LoveBooksTours – Everything Is Better With Dragons

Blog tour calendar: Through Blood and Dragons, by R.M. Shultz

Review: Coffee and Ice Cream, by Milo McGivern

Genre: Children’s fiction 8-12
Pages: 144
Publisher: Matador
**Buy Links**

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Coffee-Ice-Cream-Milo-McGivern/dp/1803134941/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1BIEEPO4F3R9G&keywords=COFFEE+AND+ICE+CREAM+by+Milo+McGivern&qid=1660556822&sprefix=coffee+and+ice+cream+by+milo+mcgivern%2Caps%2C127&sr=8-1

**https://www.troubador.co.uk/bookshop/young-children/coffee-and-ice-cream/**

Blurb

On an ocean somewhere in the world, is a mysterious island. A place shrouded in fog, that has never been discovered by humans. A land of peace and quiet, and chaotic, funny adventures. Welcome once again to the island of Animaux, a land that continues to mysteriously change its position on the planet each day, to keep it hidden. A paradise, containing a wonderful collection of talking animals. A place we would all like to visit.

The five new tales in ‘Coffee and Ice Cream’ flow smoothly from the ones in the last book, ‘A Surprise Party’. As always, the greedy, dusty, bad-mannered Aubrey the Turkey is up to no good. Watch him open a new delicatessen in the worst place imaginable. See him ruin poor Georgina the Goat’s birthday. Be amazed as Walli Hog and Clifford Platypus take on many jobs so they can pay off the turkey’s huge debts. And then see Aubrey hold a magic show, full of rubbish tricks but ending with the most amazing spell ever cast. Once again, stories packed with fun, silliness, naughty behaviour and happy endings.

Please enjoy the stories. And don’t be afraid to laugh, particularly as Aubrey’s expense. But please, please, please – continue to remember to keep the latest position of the island top secret!

Blog Tour Calendar: Coffee and Ice Cream, by Milo McGivern

Audiobook Review: TARO: Legendary Boy Hero of Japan, by Blue Spruell

Blurb

Tarō is the heroic tale of Japan’s legendary boy samurai. Author Blue Spruell reimagines traditional Japanese folklore in a historical fantasy adventure filled with samurai swords, martial arts, and mythical Japanese creatures from old Japan. . . .

Lost in the mists of Mount Fuji. But no one can escape destiny.

The year is 1596 when samurai warlords fight for control of the Imperial throne. Tarō does not want to be a samurai-like his father, but fate takes a hand when a witch enchants the boy. Gaining supernatural powers, and befriending the magical forest animals of Mount Fuji, Tarō saves a powerful warlord’s life and discovers his destiny—as he hurtles headlong into the total war for ultimate control of Japan.

Review: Herman Needs A Home, by Lucy Nogura

Blurb

Herman Needs A Home

A little crab’s each for a shell to call home.

When Herman the hermit crab gets too big for his shell, he can’t find a new one that feels just right. With his sister, Hiro, he travels up and down the beach in search of a shell he can call home.

They don’t find a shell, but they do find something else – a pile of rubbish left behind on the sand. But can Herman make a home out of any of it?

My Review

Thanks to the author for sending me a copy of this book and to Love Books Tours for organising this tour. I received a lovely parcel from Lucy Noguera.

Herman and his sister Hiro need new shells, so their family line up and swap shells. Unfortunately, Herman is bigger than any of the others and needs to find a new shell. Hiro and Herman go for a walk on the beach to fins a new shell. Instead they find a large pile of rubbish. Nothing fits right, of course but as night falls, Herman hides in a broken tennis ball. The next day he goes on an unexpected trip.

I reviewed another book by Lucy Noguera last year, SWOP the satsuma sized secret, and really enjoyed it. That came in a lovely parcel, too. This book is for younger children and is beautifully illustrated by Emma Latham. As with SWOP, there is a lesson for young readers. In this case, it’s about the damage rubbish can cause to sealife and ends with a page about how to look after the coast by clearing up rubbish.

The illustrations are lovely, bright and colourful. The paper is high quality, dense and solid, so it’ll last a good long time. The writing is fun and bouncy, and I suggest it’ll be good reading for both parents and children.

I generally send these books to my cousin’s kids, and I’m looking forward to hearing what they think of this one. I think they’ll love it.

Review: The Island of Animaux, by Milo McGivern

Blurb

Imagine an island that shouldn’t exist. A very strange place that has never been discovered by humans and that is populated only by speaking animals, very few of whom know about the bigger world beyond. An island that somehow changes its position on the planet each day, to prevent it from being found. Welcome to the Island of Animaux!

And welcome to five different but connected tales of Aubrey the Turkey and his pals. Stories of all shapes and sizes, with large slices of fun and even bigger portions of naughtiness. See Aubrey get his comeuppance at the fair, have a disaster when he tries to open a zoo, visit a vampire and stumble across Clifford Platypus, try to win a singing competition and then fall madly in love, at least until Walli Hog arrives. See Georgina the Goat despair at Aubrey’s behaviour. Watch as Wesley the Weasel makes the turkey an offer he shouldn’t refuse. See Clifford have fun in making Aubrey do terrible things. And join in with Aubrey and Clifford as they are mesmerised by Walli’s tale of her lucky escape.

Please enjoy the stories. And don’t be afraid to laugh, particularly at Aubrey’s expense. But please, please, please – remember to keep the latest position of the island top secret!

Author Bio

Milo McGivern is the writing name for Steve Humphries. Steve has spent many years working in finance. He has travelled extensively although is most happy when he is at home in Berkshire. Steve enjoys casual story writing and the Aubrey the Turkey tales were first imagined over 30 years ago. ‘The Island of Animaux’ is the first book in the ‘Tales from Animaux’ series. It was followed by ‘Monsieur Le Chef’ and ‘A Surprise Party’.

Children’s Book Review: Blanka, by D.M.Mullen

Blurb

BLANKA VON FROCK When you want more but you have all you need, it’s Blanka von Frock, whose tale you should read. She bullies her sisters in their frozen windmill, and her greedy demands give the village a chill: “I want what I want and I want it today, so listen up sisters and do as I say” D.M. Mullan’s Curious Tales D.M. Mullan’s Curious Tales is a series of peculiar modern fables from author D.M. Mullan and illustrator Kirsteen Harris-Jones. With a classic rhyming style and wonderfully quirky illustrations, each book centres around a unique little individual and tells their story all whilst being part of a wider, interconnected, world.

Children’s Picture Book Review: Bertie at the Worldwide Games, by Wendy H. Jones, Illustrated by Barry Diaper

Blurb

^{Bertie the Buffalo is having fun on the farm where he lives in Scotland. Then a mysterious letter arrives inviting him to represent Scotland in the Worldwide Games. Bertie and his friends fly to Tokyo where they meet new and exotic animals and try to win first prize in all the different events. Bertie is sad when he isn’t winning any medals but finds out if he works together with his friends, he will be a winner in the end.}

My Review

Thanks to the author and publisher for a copy of this book. I read a Bertie book last year and was so pleased to see another, Bertie is an adorable little buffalo.

Aww, this is so cute! Bertie and friends represent Scotland in running races in Tokyo, and learn the importance of team work.

I think the writing and illustration have improved since the first book. There’s something more vibrant about the illustrations. The story has a strong rhyme and I’m sure it’s ever so slightly more complex than in the first book. Maybe Bertie is getting a bit older so the prose is getting more complex?

I like it! The colours of the pictures are eye-catching the writing is fun and bouncy, and the message is good.

Author Bio

^{Wendy H. Jones is the award-winning author of the DI Shona McKenzie Mysteries and Cass Claymore Investigates. She lives in Scotland and is also an international public speaker and the president of the Scottish Association of Writers.}

^{Illustrator: Barry Diaper}

^{Barry Diaper is best known for his cartoons and caricatures for The Beano. He was once short-listed for the Daily Mail’s ‘Not the Turner Prize’. He lives in Salisbury, England.}

Review: Setsuko and the Song of the Sea, by Fiona Barker, Illustrated by Howard Gray

Blurb

Setsuko loves the sea. She swims its shallows. She dives its depths. But she worries that her friends have chosen to abandon her way of life. Then she meets a whale who also fears he is the last of his kind. In return for giving him hope, he gifts her a song which she uses to remind people of the beauty of the ocean. Setsuko took the song and made it her own. They played together from the first crisp light of morning until the setting of the evening sun. Everyone who heard Setsuko’s song was filled with the wonder of the sea. They remembered the beauty and mystery of the ocean. A story of an unlikely friendship, Setsuko and her friend the whale have one thing in common ― their love of the sea. Much like the revered ama-san, ― women who have been diving off the coast of the Shima peninsula in Japan for over 2,000 years ― Setsuko is a strong girl who is on the path to becoming one of these real-life mermaids. 10% of the net profits from each book will be donated to the Marine Conservation Society, the UK charity working for seas full of life. Visit www.mcs.org.uk to find out more.

Buy Links

Publisher Shop – https://bit.ly/3cfj7mp

Waterstones – https://bit.ly/2YgEDz2

Foyles – https://bit.ly/3ooqzxS

Amazon – https://amzn.to/3a63xHb

Goodreads – https://bit.ly/3iNZ0gw