Moon River: There’s Such a Lot of World To See illustrated by Tim Hopgood

Based on the song by Johnny Mercer and Henry Mancini

Follow a little girl on a magical journey along the Moon River. It flows from her bedroom and out into the big wide world just waiting to be discovered. She’s soon to be joined by other children who are all excited to be exploring the beautiful world together. There is such a lot of world to see!

Moon River is a song composed by Henry Mancini with Lyrics by Johnny Mercer. It recieved an Academy Award for Best Original Song for its performance by Audrey Hepburn in the iconic movie Breakfast at Tiffany’s (1961)

This is a stunningly illustrated picture book inspired by the words of the classic song Moon River. As with all picture books the illustrations bring so much more to the story as we see a young girl’s dreams take her on a journey aboard her trusty rocking horse with Ted as her companion. Together they explore the world looking for the ‘same rainbow’s end…waiting round the bend’. Their journey is gentle and Tim has created beautiful, soft illustrations that are perfect to explore together as you unwind ready for a dream-filled sleep and your own adventures. There is also an accompanying CD which is perfect for those of us who still have a CD player at both home or in the car. Brilliant to avoid having to use yet another App or download. The CD has the original song sung by Andy Williams (rather lovely to put on after you’ve shared the story) and a audible version of the story with page-turn prompts (I find this can be useful as your children begin to explore books alone or again if you’re travelling in the car).

Overall a beautifully illustrated picture book that is perfect for sharing with little ones at bedtime and could well become an often returned to classic in itself.

Moon River by Tim Hopgood is available in hardback and paperback and should be available from all good book shops. For more information visit the Oxford University Press Website here.

You can follow Oxford University Press Kids on Twitter at @OUPChildrens

To find out more about illustrator Tim Hopgood and his fantastic selection of children’s books, please visit his website here.

You can also follow Tim on Twitter at @TimHopgood

Paperback ISBN: 9780192746405

Hardback ISBN: 9780192746399

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Summer Reads – Lula and the Sea Monster

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.

Lula and the Sea Monster by Alex Latimer

Recommended for Young Book Lovers aged 2 & above…

 

Here’s the synopsis:

A moving story of nurturing friendship and standing up for others.

Lula loves living by the beach. But soon, her family must leave their home to make way for a new highway. Counting down the days to her move, Lula walks along the beach to find keepsakes and discovers something much more valuable than a souvenir. Lula makes friends with a small sea monster that she names Bean. Each day Lula returns to the beach to feed him. And each day Bean grows bigger and bigger. But what will happen to Lula’s new friend once she moves away?

From popular children’s book author-illustrator Alex Latimer comes this delightfully odd story of friendship and bravery.

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This is an absolutely gorgeous picture book about standing up for what you believe in and the people you care for. It also looks at caring and protecting our natural environment and the animals and creatures that live in it.

Lula and the Sea Monster was published by Oxford university Press 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.). 

Paperback ISBN: 9780192759528

Oxford Owl is a great website where you can access fun activities, free eBooks and essential tips to encourage a love of reading.  Visit here for more details.

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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!

Summer Reads – The House of Light

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 House of Light by Julia Green

Recommended for Middle Grade (9+) & above…

 

Here’s the synopsis:

Its always just been Bonnie and Granda, living off the land, keeping to themselves and out of trouble.  Until one day, Bonnie goes scavenging on the beach and finds a battered rowing boat, and a bare-footed boy.  He’s cold, hungry, and in need of shelter.  Bonnie knows it’s a crime to help this stranger boy, but she can’t leave him for the border guards to find.

The longer she cares for the boy, who has travelled across oceans for anew beginning, the more Bonnie longs for her own freedom.  Perhaps it’s time toe scape the life she has always known, to move out of the darkness, and set sail for the house of light…

 

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The House of Light was published in by Oxford University Press in June and you can f buy it here (also your local indie will be able to get hold of it too if they don’t already have a copy.). 

ISBN: 9780192771568

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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!

Summer Reading – What’s That in Dog Years?

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.

What’s That in Dog Years? by Ben Davis

illustrated by Julia Christians

Recommended for Middle Grade (9+) & above…

 

Here’s the synopsis:

Gizmo has been my best friend since the day I was born – he’s always been around. But now they’re telling me he might not always be around which completely sucks.

I’m determined that me and Gizmo will have lots more fun and adventures before he goes – I mean, he loves parties, deserves pampering, and needs a break by the seaside. And as for that old saying about how you can’t teach an old dog new tricks – it’s true, you really can’t!

Gizmo’s bucket list is up and running – unlike Gizmo who is totally lazy and demanding to be carried . . .

All the laugh-out-loud humour you’d expect from a Ben Davis book but with added heart and poignancy . . . and a four-legged character you’ll fall in love with!

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When I was growing up my best friend was our family dog.  Her name was Sadie and I just adored her.  She was a black mongrel who we adopted from the RSPCA.  She was gorgeous and always treated me with love and kindness.  It’s always hard when it’s time to say goodbye but I still think of her to this very day.  This book is on my reading pile and I can’t wait to read it…psst. the illustrations are rather super too.

What’s That in Dog Years was published by Oxford University Press in July 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 and Audiobook.

ISBN: 9780192749215

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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!

Summer Reads – The Maker of Monsters

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…

 

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!

There’s A Spider in My Soup by Megan Brewis

Little Spider loves to go swinging from her web!

Wheeeeee!!!

But one day, she swings too far and – SPLOOSH – lands herself in a big soup-bowl of trouble.

Poor Little Spider.  

Will she ever be brave enough to go swinging from her web again?

I’ve always been a little scared (understatement) of spiders but meeting this little spider family has made me a little more comfortable with them.  Little Spider is full of adventure and longs to swing from the web but mum and dad spider knew how dangerous swinging could be.  One day whilst they are sleeping Little Spider decides to venture out for a little swing and soon ends up in hot water… or should I say soup.

This is a delightful, beautifully illustrated picture book that will teach young book lovers how to be brave… and that spiders are actually rather friendly and lovely. 🙂

There’s A Spider In My Soup is published by Oxford University Press.

About the author

Megan Brewis

Find out more about Megan by visiting her website here.

Meet The Penguins by Mike Brownlow

Meet the penguins! They really want to make some new friends.

But does anyone want to play?

When two penguins arrive from a faraway place and want to make friends, the other animals do not want to play with them. If only they would give the penguins a chance, they might discover how wonderful they really are!

A funny story about welcoming others – brilliantly written and illustrated by best-selling author of Ten Little Superheroes, Mike Brownlow.

These little penguins are SO ADORABLE!  and yet it would seem that no-one wants to play with them.  Everyone they meet is rather unwelcoming and are either too busy, too concerned about mess, think they won’t understand or simply don’t even see them.  As the story progresses our little penguins become more and more downhearted.  Will there ever find someone to play with?

The illustrations are beautiful, bold and colourful. They are delightfully funny (I especially love the giraffe!) and there is much to discuss on each page.  The story also raises plenty of questions to ask of our young readers and reminds us (even us adults) that saying yes and making time for others can lead to lots of fun with new and old friends.  It’s a great story to share and also to help children begin to look at word formation and recognition with repetition and just a small amount of text on each page.

Meet The Penguins has been published by Oxford University Press and is now available from all good bookshops.

You can follow Oxford University Press on Twitter at @OUPChildrens

About the author

Mike Brownlow

Now I first discovered Mike through one of his first books Little Robots which went on to become an animated show on CBeebies, with the voice talents of Lenry Henry, Sue Perkins, Mel Giedroyc,  Martin Clunes, Emma Chambers and Su Pollard.  You can read more about this on Mike’s website here.  My son and I absolutely loved watching these funny little robots.

He has written many books to share with young book lovers and contributed Ten Little Bookworms to the selection of World Book Titles on offer this year. He understands how important it to learn to read and his books help us to instil a love of books from a very early age. ‘Everything changes when we learn to read. We learn empathy, gain knowledge and nourish the imagination. It’s how minds connect and people understand each other. We need literate citizens more than ever.’ – Mike Brownlow

Find out more about Mike Brownlow by visiting his website here.

You can follows him on Twitter at @mikebrownlow1