Featured children’s book – Page 7 – Bookmonitor

The Princess and the Castle by Caroline Binch

All Genevieve wanted was for her Dad, who she imagined to be a king in a castle, to be waiting for her as the princess. So, she wouldn’t go to the beach with friends, ” Princesses don’t like beaches” she would say.

In fact she was afraid to go near the water, as her father was lost at sea.

This is a beautiful book, the illustrations are breath-taking and the story of restoration to friendship for a small child is perfect.

The Princess and the Castle is written and illustrated by Caroline Binch and is republished as a launch title for Otter-Barry Books. Caroline is the illustrator of Amazing Grace and won the Smarties Prize for illustrating Hue Boy.

Otter-Barry Books is an exciting new children’s imprint aiming to make a difference,push boundaries and publish books that children will love.

The Princess and the Castle is one of my favourite books and is definitely for reading alone or together at home or in school or the library.

Sue Martin Dolphin BookSellers and Books Go Walkabout

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Immi by Karin Littlewood

A classic picture book, Immi, about friendship across cultures, reissued by popular demand and an Otter-Barry launch title for Spring 2016.

It is written and illustrated by Karin Littlewood in a beautiful style of painting, which create a real atmosphere on the pages. Karin has illustrated over 40 childrens books and her work has been nominated three times for the Kate Greenaway Medal.

Immi lives in a land of ice and snow and one day when she is fishing she finds a wooden bird at the end of her fishing line. Every day after that, she discovers something new, until her igloo is the brightest in the land.

But where are these mysterious gifts coming from and who is sending them? One day she drops her small white bear pendant into the hole in the ice. Where does it go? It finds a home in a distant land.

‘This is a book that will be with you forever, we recommend it for all ages of children and adults’.

Sue Martin Dolphin BookSellers and Books Go Walkabout

Books and authors around the world…together

Kangaroo Kisses
by Nandana Dev Sen
from Otter-Barry Books

Kangaroo Kisses cover image: — Buy this title from Amazon.co.uk here…

Kangaroo Kisses by Nandana Dev Sen and illustrated by Pippa Curnick is an opening title for Otter-Barry Books, an exciting new imprint, being launched on June 8th in London.

Kangaroo Kisses is beautifully produced in hard back by Otter-Barry Books. It is a a book of adventures for bedtime as the toys become real wild animals.

‘I’m learning to fly with the geese in the sky!’ and the illustrations are engaging and fun for young children. From hippos to bears and at the end to Kangaroo… who is god with the kisses to send you to sleep.

Great for young children, a debut children’s book for Nandana Dev Sen who is an award winning actor writer and child-rights activist. Visit her website to see her amazing work. I was inwardly most impressed by Princess Jasmine in Disneyland!

Pippa Curnick is a freelance designer and illustrator, and winner of the Seven Stories Illustration Competition, 2013.

Looking forward to being at the launch of Otter-Barry Books, a great start and future ahead.

Sue Martin Books Go Walkabout Dolphin BookSellers

@booksgowalk

The Big Book of Mr Badger by Leigh Hobbs

Mr Badger is always on hand to cope with many surprises at the Boubles Grand Hotel.

My favourite story is Mr Badger and the Missing Ape. Algernon is usually kept stuffed in a glass case in the lobby. But Lady Celia’s granddaughter is not happy with this gorilla and wants it sent away. As she usually gets just whatever she wants the alarming disappearance one morning gives Mr Badger quite a task, but solve it, he does.

There are four stories in the one book, which is full of brilliant sketches and the characters really come to life.

Mr Badger is written by Leigh Hobbs, who has an amazing talent for writing and for illustrating too. He has a great website for a whole range of his books.

This year he has been appointed as the Australian Children’s Laureate and there are whole host of great activities for children all over the world as well as Australia.

Mr Badger is published by Allen and Unwin, Australia and can be purchased here in the UK.

A great book and we recommend for children 7+, especially for those who still get a lot from the images through each chapter.

Sue Martin Books Go Walkabout and Dolphin Book Blog

Ultimate Mapping Guide for Kids

Who needs Google Maps when you can read and learn from the Ultimate Mapping Guide for Kids?

Justin Miles is the author of this extremely inviting mapping guide, published by QED Publishing released on May 20th 2016.

Being so new you may not see it in the bookshops yet, but I can be absolutely certain that when you buy on-line, this book will be used straight away.

It is packed with information from, creating your own map of your room, to a world wide guide on orienteering and navigation. There is a section on using the stars and another on using GPS to find your way.

Try out the new outdoor game of Geocaching ,you can make your own game in the garden, park or nearby outside space.

With its fast pace,clear instructions and nuggets of information, this authoritative guide will appeal to all. Written by Justin Miles, one of the few full time explorers in the world, this book won’t just whet your appetite for adventure; it will give you the confidence and the tools to set off on one too.

Justin Miles is a British professional adventurer and has explored The Arctic, climbed mountains, explored deserts and hacked his way through the jungle. He uses his work is support charities and fuel education projects. He is the founder of Just for a Challenge and supports the global education programme Educate a Child.

Books Go Walkabout works in a similar way and supports children across the globe, we recommend Justin’s work and especially the Ultimate Mapping Guide for Kids. In fact I am about to set out to the untamed North Norfolk coast this afternoon, armed with this book and a flask of coffee!

Have fun mapping!

Sue Martin

Books Go Walkabout and Dolphin Booksellers

Discover Series – Ancient Egyptians,The Roman Empire

The Ancient Egyptians by Isabel and Imogen Greenberg — View or buy this book from Amazon.co.uk here…

The Ancient Egyptians is the first book in the new Discover Series, published by Frances Lincoln and newly released on 7th April.

The style and illustrations make this a very good read into life at this time. It is a perfect companion for curriculum use and research in the classroom as well as in the home. It’s great as inspiration for wall displays in schools across the UK. It’s a book that is not only easy to read in the graphic style but will allow the information to stay with you.

The information in the book includes everything from pharaohs and mummies to daily life and the role of the Nile, via hieroglyphs and archaeology. A map and a timeline complete this fabulous book by graphic novelist Isabel Greenberg and her sister Imogen Greenberg.

There is also a special exhibition at The British Museum on Ancient Egypt’s Sunken Cities which open on 19th May.

The Roman Empire by Isabel and Imogen Greenberg — View or buy this book on Amazon.co.uk here…

Discover the Roman Empire is also newly published on 7th April and written and illustrated by Isabel and Imogen Greenberg.

It covers a length of time in the Roman Empire starting with the rise and ending with the fall of the empire. There are great sections on Roman beliefs, architecture, inventions and daily life. It is a good book for the curriculum in primary schools and also to read at home.

We recommend for ages 7-10 years and as a book to have at home for all the family.

Sue Martin Dolphin Booksellers and Books Go Walkabout

Malini by Robert Hillman

Malini cover image — Buy this book from Amazon here…

In the closing stages of Sri Lanka’s civil war, Malini and her family are herded by soldiers to the coast, where they will act as human shields. Malini’s father tells her to hide in the forest with her younger sister, Banni.

But once the shelling begins, Malini realises they are not safe there,and they must travel inland to her grandparents.

But will they survive and who can they trust?

This is a truly remarkable story on one girl, her sister and how they made it through the jungle and past the soldiers in war torn Sri Lanka.

Part of the Through My Eyes series published by Allen and Unwin and in connection with Unicef, Malini is written by Robert Hillman.

This is a story for everyone, and for all who are struggling to live in war torn areas of the world.

We recommend this book for all ages…

Sue Martin Dolphin Booksellers and BooksGoWalkabout

The Jungle Book – a reimagining of Mowgli’s story by Robert Hunter – New Release!

Jungle Book cover image — Buy this book from Amazon here…

An evocative tale of Mowgli and his story in the jungle, with Bagheeera, Baloo and the wolf pack. Mowgli has to face life with others who are not so keen to help, Kaa,the snake, the pack of monkeys and Shere Khan, the tiger.

The first in a series of classic texts reimagined into the modern day, published by Frances Lincoln (Quarto Group), as Classics Here and Now. These will be a wonderful way of bringing the classic stories to children of today and maybe encouraging them to read the original versions.

The publication coincides with the release of a new feature length film of Jungle Book from Disney and it also commemorates the 80th anniversary of the death of Rudyard Kipling.

Robert Hunter is a London based illustrator and this is his first children’s book, but he is well known with work for V&A, The New York Times and other places.

The images in the book are beautiful and bring a sense of a forever sunset in the jungle, using blue, purple and pinks. The presentation of the book is one for everyone and in hardback makes a really special present and book for keeps.

The parting words of Baloo are the call of any parent.

” Remember!” called Baloo. ” If you ever get in trouble, use the Jungle Call!” And he made the sound, which carried through the night, mournful and long.

“AaHaoOO!”

But Mowgli had already gone.’

We recommend for ages from 6 years for sharing and for 7 onwards to adults and beyond for reading.

Sue Martin Books Go Walkabout and Dolphin Booksellers

The Truth about Peacock Blue by Rosanne Hawke

The Truth About Peacock Blue cover image... — Buy this book from Amazon here…

An immensely powerful story of truth about todays hard world in the life of Peacock Blue, written by Rosanne Hawke and published by Allen and Unwin.

This is a powerful story about one girl’s fight for justice in Pakistan. Quietly getting on with life, Aster faces huge changes when her brother dies. Instead of finding a suitable husband, her parents decide that she will be educated, which to a western mind is a good idea.

But she attends a school for Muslim girls and is in the minority being a Christian. At her examinations a teacher who finds her difficult as a Christian accuses her of blaspheming. It was a simple spelling mistake with enormous consequences.

Aster is imprisoned, her family and the whole village have to move away and she faces the death sentence.

In Australia, there is an online petition which gathers amazing results, but will it really help?

I read to the end in absolute unbelief…. a must read book. Excellent blog by Paula Vince, worth reading.

We recommend for ages 10 and above and for adults too.

Sue Martin Books Go Walkabout and Dolphin Booksellers

Everybody Feels… New series from QED Publishing

Are you sad, angry, happy or scared? This new series from QED Publishing features emotions, how and why children sometimes feel they way they do.

Coping with feelings is a challenge for young children at times and finding ways that will help to express emotions, talk about what is happening and the different things that can make children upset or wildly happy.

Every title features two stories, each told from a child’s point of view and in a common scene or something familiar to the child.

At the end of the story there are story words’ which explain words simply and gently.

The series is written with care and love by Moira Butterfield and illustrated by Holly Sterling. They both have brilliant websites full of information.

We recommend these books for Early Years settings and also for sharing at home.

Sue Martin Dolphin Booksellers – the best in children’s books, always on line