Our Chapter Book of the Week this week is a series that has proved wildly popular at C's school, so much so that she coasts quite a lot on the fact that we're lucky enough to get the latest books in the series 'early'

So once again she's been the most popular kid in class because of "The Accidental Rock Star" by Tom McLaughlin, acting as a very good sales agent by telling kids all the wonders they can expect when they obediently trot off to buy their own copies (we're not on comission yet, OUP, but just sayin'!)

Anyway, what's this latest adventure about? Take an ordinary everyday schoolboy who, with the aid of his faithful cat, has ended up as a world-famous rockstar - completely by accident of course!

After a hit single and a tour, life as a rock star perhaps isn't quite as brilliant as everyone imagines. Sometimes you just want to return to your previous (boring) life!

C has read and re-read this one, and though she really loved "The Accidental President" best of all in this series, she has now proclaimed "The Accidental Rock Star" as well worthy of its 'chapter book of the week' status.

So let's dig in and have a look at a sample page or two, to whet your whistle!


Sum this book up in a sentence: A hilarious mishap-laden view of what it could be like being a kid rockstar, with Tom's trademark tongue in cheek observational humour once again making this a huge hit!

"The Accidental Rock Star" by Tom McLaughlin is out now, published by OUP / Oxford Children's Books (kindly supplied for review).

After a break from reviewing chapter books we're back with a bang, and with a book that had C in stitches as soon as she cracked open the cover.

We're huge fans of Tom McLaughlin's "Accidental" series, and it's great to see him branching off in an entirely different direction with a real howler of a book.

"You've Been Werewolfed" is the story of Geek Girl Tyler, who is packed off to summer camp by her meanie parents.

No geek goes without their gadgets, and inventive Tyler can't resist packing one of her latest science projects - the Hologramaphone 3000. Problem is, some of the phone's functions have EXTREME side-effects. Fancy a long pair of ears, huge fangs and a covering of light grey fur?  

Our Chapter Book of the Week this week has been hotly anticipated at C's school for quite some time...

Do you dare to be different? Here's a crackingly good allegorical story for little ones...

We couldn't let our Booky Advent Calendar go by without featuring a few awesome festive Chapter Books in with the usual picture book fare, so we're delighted to see a new book from comedy genius Tom McLaughlin...

Michelle Robinson and Tom McLaughlin are back with their adorable little chick hero who's expecting a new arrival...!

What does it take to make your own planet? This is Orson's big question in Tom McLaughlin's awesome and dreamy new story book...

It's not easy being a tiny little chick, as Nugget (the adorable hero of today's story) finds out. How can a tiny fluffball possibly be brave?

It's the perfect weather for cloudspotting and we love this as a weekend activity. Lying in the grass, gazing up at the sky - either spotting shapes or trying to pull clouds apart with awesome MIND POWER!

Franklin is "The Cloudspotter" in Tom McLaughlin's new picture book, a solitary fellow with a singular obsession. In the clouds he can lose himself as he spots trains dashing by, complete with carriages, planes swooshing across the sky or tall ships with billowing chimney stacks.

One day, however, a lonely dog decides that she'd rather like to join Franklin in his cumulonimbus collecting. This breaks Franklin's concentration though, and he's so used to being alone that having a big soppy friendly dog around really isn't going to work out. He comes up with a plan to rid himself of the pesky pooch (who we adored from the moment we saw her and actually began to think Franklin was a bit of a rotter, sending her off into the great unknown in a hot air balloon!)

Will Franklin realise though that sometimes, to be a successful cloudspotter, you need someone else to pass on your observations to? After all, what's the point in gazing out of the window and spying a cloud that's exactly the same shape as a submarine if there's no one else around to see it?

A lovely touching little tale that made us want to snuggle among the clouds ourselves (and no doubt we will be out there again this weekend, watching all the clouds drift by - we always love the dragon shaped ones best!)

Charlotte's best bit: She fell completely in love with the nameless dog who tries to befriend Franklin (and spots lovely bone-shaped clouds, nom nom!)

Daddy's Favourite bit: A cuddly cloud-filled story of friendship and imagination. Blissful!

(Kindly sent to us for review by Bloomsbury Publishing)