What a cute book. The Royal Wedding Crashers by Clementine Beauvais is lots of fun, as Holly, Anna and Prince Pepino attempt to save a royal wedding from total disaster. Desperate to earn enough money to go on a Holy Moly Holiday (which sounds awesome to me, especially the flying to Mars bit and then staying … More The Royal Wedding Crashers – review
There’s a perceived impression in publishing circles that boys are more interested than girls in snot and toilet jokes. In my personal experience, however, ALL children, regardless of gender, find farts funny. And my six-year-old daughter picks her nose and eats it. And my three-year-old’s favourite insult is ‘boo-boo’ which has something to do with … More Elspeth Hart and the School for Show-Offs – review
Marianne Dreams by Catherine Storr was originally published in 1958, and it’s one of those books that demonstrates how much publishing for children has changed in the fifty-odd years since. There’s a strong adult tone to the narrator, which is something that is frowned upon these days, and yet the story itself is as strong … More Marianne Dreams – review
Love Bomb is the second in the Ladybird series by Jenny McLachlan (I reviewed the first, Flirty Dancing, here), and this one focuses on Betty Plum, who has fallen head over heels in love for the first time and doesn’t know what to do about it. It’s very obvious, of course, to practically anyone, that … More Love Bomb – review
I’ve been meaning to read Murder Most Unladylike by Robin Stevens since it came out last July. I mean, just look at that cover. Stylish and retro and bright modern blue. And everyone kept saying how good it was, and I kept meaning to buy it and forgetting – and then last week I went round … More Murder Most Unladylike – review
OK, why hasn’t this won all the awards going? Or at least been shortlisted? I’ve googled it, and I can’t find a single shortlisting – or even a longlisting – for EDEN by Joanna Nadin. Which is, frankly, baffling, and only goes to show that getting on a list for any book award is a … More Eden – review
Sometimes a new book comes out and you seem to see it EVERYWHERE. I think the team at Scholastic has done a brilliant job on this cover (I gather the designer handwrote it all, which made me think what a cool job she has!) as it’s very striking. Seven Days is Eve Ainsworth‘s debut YA … More Seven Days – review
I love Wendy Meddour’s Wendy Quill series, so I had to treat myself – er, I mean my daughter – to a copy of Dottie Blanket when I saw it recently. Plus it has the added bonus of illustrations by Mina May (who also illustrates Wendy Quill) which are fantastic as ever. I have been … More Dottie Blanket and the Hilltop – review
Being a publicist must be really hard work, especially when it comes to children’s books. How can you get the word out when you’ve got sooo many books to plug and only a limited number of places to send them? Sometimes, when publishers really believe in a book, they put out ‘proof copies’ before publication. … More Anyone But Ivy Pocket – review
What a beautiful-looking book this is. Illustrator Nicola Kinnear and designer Mina Bach have done a superb job on the cover of THE SCANDALOUS SISTERHOOD OF PRICKWILLOW PLACE. The title, of course, is pretty awesome too – and the strapline ‘Murder can be terribly inconvenient’ is an instant hook for me. I adore Agatha Christie, … More The Scandalous Sisterhood of Prickwillow Place – review
Jo Cotterill 