Get ready for a rip-roaring ride in a brilliant and speedy selection of vehicles with "Ready, Steady, Race!" by Smriti Prasadam-Halls and Ed Eaves.

Join Race Car Rani, Jonas Jet, Speedboat Sam and friends as they roar across the road, sea and sky. 

Tomorrow sees the release of two adorable 'lift the flap' books for tiny teeny tots, helping them learn all about their gardens and all the amazing creatures and plants that live there - and underwater, where once again they can learn all about amazing animals and plants.

"Pairs in the Garden" is an explosion of colour, tons of brilliant page spreads and zillions of flaps for little ones to open and reveal.

Lift stones to find snails, grass to find ladybirds and lettuce leaves to find caterpillars, then answer a simple counting question.


"Pairs Underwater" is equally colourful, and full of amazing animals that your little ones will love learning about. Lift the flaps to find the matching pairs in this fun novelty series that's all about habitats!

This book has seven die-cut flaps on every spread for little ones to lift to find the matching pairs and spot the odd one out. Lift stones to find turtles, seaweed to find seahorses and shells to find crabs, then answer a simple counting question.

Both books are printed on sturdy card, perfect for little hands, providing fun and enjoyment while out and about or at home, as well as teaching important recognition and memory skills.

Both titles are released on 2nd February 2017, published by Frances Lincoln Children's Books (kindly sent for review). 

One is fun, two is better! A great little tale of co-operation, friendship and joining in. Two Can!

Our book of the week and our 11th Booky Advent Calendar entry is a wonderful and original yuletide tale. Meet "Santa Baby" by Smriti Prasadam-Halls and Ada Grey...

There's no such thing as a cute monster, a sweet monster. At least that's what the central character in "Don't Call Me Sweet" would have you believe, but I'm afraid to say that we thought the little monster fellah was extremely sweet with the sort of face that little old lady monsters just want to tweak and plant a big sloppy kiss on.

Smriti Prasadam-Halls and Angela Rozelaar's fantastic little book details how Little Monster wants to be taken a little more seriously. He has a scary roar, just listen! ROARRRR! He can stomp and growl and stalk with the best of them. But what happens when a bigger, badder more monstrous beast comes calling? Will Little Monster be brave enough to stand up to the biggest hungriest troll in the land?

A monster tale with a difference, packed with humour and fun.

Charlotte's best bit: The lovely wibbly old monster ladies. Mwah!

Daddy's Favourite bit: A neat and nifty monster tale of bravado and rumbling monster tums. Just make sure you don't end up in one, sweet or otherwise!

(Kindly sent to us for review by Bloomsbury Press)

Here's a rather smashing little book that teaches children to overcome their toilet-training fears, as we meet a rather cheeky little monkey who happens to live aboard Noah's Ark. When his potty goes missing one day, just as the little fellah urgently needs to go to the loo, he searches high and low to no avail.

Monkey is worried about sitting on the "big toilet" but there's nothing to be afraid of, and being extremely brave he manages to learn how to sit comfortably and do what comes naturally.

We loved David Wojtowicz's fun characterisations, and Smriti Prasadam-Halls' fantastic way of showing that going to the loo is nothing to be worried about.

A fabulous idea for a book, so if your little one (like ours) has some anxiety issues with toilet time, help them learn to love the loo like Monkey!

Charlotte's best bit: Where Monkey finally finds his potty!

Daddy's Favourite bit: Definitely a novel and rather great idea for helping children overcome loo anxiety. Huge applause for that!

(Kindly sent to us for review by Hachette)