It's probably fair to start off this review by stating that we are completely clueless when it comes to football. Yet here is a book that, through truly brilliant and effervescent enthusiasm, manages to put across the brilliant skills, dynamism and passion of women's football.

"Changing the Game" with Casey Stoney, a former super-skilled pro footballer and now football manager herself, and illustrated by Emily Stead, begins with a historical look at the women's game and groundbreaking figures such as Lily Parr, who defied the government ban on women's football, to contemporary record-breakers such as Marta, and rising stars coming up through the ranks to take the game to new heights.

After the profile of women's football was raised stratospherically by the Women's World Cup last year, many are beginning to realise that the women's game may (entirely unfairly) not be dominated by money and huge player deals, but is definitely dominated by a passion for the game, and also a fantastic and inspirational determination to prove that the women's game is actually better / more fun to watch than the men's game.

With beautiful illustrations, inspirational stories, player skills and statistics, and Casey Stoney's motivational voice throughout, this is a must for girls and women who are not only interested in football, but are interested in any sport.

After winning a prestigious art award at school, C has been consuming art books by the dozen and finding out more about famous artists past and present.

"We Are Artists" by Kari Herbert could've been tailor made for her, filled to the brim with amazing facts and life stories of some of the most famous female artists of all time.

Authoritatively written, using the artists' own works and words to describe their inspirations and their methods, it's completely engrossing and gave C lots to think about as she begins her own artistic journey, constantly refining her own style (I'm not just being a typical proud parent when I say that she's already an amazing painter in her own right, and also very strong minded about taking any tuition off her old man, but that's a story for another blog post!)

"We Are Artists" gathers together 15 of the most influential female artists, from Frida Kahlo to Georgia O'Keefe, from Tove Jansson (YAY!) to Yayoi Kusama, in one glorious and beautifully illustrated volume, featuring fabulous portraits of each of these amazing women, and a selection of their work (look out for those Tove Jansson Moomins storyboards in particular, they're stunning!)

Sum this book up in a sentence: A truly fabulous work of art in its own right, this book is perfect for would-be artists to read about 15 of the most inspirational creative women who have become part of our artistic landscape.

"We Are Artists" by Kari Herbert is out now, published by Thames and Hudson (kindly supplied for review). 

There has been much need for a creative response to the way the world has been shaping up over the last few years, which makes "Rise Up: The Art of Protest" by Jo Rippon even more timely.

Clad in a fantastic pride-wearing rainbow decorated cover, Jo shows some of the brilliant ways artists and designers respond to breaches of human rights, whether instigated by governments, individuals or organisations across the world.

With a foreword by Chris Riddell, himself no stranger to offering up brilliant cartoons and drawings raging against injustice and the political machinations of ne'er do wells, this is the sort of book that would be utterly fantastic as the basis of a school project in the arts or social sciences, describing how we humans deal with violations of our liberties.

Worked on in collaboration with Amnesty International, the international organisation working tirelessly to protect our basic human rights, and broken up into different sections, the book does not shy away from showing brilliant pieces of protest art about poverty, climate change, gender inequality or sexual preference. It showcases some of the most iconic posters, adverts and designs that artists have drawn up.

Sum this book up in a sentence: As folk who always look out for the amazing signs and placards people come up with for stuff like the Climate Change protests, or the anti-Brexit demonstrations, this book was definitely right up our street.

"Rise Up: The Art of Protest" by Joanne Rippon with a foreword by Chris Riddell is out now, published by Palazzo Editions (kindly supplied for review). 

Oh yes indeed, we all remember this phase of our little darlings' lives, right?

That phase (that, even for C, shows no signs of ending) where every single question is met with that huge clanger of a word that can stop a parent dead in their tracks...

"Why?" by Adam Rex and Claire Keane pits a nefarious supervillain against one of the mightiest forces in the known universe - a questioning toddler.

The little girl in the story meets Dr X-Ray as he begins his first steps towards world domination - but soon falls foul of the girl's inquisitive nature. She just wants answers, but Dr X-Ray drags out everything from a nagging sense of imposter syndrome, a huge shadow of self-doubt and even daddy issues - before realising the error of his ways.

It all began with an asteroid collision on the good doctor's car port...

The story works itself up into a frenzy as poor Dr X-Ray does his best to patiently explain each of his reasons for taking over the world, and the girl blissfully responds each time with...

"WHY?"

Uh oh, this doesn't look good!

It makes for a very, very funny and original take on a story that we may have seen several times before, but not quite delivered with such style and aplomb. Adam's hilarious story couples brilliantly with Claire's superb comic visuals.

Dr X-Ray's daddy issues are very funny indeed!

Sum this book up in a sentence: The power of a toddler's curiosity versus a nefarious super-villain brilliantly depicted in this thoroughly original and stylish book.

"Why?" by Adam Rex and Claire Keane is out now, published by Chronicle Children's Books (kindly supplied for review). 

Africa is a truly fascinating continent but what of the countries that make up this vibrant, cultural and ever-changing landscape?

In "Africa, Amazing Africa" by Atinuke and Mouni Feddag, you'll find a treasure trove of facts and information about this beautiful place.

All 55 countries on the African continent are described in loving detail, with all their natural history, their amazing resources and huge diversity. 

From the coolness of Burkina Faso to the tiny island of Cabo Verde

All 55 countries in the continent of Africa are lovingly described here

Now, more than ever, we need books that give kids the boost they sometimes need to stand up for what they believe in, to make their voices heard and to take their stand when issues affect them and their lives.

"Get Up, Stand Up" by Bob Marley, Cedella Marley and John Jay Cabuay, this fantastic protest song is the perfect lyrical way to plant that seed in children's minds - that they don't have to put up with things that are unfair and unjust.

John Jay's artwork is brill, and though we've seen many children's books spring from the lyrics of popular songs, this one is so timely, and just plain works.

"Get Up Stand Up" by Bob Marley. Cedella Marley and John Jay Cabuay is out now, published by Chronicle Children's Books (kindly supplied for review).

With the most exquisite alignment of the planets, and timing that is quite breathtaking, the 38th Asterix book, "Asterix and the Chieftan's Daughter" by Jean Yves Ferri and Didier Conrad steams its way into our Comic / Graphic Novel of the Week slot with absolute buttery smoothness.

I mean, we would have probably made this a book of the week regardless. Both of us love Asterix and Obelix, I grew up with the plucky Gaul and his super-strong sidekick but with the new team of Ferri and Conrad, the new books are finding a hugely appreciative audience with C, who loves them just as much (perhaps even more) than I did.

So what's in store for our gallant Gaulish heroes with this 38th book? A subject very close to home at the moment. What happens when you're living a fairly peaceful life (aside from the odd spot of Roman bashing) in your village - but soon have that peace and quiet disrupted by a new arrival?

The daughter of the famous Gaulish chieftain Vercingetorix is being hunted down by the Romans. She is Adrenalin (no really, that's her name) and like her biological namesake she's a heck of a force to be reckoned with. Having done her own bit to disrupt the mighty Roman empire, she is now on the run - and has found her way to Asterix and Obelix's home village, as her father the mighty Vercingetorex believe she'll be perfectly safe alongside a couple of potion-swilling badasses. 

Our Chapter Book of the Week is a gorgeous story anthology that reinforces the message that women can be every bit as brave, mighty, heroic and strong as their male counterparts.

"Forgotten Fairy Tales of Brave and Brilliant Girls" comes with a foreword from Kate Pankhurst, author of "Fantastically Great Women Who Changed the World" and this sets the tone perfectly for the collected stories you'll find in this fabulous book.

Various authors and illustrators pull together an amazing selection of traditional tales that were once very well known, but have been lost to history - overshadowed by stories about brave princes and damsels that need to be rescued rather than rescuing themselves.

Our Second Book of the Week this week is one of the most incredible books we've seen this year, in a year absolutely packed with truly amazing ones. It's a book that stayed in our minds even when we weren't reading it! No exaggeration, that's how good it is.

"The Apartment: A Century of Russian History" by Alexandra Litvina and Anna Desnitskaya, translated by Antonina Bouis is much, much more than a fascinating slice of history. It chronicles the very human stories centred around a large apartment in Russia, beginning at the start of the 20th Century, right through two world wars and through to modern times.

The book begins by showing a huge family tree of all the families (and their pets) that lived or lodged in the apartment over the years, and historical figures who were pivotal to the evolution of the USSR and later Russia after the fall of the iron curtain.

Each triumph and tragedy is narrated through the words of the children in the apartment as they grow up and experience life in Russia - often fraught with hardships and shortages of the bare essentials, but still punctuated with moments of joy, national pride and contentment that comes from a close-knit family community.

There are weddings, there are births and funerals, there's the rise and fall of the cold war, and Russia's first triumphs in space, chronicled in a unique and personal way throughout this glorious book.

We've always been fascinated by life in Russia, and the cultural impact of the west on the east as music, movies and fashion slowly creep their way into everyday life across the iron curtain - before that too goes the way of history as Glaznost comes and goes, ushering new wealth and prosperity across the whole of Russia, and once again impacting the lives of those sharing this amazing vibrant living space.

Older children will obviously appreciate the history and the timelines within, as notable historical events and figures crop up prominently during the stories of these families' lives. As a way to kick off National Non-Fiction November, this book really shows that history doesn't have to use gross-out humour to win you over. It's just packed with touching, beautifully described and gorgeously written accounts.

Younger children will love spotting all the objects that each family hold dear. Their possessions are described and drawn in exquisite detail, ready for kids to spot them in subsequent pages.

At the end of the book there's a glossary and summary of many of the sources for these stories, collected together in such a thoroughly absorbing and thought-provoking way.

Truly this is a breathtaking picture book filled to the brim with joyful and sometimes tragic human stories of folk getting on with their daily lives.

Sum this book up in a sentence: A truly incredible slice of family history in a book that begs to be read over and over again.

"The Apartment: A Century of Russian History" by Alexandra Litvina and Anna Desnitskaya, translated by Antonina Bouis is out now, published by Abrams (kindly supplied for review). 

Somehow, Bethan Woollvin's darkly delicious and thoroughly brilliant versions of classic tales have eluded our slippery grasp up until now, but we're very pleased to nominate "Hansel and Gretel" by Bethan for a well-deserved Book of the Week award, mostly because it's an absolutely brilliant read, but fully because it goes quite a long way to restoring our faith that there are agents and publishers out there who buck the trend for the usual picture book fare.

"Hansel and Gretel" doesn't begin with the wayward babes lost in the wood, instead it begins with the story of Willow the Witch, yes, she of the confectionary-based house and rather large oven.

But ah, Willow isn't the evil old hag depicted in the usual versions of Hansel and Gretel. In fact Willow is a good witch, good to a fault because when she first meets the twins, they are disrupting the quiet and peaceful forest by throwing breadcrumbs willy nilly about the place.

Anxious to avoid a nasty situation where those crumbs attract rats and pigeons back to her lovely gingerbread cottage, Willow befriends the two, and takes them back to her house - where they rather rudely begin nibbling at its roof and walls! OH NO!

That's a lovely tasty lookin' house you've got there, shame if anything happened to it *munch*

Willow is a good witch though, so rather than blasting the twins to kingdom come with her wand, she takes them in and gives them a slap up feed instead.

Replete, the two aren't quite finished trouble-making just yet - and when they find the witch's wand, things go from bad to worse!

No lashings of ginger beer spotted, but that most definitely is a slap-up feast!

Willow, her patience tested to the very limit, has had enough! So what happens next?

Oh you just know what we're going to say. You'll have to read the book to find out. We've waited ages to get on board the Bethan Woollvin story train, and we're glad to be aboard. She has an exquisite gift for tweaking, teasing and twisting well loved fairy tales into subtly dark tales of comeuppance. If you've lost faith that nasty people in the world get their just desserts in the end, this book may just restore some of that faith indeed. There are very few author-illustrators who 'get' exactly what kids love when it comes to subversion (Kate Beaton is the other author-illustrator who springs to mind, and I dearly hope she's back and writing for kids very soon now she's got a little smasher of her own). But oh Bethan, you've won us over. Like we said on Twitter, no one draws a sly side eye like you!

Sum this book up in a sentence: An absolutely brilliant, nay definitive version of the classic Hansel and Gretel tale shot through with a brilliant dark heart and an utterly satisfying ending.

"Hansel and Gretel" by Bethan Woollvin is out now, published by Two Hoots Books (kindly supplied for review).