As regular visitors to the blog will know, Charlotte is a history girl. She absolutely loves any books that delve deep into history, or even into the near-past to show what life was like and in particular what children were like in days gone by.

One of her favourite periods in history is the Victorian era, and this book is a brilliant potted history of how children lived under the reign of one of Britain's best-loved monarchs.

For a lot of children, life was far from sweet. Child labour still existed well into this era, and children often worked in mines, or performed harsh manual tasks in the various mills and factories that sprang up during the industrial revolution.

Jill Barber has gathered together a huge wealth of material to engage young minds with, ranging from brilliant illustrations and photographs from the era, to first-hand accounts and letters from children and their guardians describing what conditions were like.

Schools feature heavily in the book, showing what life was like in a Victorian school.

This book held Charlotte's attention wonderfully, and of course the best part about diving into non-fiction books are the many questions and points of investigation that we can dive onto the internet to find more out about, or wade through other books to see how they compare.

Charlotte's best bit: Accounts from a little girl who was a minecart handler, at the same age as Charlotte

Daddy's Favourite bit: A fascinating slice of history, nicely formatted and chock full of content to engage young minds

Now here's a curious little book, found hiding - almost lost because of its size - between the library stacks on our last visit. We've seen a lot of Stella Gurney's work in early years readers so immediately seized on this one (partially seized on it also because it's about a ghost and Charlotte LOVES a good ghost story).

Mr Bickle is a rather happy and jolly chap most of the time, but at night his house is plagued by a mischievous ghost. While Mr Bickle wants to sleep, the Ghost rattles and clatters around the house.

Things go from bad to worse as the ghost interferes with the well-meaning bachelor's rather neat and tidy lifestyle until one day Mr Bickle snaps and gets rid of the ghost in a rather amusing way (kids, do not try that at home OK?)

Once again, Mr Bickle's life is one of quiet serenity and extreme neatness. But...also loneliness. You see, for all his pestering misbehaviour, the ghost was company of a sort - and Mr Bickle soon actually discovers he misses his spectral pal.

So what can he do?

You'll have to read the story to find out, of course. A great little book with the idea that keeping the word count low and featuring an engaging theme will make it a surefire win for early readers progressing from the rather disjointed stories in most phonics books to something that flows and is engaging - just like the books children will naturally move on to next.

Stella's writing is brilliant, even with such constraints - and Sylvia Raga's artwork is quite unique and eye-catching (though if I'm honest, Mr Bickle actually scares me more than the ghost does!)

Charlotte's best bit: What Mr Bickle does to get rid of the ghost! Eeek!

Daddy's favourite bit: Brilliant idea to have books that have a reduced word count but 'feel' like proper children's picture story books despite this. Awesome find!

Here's a quirky and charming little book that's the perfect length for those bedtimes where your little one is practically asleep in your arms (or those bedtimes after preschool when they're so tired they're hyper and driving you up the wall and back again!)

Pig is in love with Piggie, his beautiful neighbour. Despite plenty of wooing, and oohing and ahhing, Piggie won't marry pig because her father has forbidden her to marry "Until pigs can fly" so our heroic pig tries to take to the air.

Does he succeed or fail? Does he win the fair trotter of the piggie maiden?

Of course, you'll have to read the book to find out. Vivian French's rhyming couplets are simple yet perfect, and I swear I had to check the credits of this book about a million times thinking that Tim Archbold is channelling Quentin Blake to the point where I'd SWEAR this book contained Quentin Blake's artwork if I didn't know better.

Regardless, it's a lovely little book. Uncomplicated but wonderfully told and superbly effective.

Charlotte's best bit: The Aliens!

Daddy's favourite bit: I can well imagine telling Charlotte one day that I'll let her get married "And pigs might fly" :)

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars