AD – Some items marked with * were gifted for review. This post contains affiliate links.
If you follow my blog regularly you will know that books have pretty much kept us sane over the last 12-15 months, bringing some much needed escapism and distraction from the world and its current challenges! As well as reading my own books every single night without fail, I love nothing more than settling down with the girls before bed, snuggled up in their PJs ready for some dream inspiration and discover their latest adventure.
There have been some AMAZING books released in the last month – here are just a small selection of the books we loved in April that you need to check out now! 🙂
The Story Thief by Graham Carter
With a slight Grinchesque feel to it, The Story Thief tells the story of Olive – a little girl who loves books.
One day on a trip back from the library she accidentally drops a book into the ocean where it is picked up by a octopus.
The octopus follows the boat and learns that these ‘strange items’ seem to make everyone very happy – but what do you even do with them!? Build with them? Sleep on them? He just can’t figure them out.
Desperate to discover their secret, he steals all the books in the land but is sad to find he still feels no happier.
With all the books gone, Olive decides to save the day putting into action all the skills she’s learned in her stories. She tracks down the books and teaches the octopus that stories are MAGIC and for everyone to enjoy.
I won’t share the ending, but this is a stunningly illustrated book that we’ve read and enjoyed so many times in the last few weeks. The perfect gift for mini book lovers!
The Story Thief is currently available in hardback only at Amazon.
Rabunzel by Gareth P Jones
It’s the story you’ll think you’ve heard before – a rabbit called Rabunzel with incredibly long ears; trapped in a tower to keep her safe and protect her from the hungry eyed creatures waiting in the deep, dark forest..
When Flash Harry comes tracks her down, he decides he’s going to save her – but it turns out,!this Rabbit doesn’t need rescuing Thankyou very much!!
A story about living proudly with your differences and celebrating a whole heap of girl power – it’s great to see a bold and brave female lead who’s happy to shape her own way in the world! We loved this one!
Rabunzel is available in paperback at Amazon here.
Barbara Throws a Wobbler by Nadia Shireen
Do you ever have days where things just don’t go right? Barbara is having one of those days. First there was a sock problem, and at lunchtime there was a strange pea. Before she knows it, she’s feeling flustered, frustrated and angry…. Barbara’s wobbler is out of control!
This is a really laugh out loud read that had the girls giggling all the way through; whilst at the same time providing some helpful hints for banishing bad moods when things don’t go your way.
Neve absolutely loved spotting the wobblers on the last page and Erin and I found the Bad Moods (Very Useful Guide) really amusing – especially pointing out which ones were most like me when I am having a mini mard of my own (it’s The Seethe for future reference)
We’ve had this one a few weeks now and a Neve keeps coming back to it. With bold, bright illustrations and a the only leading lady we’ve had called Barbara to date; this one has quickly become a firm favourite with us all!
Barbara Throws a Wobbler is out now in paperback at Amazon here.
Once Upon A Mermaid’s Tail by Beatrice Blue
Having read and loved Once Upon a Unicorn’s Horn – this one had a lot to live up to – but definitely didn’t disappoint.
Stunningly illustrated with beautiful ocean based colour scheme; this is a heartwarming tale of a boy learning that if you truly love something you should set it free.
Theodore loves collecting beautiful fish to add to his collection. One day he discovers a fascinating creature in a shell and has never seen anything so beautiful. Despite an impending voice advising him to leave her alone, Theodore takes the creature home. As the days pass however, the creature becomes weaker and weaker – can Theodore save her and return her to the ocean before it’s too late?
A gentle reminder to look after our oceans and wildlife, Once Upon A Mermaid’s Tail is out now in paperback here.
This is NOT a Unicorn by Barry Timms and Ged Adamson
“This creatures never what it seems, You might be feeling torn, but let me make this very clear, it’s NOT a unicorn!’
This hilarious adventure gives Wonky Donkey a run for its money with its wonderfully witty wordplay and really made the girls giggle.
With bright, vivid and colourful pages; this book tells the story of (not) a unicorn with a shape shifting horn. From a tune-Icorn to a spoon-icorn and even a tickly-under-there-icorn; this is a unicorn book with a difference!
This is NOT a unicorn is available now in paperback at Amazon here.
The Forgettery by Rachel Ip
We all have days where we feel a bit forgetful, whether it’s forgetting the kids PE kit, forgetting where we put our glasses or simply forgetting our Please and Thankyou’s.
For Amelia’s granny however; the things she forgets are much bigger, things like names, people and places.
One day, Amelia and her Granny stumble across a hidden world called The Forgettery – a land filled with everything everyone’s ever forgotten.
Whilst revisiting and rediscovering key moments from their lives, they learn the true power that memories hold.
Whilst the book doesn’t explicitly mention dementia, this is an incredibly touching and sensitive look at the challenges relating to memory loss, whilst being an exciting and fun adventure book in equal measure.
Beautiful illustrations by Laura Hughes with lots of humorous and detailed events to spot, whisked us straight into this imaginary emotional world.
The Forgettery is available in paperback at Amazon here.
The Neighbourhood Surprise by Sarah van Dongen*
When Koya and her friends Hassan and Alex learn that their favourite neighbour Mrs Figg is moving away they are super sad to see her go – she makes the best cookies in the world and has always been so kind to them.
They decide to plan a leaving party for her, with the whole of Redbird Road working together to create the ultimate feast and celebration. With a diverse range of cultures, dishes and even a focus on vegan and vegetarian diets; there is a real sense of celebrating community within this book – with gorgeous bright and vivid illustrations to bring the characters to life.
As a parent; I loved seeing a whole neighbourhood working together for a common goal – after the last 12 months; we’ve all seen how special and meaningful those relationships can be.
Author Sarah Van Dongen even includes some facts about Veganism at the end in case it’s a term the children aren’t familiar with.
The Neighbourhood Surprise is available now in paperback at Amazon.
Unlocked by Delaram Ghanimifard (Editor) and Tiny Owl Publishing Illustrators*
Well this beautiful book instantly bought a tear to my eye!
After 12 months of Covid restrictions it at times has been hard to find hope amongst the breaking news updates and scaremongering social media.
Tiny Owl Publishing recently asked their team of illustrators to reflect on their own lockdown experiences and showcase the things that bought them joy during these difficult times.
With experiences from across the globe, ‘Unlocked’ highlights lockdown stories of resilience, community, kindness, staying connected and keeping positive; during what has without a doubt been a challenging year for us all.
With stunning illustrations throughout and relatable stories of the time we spent during lockdown; this book is a great way to remember the joy we managed to find when the world stood still.
Unlocked is out now in hardback at Amazon here.
Funny Bums & Freaky Beaks*
Well there’s a book title that you don’t hear everyday!! 😂
As non-fiction books go; this one is certainly tailored to its audience; with the perfect balance of educational facts and fun filled humour that really made us all laugh out loud.
From Strange Tails and Puzzling Toes and Extraordinary Eyes to Weird Ears, Funny Bums, Freaky Beaks is a beautifully illustrated book packed full of incredible creatures with very unique features. Whilst they might seem a bit ‘odd’ to us, their features are there for good reason – and some are quite surprising!
The girls have really enjoyed learning about our diverse range of wildlife and having a good old giggle in the process. Thankyou Wellbeck Publishing for our review copy! The book is available in hardback here.
May is a MEGA month for new releases, so come back soon for our May edition of What the Kids Read. In the meantime, if you enjoy books with your children, come follow our sister account on Instagram – What the Kids Read!
