Information about the Book Title: Don’t Disturb the Dragon Author: Rhiannon Findlay Illustrator: Siân Roberts Release Date: 22nd June 2023 Genre: Picture Book Page Count: 32 Publisher: Puffin
Summary
Somewhere near, a huge beast lies, with giant claws and great big eyes . . . DO NOT DISTURB THE DRAGON!
Oh no – the Princess’s little brother has gone missing! Can YOU help her find him?
A brilliantly interactive rhyming read-aloud adventure before bedtime from the bestselling author of the Ten Minutes to Bed series.
Tiptoe over, under, round and through the book, just . . . don’t disturb the DRAGON!
Fans of Ten Minutes to Bed, Little Unicorn will love helping the Princess on her quest in this immersive, interactive adventure with a wind-down-to-bedtime ending!
Information about the Book Title: Rhinos Don’t Cry Author: Mark Grist Illustrator: Chris Jevons Release Date: 20th July2023 Genre: Picture Book Page Count: 32 Publisher: Bloomsbury
Blurb
Milo’s a rhino. He likes to do all sorts of rhino-y things . . . He likes writing and climbing and banister-sliding and mountain bike riding, he paints and he sings.
Milo just loves being a rhino – but there’s one small problem . . . rhinos don’t cry.
At least that’s what Spike-O Mcree, his movie-star hero, always says. But when Milo meets Spike-O face to face, he finds out that not only is crying OK, it’s also very brave!
This energetic and engaging rhyming story is the first in a series of books highlighting the importance of children expressing their feelings.
Format: 280 pages, Paperback Published: May 28, 2023 by Book Guild ISBN: 9781915603869 (ISBN10: 1915603862)
Blurb
London, September 1888. Jack the Ripper roams the streets. A scream rings out from beneath the stage of the Lyceum Theatre…
A young ‘actress’ has been attacked, suffering peculiar bite wounds to her neck; an event that announces a series of strange, vampiric happenings, and thrusts an unwitting Bram Stoker – acting manager of the Lyceum and aspiring author – into the limelight, and the action.
Increasingly perplexed by the unsettling behaviour of his ‘Guv’nor’, the brilliant but mercurial actor, Henry Irving, and Irving’s acclaimed leading lady, Ellen Terry, Stoker soon starts suspecting the worst. And then, another attack reveals a vicious Prussian baron, returned to London as a vampire seeking revenge…
Alive with Gothic intrigue, reversal and surprise, Mr Stoker will keep the reader enthralled and confounded until its final, shocking scene – indeed, until its very last word.
‘This is a fully realised Gothic world, a stimulating mix of homely familiarity and lurking menace which will engage readers of all ages.’ David Punter, author of The Literature of Terror
Genetically-modified teens try to bring down the organisation that made them, in this second action-packed installment in the 21% Monster series. The girl put her hands on her hips, cocked her head and answered: ‘My name is Aurora María Ash-Valero and I’m here to kick your butt!” Since Darren Devlin and Marek Masters joined forces, there has only been one thing on their minds – taking down XSP, the secret organisation that transformed them into genetically-modified superhumans. Even with 21% monster Darren’s incredible strength, and 19% alien Marek’s super intelligence, XSP is more than a match for them. But what if there was another survivor of XSP’s experiments? A tall, tough, athletic teen girl able to withstand sub-zero temperatures and track potential predators? A girl who’s 17% sabre-tooth polar bear, and out for revenge. Two’s company, but Three IS UNSTOPPABLE in this high-octane adventure, 21% Monster: Ice Giant.
Information about the Book Title: Me, My Brother and the Monster Meltdown Author: Rob Lloyd Jones Illustrator: Alex Patrick Publisher:Walker Books Release Date: 7th July 2022 Genre: MG
All the adults are freaking out. Giant monsters are smashing up supermarkets across the country. The army can’t stop them and the prime minister is hiding in panic. A colossal six-headed gingerbread man, a massive emoji poo, a gigantic bouncing bum… Top scientists have no idea where they come from – or why they seem to hate supermarkets so much. But nine-year-old Otis has an idea. The creatures are exactly the same as drawings by his five-year-old brother, Jago: what if Jago brought his crazy creations to life with a magic pen? But their parents won’t listen, so it’s up to Otis and his pals to sort this monster mess out!
My Review
Thanks to Bee at Kaleidoscopic Tours for organising this tour, and the author and publisher for sending me a copy of this book. I was a little worried it wouldn’t arrive on time but it did on Thursday. I think I read it Thursday evening.
Monsters are attacking Rottingdean, and all the adults are going a bit mad. It’s up to Otis, Jago and their friends to find out where the monsters are coming from and stop them. Their adventures are hilarious as they dodge monsters, soldiers and their Dad, who keeps running into walls. They outwit the adults, defeat the monsters and get covered in chocolate.
At 157 pages with illustrations and a couple of paragraphs a page, it’s not a long read, but for a young child it would be a good starter book, once they’ve moved beyond picture books. Six to nine year olds will love this book. They will also learn about the damage our government has done to libraries. The book was written during lockdown to help Lloyd Jones’ sons cope with the pandemic through humour. The illustrations of the increasingly frantic prime minister in his bunker were particularly pointed.
The group of friends are a balanced group, characters who bounce off each others’ silliness and manage to work well together to solve a problem. I liked the depiction of the people at the care home having lives beyond their status as old people waiting for their family to visit or to die of boredom in their care home. I giggled quite a lot reading the book.
The illustrations are really good, very humorous. It’s a familiar style in books for the age group.
I would definitely recommend this book, especially for kids struggling to cope with the pandemic and lockdowns of the last couple of years.
Author Information
Rob Lloyd Jones is the author of the highly acclaimed middle-grade novels Wild Boy and Wild Boy and the Black Terror, as well as the Jake Atlas adventure series.
Created with his sons, Otis (9) and Jago (5), during home-schooling, Me, My Brother and the Monster Meltdown is his first funny fiction for younger readers. In Rob’s words, “it celebrates the power of children’s imaginations and their strength in adversity and adventure…and a monster apocalypse.”
Rob lives in East Sussex with his wife, and monster-mad Otis and Jago.
Publisher : Clink Street Publishing (28 Oct. 2021) Language : English Paperback : 86 pages ISBN-10 : 1913962857 ISBN-13 : 978-1913962852 Dimensions : 10.16 x 0.53 x 15.24 cm
Do you want to travel the world but feel overwhelmed and unclear where to begin? Don’t let fear stop you.
Filled with useful advice and tasks, Plan Safe Travel: Solo is a straightforward 5-stage planning process that transforms your dream into a safe reality:
Assess
Set your travel needs, concerns and budget.
Design
Decide trip style, itinerary and accommodation, including how to meet other travellers.
Adapt
Fine-tune your design, by answering important questions.
Prepare
Make practical choices, like luggage, insurance, money and mobile coverage.
Travel
Read safety tips.
For five years, I have travelled as a female, solo traveller. People ask how I do it. Pre-trip decisions instil confidence. Let my knowledge help you experience this world. Use Covid times to plan for lifelong memories.
City hopping, gap year, career break, or once-in-a-lifetime trip, create your perfect journey with Plan Safe Travel: Solo.
Everything Is Better With Dragons 