There are basically four fantasy / literary schools Charlotte would go to if she had a chance...

Amy Lee - Global YouTube Gaming Superstar, Minecraft nut and all round sweetheart has already hit the bookshelves with her first title...

We're joining in with a big proper ReadItDaddy shout out to Gabrielle Kent, the awesome author of "Alfie Bloom and the Talisman Thief" - a bit of a blog favourite we've just covered in our May Chapter Book Roundup.

This time round, Alfie is settling in to his new home at Hexbridge Castle but just as life seems to be returning to normal (whatever "normal" is for Alfie), danger is afoot once again!

When Ashford the butler is kidnapped in the middle of the night, the castle comes under threat from a terrifying enemy.

Trapped inside with only his twin cousins and best friend Amy, it's up to Alfie to defend his inheritance and prevent a terrible fate from befalling the whole of England!

Is Alfie up to the task? Are you already on the edge of your seat? Do you want to experience a tiny taste of this fantastic book for yourself? Of course you do so here's an extract for you to dive into! Get reading by clicking the link below: 
Alfie Bloom and the Talisman Thief Preview


Goodreads Link: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/30070615-alfie-bloom-and-the-talisman-thief

Don't forget to catch up with the other stops on the Alfie Bloom Blog Tour!

Author Gabrielle Kent

Contrary to popular belief, not all girls are into pink princess dresses and frilly nonsense. Some have a secret hankering to be super-spies. Charlotte is just such a girl!

We've had a few different books in this format before. Pages are divided up into strips and hilarity ensues when you mix and match different page 'strips' together to make crazy combinations. At least that's the idea behind The Big Book of Magical Mix-Ups, but Charlotte's idea is that you should NEVER, EVER, EVER mix the strips up, always making sure they are the same colour and make sense.

Er...

(takes child to one side, explains chaos theory and the notion of untidyness)

Ahem, that done, this book wasn't quite as big a hit as I'd hoped, though the core idea is excellent. Take a family member (ie Daddy), add a behavioural trait (boring), add a magic spell and an ingredient and end up with Daddy transformed into...a slippery frog or a chocolate fairy.

In theory it should've made Charlotte snort milk out of her nose at every page turn. In practice she's too neat and organised for such antics. Shame, I thought it was a great idea!

Charlotte's best bit: "Nosey Grandma!"

Daddy's favourite bit: "Mummy the Chocolate Fairy"

Rating: 2 out of 5 stars

A bittersweet little story of a Mole's wonderment at what lies "up there" above the clods of earth. Wishmoley's trip to the outside world sees him bringing back "a little piece of sky" that turns out to be something completely different and unexpected. 

Gorgeous illustrations accompany a tear-jerking tale of how important it is sometimes to come to terms with letting something go that you've nurtured and loved. Have a box of tissues handy. 
Charlotte's best bit: The various underground dwellers and their cool little tunnels and homes


Daddy's favourite bit: The rather sad but very sweet ending. Awww. 


Rating: 4 out of 5