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Happy National Read A Book Day! To celebrate, I have bought you a round up of the latest children’s books we have tried and tested for you, so you know what we’d recommend for your next bedtime story!

Read more: Children’s Book Reviews – September 2023

Which Way Round the Galaxy*

by Cressida Cowell

The Blurb

Hold on tight for the sequel to this out-of-this-world new series from former Waterstones Children’s Laureate and No.1 bestselling author of How to Train Your Dragon.

WARNING: Contains Dangerous Space Travel and Very Illegal Magic

A family with a Magical secret …
A child with a powerful Gift …
A story that is out of this world …

A tiny and helpless Magical Creature lost far from home leads the four O’Hero-Smith children on another adventure through the Which Ways and across the galaxies; their plan is to get ‘Bug’ back to the ice-encrusted planet where he belongs, and to prove to their parents that they can be trusted with forbidden Magic along the way!

But by setting off on this secret mission, they’re heading straight into danger. Not to mention they’ve accidentally left Annipeck on her own. Again. Can the kids get Bug home safely, escape venomous snowsnakes, a witch’s curse and a gang of fighter robots to find their way back through the WHICH WAYS to protect her?

They’re going to need more than K2’s Magical Gift to help them this time. It’s a good job another of the O’Hero-Smith children might have a magical Gift of their own – because the fate of the galaxy is once again in their hands …

What I Thought

At first I hadn’t realized this was a sequel, but while there are references to the first book, you do not need to have read it to enjoy this one.

When we were a few chapters in, after the second night of reading, I actually gave Riley the option of choosing a different book but he said no and wanted t continue…and thank goodness we did!

While I struggled with the first few chapters, finding the language flowery and a struggle to read, it soon became a story we couldn’t wait to read each night.

The characters are fun, different and well written. The adventure was captivating, especially to my youngest, space-mad boy! The worlds were bought to life by Cowell and the book was well paced.

We were big fans of the How To Train Your Dragon series and so had high hopes for this one – and while I had my doubts at first, it really didn’t disappoint. I do hope the series continues and we will certainly read it if it does. In the mean time, we will have to catch up on the first book in this series!

Buy ‘Which Way Round The Galaxy’ (I have also tagged the first ook in the series for those who want to read them in order)

The Boss of Everyone*

by Danny Wallace

The Blurb

Imagine if you got to be the boss of EVERYONE—even your dad!That’s just what happens to 10-year-old Joss in this hilarious, brand-new comedy from bestselling author, comedian and presenter Danny Wallace, with illustrations throughout from Gemma Correll. 
Perfect for children aged 8+ and fans of David Baddiel, Stephen Mangan, David Walliams, Andy Griffiths, Jenny Pearson and Helen Rutter.

Ten-year-old Joss’s greatest ambition is to be Class Monitor at school. But she’s about to go one step further. It’s Take Your Kid to Work Day, and Joss’s dad takes her to the games company he works for. When the boss calls a meeting and tells them he’s giving his job away to the person with the best idea for a company game-changer . . . Joss sticks her hand up. And the next thing she knows, Joss is the boss. Joss is thrilled. Dad is horrified: he’s going to have to be on his best behaviour all the time! As Joss whips everyone into shape, maybe they can all learn a lesson or two . . . even Joss herself.

Warm-hearted and beautifully observed, with hilarious artwork from Gemma Correll, this family-centric comedy has massive wish-fulfilment appeal for kids and adults alike.

What We Thought

We have previously read and enjoyed The Day The Screens Went Blank by the same author and the boys have read the Hamish series by him as well.

This book was once again, full of fun and me and Riley enjoyed the read, laughing lots. Joss appears confident and a bit of a know it all – but underneath we learn she is actually quite nervous about her imminent move to high school and the changes that will bring, as well as her not being able to let loose and enjoy being a kid!

The opportunity to run a company for a week is one I think most kids would jump at, and while nervous at first, Joss’s ideas are entertaining and GOOD – reminding everyone that a bit of fun is needed by us all.

We loved it and would definitely recommend – plenty of laughs and some sweet little life lessons in there as well, both for the kids and adults reading!

Buy ‘The Boss of Everyone!’

Felix the Fox and his Fiery Temper*

by Lindsey Coker Harris

The Blurb

Discover a fun and constructive story that empowers your child to manage their emotions and deal with feelings of anger.

Felix the Fox is a fun and cheerful boy with a fearsome temper! He often lets his frustration boil over and get the better of him. But one day, he decides to stop lashing out and start learning how to let go of his wild emotions.

Featuring an adorable and educational story with lovely illustrations that leap from every page, this thoughtful children’s picture book seeks to help young kids ages 2-8 learn to recognize their anger, manage big emotions constructively, and communicate the feelings that are simmering inside them.

Readers will love joining Felix the Fox as he discovers the destructive consequences of letting his anger run wild, along with how he learns to cool down his temper tantrums with helpful breathing exercises and fun mental techniques.

What I Thought

A sweet story about emotions that is perfect for young children.

Felix often gets angry when he has to do something he doesn’t want to do or when he is interrupted – and this results in a lot of damaged things! Felix needs to learn a new way of dealing with things when he feels angry.

The book is a lovely story and will help parent’s have conversations with their children about identifying and dealing with their emotions.

Buy ‘Felix The Fox and His Fiery Temper’

The Diabetic Dinosaur

by Harry Edmanson

The Blurb

Tommy is a happy young dinosaur with not a care in the world. One day he begins to feel unwell, so his friend, Pterry, takes him to see the Witch Doctor.

The Witch Doctor discovers that Tommy has Type 1 Diabetes and shows him how to test his blood sugar levels, take insulin and what to do when his blood sugars go too low. With the Witch Doctor’s help Tommy is able to go on to lead a normal and healthy life, while still having fun with his friends.

Filled with colourful illustrations, this book aims to demystify diabetes and help children to come to terms with a life-changing illness.

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A Note From the Publisher

Harry Edmanson grew up in the South West of England, where he explored the countryside and made up adventures with his brother. At the age of thirteen, Harry was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes. It was a scary and confusing time, but he vowed that he would take control of the Diabetes instead of letting it control his life.

What I Thought

Growing up with a chronic illness, I understand the difficulties in learning about your own diagnoses, as well as educating your peers.

This colourful book does a great job of introducing and explaining Type 1 diabetes. It will be really useful as an introduction to young children who have been diagnosed, as well as being used in classrooms or with siblings to help them understand what their peer is living with.

Highly recommend for anyone with a newly diagnosed child, or whose child knows someone who has Type 1.

Buy ‘The Diabetic Dinosaur’

You Can Do Anything, Tyrone!

by Sir Lenny Henry

The Blurb

You Can Do Anything, Tyrone! is a fantastic fun tale of imagination and adventure from the award-winning comedian and actor Sir Lenny Henry.

Tyrone is going to build a brilliant rocket ship out of building blocks and go on an adventure to the moon! There’s just one problem . . . the blocks won’t work, and Tyrone quickly loses his temper. Luckily, Grandad Cleveland is on hand to show him that with self belief, a bit of determination and a lot of imagination, there’s nothing Tyrone can’t do. In fact, why stop at the moon when there’s the rest of the world and a whole universe to explore!

A highly entertaining rhyming story full of love, family and fun – brilliantly brought to life by illustrator Salomey Doku.

What I Thought

If you have followed my book reviews for a while you will know I love a rhyming story and this is a good one, accompanied by beautiful illustrations.

I loved it, such a sweet story with lots of great underlying messages about believing in yourself, the power of imagination, , resilience, creative problem solving, perseverance and working together.

Definitely one I will purchase a copy of for my year 1 classroom and one I highly recommend!

Buy ‘You Can Do Anything, Tyrone’

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It has definitely been a good month for reading children’s books this month and we hope you enjoy our recommendations! Please let me know in the comments which one you think you are going to try first and if you have any great recommendations for us this month!

Happy reading,