Some books feel like they intoxicate the reader with such a feeling of joy that you feel like picking them up and dancing around the room with them. This is definitely one such book. "Milli, Jack and the Dancing Cat" ticks so many of our 'joy' boxes that it's difficult to know where to start telling you how great it is. So we'll start at the beginning...!

Milli is a girl full of joie de vivre. Imaginative, creative, flame-haired (always ALWAYS a good thing, right @thestrollingmum?) but there's a problem. Milli happens to work as a shoemaker in a town that doesn't appreciate her creative side. Every day, day in and day out, she makes really boring work boots, brown boots, black boots. Boring boring shoes for people who want boring boring shoes. Milli longs to stand out in the crowd, be noticed, and let some of her infectious talent rub off on others.

A wandering minstrel and his talented cat comes to town, and after meeting Milli and finding out more about her, Jack decides that what the girl needs is to let her hair down and learn to dance.

Dance she will, every type of dance - Tap dancing, broadway dances, ballet, ballroom - you name it, Jack and his dancing cat can do it.

Milli and Jack (and the cat) become firm friends and secretly, one night, Milli makes Jack and the Cat a whole bunch of brilliant things from scrap (a particular talent of hers), and some fabulous footwear to dance in.

The good townsfolk take notice because Milli doesn't stop there. She realises that creativity is a good thing (are you listening Mr Gove? No? Aw never mind then, didn't expect you to) and that the world should know what a girl with an eye for colour and turning other people's rubbish into fabulous things can do.

Charlotte lapped every single page of this book up. The artwork's like a slightly more polished version of the sort of energetic work that Quentin Blake is famous for. The story is a delight, and the characters (particularly Milli) are utterly fabulous.

If you want a children's picture book that makes you feel like a kid again, or at least makes you feel like slipping into that bright orange and lime green stripey top instead of the grey one, then "Milli, Jack and the Dancing Cat" is most definitely for you.

Charlotte's best bit: Jack and the Dancing Cat's fabulous bike-chariot-transport thing Milli builds for them.

Daddy's favourite bit: A book with a smile on each page, and a gigantic cheesy watermelon-eating grin at the end. Utterly lovely.

Oh my, what a brilliant little book this is. Feral children seem to be a bit of a 'thing' on the blog recently. We reviewed the utterly beautiful "Wild" by Emily Hughes last week, and now it's time to take a look at a distinctly different wayward waif in Chris Wormell's utterly brilliant "The Wild Girl".

Growing up, I think I almost read the print off my copy of "Stig of the Dump" by Clive King and Edward Ardizzone and "The Wild Girl" reminded me of all the things I loved about that book.

A tiny little girl and her utterly brilliant little dog eke out a living in the middle of nowhere. They run, they jump, they fish and feast. But as winter closes in, even the wildest wild girl, used to sleeping under the stars, must find shelter.

The Wild Girl and her doggy companion build a nest from twigs and comfortable foliage in the back of an old cave. It's warm and snuggly (though the pair are often plagued by itchy scratchy fleas, eek!) and the perfect place to spend the winter.

One day though, the girl and her dog return to the cave to find the nest completely trashed, sticks scattered all around. Who would do such a thing? Or rather, what would...

It's tricky to know how much to tell you about this book because we really don't want to spoil it for you. Charlotte delighted in the girl's lifestyle. Imagine the lure for a child of having a life where you could do what you wanted, when you wanted to, go to bed when you wanted, always have your snuggly pet to cuddle up to at night without anyone telling you off. Being able to gaze up at the stars, or swim in the river. Utterly intoxicating stuff to Charlotte and so brilliantly told and illustrated in muted tones and pallettes (Chris's dog drawings are so utterly spot on).

The tale reaches a turning point about mid way through and it's that bit we don't want to spoil for you, suffice to say that the moral of the story and the twist is so nicely executed.

If your little girl or boy like making dens, curling up in tents, imagining life out in the deep dark woods or the wilderness, then they'll be drawn to this like moths to a flame. Beautiful stuff Chris.

Charlotte's best bit: The final lines and illustration in the book which are so cute!

Daddy's favourite bit: Take a walk on the wild side with a brilliant little girl hero and her dog. Sublime stuff!

This book seems to have arrived on our doorstep just as Charlotte has decided that sleep is for wimps, and we've had some seriously disrupted nights (summertime sucks, too light to sleep, too hot, too fidgety etc).

This is a lovely book though, and it starts out with a little girl waking up in the middle of the night (sounds too familiar!) and, though surprised it's still dark, investigating her house.

Her older sister is completely zonked out. The only other soul awake in the house is the superbly named moggy Shiro.

Hannah decides that it's the perfect opportunity to do lots of things she likes to do (but isn't always allowed to). She goes for a wee (as does Shiro)...then cheekily creeps down to the fridge to raid it for cherries (and to make sure Shiro gets a nice dish of milk, of course!)

She checks on mum and dad, and then 'borrows' some of her sister's things to play with.

It sounds like a fairly ordinary story (but how I wish Charlotte would quietly creep around the house at night if she wakes up before finally drifting off gently to sleep rather than shouting "I NEED A POO!" at the top of her voice on the baby monitor) but the skill is in the way Komako Sakai captures Hannah and her night-time world so utterly perfectly, with the most deft strokes of her chalk and charcoal drawings.

Utterly cute. Hopefully reading this before bedtime won't give your little ones ideas though!

Charlotte's best bit: Shiro's fierce look of cat-concentration when having a pee. Oh...kay!

Daddy's favourite bit: A superb story told from the perspective of a restless toddler, so perfectly captured by Komako. Divine!

(Kindly sent to us for review by Gecko Press)

What's got eight legs and can turn my lovely other half into a gibbering screaming wreck in two microseconds flat? A spider! So I'd hoped that the second book in the fabulous "Once-Upon-A-Slime" range might help her address her fears.

Sorry Spindler, but it was not to be. Never mind though, Charlotte and I loved reading all about Spindler the Spider - and you will too!

We reviewed "Slitter the Slug" from the once-upon-a-slime range a little while ago and we also interviewed Slitter and Spindler's fab co-creator, Fiona Woodhead who, along with her dad Howard Bouch, have created a superb range of minibeast books for you and your children to enjoy.

Max is exploring the shed today, and inside the dusty garden store lives Spindler the Spider. He might have a slightly wonky leg (soon fixed with a bit of silk jetted gracefully from Spindler's bum!) but he's always ready for adventures!

Did you know spiders can fly through the air on a length of silk, using it like a kite? There are many interesting spider-facts in the book (and a rather handy magnifying glass so that you can join in the minibeast hunt, and take a closer look at the insect world). As Charlotte spends a lot of time at school on nature rambles and observing minibeasts in their own habitats, this book was an absolute win!

Spindler's adventures soon lead him into Max's house - but is a house the safest place for a spider to be? (Certainly ours isn't, though we do try to make sure any spidery guests are gently sent on their merry way back outside rather than squishing them!)

We won't spoil Spindler's adventures too much for you, suffice to say that Max is always on hand to help his insect chums out (good job too!)

Join the minibeast hunt with Max and Spindler, and check out all the fabulous insect-based activities on Fiona's fantastic website.

Once Upon A Slime Website

Charlotte's best bit: Spindler's groovy way of 'bandaging' his wonky leg

Daddy's favourite bit: A wholly engaging and fun book for children with some great learning activities and facts to perhaps change the way you look at your insectoid neighbours.

(Kindly sent to us for review by Fiona Woodhead)

Today is "Happy Launch Day" for a book we've had for a while now, and as it takes us just that little bit longer to read through chapter books we thought we'd publish our review today.

So who is Pumkiniah the Brave, and do you really need another fairy story in your life?

Of COURSE you do, particularly if you have children at home who love fairies and absolutely cannot resist a story about a particularly gutsy and cool fairy like Pumkiniah (or Pumki for short).

Pumki is a young fairy who enrolls at the Bureau of Young Human Defence (BYHD) to become a secret fairy agent. Unbeknownst to the human world, fairies help to bind the world together, constantly vigilant and always ready for when evil forces may threaten the world we know and love, unseen but ever present.

Pumkiniah embarks on an adventure with her friends that will not only help her learn more about the world but will test her to her limits as the forces of good and evil clash.

We particularly liked an approach in fairy stories to make the fairies more contemporary-feeling, while still paying homage to all the familiar classic fairy traits that children may have encountered in other novels. Though this is a book more suitable for older children than Charlotte (ages 8-12 perhaps), it's a good meaty and long-lasting book to read to younger children who start to develop a taste for words and language over pictures (though I thought the lovely little pre-chapter illustrations of the awesome Pumki were a lovely touch).

Atmospheric, nicely flowing and definitely a must if your children still believe in fairies. The good news is that a second novel is complete (still waiting for a publisher) and the 3rd and 4th Pumkiniah books are also in progress. Georgia is one busy lady!

Find out more about Pumkiniah the Brave, Georgia Beyers and how to order the book through the Pumkiniah Website

Charlotte's best bit: Giggling about Trolls acting up in class (and out of class). Just like the boys at Charlotte's school, in fact!

Daddy's favourite bit: An accomplished and neatly contemporary slant on classic fairy folklore. The sort of fairy heroine you really wouldn't mind your daughters (or sons) idolising. Move over Tinkerbell, your time's up!

(Very kindly sent to us for review all the way from the land of Oz by Georgia Beyers)

Don't worry Walker Books, we still love you even though you never call, you never write, never reply to our emails! Here's an absolute doozy too but first a question for parents, particularly parents of girls.

Is your child, well - how can I put this...a little bit bossy?

Charlotte is. In fact at times I feel like I'm being henpecked from both sides. "That shirt looks rubbish Daddy!" or "Did you know you've got a huge spot on your chin?"

Lovely, but the good thing about having two 'bosses' at home is that they're excellent at giving you advice on how to be one yourself. Like the little girl in "How to get a Job, by Me, the Boss!"

If you're thinking of what you'd like to be when you grow up (yes, I still am, even at 45) then this hilarious tome will undoubtedly provide you with some brilliant advice on the dos and don'ts for everything from interviews, putting together a brilliant CV (clue: don't drip marmalade on it while eating breakfast), and what to do once you do actually get your dream job.

Aided by her minion (who seems to be having all the fun in the book), the boss is brilliant!

A thoroughly original idea, nicely told in chaotic style and funny for adults and children alike. In fact not just funny but eerily accurate in depicting the hurly burly of trying to get a job!

Charlotte's best bit: Great advice on how to become a Pirate Princess Ballerina. Which is something we all need advice on, methinks.

Daddy's favourite bit: Biscuits!!! Everyone should mention biscuit-eating prowess on their CV.

With an eye-catching cover, we couldn't resist picking up "Amazing Mr Zooty!" on our recent library trawl. We really love anything Emma Chichester-Clark is involved in (her Plumdog Blog is required reading and I keep hoping it's going to end up turned into a book collection one day. I'd buy it in a heartbeat!)

Here though we're not concerned with dogs, but cats. One particular cat, in fact - The Amazing Mr Zooty!

What's so amazing about him (aside from his eye-popping yellow jersey with a big Z on it, and his eye popping yellow eyes!) He's a little bit magical, in the line of Willy Wonka, with a subtle soupçon of Mr Majeika too.

When he sees a poor family, dressed in ragged clothing, feeding the ducks in the park, Mr Zooty decides to act. Dressing himself as a down-on-his-luck fellow, Mr Zooty asks them if they have any spare change. All the children have are the three leaves they have gathered, but they still happily give them to the poor moggy to bring him luck.

Zooty pretends to pass out, and the family, concerned for his well being, drag him all the way back to their little shabby flat (We actually thought Mr Zooty was a bit mean here, expecting the poor family to haul him all the way up a huge flight of stairs on a clapped out pushchair before telling them who he really was!)

Mr Zooty grants the family three wishes (well three-ish, Mr Zooty has a habit of 'thinking of things' to add to each wish) and soon they're eating delicious pancakes, gaining a magical purse and then the little girl lucy's wish is granted...

...but we'll leave you to discover that one yourself. "The Amazing Mr Zooty" is pure fantasy, beautifully told and illustrated, and such a feelgood book that you'll feel like cuddling it at the end. We love discovering obscure books like this in our library. Look out for Mr Zooty in yours!

Charlotte's best bit: Mr Zooty's pancakes. So yummy looking!

Daddy's favourite bit: Emma's illustrations are always an absolute treat. Zooty is brilliant!

Tweet! FC in his rather groovy antigrav cage

Awww already cute!

Hey ladies!

The retainer at the top of the cage showing the shape you'll need to cut

Still a bit wobbly at this stage. Time for a needle and thread!

Lovely!

Last time we looked at Dr Seuss

We tried to rhyme all fast and loose

but now, along with Mr Knox

We're busy reading "The Fox in Socks"

Now as you know, it's a 'different' book

So we'll try to rhyme, come take a look


This time though our tongues are twisting

Poor little Charlotte is resisting!

"I can't say the lines in here!"

"You read it Daddy, I can't I fear!"


But oh and ah, these lines are cool

They twist and turn you into a fool

As your lips wrap around your tongue

Which feels all wrapped in chewing gum

Can you do quick brick tricks with chicks, ma'am?

Or battle beetles in a puddle battle, man?

We can, and we'll show you just how

So on with the review, let's start this now.


When booky nooky book nooks looked into a book

We weedled wordy worldy words with every breath we took

Wrangled wangly wrongly-worded wriggly words on wings

Thinking thin things, thoughts of string things, thinly fimbly things


"STOP!" Said Charlotte, all a fluster, as my words began to bluster!

"My poor little mind can't take this kind of rhyming rind!"

"But ah my darling daughter, we have quite a way to go!"

"We need to speak of poodles noodling noodles, don't you know!"


So on we rambled, rambling through the rumbling tumbling word-world

Hurling word-hurls, whirled and twirled, unfurled as words we squirreled

Rhyme time, fine time shiny shine time rhymes that shone and lines that twizzled

Frizzled frazzled words bedazzled, words that popped and sizzled!


"Please stop!" said Charlotte once again, "This book makes me so tired!"

"I know it's great, you love it so, Seuss leaves you all inspired"

"But for young lasses like me, it's like a marathon for the mind"

"So let's finish off, relax, take a breath, let our frazzled brains unwind!"


Of course she's right but hear our plea, if you have yet to read

"The Fox in Socks" we think that it's high time you did indeed!

For this week's #ReadItMD13 Theme Week we'll be taking a look at various aspects of making and crafting in conjunction with children's books. To kick off though we'll take a look at some of the making and crafting books we've enjoyed, as well as some of the ones that have slipped through our net.

For us, the best make-and-do books are the ones that offer feasible (very important that) and engaging makes, that perhaps stretch things a little beyond just sticking two yoghurt pots together and calling it a butterfly.

Last Christmas we were very impressed with Lion Hudson's range of christmas-themed crafting books (yes I know it's the middle of the summer but it's never too early to start your christmas shopping and making, haha). With all sorts of activities ranging from simple christmas card makes, through to some quite spectacular Rudolf Red Nose truffles (which we make even when it's not Christmas because they're so yummy).

(There is a slightly less girlishly pink one available too)

DK are pretty much THE go-to for make books. They produce absolutely stunning books with clear diagrams and photography, and a whole host of brilliant ideas.

The Fantastic Rainy Day Book (Dorling Kindersley)

"The Fantastic Rainy Day Book" is probably quite hard to get hold of but this is definitely a book chock full of brilliant makes and ideas for art.

Make a hat!

DK also publish a range of Mr Maker themed books (and everyone loves Mr Maker...don't they? What do you mean "We would if he ever let the kids on his show have more of a go!")

Mr Maker - Let's Make It! (Dorling Kindersley)

Children's Making and Crafting books come in all shapes and sizes, covering a massively diverse range of subjects. We particularly like Origami at home, and this is one of the best Origami books we've seen...

Easy Origami by John Montroll

 Unlike most, it's very easy to follow and you can genuinely make all of the models in the book without getting your fingers tangled. Origami is a really easy and satisfying activity and the end results can be really beautiful.

Last but not least we had to mention Usborne's amazing crafting and making range.

"Summer Things to Make and Do" from Usborne Activities. Perfect for the British summer!

We've been taking a look at this one recently and it's absolutely perfect for the British summer - when you need to find lots of things to do indoors because it's nearly always raining (actually it's been boiling hot for most of the weekend but even so, you can drag a crafting mat out into the garden and do all your summer making in the beautiful sunshine too!). With lots of stickers for your crafting projects (vitally important to a busy 5 year old like Charlotte), it's full of fantastic ideas to get your summer started properly.

These few books we've covered just offer an insight into a tiny tiny fraction of the huge market for children's activity, make and crafting books. If you've got a favourite we haven't covered, why not leave a comment below and tell us which book you like to dip into for makes and crafting!