A Christmas Delivery

Tomas and Lolli are very excited about Christmas- and so are all their dragons! When a tiny ice dragon bursts out of one of the spiky fruits on their dragon-fruit tree, it brings snow with it, transforming the garden into a winter wonderland. But, although fun at first, it soon becomes clear that the snow is going to stop them from delivering their presents on time. However, with a little help from the dragons, everything turns out just right in the end!

This absolutely delightful picture book is set in the wonderful world created by Andy Shepherd in her ‘The Boy Who Grew Dragons’ series. Magical and imaginative, ‘A Christmas Delivery’ is a real festive treat which everyone can enjoy!

The story captures all the excitement of the build up to Christmas as the dragons ‘help’ with the preparations and cause chaos! A wonderfully warm sense of family is captured as the siblings work together to get ready for Christmas with the focus very much on spreading joy rather than the presents which they might receive. They are determined to deliver their gifts to family and friends, sticking together and working as a team to achieve their goal…with a little help from their dragon-y friends! Children will love spotting Father Christmas flying through the sky, aided not by reindeer, but by a dragon!

Children are sure to be inspired to imagine their own dragons, describing them, drawing them and deciding on the skills and attributes which they might have. The language used in the story is lovely, making the book a joy to read aloud and each spread bursts with lively, engaging illustrations which are perfect for lingering over and spotting all the little details.

Sure to become a firm favourite all year long!

A Christmas Delivery

Andy Shepherd, illustrated by Sarah Warburton

Templar ISBN: 978-1835874264

The Incredible Pop-Up Frog and other wetland creatures

Beautifully presented and bursting with information, ‘The Incredible Pop-Up Frog and other wetland creatures’ is an absorbing read, with plenty of interactive elements to keep readers engaged.

A mixture of pop-ups, wheels, flaps to lift and tabs to pull allow readers to explore different wetland environments and the creatures which live there. Headings and side headings help readers to locate information which is presented in clearly written, well explained sections. This is one of those books which really has no upper age limit- there is plenty to fascinate everyone.

Teachers could take inspiration from the way food chains have been presented using a wheel which turns to show these links in five different locations, perhaps inspiring children to create their own in this way. Similarly, creating a fold out diagram like the one showing the life cycle of a frog is a far more appealing way of presenting this information than a simple drawing. There is plenty of information here which extends beyond the confines of the science curriculum, developing children’s knowledge and understanding in a very visual way.

As well as focusing in on different locations from around the world and allowing readers to compare and contrast these, the book offers information about the different depth zones- the surface, the middle and the bottom of watery locations. The final page encourages readers to try creating their own wetland environment, something which could be done at home or at school and offer the opportunity for children to work scientifically, carefully observing nature and enjoying the benefits such activities can bring.

The Incredible Pop-Up Frog and other wetland creatures

Ben Hoare, illustrated by Jasmine Floyd

Templar ISBN: 978-1800788718

Whoosh!

Having had the most wonderful dreams full of ice cream, Boy wakes and asks Grandad if they can have ice cream for breakfast. Ready to set off at last, they cycle for ages only to find that the ice cream van has sold out. Undeterred, they concoct a plan, create a flying bicycle and whoosh off to Ice-cream Mountain…

The latest book about Boy and Grandad, ‘Whoosh!’ is another joyful story from Sam Usher, celebrating creativity and imagination.

At the heart of these stories is the wonderfully warm relationship between Boy and Grandad as they share their adventures. A gentle sense of camaraderie and contentment permeates the whole story from their trip preparations to their return home. They even have the same taste in red and white stripey socks! Content in each others company, they start and end the day together, looking forward to more shared adventures.

Their adventure- setting off to find ice cream, creating their flying bike, flying to Ice-cream Mountain and avoiding a shower of sprinkles before returning triumphantly with a cargo of ice-cream to share- is a perfect blend of the real and the imagined. Children will enjoy studying the labelled diagrams shown on the endpapers and perhaps designing their own flying machine - or using their imagination to transform a bicycle into something else!

And then there’s the ice cream! What could be nicer than a tasty treat whilst reading, whether experimenting with different flavours and combinations or creating home made ice cream to share and enjoy!

The illustrations are so lovely- full of details- and lend themselves to repeated exploring, with opportunities for children to create their own stories as they enjoy them. Sure to become a firm favourite, ‘Whoosh!’ is a delightful read!

Whoosh!

Sam Usher

Templar ISBN: 978-1800786783

Publishing on the 11th September 2025

Mythical Tales

‘Mythical Tales’ is a wonderful collection of eighteen stories from across the world. Retold in a lively, accessible style, some of these are ancient tales of mythical beings or creatures and some are more modern, so called ‘national myths’, those invented to unite groups of people.

Each tale is beautifully illustrated, capturing a sense of the magic, mystery and excitement of each story and a short introduction from the author sets the scene. The collection feels as if each one has been chosen very carefully, to offer the reader a selection of different stories to those which are often told, making it an essential addition to any bookshelf.

‘The Story of Queen Libuse’, for example, retells a legend from the Czech Republic about a queen with magical powers, a national tale created to make people feel proud of their country. Part of the French epic, ‘The Song of Roland’, ‘Roland’s Breach’ is a story from medieval France, telling of the adventures of a brave knight whilst ‘Perun’s Stolen Cattle’ is a tale from Croatia about the on-going battle between Perun and Veles.

There are so many stories to enjoy in this delightful collection. Additional notes at the end of the book identify the sources used for each retelling, offering readers the possibility of further exploring these myths and seeing how the author has adapted them. It is a beautiful book for both home and school, where it might be used to enrich the curriculum.

Mythical Tales

Laura Sampson, illustrated by Lilla Bolecz

Templar Books ISBN: 978-1800788398

Published 25th September 2025

Come Back, Gosling

A little girl and a gosling are dear friends who love one another very much. Going to the library and sharing books is their favourite thing to do, but one week, they start a book which the little girl does not like and will not share. The book goes missing until one night, Gosling finds it and reads it…and leaves. Desperate to make things right, the little girl chases after him to make amends.

‘Come Back, Gosling’ is a lovely story, celebrating friendship, the love of books and the importance of honesty.

Through the power of books, the little girl discovers that Gosling will grow into a goose and learn to fly. Scared about this change, she refuses to share the information with her little friend, first by becoming upset and changing the subject, and then by hiding the book. This refusal to face change means that, not only does she hide something important from her friend, but she also fails to read to the end of the book and so does not fully understand what is going on. Once the truth is out, Gosling is able to follow his own path- but the friendship endures. Friends cannot always be together- the freedom to do your own thing and to thrive on your own is so important- and those friendships which have some space and respect of individual needs are often the strongest!

The illustrations simply glow with David Litchfield’s usual magic and warmth! The opening end papers show the little girl and Gosling making their way to the tree house with their books whilst the end ones show the same scene, but in the autumn, after Gosling’s return. There are so many details to notice and enjoy. Children will enjoy spotting other books by Anne and David amongst those in the library- ‘A Shelter for Sadness’, ‘The Boy, the Troll and the Chalk’- as well as other favourites such as ‘The Wind in the Willows’. Their love of sharing books is beautifully captured- a special time to be enjoyed and valued, something which, sadly, is so often not a part of children’s lives.

Inspired by the story, children may well enjoy learning more about the life cycle and habits of geese, perhaps sharing their information by creating a lift-the-flap book and start creating a little library of their own. Perfect for story times, this is a book to linger over!

Come Back, Gosling

Anne Booth, illustrated by David Litchfield

Templar ISBN: 978-1800783072

You can read my review of ‘A Shelter for Sadness’ here and ‘The Boy, the Troll and the Chalk’ here.

The Great Pollination Investigation

Bursting with curiosity, a little girl decides to investigate ‘something mysterious called pollination’. This quest takes her and her friends on an adventure of discovery!

Interactive and engaging, ‘The Great Pollination Investigation’ is a brilliant read. Produced in partnership with the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, it offers a detailed explanation of the process of pollination and its role in food production, using the appropriate scientific vocabulary.

Not only are the vibrant, bright illustrations really appealing, but flaps and pop-ups allow children to explore and engage with every page. Perfect for supporting the primary science curriculum, the book would appeal as much to older children as younger ones and has much to offer as it is bursting with facts and so beautifully presented.

Reading for pleasure should never be limited to fiction- books like this one have an essential role to play in engaging readers and allowing them to explore and ‘read’ in different ways. Ideas for how to create a pollination investigation and make a pollination wand are included at the end of the book. An excellent addition to any library, this is a gorgeous book.

The Great Pollination Investigation

Deborah Hocking

Templar, in partnership with the Royal Botanical Gardens, Kew

ISBN: 978-1800788138

Words Can Fly: Mindful and Uplifting Poetry for Children

‘Words Can Fly’ offers a cornucopia of poems full of wisdom, reassurance and compassion. The collection is perfect for dipping in and out of and revisiting, somewhere to return to words of comfort and inspiration.

A wide range of poetry is included here, enabling readers to find words which might reflect their own feelings, offering comfort, encouraging resilience and sprinkling ideas which seed self-worth and kindness. As the final poem states, poetry is ‘permission’, allowing the reader space and time to feel and be, to explore and find courage, perhaps inspiring them to express their own feelings in this way.

There are poems here which are perfect for parents, teachers and other adults in young peoples’ lives to reach for and share when needed. ‘Butter Side Down’ shares the idea that some days are just ‘butter side down’ days- days where things are just going wrong and it’s better to accept this and move on. Another poem which refocuses the reader on the positives in life is ‘Gratitude Goggles’, perfect for sharing on a day when the grumps take over! ‘Glad Out of Grumpy’ is another poem which encourages a change of mindset and mood, words of wisdom for a grey day.

There are poems about moving house, step families, going to ‘big’ school, using your imagination… but throughout the focus is on acknowledging emotions and finding the positives in life, offering words as an outlet.

Words Can Fly: Mindful and Uplifting Poetry for Children

Donna Ashworth, illustrated by Eirinn McGuinness

Templar ISBN: 978-1785307171

Yetis Don’t Exist!

When Iggy, the Yeti, hears the news that ‘Yetis Don’t Exist!’, he and his friends decide that they have to set off on a human search to prove that yetis are indeed real. But no matter how hard they look, there’s not a human to be found!

What a delightful romp of joy ‘Yetis Don’t Exist!’ is! It’s a wonderfully wintery read, full of fun and gathering giggles, and although not really a Christmas book, is sure to be quickly added to everyone’s favourite festive reads!

Illustrations and text work together perfectly with the pictures showing many details which the unobservant humans -or yetis- in the middle of the action completely miss, allowing those sharing the story to share the joke and explore the tales of other creatures which don’t exist…or do they?!

Showing new friends can be found anywhere and that there is magic in mystery, ‘Yetis Don’t Exist!’ is just the sort of brightly-coloured, fun-filled story which children- and their adults- love!

Yetis Don’t Exist!

Kate Thompson, illustrated by Loretta Schauer

Templar ISBN: 978-1800788237

The Circular Square

Square finds his edges and corners hard to deal with. They are always getting bashed and Square is quite miserable. However, he quickly realises that dwelling on his problems is not helpful and by making the best of things, he can be far happier. Every knock and tumble helps to make him a far more rounded individual.

‘The Circular Square’ is a wonderfully up-lifting and positive story which encourages readers to look for the positives in life even when things get tough. The lively rhyming text is accompanied by an appealing cast of shape characters who vividly bring the story to life.

Through focusing on the little things in life which make him happy in the moment and accepting that life is full of ups and downs, Square becomes a far happier individual, shaped by his experiences and the rewards of perseverance. The book is perfect for sharing in assemblies or as the basis for a PSHE lesson, and although targeted at a younger audience, carries a message which can be positively shared with older children too. The phrases describing the ‘little things that make him feel alive’ like ‘the sparkle of the sea’, ‘the gentle warmth of autumn sun’ or ‘the zing of homemade lemonade’ could easily be used to inspire the writing of precious things poems or lists. Further ideas for this are given at the end of the book where both the author and illustrator share a list of five things which make them happy - and offer a space for readers to do the same.

The story is brimming with a positivity which acknowledges that life is not perfect, but is definitely what you make it!

The Circular Square

Simon Philip, illustrated by Neil Clark

Templar ISBN: 978-1800785052

The Boy, the Troll and the Chalk

Everybody is so used to avoiding the bad-tempered troll which lives in the cave that they forget all about it. Everybody except for one boy who is determined to reach out and make friends. The boy collects his chalks and draws a flower, leaving one petal uncoloured. The following day, he returns and finds the petal coloured in- yet still the troll will not leave the cave. Day-by-day he returns, leaving his drawings incomplete for the troll to finish. At last, the troll leaves the cave and is revealed to be a boy who joins in with the other children.

Thoughtful and sensitive, ‘The Boy, the Chalk and the Troll’ is a real celebration of patience, kindness and hope. Isolated and struggling, the ‘troll’ is obviously struggling with difficult emotions, acting in a way which rebuffs friendship. However, the little boy’s persistent, non-threatening approach, using art and creativity to gain trust, gradually builds a relationship which is non-demanding and understanding. The story is perfect for developing empathy and encouraging acceptance, making it excellent for PSHE or an assembly as well as story time.

David Litchfield’s illustrations capture the heart and spirit of the story perfectly. Teachers - and family- may choose to use the book as a starting point for collaborative art work, perhaps developing a mural or a playground chalking project to encourage older and younger children to develop supportive relationships, perhaps encouraging them to explore and discuss their own emotions.

Gentle and reassuring, ‘The Boy, the Troll and the Chalk’ is a poignant, powerful tale.

The Boy, the Troll and the Chalk

Anne Booth and David Litchfield

Templar ISBN: 978-1800783058

You can read my review of ‘A Shelter for Sadness’ here.

NNFN2023: Great Minds

Presenting quite challenging material in a very readable, accessible format, ‘Great Minds’ offers a look at some of the greatest philosophers ever known. The introduction poses the question ‘What is philosophy for?’ - and concludes that it is a ‘tool to change the world’. The following chapters then tell the story of a philosopher, a group of philosophers or a collective philosophy, considering the time and place where they originated and what caused them to pose their questions and ponder their answers. The graphic style format works perfectly, framing the information in clear sections, making the text easy to navigate.

The book starts with Confucius, looking at his life and the development of his thinking. It raises the point that there are many sayings attributed to the man with no evidence of this being the case, pointing the reader in the direction of where to find the truth and highlighting other thinkers who have been influenced by his work. From this well-known name, the authors move to ‘the mysterious philosopher’, Zeno of Elea, details about whom might be sparce, but whose ideas ‘shook the world of philosophy’. The reader is introduced to his ‘paradoxes’ which are (once again) clearly explained. Philosophers from across the world are included- women and men- and readers are sure to return to this book again and again, dipping in and out as interest is piqued or honing in on a specific section to support learning in other areas.

As the book continues, each thinker is carefully introduced and their philosophy thoughtfully explained and explored. There is so much to learn here, so much to encourage questioning and reflection. The book clearly shows that philosophical ideas have developed across the world, throughout history and how these ideas can be key to change. The illustrations are bold, colourful and appealing; however, in places some of the background colours can make the text harder to read. That said, there is so much to recommend this to readers young and old!

Great Minds: 2500 Years of Thinkers and Philosophy

Joan Haig and Joan Lennon, illustrated by Andre Ducci

Templar ISBN: 978-1800783539

Also from this team is ‘Talking History’ which features the ‘stirring words’ of 16 speakers whose speeches have changed the world. From Jawaharlal Nehru to Helen Keller, Emmeline Pankhurst to Pearl Gibbs, the book is full of inspiring and passionate words and the impact that they had.

Talking History: 150 Years of Speakers and Speeches

Joan Haig and Joan Lennon, illustrated by Andre Ducci

Templar ISBN: 978-1787417328

Faruq and the Wiri Wiri

There was no better smell in the world than Ajee’s cook-up rice.

Faruq longs to be a chef when he grows up, but his family expect him to follow in his father’s footsteps and become a doctor. However, Mrs Joseph from next door offers to teach him to cook, starting with lime cookies ‘cause they easy peasy’. Every day, he slips through the fence and learns to cook, learning about new ingredients including the wiri wiri pepper and how to handle it carefully. When Ajee falls ill one day, Faruq decides to prepare lunch for his family. Cooking for his family fills Faruq’s heart with love and opens his family’s eyes to a different plan for his future.

This lovely story is a real celebration of family, food - and the importance of following your dreams. Faruq has a real passion for cooking and it is a joy to see him helping Ajee in the kitchen, preparing food for his family. His question, ‘Why can’t boys learn to cook?’ offers an excellent starting point for discussion about finding and developing passions and pursuits which follow interests regardless of pressure or influence to the contrary.

The story is rich in family love and a real celebration of Guyanese culture, even including a recipe for lime cookies- a treat which just begs to be baked and enjoyed and spreading Faruq’s joy in cooking! The illustrations are bright, colourful and engaging, showing the joys of cooking, eating and family life- all the ingredients needed to accompany this delicious story!

Faruq and the Wiri Wiri: A Celebration of family and food!

Sophia Payne, illustrated by Sandhya Prabhat

Templar ISBN: 978-1800782624

The Ever-Changing Earth

Kûn loves dinosaurs and imagines them living when the sky ‘boomed with the wild beat of Pterosaur wings’ where he lives now. As he feeds the birds, descendants of these mighty creatures, the world is a very different place to that of the past, changed over time by asteroid strikes and collisions…The book takes the reader on an incredible journey through the Earth’s evolution.

‘The Ever-Changing Earth’ follows on from Grahame Baker-Smith’s previous books, ‘The Rhythm of the Rain’ and ‘Wild is the Wind’ and is every bit as gorgeous. Stunning illustrations combine with lyrical text to produce a book to treasure.

Each of these books makes a connection between children across the world. ‘The Rhythm of the Rain’ started with Isaac playing in his favourite pool, the water he was playing in travelling to Cassi as much needed rain. ‘Wild is the Wind’ picks up Cassie’s story and the swifts which swoop and dive on the wind and cross continents, bringing joy to Kûn who knows summer will follow. This story opens with Kûn and connects him with Solveig who is floating in a lagoon heated by the fires of the Earth’s core. I hope her story will come soon!

Exploring the wonders of our ever changing planet, ‘The Ever-Changing Earth’ is another must have for any classroom, perfect for using as the focus of an English unit, Science lessons or art work.

The Ever-Changing Earth Grahame Baker-Smith

Templar ISBN: 978-1800782211

You can read my review of ‘The Rhythm of the Rain’ here and ‘Wild is the Wind’ here.

Blog Tour: No Sleep for Bear

I love Duncan Beedie’s books and so was delighted to be asked to take part in this blog tour for his new book, ‘No Sleep for Bear’.

Bear (star of The Bear Who Stared’) is back in another story! As Winter approaches, Bear is looking forward to a very long sleep. He makes a list and settles down…but the more he tries, the more awake he feels. Eventually, he meets Frog, who shows him how to relax and soon he is snoring contentedly!

A new book from Duncan Beedie is always a delight! ‘No Sleep for Bear’ is completely adorable and is sure to become a firm favourite as a bedtime story. Full of gentle humour, Bear learns the importance of relaxing and being calm before going to sleep, brilliant advice for little ones and adults alike when thinking about bedtime. All of Bear’s friends try to help him in his quest for a good night’s sleep- even when it takes them all winter to do so!

There are obvious links between the story and hibernation, animal habitats and well being, making this a lovely story to include in a topic box as well as on class and library shelves.

The illustrations are full of visual jokes and plenty of details to keep readers entertained on every reading. I love the little family of ladybirds- they need a book of their own!

Bear is so lovely that he would make the perfect subject for a Book Group session. Here is an idea for a simple awake/ asleep Bear glove puppet which could be made with children at home or school.

You need some thicker paper (sugar paper works well, but any can be used really), thin card for the wheel (teabag box card is good), felt pens, scissors and a split pin. Bear is brown, but white could easily be used and coloured/painted.

Using your hand as a guide for size, cut two matching ‘mit’ shaped pieces (see middle picture) for Bear’s face/body. Now you need to create a ‘wheel’ so that Bear can gradually close his eyes as he falls asleep. Draw round something circular, which is just slightly wider than the mit shape, on white card and then cut this out.

Decorate Bear, carefully cutting out eye holes. I forgot to add his distinctive eyebrows! Cut two smaller circles out the the same material you used for the body to be his ears.

Position the wheel carefully so that it is not too high up or the pieces of the puppet will not be able to be glued together. When you are happy with the position, use the split pin to attach the pieces and then cover the sharp ends with a piece of masking tape so that little fingers will not get caught on them. Then stick the front and back sections of the mit together across the top (making sure you are above the wheel) and on each side (beneath the wheel). The wheel will poke out of either side so it is easy to turn.

Now, you need to draw the eyes in so Bear falls asleep as the wheel is turned. I copied the four stages from the pictures in the book. It’s worth doing this in pencil first to make sure they fit as the different eyes need to be drawn quite close together so they can be seen without the other eyes appearing (this might not sound like it makes sense, but you’ll see!). The wheel will need to be turned a few times to loosen it so it moves freely and then Bear can fall asleep as you turn the wheel one way and then wake up again as you turn the wheel back. Finally, glue his ears into position.

Now enjoy making Bear fall asleep and wake up again. You could use the puppet whilst reading the story or for retelling your own version! Have fun!

No Sleep for Bear Duncan Beedie

Templar ISBN: 978-1787419865

Thanks very much to Duncan and the people at Templar for asking me to be part of the Blog Tour for this lovely book. Make sure you look at the other posts!

You can read my review of ‘Oof Makes an Ouch! here, Molly’s Moon Mission here and ‘The Last Chip’ here.

One Tiny Dot

Kindness is a tiny blue dot. Whilst making his way along the street, he catches a ride on a boy’s new trainers. The boy welcomes him and this act of kindness causes the little dot to grow. Together they continue, receiving and spreading acts of kindness along the way until the tiny blue dot is tiny no longer. When they meet an angry little girl who feels she has been left out of the fun, Kindness knows exactly what to do. Recognising the sadness masked by the fury, Kindness reaches out and welcomes the little girl to the party.

See the thing is with KINDNESS

-it spreads if you let it.

When kindness is nurtured, it grows. As Lucy Rowland’s joyful rhyming text bounces along, this message is celebrated, showing how each nice act inspires others to smile, say thank you or help in a whole variety of ways, showing kindness comes in all shapes and sizes. The story is perfect for generating conversations about how we act towards others and how we can all try to make every day a little better for those around us.

The story also shows how kindness is able to empathise with others. When faced with anger, it looks beyond this and sees the sadness behind, offering understanding and support until the angry feelings are gone. Kindness worked its magic again!

The illustrations are fabulous! Full of colour and energy, they are instantly appealing, making everyone want to participate in the fun- and share kindness. The images clearly support the inspiring message of the story, making it perfect for discussing with children both at home and in school.

A delightful book with an important and inspiring message.

One Tiny Dot Lucy Rowland, illustrated by Gwen Millward

Templar Books ISBN: 978-1787418868