This is one of those books in which the location is almost a character of its own. Fourteen-year-old Deo and his older brother Innocence live in Zimbabwe, but their lives are changed forever when soldiers come to their village and massacre everyone. Suddenly the two brothers are forced to run – to South Africa, where … More Now is the time for Running – review
My friend Shelley had a little boy last week, and I wanted to make something special for him. Back at university, there were five of us who were really good friends, and ALL of us have had two daughters! Shelley is the first one of us to produce a boy! (after her daughter, who is … More Handmade gifts for a new baby
You know how sometimes people ask you who inspired you? It can be a difficult question to answer. Should you pick your parents, or a relative or friend who overcame some great difficulty? Should you choose a famous figure who did a lot of good? When I was young, I always thought I should mention … More Meeting a hero – Susan Cooper
I made this with my daughter the other day. She’d been collecting acorns and had found one with a little hole in. ‘Then I stuck my nail in and it made a keyhole!’ she said proudly. So I suggested we add a playdough top to it to make it into a fairy toadstool. Wonder what … More Fairy toadstool!
I am SO HAPPY. Like this 😀
Last year, Barrington Stoke (a small publisher) published my book LOVE BITES. Here it is – and you have to imagine that the grey bits are actually shiny silver. It’s a very beautiful cover when you see it with your own eyes! Anyway, it’s a story about Grace and her boyfriend James. They are soo … More Vote for my book!
I heart Pea. I really do. I read the first Pea book (Pea’s book of Best Friends) a year or so ago, and I loved it. It’s a cracking read, and so is this one. Pea is nearly twelve, and due to the bizarre way these things happen, everyone in her family has a birthday … More Review – Pea’s Book of Birthdays
My five-year-old daughter J is ‘doing’ dinosaurs at school this term. So I thought – hey! This looks like a great funny book and it’s about dinosaurs! Win, win! With hindsight, I should have thought a little more about J’s personal preferences and the title of the book. She thought ‘pooped’ was a funny word … More Review: The Dinosaur that Pooped a Planet
I went to see the doctor yesterday, who took pity on me and gave me some penicillin for my frankly revolting throat. As I came out of the surgery, I realised I wanted something very particular to eat, and it wasn’t in my house. (Actually, two particular things: edemame bean salad, and jam doughnuts.) So … More Comfort shopping – what do you buy?
Urgh. You know when you’ve had a bit of a sore throat and you’ve been ignoring it in the hopes that it’ll go away, and it doesn’t and then you get a headache and your glands swell up to the size of plums, and you feel queasy and rubbish? well, that. so it’s off to … More Bed day!
Jo Cotterill 