We often like to throw a bit of a curve-ball into our seasonal Booky Advent Calendar selections, and this year "Starbird" by Sharon King-Chai fits the bill perfectly.

Though it's not a christmas book per se, it fits with the season perfectly with its glorious shimmery almost snowy cover, gorgeous illustrations and atmospheric story of a bird's flight as the wee small hours descend, against the backdrop of a silvery moon.

Sharon's lyrical story touches on the subject of freedom and love - for what is freer than a bird able to fly through the sky? As the Starbird soars to escape the clutches of the Moon King, the story gently lulls you in as the brave bird mounts a courageous attempt to burst free from a cage where the moon king has trapped him to give to his daughter. For all birds should be free, and the moon king pays a hefty price for his mistake.

A touching story with a positive message for this time of year, "Starbird" by Sharon King-Chai is out now, published by Two Hoots Books (kindly supplied for review).

Lucy Ladybird Interactive Book (iOS) by Sharon King-Chai and Iain Clark

Back in May we fell completely in love with Sharon King-Chai's wonderful book "Lucy Ladybird". Now the colourful and beautiful book has been turned into an interactive book app, with plenty of fun for tinies to explore.

As well as the story (with the choice of a narrated story or a 'self read' option) there are lots of neat little things on each page to press, poke, drag and play with as we read the story of a ladybird with no spots, who takes herself off on her travels to see if she can fit in somewhere else.

Beautiful colour spreads and fun interaction in "Lucy Ladybird" for iPhone / iPad

Children love e-books that offer enhancement and fun and "Lucy Ladybird" does not disappoint. With nicely chosen musical accompaniment and some great voiceovers, it's a really neat treatment of a book that's already become a favourite for us. Charlotte loved exploring all the interactive elements (such as the way you could drag the spots from Frog or Bird onto Lucy's back, just like in the story!)

There's also a sing-a-long Karaoke section, and an addictive colouring section too. Actually, the colouring works brilliantly (so much so that when I was sneakily playing with the app ahead of showing it to Charlotte I found myself wishing that proper iPad paint apps worked as smoothly as the colouring bits on this app do!)

Lucy Ladybird Colouring Activities. Art app developers take note! THIS is how you make your paint tools work!

"Lucy Ladybird" by Sharon King-Chai and Iain Clark is available from the iTunes store, priced £3.99