Here's a hugely inspirational book that taps into those moments when children realise that their voices, their opinions and their rights are just as important as anyone else's, in this stunning piece of prose - both beautiful to read and to look at.

"Every Child a Song" by Nicola Davies and Marc Martin is a lyrical and powerful story built around a celebration of children's rights.

A stirring and rallying cry to all kids to stand up and be heard, be counted, and make their opinions matter in a world that is dominated by voices that would quite like children to still be seen and not heard.

Nicola writes with such a passionate voice, working in conjunction with Marc Martin's stunning illustrations showing children all over the world answering that call to use their own powerful arguments to save the planet, and make us all sit up and take notice of what they're saying.

Let's dip into this gorgeous book for a closer look:

Children at play, raise your voices and be heard!

Stunning, characterful and diverse throughout, this is a real treat indeed.

Children are children and have rights too, no matter where they come from

This is the sort of book that's perfect for building classroom activities around, for climate change projects, or projects about migration and fleeing war-torn lands in search of a better life.

Bring your friends, bring your adults, time to mobilse for your rights!

Sum this book up in a sentence: Absolutely stunning stuff, stirring and inspirational for all kids who need to hear the message loud and clear that they matter, and they deserve better in this world!

"Every Child a Song" by Nicola Davies and Marc Martin is out now, published by Wren and Rook (kindly supplied for review). 

A few weeks ago we talked about this fantastic Book of the Week winner on our first ever Podcast. If you listened in, thank you SO much - and if you wanted to know more about the book here's our proper review!

Summer is here, we're in the midst of a heatwave, and our thoughts turn to the seaside. But what's worse than sitting down on the picturesque quayside only to be pestered by those winged annoyances, the seagulls! ACK!

But stop, ponder for a moment. Not all gulls are cut from the same cloth. Meet "Max" the star of this utterly adorable tale of friendship (and chips). Max is a polite, well behaved seagull who frequents a rather lovely little Fish and Chip shop nestling on the pier of a sleepy seaside town. Max befriends Bob, the chipshop owner and as Max greets the customers, Bob always saves a few chips for him at the end of the day as a special treat (We were wondering how Max keeps his svelte seagull-like figure with all those chips!)

Sadly, fortunes are on the turn. Bob's shop isn't making any money and during a particularly quiet summer, Bob shuts up shop for the very last time and when Max returns to greet his friend as normal at the end of the day, Bob isn't there.

Max waits, and waits, and waits - but eventually realises Bob has moved on. But where is Bob??

Will Max be reunited with his old friend?

We won't spoil things too much for you - because we really want you to read this fabulous book.

Max searches for Bob. Will he ever find him again?

Funny, yet touching in places - it's the sort of children's book that has you surreptitiously sneaking off for another look once your little ones are tucked up in bed (hopefully dreaming of fish and chips and seagulls, and lovely seaside adventures!)

Marc Martin is definitely a chap to keep a firm eye on, his books are fast becoming classics and this is yet another fabulous story that will, deservedly, bring him a ton of attention.

Charlotte's best bit: The swooping sweeping wings of Max as he flies high above the cityscape, looking for Bob

Daddy's Favourite bit: A simple tale of friendship, fish and chips but so wonderfully told and gorgeously illustrated that it just HAS to be read again and again!

(Kindly sent to us for review by Templar Publishing)

More than ever before, children are fully aware of - and are quite active in being involved in ecological issues from a very early age. Not just "going green" but exploring the important reasons why we need to protect our planet and make better use of the resources available to us.

Marc Martin's first picture book "A Forest" stresses the importance of preserving our forests and woodlands, and the book opens with a truly gorgeous landscape spread out across the double page spread, filled with tiny and glorious trees.

As forest dwellers start to discover that trees are a fantastic natural resource, the forest is diminished - replaced at first, but later mankind's greed sees the forest disappear entirely - replaced by the smoke-belching skyline of a cityscape filled with colossal buildings.

The stark warning the book delivers, with a huge 'whump' is definitely not lost on us as we read through this gloriously illustrated hardback - with a tiny faint hope delivered by a sole survivor, a single tree...and so the cycle begins anew.

Marc's lush painted spreads in this book may be fairly minimalist, but their impact definitely isn't minimal in any way. The text is purposely kept simple, again to give this book a broad appeal from the tiniest toddlers to my 7 year old, sitting on my lap and taking in the message this book delivers so expertly.

A keeper, oh yes, definitely a keeper.

Charlotte's best bit: Charlotte loved getting to a certain point in the book, then tracing back to find the sole surviving tree in each page spread by its distinctive shape

Daddy's Favourite bit: A beautifully illustrated and perfectly presented first book for your tiniest eco-tots, that delivers a stark warning about the risks of abusing our natural resources.

(Kindly sent to us for review by Templar Publishing)