Our Chapter Book of the Week is the glorious third book for an intrepid hero who embraces adventure with aplomb, in a middle grade series that's just chock full of giggles, awesome characters and compelling stories.

"Mr Penguin and the Catastrophic Cruise" surprised us at first by the sheer size of the book, giving kids plenty of story to dig into as Mr Penguin heads off on a cruise ship for his latest case.

Oddly, despite being a penguin, he's not exactly a fan of water and can't swim. But the briny deep will be the least of his worries, as in grand style there's a mystery afoot - and if there's one thing Peng definitely does like it's solving a tricky puzzle or two!

With best chum Colin performing in the ladies choir on board, and the lure of 24-hour-a-day fish finger sarnie availability, Mr Penguin feels that it might actually be a lovely rest, and a chance to recuperate after all his previous adventures. But nefarious characters on board ship have other ideas...

Is it me, or is that woman slightly suspicious?

Claude! Our favourite tardis-bereted superdog is back with his awesome and dapper pal Sir Bobblysock for a new adventure.

"Claude: Anyone for Strawberries?" by Alex T. Smith is the perfect summer adventure for younger fans of Claude, who love his new TV show.

Of course now Claude is a TV star he hasn't let it all go to his head (Sir Bobblysock we're less sure about, we think he's a total diva to be honest!) but here's a new adventure that covers one of our favourite bits about summer - scoffing vanloads of strawberries. YUM!

The only problem is, Claude and Sir Bob can't find a single strawberry anywhere. Not even one of those manky half green / half red ones that always end up in your punnet at the pick-your-own.

Everyone has snapped them up to eat at the Pawhaven Tennis Championship. Claude has to win the championship to make sure Sir Bobblysock doesn't miss out on strawberries-for-breakfast day, but can Claude become a tennis powerhouse literally overnight?

Hmm, not sure I'd fancy any of his wares!

Our Booky Advent Calendar Book of the Week book for Day 21 is actually just that! A Booky Advent Calendar featuring a gorgeous and heartwarming story, as well as 24 (and a half) brilliant activities and makes that your kids can get busy with as we get closer and closer to Christmas.

"How Winston Delivered Christmas" by Alex T. Smith is a really fantastic idea. As well as being a nice thick book perfect for a christmas read, with the most awesome story of a brave little mouse who helps Father Christmas, it's actually an activity and festive make book too - with loads of brilliant ideas for things to make and do to really get you in the christmassy mood (even though the weather's probably a bit drizzly and dark outside!)

Follow Winston the mouse as he sets out to deliver Oliver’s letter to Father Christmas on Christmas Eve. He has a lot of Very Exciting Adventures on this Very Important Mission and makes some wonderful friends along the way.

Like an advent calendar counting down to Christmas, each day also features festive things to make and do – you can write a letter to Father Christmas and make mince pies, Christmas cards, presents and decorations. 

Our third Book of the Week ushers in the welcome return of a diminutive character full of bravery and pluckiness...

Time for a rather quirky but effortlessly charming book now, from a pair of absolute legends in children's books...Enter The (Eggbox) Dragon!

Our Chapter Book of the Week uses that awesome illustration-heavy format to brilliant effect as we meet Alex T. Smith's amazing new pint sized hero, Mr Penguin.

It's actually been a very long time since we've read a "Princess" book - but this is Alex T. Smith so we're prepared to make exceptions...!

You'd better not run, you'd better not hide, you'd better shout out, I'm telling you why...here's Alex T. Smith with a special seasonal and brilliant new Claude story!

A ticklish take on "Jonah and the Whale" is our first Book of the Week this week, as Alex T. Smith's awesome doggy hero makes a smooth transition to big picture books!

Our second Book of the Week really does deserve a whopping great big gold cup. Here's Alex T. Smith's diminutive and adventuresome pooch and socky sidekick in "Claude - Going for Gold"...

One of the funniest children's writers on the planet is also one of the most brill artists too. So imagine if that person shared some of their doodling secrets? Our First Book of the Week is "Claude Doodle Book" by Alex T. Smith

"Stop Those Monsters!" by Steve Cole, illustrated by Jim Field (Simon and Schuster)

A monstrously good day to you. We're basking in the middle of a heatwave as we type (though by the time you read this, we'll probably be languishing in the middle of our rainy season!) Yes it's the August Chapter Book and Early Readers roundup so what's on our dance card for this month?

We start off with Monsters. Did your eyes pop out at our header image? Well it's time to meet Steve Cole's latest monster meisterwork "Stop Those Monsters!"

Billed as "The Wizard of Oz Meets Monsters Inc." (which is a movie mashup we'd DEARLY love to see, "Stop Those Monsters" relates the tale of Bob. No he's not a monster, he's a human boy, trapped in a strange land populated with slobbering toothy hairy nefarious beasts.

As you can imagine, Bob needs his wits about him just to survive an average day but Bob isn't content to just sit around moping - Bob wants to escape this crazy place and with the help of three monstrous companions, Verity (A weird monster who looks a bit like a gigantic hamster), Alfie (voted "World's least scary monster or supernatural being" three years running) and Zola (who, despite being one of the infamous Gorgons, can't actually turn anyone to stone!) Bob hatches a plan to break out of the crazy place before it drives him ga-ga!

Steve Cole's pacy writing, coupled with Jim Field's monster-tastic illustrations, make this utterly essential reading for rib-tickling monster fans. "Stop Those Monsters!" is out now from Simon and Schuster.

With an intriguing title, and some extremely cool penguins, let's move on to chillier climes...

"Meet at the Ark at Eight" by Ulrich Hub (with illustrations by Jorg Muhle) (Pushkin Children's Books)

"Meet at the Ark at Eight" by Ulrich Hub (with gorgeous illustrations from Jorg Muhle) is the tale of a rainy day, a posse of penguins and a rather neat twist on the well-loved biblical tale of Noah and the Ark. This time though, as the flood waters rise our penguin pals are on a strict deadline - Meet at the ark at eight or risk drowning! A wise dove issues the warning and our caper begins.

The three madcap penguins aren't the brightest sparks in the box, but along with a rather surly (and hilariously funny) dove, a beautiful butterfly and an all-seeing god, will the penguins arrive safe and sound (and be home and dry?) Ulrich Hub's allegorical and hugely funny tale is rib-tickling from start to finish (and adults will certainly spot a lot of wry humour in it that will sail right over their little ones' heads!)

"Meet at the Ark at Eight" is published by Pushkin Press, and will be available on the 24th September 2015.

Next up, what has our favourite Tardis-Beret-Wearing dapper gadabout hound been up to lately...?

Claude: Lights, Camera, Action by Alex T. Smith (Hodder Children's Books)

Claude and Sir Bobblysock are hitting the sunkissed boulevards of Hollywood (or rather, the local high street transformed into a makeshift film set) in their latest greatest adventure, a book that caused considerable whooping and cheering when it arrived on Charlotte's bedside table. "Claude: Lights, Camera, Action" follows our dapper adventurous pooch pal and his woolly but clever companion into the movies, completely by accident. With the aid of a troublesome washing line, a trampoline and a deft disguise or two, Claude and Sir Bobblysock stand in for two injured actors when a film production company shows up on the other side of Claude's garden fence. It's time for high adventure on the silver screen as Claude and Bobbles (as Charlotte likes to call him) make a bid for stardom!

As ever, with Alex T. Smith's razor-sharp comic timing and superb illustrations, we're in for a cheeky cinematic tour-de-force in Claude's biggest outing yet.

Keep a very close eye on Claude news in the future because he might become a REAL LIFE movie star, at least on the small screen as a Claude TV series has been optioned! We cannot wait (we're just sad that Kenneth Williams isn't alive to do Claude's voice!)

"Claude: Lights, Camera, Action" by Alex T. Smith is out now from Hodder Children's Books

How about something from a writing legend next who you may not have heard of, but truly owe it to yourself to get to know...?

"The Letter for the King" and "The Secrets of the Wild Wood" by Tonke Dragt. Sprawling and epic stuff! (Puskin Press)

Pushkin Press have re-released Tonke Dragt's million selling "The Letter for the King" and now the sequel, "The Secrets of the Wild Wood" has also been released clad in a fantastic new cover. For those unfamiliar with Tonke Dragt, she's the Dutch genius author of a huge and important body of work to easily rival Tolkien and C.S. Lewis in scope and scale. "The Letter for the King" introduces us to 16 year old Tiuri, tasked with delivering a vital message on a perilous quest across an unforbidding landscape. Tiuri's world is in turmoil, and though the contents of the letter and Tiuri's identity must remain secret, the entire future of the realm depends on the letter reaching the king's hands.

In "The Secrets of the Wild Wood" Tiuri's quest continues as he becomes a knight, sent out on a rescue mission to a dark place filled with magic and foreboding.

If your children can cope with epic, truly epic books on a grand scale (put it this way, if they could work their way through the last few Harry Potter books they'll have no problem with this mammoth pair of amazing tales) they're going to be completely lost to these. "The Letter from the King" is available now from Pushkin Press with "The Secrets of the Wild Wood" released in September.

Did someone say "Dorks?" How rude, and it's definitely rude to read other people's diaries...

"Dork Diaries: Drama Queen (Dork Diaries 9) by Rachel Renee Russell (Simon and Schuster Children's Books)

Fashionably late to the party as ever, darrrrrling, we're catching up with the zillion selling "Dork Diaries" books by Rachel Renee Russell. In "Dork Diaries: Drama Queen (Dork Diaries Book 9), our intrepid dork du jour Nikki updates her diary with unfortunate incidents involving beloved pet fish, and the joys (or terrors) of Spring as the diary catches up with the month of April. What else is in store for Nikki, Brandon, Zoey and Chloe? You'd better tune in to Dorksville and find out.

"Dork Diaries: Drama Queen" is out now, released by Simon and Schuster in the most gorgeous Leopard-print hardcover!

What's left in our gorgeous goodie-bag of chapter books and early readers this month?

"Circles of Stone (The Mirror Chronicles) by Ian Johnstone (HarperCollins Children's Books)

The follow up to the fantastic "The Bell Between Worlds", here's "Circles of Stone" by Ian Johnstone, picking up from where TBBW left off with Sylas and Naeo facing a dark army led by the nefarious Dark Lord Thoth. As they continue to explore the boundaries of the mirror world, both are being hunted by the dark lord's forces, intent on destroying the duo before their true powers can be realised. Ian's amazing fantasy world shows that Oxford really is THE city for amazing fantasy authors. Name any top selling fantasy series of the last couple of centuries and you'll soon be adding "The Mirror Chronicles" to the list along with greats by Pullman, Tolkein and Lewis. Fantastic stuff!

"Circles of Stone" is out now from HarperCollins Children's books.

Tune in for more chapter book gorgeousness next month!

(Many thanks to the various publishers who have provided chapter books for our roundups)

Aha! So this is how it all began! We've been thrilling to the exploits of one Foxy Dubois, arch-sneak and vivacious plotter and we always wondered how this foxy sneak-thief ended up with such an unusual sidekick.

As fans of the "Foxy Tales" books will know, Alphonso the Alligator is Foxy's ever-hungry 'assistant' and Foxy constantly tries to think up new and devious ways to get rid of the scaly rotter.

But what's the backstory here? Alex reveals all in a timely reprint of the very first foxy tale - "Foxy and Egg".

Starting off with a lovely noir hat-tip, Foxy discovers an egg on her doorstep. Foxy likes eggs, in fact Foxy will eat just about everything chicken-based, so she invites this strange spotty egg inside for tea and an evening's soiree with nefarious plans of frying, scrambling and poaching in mind.

What a skinny little egg really needs is a good feed, a little music and a warm comfortable bed for the night. Foxy obliges, and has the most delicious eggy dreams (complete with toasty soldiers).

Meanwhile the egg grows, and grows, and grows! Perfecto!

Foxy doesn't quite realise at this point that there's not a chicken inside, but a big smelly hungry warty Alligator so hilarity ensues when eventually the egg cracks open and out pops Alphonso.

Charlotte has an opinion on the Foxy books. "Foxy isn't very nice!" she boldly claims. "I like Alphonso best!"

HERESY!!

I swear though, if Alex's next book doesn't involve some sort of humorous homage to The Great British Bake Off we'll feel royally cheated. His Twitter commentary on the programme is better than the dry wit voiceovers on "Come Dine with Me" and then some :)

Charlotte's best bit: Foxy trying to make good her escape in a rather smashing looking car!

Daddy's Favourite bit: Rib-tickling stuff from Alex, so good to see this reprinted!

(Kindly sent to us for review by Hodder Children's Books)

Ahh Hollywood. The glitz, the glamour, the..er the big green warty bottoms. Catching up with minxy mischief maker Foxy Dubois and her ever-present pain in the neck Alphonso the Alligator for their second adventure, we're hitting the highs and lows of tinseltown - referred to here as "Jollywood" (which we actually think sounds far nicer than Hollywood!)

We absolutely loved "Foxy Tales - The Cunning Plan" and couldn't wait for more Foxy adventures. In this second book, Foxy's schemes are even more hair-brained than ever and Alphonso's tummy (and bottom) are even more rumbly.

After a chance encounter with Tony Ravioli's twin brother, Foxy charms him and convinces him to introduce her to a famous movie star. Unfortunately Alphonso has stowed away in the back of the burger van as the two head off to the glitz and glamour of the movie studios. One thing's for sure, Foxy is going to have to come up with a plan to get rid of Alphonso that is so cunning you could brush your teeth with it.

We won't spoil too much - but this is a rip-snorting rollicking tale in the same mould as "Foxy Tales - The Cunning Plan" and has plenty of big green warty belly laughs and blisters along at a breakneck pace.

We don't actually know whether we ought to feel sorry for Foxy or think that she gets her just desserts (she is quite mean to Alphonso, but then I guess you'd be mean to someone if they kept threatening to eat you all the time). Loved the little back story about how Alphonso and Foxy first "met" :) Oh and it goes without saying that Mr Billy Bongo's cameos are a cracking highlight, as ever!

Brilliant stuff, we love it!

Charlotte's best bit: Feeling sorry for poor Foxy. Just when things look like they're going to go her way, a big alligator-shaped problem steps in the way. Parp!

Daddy's Favourite bit: Snortingly funny and a great example of a transitional book for kids like Charlotte looking for something a bit longer than the norm, but not as wordy as a chapter reader. Once again, Foxy and Alphonso are a huge hit and we'll be looking forward to that third book!

(Kindly sent to us for review by Hodder Children's Books)

"So Daddy, is Foxy a baddie?"

Oof! This is how our reading of "Foxy Tales" began, and underlined our animated reading of this fabulous new book series from two uber-talented children's book folk. Caryl Hart and Alex T. Smith have teamed up to create a mischievous duo par excellence, and this is their first (foxy) tale (Look out for "Foxy Tales: The Road to Fame and Fortune" coming really soon!)

So is Foxy a baddie? We chose to see her as a poor unfortunate lass who is a little down on her luck and is relying on her verve and cunning to get by in life. Things would probably go swimmingly if it wasn't for one huge green-scaly problem - a huge green scaly alligator-shaped problem.

Alphonso the Alligator has latched onto Foxy and if there's one thing that can really complicate life, even when you're as smart as a fox, it's having a blinkin' great big hungry Alligator in tow whose life revolves completely around filling his rotund belly as quickly (and as often) as possible. Poor Foxy (and heck, we have to have a bit of sympathy for her even if she's really a bit of a bad egg) has completely run out of credit at Toni Ravioli's East Street Diner, and Alphonso is hungry! Worse than that, Alligators will eat anything - even foxy sidekicks - so Foxy Dubois needs to come up with a plan, and fast!

This superb book was something we took a little time with, reading it over the space of a few bedtimes. Charlotte is good and ready for meatier chapter-based fare with great illustrations, so she really enjoyed Caryl's fast-paced storytelling punctuated by Alex's fab drawings (she's already a huge fan of Alex and still keeps talking about being slightly star-struck when she met him!)

Anyway, back to the plan. Foxy comes up with a stunner, so stunning and cunning you could brush your teeth with it. Foxy aims to kidnap a local heiress's dogs, fake a rescue, and then bring the dogs back to her for a rich reward.

On paper it's a sound plan, in practice, once again having a great big galumping Alligator helping out really isn't the brightest move. But can Foxy somehow succeed and end up well on the road to fortune and glory? Or will she be taking up permanent residence at No.1 Alligator Tummy Lane.

We'll leave you to discover the answer yourself. We had a lot of discussions about the merits of a children's book character who is actually a bit of a stinker, but think that Foxy Dubois is here to stay, and maybe - just maybe, her completely crazy hair-brained schemes might one day bear fruit (and she might get rid of that pesky alligator as well - or at least end up with a fantastic fashionable pair of Alligator-skin shoes!) There are so many laugh-out loud moments for young and old (we cackled like drains at the book's warning about the distressing scenes featuring cute dogs in cute coats - So true!)

A really rollickingly good start to a new book series that's absolutely bound to become a huge hit. Foxy and Alphonse, destined for greatness!

Charlotte's best bit: The most terrifying sight, a full grown fat-bellied alligator dressed up as a sweet old auntie. Eeks!

Daddy's Favourite bit: Oh dear. Alphonso's "Escape Cloud" - Silent, but deadly!

(Kindly sent to us for review by Hodder Children's Books)

Teaching children to be brave and overcome their fears isn't easy so it's nice to see a book that uses two brilliant animal characters to do just that.

Bella Bones (a rather cute little dog) and Monty Mittens (a rather fearful and highly strung cat) are best friends. They spend ever moment they can together, and play in the sunshine without a care in the world. But what happens at night, when darkness creeps into Monty's room and he gets scared?

Bella decides to help - and decides the best way to overcome a fear of the dark at bedtime would be to organise a sleepover. Armed with midnight snacks, cuddly teddies and torches, Bella and Monty settle down for a hairy, scary night! Eeeek!

Most children will, at some stage, be anxious or scared about the dark (Charlotte definitely still is, and always insists that her door is left open a crack - and her nightlight is switched on). Alex's fantastic little book shows how friendship can overcome fear - even of the darkest night. Lovingly drawn in Alex's trademark bold and brilliant style, chock full of the little details that make his books so endearing, we look forward to reading more Bella and Monty adventures really soon.

Charlotte's best bit: Bella's cute dress sense and ever-present 'tie bows' (as Charlotte calls them)

Daddy's favourite bit: A gently endearing and very nicely written (and drawn) way of helping children overcome fear and anxiety. Love Bella and Monty!