My son told me about this incredible book they’d shared at school and I wanted to read it too but couldn’t find it on Libby or Borrow Box. The book was Kensuke’s Kingdom by Michael Murpurgo.
Instead, I found another book by the same author, and as a fan of unicorns I decided to give it a listen. This book is the one I am reviewing today.
It’s a beautiful children’s story about how the children in the town discover stories at the library. The librarian shares many stories with the children but also a personal one about how she got the unicorn and of the book burnings.
I loved the story and would recommend it to others to share with children. However, be aware that there is a fire, and if that’s a topic your child is triggered by, then this might not be for them.
Here are the books we are reading over the winter holidays.
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Empire of the Vampire by Jay Kristoff
This book was gifted to me by my cousin. My personal goal is to read it in December, but it’s a big book and I’m a slow reader.
The book is really special as it has art work every couple of pages.
This book makes me fantasy about a life where I could read all day. It’s the sort of book you are sad to put down. It reminds me of interview of a vampire, except it’s the vampire interviewing a vampire Hunter to record his tales before ultimately dying (I’m guessing the end).
Snuggled on the sofa with my book ?
Julia & the Shark by Kiran Millwood Hargrave
I saw how incredible this book looked on Instagram, and decided to buy it for my son’s Christmas Eve box. I like to give them PJs and a new book the night before Christmas so they are excited to go to bed. ?
The book is extra special as it is signed by the author. The book’s edges are decorated with crows, and their is art work and velum pages inside.
The first chapter was sad as the child’s mother has died. However, my son was fascinated about the idea of someone living in a lighthouse and is excited to get to the “shark” bit. I actually don’t know if there is any sharks in the story but we’ll read & find out.
Roald Dahl Collection
As a child I loved Roald Dahl. My son borrowed George’s Marvellous Medicine from schools for we were really enjoying it, but ran out of tile before it had to be swapped.
So, I bought this set for him for Christmas so we could relive mummy’s childhood reading together. This pack of six cost £14.99 from Scholastic.
Christmas Day he started The Twits and read three chapters together. He enjoyed it so much that he’s continued reading more on his own. This is great, as books are competing with computer games, and he is a gamer.
The Girl & The Dinosaur by Hollie Hughes
I chose this book because my daughter has red hair and is into dinosaurs at the moment.
The story is about a little girl that digs up dinosaur bones at the beach. The beach looks a lot like Felixstowe – awesome. She then wishes that the dinosaur would come to life. Then, with magic, the dinosaur comes to life and they go on an adventure.
I love stories about imagination. I think imagination is underrated but without it many cool things would never have been created.
Tilda Tries Again by Tom Percival
This was a gift from my family to my daughter. My son already has Perfectly Norman. It’s part of Big Bright Feelings series.
The story is about a little girl (with red hair) that feels her world has turned upside down and doesn’t want to play with the other children. She then stops trying at everything. Then she watches a upside down ladybug right itself, and it inspires her to start trying again. Finally she is confident enough to try playing with the other children.
It was a nice read with a good message . My daughter is crazy confident but I was a very shy little girl. This book would have been amazing for me, and if my daughter ever loses her confidence, it’s nice we have this book on her shelf.
Book Token
Getting a book token is an incredible gift.
National Book Token: My kids were fortunate enough to get a book token for Christmas so we are planning an outing to a local bookshop so they can choose their own book. Book Tokens can also be spent online at Bookshop.org.
Amazon Voucher: My online book friends clubbed together and treated me for my birthday. I waited until after Christmas to spend it incase I got books as gifts. Now, I get to spend it. ?
Smashwords: Smashwords sell eBooks that can be read on any device or app, and are saved in the readers library. They have the option to gift eBooks which is a cool option to consider. Just pick the book you want and choose to gift, and the book will be sent to your recipient.
The cold weather is a perfect excuse to curl up with a new book. I hope you are reading something you love, and I’d love to hear what it is.
This June the latest World Indie Warriors Brochure was released.
Indie Books
The brochure is packed full of indie books, their blurbs, where to buy and how to connect with the authors. But, thats not all…
Indie Services
There is a directory of service providers. These are small indie business offering services that support the indie community. It’s a great resource to discover cover designers, book formatters, editors, coaches and marketing.
Indie Products
The brochure also showcases indie businesses that make and sell their own products. This enables you to discover unique and custom items that can’t be bought in mainstream shops.
Articles
The brochure is full of useful information from start to finish. There are tips for readers and an interview with a book blogger. There is an interview with the author who won a book cover contest. And you can discover what World Indie Warriors is all about.
It’s FREE to download
If you’ve read this far, you probably want to know how to get your hands on it.
The brochure is to showcase World Indie Warrior members. To join you just need to follow them on Facebook or Instagram – they are working on a forum.
They do lots of different activities to support the indie community. For example, this month, they are doing CampNaNo on Instagram and have a goal tracker on Facebook. Being part of a team is a great way to stay motivated towards achieving whatever creative goal you set.
If you check their blog you’ll find details on how to get your content included in the next edition.
This review is of an ARC copy of Mermaid School by Lucy Courtenay from Net Galley. My review has not been influenced and is my honest thoughts.
For starters, I know I am not the target audience for this book but here are two truths about me:
I love mermaids.
I love books for kids.
This is an early chapter book and doesn’t take long to read. The text is broken up with sketches of what is going on in the story.
Beginning
The main character is Marnie. She is feeling nervous about her first day at school. Marnie tries to hide who she is to fit in.
Certain teachers assume Marnie will be trouble due to her wild aunt Christabel’s reputation . Her aunt is also a radio celebrity which earns Marnie cool points with some students.
By the end of day one, Marnie has succeeded in making her first friend, Pearl, and her first enemy, Orla.
Middle
Marnie’s mum and aunt give her advice on handling Orla. Somehow their advice gets Marnie into trouble. Now Marnie has to muck out the seahorse stables.
Orla’s bad attitude is not making her popular with any of the other mermaids either. During an outburst, Orla reveals what her problem with Marnie is. Orla’s sister is missing in a dangerous storm and wouldn’t have been working there if Christabel had played the demo tape as promised.
Marnie decides she wants to help Orla. She goes to the studio with Pearl to look for the demo tape but can’t find it.
End
Things get worse. Orla’s sister is found – yay – but, now Orla is missing. Marnie has an idea, and together with Pearl they rescue Orla.
Marnie realises where the missing demo tape is. She finds it. Christabel plays it and offers Orla’s sister a job.
There’s also an extra chapter that reveals a final secret. Shh!
Thoughts
There are lots of fishy puns that reminded me of a YA novel I read called Forgive My Fins. The puns worked better in this MG book due to the age of the characters.
The story gently deals with issues like fitting in, bullying, friendship and being kind. The fantasy setting is brilliant. A lot of thought has gone into the sort of classes a mermaid would have and the way their world operates.
It’s a sweet story and will likely appeal to young girls looking to read their first chapter books.
