Splat says Thank You! by Rob Scotton

 

Splat the Cat is back with a new adventure. This time he's saying thank you for all the fun he's had with his mouse friend, Seymour! Seymour needs cheering up, and Splat wants to help. So he creates not just a thank- you card, but a whole thank-you book. The book lists all the sweet and funny reasons why Splat is thankful for their friendship. The heartwarming story, lively illustrations and laugh-out-loud text will leave you thankful that you picked up this book!

This is a lovely book which is perfect to encourage children to say 'Thank You'. A story which can be shared with children and encourages them to join in with the story when Splat says 'Thank You'.

The story is accompanied by fantastically digital pictures - they have an almost photographic quality to them which I love as much as the story. 

Splat the Cat is the main character in a series of children's books and this is a great book for any Splat fans or to start the collection for new fans.

Thank you to the publishers, Harper Collins Children's Books for sending me the book to review.

Tabitha Posy was ever so nosy! by Julie Fulton

Tabitha Posy is ever so nosy and annoys all her neighbours by sticking her nose into their business. However one day on a school trip to the zoo, she discovers there are just some times when it is better not to be too curious with oversized cats!

This is the second picture book by Julie Fulton, whose first book  Mrs MacCready was ever so greedy has been reviewed on this blog too.

I really enjoy Julie Fulton's books. They are written in rhyme and are great for children with wild imagination. The books are humorous and will appeal to both young children and the adults who read it to them. With the catchy text it will soon be recited from memory and become a firm favourite at story time.

The illustrations by Jona Jung are also fantastic - they accompany the text perfectly and will be the source of much discussion with young children with pictures being hand drawn but full of detail.

There is a great moral to the story - use books for research and reference! This is one which I can try to urge my children to remember but with the age of the Internet one which is being forgotten.

I would recommend this as a great book for children and I am sure it is one which will become a firm favourite at story time.

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

Guest Blog Post - Ellen Sussman. The Paradise Guesthouse

Today I am very  pleased to welcome Ellen Sussman to my blog on the day her new book, The Paradise Guesthouse, is published. I have previously reviewed her debut novel French Lessons and have been eagerly waiting for her next novel which I will be reviewing very soon on this blog.

Ellen Sussman joins me today to share her inspiration for this book.

Sometimes I go in search of story ideas and sometimes they find me. My husband and I went to Bali for a vacation. I wasn’t planning on writing while I was there and I wasn’t searching for a subject for my next book. But Bali captured my heart. I loved the spectacular lush landscape, and I was charmed by the people and their culture. And yet, Bali was struggling. Just weeks before we arrived there had been a terrorist attack – the second in a few years. In the first attack, more than 200 people were killed, most of them young tourists at two nightclubs in Kuta. In the second attack, 20 people were killed and over a hundred were injured. Nothing made sense about terrorism in paradise, especially this paradise.

I remember walking along the beach in Bali and imagining a character who might come to Bali on business. Something draws her to one of the nightclubs. She’s caught in the terrorist attack. On a hike with my husband one day, I imagined more of my character’s story: a man saves her. She’s drawn to him. And on the flight home I discovered another part of my story: the young woman has to return to Bali to find the man who saved her.

By the time I returned home I was eager to write Jamie’s story. The beauty of Bali had inspired me. But the tragedy of terrorism in Bali had moved me to create a story of one woman’s struggle to find peace, love and a home. 

Thank you Ellen for joining me today. i am halfway through this book and am loving it.  I remember the bomb on Bali in 2002 and am finding your book  to tell the reality of this for the tourists and the natives of Bali

Rubberneckers by Belinda Bauer

 


'The dead can't speak to us,' Professor Madoc had said.

That was a lie.

Because the body Patrick Fort is examining in anatomy class is trying to tell him all kinds of things.

Life is already strange enough for the obsessive Patrick without having to solve a possible murder. Especially when no one believes a crime has even taken place. Now he must stay out of danger long enough to unravel the mystery - while he dissects his own evidence.

But as Patrick learns one truth from a dead man, he discovers there have been many other lies rather closer to home..

.I found this book extremely addictive - it has an unusual narrative as one of the main narrators is a patient who is in a coma. Another main character is Patrick who is a medical student who, while dissecting a cadaver in his anatomy class, believes that something isn't right with this death. Link this with his fascination of death following witnessing his father's death at the age of five, and you have the ingredients for a fantastic read.

Bauer writes, in places, very graphically about the dissection of cadaver number 19, but this is balanced out by the humour which is included in the book. Patrick is very set in his ways and has Asperger's Syndrome, and this leads to a number of comedic events as he lives away from his home for the first time.

This is a compelling read and I urge all of my blog readers to pick up this book. I have read previous books by this author and I must say that I believe this is her best so far and I am really looking forward to her next book.

Thank you to the publishers, Transworld, for sending me a eBook to review.

A French Affair by Katie Fforde

Gina and Sally Makepiece have inherited a stall in the French House - an antiques centre nestled in the heart of the English countryside. Gina is determined to drag the French House and its grumpy owner into the twenty-first century. Bearing all the attributes of a modern-day Mr Rochester, Matthew Ballinger is less than happy with the whirlwind that has arrived on his doorstep. The last thing either of them want is to fall in love. But will a trip to France change their minds?

When I pick up a Katie Fforde book I know that I am in for a great read and this, her latest release, is definitely that!

Set in a Cotswold village, Gina and Sally are disappointed (at first) to discover that they have been left a business in a relative's will - however there is a catch, before they get ownership,they must make some money in the antique market. Gina is in PR and Sally is a mum to two children. It is Gina who sees the potential in the business and Sally, while busy with family life, finds a new found talent in recyled pieces. But what Gina isn't prepared for is the owner of The French House, Matthew, who Gina tries to ignore the attraction with - however as they spend more time together will they get together or will old flames be a spanner in the works?

When I read the synopsis I was a little unsure if I would enjoy this book - when I think about antiques I think Bargain Hunt, expensive pieces of 'old' and 'dusty' furniture or ornaments, in pokey, badly lit rooms or rooms where you need a huge salary before you can walk through the door. However, the story was well written and although it touched on the antique business it was more about Gina, Sally and Matthew and the unusual request that was left for Sally and Gina. 

The story was set in a Cotswold village, an area which I have visited and can picture, and really bought the story alive. An area where there are lots of little shops and boutiques and where antique dealers have shops or go on trips hunting for new items. 

I really enjoyed the characters in this book and would love to see them feature in future books by Katie Fforde.

I also really like the design for the cover - it is simple, clean lines and  chic. I have a number of covers in this style by Katie and I believe it sums up her books perfectly.

I would recommend this book to fans of Katie Fforde and/or women's fiction - it is a fantastic read to devour in one sitting!

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

Farm Babies by Liz and Kate Pope

Young children will love sorting the baby farm animals and slotting them into place alongside their mummies and daddies. This jolly little farm book with jigsaw pieces is ideal for developing motor skills and improving hand-eye co-ordination.

This is a clever idea book. The book is a board book which 12 pages long, with six different animals depicted with their babies - however their babies are jigsaw pieces (stored in a sturdy animal in the front cover of the book) which fit into the pages snuggly.

I have had books for my children in the past which have pieces on each page which fit into holes, but there is no storage for when the book is put away, however these pieces fit into an envelope which closes securely with Velcro - meaning the pieces won't get lost.

The pictures are beautifully drawn and look as if they have been constructed from different textures and designs of fabric, giving a patchwork effect - a very popular finish at the moment!

This would make a great gift for children aged around 1 year. It would be a great present this Easter instead of the normal chocolate egg and one which will be played with over and over again. It could be used as an introduction to a visit to a farm park or countryside visit.

This is another fantastic book from Caterpillar Books which I received in return for a honest review.

Mummy and Baby Farm by Samantha Meredith (Handy little books)

Open up this bright board book to see the mummy and baby farm animals having lots of fun together. With cute and colourful illustrations, this is an ideal book for children learning their first words. The easy-to-grip handle makes this the perfect book for toddlers.

This is the perfect book for any new babies born over this Spring time or as the perfect present to give very young children this Easter instead of the traditional chocolate egg. The design of the book is perfect, with its chunky handle which can be gripped by little hands or (as will inevitably happen) be chewed or sucked!

There are six double page spreads depicting mummy's and their babies. The pictures are brightly coloured, and simply drawn animals.

This book would be a great addition to any farm park this spring - the chunky handle could be attached to any pram or pushchair frame with a clip .

I will be putting this book away until next spring when my first niece or nephew, due later this year, will be the perfect age to take on a farm park outing to see all the new baby animals.

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