There's something dark, satisfying and deeply enjoyable about Ruth Brown's books. Rather like tucking into a delicious slice of Genoa Cake with a really good strong cup of tea like your grandmother used to make.

In "Imagine" Ruth's beautiful painted panels invite us on a trip beyond the world we know, where unicorns freely dance in the moonlight and the most innocent tabby cat is a stalking tiger.

Told in rhyming verse, it's poetic and dreamy stuff as a child's imagination is unleashed on a fidgety night as darkness envelops the house. No ghouls and ghosts lurk in this book, just warm and inviting imagery that children will love and adults will savour.

Probably the only minus point is that Charlotte thinks it's "Too short for bedtime!" and usually uses it as an excuse to demand another book (and another, and so on - you know how it goes when you're a parent who tries to stick to a one-book rule but would probably happily sit there all evening reading to your child!)

Charlotte's best bit: Imagining a balletic giraffe!

Daddy's favourite bit: Ruth Brown's beautiful artwork and gentle verse are better for a good night's sleep than a cup of warm milk with a dash of nutmeg. Ahhh!

Beasties of a different kind are the subject of Giles Paley-Phillips' new book - this time big stomping beasties that once stalked the earth. Or rather, still do!

(See, I bet you didn't know that did you?)

In fact in "Things you never knew about Dinosaurs" you'll find out that our scaly chums are in fact alive and well and sometimes hiding in plain sight. That fancy looking fountain with the lizardy skin? That low-flying goal-scorer at the world cup? Dinosaurs are still with us and they're having a whole lot of fun.

As we've come to expect from Giles, never trust a beastie to be entirely friendly and lovely though. We really loved the way the book ended - and we're not going to spoil it for you, so nyaahhhhh!

Liz Pichon's fab and colourful dinosaurs are a busy and infinitely varied lot so for any younger bookworms who haven't quite got their tongues around Triceratops or bumped into Brachiosaurs, it's a fantastic and entertaining little book with Giles' trademark bounce-along rhyming text really nicely complimented by Liz's art.

So next time you're standing at a bus stop and the person next to you looks a little green and lumpy, don't worry unduly. They might just be a dino in disguise!

Charlotte's best bit: Even Dinosaurs have to queue for the loo. You just wouldn't want to go in there afterwards.

Daddy's favourite bit: Fine dining, Dino style!

(Kindly sent to us for review by Giles and Meadowside Children's Books)

Children's books about siblings are always interesting as we get to see how various authors reflect their own experiences, weave them into a story, and make that story appealing to children who may or may not have siblings of their own. Though Charlotte doesn't have any, she's acutely aware of what it must be like to have a younger or older sister as many of her friends do, and the shared experience from school - or indeed with her own cousins - does rub off a bit.

In "One More Candle", Merry Susiarjo (herself from a family of four with three children of her own) has absolutely got it spot on with this tale of a young girl (Nola) and her older sister by a year, Betty. Betty always celebrates her birthday first, and one year Nola rather jealously wants to celebrate her birthday on the same day (the look of exasperation on her mum's face is beautifully captured by Emmeline Pidgen in this bit).

So birthday time arrives, with one party, two girls, two cakes but wait - what is this? Nola notices that Betty has 5 candles on her cake but Nola only has four! How is that fair? Betty has one more candle!

The next year, the same thing happens and once again Nola gets quite upset. She doesn't understand why she can't have the same number of candles on her cake as Betty - and in that sweet innocent way that only children are capable of, Nola wishes she could be older (when you get to my age, it works the other way around, I'd probably quite like to be 12 again!)

I won't spoil the rest of the book for you, suffice to say that the end of the book is touching and sweet, and beautifully observed.

If you have a close bond with your brothers and/or sisters, you'll love this book. Charlotte loved it because birthdays are such special times, and the combination of tightly observed storytelling and utterly wonderful illustrations leads to a charming and beautiful book.

"One More Candle" is published on 1st September 2013 by the awesomely named Twelve Elves Books.

Charlotte's best bit: Where can she get a groovy purple doll like Nola's ?

Daddy's favourite bit: Rather liked the parents in this - the dad (the big softy) trying to appease his darling daughter (sounds familiar) and the mum exasperatedly agreeing. Wonderful book!

(Kindly sent to us for review by Merry Susiarjo)

Ack, we just missed out on wishing Sarah a happy birthday for yesterday - so HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAY Sarah!

We also missed out on Vern and Lettuce's original run in the now sadly defunct "The DFC" - a children's comic from David Fickling that collected together some of the most awesome talent in the business, including Sarah of course. Though "The DFC" went the way of the dodo, a Phoenix (or rather THE Phoenix) rose from the ashes and the rest, as they say, is history.

Vern and Lettuce originally appeared as a strip in "The DFC" and this collection gathers together all the awesome strips in one handy and convenient tome.

Take a visit to Pickle Rye, where a fuzzy and friendly sheep and an exuberant busy little rabbit live with a whole host of other cool and crazy animal characters.

Collecting together serialised strips like this means you can conveniently 'drop in' at any point and pick up the thread of what's going on in Vern and Lettuce's world. Everything from dealing with an unruly mole gang (and their messy bikes) to working out the finer points of emulating The Great British Bake-Off.

Sarah has collected together some awesome activity sheets for Vern and Lettuce, which you can nab from her fabulous Jabberworks website.  As the collection has just been re-issued, you can now nab it with its fabulous new cover too!

Charlotte's best bit: Spotting all the 'cameos' of Sarah that work their way into the strips.

Daddy's favourite bit: Fun, cool and like all Sarah's stuff, awesomely drawn. Make a little room in your collection for Vern and Lettuce, you won't regret it.

Harriet Ziefert and Amanda Haley's excellent "Uses for a Grandpa / Grandma" books.

This week as part of our ongoing campaign to get more parents reading to their children, we're celebrating groovy grandparents with a look at children's books that pay homage to them.

Rightly so, because let's face it, without grandparents we'd really struggle! Charlotte is lucky enough to have three awesome sets of grandparents (Grandma and Grandad, Nanny and Dodo and Grumpy Grampy and Grandmo) who love nothing better than sitting down with a good book and reading to her or with her.

Starting off with "40 Uses for a Grandpa" and "41 Uses for a Grandma" (41 because we all know that Grandmas are far more useful than Grandpas!) by Harriet Ziefert and Amanda Haley, here's a fun-packed and sometimes slightly irreverent pair of books that list in great detail all the wonderful things that grandparents do. Harriet obviously speaks with authority, being a grandma herself - and Amanda Haley's artwork is beautiful and funny, so don't miss these - they'll make great gifts for grandma or grandad next time birthdays or christmas roll around and you'd rather not buy them naff scented candles or socks.

Next here's a Grandad with a million and one tales to tell...

The Frank Show by David Mackintosh. Let's be Frank!

David Mackintosh's brilliant book "The Frank Show" is fantastic. The star is a Grandad who is at times a bit curmudgeonly (you know the type), talks way too much (again, you know the type) but is well loved. When a young boy decides that Frank (his grandad) will be the subject of his show and tell, he's not quite prepared for what happens next when Frank takes over the class and keeps everyone entertained with his stories. We love David Mackintosh's books and this is a real hoot!

Next, the most flexible Grandma ever seen? You bet...

Grandma Bendy by Izy Penguin. Bad Grandma Turns Good!

"Grandma Bendy" by Izy Penguin is a fun and original book that made us giggle with Grandma Bendy's antics (not all of them on the right side of the law, NAUGHTY Grandma). Her flexible twizzling limbs mean that she becomes an expert burglar, sneaking into people's houses and picking their locks before making off with their goodies. But when Grandma Bendy is burgled herself (they even took the goldfish!), she realises that it's horrible behaviour and gives herself up to the Police.

After a long spell at her majesty's pleasure, Bendy realises the error of her ways and vows never to use her yogic powers ever again. Until one day they're needed in a most unexpected way!

Though she's a bit of a bad lot at the start of the book, we love how Grandma Bendy is a lovely Grandma at the end who obviously loves her two grandchildren and loves playing crazy hide and seek games with them (can you spot her as she hides in different places in one part of the book?)

So who's next? Oh it's Grandad's turn again...

I'd Rather Go To Grandad's by Ian Whybrow and Sarah Massini. Lovely lighthouse living!

How about a Grandad who just happens to live in probably THE most exciting place ever? In a lighthouse on a remote island? How cool would that be for summer holidays?

In Ian Whybrow and Sarah Massini's lovely book "I'd Rather Go To Grandad's" we hear how a young kitten loves holidays there - and who wouldn't! Sleeping in hammocks, catching your supper, it all sounds so idyllic and with Ian's lovely rhymes and Sarah's beautiful illustrations, there's a lot to love about this book. I think we'd rather go to grandad's too.

No list would be complete without our final book, celebrating an awesome (and is it just me or rather fanciable) grandma who just happens to sometimes wear a pointy hat, sometimes weave the odd spell or two, and has a houseful of amazing creatures to keep her company...

Hubble Bubble Granny Trouble by Tracey Corderoy and Joe Berger. Bubblicious!

"Hubble Bubble Granny Trouble" and "Whizz Pop Granny Stop" by Tracey Corderoy and Joe Berger are truly fab and there's a third book on the way from this talented duo too. Granny isn't really like other grandparents, she dabbles with spells, and has all her witchy friends round for tea to cook up even more magical craziness. In "Hubble Bubble Granny Trouble" her young granddaughter wonders what things would be like if Granny was just an ordinary everyday septuagenerian like everyone else's granny. So she comes up with a plan to give Granny a fabulous makeover, and hide her wand for the day. Needless to say anyone can have an ordinary granny but not everyone can have a magical witchy one!

We'd love to hear your Grandma and Grandad book recommendations so please leave a comment below if you have some brilliant books that trumpet how wonderful and vital grandparents are.

This book dropped through our letterbox like a tiger-striped whirling dervish, stunningly beautiful and yet with such a simple winning story that it's great for a wide range of ages.

Mr Tiger, the top-hatted and polite city gent, is bored. Passing the time tipping his hat to ladies, or discussing the weather with his peers, he's bored, bored, BORED!

Of course, when the humdrum mundanity of the day gets to you, there's really only one thing to do. Go wild! So that's exactly what Mr Tiger does.

(on that note, I really COULD NOT shake Bow Wow Wow's brilliant song "Go wild in the country" while reading this. It's such a great song but a word of warning, do not go looking for youtube videos of the band performing the song on top of the pops - the guitarist had a very interesting line in T-shirts you really wouldn't want your youngsters to see!)

No more tipping hats, no more politely opening doors, it's time to go ape-crazy and shock your neighbours with feats of derring-do and lots and lots of loud roaring.

Naturally, polite society won't stand for such shenanigans, so Tiger's friends and neighbours politely suggest that Tiger takes himself off to the wilderness to conduct his proclivities.

"WHAT AN EXCELLENT IDEA!" roars Mr Tiger.

...and we'll stop there before we ruin too much of the story. Mr Tiger is fab, and Peter Brown's book is an instant classic with utterly beautiful illustrations, and a cheeky amount of chaotic fun spliced with polite victorian values.

It's great advice you know. Every now and again, take yourself off into the countryside and go wild. It may just keep you sane and it'll certainly stave off the boredom!

(Oh and one more thing - do something we usually never do if you pick up the hardback edition of this lovely book. Very carefully remove the dust jacket and look underneath. How cool is THAT!)

Charlotte's best bit: Mr Tiger indulging in impromptu naked fountain paddling. Eeek!

Daddy's favourite bit: The stiff upper lipped animals who are shocked at Tiger's erratic and most ungentlemanly behaviour. Love it!

(Mr Tiger Goes Wild is released on September 5th 2013 from Macmillan Children's Books, who kindly provided us with a copy for review)

We previously loved "How to get a job, by me, the Boss" by Sally Lloyd-Jones and Sue Heap so when we spotted this utterly essential guide to wedded bliss, from a child's perspective, we just couldn't resist it.

If you're planning on popping the question and have your dream wedding planned out, stop for a moment, pick up this book and do what we did - snigger like drains at the sage advice imparted by the 'bride' here, a slightly bossy and almost too well informed little girl.

Important facts on how to pick the ideal suitor (you can marry a man, or a lady, or sometimes even your plant or your cat! HOORAY!), and of course lots of brilliant advice on how to make the big day itself very special.

Sally and Sue have a whole series of these books and we can't wait to read the rest ("How to be a baby by me, the big sister" sounds brilliant too!)

We loved this - the perfect book for subtly making adults snort with laughter far louder than the children they're reading it to!

Charlotte's best bit: Never EVER propose to someone in a dark wardrobe!

Daddy's favourite bit: Can't wait to see the media hoo-hah when people find out you can marry your cats or your plants!

This week on ReadItDaddy as part of our #ReadItMD13 Theme Week celebrating Space Exploration we've looked at various books that broach the subject in brilliant ways for young children to understand.

On the app side of things, it's actually quite difficult to source decent space-faring apps that appeal to children around Charlotte's age. Some are quite wordy, and go into great technical detail (fine if your child can read and explore on their own but not great if your child is just learning to read and finds some words and terms quite difficult).

Step forward Jetpack Journeys, a fun game that mixes together engaging gameplay and presentation with a goodly dose of facts about our solar system and the planets therein.

Dom Conlon, part of the team at Playcloud, came up with the idea of an app that would appeal to his own young son.

"I love space and I love chatting to my son about it. When I first started talking to him about little facts (like that it takes light 8 minutes to get from the Sun to the Earth but that before that it has to bounce around for 30,000 years to actually get to the surface!) I was looking for cool facts. Everything seemed just slightly too old and there were no CBEEBIES level of fun to things."

O-Boy embarks on a journey around the red planet, Mars in "Jetpack Journeys"

Building the perfect spacecraft in "Jetpack Journeys". Love the nod to Blakes 7 :)

US Cover (and slightly different name) for Neil Gaiman's marvellous "Fortunately, The Milk"

Ooh we're in a pickle. We really don't know which one we like best - but as Neil Gaiman puts it on his blog, he seems to have not one but TWO books coming out in September.

"Fortunately, the Milk" will be arriving stateside on September the 17th with artwork by the utterly brilliant Skottie Young.

Of course the UK does not miss out, we get this...

"Fortunately, The Milk..." with illustrations by Chris Riddell

Either way you're in for a bit of a treat. We've seen the Netgalley versions of the UK edition and Chris's illustrations are utterly wonderful. But we don't like to miss out, we really do want both so we'll have to pull in a few favours from our friends across the pond and try and make it happen.

"Fortunately, the Milk..."will be arriving on UK and Australian shores on - yes you've guessed it - September 17th!

Pick up a pinta or two and mark that date in your calendar. It's going to be awesome.

Consider your timbers well and truly shivered, matey!

The digital versions of the awesome "Sticker Dolly Dressing" books are usually great for a bit of harmless dress-em-up fun. So with a fanatical girl pirate in the house, kicking her heels around on a bored Sunday afternoon we took a look at the Sticker Pirate Dressing app from Usborne.

As the app says, it's not for lily-livered types this. Charlotte was a little bit disappointed that there weren't any lady pirates to choose from (boo, hiss!) but once you've chosen your most dastardly looking cove, you can begin to dress him in pirate finery.

Everything you can possibly think of to clad a pirate in has been crammed into the app. Tricorn hats, eye patches, natty pistol belts and of course plenty of ragged stripey tops and trousers should ensure that you'll be ready to take to the seven seas.

That be old Ned McPew and his sidekick Mad Tom! Arrrr!

Different backgrounds and scenes can be chosen, and then you can polish off your pirate masterpieces with lots of accessories, skulls, cannons and of course the all important pirate booty.

As you'd expect from Usborne's app range, it's an absolute doddle to use, extremely intuitive and it won't break the bank either.

We'll be clamouring for an update with those girl pirates in it though. C'mon Usborne, make it happen!

Sticker Pirate Dressing (iTunes Link)