We're always on the lookout for a new wrinkle when it comes to classic fairy tales. Blue Ocean Studios have begun producing some high quality "i-Fairytales" starting with the Brothers Grimm classic story "The Frog Prince".

The story begins as a young princess is playing with her favourite golden ball in the garden. The ball is lost in a pond, and the princess pines for it - until she strikes a deal with a slimy pond-dwelling frog to retrieve her beloved toy, in exchange for allowing him to share her table - and sleep on her bed! Eeek!

The frog follows the princess's wishes, returns her ball but she rather rudely runs off, leaving the frog far behind.

Frogs are tenacious little critters though, and it's not long before there's a loud knock at the castle gates as the princess is enjoying her dinner. It's none other than the frog who expects the princess to make good on her deal, and at her father's behest, she has no choice but to give the croaking (and rather annoying) house guest house room.

In this retelling (with us trying out the story on the iPad version), each scene is animated and children have the opportunity to have the story read to them - or they can read it aloud themselves.

Animated scenes are of a high quality, and there's a song at the end that Charlotte demanded on a loop - setting the scene for more i-Fairy tales to come.

You can find the app on the iTunes Store via this link, priced at £1.99:

https://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/i-fairytales/id718022950?mt=8

Charlotte's best bit: The Fairy Song at the end of the app, and the Princess's rather beautiful blue dresses

Daddy's Favourite bit: Easy to navigate, high production values, overall a very slick version of a well loved children's classic

(Kindly sent to us for review by Katy at Quad Digital)

Half Term is upon us (well, us - ours starts tomorrow but most schoolkids will be on a break from next week). We love to get out and about (as you'll already know from our adventures chronicled on my wife's excellent days-out blog, Can I Walk Mummy) but that usually means a long car journey to get to the most interesting places.

We don't do the backseat iPad / DVD player thing, instead we rather enjoy the fact that Charlotte can spend most of the journey staring out of the car window looking at things instead. So when we were asked to review the i-Spy range of children's activity books by Michelin we jumped at the chance.

Having recently joined in with the National Trust "50 things to do before you're 11 3/4" summer activities, we loved the idea of finding something else in a handy and convenient format that helps children discover more about their surroundings. Though the i-Spy range covers diverse topics such as car-spotting, creepy crawlies and trees, we opted for the books that covered nature.

With a ton of brilliant photographs, handy tick boxes and bonus points awarded for clever spotting, and kid-friendly text, the books are absorbing and engaging enough to see out the longest car journeys. The convenient pocket-sized format also means that tiddlers can tuck them into their coat pocket and use them while you're out and about in the woods, at the countryside or even at the beach.

Charlotte wanted to know who the jolly character was, that features in the book so it prompted us to look up and talk about the Michelin Man and how he's the enduring symbol for the company.

The i-Spy range is available from most good booksellers at the very pocket-friendly price of £2.50 or less.

Charlotte's best bit: We loved some of the 'curve ball' spotting that the books throw in from time to time, oh and cute red squirrels - we really hope we get to see one of these one day!

Daddy's Favourite bit: A fantastic diverse range of topics, brilliantly priced and perfect for those car journeys where you really need to stave off those "are we nearly there yet?" whines!

(Kindly sent to us for review by Michelin Publishing)

Some children's authors have an innate understanding of what can make a child dissolve into a fit of snortles, giggles and sniggers. Stephanie Blake definitely has that particular Jedi mind power down pat - her books have exactly this effect on children (particularly Charlotte) and in her latest book, "A Deal's a Deal" we once again meet slightly cheeky hero Simon the Super-Rabbit.

This time Simon's pooing super-powers are on hold. Instead we see Simon and his best friend indulging in a spot of that favourite childhood pastime, swapping.

Simon has a rather near trio of coloured cars. Ferdinand has a bright red (but plastic, instantly inferior) car. Simon rather likes the red car but isn't sure it's worth three of his favourite cars. Ferdinand definitely likes the look of Simon's three cars but has to call on his powers of persuasion to seal the deal.

Ferdinand is what we refer to in the children's book trade as "a thoroughly bad egg" and Simon, lamentably, discovers all too late that the red car isn't (or should that be is) all it's cracked up to be. But there's no going back - after all, a deal's a deal, to take it back is to steal!

Stephanie's delightful and rib-tickling story has a wonderful pay off at the end (which, naturally, we're not going to spoil for you!) Charlotte loved the payoff and I rather loved the memories this invoked of feverish negotiations in the playground when I was a kid (I think I was stupid enough to once swap a packet of Monster Munch for a Matchbox car - well I WAS hungry and packets of Monster Munch were quite substantial back then!)

"A Deal's a Deal" by Stephanie Blake is out on November 1st (Gecko Press)


Charlotte's best bit: Simon wins the day, in quite a disgusting way!

Daddy's Favourite bit: Swapping! Ah the memories!

(Kindly sent to us for review by Gecko Press)

When I was a tiddler, my mum had one of those funky and groovy "Dansette" record players. You know the sort of thing, made of wood, covered in vinyl, came with a hinged lid and a built in speaker - and could play a stack of records at a time! Whoah!

Music was always part of our family life and I remember two records being demanded on a loop. "Yummy Yummy Yummy I've got Love in my Tummy" and "Octopus's Garden" from the Beatles "Abbey Road" album. So hearing that a book was being made of the latter made me wonder just how many other classic kid-friendly tunes could get a similar treatment (Surely David Bowie's "The Laughing Gnome" has to be in there somewhere?)

In cahoots with Ben Cort as illustrator, Ringo's underwater sing-a-long has now arrived - complete with bonus CD of the song - for our delectation and right now, being under the warm sea, in an Octopus's garden sounds absolutely bloomin' marvellous as it's cold and rainy here.

Ben (Aliens Love Underpants) Cort's illustrations are absolutely spot on and perfect for a book that reads like a song (this works to a varying degree of success, I think some of the repeated lines are a bit weird and jar a bit) but is lyrical and bouncy. Ringo wrote the song, inspired by a story that someone told him about octopuses in the wild collecting shells and shiny things to place around their homes "like a garden".

An octopus's garden! What a great place to be!

For a whole generation of adults, the minute you hear the name of the song you can hear it in your head - and it's fab to think that kids will also be able to enjoy it all the more, now they've got a fabulous book to accompany it.

Charlotte's best bit: Charlotte is still blissfully unaware of who or what The Beatles are, but it's a heck of a good way to inspire a whole new generation of fans to delve into their back catalogue!

Daddy's Favourite bit: No cameo from The Yellow Submarine? I'm slightly disappointed!

(Kindly sent to us for review by Simon and Schuster Children's Books)

"The Snow Bear" by Holly Webb (Stripes) . Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!

This week on "ReadItDaddy" for our continuing Read It Mummies and Daddies (#ReadItMD13) theme weeks, we're celebrating the four seasons in style with a week of seasonal posts - and we're kicking off with Winter. Well, why not, it certainly feels very wintry today!

Our header image shows the cover of Holly Webb's sublime chapter book "The Snow Bear" which is absolutely perfect for winter snuggles and bedtime stories as you pull out the big fat duvet, put the skinny one away and start filling those hot water bottles.

It's a beautiful story of snow, polar bears and grandparents - suffused with magic and mystery. Illustrations make it a great read for younger children who are just beginning to explore early chapter books. Above all though, like all Holly's books, it's the atmosphere that really makes it special.

Some folk don't like snow or cold weather. Take Winnie the Witch for instance!

"Winnie in Winter" by Valerie Thomas and Korky Paul (OUP). Magic, mayhem and mischief!

Winnie the Witch books are always popular, and in "Winnie in Winter" by Valerie Thomas and Korky Paul we find Winnie wishing that the sun would shine - and Wilbur getting rather fed up of having to trudge through deep snow. Winnie comes up with an idea though. Using a touch of magic, a deft wave of her wand and some magic words Winnie banishes the snow and the cold, and can sit in her garden sipping a tasty cocktail as the sun comes along.

Of course, like most of Winnie's madcap schemes, things don't quite go according to plan. After all, if there's sunshine to be enjoyed - what's to stop the whole neighbourhood joining in and tramping your garden flat as they enjoy the unseasonal weather? Hilarious and brilliantly illustrated, it's a real must!

Bears and winter seem to go hand in hand - how about bears and racoons and letters?

"Herman's Letter" by Tom Percival. Full of wintry goodness!

We recently reviewed "Herman's Letter" by Tom Percival and it's a smashing little book set in the winter as Henry the racoon and Herman the bear, the best of friends, cope with the winter in different ways. Henry goes off to live in a new house, leaving Herman behind. Henry writes to bear every day, telling him how fabulous his new home is - and how they'll always be best friends but Herman isn't sure - and when the postal service starts to close down for the winter, Herman realises that his last chance to tell Henry just how great a friend he is would be to deliver a very special letter himself.

We loved the wintry landscapes Herman struggles through, as he fights to stay awake during hibernation time to deliver his message of friendship to his best pal. A lovely book exploring friendship in a unique way.

Finally, a touch of frost...Jack Frost!

"Jack Frost" by Kazuno Kohara. Nipping at your nose!

Kazuno Kohara's "Jack Frost" is probably THE perfect winter book as we meet a young boy, desperate for a playmate, who befriends Jack himself - on the understanding that he never mentions any of the other seasons. If he does, Jack will disappear! They play together in the snow and have lots of fun but a slip of the tongue sees Jack making good on his promise, and soon he's gone as the new buds arrive and the first dewdrops of spring melt as the forests and woodlands turn green. Will Jack be back next year? Visually striking and a real wintry treat, it's a fab story. Just don't get frostbitten!

We'll be looking at lovely books celebrating spring next so keep an eye out for our next themed post!

We've been fans of Jeanne Willis' peerless rhyming for a long time, she has a knack for making the most read-aloud-friendly lyrical stories that just flow off the tongue. We're also huge fans of Lorna Freytag's work, she seamlessly blends photography into fantastical scenes to produce the most scintillating illustrations for children's story books. So put this mighty duo together and what do you get?

In "Wild Child" you get a brilliant heroine, a child who lives by her own rules, is free to wander wherever she wants - sleep under the stars, swim with the fish and cuddle up with animal brothers and sisters as the cold nights draw in.

Wild Child warns us of "The captured ones" - Children who were once wild but have been indoctrinated into our ways, losing their wild streaks and becoming slaves to conformity.

Each scene is beautiful to behold so if the cover hasn't won you over the minute you see it, the things that Wild Child gets up to in the space of this book most certainly will.

Charlotte wanted to be her, dressed in rabbit skin (ok, faux rabbit skin!) and with the most gorgeous husky as a playmate.

A fabulous flowing and glowing book that leaps to life in your hands. There's a little bit of wild child in all of us, even haggard old grown ups like me!

Charlotte's best bit: Cuddling up with Wild Child's lovely husky

Daddy's Favourite bit: Wonderful to read, and with some exquisitely composited illustrations. Absolutely fabulous!

(Kindly sent to us for review by Lorna Freytag / Walker Books)

Lord Mouseton from the "Mouseton Abbey" stories. Dapper chap with excellent book taste!

We're very lucky to be joined on the blog by landed mouse-gentry today as part of the "Mouseton Abbey" blog tour. None other than Lord Mouseton himself has popped by to share some brilliant cheese recipes, and his favourite five animal books. So without further ado, we will tug our forelocks and doff our caps to His Lordship!

Sometimes the simplest ideas can work so beautifully in children's books if all the elements that make a fab read are in place. In "It's Time to Say Goodnight" we meet a happy little chap who wanders around the farm where he lives, greeting all the animals and characters he meets along the way. Out in the urban jungle he even finds time to say good morning to all the trucks, cars, buses, trash men and other things he sees on his travels.

Being such a busy little chap does mean that once he's finished, it's actually starting to get dark - so it's time to say goodnight instead of good morning!

We love Harriet's rhymes and Barroux's simple but beautiful artwork and wonderfully drawn characters.

A fabulous little book full of discoveries, that is destined to become a favourite book for younger readers...

...And with that, we'll bid you a very good night!


Charlotte's best bit: Goodnight to the chickens! Goodnight to the Ducks!

Daddy's Favourite bit: A simple idea, some lovely rhymes and beautifully simple but nicely put together.

(Kindly sent to us for review by Mat at PGUK / Blue Apple Books)

There's a rather lovely atmosphere in Jane Hissey's "Jolly Snow". The same atmosphere of anticipation you get when the first cold snap arrives, and the clocks go back - and you know that the first snows are on their way in the seasonal mail. We love snow, and Charlotte's lucky enough to have seen the proper stuff - sledged in it - and seen how the usual humdrum grey urban world is wonderfully transformed by a cold white blanket of perfection.

Jane carries that message across in "Jolly Snow" as we discover the nursery chums Jolly Tall, Old Bear, Little Bear, Rabbit and Duck trying to describe what snow is like. Will a floury kitchen suffice? Or bubbles from a bubble bath?

There's really no substitute for the real thing though, and Jolly can't wait to play out in the garden when finally the snow arrives.

It's wonderful to be able to catch up with Jane Hissey's back catalogue now that Scribblers are reprinting these in paperback. This special collector's edition is lovely, reprinted to a high standard to show off Jane's wonderful artwork.

We're beginning to really enjoy our time with this fab quintet and look forward to re-reading this classic as it's destined to become a bedtime (and certainly a snowy) favourite

Jolly Tall and Old Bear have fun making lanterns and stars!

Charlotte's best bit: Little Bear playing in the paper snow (I hope he didn't make Old Bear tidy up after him!) Daddy's Favourite bit: A wonderful atmospheric story absolutely perfect for the time of year and definitely something that should be high on people's "christmas stocking book" list

(Kindly sent to us for review by Scribblers Books)

Anorak's fabulous "Happy Colouring Poster" - Just try keeping mummy and daddy away!

Hello, it's me, Charlotte! Do your grown ups often steal your colouring pencils and colour your things in when you're not looking, or are asleep, or are playing with Lego or Playmobil instead? Mine do. Mummy likes colouring animals and scenery while Daddy always scribbles away colouring anything with robots or cars in it. Boys eh?

Recently the lovely folk at Anorak Magazine kindly sent me their fabulous (and huge) Happy Colouring Poster to get to work on. As you can see, it's very busy and full of ace things to colour. Here I am getting cracking on it...!

Teddy Bear pencil toppers are a MUST for intense colouring sessions!

The thing is, I kept coming down in the morning to carry on with it - and finding that things I hadn't coloured had mysteriously coloured themselves in! Mummy and Daddy denied all knowledge but I have my suspicions.

The lovely folk at Pictura (Templar) also sent us a fabulous Shaun Tan scene to colour too...!

Picturaline's Shaun Tan range is just too tempting for daddies!

Daddy emitted a loud "Whoop!" when this arrived, and though he promised to let me share colouring it, he's only let me colour in a little bit. He spends far too much time cuddling it and cooing over it (again, boys!). Pictura have lots of brilliant 'grown up' colouring scenes to choose from but I don't see why daddy has to hog it all to himself (perhaps I'll wait till he's 'resting his eyes' and snoring loudly on a sunday afternoon and help him finish it by sneaking off with it!)

Usborne also have one of my favourite colouring books - which we bought to take on holiday with us.

The Usborne Big Book of Drawing, Doodling and Colouring. It is big and they are very clever, those Usborne folk!

There are so many different things to colour in here - mysteriously the page with monsters on it got coloured in while I was asleep. I'm sure you can guess who the culprit was.

So what can us kids do to stop mummy and daddy pinching our colouring pencils and colouring books? Well, christmas is coming and there's always mothers day or fathers day when mummy always moans about getting chocs that make her bum go big, or daddy always moans that he gets Simpsons socks when he doesn't like The Simpsons, so here are a couple of ideas! It might just work and might just stop their extremely rude behaviour!