The Puffin Portal Vashti Hardy illustrated by Natalie Smillie

You may have guessed that I’m a huge fan of Vashti Hardy’s writing and she’s a wonderful person too ! The Puffin Portal is the sequel to her first collaboration with Barrington Stoke The Griffin Gate, a tale that blends the Hardy-verse of STEM steeped societies and steam punkery into it in accessible form for …

Midnight Magic- Michelle Harrison and Elissa Elwick

Black cats and magic for early readers? Midnight Magic by Michelle Harrison and Elissa Elwick is the PERFECT book for any little one with the call of wonder in their soul. Midnight Magic is such a joyful and positive depiction of magic and wonder with a twinkling dose of mischief to keep the giggles.  I …

Author Feature: Diary of an Accidental Witch – Perdita & Honor Cargill illustrated by Katie Saunders.

Today we are celebrating Diary of An Accidental Witch, a gorgeously fun diary style book ideal for fans of Amelia Fang, Sam Wu and Tom Gates. I am honoured to be hosting a reflection by Perdita and Honor Cargill on the joys and creative freedom of writing a witchy book and have been sharing Bea's …

The Fabulous Cakes of Zinnia Jakes: The Super Spy by Brenda Gurr

Cupcakes, muffins, brownies, Bake Off, sweet baked goods, it’s a topic that absolutely appeals to tweens especially if it can involve sprinkles and no doubt from seeing the efforts on YouTube and TikTok there are plenty of potential readers who could see themselves as super baker Zoë in her alter ego as Zinnia Jakes famous …

Harley Hitch and the Iron Forest – Vashti Hardy illustrated by George Ermos

Harley Hitch, a highly illustrated chapter book came out earlier this year to high acclaim but I’ve let this book grow a little longer in my heart…. Along with the strawberry seeds that were sent to me with my copy. Our own Grandpa Eden strawberry plants are a year away from fruiting BUT I’ve been …

Blog Tour: We Made A Movie – Charlotte Lo

I’m delighted to be shouting Action! and starting off the blog tour for We Made A Movie, the long awaited sequel to We Won An Island by Charlotte Lo.  Charlotte’s debut was bright, aspirational and funny but with a underlying truth of the quiet impact on children of adult financial and mental health struggles when …

Sindhu and Jeet’s Detective Agency by Chitra Soundar illustrated by Amberin Huq

You may have realised if you have read my blog before that I do love a mystery: historical, contemporary, fantastical- I’m in my happy place when I can play in the world of a mystery.  And so are my daughters, which is why I’m absolutely loving the current wave of young illustrated mysteries, and even …