Sadly, all good things must come to an end - and all great book series must seemingly come to a world-shattering conclusion, or at least that's how it felt as we reached the end of "Maresi: Red Mantle", the final book in Maria Turtschaninoff's masterly Red Abbey Chronicles series.

The story picks up once again with Maresi finally reaching the end of her time at the Red Abbey.

Her world, her life, her home - and more importantly a safe haven in a despicable world ruled by brutal men, Maresi must return to her childhood home to hopefully preach the findings gleaned from her life at the Abbey to other like minded souls who can perhaps help turn the tide of opression in her village.

Maresi's teachings can't reach her people, ground down and despicably trodden on by the overbearing rule of the local Earl.

Finally Maresi realises that she must use all the terrible force of the Crone's magic, dark magic taught to her in the twinkling of candle-light at the Red Abbey to protect her people, but can she find the strength to do so when she's distracted by something unexpected, the emergence of her first real love for another?

We've loved the previous two books in the series, and really didn't want this final book to end. Maria's world building, atmospheric storytelling, and amazing ability to confront issues that many women and girls will nod in recognition of as they're alluded to in this amazing book really will strike a chord, and if there's absolutely any justice in the book world, the Red Abbey Chronicles deserve to be up there amongst the literary fantasy greats such as Tolkein, C.S Lewis and Margaret Atwood.

Make no mistake, this has been an epic trilogy that deserves wider recognition - and this wrap-up demonstrates just how to write a scintillating story arc that takes both the characters - and you - on a heck of an amazing journey as your lives unfold.

Utterly, utterly brilliant.

"Maresi: Red Mantle" (Red Abbey Chronicles Book 3) by Maria Turtschaninoff is out now, published by Pushkin Children's Books (very kindly supplied for review). 

Time for something thoroughly original and compelling now, from a publisher who really knows how to pick some of the most fascinating and amazing stories to translate.

"Arnica the Duck Princess" by Ervin Lazar brings onf of the late author's best known and well loved stories to a whole new generation of fans. 

Beautiful Princess Arnica, so lovely of heart that even fierce beasts smile at her and snuggle up!

Our Chapter Book of the Week is more than your average animal yarn. Meet a cat who knows how to cut a dash...!

Our Chapter Book of the Week this week is a dark mystery with tons of originality, suspense and drama. Let's meet "The Murderer's Ape" by Jakob Wegelius...

Digging into our end of year stats is always a fun way of looking back on the year. Before we announce our Book of the Year winners tomorrow I thought it'd be fun to nominate a "Publisher of the Year" award too.

So who has managed to nail more "Book of the Week" slots than anyone else this year? Let's have a look at the runners up in reverse order.

Each nabbing at least 1 book of the week and grabbing joint 6th place this year, we have...



HarperCollins


Red Fox Picture Books


Maverick Publishing


Random House


Scribe


Lion Hudson


Macmillan Children's Books


Pushkin Children's Books


Faber and Faber


Andersen Children's Books


Sasquatch Books


Tate Publishing


Papercutz


Curious Fox Books


Strauss House


Weldon Owen


V & A Publishing


Sterling
Hotting up, in joint 5th place with at least 2 book of the week winners we have:

Orchard Books

Simon and Schuster


Scholastic


Usborne Publishing


Thames and Hudson


Big Picture Press


Titan Books


Quirk Books

In fourth place, one publisher with 3 book of the week winners:  Walker Books Joint 3rd Place honours with 4 book of the week winners:  Bloomsbury Hodder Children's Books Flying Eye Books
Joint 2nd Place honours with at least 5 Book of the Week winners:  David Fickling Books Frances Lincoln Children's Books Chronicle
BUT there can be only one - One winner with a massive 8 Book of the Week winners - Our Publisher of the Year 2015 is the mighty Templar Publishing!
Congratulations to everyone at Templar, you have royally knocked it out of the park this year! Well done all!

We're always on the look out for books that break the mould, do something different, dish up a tasty reading experience for your young ones that feels like nothing you've ever seen before.

"Fuzz McFlops" arrived through our door somewhat mysteriously (we've been used to seeing books accompanied by a press release but Fuzz was on its own). With a 'whoop' of delight, Charlotte adopted it as one of her bedtime reads over the next few days and I can gauge the level of success of the book by how many times she dragged me off to show me a new 'bit' she'd discovered.

We've long described a gap between picture books and early chapter readers for children, and thankfully we're beginning to see authors and illustrators playing with that format with resounding success. Eva Furnari is definitely a well established author and illustrator in her home country of Brazil, and now thanks to a timely translation by Alison Entrekin, the rest of the world is about to find out why Eva wins truckloads of awards for her wonderful books.

Back to that format. Fuzz McFlops starts out in fairly traditional style. The tale of a young (and dare we say rather dapper) rabbit who is an amazingly talented author. But poor Fuzz is shy, a shyness brought on by nasty fellow pupils at school who teased him and bullied him about his wonky ears. Aww, bless his cotton tail!

Leading a slightly reclusive life, prone to writing heart-wrenchingly sad tales Fuzz begins to receive a series of letters from an ardent fan begging him to take his rightful place in the spotlight!

Here's where the book departs from the fairly standard layouts you may expect from a picture book - or indeed a slightly wordier early chapter book, because "Fuzz McFlops" is devised and designed in such an original and fresh way, that there's so much to discover on each page. The story is both heartwarming and triumphant, but the more we read around Fuzz's return to glory, the more we fell in love with all the incidental things you discover as you read through and marvel at the gorgeous illustrations.

Pushkin Children's Books seem to have a knack for challenging our expectations of children's books and pressing our buttons in all the right ways. "Fuzz McFlops" is no exception, in fact it was all I could do to wrestle this one out of Charlotte's hands so I could read it myself (and read it I did!)

If you've got a little one at home who won't just settle for the ordinary and everyday tales they find when trying to bridge the gap between picture book and chapter book, then definitely give Fuzz a try! It'll give you a warm fuzzy glow, betcha!

Charlotte's best bit: The brilliant bit where Fuzz receives his first fan letter!

Daddy's Favourite bit: This is a really original and unique children's book that makes us sit up and take notice. The world is about to find out what an amazing talented lady Eva Furnari really is!

(Kindly sent to us for review by Pushkin Children's Books)

Today we're fortunate to be included in a blog tour for a very special book series. You may not have heard of Ann Plichota and Cendrine Wolf's "Oksa Pollock" series yet, but trust us, you'll definitely want to know more if you have an eye for the supernatural, and for mighty girl characters (both things we hold close to our hearts here at ReadItDaddy!)

So who is Oksa Pollock? She's the last best hope for restoring the fine balance of a world in chaos. Through three novels we've followed her adventures as her true powers become apparent, and her family call on their own amazing qualities in order to protect her.

Oksa Pollock - The Last Hope (Book 1)

We join Oksa on the day of her birth, as her family wonder if old prophecies will be fulfilled. Oksa's future is uncertain, but with the aid of her shape-shifting father Pavel, her amazing grandmother Dragomira whose menagerie of mythical creatures are formidable opponents, and Oksa's mother who fears for her daughter's safety given her predetermined role in saving the planet.

Oksa Pollock - The Forest of Lost Souls (Book 2)

Some books beg to be read until the wee small hours as they immerse you in a tightly woven alternative reality that may seem familiar, but does its best to jar your senses by throwing you into a maelstrom of action. I devoured Book 1 in short order, though it has to be said that "The Last Hope" doesn't reveal its hand too quickly. Some may feel that these books take a while to get into, and then suddenly before you know what's going on, it's 3 AM, your eyes are practically falling out of their sockets but you can't bear not to read more.

Oksa Pollock - the Heart of Two World (Book 3)

As Book 3 opens, Oksa, her family and The Runaways must find the entrance portal to Edelfia, a parallel world where Oksa and her kind can exist in peace. New allies must be made amongst enemies, and the fate of the world hangs in the balance.