Heather James's Blog, page 2

Fire Burn, Cauldron Bubble

This poetry book came out in September, but I wanted to post this review at a spookier time of year. Fire Burn, Cauldron Bubble, collected by Paul Cookson, is perfect for celebrating this year's rather different Halloween. 

There are classic, atmospheric favourites, such as Shakespeare's witches and Tennyson's The Kraken, but also lots of new poems to try. The Song of the Witches (When Their Internet Wasn't Working) by Stan Cullimore was an instant favourite of mine, as was Magic Love Potion by Liz Brownlee

It is a collection you can dip in and out of, and I've had lots of fun reading it aloud to my children, who also loved Eilidh Muldoon's illustrations. 

My daughter really enjoyed I Feel Like I Know Them - immediately guessing who the poem was about when I read it to her. 

So many of these poems will bring peals of laughter in classrooms and at home. But as well as laughs, there are fantastic twists - Oh How I Love A Unicorn will go one of two ways with young readers! Somewhere in the Library would be perfect to display on school library walls.

Fire Burn, Cauldron Bubble is also a perfect collection for engaging children with poetry and inspiring them to create a ghostly poem of their own. 

Thank you Bloomsbury for sending me a copy of Fire Burn, Cauldron Bubble to review via NetGalley

Peep Through Adventures

Three lovely Little Tiger stories filled with peep through fun.

Yawn

Just looking at the front cover of this picture book makes me want to go to sleep!

In this lovely bedtime story, a yawn travels out of the house, down the street, around the world and even into space before returning to a little boy, tucked up in bed and fast asleep.  

This is a perfect story to read at bedtime. It encourages lots and lots of yawning, but it's also funny and full of things to delight in. 

Yawn has been beautifully designed, with peep-through pages and cut outs. The house at the beginning is really clever and eye catching, and my son loves turning the pages. Even planets, comets and aliens aren't immune to the "viral" yawn. Cats of roof tops, and elves at the north pole are also caught yawning. There's so much to see and enjoy on every page. 

Yawn is written by Patricia Hegarty and illustrated by Teresa Bellon

Home

 


The peep-through fun continues in Home, a beautiful rhyming story which explores and celebrates the homes of woodland creatures. 

Discover dens and burrows, nests and dreys in this beautiful picture book, which has been superbly designed and is filled with Teckentrup's wonderful illustrations. My children loved the busy rabbits' warren and the wolves' snowy, moonlit scene. 

The writing is lyrical and lovely to read around. The repetition of 'wherever we may choose to roam, we need a place to call our home' gives this story a comforting, cosy feel. It's a perfect story for cuddling up with at bedtime, though in a very different way to yawn. 

Home is written by Patricia Hegarty and illustrated by Britta Teckentrup

Moon

Moon is a celebration of night-time around the world. From parrots in the jungle, to jellyfish bobbing in the waves, the moon shines down on all of Earth's wildlife in this lovely, board book version of Teckentrup's peep through story.

This is a beautifully designed, sturdy little book which will survive exploration from the smallest (and roughest!) of fingers. 

Moon is filled with Tecekntrup's trademark beautiful artwork. It has everything from snowy skies above puffins and penguins, to bursts of vibrant colour, despite the night-time setting. 

The soft, rhyming words are lovely too, making this a wonderful, soothing bedtime story.

Moon is written and illustrated by Bretta Teckentrup

Thank you Little Tiger for sending me copies of these stories to review.

Little Tiger Middle Grade

Today I'm posting reviews for a bumper selection of Little Tiger Autumn releases. Containing skeletons, mermaids, dragons and robots, there's so much to enjoy in these brilliant Middle Grade titles (and plenty of Halloween fancy-dress inspiration too!). 

Skeleton Keys: The Legend of Gap-Toothed Jack

Skeleton Keys is back with another adventure, this time banishing a misbehaving Ghost Writer to somewhere she won't be able to rewrite everyone's stories. But when he accidentally sends her back in time, Mr Keys will have to enlist the help of friends old and new to stop a story-writing disaster. 

As in the Stitch Head series, Bass plays with words for brilliant comic effect. The whole concept of bringing a 'ghost writer' to life is fantastically funny and leads to lots of clever jokes. I laughed aloud a lot while reading this, and it will be a hit with younger readers too.

Pete Williamson's artwork adds a touch of Gothic to every page. The Legend of Gap-Toothed Jack is a fantastic choice for Halloween reading, containing everything from time travelling skeletons to clown monsters, and a wickedly funny back-to-front girl. 

Skeleton Keys celebrates the joy of imagination and encourages readers to let their own run wild (so long as Wordy Gerdy isn't about!)

This book is perfect for: Halloween and monster fans, and readers with huge imaginations.

Mermaids Rock: The Ice Giant

The third book in the Mermaid's Rock series, The Ice Giant, is full of magical underwater fun and friendship, just like the first two. 

When Marina's dad goes on a journey to the arctic, he promises to stay in touch. But days past without news, and Marina and her friends become worried. When they follow him to the arctic, they discover he isn't the only one in need of rescue. 

This story is full of friendship and teamwork, with the Save the Creatures Club's pets working together to save the day. Each animal has its own strengths and skills and they come together to make an unstoppable team. 

This book is perfect for: mermaid fans, sea-creature enthusiasts, and readers who want to save the environment. 

My Babysitter is a Robot, Is My Teacher a Robot? A Robot Ate My Grandma

This wonderful series written by Dave Cousins and illustrated by Catalina Echeverri is full of laughter and fun. Jake and Jess's grandma is an amazing inventor, creating from automatic porridge machines to robotic babysitters. When Robin the robot babysitter first arrives, Jake and Jess aren't sure what to make of his strange outfits and rigid rules, or the fact that he treats their dog, Digby, like a third child. 

Over the course of the trilogy, Robin is stolen by the man next door, becomes a substitute teacher and helps the twins rescue their kidnapped grandma. But most of all,  he becomes an invaluable member of the family - and someone the twins wouldn't want to be without. This series will be a hit with young readers and have them laughing from beginning to end. 

This book is perfect for: fans of robots, sibling rivalry, and babysitting chaos. 

Dragon Detective: Sky High

Holly and Dirk are back on the case and this time the stakes are sky high. Holly's recently acquired dragon powers help her to keep tabs on her stepmum's suspicious new employer, while Dirk hunts for a missing Sea Dragon. With the ever-precent threat of war, and rumours that the Sky Dragons have returned, can Holly and Dirk get to the bottom of both cases, and save human and dragon kind, before it's too late? 

Filled with twists and double crosses, and introducing some fun new characters, Sky High is a brilliant addition to the Dragon Detective series. I really enjoyed the chattering Alba, and Holly's new human friend, Archie, echoes readers' joy and amazement as the adventure unfolds. There is plenty of fun from old characters too, with Arthur and Reg keen to turn over a new leaf, and Karnataka's loyalties as unpredictable as ever. 

Ivor Klingerfilm's Dragonlore adds depth to the magic of Holly and Dirk's world, and Sky High's ending leaves readers in no doubt that there is more fun (and peril) to come from this brilliant detective pair. 

This book is perfect for: fans of dragons, mystery and fast-paced stories with plenty of twists. 

Thank you Little Tiger for sending me this brilliant selection of books to review.

Pirate Stew

Two children are left alone with a piratical babysitter in this swashbuckling story of stew and adventure! When there's nothing for dinner in the fridge, Long John McRon and his friends make a batch of pirate stew. From onions and carrots to mermaids tears and wooden planks, this stew has a bit of everything! But watch out: eat it and you'll become a pirate too! 

This picture book is a treat from beginning to end! My children loved it from its very first reading and we've enjoyed it many times since then. The refrain is easy to remember and is something we've all started repeating. 

The stew's ingredients are really fun to read and prompted lots of discussion and shock in our house. My three year old has since checked that I'm definitely serving him soup and not pirate stew at dinner time! 

Chris Riddell's art work is bright and full of brilliant, larger than life characters. Long John McRon bursts from the page and the joyful pirate crew will stay with readers long after they've finished reading. 

This is a babysitting experience like no other. Be careful what you eat! 

My daughter won a copy of Pirate Stew to review on Toppsta.

Pirate Stew is written by Neil Gaiman and illustrated by Christ Riddell

Zombierella

When a book turns rotted and rancid, what happens to the fairytales inside? Do they still brim with sweetness and light? Or do they become something altogether darker... Something deadly...

When Cinderella slips on a "shiny surprise" on the stairs and dies, her happily ever after could easily have died with her. Fairy godmother's are in short supply in the afterlife, but Death herself comes to give Cinderella one last taste of life. Cinderella shall go to the ball... As a Zombie. 

A funny verse story children will love, with art work in equal parts sweet and disgusting. Zombierella is a deliciously gruesome twist on a well loved tale - this is Cinderella (and her prince) as you've never seen them before. You can forget about glass slippers and pumpkins in this twisted tale. 

The three fake sisters are brilliant and will have children squealing in revulsion and delight - especially when the prince comes calling. 

This story is perfect for in the classroom, or for children who want a little more darkness in their fairytales. 

I was sent a copy of Zombierella to review, via NetGalley
Zombierella is written by Joseph Coelho and illustrated by Freya Hartas

Theodora Hendrix and the Monstrous League of Monsters

Theodora Hendrix has had an unusual upbringing, full of mischievous werewolf cubs, a talking tarantula and a mummy who is, quite literally, a mummy. But she loves her life with the Monstrous League of Monsters, and can't imagine a better place to live. When menacing letters begin to arrive, threatening the monstrous-family she loves, Theodora is determined to get to the bottom of the mystery. 

This book is so much fun! I really loved the mysterious narrator, who seems to know a lot about what is going on, but keeps their identity under wraps. They constantly address the reader, which will draw children into the story, and are fond of complaining about grown-ups (making this a fun one for parents and teachers to read aloud!)

Theodora is a great protagonist: brave, caring, but also keen to make a human friend (so much that she's willing to sit through chess club run by her horrible headteacher). All of the monsters in MLM were well defined, with individual quirks and personalities - from opera singing ghosts to werewolves who eat bones in front of human guests. And the house itself is full of blinking eyes and forgetful gargoyles. There's a lot of humour in Theodora's inventive attempts to convince her new friend Dexter that her house is completely normal.

The illustrations are excellent and really bring the story to life (I especially loved Sherman). They didn't quite show up properly on the digital version from NetGalley, so I'm really looking forward to buying the finished book so my daughter and I can enjoy them properly. 

Theodora Hendrix is a great book for younger fans of spooky stories, who want humour alongside their monsters. A perfect halloween read. 

I was sent an advanced copy of Theodora Hendrix and the Monstrous League of Monsters for review. 

It is written by Jordan Kopy and illustrated by Chris Jevons

Picture This: The Knight who Might

You can't always be the best at everything, but this funny picture book celebrates determination, hope and being the very best YOU can be, no matter what. 
The knight who might, may not be very good at riding his horse, or using his sword, or wearing his armour, but he refuses to let that stop him from chasing his dreams. His magical companions are quick to remind him of his shortcomings and the likelihood of failure, but the knight who might won't give up. Someone has to win the tournament, and it might just be him. 
Full of funny speech and plenty of disaster, this story had us giggling throughout. It celebrates never giving up on your dreams and trying your hardest no matter what, which is such a positive message to have in a picture book. 
Beckett's artwork is very funny too. I particularly liked the facial expressions of the horse, sword and helmet. 

The Knight who Might is written by Lou Treleaven and illustrated by Kyle Beckett
Thank you Maverick Publishing for sending me a copy to review

Malice in Underland

Malice isn't like the other Maligns. While her parents are out making mischief with her little sister Antipathy-Rose, Malice would rather read a book or play cards with her ghostly grandad. When grandad ghosts start disappearing - including Malice's own - Malice ventures down into Underland to solve the mystery with her Uncle Vex and bring Grandad home. 

Malice in Underland is full of magic, mischief and fun! This story is really hard to put down and I loved every moment. 

Underland was vividly described, with everything from floating heads outside of pubs, to vegan vampires running hipster coffee shops. There's food, drink and some disgusting street sellers. Jennings' attention to detail is incredible and really brings this world to life, encouraging readers to dive headfirst into Underland with Malice. 

The characters are fantastically gothic and Hannah Peck's illustrations are brilliant - I especially loved Ma, Pa and the King's Head. Despite her magical streak, Malice is extremely relatable; she's desperate to fit in with her family and is used to hiding parts of her personality to do so. I really loved that Ma and Pa aren't stereotypically nasty parents who punish Malice for being different - they love her as much as she loves them and this family, if a little unusual, is one readers will wish they were part of. 

The mystery elements are well developed too, with plenty of clues for readers to watch out for, a riddle to solve and a lot of travelling through Underland. I'm so excited to see that this is the first in a series as I definitely want to see more from this wonderful cast of characters. 

Malice in Underalnd is a perfect Halloween read that will help you forget all about trick-or-treating this October (I'd be too worried the Maligns might have done something to the sweets, anyway!)

Blog Tour and competition: Midnight Magic

Today is my stop on the blog tour for Midnight Magic! I was so excited to read this magical verse story which is full of gorgeous purple illustrations.
Midnight is a magical kitten looking for a family who will appreciate how special and fun he really is. When he meets Trixie, they pair become immediate friends and go on a magical nighttime adventure - bringing her Dad and Nan along for the ride too!
I read this story with my six year old as soon as it arrived and we both loved it. Midnight is a mischievous main character and we could never guess what he would get up to next. The verse made this so much fun to read aloud. 
My post today (kindly provided by Little Tiger) is all about bubble poems!


In Midnight Magic, our fearless kitten hero attempts to impress Trixie and say thank you by sharing some bubble based pranks!
We can use a bubble as a starting idea to make our own poems.

Draw six bubbles spaced out on a blank piece of paper, and put a word in each one! These words could be a noun or an adverb, the more outlandish the better.
Use the activity sheet below as a starting point to think of some ideas.
Using your imagination, think of a way to link each bubble together. 
Is the word in the bubble the one that rhymes? How do you get from one to the other? Remember with Midnight Magic, this could be as simple as a spell.
Share your poems for a Midnight paw of approval. And hopefully your imagination will start to fizzle, sparkle and pop with lots of new ideas.

Competition!
Little Tiger are giving away a CLASS SET of 30 copies, with a display kit (pictured below) to one lucky UK/Ireland class! To win this amazing prize and spread some Midnight Magic joy in a classroom you love, head over to Twitter. 

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Rumblestar: Audiobook

This is my very first audiobook review! 

I listed to Rumblestar through the NetGalley app, which (before it updated and stopped working properly) meant I could listen while doing everything from housework to running. 

Casper Tock lives a life full of strict timetables and hiding in lost property baskets. When he finds himself in Rumblestar, accompanied by the adventurous, stormy Utterly, with the fate of worlds both magical and more familiar at stake, all he wants to do is go home. He definitely doesn't want to set out on a journey that will see him face drizzle hags and storm ogres, or - more terrifying than anything else - consider making a friend.  

If you want an example of brilliant, limitlessly magical and amusing world building, look no further than an Abi Elphinstone novel. 

Casper and Utterly are brilliant characters who readers will instantly warm to. Casper's loneliness will strike a cord with anyone who has ever felt afraid to make a friend, and the emotional journey he goes through over the course of the novel is as uplifting as the dramatic one. 

Nicky Diss's narration added an extra level of enjoyment to this story, and she had me giggling throughout as she brought Casper, Utterly and their companions vividly to life.  

This definitely won't be the only time I listen to this story as an audiobook as I think my fantasy-loving six year old will really enjoy it too.