This is an eclectic selection of short biographies written by #TomAdams, illustrated by #SarahWalsh. Alongside the likes of @AnneFrankTrust and @Malala are many young people I have frankly never heard of. But their stories are worth reading @nosycrow.bsky.social

The Secret Garden is brought beautifully to life by #MargaritaKukhtina's charming illustrations, complementing #GeraldineMcCaughrean's sympathetic retelling of #FrancesHodgsonBurnett's classic story @nosycrow.bsky.social

This is another beautiful book from @nosycrow.bsky.social. #SusannahShane tells a simple heart-warming tale of family love sumptuously illustrated by #BrittaTeckentrup.

Some bears are SO impatient. They just hate standing in queues. But, wait a minute, it turns out there's one queue they think is such fun that they'll wait in it again and again @maudiesmith.bsky.social #AnnaSimeone @oxfordchildrens.bsky.social

Here's a n excellent idea for a last-minute Christmas present, although you should never need a reason to buy a book by @fleurhitchcock.bsky.social . This one is set in Bath and is a great story of family as well as a murder mystery. And I love #ElisaPaganelli's front cover @nosycrow.bsky.social

This new book from @alexcotter.bsky.social is complex and satisfying, a perfect winter read for confident, mature young readers. With much going on around her she doesn't understand Dina struggles to settle into life in Sheffield with her aunt. Can skating make things smooth? @nosycrow.bsky.social

Here's a perfect book for bedtime reading from #LouiseFitzgerald, #MargaritaKukhtima and @nosycrow.bsky.social. The rhyming text gradually slows down and the colour palette becomes more muted as the gentle and engaging story moves along until all the little animals are fast asleep.

Set 1918-1920 this focuses on two sisters and the parts they play in what comes after the War. Stella goes to Paris as a typist at the peace conference; Corran joins the YMCA School of Education to teach soldiers about to be demobbed. Loved it @florajowriter.bsky.social @allisonandbusby.bsky.social

Who wouldn't want a world of cats? This fascinating book is full of drawings and information, stories and history about the domesticated creatures of that ilk. It's beautifully produced as you'd expect from @nosycrow.bsky.social @lupencita.bsky.social #CarlieSorosiak

How much fun is this?! A dolls' house that can be neatly packed up and taken everywhere. Little ones can let their imaginations run riot as they use the pop-out pieces to decorate and furnish the house for this family of furry friends @nosycrow.bsky.social #IngelaPArrhenius

Anna at War by Helen Peters I read Anna at War on Sunday afternoon and evening almost without pause. I started it so I could write this review but I continued with it because I could do nothing else. The plot drives along tak…

A new book from the ever-readable and hugely enjoyable
@helenpeters.bsky.social published by the lovely @nosycrow.bsky.social

Just out @oxfordchildrens.bsky.social is a new edition of a @brianwildsmithart.bsky.social classic that's stood the test of time. It's all about the strong, vibrant colours and dynamic actions of the players in the traditional song. It might also remind you of the lyrics as the numbers get higher!

From @barringtonstoke.bsky.social comes another great non-fiction title by @catwrote.bsky.social and #KatieHickey. This is the (somewhat sanitised) story of Josephine Baker and it's compelling, taking her from poverty in the US to stardom in Paris, through high-life, conflict and disillusionment.

Following on from Teatime Around the World, here are some soups for you courtesy of #DenyseWaissbluth #ChelseaOByrne and @greystonebooks.bsky.social. Bright, vibrant, interesting, full of facts and appealing, this straddles categories. Just a word of warning: the spelling is American.

What a fun series this is! The Weather Tots don't just learn about the weather at school. Guided by Professor Cloud, they also learn how to work well together. #NiaGould's cute illustrations complement @crowehoho.bsky.social's engaging stories beautifully @oxfordchildrens.bsky.social

Lots and lots of cats from @nosycrow.bsky.social in this counting book. They get everywhere so young readers will need to be sure to peek behind all the flaps. Lovely! @jonathanemmett.com #RobHodgson

I love #EkaterinaTrukhan's illustrations in this beautiful little picture book. It's an ode to autumn and is filled with seasonal blocks of colour and dynamic characters as a small girl revels in the joys of autumn, outdoors and in @nosycrow.bsky.social @nationaltrust.org.uk

This book won me over because it has a cat on the cover! It will win over little children with its sounds and flaps and the mirror at the end. Parents will be be delighted to know that the noises can be turned off! Another bright, engaging, solid book from @nosycrow.bsky.social #PuiLee

Junie and Ruby bicker all the time, poking and chasing and shouting. Their Mummy is always showing them how to behave but they just carry on squabbling. The one day the Mummy Monster appears and is even worse than the sisters. How can they tame her? #RochelleFalconer @oxfordchildrens.bsky.social

Albert is a VERY grumpy bear. There aren't many things he likes (not picnics or fishing and DEFINITELY not ukeleles) but he does love a bubble bath. But so does everyone else in the forest. How is going to keep it to himself? #MarkMcKinley @oxfordchildrens.bsky.social

Is perfection really ... well, perfect? Pedro thinks so. Everything in his life is perfect but he doesn't have a perfect friend until he meets Poppy. But as they practise for the talent show things become...not perfect. #EllaOkstad @simonphilipauthor.bsky.social
@oxfordchildrens.bsky.social

This is a fun little series about dressing up with specific accessories. Anwar and Seren find lots of different jobs they can do with them. On Monday Anwar is a postman while on Thursday Seren is a ski instructor. Full of brightly-coloured fun #FernandoMartin @oxfordchildrens.bsky.social

Harry is a wriggly, curious otter. One day he's distracted by a heron standing all by himself and dances off to meet him. Ray the heron is very happy and the two have fun together until the other otters interfere... #WendyMeddour @magillustration.bsky.social @oxfordchildrens.bsky.social

Frank is happy being a caterpillar. He likes munching on leaves, looking at the view and being with his friends who all long to be gorgeous butterflies. Time moves on, chrysalises are formed and finally butterflies emerge. Who will be the happiest? #AlexLatimer @oxfordchildrens.bsky.social

Hiccup Horrendous Haddock the Third is not the most brilliant student at the Training School for Vikings and Dragons but somehow he gets embroiled in tremendous adventures along with his friends @cressidacowell.bsky.social @hachettechildrens.bsky.social @hachetteuk.bsky.social

Angel of Grasmere by Tom Palmer I’ve always liked Tom Palmer’s books, even when they were about football, a subject which interests me not at all. But it was when he started producing books set during and around the F…

picturesandconversations.co.uk/2024/11/11/a...
A third book from @tompalmerauthor.bsky.social @barringtonstoke.bsky.social

Resist by Tom Palmer Tom took as his inspiration for this book the life of Audrey Hepburn. He is at pains to point out that it is not a biography. Audrey Hepburn rarely spoke about her experiences in the Nazi-occupied …

picturesandconversations.co.uk/2022/12/19/r...
Another book from the wonderful @tompalmerauthor.bsky.social @barringtonstoke.bsky.social

Arctic Star by Tom Palmer Six years ago I sailed to Murmansk and Arkhangelsk. I had chosen to be there and paid for the privilege. It was midsummer and I was on a small cruise ship. I had sailed the Norwegian Sea, the Arcti…

picturesandconversations.co.uk/2021/05/19/a...
Continuing my reposts of reviews of books set during the Second World War @tompalmerauthor.bsky.social @barringtonstoke.bsky.social

Elizabeth Wein I only meant, last night, to read the first few pages of The Enigma Game to get a feel for it but I ended up reading all the way through the night, unable to stop. The publisher gave me access to a…

This is my third choice for VE Day @bloomsburybooksuk.bsky.social @ewein2412.bsky.social
picturesandconversations.co.uk/2020/07/28/e...

My Lockdown Books: Twelve The time has come, as you surely knew it would, for me to share this one from my collection.  There’s nothing random about Nancy Calls the Tune by Dorita Fairlie Bruce.  It’s one of my …

Continuing my Second World War reviews. This is one of three books by #DoritaFairlieBruce written, published and ser during the war. The others are Toby at Tibbs Cross and Dimsie Carries On @oxfordchildrens.bsky.social
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