Trouble Next Door by Chris Higgins and illustrated by Emily MacKenzie is a really wonderful book for younger readers. Bella’s family has moved into a new house, which seemed like a good idea to Bella until she actually saw the house and realised that ‘new’ meant ‘hundreds of years old’. As Bella struggles to adjust … More Trouble Next Door – review
Winter’s here, and that means the nicest thing you can do (or I can, anyway) is to snuggle up on a sofa with a big blanket and a hot chocolate and read a book. And as it happens, this is the perfect book with which to do it. The Dragon with a Chocolate Heart is … More The Dragon With A Chocolate Heart – review
In many ways, 2016 was a real stinker. But on a personal level, I had a good one, with lots of writing work, and fun with my family. 2017 is going to be my busiest publishing year to date, however, and this is what kept me so busy in 2016, writing all of these…! This … More Hello 2017! and new books out this year!
Ned likes to be naked. A trait my 4-year-old readily identifies with. Who wants clothes, after all? They get in the way, they scratch, they itch, they’re generally fiddly. So Nuddy Ned’s Christmas by Kes Gray and Garry Parsons was bound to be a hit before we even realised there were lift-the-flaps (ahahaha!!)… Oh yes. … More Nuddy Ned’s Christmas – review
By The Light of the Moon, by Tom Percival, is a beautiful, quirky, reassuring story. Ivan has moved house, and he’s finding it tough. Nothing is where it’s supposed to be, and it just doesn’t feel like home. Until he looks up at the moon at night, and something shining comes whizzing down from the … More By the Light of the Moon – review
It would have been a packed six weeks anyway: a family holiday, three festivals, holiday courses for the kids…but this summer has been extra packed because I’ve had a mountain of writing to do! Just before the end of the summer term, I delivered the manuscript of ELECTRIGIRL 3 (title still under wraps for now!) … More What I Did On My Summer Holidays #3: Writing
Somebody Stop Ivy Pocket is the sequel to the brilliant Anyone But Ivy Pocket, which was one of my stand-out books of last year. It’s not quite as brilliant, but that’s possibly because it’s the middle book in a trilogy, which is very hard to do well (unless you happen to be The Empire Strikes … More Somebody Stop Ivy Pocket – review
I’ve heard a lot about Apple and Rain by Sarah Crossan. Well, no – that’s not strictly true. I’ve seen school librarians go ‘oh, yes, THAT book’ and get slightly misty-eyed. I’ve heard a fellow author say it’s the best book she’s read this past year and that it broke her heart. I’ve seen the … More Apple and Rain – review
Someone at Bloomsbury has really got the measure of me. I can’t otherwise explain the fact that they sent me a picture book (which I don’t normally review) all about challenging gender stereotypes. I’M A GIRL! by Yasmeen Ismail is probably the most outwardly feminist picture book I’ve ever read – and I love it. The … More I’m A Girl – review
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
Jo Cotterill 