I have been contemplating a blog post about “Tiger tales” for quite some
time, as I kept discovering more and more books which feature these majestic creatures. The realization that this is the Chinese “Year of the Tiger” spurred me on to actually put together this group of books. One of the main problems is that I keep finding even more, really exciting sounding books that I have now got on my ‘to be read’ list. I have added these to the end of the blog post, so that you can all have a go at reading some of them.
Pavilion, 9781843654018
“Big Cat” by Emma Lazell is a very funny look at what happens when Grandma loses her spectacles. She finds a very large cat and decides to look after it, but what everyone else can see is that this is no ordinary Cat. Eventually some visitors, who are out searching for their son, find the glasses and everything becomes very clear!! There is a real sense of playfulness with this story and I detect a certain ‘homage’ to The Tiger who came to Tea. Definitely one to keep and keep re-reading.
Little Tiger, 9781788810418
“Squish, Squash, Squeeze” by Tracey Corderoy and Jane Chapman tells the story of Mouse, who thinks he has found the perfect new home, but Bear, Crocodile, and Tiger say there is no room for them all. When the floor collapses under them they are scared, but perhaps a burrowing Mole has provided the solution to all of their problems? Another superbly funny picture book from Tracey Corderoy.
Scholastic, 9781407185712
“Collecting Cats” by Lorna Scobie. When the narrator of the story decides they want to collect cats they go about it in a very unusual way. Firstly they get a load of cheese, this attracts mice and eventually the cats arrive to catch the mice. However, you can have too much of a good thing and eventually they decide that collecting cheese is a better idea. This is a fantastically silly and funny story, full of very kind of cat, so everyone is probably going to see their own version.
HarperCollins, 9780007215997
“The Tiger who came to Tea” by Judith Kerr is a modern classic, which is now celebrating 54 years since its original publication in 1968. I probably came across it when I started working in a library in the early 1970s, so it has been part of my professional life for a very long time. We never seem to tire of this somewhat unwelcome visitor, but are always thankful when he decides to leave. Despite the setting, this seems to avoid many of the criticisms that could be made about gender roles in particular. I still love it as a story.
Nosy Crow, 9781788002523
“This Zoo is not for You” by Ross Collins. When platypus turns up at the zoo, the animals assume that he is there for an interview to join the zoo. Each of them finds a reason why he would not fit in, based on their own preferences. However, after he has left, they discover a letter, inviting them to a party on his Platybus!! After apologies all round, everyone enjoys the fun. A brilliant book about not making assumptions, or judging by appearances.
Bloomsbury, 9781408892183
“Ravi’s Roar” by Tom Percival is another delightful book by this author and it focuses on the feelings that the youngest member of a family can feel. Ravi feels left out of things by his siblings and he always seems to be last, because of his size. One day it all becomes too much and Ravi is so angry, he turns in to a tiger, but what will happen when he calms down? This is a brilliant look at coping with anger and is a welcome addition to the other books by Tom Percival, which deal with emotional well-being.
Nosy Crow, 9781788005678
“Tiger, Tiger burning bright” by Fiona Waters and Britta Teckentrup is an amazing poetry collection for the younger reader, although it requires a table or very strong arms when reading it. It really is one of those collections that every primary school should have and will act as a wonderful focus for children and their imaginations.
HarperCollins, 9780007119691
Tiger in the Snow by Nick Butterworth is an absolute classic, featuring a tabby kitten, called Tiger and the adventure he has when he discovers snow for the first time. With all of his friends either too cold or too busy to come and play, can Tiger find a companion to share his fun?
Macmillan,9781509855155
“I am a Tiger” by Karl Newsom and Ross Collins is an absolutely hysterical story of a mouse who insists that he is actually a tiger. He manages to persuade several other animals that they are not who they think they are. However, when a real tiger appears on the scene, can the mouse persuade him that he is actually a MOUSE!! This is an real delight and a must have in every early years setting
Bloomsbury, 9781408839041
“Never tickle a tiger” by Pamela Butchart, illustrated by Marc Boutevant. Izzy is a girl who can’t keep still. She is always wriggling and jiggling and generally causing havoc. Can Izzy behave herself on a school visit to the Zoo and what will happen if she can’t? A colourful and very energetic story about a young girl who cannot seem to keep out of trouble. Izzy is one of those children who has to try everything and only learns from her mistakes. On this occasion she creates total mayhem as she disregards the order “never tickle a tiger” and we have an amazing 4 page spread explaining just how big a disaster she has caused. You would think that she has finally learnt her lesson, but I wouldn’t be sure about that. This is a definite morality tale, much in the style of Hilaire Belloc, but with a thoroughly modern heroine. A really fun book for younger readers.
Welbeck, 9781783125661
“Interview with a Tiger and other Clawed Beasts too” by Andy Seed and Nick East. What a fascinating and very funny book this is, particularly if you want information but without the boring bits. The author gives us a series of ‘interviews’ with a range of animals and we get a wonderfully relaxed set of answers about them and their lifestyles.
Orion, 9781510107045
“Tiger Heart” by Penny Chrimes. Fly is a young girl, abandoned at birth and then taken to work for a chimney sweep, climbing up and down the chimneys all day. One day she makes a bid for freedom and quite literally finds herself trapped in a cage with a rather large tiger. The strangest thing is that this creature begins to talk to her and she can understand him, but most oddly of all the tiger insists on calling her ‘princess’ and says that she comes from the same land as himself. They escape from the house they are in but find themselves hunted by the man responsible for bringing the tiger and other animals to this country. This is a story about friendship, knowing yourself and trying to understand the world around you. It is a lesson in not letting physical possessions become the most important thing in life, but in knowing that people are what make the world a better place to live in
Lion, 9781782643173
“The Tigers in the Tower” by Julia Golding is a fascinating story of animals at the Tower of London in the 19th Century. there is a full review of this book on this blog, written in September 2020.
Usborne, 9781474903042
“The troublesome |Tiger” by Tamsyn Murray is part of her series for young readers, featuring Zoe, who lives at Tanglewood Animal Park. This book is about Tindu, a new addition to the park, but one that is not settling in to their new home. Can Zoe help and make their new tiger feel at home. This is a great series for those who love animals and is an excellent precursor to reading Gill Lewis and similar writers.
These are some other books that I have come across and hope to read, or re-read in the near future. Do give some of them a try.
“Mr Tiger goes Wild” by Peter Brown
Two Hoots, 978-1509848232
“Cinnamon” by Neil Gaiman and Divya Srinivasan
Bloomsbury, 978-1408879221
“Mr Tiger, Betsy and the Blue Moon” by Sally Gardner
Zephyr, 978-1786697189
“The Time traveller and the Tiger” by Tania Unsworth
Zephyr, 978-1788541718
“The Dancing Tiger” by Malachy Doyle
Simon and Schuster Children’s, 978-0689873102
“The magic Bed” by John Burningham
Red Fox, 978-0099439691
“Love is…” by Sarah Maycock
Big Picture Press, 978-1787418745
“Tiger in trouble” by Jess Butterworth
Orion, 978-1510107984
“There’s a Tiger in the garden” by Lizzy Stewart
Lincoln Children’s Books, 978-1847808073
So, from me and my tiger friends, enjoy these books and have a wonderful “Year of the Tiger”
“Little Santa” by Jon Agee is a delightful take on how Santa became the focus of Christmas that he has become. It is about doing what is right for you, rather than just following everyone else; a great addition to the Christmas collection.
Hissey is a look at her famous collection of toys as they start to decorate the tree for Christmas. When the star for the top cannot be found, Little Bear gets worried. A midnight visit to the attic eventually finds the hidden glittery star, but then he loses it in the snow outside. However, with a bit of Christmas magic, the tree eventually has its crowning glory!
The Christmas Pine by Julia Donaldson and Victoria Sandoy is a magical look at what happens to a small Norwegian pine tree as it grows into a tall and strong tree. It is brought to another country and city (London), where it is the centre of celebrations and helps people remember the true meaning of the festivities. This is the story of the Trafalgar Square tree that is gifted by the Norwegian people, in thanks for the help they received in WW2.
on the classic story by Clement Clark Moore, however this is about how the mice prepare and spend Christmas. It is a bright and vibrant story of family and friendship and the joy of the festive season. There are echoes of the Brambly Hedge stories and you can see this especially in the highly detailed and energetic illustrations. This is definitely one that should be a classic read.
“Santa’s Stolen Sleigh” (Shifty McGifty and Slippery Sam by Tracey Corderoy and Steven Lenton sees our two heroes, Shifty McGifty and Slippery Sam back in action. When Santa’s elves become ill, a polar bear called Flo offers to help with toy making, but then she steals Santa’s sleigh, so she can have a ride. Luckily things turnout well in the end and Flo is very remorseful.
Jane Ray is a beautiful and timeless story of Christmas, family and the sense of community that is found in fishing villages around the world. When Grace’s father does not get home for her Christmas concert she worries about his boat, out in a tempestuous sea. Luckily she has a guardian angel, called Hope, who answers the call and guides the vessels back to port. The illustrations are yet another triumph form the magical Jane Ray and they really add to the joy in te book.
Christmas, however this time it has Santa as the main character and looks at what he sees when he is flying with his reindeer. The theme is about caring for our planet and being more green about the way we behave. It is a great and humorous story but with a strong eco message.
Christmas, but mixed with the Very Hungry Caterpillar. Feeding time at the zoo is exciting as Croc gets increasingly larger meals, until he finally is ready to burst, but of course he doesn’t and his keepers put him on vegetarian diet for a while.
elephant called FanFan. when the latter can’t be found on Christmas Eve, Noah is worried and finding it hard to go to sleep. But FanFan is on his annual secret mission, together with lots of other toys; they meet up with Santa and let him know what their child would like for Christmas. This means that everyone gets a present that they wanted and of course on Christmas morning Noah finds his faithful friend is safely home.
best known children’s authors. When Jack’s favourite toy Dur Pig (DP) is thrown out of a car window, he is distraught and even a replacement pig does not help. This is a totally magical story of lost toys and the love that a child has for a favourite toy. It is also a story about families, as Jack’s dad has gone and his mum is just beginning a new relationship; however, the daughter of the new friend is not happy and she is the one who threw DP out of the car. The twin elements of the story are all about accepting change and understanding that there can be new loves, even though you never forget the old.
of the toy-makers for Father Christmas. When things start going wrong and toys are being stolen, can Tog do anything to help solve the mystery, with the help of Santa’s daughter Holly? This is a great read for the 7-9 age group and will definitely bring on the Christmas spirit.
Christmas, it is up to his children, but especially his daughter Clara, to try and save the day, by making sure all the presents are delivered. This is a delightful and very funny story for the young confident reader
“How Winston came home for Christmas” by Alex T Smith is the gorgeous follow up to the star |Christmas book from last year. Once again we have the story told in 24 chapters, so that you can read one for every day of Advent. This time, Winston is on the hunt for a missing mouse and has lots of adventures on the way. The book is full of recipes, craft ideas and that magical something that we all want from a Christmas story. A totally glorious read.
family who take their love of Christmas to the extreme. They celebrate it throughout the year and can’t understand those who just celebrate in December. When they move house and Holly starts at a new school, they find they are definitely meeting a lot of “Bah Humbug” feelings, so can they change people’s minds? A brilliant look at what ‘being different’ can mean and how we can stay true to ourselves, whilst understanding the different views of others.
Devries is the third adventure featuring this totally unique dinosaur and his friends. When Santa does his annual weigh-in of the Naughty and Nice lists, he discovers that there are far too many children on the naughty list. If not enough children receive presents then Christmas cannot take place, and that would be a disaster! The Christmasaurus decides to intervene and get children moved from naughty to nice.
“The Santa List” by Kieran Crowley is another story about the naughty list. |this time, the siblings, Aisling and Joe have been playing tricks on their new babysitter and she has sent a letter to Santa, putting them on the naughty list. Can the children redeem themselves and get on the nice list; that is, if they can recover the list, which they have managed to lose! A brilliant read for the festive season.
around “A Boy called Christmas”. This time the hero is the small mouse, Miika, who faces moral dilemmas when he wants to be friends with the only other mouse at the North Pole, but they are not as honest as he is, so eventually decisions have to be made. With the release of the film version of “A Boy called Christmas“, this new story set in the same world is bound to be a hit.
story that follows a group of characters as they board the night train, which will take them to a place where their dreams can come true. However, they have to reach their destination by midnight, otherwise they will not dream; unfortunately on this night there is an obstruction on the track and everyone has to work together to make things right. It is a great story for younger readers, with lots of bright and atmospheric illustrations that bring the story alive.
and the excitement of preparing for a ‘Snow Ball’. The preparations are magical; from carving out a huge ballroom in the snow, to everyone baking and cooking a huge feast for everyone to share. this gives a warm and cosy feel to the reader.
“Wishyouwas” by Alexandra Page. It is the lead up to Christmas 1952 and Penny Black has been sent to stay with her Uncle Frank, who runs a small post office in central London. Penny’s mother is a pilot for the Royal Mail and flies post to Europe and back; but Penny is hoping that she will be back home in time to celebrate Christmas. What Penny does not expect, is to discover what she initially thinks is a rat, but turns out to be something very special indeed. This small creature speaks English and says his name is ‘Wishyouwas’; he is a ‘Sorter’ and this group of creatures have made it their purpose to try and retrieve lost post and make sure it finds its rightful recipient. However, the Sorters are under threat from the Royal Mail Rat Catcher and Penny finds herself trying to save them and prove how useful they would be to the service. This is a wonderful story about friendship, family and also being open to new ideas and accepting others who are very different. Alexandra Page has created a new Christmas classic and I know it will be a firm favourite for children and adults alike.
which the young Maya finds herself transported back to the Frost Fair of 1788, where she meets a young boy called Eddie. She thinks he is being kidnapped, but finds that he has run away from home, because he is being treated as an invalid and not allowed any freedom. How Maya helps him and also makes changes to lives in the present day, makes for a perfect Christmas tale.
collection of murder and mystery stories, written by some of our most talented writers for Middle Grade readers. The stories range from dead bodies to stolen treasures and each of them gives the reader opportunities to use their “little grey cells”. This has kept me happily engrossed over several days waiting to collect someone in my car.
“The Snow Dragon” by Abi Elphinstone and Fiona Woodcock. What a truly magical story with totally dreamlike illustrations to bring the story to life. Phoebe is the final child living at Griselda Bone’s orphanage and longs to find her forever family but she did not reckon on her snowman turning into an ice dragon and taking her off on an adventure to see the northern lights and other wonders she had only seen in books. There are glorious illustrations and an ending that will give everyone a very seasonal glow.
preparing for Christmas, but Sunny has been reading about the ‘perfect’ holiday and decides that the Kalahari Desert is not the place for a real Christmas. He sets off to find the perfect ingredients: snow, singing, tree, presents and dinner, but nowhere has all of them. When Sunny falls asleep on Christmas Eve it is Father Christmas who grants him the wish he really wants – to be home with his family. One again Emily Gravett has produced a glorious book that I absolutely loved and which should be in everyone’s’ Christmas collection
and which affected large parts of the county as well as the area around Newport in South Wales. I remember seeing a programme about this many years ago and can’t wait to read her version of events. Once again the room was packed full of eager readers and then another long queue formed to get books signed. I was also lucky enough to see the amazing Chris Mould in the Green Room, although his session about his new illustrated version of Ted Hughes’ “The Iron Man” was not until after I had 
left. However I hear great reports about it and gather there was even a surprise appearance by the totally unique Chris Riddell, who was doing his own event about “Guardians of Magic”, the first in a new series called the ‘Cloud Horse Chronicles’. By the time I left, tiredness was beginning to set in, but it had been a great day.
was a craft and reading session with Tracey Corderoy, when she was talking to some very young children and their parents about her book “The One-Stop Story Shop”, illustrated by Tony Neal. There were rhymes, props, singing and lots of glitter and glue. I was amazed by how well prepared Tracey was. There were pre-cut templates, packs of sequins, paper and all the things that were needed, so we didn’t have to go hunting around. This really did make for a stress free event. She also told us about her latest picture book called “Mouse’s Night Before Christmas”, which I have already bought and which will be in the Christmas round up. After this lovely session (which really took me back to the days in a public library) I went down to the Guildhall for my second event. This was with the lovely Abi Elphinstone and she had a couple of hundred school children enthralled by her talk about her books, but particularly about “Rumblestar” the first 
in a magical new series called ‘The Unmapped Chronicles‘. This was an excellent event which the children loved, although I think being shown her very own home-made catapult might have made quite a large impression. This is yet another young writer who is taking the book world by storm and I look forward to following her books over the coming years.
Robin Stevens who was talking about her books ‘Murder Most Unladylike’ and particularly about the new title “Top Marks for Murder”, which once again sees her heroines Daisy and Hazel back at school and facing yet another murder mystery. The idea for the story came to her when she was standing on Bath railway station and saw a couple of people on the hill in the distance; it made her think about seeing a murder, but not being close enough to recognize the murderer and so the plot was conceived. Robin has built up a following of avid readers and they were out in force to get their books signed, some of them bringing their complete collections. I was then scheduled to help with the “Horrid Henry” session with Francesca Simon, which was a packed event and there were loads of excited fans wanting to find out about their unlikely hero. Once again the queues were long and everyone wanted their books signed. I managed to dash downstairs to try and get some books signed by the speakers for another event. They were Catherine Fisher, author of “Clockwork Crow” and 
“Velvet Fox” and P.G. Bell who wrote“The Train to 
Impossible Places” and now has “The Great Brain Robbery”. I managed to meet Catherine and get my books signed but unfortunately Peter Bell had already left the building. Never mind, I will catch up with him eventually and the books will gain his signature.
author of “Asha and the Spirit Bird” (and previous winner of the Times Children’s Fiction Competition). This was definitely one for the adults, something that was reflected by the lack of young people in the audience, although the Pillar Room was crammed full of excited adults, some of whom definitely wanted to have their work published. The talk itself was stimulating and reminded me that I have been very lucky over the years to meet many people in publishing, all of whom are generous with their knowledge and experience.
was talking to Alex O’Connell, Mat Tobin (Oxford Brookes University) and Clare Pollard, the author of “Fierce Bad Rabbits”, a truly delightful look at picture books. Each of the participants had to choose one title from each of the last seven decades and it was brilliant to see the range that they came up with. Many of the titles I am glad to say were old favourites, some I really must get around to reading and one or two were new to me. The panel also chose a title that they thought might prove to be future classics and although I have not read one of them yet, I think that they are definitely worthy of this accolade. They are “Bearmouth” by Liz Hyder, “Julian is a Mermaid” by Jessica Lowe, “Skylark’s War” by Hilary McKay and “Town is by the Sea” by Joanne Schwartz and Sydney Smith. The second event of the 
day was entitles “Mysterious Places” and it had been guest curated by Robin Stevens, although she was not able to attend and the wonderful and talented Katherine Woodfine took the role of chair, as well as being one of the authors, talking about “Spies in St Petersburg”. The other speakers were Dominique Valente with her 
book “Starfell”, which was about magic and what happens when a particular day ceases to exist; Dave Shelton with the first in a series of adventures featuring “Emily Lime, Librarian Detective” and Polly Yo-Hen with her latest novel “Where Monsters Lie”. They spoke about their individual books and specifically how they created the characters and situations, but they also talked about other recent books that they have been influenced by. This was an event that was definitely loved by the young audience and hopefully they will have added some new titles to their 
reading lists. The great thing about such panels is that you might go to hear a particular author but you then discover that you might enjoy books by the other participants.
“How Winston delivered Christmas” by Alex T Smith is an absolutely delightful story told in “twenty four and a half chapters”. It is about how a young mouse called Winston discovers a letter to Father Christmas, on Christmas Eve, and decides he will try and make sure that the letter is delivered. This is a glorious story full of Christmas spirit and one which is bound to become something of a festive ritual in many homes.
sharing. When frog mis-reads his map and ends up on the opposite side of the world from his Christmas hotel he is helped by Bear, who does everything he can to make the holiday memorable. This proved an absolute winner when I read it to six classes on one day and it leaves you with a warm glow.
“Grandpa Christmas” by Michael Morpurgo and Jim Field. This is a heartwarming story with a strong message for all of us. Mia and her family read a very special letter from her grandfather every Christmas, just after they have opened their presents. In this letter he talks about the need to care for our world and to make sure that we do our best to make it a good place for our descendants and for the creatures that we share the world with. So thought provoking and magical.
“Silent Night” The illustrations are bright and simple and can be enjoyed by children of all ages. The book also explains how the carol came to be written. It is a really delightful way for children to learn this song on the lead up to Christmas.
to make enough presents for Christmas. The illustrations are full of jokes will keep young readers amused for hours; it will also keep the adults chuckling as they read the story.
most beloved writers and illustrators. this is one for both home and school and you will dip into it year after year.
“A Newborn Child” by Jackie Morris is a totally wonderful, magical retelling of the Christmas story. the author has created the most sumptuous illustrations and the text is short but totally reflective of the images. The name Jackie Morris always means quality and she has maintained her high standards with this book. It is a real classic.
Harry is playing the role of Scrooge in the school play and desperately wants his dad to attend, but that is beginning to look very unlikely. There is a very poignant and yet uplifting contrast between the plot of the play and the everyday life that harry is having to cope with. Yet another one to add to my Christmas shelf.
young Theo who has been left at home on Christmas Eve while his parents are both still at work. When he thinks he sees a shooting star he makes a wish that he could have some friends for company and that is when the magic starts. The book is truly lovely object and has a feel of the 1950s about it; the paper is thick and creamy, the illustrations are of the period and the colour palette is bright but without the harshness that is often found today.
of what happens when people misunderstand what they hear. This is a delightful story from Barrington Stoke with matching colour illustrations from our previous Children’s Laureate.
Department Store. Our heroines Sophie and Lil find themselves spending the holiday at Winter Hall but danger and intrigue seems to have followed them. A cracking read and thankfully there is a hint that the girls will be back for more adventures in the future.
McGifty and Slippery Sam, with the first one being about their attempt to save Santa’s sleigh after it is taken. This is great fun as always.
“The untold story of Father Christmas” by Alison and Mike Battle with Lauren A Mills is another version of how this mythical character became the person we know today. The cover is sumptuous and the illustrations are beautiful, with soft and glowing colours and a feel of Scandinavian scenery. This is for KS2 children probably, but is a great read for telling to younger ones.
his way hoe from the town and with a very precious package. The illustrations are based on very intricate paper collage and this gives a 3-D effect.There is also a battery at the back of the book, which provides lights at different points in the story. The very young children will love this.
“The Nutcracker (The story of the orchestra)” illustrated by Jessica Courtney-Tickle is one for those who love their ballet. This is a very straightforward re-telling of the story but with the magical addition of small excerpts of music; you press the relevant button and are transported to the performance. It would make a wonderful gift for someone about to attend their first performance.
Boy” but also about some of his earlier works, like “The Person Controller” and “The Parent Agency”As he is a polished comedian and entertainer I was expecting a funny and well put together performance and I was not disappointed. He spoke about his inspiration for the stories and really promoted the need for children to read for pleasure. Once again he had a large and very attentive audience and it was good to see the mix of boys and girls, although especially good to see so many boys.
The next session was one for my grandson, or rather it will be at Christmas! This event “Star Wars with JAKe” was aimed at a slightly younger age group, but really it was for anyone who loves Star Wars. Of course with the new film coming out soon this was just the thing to whet people’s appetites. JAKe is the illustrator of two small books called “How to speak Wookiee” and “How to speak Droid with R2-D2. They are simple stories explaining about Wookies and Droids and giving insights into their respective languages. Each page has a number and the book has a keypad, so that you can hear the sounds associated with that page by pressing the correct key. Very interactive and great fun (but not necessarily for parents or grandparents!). The children got the chance to draw a variety of characters from the films and some very lucky people got to take one of JAKe’s illustrations home. It was a lovely family event that the audience really enjoyed.
morning. this was because I wanted to listen to two exciting and fascinating authors in conversation. They are Emma Carroll, author of “Letters from the Lighthouse” and Eloise Williams who has just published her first book “Gaslight“. The Session was described as “The History girls” and both authors have placed their books in the past, although in widely different places and times. Emma has written about World War II although previously she has set her books in the Victorian period and this has enabled her to bring in a range of dangers and differing characters. Eloise has set her book in Victorian Cardiff and has centred the story around a theatre and the docks, o there is again plenty of opportunity for mystery and villainy. A really great time for all of those, especially young girls who love a great historical novel. I was also lucky enough to meet Chris Riddell in the Green Room as he was preparing for his talk later in the day. I know that the audience would have had a truly amazing time as he is such a brilliant speaker and artist. We were so lucky to have him as a Children’s laureate and 
he is now an ambassador for Booktrust. The day was further improved by seeing the lovely talented Martin Brown in the Green Room as he had just finished his event on illustrating the “Horrible Histories” series; his covers and ink sketches really are the icing on the cake as far as these books are concerned. He has also just produced a book about unusual animals that I talked about in my post from the Federation of Children’s Book groups this year, absolutely brilliant.
I stayed on at the Guildhall for the following event, which was the brilliant illustrator/artist Jim Kay, whose illustrated ‘HP and the Prisoner of Azkaban’ has just been released. It is truly amazing how he has taken the world created by J K Rowling and has added depth and 
reality to an already beautifully realized world. The insight that we were given into the whole process was enlightening and the fact that the illustrations for the first book took him over two years to produce had the audience gasping. When he went on to say that he had been given a deadline of eight months for the second book, it made most of us cringe at the concentration and focus that was required. We were then treated to some amazing drafts for pages from the current book and Jim talked through the process of how the final images evolved. It really was a must see event for those who love Harry Potter as well as those who just love high quality illustration and imagination.
My Saturday morning was a mix of very different books, but I enjoyed both events because the speakers were so enthusiastic about their subject. The first event was about the book “Kid Normal“, written by Radio 1 DJs Greg James and Chris Smith. The book is about a young boy who accidentally finds himself at a school for superheroes, despite having no superpowers. I must admit that I enjoyed reading the book and am looking forward to the follow up which is coming out in March 2018. The presenters were fun and very positive about children and reading; it was obvious that the audience really enjoyed the whole session and that included the suspiciously large number of lone adults who attended.
skies above our heads. Maggie Aderin-Pocock, the well known and very charismatic astronomer, was talking about the new Doring Kindersley book “Star Finder for beginners”. She gave a fully illustrated talk, with some amazing images taken from various telescopes and satellites. Her knowledge and enthusiasm is boundless and it was obvious that her young audience were just as keen on the subject. I was surprised by the depth of questioning that they provided. It was a real treat to see how engaged everyone was. Those were my only sessions of the day but I was lucky enough to meet up with the lovely Tracey Corderoy and Steve Lenton in the Green Room after they had 
finished their event about the new “Shifty McGifty” stories. These are great reads for those who are just gaining confidence in their reading,
books grounded in the real world and the creatures are not humanized in any way, yet we 
are able to make a connection with the animals and their worlds. Kieran, on the other hand, has created a world that is inhabited by speaking, clothes wearing and almost human rabbits. There is a mix of magic and fantasy but still they retain their link to the natural world they live in. It was fascinating to hear both authors explain how they went about creating their stories and I would recommend that readers give both of them a try; they are well worth reading.
name for herself as the author of the “Murder Most Unladylike” series and all her fans are eagerly awaiting the sixth in the series, which will be published in the early spring. I understand that she has already started writing number seven, so everyone is happy. However at this event she was talking about something very different.She has been chosen to write the follow up to the “London Eye Mystery”by the late Siobhan Dowd. Her book “The Guggenheim Mystery” has just been published and it was fascinating for the young readers to find out about the challenges of taking over the characters and plot conceived by such a loved author. Whilst the main characters are the same as before, the story is set in the United States and this gives problems to the young hero and his friends as they do not understand the culture. The fans were eager to ask questions and most stayed to have their book collections signed by the author.
series of books by this French Canadian author and which was first published in 1994. It is a short and very witty story about what happens when Miss Charlotte arrives to teach a class of young children who do not enjoy school. Her somewhat eccentric methods eventually make her very popular, but the children find that they have to fight to keep the teacher they have come to love and admire. As a follow on, you might like to read “The Mysterious Librarian” which sees Miss Charlotte take on the challenge of encouraging children to enjoy reading.
“The Spooky School” by Tracey Corderoy and Steve Lenton is another set of short stories about the cake-baking, crime-fighting duo of Shifty McGifty and Slippery Sam. They originally started their adventures in picture book format but have now branched out for the next age group. In this book they save jewels, fight ghosts and meet a fiendish new villain; a Red Panda called ‘Red Rocket’. It is great fun.
in the “Tanglewood Animal Park” series which follows the adventures of young Zoe, whose parents have bought Tanglewood Manor and turned it into an Animal Park. This story revolves around Tindu the male Tiger and the attempts to help him settle down in the park, before the arrival of his new mate. It is a charming story with a lot of information and a cast of characters that you can’t help but like. This is a super series, especially if you are an animal lover.
adventures of young Lady Miranda and her dog called Pug as they visit the local boating lake. However when things get out of control and Pug finds himself in the sea and being rescued by another young girl life becomes quite adventurous. This is the first in a series of adventures for the pampered pooch and joins the list of books written about the breed.
Pug related story only this time the hero is called Pugly and he is trying to bake a cake for his owner. Unfortunately his efforts seem to be being sabotaged by Clementine (Clem) the family cat. Most families with a mix of pets will understand the frictions between the main characters and the very funny scrapes that they get themselves in to.
“Marge and the Pirate baby” by Isla Fisher is the second book featuring Marge, a truly unique babysitter. This time she is looking after Jemima and Jake as usual, but finds herself having to look after their demon of a baby cousin called Zara. There are three short stories in this offering and I think that the author is really starting to be comfortable with her characters, which means that we become more involved with the stories. This is a funny and quirky book for both boys and girls.
where he is from. That is the situation that D.J and Gina find themselves in and they then have to try and find a way of sending him back home. This book is the first in a series of comic style books being published by Puffin. It is bright , well illustrated and full of humour; in other words it is great for boys in particular, although the strong female character makes it fun for everyone.
another one of their fantastically funny collaborations. Set in Funfair Moon it is full of zany aliens, dastardly villains and a clever heroine called Emily. As you would expect this will take you on a ‘roller coaster ride’ of excitement. The illustrations are full of the energy and humour that we have come to expect. It is a great book to read alone or to a class.
Teddington, disguised as humans. This book sees them and their friends going to Cornwall on their summer holidays. As usual there are lots of ‘groan worthy’ jokes as well as puns, both written and visual. I love the way that the author’s voice comes across so easily and the illustrator’s ability to translate all of this visually. A really great read for all ages.
on his nose as they are leaving his cave; that is when he finds that all his food is missing. He goes outside and discovers the wonder of the snow. Rabbit offers him a moldy old carrot to eat, which he is very grateful for. However he does not know that it is Rabbit who has stolen his food. When a wolf comes looking for some food the two friends have to work together and Rabbit in particular learns a few things about friendship. What a funny story with some gross elements such as Rabbit eating his own poo (yuck!)
Toad frozen solid in the ice house, little did they guess that it was the (in)famous Toad that they had heard stories of from their grandparents. Toad of course is just as excitable as in the past and when he finds that the weasels have taken over Toad Hall and want to knock it down for a housing estate, he is determined to get it back. With the help of his new young friends he finds a way to challenge the weasels. This is a great story full of charm and humour that really retains the spirit of the original and this is captured by the super illustrations by Holly Swain.
