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The Great Race by Sun Chara & Joe Happy-Light

Jan15

A Message For Us All

The Great Race by Sun Chara & Joe Happy-Light is a delightful children’s novel for ages five to eight years. It is the first book in Return To Fable Land series.

The story is a variation of an Aesop’s fable about the hare and the tortoise. There are important lessons to be learnt as we see the value of persistence and good friends.

No man is an island. We were not built to live in isolation but in the company of others.

The book is simply but beautifully illustrated by Danila Frongia. Each illustration is a starting point for discussions with our children.

The whole story is engaging and entertaining, giving us pointers to chat about with our children.

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At Home In A Book by Lauren O’Hara

Dec23

A Pure Delight Whatever Your Age

At Home In A Book by Lauren O’Hara is the most delightful book suitable for anyone with a love of reading, an active imagination and who likes to escape into a book.

This is a unique book that takes several novels and illustrates the dwelling places – from houses to ships to submarines. It is a pure delight for the imagination.

Some of the books covered include Little Women, Alice In Wonderland, Peter Pan, Anne of Green Gables, A Little Princess and more.

Each chapter gives a short synopsis of the book, has a passage from it, writes about the lead characters and has a double page spread of the dwelling plus illustrations of key items within the story. It is a real treat to truly lose yourself in a book.

Within each picture there is the invite for the reader to step inside their imagination as we ‘wander’ through the dwelling. Each one has so much detail. I think that each time we re-visit the book, we will notice something different.

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Tales From Muggleswick Wood by Vicky Cowie

Dec2

A Charming Collection

Tales From Muggleswick Wood by Vicky Cowie is a charming collection of five children’s tales. It is perfect bedtime reading for children aged five years and over.

The whole book is beautifully and simply illustrated by Charlie Mackesy.

All the tales are written in rhyme. Each story has a lively rhythm to it, which will make young and old alike, smile.

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Maddie’s Magic Christmas by Sam Maxfield

Nov24

A Christmas Miracle

Maddie’s Magic Christmas by Sam Maxfield is the most charming contemporary children’s Christmas novel for ages eight years and over. Whatever your age, this is a really delightful read.

Sam Maxfield has perfectly captured the essence of Christmas. This is a book that will warm your heart and make you smile.

The characters are wholesome and kind. They are an eclectic mix from ten-year-old Maddie to Bavarian-born baker Mr Steiner. All will take up residence in the reader’s heart.

Maddie has a heart of gold that looks for the goodness in others. She helps out wherever possible, spreading kindness. She is well loved by all who know her – but Maddie is missing her father. She believes he is out there somewhere and did not just abandon them.

We can empathise with Maddie as she fears snow – she believes the snow took her father away and she fears losing anyone else. We witness her trying to overcome her fear.

Others have experienced loss. Mr Steiner’s wife died a year ago. Preparing his baked goods for Christmas merely empathises his sense of loss. Maddie sees his pain and is determined to help.

There is survivor’s guilt. “He almost felt guilty for it, as though without Betty, he shouldn’t be able to feel pleasure.” It is okay to learn to smile and to live again.

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