Cover design Following the adventures of an adorable little mouse called Pip who lives with her parents amongst the contents of an Umbrella shop. Pip sadly loses her parents in a bomb blast - the books setting is World War Two. The reader is in for a fantastic literary journey, leaving you lost for words. … Continue reading The Umbrella Mouse →

I have really enjoyed sharing the following selection of picture book titles with younger audiences, both at home and at work. With a fantastic content selection ranging from an artistic snail to life on earth between the big bang and the time of the dinosaurs, there is something for everyone. Meet the Penguins Meet the … Continue reading Peeking at Picture Books – May (Part 1) →

Telling the inspirational story of a young girl from war torn Aleppo called Aya and her families tumultuous journey to safety, leading them to England. We meet Aya at a community centre with her mother and baby brother, both of whom she is responsible for taking care of, a promise she made to her Dad. … Continue reading No Ballet Shoes in Syria →

When Clara goes to stay with her aunt and uncle she is given an attic room overlooking the stunning stately gardens belonging to an Earl in the beautiful Suffolk countryside. Clara's Aunt is the Earls Housekeeper and her Uncle is the Head Gardener. The stunning beauty of these well loved and tended gardens echoes off … Continue reading The Garden of Lost Secrets →

A collection of short stories taking you back to the world of Alice in Wonderland, this is the new release from Macmillan featuring an award winning line up of authors. Return to Wonderland is a collection of 11 short stories from authors of current best selling titles. Each story features a different character or aspect … Continue reading Return to Wonderland →

Wildspark follows Prue, a young girl working on her family farm, mourning the recent loss of her brother Frances, to whom she was incredibly close too. Fixing and maintaining the mechanimals that are a valuable asset to the farm, Prue has learnt much of her mechanical knowledge through her brother. When a stranger visits the … Continue reading Wildspark →

This past weekend I attended the anuual FCBG conference, this year's taking place in the beautiful grounds of Woldingham School, one of the oldest girls' schools in the country, in the stunning Surrey countryside. Kicking straight off with Tea celebrating 20 years of The Gruffalo courtesy of Macmillan it was instantly apparent that this weekend … Continue reading FCBG Conference 2019 →

Continuing this month's publication of beautiful, inspiring and funny picture books here is my final selection of titles that are worthy additions to any childrens library, whether it be the one at home or school. Wide Awake A fun rhyming story from Rob Biddulph of a brother and sister pair of dinosaurs and their antics … Continue reading Peeking at Picture Books – April (Part 2) →