We've always given C a good grounding and a firm belief that girls (even Princesses) can do anything they want to do, and one of the first books that she really took to with this idea as a core theme was the fantastic "The Worst Princess" by Anna Kemp and Sara Ogilvie.

Princess Sue rather loves her life but there's a huge weight of expectation on Princesses. They should be ladylike, they should wear fancy frocks, preen and primp themselves up for the delectation of any handsome Princes that might come along and ask them to marry them.

Princess Sue is having absolutely NONE of it, and when a would-be suitor decides to rescue her from a fearsome Dragon, Sue has other ideas - why not elope with the Dragon for a high adventure (and some cracking cups of tea) instead!

Around the same time as C was getting increasingly bored with some of the 'drippier' Princess books, this one came along like a bolt from the blue and she has loved it ever since she was 2 - and it still gets read today, that rare beast - a picture book that her mum loves and approves of (Mrs ReadIt has a very dim view of quite a few of the picture books we've received, read and reviewed over the years). So if you think getting your book past a kid is the peak of winning over a tough critic, getting my wife's approval is like finding a stream of pure gold.

Zany, brilliant and Sara's illustrations are always top notch in anything she illustrates, so this is irresistible.

Original Review Link: 

https://readitdaddy.blogspot.com/2012/04/worst-princess-by-anna-kemp-and-sara.html

Everyone's fantastic favourite inventor is back, but this time in "Izzy Gizmo and the Invention Convention" by Pip Jones and Sara Ogilvie, Izzy won't be the only creative kid competing to become top inventor-type-person.

Along with her mechanical-winged sidekick and fantastic Grandad, Izzy sets off to Technoff Isle, location for the annual kid inventor's convention.

There's a top prize at stake for the most creative, inventive and brilliant brain but Izzy is competing against the creme de la creme, and one girl in particular seems hell-bent to use every means (fair or foul) to win.

Thankfully Izzy's best pal Fixer the Crow is on hand to help her realise that sometimes the answer to a tricky problem lies in a bit of inspiration, as the book does a fantastic job of weaving in some serious eco-creds into the story as Izzy discovers brilliant alternative forms of energy to power her tool-fixer-upper machine.

Technoff Technoff Technoff Technoff!

Pip and Sara are a dream team, once again coming up with an engaging way to spin an eco story into a true spectacle of an adventure for Izzy.

The path to true greatness is often rocky, little one!

Izzy and Fixer look to nature to provide the power for their amazing machine!

There are so many neat little details in the story, inspirational stuff to show kids that there are so many ways we can harness what we've got around us.

Sum this book up in a sentence: A quirky and imaginative story of a very inventive little girl, who uses wind, water and solar power to show kids that there are greener ways to power our planet.

"Izzy Gizmo and the Invention Convention" by Pip Jones and Sara Ogilvie is out now, published by Simon and Schuster Children's Books (kindly supplied for review). 

Here's another rather cool take on a children's story 'theme' we've seen a lot on the blog this year, and that's definitely no bad thing...

Our Chapter Book of the Week this week combines a ton of our favourite themes into an utterly essential summer read...

I love it when I come home from work to find Charlotte and Mummy completely wrapped up in a book. I had a sneaky suspicion that they might absolutely love this one, and I was right...!

Not the most comfortable place to read a book but they just couldn't wait!

Anna Kemp and Sara Ogilvie's "The Worst Princess" was one of our favourite books and deservedly became a Book of the Week, with 5 out of 5 stars back when we used to pop a score on the end of reviews. It's still a book that is regularly read at bedtimes even though Charlotte admits herself that she's not "into princesses any more".

Why? Purely because the book's central character Princess Sue is just SO our kind of girl. She's not one of these fussy madams who mopes around in a tower all day in pretty dresses, waiting for a handsome Prince to turn up. She has a thirst for adventure! Read through our review to find out more.

But hark, what light from yonder window breaks? It's a semi-sequel to that fabulous book but Princess Sue is not the star - a tiny diddy brave little Frog called Sir Lilypad is the central character in this book of the same name. Sir Lilypad isn't content to hang around the pond croaking and eating flies. Sir Lilypad might be tiny, but once he reads a few adventure stories, he rather fancies becoming a brave knight - rescuing princesses from nefarious foes (perhaps with the promise of a peck on the cheek as a reward!)

Finding Princesses isn't that easy when you're tiddly though. Fighting big nasty creatures isn't easy either, so despite Sir Lilypad's brave attempts at rescuing princesses, most of the creatures he meets aren't in the princess kidnapping business any more (my particular favourite, the kindly old Troll who takes to gardening rather than snaffling maidens fair! We also giggled at the rather grumpy old wizard (who has a very cool line in starry purple underpants!)

Sir Lilypad's quest seems doomed until a certain gigantic orange dragon and a certain yellow converse-wearing princess are discovered. Sir Lilypad bravely strides into battle to rescue Princess Pauline from the dragon, not knowing that the two are friends. So even his latest attempt at bravery meets with failure. Poor Sir Lilypad.

But you know Princess Sue, she's such a wonderful gal that she takes pity on Sir Lilypad and recruits him for her roaming band of heroes, putting ne'er do wells in their place as they scour the land for miscreants! Hooray!

This book is SO BRILLIANT and it's destined to become every bit as popular as "The Worst Princess". There are so many moments (particularly once Princess Sue and her gorgeous dragon friend turn up) that it was a bit unfair to pose the question to Charlotte and Mummy: "So which is better? "The Worst Princess" or "Sir Lilypad"....

"The Worst Princess" edged it by a nose, a very very slim margin but we had to make this book of the week too, it is the perfect example of exactly the sort of heroic action-filled story that works beautifully, looks drop-dead gorgeous and tickles your funnybones too.

Charlotte's best bit: When Princess Sue shows up, a huge cheer from Charlotte (and a rather avaricious glance at Princess P's chocolate cake laid out for her picnic. NOM!

Daddy's Favourite bit: Picture books truly don't get any better than this. It's fun, it's exciting, has a fabulous cast of characters (Sir Lilypad is fab!). A truly imaginative and brilliant story from a dynamic duo who can't put a foot wrong when it comes to putting together the most original fairy tales possible.

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

Like this? We think you'll love these too!

The Worst Princess by Anna Kemp and Sara Ogilvie (Simon and Schuster Children's Books)

Dogs Don't Do Ballet by Anna Kemp and Sara Ogilvie (Simon and Schuster Children's Books)

It's a well known fact that parents are amazingly adaptive, creative, clever and sometimes quite lovely (we are, aren't we?) But it's not often that children see all those qualities every day so it's fantastic to see Peter Bently teaming up with one of our absolute FAVOURITE children's book artists, Sara Ogilvie (one half of the talented pair responsible for one of our all-time favourite books, "The Worst Princess" along with Anna Kemp), for this corker of a book.

In "Meet the Parents", you'll get to read about and see all the things a parent is capable of. Quite talented and multitasking comes naturally. We're also brilliant at perfecting those looks of sheer exasperation as our little ones manage to do something new that completely befuddles us (and if there's one thing Sara is absolutely fantastic at, it's capturing those expressions - both on parent and child - perfectly in her work!)

There's a rather neat little panel in this where a dad is reading a book while simultaneously trying to prop up a rather saggy den. Er, that'd be me then!

This book is the perfect antidote to all those slightly schmaltzy and loved-up "I Wuv You Mummy and Daddy" books you might get given on Mothers Day or Fathers day, this book REALLY tells it how it actually is - and it's nigh on perfect!

Charlotte's best bit: Of course, the bit she found the most entertaining was the panel where Mum is getting squirted with a hose and dad is on the wrong end of a ketchup squirt!

Daddy's Favourite bit: TICKLING!

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

I'm a cat person. My lovely wife is a cat person but Charlotte? Ahhh I think if it came down to a straight choice between dogs and cats she'd choose dogs. Why? Well secretly because Dogs can do ballet while cats would probably turn their nose up at a tutu.

In Anna Kemp and Sara Ogilvie's excellent (and quite touching) book, a little dog who does not chase cars (or postmen), does not lick or scratch inappropriate places but dreams of the Royal Ballet is the undisputed star of a rather sweet little story of saving the day, canine style.

We've previously covered Kemp and Ogilvie's excellent "The Worst Princess" and "Dogs Don't Do Ballet" is another hit with us, so much so that it's this week's book of the week.

Despite a naysayer dad, and lots of rather sniffy Ballet Class types, the little dog sashays with the best of them. What happens when the dog makes a debut on stage?

Find out in the book!

Charlotte's best bit: The dog's lovely tutu.

Daddy's favourite bit: The various lengths the little doggy goes to in order to avoid detection during Ballet Classes.

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars, Book of the Week