Reviews
There are so many incredible books available at the moment that it is impossible to read them all, no matter how hard I try! Here are my thoughts about some of the books I have read and how I think they could be used in school as well as Q and A sessions with authors and illustrators.
One Cat, Two Cats
Bright and beautiful, ‘One Cat, Two Cats’ is quite simply brilliant! Bursting with gentle humour, children will love the simple rhyming text and the feline antics on every page.
The book is wonderfully interactive with lift-the-flaps and pop-ups galore encouraging children to count the cats along the way. Each feline is full of character and every reader- grown-ups included- is sure to have their favourite and track them through the book. Cat Number One is already called Peggotty in our house, named after one of our beloved cats whilst Number 7 is Ebenezer, not because of the colouring or shape, but because of his cheeky expression!
The story might lead to children drawing twenty cats of their own- or making simple finger puppets- giving each a collar bearing a number, which could then be used to help children sequence numbers to 20. The illustrations in the story lend themselves brilliantly to oral story telling, developing descriptive and positional language whilst talking about the pictures. There is so much to explore and enjoy with this book- and not just with little children as it could easily be used to inspire paper engineering projects with older ones!
Robust pages and quality production make this a book which can - and will be!- enjoyed again and again!
One Cat, Two Cats
Jonathan Emmett, illustrated by Rob Hodgson
Nosy Crow ISBN: 978-1805136125
Publishing 14th August 2025
You can read my review of ‘The Tyrannosaur’s Feathers’ here and ‘The Plesiosaur’s Neck’ here.
Rose Signs Good Morning!
It’s a lovely day and Rose sets about her usual morning routine, accompanied by her kitten, Casper. At each stage, she teaches Casper the new sign, allowing readers to join in and learn as well.
Bright and engaging, ‘Rose Signs Good Morning!’ is such a lovely book. Bold, colourful illustrations on each page show Rose as she gets ready in the morning- eating breakfast, brushing teeth, getting dressed- accompanied by an illustration showing how to sign that action using British Sign Language. A mirror on the final page is included, helping readers to see themselves and practise signing. The book offers a very accessible and enjoyable way of learning some frequently used signs, which can be easily expanded by the other books in the series.
In the signing queue for Rose at Hay Festival last week, I was able to ask some people who use signing every day what they thought of the book and how it was presented. Everyone felt that the signs were clearly presented and easy to follow, which led to discussions about the importance of books like this one, which raise the profile of sign language and encourage people to learn it.
Whether looking to introduce children to BSL, choosing an engaging story to enjoy or making sure children see themselves or those they know reflected in their reading, ‘Rose Signs Good Morning!’ and the other books in this series make an excellent addition to any bookshelf.
Rose Signs Good Morning!
Rose Ayling- Ellis
DK ISBN: 978-0241681862
Santa’s Journey/ Twelve Days of Kindness
This simple rhyming story follows Father Christmas as he makes his way across the skies to deliver his gifts on Christmas Eve. Each verse is accompanied by a lovely layered pop-up scene to enjoy and discuss.
The thick card pages are durable and offer protection to the more fragile scenes which pop-up from the page as the book is opened, giving depth to each picture and each of the five scenes is richly coloured.
Perfect for sharing and enjoying as a family, older children may well be tempted to have a go at creating their own pop-up scene or a card inspired by these pictures. Sure to become a festive favourite!
Santa’s Journey
Patricia Hegarty, illustrated by Wazza Pink
Little Tiger ISBN: 978-1838916534
Brightly coloured illustrations show a family spreading festive cheer as they perform twelve simple acts of kindness in the days before Christmas. Each spread has a simple sentence stating what they did on that day, with the picture setting the scene. It clearly shows how little things we can do for others can mean so much - and without the need for spending lots of money. This is all about spending time with others, helping out, being together and showing appreciation for the things which others do for us. Even the cat gets a treat!
A lovely treat to curl up and share!
Twelve Days of Kindness
Sophie Beer
Little Tiger ISBN: 978-1838916800
I Turtley Love You/Don’t Ever Smile at a Shark
Today, I’m reviewing two delightful books from Little Tiger which take little readers under the sea, both written by Harriet Evans, but illustrated by Bryony Clarkson (Turtle) and Michael Slack (Shark).
‘I Turtley Love You’ is a beautifully produced board book. Sturdy board pages and colourful illustrations are enhanced by both cut outs and raised sections, offering plenty of tactile interest for little fingers to enjoy. The gentle rhyming text focuses on the love between adult and child as different sea creatures are introduced.
As well as emphasising a feeling of love and being special, the illustrations and text could lead to conversations about these sea creatures and finding out more about them. Little ones who have seen ‘Finding Nemo’, for example, may make the connection between Marlin and Nemo and the clownfish in the story. The interactive element of the cut outs allows them to play peek-a-boo with the young clown fish by flipping the page back and forth. There are also plenty of details to spot, like the heart shapes made by the crabs claws. It is a delightful little book with much to recommend it!
I Turtley Love You: A sea-riously cute Book of love!
Harriet Evans, illustrated by Bryony Clarkson
Little Tiger ISBN: 9781838915681
Also under the sea, ‘Don’t Ever Smile at a Shark’ is a wonderfully interactive read! Clever paper engineering means the pop-ups move in different ways as an array of sea creatures leap off the page.
The rhyming text is fun to read aloud with plenty of opportunities for little ones to join in with the story, making noises and perhaps actions to suit. As with the previous story, this one might lead to further investigation about the creatures pictured here. Children are sure to enjoy manipulating the book to make the pages move - and older children (and some adults!) are sure to want to investigate how the movement is created. Sure to become a firm favourite!
Don’t Ever Smile at a Shark
Harriet Evans, illustrated by Michael Slack
Little Tiger ISBN: 978-1838915292
Kind Crocodile
When Crocodile leaves his pond, he finds himself called on for help by a series of animals fleeing danger. First comes a mouse, then a warthog, next an antelope and finally, a rhino. As each takes refuge on his back, Crocodile becomes overwhelmed and decides to teach them a lesson!
Simple text and gorgeous illustrations combine perfectly to convey this gently humorous tale about Kind Crocodile whose patience is tested to the limit. Each creature he saves rides proudly on his back, confident that the combination of crocodile’s sharp teeth and his fearsome ‘Grrrrr!’ will be enough to ward off danger. But none of them notice that Crocodile is flagging under their weight and when Rhino comes along, poor Crocodile is left flattened and speechless. Banding together, they see off the danger, boasting about their bravery and teamwork…until Crocodile decides enough is enough and gives them a good scare before they all make they way off together once more. The illustrations are just delightful and the text is both simple and satisfying enough to have little ones joining in!
The story offers plenty to chat about as children can empathise with how the characters are feeling- and how they make Crocodile feel. Children are sure to be tempted to draw Crocodile and his friends as well - and perhaps create stories about the adventures which they set off to share together! This is sure to become a firm favourite!
I would have loved to have been able to hear Leo Timmers speak at Oxford Literary Festival tomorrow as I love his artwork, but sadly, this is not possible! Perhaps next year…
Kind Crocodile Leo Timmers
Gecko Press ISBN: 978-1776574704
You can read my review of ‘Elephant Island’ here.
