Dear Santa by Kathryn White and Polona Lovsin

"Rabbit!" calls Little Bear. "I've found a letter for Santa. It was lost in the snow! We must take it to him!" "Tails and whiskers!" cries Rabbit. "How exciting!" So the two friends set out on a long journey full of adventures. But will they make it to Santa's grotto in time?A gorgeous Christmas storybook that comes with Christmassy writing paper, envelopes and stickers so children can write a letter to Santa too!

This book is a lovely introduction for children who are writing a letter to Santa. Included in the book is some lovely Christmassy paper to write the letter on and even has the address to write on the envelope too!

The book is not too traditional - the main characters are a little bear and a rabbit who find a letter blowing in the breeze that is addressed to Santa. The animals find a reindeer who takes them to Santa's grotto where they meet the big man himself.

The book has beautiful illustrations which are timeless and will be loved year after year as the book is bound to be bought out each year to share together over the festive period.

This would be a beautiful book to share each year and with the special letter to write that first letter is sure to make the perfect gift to a young child.

Thank you to the publishers, Little Tiger Press, for sending me the book to review.

Bundles of Joy by Linda Fairley

The second book from Sunday Times bestselling author Linda Fairley. 'No matter how many babies I deliver, each and every one is a miracle, connecting me to the world like nothing else, reminding me that we are all equal in the beginning, and in the end. It's a great leveller, childbirth.' It's January 1972 and times have changed since Linda first stepped onto a maternity ward four years earlier. Gone are the starched skirts and steaming milk kitchens of the 1960s; these are the exhilarating days of disposable equipment and new technology. The Pill will soon be free to all women, and more and more fathers are daring to brave the delivery room. At the newly-opened Ashton maternity unit the midwives' spirits are high, and, in spite of the dark cloud of laundry strikes on the horizon, there's the scent of a new era on the cold winter wind. But one thing has stayed the same - the babies keep coming. Year after year, Linda faithfully helps the women of Greater Manchester through their most vulnerable and emotional hours, whether it is by giving calm instructions over the phone to a panicking husband, delivering a baby unexpectedly in a hospital lift, or by dashing headlong to the rescue of a snowed-in mum-to-be. As 25-year-old Linda becomes a mother herself she understands, more than ever, what a precious gift it is to bring children into the world, and she holds each new baby just that little bit tighter. As the years roll by Linda finds herself delivering the babies of mothers and fathers she helped to bring into the world decades earlier - making her something of a local celebrity. Through the highs and lows, through the modernisations that transform the hospital and the world outside, Linda's passion for midwifery burns as bright as ever. With 42 years of experience Linda is one of Britain's longest-serving midwives, and reaching the retirement age in 2008 didn't stop her doing the job she loves. Although she has seen generations of women give birth and delivered more than 2,000 babies, she treats every new arrival like the new miracle it is.

 This is the second book written by Linda Fairley about her career as a midwife. The first book, The Midwife's Here, has also been reviewed on my blog and I enjoyed this book as much as, if not more than, the first. The first book concentrated on Fairley's early life as a student midwife and the period when she was new qualified. This book concentrates on her career and also her family life when she became the patient as her children were born in her workplace. It was interesting to see how she adapted to being a mother herself and how she coped through labour and how her practice changed following her maternity leave. There are times of happiness and sadness throughout the book and it is clear to see that a midwife's job is never boring or the same two days running!

It was also really interesting to see how midwifery has changed through the decades and this book really documents them well through the eyes of a midwife and it would make a great source of knowledge for student midwives to reflect on.

I really enjoyed this book and I recommend it to all who love a real life story to relax and loose themselves in. I really hope that Linda Fairley will be publishing another book very soon as I love to read about her life.

Monster Mayhem Doodle Wars (Top That Publishers)

 

Arm yourself with a pen or pencil and get ready for the Monster Mayhem Games ....... let the doodle wars commence!

Includes colour-in stickers to decorate your doodle war pictures.

This book is perfect for boys who love to draw, colour in and love creative activities. It is full of partly drawn pictures with lots of room for children to complete the picture in any way they wish. The pictures are all black and white line drawings which make up a story which runs through the whole book and will capture imagination perfectly. There are a range of abilities catered for in this book - some of the pictures are very simple drawings whereas there are also some on the higher scale but all pictures can be adapted to suit a range of abilities.

One thing I really like about this book are the two pages of colouring in stickers. All children love stickers and this is the first time I have seen colour-in stickers in an activity book. 

In summary I think this is a fantastic book for boys aged 7+ and I am sure it would be a greatly received present for boys, great to keep tucked away for rainy days, long car journeys or to keep them occupied at any time.

Thank you to the publishers, Top That, for sending me the book to review.

Ten Shiny Snowflakes by Russell Julian

It's snowing in the woods and the animals can't wait to go out to play! Join them as they get ready to play snowy games in this enchanting counting book with shiny snowflakes to touch and count, that disappear as you turn the pages.

A beautiful book to share with a young child during the winter period.  It is a lovely book to read over Winter, one which does not involve Christmas.

The story is written in verse and counts down from ten - perfect for helping them to learn their numbers. It is one of those books that readers will soon be reciting and will be read over and over again either alone or with their peers.

The book has 10 snowflakes which disappear as the pages are turned until there are no snowflakes left at the end of the book. It has beautiful pictures which children of all ages will love.

I would recommend this book as a beautiful book to give as a gift over the winter period or to share with young children.

Thank you to the publisher, Caterpillar Books, for sending me the book to review.

School's Out by Jack Sheffield

As the new school year begins, Jack Sheffield prepares for an even more eventful year than usual. A new teacher is appointed, and before long tongues start to wag. Meanwhile, five-year old Madona Fazackerly makes her mark in an unexpected way, life changes dramatically for Ruby the caretaker and, in the village Coffee Shop, Dorothy Humpleby plans a dirty weekend. It's 1983 - the era of the new CD player, Microsoft Word, the McDonalds McNugget, cabbage patch dolls, the threat of a miners' strike and a final farewell to the halfpenny piece. Jack has to manage a year of triumph and tragedy.

I am a big fan of Jack Sheffield's books and was looking forward to this one for a long time. I was not disappointed, Sheffield has written another fantastic account of another school year at Ragley on the Forest Village School.

When we left Jack and his wife, Beth, at the end of Educating Jack, they had just welcomed their son, John, into the world and now while Jack returns to the headship role, Beth is on maternity leave, at home, with John.

I really enjoy reading these books, not only to catch up with what is happening in Ragley on the Forest village, because although the book is predominantly the unofficial record of the school year, the villagers are frequently popping up and village life recorded. There are lots of regular characters and now, with this being the seventh book, they feel like my own neighbours, and it is great to be able to catch up with them again.

Not only is this book a fictional story, it is also a look back at social history with this book alone seeing the new craze of Cabbage Patch Dolls for children and computers beginning to be used in schools to name but a few.

This book has many humorous moments, with some of those gems which come out of the mouths of babes being included in the book, but this book also has some sadness, as one character dies.  One teacher leaves the school, leaving the door open for a new teacher to be bought it. I think that this could have an effect on the school over the next year and am looking forward to the next instalment already.

However, when I got to the end of this book I am unsure in what direction the next book will be going in as I think Jack and Beth have some big decisions to make over their future. Also Laura is back on the scene and I think she may be about to cause trouble for at least one character. I look forward to seeing how Jack Sheffield moves on from here.

I recommend this book to anyone who has been following the series so far, but also to new readers. Although this book is part of a series, I am sure it would be a great stand alone read and could get you hooked on the series. I also think it would be great research for anyone who is studying social history in the early 1980's.

Thank you to the publishers, Transworld, for sending me this great book to review.

The Valentines Card by Juliet Ashton

The Valentine's card was meant to be Orla's fairy tale ending, but really, it was only the beginning ...Orla adores her actor boyfriend, Sim, who's away filming a sumptuous costume drama. Although the long-distance relationship means that she can eat toast for dinner and watch as much reality TV as she likes, she misses him like crazy. But Valentine's Day changes everything ...The same morning Orla learns that Sim has died, she receives a card from him. As Orla travels from Ireland to London, to live and breathe Sim's final moments, can she bring herself to open the Valentine's card and read his final message?

As soon as I saw the synopsis for this book I was knew that it was a book I would be looking forward to reading. When I received the book I was not disappointed. It is a cleverly written book, swapping between the present day and excerpts from Sim's previous years diary leading up to the fateful day.

The 'intrigue' begins from the very start of the book. As Orla receives the devastating news that her partner, Sim, had died on a London street and the pink envelope is dropped through her letterbox, I really wanted to know what was written in that last valentine - was it the marriage proposal that Orla believed it to be or was it something else? I won't give the storyline away but when she finally read the  valentine, after carrying it around with her for months, the story didn't end there. I had guessed part of the plot, but there was another twist around the corner which made the story even more poignant.

I really enjoyed the style of the book, swapping between the present day and Sim's life in London via his diary entries. There was also a look behind the scenes of a film production in Sim's work life and the glitz and glam within the cast, although this storyline is a very minor part.

I would recommend this book as a great one to read while in the valentine spirit - it is not the traditional boy meets girl, boy marries girl - but is well worth a read.

Thank you to the publishers, Sphere, for sending me the book to review.

Cupcakes at Carrington's by Alexandra Brown

A deliciously indulgent read from a hot debut writer and first in a series of books set in Carrington's Department Store - where life is sweeter...Perfect for fans of Meet Me in the Cupcake Cafe and Breakfast at Darcy's. Georgie Hart had it all - as a top personal shopper in London, the heady world of Mulberry launch parties and Louis Vuitton goody bags meant she was living the dream. But all that extravagance took its toll on her bank balance and it was time to stop drinking champagne on beer money. Now Georgie runs the luxury bag concession at Carrington's Department store in the pretty seaside town of Mulberry Bay and her lavish spending is confined to a red velvet cupcake with butter cream icing in Carrington's cafe. But her plans for a quiet life are thwarted when Carrington's goes into a recession-busting makeover and soon, with the arrival of Maxine, wielding the axe in her immaculately manicured hands, Georgie is fighting not only for her job, but also for the attentions of her dishy boss, James. And when newcomer Tom arrives, who may or may not be the best thing since sliced bread, Georgie must decide where her loyalties really lie...

This was one of the books I was looking forward to in 2013 and I have not been disappointed!

The book is set in a top department store and the main character, Georgie, works there, surrounded by high quality and luxury goods, which she sells to the customers. She loves her job but also loves high quality lifestyles which has done serious damage to her bank balance and credit rating! However, when Maxine is drafted in to guide the company through a recession-busting makeover, Georgie is left fighting for her job.

I really enjoyed this book, it is a lighthearted read with a number of story lines running through the book, culminating in a great ending which has left me already looking forward to the second in the promised trilogy set within Carrington's.There are a number of interesting characters who I am already looking forward to meeting again in the other two books in the trilogy, each have their own story which when woven together make a great read.