Tag: Children’s books

9+, Children's Fiction, Eva Reads Books!, Fiction, Tales Before Bedtime Juniors

The Closest Thing To Flying by Gill Lewis – reviewed by Eva

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I adore children’s books, it makes so happy to be able to share my thoughts with you but sometimes I think it’s good to hear just how wonderful they are straight from the horses mouth so… wonderful Eva is back with another cracking review. This time she’s chatting about The Closet Thing to Flying by Gill Lewis. Over to Eva…

Synopsis

Present day: Semira doesn’t know where to call home. She and her mother came to England when she was four years old, brought across the desert and the sea by a man who has complete control. Always moving on, always afraid of being caught, she longs for freedom.

1891: Hen knows exactly where to call home. Her stifling mother makes sure of that. But her Aunt Kitty is opening her eyes to a whole new world. A world of animal rights, and votes for women, and riding bicycles! Trapped in a life of behaving like a lady, she longs for freedom.

When Semira discovers Hen’s diary, she finds the inspiration to be brave, to fight for her place in the world, and maybe even to uncover the secrets of her own past.
Gill Lewis is the multi-award-winning and best-selling author of novels including Sky Hawk, White Dolphin, and A Story Like the Wind. This is her unforgettable tale of friendship, hope, and finding the courage to fight for what you believe in.

Eva’s thoughts

This review is on a book called The Closest Thing To Flying by Gill Lewis.

Semira has two worlds – her own and Hens. Hen’s world is one hundred years ago when women weren’t allowed to vote, have a job or ride a bike! It was Hen’s aunt who tried to change that and that’s when everything went wrong. Back to Semira’s world where Robel is. Robel is a powerful man who beats her mama and stops her from doing anything she likes. Then one day she met Patrick. Everyone called him a freak, but Semira finds that he went through a similar thing to her. They become friends and that’s when Semira becomes suspicious about her own past and notices her love of cycling.

This book shows how women were treated in the past and today. Women still are being treated terribly but this book has inspired me to write my own stories and hopefully you too.

I loved this book because it shows that you need courage to stick up for yourself, and friends to support and believe you. It is a heartwarming story and it brings a tear to the eye. It’s one of the best books I’ve ever read. I loved how it was a fiction story based on real events. The only bad thing I can say about it was that it ended. I can’t wait to see what the author writes about next.

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Thank you so much Eva for your amazing review!

You can find out more about author Gill Lewis by visiting her website here

You can follow Gill Lewis on Twitter at @gill_lewis

The Closest Thing To Flying is published by OUP children’s books and is available from all good book shops.

Thank you so much to the lovely people at OUP for inviting us to review this book. Both Eva and I think it is wonderful.

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2+, 3+, 5+, 7+, Poetry, Review, Summer Reads

Dinosaur Poems: A selection of verses and rhymes with real bite! By John Foster and Korky Paul

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If you thought dinosaurs were extinct, then think again! They live on in the stomping, chomping, growling, howling poem collection. So if you’re looking for poetry with a prehistoric twist, look no further than this sensational selection.

Poet John Foster was an English Teacher for twenty years but has been compiling poetry anthologies since 1979 and has written twelve of his own. He has a website crammed with poetry and inspiration and well worth a visit. Dinosaur Poems is an anthology of poems entirely about dinosaurs. It’s a fantastically funny and informative collection of rhyming poems that are perfect for reading aloud. I particularly loved ‘Ten Dancing Dinosaurs’ and ‘The Bookoceros or Ancient Thesaurus’.

The illustrations to accompany this fine collection of dino poems are provided by the rather wonderful Korky Paul (you may have enjoyed his work on the Winnie & Wilbur series). I adore his illustrations. They are filled with humour and interesting details that bring the words alive and adds another dimension to reading the poetry (I particularly love the bunny slippers for ‘Dinosaur Stomp’). There is always plenty to point at with Korky’s illustrations!

This is a brilliant little book of poetry. It is paperback and size wise is about the size of an A5 notebook. There are 21 poems to share and once you’ve finished reading them why not have a go at writing your own. 🙂

Dinosaur Poems is published by Oxford University Press Children’s Books. It was originally published in Hardback back in 1993 but is now available in paperback with Korky’s fabulous illustrations.

The paperback ISBN no is: 9780192767486 and should be available from all good book shops. For more information why not check out the publisher website.

Thank you so much to the lovely team at OUP for sending me a review copy. I absolutely loved it.

11+, 9+, Children's Fiction, Fiction, Middle Grade Fiction, Personal and Social Issues, Summer Reads

Summer Reads – The Words That Fly Between Us by Sarah Carroll

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Books to be swept away with this summer…

There are SO MANY great books around at the moment and so I’d like to share a few that I think are particularly exciting.  I’m not going to plop them all together in one post but give each the opportunity to shine in it’s own right…

Hold on to your hats… here are my summer 2019 recommendations.

The Words That Fly Between Us by Sarah Carroll

Recommended for Middle grade and above (or age 9+)…

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Here’s the synopsis:

A beautiful, powerful story about finding the strength and words to face your fears, from the author of The Girl in Between 

From the outside, it looks like Lucy has the perfect life. She has everything. Everything that money can buy.

But money can’t buy Lucy the words she needs to stand up to her bully of a father, the words to escape her suffocating family life, the words to become the person she wants to be.

Then Lucy finds an escape route. Every attic on her street is connected, and as she starts to explore the secret lives of her neighbours, Lucy realizes that she is not the only one to suffer in silence.

But can she find the strength to climb down and face her fears?

 

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The Words That Fly Between Us was published by Simon & Schuster in May and you can find where to buy it here (also your local indie will be able to get hold of it too if they don’t already have a copy.) It is also available on Kindle.

Paperback ISBN: 9781471160646

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Read it already?  Please feel free to let us know what you think by leaving a comment below.

Happy reading and I hope you have a fabulous summer!

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7+, 9+, Adventure, Children's Fiction, Fantasy, Magic, Middle Grade Fiction, Summer Reads

Summer Reads – Wish for a Witch

shelleyfallows

Books to be swept away with this summer…

There are SO MANY great books around at the moment and so I’d like to share a few that I think are particularly exciting.  I’m not going to plop them all together in one post but give each the opportunity to shine in it’s own right…

Hold on to your hats… here are my summer 2019 recommendations.

Wish for a Witch by Kaye Umansky

illustrated by Ashley King

Recommended for YoungReader/Middle Grade (7+) & above…

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Here’s the synopsis:

After her week living in Magenta Sharp’s magical tower, Elsie Pickles is back home and finding normal life a little dull. But when a magical gift leads her back to the Tower, Elsie knows mischief and marvellous magic are about to turn her life upside down again!

This time Magenta needs Elsie’s help to save her magic licence and deal with a grumpy genieon the loose! Will it all prove too much for Elsie and her friends? Even a witch needs a wish every once in a while!

A magical adventure from Kaye Umansky, the bestselling author of the spellbinding children’s classic Pongwiffy, brought to life with charming illustrations from rising star Ashley King!

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Another story from the life of Elsie Pickles, following on from the rather delightful Witch for a Week.

Wish for a Witch was published by Simon and Schuster and you can find where to buy it here (also your local indie will be able to get hold of it too if they don’t already have a copy.). It’s also available on Kindle.

ISBN: 9781471160936

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Read it already?  Please feel free to let us know what you think by leaving a comment below.

Happy reading and I hope you have a fabulous summer!

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9+, Adventure, Children's Fiction, Fantasy, Middle Grade Fiction, Summer Reads

Summer Reads – The Maker of Monsters

shelleyfallows

Books to be swept away with this summer…

There are SO MANY great books around at the moment and so I’d like to share a few that I think are particularly exciting.  I’m not going to plop them all together in one post but give each the opportunity to shine in it’s own right…

Hold on to your hats… here are my summer 2019 recommendations.

The Maker of Monsters by Lorraine Gregory

Recommended for Middle Grade (9+) & above…

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Here’s the synopsis:

Brat has always lived in the isolated castle on the island, taking care of the vicious creatures that his master creates, waiting in terror for the moment when they are ready to be put to use. But then the unthinkable happens. The monsters get out. Now Brat must overcome his fears, and venture into the world he has hidden from his whole life. For the fate of everyone rests on his shoulders alone. . .

A thrilling new standalone adventure from Lorraine Gregory.

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The Maker of Monsters was published in by Oxford University Press in May and you can find where to buy it here (also your local indie will be able to get hold of it too if they don’t already have a copy.). It’s also available on eBook.

ISBN: 978-0-19-276883-4

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Read it already?  Please feel free to let us know what you think by leaving a comment below.

Happy reading and I hope you have a fabulous summer!

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9+, Adventure, Children's Fiction, Magic, Middle Grade Fiction, Summer Reads, Witchcraft

Summer Reading – Starfell: Willow Moss and the Lost Day

shelleyfallows

Books to be swept away with this summer…

There are SO MANY great books around at the moment and so I’d like to share a few that I think are particularly exciting.  I’m not going to plop them all together in one post but give each the opportunity to shine in it’s own right…

Hold on to your hats… here are my summer 2019 recommendations.

Starfell by Dominique Valente

Willow Moss and the Lost Day

Recommended for Middle Grade (8+) & above…

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Here’s the synopsis:

The most spellbinding new children’s fantasy series of 2019, in a stunning hardback edition with beautiful black-and-white inside illustrations by Sarah Warburton. Perfect for fans of Cressida Cowell and Nevermoor.

Willow Moss, the youngest and least powerful sister in a family of witches, has a magical ability for finding lost things – like keys, or socks, or wooden teeth. Useful, but not exactly exciting . . .

Then the most powerful witch in the world of Starfell turns up at Willow’s door and asks for her help. A whole day – last Tuesday to be precise – has gone missing. Completely. And, without it, the whole universe could unravel.

Now Willow holds the fate of Starfell in her rather unremarkable hands . . . Can she save the day – by finding the lost one?

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Starfell  was published in hardback by HarperCollinsChildren’sBooks in May and you can find where to buy it here (also your local indie will be able to get hold of it too if they don’t already have a copy.). It’s also available on both eBook and Audiobook.

ISBN: 9780008308391

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Read it already?  Please feel free to let us know what you think by leaving a comment below.

Happy reading and I hope you have a fabulous summer!

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