Category Archives: Book reviews by Lexi

Reviews by Lexi Rees of a wide range of newly released children’s books.

Hedgehoggy snuffles

I loved Mrs Tiggy-Winkle by Beatrix Potter and remember my dad reading it to me often. So a hedgehog book is always going to make my heart melt. But first, have a confession. I have never seen a hedgehog. In fact it’s on my bucket list. Preferably not one squashed on the road. Anyway, when I saw Hoglets’ Christmas Magic I invited the author Lynette Creswell for a chat about books and everything hedgehogs.

  1. Tell us a little about yourself. (How did you get started writing? What do you do when you’re not writing?)

Hi, I’m Lynette and I’ve been writing for over thirty years. Having suffered a dysfunctional childhood, I was compelled from an early age to write stories that took me to another place. I created new realms and magical creatures influenced by stories such as The Magic Faraway Tree and The Wishing Chair, written by Enid Blyton.

Years later I wrote stories for my own children. It gave me such a buzz to see their eyes light up when they realised they were one of my crazy characters. My husband could see how much joy writing gave me and bought me a laptop. He told me it was time to live my dream and write something substantial. I couldn’t wait and in 2012 published my first YA book Sinners of Magic. 

When I’m not writing I tootle off to my static caravan in Chapel St Leonards, Lincolnshire. It’s a wonderful seaside town and my ‘happy place’. We’re situated right by the sea. I enjoy long walks along the prom, eating ice cream and paddling in the sea. I get inspiration for writing new stories there. 

2. Is this your first children’s book?

Yes. Hoglets’ Christmas Magic is written for children aged 5+. It tells the tale of Prickles and Primrose, two adorable hedgehogs.

3. What or who inspired you to write this book?

I actually published Hoglets’ Christmas Magic for my blog a couple of Christmases ago and the response was phenomenal. I received a mountain of messages and emails from parents and grandparents enquiring when the story would be published. I can’t deny it’s taken oodles of blood, sweat and a pandemic to get the book published. Yet, now the hoglets are here, I’m glad I listened to my readers and took the plunge.

4. List three interesting facts about yourself.

  • I’m scared of Daddy-long-legs.
  • I’m partially deaf.
  • I gave birth in 1985 to my eldest son in Berlin. The room was right above the medical bunker of Herr Hess, Adolf Hitler’s Deputy-in-Chief. 

How to help wild hedgehogs

Once I started raising money for Happy Hogs Hedgehog Rescue Centre, I realised I wanted to do more to help hedgehogs in the wild. I went online and bought a hedgehog house which I placed in a sheltered part of the garden. It has a slate roof and two rooms inside and I filled the bedroom compartment with barley straw, (straw is better than hay as it doesn’t get too damp). Next, I surrounded the hoggies new home with a few plants to make it slightly hidden from view. I also turned the entrance of the house towards the fence so that it made it harder for cats to get their paws inside. 

Once the house was secure, I needed to make a feeding station. This is because you mustn’t put food inside a hedgehog house, this must be separate. 

Here’s how to make a feeding station of your own…

1. For the structure of your hedgehog feeder, get a plastic see-through box at least 30 cm (12 inches) wide and 45 cm (18 inches) long.

2. You can turn the box either way but make sure you weigh it down with a heavy object so it doesn’t blow away. I used part of a broken patio paving slab.

3. Cover the floor with newspaper and acquire two small bowls. One for food and the other for water.

4. In the side of the box make an entrance hole. Usually the size of a CD disk and use thick tape to smooth the edges to make sure the hedgehog doesn’t hurt itself.

5. Place the bowls inside and away from the entrance. Use specific hedgehog food such as Brambles hedgehog kibble and/or soft wet cat meat (non-fish). Cat food is high in protein which hedgehogs need to survive. Remember NEVER give hedgehogs milk. They’re lactose intolerant and you could cause the hedgehog harm.

6. Keep it safe. Place the feeder a hand’s length away from the wall to prevent cats getting in and stealing food.  

Congratulations! You’re now the proud owner of a feeding station and you’re helping hedgehogs in the wild.

Tips for keeping hedgehogs healthy

A hedgehog’s natural diet mainly consists of slugs, ground beetles, caterpillars and worms. Please don’t use slug pellets in your garden. Hedgehogs eat these and can die.

Get more involved!

If you’d like to learn more about hedgehogs you can join the British Hedgehog Preservation Society. You’ll find them on Twitter under @hedgehogsociety or you can visit their website: http://www.britishhedgehogs.org.uk. The society’s great for sharing valuable information about hedgehogs and if you need help you can contact them directly.

As a parent or teacher who would like more information, there’s a great website People’s Trust for Endangered Species (ptes.org) have information on hedgehogs and on their site you’ll also find a link to Hedgehog Street. This is a website where you become a Hedgehog Champion. If you visit Hedgehogstreet.org you’ll find free downloadable resources, a photo gallery and forum.  

Thanks Lynette. Now I’m off to look into building a hedgehog house. Watch this space!

Animal magic

Before I even opened Animalympics, I was blown away by the gorgeous, eye-catching, richly colourful, hardback cover. I can see kids being immediately drawn to this and pulling it from book boxes around the country. Huge thumbs up to the illustrator Sarah Lou.

There are pages dedicated to separate sports from the well known sprinting and gymnastics, to sports that the younger readers may not be familiar with like fencing, steeplechase, and water polo. This book could be read as a story, but it’s really too long for a bedtime read so I’d dip in and out using it as a spark for classroom activities. And of course, in an Olympics year, it’s going to be an obvious choice.

The other thing I love it is that there is a sport for absolutely everyone, irrespective of size or shape- my personal favourite pic is the sheep hockey team.

The final surprise is the last page. Trust me, this is not an Acknowledgements page to skip. Not only was the book was a fundraiser for UK zoos in 2020 😍, but look at the 🏅 team who were involved. Each name on this list inspires a whole project:

  • Katherine Grainger DBE – rower
  • Hannah Cockcroft MBE – wheelchair sprinter
  • Ali Jawa – paralympic powerlifter
  • and more!

My only grumble is that currently, it’s only an ebook unless you order via the authors website. I’m hoping that changes soon as the hardcover is divine.

Competition!

Win a signed copy of Animalympics, an Animalympics gold medal plus stickers and bookmarks (Open to UK only) 

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/33c69494447/?

*Terms and Conditions –UK entries welcome.  Please enter using the Rafflecopter box below.  The winner will be selected at random via Rafflecopter from all valid entries and will be notified by Twitter and/or email. If no response is received within 7 days then Rachel’s Random Resources reserves the right to select an alternative winner. Open to all entrants aged 18 or over.  Any personal data given as part of the competition entry is used for this purpose only and will not be shared with third parties, with the exception of the winners’ information. This will passed to the giveaway organiser and used only for fulfilment of the prize, after which time Rachel’s Random Resources will delete the data.  I am not responsible for despatch or delivery of the prize.

Blurb

Woodpecker Will presents the Animalympics! Whilst the humans stay indoors, the animal kingdom takes over to hold the sporting event of the century! Join the golfing ostriches, trampolining moles and weight-lifting gorillas (plus many more) in a fun rhyming adventure for all ages.

About the author

Josie Dom is a children’s author learning to embrace her individuality.

Join her in a world of imagination where anything could happen and the most important things are friendship and kindness.

Josie lives in the small town of Halstead in Essex with her husband Nic Phine (illustrator of the Lum books), their son and daughter, a mixed-up dog (LabLurchTrievOodle) Frank and a big fluffy ginger cat called Mittens.

Although Josie’s books are too young for her children now, it was their love of stories when they were little which inspired Josie to pick up her pen and create. 

After a lifetime in sensible office jobs, Josie is relishing the opportunity to explore her creative side.

Josie is passionate about supporting causes close to her heart.  Each year, Josie donates 15% of profit on book sales to a children’s charity.

In 2020, due to Covid-19, Josie penned an Animalympics which she used to raise funds for UK zoos.

Maths for babies – a book I wish I’d written

A little known fact is I’m actually an accountant – I’m a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of England & Wales. So it’s not surprising that I thought Numberjacks was a great idea for a kids TV show, and I’m always curious about new maths focused books. What is surprising, is that I didn’t write 100 ways, 100 days to teach your baby maths myself! What a superb resource.

Blurb

Let your baby lead the way as you explore the wonderful world of maths together through 100 daily activities, stories, and songs. No flashcards, no worksheets, no right or wrong, and no maths anxiety Within this 100-day maths journey, you will discover:

  • Maths ability on entry to school is a strong predictor of later achievement, double that of literacy skills.
  • Babies seem to be born with an amazing number sense.
  • Parents have the power to show their babies that maths is enjoyable and not something to be anxious about.
  • Babies can enjoy maths activities while boosting other areas of development.
  • The best time to start enjoying maths is in infancy.

What about the effect of gender, culture, sleep, diet—even the type of pushchair you buy? 100 Ways in 100 Days to Teach Your Baby Maths holds the answers.

“…use this book. It really will be worth it.”- Tony Attwood, founder, The Dyscalculia Centre“I loved reading this book. The approach is imaginative but also tied to everyday life, making the holistic integration of a maths-friendly parenting style something natural rather than forced.”- http://www.thebookbag.co.uk“The simple and well-researched activities and advice ensure that everyone can give their children the best start in life.”- National Numeracy

About the Author

Emma Smith is a Fellow of The Institute of Actuaries and a Chartered Accountant. She is a double academic prize winner with a First Class Maths degree and a lifelong lover of maths. She has worked freelance as an actuarial exam counsellor, an assistant examiner, and a writer. Her front-cover articles include “Your Baby is a Genius!” in Baby London Magazine. While writing, Emma is ably assisted by her dog, Button, her daughter’s cat, Princess Marshmallow, and her son’s cat, Squeezy Paws.

Watership Down revisited

Cuteness overload with this book cover – as soon as it landed in my inbox I knew there was no way I could have turned down the opportunity to participate in this book tour!

That said, I’m still traumatised by being taken to the cinema to see Watership Down when I was pretty young, so when Grandpa’s whiskers started to twitch I automatically feared the worst! Thankfully this has a much more playful plot.

This is perfect book to open conversations about the weather, seasons, and also about animal habitats so can be adapted for various curriculum points. Although the author has some free colouring sheets, I’d love to see some teacher resources on their website (hint hint!).

It’s an obviously seasonal read, and I’m pleased that it is not Christmas themed making it ideal for a cold January evening or a frosty February morning.

The wonderful cute-as-a-button Beatrix Potter-esque illustrations by Becky Stout have to get a special mention.

And I absolutely love that the title The Whisker Twitchers was from a Year 3 pupil during an author visit to their school!

COMPETITION TIME!

If you’d like a chance to win one of two signed copies and are in the UK … http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/33c69494441/

Blurb

Grandad is up to something. When Bella wakes up to find him gone, she heads to the surface to look for him – but the world looks different. Can Bella conquer her hear of the unknown to find out what is going on? And where is Grandad?

Author Bio

Kathy is a children’s book author from Stoke-on-Trent, UK. Inspired by the books she was reading after the birth of her daughter in 2016, she wrote and published her first picture book, Nana Duck in 2017.

Writing is a relatively new part of my life. When I go to schools and am introduced as an author it is still a bit of a surprise to me! It was the birth of my daughter (in 2016) that changed everything. I had spent many years building up my career in accountancy, accumulating business qualifications and generally working hard in that one field. Spending time with my little girl and reading hundreds of different children’s stories really inspired me. My first book, Nana Duck, was published in 2017. It did well and I found that I enjoyed visiting schools and nurseries. There is nothing like reading your story and getting great reactions from a class full of eager little children. Now, I’m having ideas all of the time. I’m so looking forward to bringing more stories into the world, to seeing my characters come to life through the talented illustrators that I work with, and inspiring more children in my local area and beyond.

Mix-up Monday

It’s Monday, and I’m just back from holiday, so obviously I’m in chaos and the family are playing pranks on me. In fact, I feel like the farmer in this fabulously funny new book from one of my favourite picture book authors, Elizabeth Dale on the publication of her 86th book!!!!!

I laughed like a drain at this. Seriously, it’s one to read on your own even if the children are 26. Fabulous flowing rhymes, hilarious situations (and the best horse poo joke ever). If you like Julia Donaldson books, you’ll love this.

In anticipation of the launch, we had a long chit-chat. She’s also set us a writing challenge, plus we have a few bespoke colouring sheets.

Your latest book, Mix Up Monday, is hitting the shelves. Can you tell us how it came to be?

I normally like to write a picture book with a subtle message, but sometimes it’s good to write something that is just pure fun, especially as long-suffering parents or carers are the ones who have to read picture books over and over again – so they should enjoy the story too. And reading a funny rhyming story is the best fun of all. So I knew the kind of book I wanted to write, I just needed a plot. And I find a good way to think up a fun plot is to ask ‘What if?’ and let my brain go wild. So for this book, I thought ‘What if a farmer gets up late, half-asleep and does everything wrong? How might his animals see his confusion and capitalize on it to have even more fun? How crazy can everything get? And once I started off with the sheep  pretending to be cows and so Farmer Fred tries to milk them, the other animals on the farm joined in one by one and the story seemed to write itself. All I had to do was  make sure that the rhymes and rhythm were right! 

Why did you decide to become a children’s writer? 

I’ve always loved writing stories, and after having been unsuccessful with my novel for adults – which took SUCH a long time to write – I decided I would always write something shorter in future! So I started writing short stories for magazines. But then, when my daughters were born, I was reminded just how lovely children’s books are and decided to try writing them, too, and found that to be the greatest fun of all. I’ve always loved writing poetry, so writing rhyming picture books is now one of my favourite things to do. 

Can you describe where you work and your working day?

I sit by a window overlooking my garden, which can either inspire or distract me!  I’m a bit of a workaholic – but simply because I love writing so much. I am usually on my laptop by 6.30. And then I spend all day doing any admin emails, chasing up publishers, commenting on illustrations etc. but most of all writing, whether it’s editing or writing something new! And  on sunny days I am out in the garden plotting and thinking up ideas. Bliss!

What children’s books have inspired you recently?

Oi, Frog! (pic bok) by Kes Gray and Jim Field, and other ‘Oi’ books in the series – I think they’re so clever

The Princess and the Pea (pic book) by Jonathan Emmett and Polly Bernatene – very funny fairy tale twist

I, Cosmo (MG) by Carlie Sorosiak – such a brilliant insight into the mind of a dog

A Boy Called Hope (MG) by Lara Williamson – another funny insight – this time into the trials of a boy whose father has left home – and turned up on his TV screen.

What makes you happy? 

Writing! Getting a book accepted! Time with family, country walks, reading and holidays in the mountains or by the sea. Oh and it’s so, so wonderful to see children enjoying reading/listening to my books.

What’s your worst habit? 

Untidiness! In my writing it’s using too many !!!s (see?!!)

What are your top tips for budding young writers? 

1.As a child, you are a far better  expert than me on what makes a great, fun children’s book. So you are the best person to write fab kid’s stories. So get writing!

2.Don’t worry about the spelling or getting the words down right at first. Just write away, letting the story take you – getting words on the paper/screen and telling a good story is the most important thing. to begin with. 

2. plus The best stories have a problem at the start that your characters want to fix.  But if they fix it too easily, it could be very short! For longer stories, make things go wrong and then fix them  – and do that again and again all on the way to the final satisfying end.  I call these ups and downs ‘Uh-oh!’ and ‘Yay!’ moments. Try looking out for those in the next book you read. 

3.When you’ve finished writing your story, read it again and change any bits you don’t like. All writers have to do it. No one writes their best story the first time.

4.When you think your story is as good as it can be, try reading it out loud or ask your mum or a friend to. Hearing the words spoken really shows you what isn’t quite right.

5.If you’re not happy with your story, don’t just throw it away. By all means start another story, but come back to that first story another day. You brain may well have been working on it while you’ve been doing something else and you will suddenly see how to change it.  

6. Don’t ever think ‘I will never be good enough at writing to grow up to be an author.’ Every author has probably thought that when they were young – I know I did! If it’s what you want to do, then go for it! Someone has to write the books of the future, why not you?

7. If your dream is another career altogether, then go for that instead. But if you love writing, too,  just do it for fun. It’s great to escape into a world you’ve created.

Writing Challenge

For your next story, why not try to think up a plot the way I did for Mix Up Monday? Just think ‘What if….?’ And imagine the craziest or scariest or most awful or exciting situation you can think of. How would everyone react? What might happen next? How can it all end well? Remember everyone wants a great ending!

Get your Mix-Up Monday Colouring activity here

Blurb

Farmer Fred is more than a little sleepy this morning ― and his animals know it! Everyone wants to join in on the Monday mayhem but what will happen when he starts mixing up all the animals?

Author bio

I began writing magazine fiction and have sold thousands of stories all over the world, but when my daughters were born and I started reading to them, I was reminded just how wonderful children’s books are, and decided to try writing them myself. They are the most fun of all and I have had over eighty books published from picture books up to novels for up to age 12. 

Some of them deal with issues I have faced with my own children such as a pet dying – Scrumpy (Andersen) or an over-adventurous hamster – Hammy (Orchard), others cover issues common to many children, such as being scared of monsters – Nothing Can Frighten a Bear (Nosy Crow), being different – Delightfully Different Dilly (Quarto 2021) and being small – Billy and the Balloons (Salariya) and Off to Market! (Frances Lincoln -a runner-up in the Dundee Picture Book Award and based on my journey on an over-crowded minibus in Uganda filled with villagers, furniture and animals!