various events, but Flora falls in love with one of the competitors, Coriander from the country of Mirza.

Their love blossoms and soon there is to be a royal wedding. At first Coriander's parents don't agree (Babar and Celeste are a little less 'stuffy' and wish their daughter well). A Mirza ceremony takes place and the newlyweds live happily ever after.

It's a lovely story and it's evident that Laurent De Brunhoff obviously paid a lot of attention to his dad's work, and has tirelessly kept Babar's legend alive. Really worthwhile if you enjoy the original Jean De Brunhoff stories and want to see if Laurent's own can stand on their own two (or should that be big stomping grey four) feet.


Charlotte's best bit: Flora's exuberant support of Coriander during the games, cheering for Mirza!

Daddy's Favourite bit: Fantastic, the modern books pay homage to the originals wonderfully.

We love Babar. We've got some rather special Babar loveliness coming up on the blog very soon but today we're looking at Babar and the Wully Wully, a fantastic story that highlights all the reasons why Jean De Brunhoff's peerless Elephant characters are still so timeless and brilliant 80 years (yes, 80 years!!!) on.

Babar the Elephant is king of a wonderful realm, living in perfect harmony with his elephant subjects. However, things aren't always perfect in paradise - a tribe of rhinos, led by the grumpy and curmudgeonly Rataxes are always causing trouble. So when Babar's children Pom, Flora and Alexandra find a strange creature while out playing in Celestville, they bring him home as a well-loved pet.

The Wully Wully is cute and charming, and loves life in Celestville, but the evil Rataxes watches with an envious glint in his eye, and can't wait to kidnap the Wully Wully for himself.

Needless to say, Wully Wully does not have a happy life living amongst the rhinos. He's kept in a cage, or on a lead, and is thoroughly miserable. So it's up to the bravest elephants and their monkey chum to mount a rescue mission.

Trouble is round the corner though, when Rataxes finds out - and declares war on the elephants. Things look grim, but can Flora change the course of history before the elephants and the rhinos fight?

This is a truly wonderful book, teaching children why sharing and kindness are important - but also that fighting and war are not the only answer, sometimes diplomacy and discussion can win out.

I've often said that Jean De Brunhoff was a time traveller, who leapt back in time to the 1930s to begin writing his stories, because they feel so contemporary (with a few odd anachronisms of course) and their messages are utterly important, even today.

Beautifully illustrated as ever, with a cast of engaging characters, we just cannot get enough of Babar and his friends.

Charlotte's best bit: The Wully Wully is so cute! I hadn't the heart to tell her that she can't have one for Christmas.

Daddy's Favourite bit: Sharing, compassion, diplomacy, war, you name it, Jean De Brunhoff expertly makes it accessible and understandable by children of all ages - which is why the Babar books are so durned special. Do not miss out as they're steadily being reprinted!

This brilliant book nestled amongst the library stacks on one of our regular library trips and we couldn't wait to grab it, check it out, and get it home. We really like David Mackintosh's quirky characters (in books like "Marshall Armstrong is New to Our School") and we'd heard a lot about how great this book is.

It is too, celebrating Grandparents and how much we love and value them - even if they're slightly eccentric.

When a young boy needs to bring someone along for show and tell at his school, he really struggles until he remembers Granpa Frank - who lives at home and is a bit of a curmudgeonly old so-and-so. The boy isn't keen when he realises he'll have to talk about Granpa Frank for a WHOLE MINUTE. No easy task when all Frank seems to want to do is mooch around, generally being crotchety and a bit grumpy most of the time.

As we all know though, Grandparents tell the best stories - and as soon as Frank enters class, he takes over and the children are utterly fascinated by the tales of his interesting and varied life. The Frank Show is a huge success!

Expertly told, never overly sentimental and Frank is the sort of Grandad just about anyone would love to listen weaving a tale or two. Awesome stuff Mr Mackintosh!

Charlotte's best bit: Frank's crazy clothing worn to the Show and Tell

Daddy's favourite bit: Brilliantly drawn and told, most grandparents will absolutely love reading this to their grandchildren.