Children’s Book Reviews – April 2022
Ad | Some of these books were gifted in return for a review (marked with a *) | All opinions are my own
It is that time again when me and the boys have a few books we have recently read and wanted to share our thoughts on with you. We have recently finished one of the longest books we have read so far, so haven’t had much to share for a while but it was a good one and we were hooked so was well worth it!
The Great Dream Robbery*
by Greg James & Chris Smith
The Blurb
A brand-new adventure beyond your wildest dreams, from the bestselling authors of KID NORMAL.
Unlike most 12 year-olds, Maya Clayton is desperate to go to bed early. Falling asleep is the only chance she has to save her dad – the brilliant but slightly odd Professor Dexter.
The Professor invented a device that allows you to visit other people’s dreams. But the devious Lilith Delamere has trapped him inside a nightmare and Maya and the mysterious Dream Bandits must find a way to rescue him before it’s too late!
Maya will face a dangerous journey and some difficult choices. But sometimes all you need is a dream . . . and a bit of courage.
Featuring a hospital heist, some banana-loving llamas and a talking cat called Bin Bag, this is one mind-bending adventure you won’t want to wake up from.
What I Thought
I have been reading this with Riley since the New Year and we have LOVED it! Fun, fantastical and laugh out loud – it has all a kid’s book needs to be a great bedtime adventure of a read.
Despite it being slightly longer than other books we have read previously, this one kept both of us interested and excited to read with a fab bunch of characters and a thrilling story line.
Highly recommend for those 8+ who will love this imagination fun-fest, as well as the parents reading with them!
Buy this book on my Amazon shop
A Picnic in the Rain*
by Corinne Delporte, illustrated by Célia Molinari Sebastià
The Blurb
Oh, no! Their picnic is ruined! Or is it?!
A rainy day in spring is the perfect time for the snail family to go out on a picnic. Carrying a basket of provisions and some toys, the snails set off under the most delightful downpour. But no sooner have they started that the clouds lift to make way for sparkling sunshine. Oh, no! Their picnic is ruined!
Fortunately, young Margaux finds a way to save the day and before long, the family is nibbling on lettuce and berries under the shelter of a lovely raspberry bush. The snails have found the perfect time to have a picnic after all!
What I Thought
A beautifully illustrated and sweet story about a family of snails who are excited for a rainy day so they can go on a picnic!
A cute twist on what we would expect to make a good day for a picnic and a sweet tale of how the family make it work, despite some unexpected hiccups!
Buy this book on my Amazon shop
Questions for Rebel Girls*
by Rebel Girls
The Blurb
Questions for Rebel Girls sparks lively discussions with more than 500 kid-friendly questions inspired by real rebel women from the best-selling Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls series.
Jane Goodall devoted her life to studying chimpanzees. If you dedicated your life to one type of animal, what would it be?
When cyclist Alfonsina Strada began racing, she was so unstoppable that newspapers nicknamed her “the devil in a dress.” What would your cycling nickname be?
Celia Cruz is the Queen of Salsa music. Beyoncé is a pop superstar. Roxanne Shante is an amazing rapper. And Joan Jett is all about rock and roll. If you could be a singing sensation, what type of music would you sing? If you could perform a duet with anyone in the world, who would you pick?
If you could meet any woman from any country and any time in history, who would it be? What would you ask her?
Would you rather ask questions or answer them? Luckily, with Questions for Rebel Girls, you can do both!
Girls love to explore their feelings, uncover their personality, and decode the world around them. One way to do that is to explore their answers to provocative questions about anything and everything. Questions for Rebel Girls introduces readers to extraordinary women throughout history and asks them to imagine themselves in similar scenarios. Designed to ignite exciting discussions between little rebels and their siblings, friends, and grown-ups, Questions for Rebel Girls is packed with more than 500 entertaining and thought-provoking questions—including some questions submitted by young fans of Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls.
What I Thought
I absolutely loved the fun, bright layout of this amazing book which contains over 500 thought provoking questions, plus quotes and information about some of the most amazing and inspirational women.
It would be a great conversation starter at the dinner table – and the questions in this way would be relevant to both boys and girls.
I love the premise of the book and feel while girls could happily enjoy this independently, it really is a good one for parents to share with their children too. I will be purchasing this for many girl’s birthday gifts I am sure!
Buy this book on my Amazon shop
The Same but Different*
by Molly Potter and Sarah Jennings
The Blurb
From the bestselling author of How Are You Feeling Today? comes a picture book to encourage children to celebrate uniqueness and diversity and help them to challenge stereotypes.
The Same but Different explores the ways in which we’re all unique as well as the similarities we share. Using everyday examples, clear explanations and colourful illustrations by Sarah Jennings, this book prompts children to broaden their perspectives and rejoice in their differences. After all, imagine how boring the world would be if everyone was exactly the same!
Exploring all the ways we’re different, including how we look, where we live, the languages we speak, what our families are like and what we believe in, The Same but Different is the perfect book for starting important conversations with children about diversity and inclusion. Early Years and PSHE expert Molly Potter also provides a glossary of terms and notes for parents and carers offering advice on tackling prejudice right from the start.
What I Thought
I really loved the illustrations in this cute book all about how we can be the same and different. Most children will go through a stage of feeling different and worrying about it, and this book is the perfect companion to a conversation about these feelings.
Riley went through a stage a couple of years ago where he felt that people wouldn’t like him because of his curly hair. It broke my heart because I love his curls – but this book would have been perfect to help him understand how we are all different in so many different ways and these differences should be celebrated and respected.
The book explores a wide range of differences including physical differences, personality traits, languages, talents and more. It also celebrates how we can be different but also the same which is lovely. Perfectly written for kids to enjoy indecently as well as with a grown-up, with fab illustrations.
Buy this book on my Amazon shop
LEGO Life Hacks*
by Julia March
The Blurb
Get ready to hack your life, LEGO style!
This book is bursting with more than 50 smart ideas to streamline your life and accessorise your space. You’ll find stationery hacks help you organise your desk, cool ideas to make the most of your tech, and gadgets to blitz your boring chores. From a speaker that amplifies your phone, a weekly planner made of LEGO bricks, and a catapult that flings paper into the wastepaper basket, these ideas will make your LEGO bricks work for you. Discover ways to personalise your living space, from photo frames to brick-built houseplants, plus smart ways to display your favourite LEGO builds and minifigures. These creative ideas will inspire you to use your LEGO bricks in awesome new ways.
With amazing images, easy to follow step-by-step instructions and handy tips for further building, this book will take your building to the next level.
©2021 The LEGO Group.
What I Thought
With two huge Lego fans in the house, this book went down a storm!
We loved the different hacks it gave us ideas for – from mobile phone and card stands to keyrings, bin hoops and fidget cubes, the boys have loved getting creative with this book! The photos and directions were very bright, clear and easy to follow.
Perfect for those Lego fans who need an injection of creativity when they are at a loose end and struggling for ideas!
Buy this book on my Amazon shop
Hope you have enjoyed this little collection of great reads for kids – The Great Dream Robbery really was the runaway hit but we have enjoyed them all! Please let us know if you read any of these books and what you think in the comments below! Take care for now,
The Spoonie Mummy 