Hugless Douglas by David Melling

I have to confess to being totally in love with some picture books because of their illustrations as well as the stories and David Melling is one of several I adore. Hugless Douglas is fantastic and as usual David’s illustrations make the story that extra bit special. Douglas is a bear who wakes up one spring morning in need of a hug. As he goes in search of one, none seem quite right – too small, too short and too uncomfortable. Suddenly Douglas meets a bear who he feels he knows very, very well. A bear who can give him the hug he so desperately seeks – his mum of course! Packed with beautifully crafted and humourous drawings it doesn’t get any better than this as a book to quietly chuckle your way through as well as buy as a gift for any new mum, mum-to-be or of course your own fantastic mum! Children will love the story with its concept comparisons and fun story.

The Magic Tree House series by Mary Pope Osbourne

Thank goodness for this series of books! I first discovered them about 2 years ago when looking for longer stories for my nephew whose picture books weren’t enough of a story for him anymore. The series revolves around siblings Jack and Annie. They discover a tree house full of books and as they open each one, are transported to a time and place involving the book’s subject matter. The first in the series “Valley of the Dinosaurs” finds them whisked away to adventures with, you guessed it – dinosaurs. The author introduces a new topic or country in each book – from France in the Middle Ages to the prairies of America to the Moon, knights and castles, pirates, dolphins and the deep sea, to name but a few.
The style of the books are not only perfect as read aloud stories but also ideal for children learning to read and for those who have mastered reading skills and need to practice. They are thin paperbacks with black and white pictures, simple text and content. My nephew at 3 was able to understand the basics of the stories when read aloud to him at bedtime and as he collects the series he will be able to practice his reading skills before passing them on to his little sister! Whilst each book can be read as a stand alone story there is a plot line and quest revealed as you go through the series. The author has also written what she calls “Research Guides” which are factual books for children providing information about the times, places, and cultures Jack and Annie visit on their Magic Tree House adventures. As a result of the subject matter these books appeal not only to children interested in fiction but also to those who prefer non-fiction.

Love, Aubrey by Suzanne LaFleur

This is an endearing story about loss, love and recovery. Aubrey is eleven and heartbroken at the deaths of her dad and sister in a car accident. Left alone because her mum, also bereft leaves home one day and doesn’t return, Aubrey believes she can cope by herself. Thankfully her gran soon turns up to tell her otherwise! Aubrey finds herself moving in with gran, making new friends with the neighbour’s daughter and finding support from staff at her new school. Aubrey starts writing letters to her sister and dad and slowly through the firm yet calm and patient love from her gran, Aubrey starts to heal.

I adore this story and sigh contentedly whenever I think of it. It is gentle and loving in it’s telling and the characters are really easy to relate to. Everyone needs a gran like Aubrey’s, someone who knows what to say, when to say it and when ultimately to put their foot down! Parts made me cry because the way the author describes Aubrey’s ache for her sister reminded me of mine, thankfully alive but far, far away in another country and terribly missed. But mostly this story made me smile, particularly at Gran’s handling of each situation as it arose! It’s earned a place in my heart as a beautiful book to treasure forever. Girls from the age of 9 upwards will enjoy this story but it’s also lovely enough that it needs read by adults everywhere.

Emily the Strange: The Lost Days by Rob Reger and Jessica Gruner

Emily is 13; she finds herself in a town she has never been to before and surrounded by people she has never met. Why does she have amnesia? Why does no one recognise her? Can she recover her memory and regain her sense of style?

In a Young Adult market which often lazily aims pink covers to girls and horror books to boys, this is a refreshingly quirky book with enjoyable twists and an engaging central character.

Duck by Randy Cecil

Even though Duck is part of a merry-go-round and made of wood, she can see the real ducks and longs to fly. One day she meets Duckling who’s lost and can’t fly either. Together, they try to learn to fly.

A lovely story, with beautiful illustrations, by the same author who wrote Gator shows that anything is possible with a little hope .

Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan

This has immediately become one of my favourite books. In the Percy Jackson series, the Greek gods are alive and sometimes when they marry (which is very soppy) their children, called half-bloods, inherit some of their God parent’s powers.

This book is about the Greek god Zeus who thinks Percy, son of Poseidon – god of the sea, has stolen his lightning bolt. If Percy does not get the lightning bolt back to him in time a war will start that will kill lots of innocent people. Of course you’ll have to read the book to see if he manages it.

My favourite part was when Percy vaporised his maths teacher, and my favourite character is the minotaur, a monster from Greek myths which has a human body and a bull’s head. I enjoyed this book a lot (in fact I’ve now read all the others in the series) and I’m sure if you read this book you’ll like it as much as I did.