I think finally (hooray! Thank goodness!) there's been a distinct slowdown in the number of pirate books winging their way to us...

Oh my, there's nothing worse than losing one of your favourite socks. What happens to those poor discarded odd socks once their other half has been lost?

Oh my, it doesn't look like pirates are quite done and dusted in 2018. BUT we actually rather like this knockabout rhyming tale from Caryl Hart and Nick East...

Know what we love? Seeing kids as excited about space as Charlotte gets. Space is that mystical place that only a select few get to explore, but it holds children's attention and fulfils their fantastic imaginations like nothing else...

You know how much we love monster books, right? You know how much Charlotte always looks for the darkly-tinged bedtime stories (while mummy and I try desperately to steer her away from anything that will give her nightmares)? Well how about a book that, rather cleverly, works in two ways. On the one hand it does feature one mean and nasty monster who keeps invading poor Harry's lovely dreams at night, causing Harry to wake up with a squeak...

Harry and the Monster. Someone ought to give that monster a real telling off!

On the other hand it's actually a tale that should go some way to assuring kids that dreams are harmless, and the biggest scariest monster that pops into your imagination and runs gleefully around causing havoc and chaos is actually quite scared of something too.

Like all great children's picture books, there's a twist in this tale and Sue keeps us hanging on till quite near the end when the twist is revealed. Alongside Nick's fabulous art (with lots of truly gorgeous detail and such a meany monster!) this is an immensely satisfying book that ticked our 'monster book' boxes good and proper (and don't forget to look elsewhere on the blog today as we feature a mini interview with Sue and Nick, and our all time top-ten monster book recommendations!)

The evolution of a monster! Nick East's fantastic character drawings for "The Monster"

"Harry and the Monster" is available from Little Tiger Press. Please do join in with their "Reading Rocks" Campaign for the summer and keep kids reading (and loving doing so, of course!)

Charlotte's best bit: So what is it that a monster is scared of? Charlotte LOVED the twist reveal. So awesome!

Daddy's Favourite bit: We do love a good monster yarn and we particularly do love a meany monster (as long as they see the error of their ways!). A corking good read!

(Kindly sent to us for review as part of the awesome "Reading Rocks!" summer campaign by Little Tiger Press)

Goodnight Digger arrived in the post looking a bit like a digger had run it over but thankfully though battered and creased we dug straight in!

From Michelle Robinson with illustrations by Nick East, "Goodnight Digger" is a lovely snuggly bedtime book where a sleepy little boy says goodnight to all his beloved toys in turn. When a book says "will help your little darlings go to bed, and stay there" you can't really argue with that!

I loved Goodnight Digger's rhyming text, and Charlotte loved the artwork (particularly the wooden train set which is just like the one she's currently playing with). We definitely must hunt out her other books (particularly "What to do if an elephant stands on your foot" and "Bear Boar").

If your little ones love lorries, cars, trains, and of course diggers (what kid doesn't!) they'll love flicking through this beautifully presented book.

Charlotte's best bit: "That's my train set!"

Daddy's favourite bit: Panels that look so snuggly and lovely that you feel like you could wrap yourself up in them like a warm cuddly blanket.

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

(Book kindly supplied by Puffin Books for review)