On the bittersweet occasion of our last Picture Books of the Week we wanted to share a book filled with giggles, with joy and of course with our favourite subject - yummy scrummy food!

"Lady Pancake and Sir French Toast: Short and Sweet" is the fourth book in the series from awesome creatives Josh Funk and Brendan Kearney, and this time the two heroes aren't quite feeling themselves.

In fact, with a bit of foodie magic Lady and Frenchy have been transformed into mere shadows of their former selves, turning back into the cutest pair of kids you've ever seen this side of the fridge door.

Professor Biscotti's nutty invention must be reversed but the two toddler treats are petrified of the now gigantic Baron Von Waffle. How on earth can Prof and Baron lure the two out of capering around and hiding, restoring them to adulthood?

Oh no, what can be done to restore our heroes to greatness?

There's a ton of brilliant and inventive stuff in this new adventure, bouncing along with Josh's trademark mighty fine rhymin' style, and Brendan's tummy-rumblingly brilliant illustrations!

Behold! The cutest pair of treats you ever did see!

This series has gone from strength to strength, and kids just can't resist any tale where they get to live a mischievous vicarious capering chase through familiar surroundings - I mean who wouldn't want to go on a grand adventure through their larder or fridge?

You have a bit of a wait on your hands for this one as it's not going to be hitting shelves until November, but we wanted to shout about Josh and Brendan's fab book before we retire so a big salute and hats off to Lady P and Sir FT!

Sum this book up in a sentence: Possibly the best adventure for Lady Pancake and Sir French Toast yer, transformed into naughty mischievous toddlers by a mad professor, leading us on an energetic bouncing rhyming caper par excellence!

"Lady Pancake and Sir French Toast: Short and Sweet" (Book 4) by Josh Funk and Brendan Kearney is out on 28th November 2020, published by Sterling (kindly sent as a digital ARC to review). 

Now and again a children's book comes along that makes you think "Well, that's a new one on me!"

So far I can't recall ever seeing a children's picture book that takes such a quirky, charming and original look at a subject that we go to great pains to avoid.

Death.

In "The End of Something Wonderful" by Stephanie V.W. Lucianovic and George Ermos, a fairly tricky subject is injected with a dose of slightly macabre (some might even say inappropriate) humour to help kids over the loss of a beloved pet.

So far we've managed to avoid this particular part of C's formative growing up, mostly because we don't have any pets or haven't had any. But what happens when a child's best furry (scaly, swimmy, or perhaps even tortoise-shelled) buddy dies?

It's time for a funeral - a right royal send off for the poor little critter. But how, and where do you even start with something like that?


We probably sound a bit down on this, but quite the contrary, and perhaps we find it funnier because we are petless. But it has a dark sense of humour running through the story, something that is sadly missing from children's books. Stephanie's text coupled with George's fantastic illustrations make this a real departure from the staid and boring, and dare we say rather 'safe' choices often made for subject matter when it comes to children's stories.


Sum this book up in a sentence: A quirky, charming if somewhat irreverent look at the loss of a beloved pet, and what to do next, brilliantly realised by an extremely talented pair of creatives.

"The End of Something Wonderful: A Practical Guide to a Backyard Funeral" by Stephanie V.W. Lucianovic and George Ermos is out now, published by Sterling Kids (kindly supplied for review). 

We're delighted to see a real surge in "mighty girl" nonfiction books, bringing amazing women to the fore and providing truly inspirational stories and role models for young girls like C to look up to.

In "A Girl Called Genghis Khan" you'll find a girl actually called Maria Toorpakai Wazir who took an amazingly brave step of standing up to the Taliban in her home country of Pakistan, assuming the role of a boy in order to become a world famous squash player.

Maria loved sports and longed for the freedom that boys in her culture enjoyed. 

You're never too young to learn about equality, women's rights and the amazing inspirational women and girls who stood up for what they believed in, becoming iconic important role models for generations of women to follow.

"Like a Girl" by Lori Degman and Mara Penny gathers together some of the most incredible figures in history and alive today, women who have shown their strength, passion and tenacity through their actions, words and deeds.

This title, unlike many others, pitches to a younger audience than you'd expect - with rhyming page spreads that help us get to know these amazing women and their achievements, coupled with clear and brilliantly rendered illustrations of them in their chosen fields.

Once upon a time, "like a girl" was considered an insult. 

Imagine all the places words have taken you in your lifetime. If you're an avid reader, you know instinctively that somewhere out there in the world are avid writers who are anxious to tell you their story, in their own words, in their own style.

In "A Song for Gwendolyn Brooks" by Alice Faye Duncan and Xia Gorgon, a little girl grows up in the south side of Chicago, not quite knowing that her stories will one day hold the world in thrall - but knowing that she truly loves writing, and feels that she has a voice that is strong, funny, and perhaps could just change the world's views.

Gwendolyn began to write poetry from an early age, always encouraged by her parents in her creative pursuits (so how could we not love a book that celebrates that very thing we wish more parents would do when they have creative kids).

Gwendolyn Brooks realised her dream, and became a hugely well respected and well loved writer of stories and poetry.

She ultimately published 20 books of poetry, two autobiographies, and one novel, and was the first black author to win the Pulitzer Prize, one of the most prestigious awards in writing.

Beautifully written and gorgeously illustrated, it will absolutely draw you in, this one!

Following Gwendolyn's lead, Alice Faye Duncan has put together a gently lilting and lyrical story of Gwendolyn's life, and the important moments that shaped her as a world-renowned talent.

Even from an early age, Gwendolyn's creative mind was constantly racing

Sum this book up in a sentence: A gorgeous biographical picture book of one of America's most talented black writers, brought to stunning life by a fabulously creative duo.

"A Song for Gwendolyn Brooks" by Alice Faye Duncan and Xia Gordon is out now, published by Sterling Children's Books (kindly supplied for review).

Koalas. The cutest, cuddliest little bears ever, right?

No.

Stop right there, because in "Koala is NOT a Bear" by Kristin L. Gray and Rachel McAllister, you'll discover the gross injustice that these cute little Kujis have had to endure almost forever.

It's Koala's first day at camp and she thinks she's found her place in the Bear Cabin.

Our Second Book of the Week is a timely and very welcome picture book taking a look at the life of a stunning inventor who just happened to be a hollywood actress on the side.

Well, if you look at the life of Hedy Lamarr in that way, then "Hedy Lamarr's Double Life - Hollywood Legend and Brilliant Inventor"by Laurie Wallmark and Katy Wu makes a lot of sense.

From an early age Hedwig Eva Maria Kiesler (Hedy's real name) was an inquisitive and well-read child, who would accompany her father on visits to local museums and galleries in their home town in Austria.

Hedy also loved the movies, falling in love with the silent movies and early 'talkies', becoming a talented mimic for lines and voices she'd hear in those amazing films.

But her inquisitive mind stayed with her even as her early acting career took off in Hollywood, and her name changed. After a tough day's shoot on a movie set she'd return to her room, repurposed as a workshop and drafting studio, and work on many, many inventions.

A hugely underrated contributor to something we all now take for granted. Without Hedy Lamarr's genius, our wireless communications for mobile devices would be extremely insecure

Hedy dreamed up all sorts of clever gadgets from an extendable tissue box with a concertina pocket for used tissues (ew!) to a revolutionary set of traffic lights that would pre-warn drivers when a signal was about to change.

But it was during the war years that Hedy Lamarr began to draft her idea for something that could prevent the jamming of wireless torpedo signals for the US Navy that she came up with the core theory for 'frequency hopping' - a method of ensuring that wireless signals could neither be jammed nor intercepted, thus preventing interference from enemies deploying jamming technology to divert torpedoes at sea.



The basic concepts in her frequency hopping idea are still used today to ensure that wireless and bluetooth signals are kept secure, employing a similar encoding method in modern wireless-dependent devices.

Throughout her life, Hedy fought against the preconception that a pretty hollywood actress was just that - but behind her stunning beauty was a fantastic analytical brain that was constantly busy with new ideas and concepts.

It's taken decades for her ground-breaking theories to be recognised for what they actually are - a vital part of what we take for granted in our modern wireless-connected world. It's actually being recognised even where I work, where we've named meeting rooms after Hedy Lamarr, thanks to her contributions to mobile computing.

This is a thoroughly fascinating and beautifully produced picture book filled with tons of inspirational quotes from Hedy herself, perfect for boys and girls who love inventing things and love asking (and answering) questions.

Sum this book up in a sentence: A brilliant biography of one of the world's most underrated and underestimated scientific geniuses, but also one of hollywood's greatest actors.

"Hedy Lamarr's Double Life" by Laurie Wallmark and Katy Wu is out now, published by Sterling Kids (kindly supplied for review). 

One of my favourite stories as a kid was "The Little Red Hen" and I have so many fond memories of the old "Ladybird Classics" version of that story, full of characterful illustrations and such a memorable moral tale.

I was marginally surprised to find that this well-loved tale hadn't cropped up on the blog before. But here it is, with a millennial spin or two.

"Holy Squawkamole! Little Red Hen Makes Guacamole" by Susan Wood and Laura Gonzalez is a distinctly different take on the story, with Little Red Hen really craving one of our favourite foods.

We love Guacamole - nothing goes better with our tacos and dips than this glorious green concoction - so it's not difficult to see why Little Red Hen's tummy is rumbling at the thought of making a batch.

But just like in the classic fairy tale where Little Red Hen is trying to get some help from her fellow creatures to bake some bread, poor Little Red Hen struggles here too as no one wants to help her harvest the ingredients for some spicy dip.

Well you can't make guacamole without avocados!

Time and time again, the animals in the story say "Not I!" when Little Red Hen asks for help, but with her plucky determination she soon makes a glorious batch of the stuff - and finds that those mean animals quite fancy a taste too!

Bit flippin' rude, Coati!

I'm sure you can guess how the tale ends but this is a rather wonderful version of a classic tale retold with style and panache, updated for a whole new generation of kids who will absolutely love Little Red Hen.

Sum this book up in a sentence: A superb retelling of a classic tale, that now has us absolutely craving Guacamole - Does anyone want to help us whip up a batch?

"Holy Squawkamole: Little Red Hen Makes Guacamole" by Susan Wood and Laura Gonzalez is out now, published by Sterling Publishing (kindly supplied for review). 

I think there are two types of books that have become an impossibly 'hard sell' to C when it comes to drawing up a review...

What happens when you're a pet-obsessed kid who has to go to school for the first time...

Sometimes it's hard to imagine what life will be like when you're ten and try to think of what you want to be when you grow up...

Most folk have their own particular passions in life. Some love painting, some love sewing or making things, but I really love cooking...

Feeling hungry? Tummy rumbling? Fancy something tasty to eat? Well the world is your deli in this fantastic new book for mini foodies!

Time for a pitch-perfect rhyming story from two very talented folk. Let's get inventive with Albie!

Meet one of the happiest little doggos around - but first you'll have to find him!

I was intrigued to see how this one would be received by C, who really doesn't like the idea of selfies at all...

Llamas. Why are they so cool? So cuddly? So awesome to have in a children's story? Let's dig in and find out...

This is a "Make" activity book that really takes things to the next level! Fancy yourself as a budding Engineer? Love a challenge? This one is definitely for you!

Not all monsters are scary, clumsy bloodthirsty slobbering fiends...! Let's meet a nice one for a change!

We absolutely cannot resist this delectable duo, back for their second stint in our Book of the Week slot. Here's Lady Pancake and Sir French Toast in The Case of the Stinky Stench...