When you're about to embark on a perilous journey around the world and you're only six, it's vitally important to remember a few key things. One - You absolutely cannot outrun a Cheetah. Two - Snakes are hopeless if you sneeze at them and Three - Crocodiles are easily defeated by chewy gooey pie.

Sam, the titular hero of "Sam's Super Stinky Socks" (which is out today, by the way) is given lots of sage advice by dad before he goes off globetrotting, but like most 6 year olds (including our own) he completely ignores Dad's words in his excitement to go exploring. Worst of all, Sam forgets the most important advice imparted - Wash your socks every night, or you're going to end up attracting the most pesky critter in the jungle.

We're going to tease you a bit here. We're not going to tell you what could possibly be more scary than a cheetah, a snake and a croc - but Sam's socks are rotten and stinky so it's not long before the pint-sized hero finds himself in a huge amount of trouble.

Paul Bright's blissful rhymes and Ed Eaves' fabulous colourful illustrations are awesome and wonderful, and the story feels fresh and entertaining. Charlotte, being a little girl who would quite like to emulate Sam herself (I don't think she'd get very far tugging a Trunkie full of loom band gear around the jungle though) actually fell hopelessly in love with the "aww cute" main antagonist in this story. We'll bug you no more, and let you read this hilarious book yourselves!

Charlotte's best bit: Falling in love with the "baddie" - Shocking! Oh and she spotted a rather neat little cameo from Albie (He of "Plunge into the Pirate Pool fame", hooray!

Daddy's Favourite bit: Perfect rhyming, brilliant art, a delicious pay-off at the end and a fantastic entertaining tale. What more could you possibly want!

(Kindly sent to us for review by Simon and Schuster Children's Books)

We continue our Halloween spookiness with a monster, a Snorklum to be precise. But are Snorklums as scary as other monsters?

We meet the Snorklum - a sort of Alf-looky-likey who stalks the dark forest, on the hunt for animals to scoff. Starting off small with a nice furry (and very tasty) mole which he tucks into his pocket for later, the Snorklum proclaims his scariness to all and sundry. But seriously, can anyone really be scared of this hairy and hungry beast?

Paul Bright and Jane Chapman have subtly woven together a spooky monstery tale that feels like a neat modern parable about bullying. For all the Snorklum's loud roaring claims that he's scary, that he's to be feared - the animals soon realise that if they stick together, and face the Snorklum down as dawn approaches, he's not nearly as scary as he seems. In fact, he's a wee bit...meek and mild perhaps?

A deliciously furry art style, entertaining repetition and text, and some brilliant undertones of an anti-bullying message, "The Not So Scary Snorklum" is a monstrously good read!

Charlotte's best bit: Charlotte thought the Snorklum was actually wonderful and cuddly. Though not sure she'd like to test that theory out

Daddy's Favourite bit: A subtle anti-bullying message wrapped up in a story with a ton of feelgood factor at the end. Marvellous!