As we enter the final week of our blog, we wanted to review the heck out of a book that offers a quirky, sometimes rather eccentric view of something that we - in lockdown over the last few months - have been dying to do for ages. Thankfully as the lockdown rules are eased, and the hordes of ruinous barbarians who have dumped litter all over our green spaces have instead retreated to the shops and pubs that have reopened instead, we can finally return to a few of our favourite woodland haunts.

"100 things to do in a forest" by Jennifer Davis, with beautiful illustrations from Eleanor Taylor dances between the sort of outdoorsy book we've seen quite a few times before, but also comes up with some rather quirky and - as we said - slightly eccentric things to try the next time you find yourself winding your way through the trees of your favourite green space.

Some of the book's ideas are obviously aimed at children and of course we're all over those, but there are others that feel aimed at adults / parents too, so it's good to not be left out for once!

Things you can eat while out for a walk. Ever tried Hawthorn berries and leaves?

Both my wife and I have always encouraged our daughter to enjoy being out in the countryside as much as possible, and we're very lucky where we are that we have wild spaces almost on our doorstep. Jennifer's humorous but knowledgable text takes you through some simple ideas at first, but then really brings on the controversy in a couple of cases, for example highlighting that as much as we've always been taught to tread lightly through the countryside and not pick wild flowers or break branches off trees, nature can take it - and it's quite an outspoken view but we can almost see what she's getting at here, that we're in danger of teaching our kids to treat green spaces almost like shrines rather than really getting involved with enjoying them to the max (that's not to say you should encourage your little darlings to run rampant through your local forest glade, trashing the place of course!)

The other slightly controversial section in the book is the one about knives. Sometimes when we go out, we take one with us for whittling or forest crafting but always with that strange sense of guilt that carrying a knife around brings. "TISH AND POPPYCOCK" says Jennifer (not literally, but in attitude), there's nothing wrong with taking a carbon-steel bladed knife with you when you go out for a forest bathe, don't be such a wuss! Local authorities may of course see it slightly differently, as they would about lighting fires in forest spaces too (so always check with local bylaws and certainly make sure you check and gain permission from landowners before you go setting up the perfect campfire).

Light a fire and make some campfire bread (but check with landowners and local bylaws first!)

There you see, we've already gone onto the backfoot of being slightly 'nannyish' about the book's content, but this is a fantastic resource if - like us - you love trekking and enjoying the amazing green spaces we have in our country, so perhaps we all need to take the safety wheels off, particularly after months in isolation, and really enjoy this book and its fabulous suggestions to the full.

Sum this book up in a sentence: 100 amazing ways to really get the most out of your favourite forestial habitats, with loads of activities and ideas for young and old.

"100 things to do in a Forest" is out today, 10th August 2020, by Jennifer Davis and Eleanor Taylor, published by Laurence King Publishing (kindly supplied for review). 

Time for another truly stunning book in the fabulous "Pierre the Maze Detective" series, this time with a dizzyingly imaginative new adventure set against the backdrop of dreamy Canal City (Venice in all but name) in "Pierre the Maze Detective: The Curious Case of the Castle in the Sky" by Hiro Kamigaki and IC4 Design.

Pierre is one again hot on the trail of a puzzle-solving adventure.

The waterways and streets of Canal City are brimming with people as crowds gather on the eve of the Maze Egg carnival.

But the legendary Maze Egg is gone, and Pierre and Carmen find themselves on the case.

Can you help them return the Maze Egg to its rightful home before it's too late?

Those of you who've seen these books before know what to expect - highly detailed and truly gorgeous illustrations filled with intricate mazes, visual puzzles and hidden objects to find.

The book's colossal format makes it absolutely delightful for sprawling out on the floor with as you race to complete each maze - but don't worry if you get stuck, you can always cast a sneaky glance at the answers at the back of the book (no cheating mind!!)

We've always been completely drawn to these books, they're true works of art in their own right and they offer hour after hour after hour of book-based entertainment to keep your kids well and truly hooked.

Sum this book up in a sentence: A stunning book perfect for puzzle fans, once again featuring the superb creations of Hiro and the awesome team at IC4 Design, drawing you into a fabulous mystery with Pierre and Carmen.

"Pierre the Maze Detective: The Curious Case of the Castle in the Sky" by Hiro Kamigaki and IC4 Design is out on 24th August 2020, published by Laurence King Publishing (kindly supplied for review). 

Oh wow, oh wow, oh wow! You may have a bit of a wait on your hands to get hold of a copy of "Albert Einstein's Theory of Relativity: Words that Changed the World" by Carl Wilkinson and James Weston Lewis, but trust us on this one, it will be well worth the wait.

Albert Einstein, genius theoretical scientist, may not be the easiest person in the world to decode for kids, yet here in this massive book (and boy, do we ever love a massive science book), Carl and James present his work in a fantastic and easily digestible way - without removing the importance of his theories, and without watering down Einstein's amazing body of work.

The book breaks each of Einstein's various theories down into categories, dealing with time and space, the formation of our universe, and his academic papers and presents each section in an eye-catching and memorable way.

The book also manages to capture a flavour of Einstein's rather eccentric and quirky character (after all, what's the point in being a genius if you can't be a little bit 'strange' with it, right?) - Kids will absolutely eat up all the details and anecdotes that are included amongst the more science-ey stuff.

Let's take a look inside - how stunning is this?



We've seen many attempts to engage young scientists with often quite complex subjects but this is easily one of the best introductory science books we've ever seen - in fact it's almost unfair to describe it as introductory, just because it's fairly illustration heavy - the text in here will be useful for reference material for a huge age range, and this book is destined to become a real 'keeper' for families (like us) that are obsessed with the magic of science, and those folk who laid the foundations of what we know about our world, our universe and ourselves.

Sum this book up in a sentence: Without a doubt, one of the best science books we've seen in ten years of book blogging, a truly stunning tome detailing the life and work of one of the 20th Century's unparalleled scientific geniuses.

"Albert Einstein's Theory of Relativity" by Carl Wilkinson and James Weston Lewis is out on 14th September 2020 - Published by Laurence King Publishing (kindly supplied for review).

Oh yes indeed we do love a good atlas with a twist or two to mark it out from the norm.

Once again we're in the realsm of myths and legends, this time looking at a mythical creature whose fishy tail has been seen waving above the briny deep for millennia across the world.

"Mermaid Atlas" by Anna Claybourne and Miren Asiain Lora is a very special book indeed, taking us on a tour right around the globe looking at the various ways different countries and cultures have woven their own mermaid legends, with many different names and mystical powers brought to life through the oral storytelling traditions of sailors and seafolk.

The minute you see this book you just cannot wait to dive in. It's beautifully produced but the real lure for us was finding out about all those different types of mermaids, some of which were familiar and some of which were entirely new.

Let's take a look inside this truly gorgeous book!

The legend of Nommo, spacegoing mermaid! How cool is that!

This is just so lovely, and it covers a subject that kids will be familiar with in a really cool way, showing how different cultures have so much in common, particularly when it comes to supernatural mythical creatures.

Instantly enchanting!

Once again, like all the fantastic books that find their way into our Book of the Week slot, it's a fantastic place for children to start learning about something new, serving as the perfect jumping-in point to cover the subject of mythical creatures in more depth.


Sum this book up in a sentence: A truly mesmerising and gorgeous book taking us on a tour of the world's mermaid legends and so beautifully presented you'll almost want to stick it in a frame and put it on the wall.

"Mermaid Atlas" by Anna Claybourne and Miren Asiain Lora is out now, published by Laurence King Publishing (kindly supplied for review). 

We spend a lot of our time daydreaming about space. What would it be like to blast off into the inky blackness? What would it be like to travel in a spaceship?

Indeed, what would it be like to live on another planet?

Now you can find out in this perfect activity for lockdown, "Build Your Own Mars Colony" illustrated by Jana Glatt.

In this small but well packed box you'll find an entire mission ready to be built with lots of sturdy cardboard, perfectly laser-cut and brilliantly illustrated, so kids can dive straight in and get making! Simple plans are included, and soon you'll be building your own mars mission with everything you need to survive on the red planet.

Don't leave bunny at home, she has her own spacesuit!

We had a lot of fun with this set, and there's tons of play value here with lots of different characters, science experiments and of course habitat domes so you can shelter from the huge storms that sweep the planet.

A red rocket and a communications rig, ready to phone home.

All the pieces pop out from their cardboard backing really easily, and the card is sturdy and not too bendy, which means this set will last for ages.

Lots of vehicles to choose from, for roving the red planet far and wide

This is a perfect present for space-obsessed kids (like us!) and a brilliant way to introduce younger children to the concepts of space exploration, encouraging them to use their imaginations to think about what it would be like to conquer mars.

Sum this set up in a sentence: Lots of colourful sturdy play pieces, fun characters and lots of amazing spacey things to begin setting up your own play mars colony, fabulous stuff!

"Build your own Mars Colony" by Jana Glatt is out today, published by Laurence King (kindly supplied for review). 

Keeping your spirits up playing fun games over easter while your kids are kicking around at home?

Here's a brilliant new one to add to your pile, out today from Laurence King Publishing.

"Match a Mummy: The Ancient Egypt Memory Game" is a fun way to find out more about Egyptian culture, artifacts and awesome characters in a beautifully presented memory / matching game.

Having played a few of these types of games before, Little Miss and her little cousins absolutely loved these colourful cards, with artwork by Lea Maupetit, developed by Anna Clayborne.

Perfect for your own little history fans. Let's take a closer look at the set:

Give someone your heart (card) today!

Games played by the egyptians themselves are detailed in this fab card set

it's tons of fun to play, fast paced and really attractive

Sum this game up in a sentence: a superb memory matching game for kids who are just learning about Ancient Egypt

"Match a Mummy" from Laurence King Publishing is out today (kindly supplied for review)

Our oceans are teeming with life, a rich diverse and amazing world exists beneath the waves.

What better way to get to know all those amazing creatures than with this brilliantly simple but hugely entertaining new board game from Laurence King Publishing.

With fab illustrations by Caroline Selmes, "I Saw It First! Ocean" compliments the previous "I Saw It First: Jungle" edition, with a fast paced observation-based game for younger players.

Each player takes it in turn to draw a token from the box, and then the first person to spot that creature on the board gets a point.

Are your sharp eyes quick enough to spot the creatures before your opponents?

Packaged in an attractive triangular box, with a huge hexagonal board and accompanying tokens, it's perfect for a bit of family gaming time - something we're hugely keen on here at ReadItDaddy Towers

Sum this game up in a sentence: A hugely entertaining, fun and beautifully presented game that's perfect for tiny natural historians who love finding out more about our amazing oceans and the animals that live in them.

"I Saw It First: Ocean" with illustrations by Caroline Selmes is out now, published by Laurence King (kindly supplied for review). 

I remember the first time I properly fell in love with pop art, mostly through the works of artists like Roy Liechtenstein and Andy Warhol. But in "Bob Goes Pop!" by Marion Deuchars, everyone's favourite artistic bird hears that there's a new artist in town - a sculptor called Roy whose works are causing something of a fuss in Bob's neighbourhood.

"But I'M the best artist in town!" squawks Bob, but when he finally sees Roy's work, it lights a fire of inspiration under Bob's tail feathers - and Bob's world is about to POP, POP, POP!

Bob is determined to reclaim his crown as top artist but as he enters into friendly competition with Roy, they soon realise that competing with each other can be counter-productive.

There's a nasty showdown after Bob surreptitiously spies on Roy's new project - but Bob sees the error of his ways, and together he and Roy realise that they can make the most amazing art in the world if they can work together to achieve great things.

Marion expertly plays with the concept of pop art through this engaging story, and children will love joining Bob in finding out what pop art means - perhaps even indulging their own curiosity about art movements and why the Pop Art movement was so hugely influential and inspirational in the mid to late 20th century, and continues to be such an amazing branch of the art world even today.



Sum this book up in a sentence: Marion cleverly works in several amazing works of art, inspired by real-life artists in the pop-art movement such as Yayoi Kusama, Claes Oldenburg and Jeff Koons - offering a fabulous little story to serve as a great introduction for kids to begin their own appreciation of amazing art and awesome friendships.

"Bob Goes Pop" by Marion Deuchars is out now, published by Laurence King Publishing (kindly supplied for review). 

If you are interested in children's picture books it can sometimes be quite difficult to find books that go a little further than just showing off fantastic illustrations and artwork, but delve into what makes a great picture book and how the creatives behind them actually get down to the nitty gritty of producing such amazing ways of conveying their stories.

"Children's Picturebooks - The Art of Visual Storytelling (second edition)" by Martin Salisbury and Morag Styles is a fantastic update of a title that was first published in 2012, pulling together new and emerging talent in the picture book field and once again showing how the medium has evolved from the very first illustrated stories, through to the superb titles that catch our eyes amongst modern-day kidlit.

If anything, it's like trawling through an immense catalogue of all of our previous Book of the Week winners over the past 10 years, with notable blog faves such as Shaun Tan, Jon Klassen and Beatrice Alemagna featuring in several of the chapters, broken down by particular subject areas to show just how picture books deal with a dizzying array of diverse subjects.

Jon Klassen's classic "I Want My Hat Back" (Walker Books) - Someone's in a LOT of trouble.

But for us it's the process stuff, those moments where the magic curtain is lifted for a brief second, and a kidlit genius reveals a smidgeon of their secrets to those of us who would love to create our own books but don't even know where to get started. Everything from the planning of plots and the storyboarding of illustrations shows up in this book, often proving that in many cases, "Happy accidents" aren't just something we amateurs rely on for inspiration and those moments of clarity in the creative process.

Beatrice Alemagna's absolutely gorgeous world building in "The Marvellous Fluffy Squishy Itty Bitty" (Thames and Hudson)

It's an absolute treat to see well known picture book creatives describing how they started out, their working processes and what drives them on to continue creating such amazing books. Certainly anyone interested in writing or illustrating (probably fair to say more illustration than writing advice) will find a treasure trove of detail here, lovingly curated by Martin and Morag in a completely unmissable tome.

Sum this book up in a sentence: Absolutely worth its weight in gold, a superb showcase of amazing children's books and the incredibly talented folk behind them

"Children's Picturebooks - the Art of Visual Storytelling (2nd Edition)" by Martin Salisbury and Morag Styles is out on 6th January 2019, published by Laurence King (kindly supplied for review). 

What whacky zany ideas can you come up with when a brilliant new game challenges your artistic imagination?

Find out in "Art out of the Box" by Nicky Hoberman and Hiromi Suzuki.

This fabulously creative new game challenges you to think on your feet, and with your pencil, with 80 prompt cards to get you doodling, scribbling and storytelling.

Pick a subject card, add an artistic technique and use the two to come up with something truly brain-explodingly inspirational. Build a story world, and characters using only your imagination. It's a heck of a lot of fun, and could almost be the perfect game for us as we do love a bit of artsy stuff and certainly enjoy doodling.

There are hoards of potential combinations to build using the cards, so dig out your best pens and pencils, a ton of scrap paper and get inspired!

"Art out of the Box" by Nicky Hoberman and Hiromi Suzuki is out now, published by Laurence King publishing (kindly supplied for review). 

Oooh sometimes it's quite tricky to identify certain animals, and if you're fooled into thinking that Leopard is actually a Cheetah or perhaps even a Jaguar, then this fab fun family card game is for you!

"You Callin' Me A Cheetah?" by Marcel George might just help you learn about different animal species with a bit of fun card game strategy going on at the same time.

Can you tell a hare from a rabbit? It's trickier than you'd think. 

Comedian, writer and all-round funny guy Mike Barfield is back with another of his brilliant flip-books - this one might just dig you out of trouble as you start back at school.

With "The Ultimate Excuse Generator" you can whip up over 100 MILLION different excuses when your new teacher asks you why you didn't complete that summer book assignment, or where your Geography homework is.

With a quick random flip through the book, you can lay out the most exorbitant or the most likely sounding excuses, injected with a zany sense of humour by Mike.

It's a fab spiral-bound book that can stand up to plenty of punishment.

Perfect for stashing in your school bag for those awkward moments when you realise you forgot to get a note off your mum or dad to get you out of P.E - but really don't fancy a round of 500 star jumps to kick off a dreary drizzly tuesday.

"The Ultimate Excuse Generator" by Mike Barfield is out now, published by Laurence King Publishing (kindly supplied for review). 

When I was a kid at school, nearly everyone was encouraged to either write for, draw for or contribute to the school magazine. It became something of an anarchic publication, perhaps an insight into most of our mental states at the time.

There's something insanely satisfying about making your own publication to share with others, and now Kristyna Baczynski and Laurence King Publishing are making it easier than ever with the arrival of "Read All About It: 10 Mini Magazines to Make and Share".

Everything you need is tucked between the covers of this brilliantly designed and inspirational book, with 10 pull-out 'zines' to get you started, and a ton of ideas to inspire you once you've used the book's resources and quite fancy striking out on your own.

From animal safaris and recipes to you and your family, pick your favourite topics and get going!

Each mini magazine has a distinct theme, with lots of ideas for stories, features and pictures - the rest is up to you and your imagination so let it loose and come up with something truly brilliant!

With fully-illustrated instructions and hints and tips along the way, this brand new book from zine publisher and comic artist Kristyna Baczynski will get you making your own brilliant zines in no time.

Never undererstimate the importance of play in your child's life.

One of the things we've really enjoyed is seeing C playing, now that the slight pressure of entrance exams and the snowball of homework has shrunk a bit, it's just good to see her easing off the throttle and just being a kid again.

Normally she loves nothing better than tucking herself away with a good book when she has spare time, but with a trio of brilliant new items from Laurence King, we've been rediscovering our love of games.

First up is "Super Happy Families" - a colourful and brilliantly designed card game from Aidan Onn, illustrated by Kirsti Davidson.

You're probably familiar with the old card game Happy Families, but imagine what it would be like to play a version where everyone has superpowers!

Team up magnetic Maggie and anti-gravity Felicity from the Quantum family or unite Fiammetta and Lolly Elemental. Collect illustrated cards of 44 super-powered goodies and baddies and place them into superfamily groups. Whoever gets the most groups first wins! It's quick to master, but very competitive and fun for 2-4 players. 

Dinos and Dominoes! What a great mix!

This fantastic book brings a whole new dimension to learning about the history of fashion...!

Yes, yes I know you might feel it's still a little too early to start Christmas Shopping, but time is ticking by...

Meet the bears. Meet ALL the bears from around the world in this cute, cuddly and thoroughly hilarious book...

Now this is something rather special - we've actually been hoping someone would do a really cool book about the Periodic Table of Elements for quite some time...

There's something really involving and atmospheric about finding the perfect spot for a bit of stargazing...

Here's a very, very silly book that is a huge amount of fun for your would-be Witches, Warlocks, Wizards and Mages...