Tag Archives: Hodder Children’s Books

Just Like My Dad App News plus Book Giveaway

Posted on 13 June, 2013 | 7 Comments

For those new to the blog, you may not know that I we are huge fans of David Melling in the Chaos household. This addiction goes back six years, when I purchased a copy of Just Like My Dad from one of our local bookshops for Mr Chaos’ first Father’s Day when MG was only a few months old.

That book is enjoyed as much now as it was then. Well, technically it’s enjoyed much more as there’s only so much a four-month old gets out a book, and we’ve double the children now! But I’m sure you understood what I meant before I decided to add needless clarification…

Just Like My Dad app screen

Today, 13th June 2013, Just Like My Dad is being released as an app. Perfect for Father’s Day sharing, it includes burp and fart sounds. What more does any self-respecting 2-8 year old want than burp and fart sounds? Apparently this also applies to most dads too, but I try to avoid gender stereotyping…

I don’t have anything to run apps on, so normally leave app reviews to the wonderful CApptivated Kids. But the fact that the app includes David Melling illustrations and is based on Just Like My Dad would make it worth the £1.99 price tag in my opinion!

Just Like My Dad app screen

The Just Like My Dad app is released in iOS and Android versions, and is available from the iTunes AppStore and Google Play in the UK, Europe, Australia and North America. I’ll add links as soon as I get them.

I normally ignore press releases in my reviews, but as this isn’t a review here’s some facts from the press release:

  • Narrated by a child actor to appeal to children using the app
  • ‘Read to me’, ‘Read by myself’ and ‘Record myself’ options
  • Available in all options, each screen has automated and touch-activated animation
  • Available in all options, each screen includes touch-activated sound effects, including farting skunks and burping dad and son lion
  • Children get to torment ‘dad’ by ripping plasters off the dad lion
  • ‘Record myself’ option allows a child and father to have fun recording the story together

Sounds like fun. I think my two would particularly like the ripping plasters off dad lion part! Amazingly I haven’t actually reviewed Just Like My Dad yet, but for an idea of the style I have written about Just Like My Mum.

Just Like My Dad app screen

To celebrate the release, Hachette have offered me five sets of the Just Like My Dad board book plus toy lion to giveaway. If the lion is anything like the mini Hugless Douglas from his book/toy set then it is cuter than cute (and small enough to smuggle into schoolbags for a bit of comfort away from home…) I wish I could enter my own competitions!

Just Like My Dad Book and Toy Box Set

To be in with a chance of winning one of these book/toy sets, please enter via the Rafflecopter widget below. The prizes will be sent direct from the publisher. Obviously they won’t arrive in time for Father’s Day, but this is a book to be enjoyed any day of the year. The deadline is midnight on Tuesday 18th June. Open to UK addresses only. Winners must reply with addresses within 5 days of drawing, or another winner will be drawn. Five prizes on offer.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Siege by Sarah Mussi

Posted on 21 April, 2013 | Leave a comment

Siege: Sarah Mussi (Hodder Children's Books, 2013)Siege: Sarah Mussi (Hodder Children’s Books, 2013)

Siege is set in a near-future (dystopian) Britain (England) which is scarily very believable. Unlike The Hunger Games or Maggot Moon, this is too close to home and packs a huge emotional punch because of it.

I think Siege will get compared with The Hunger Games for several reasons. The teenage female protagonist wanting to protect her family; the poverty of the people involved; the fight for survival; potential government corruption; children being killed…

This is a YA title that I’d recommend parents and teachers from all walks of life read. I wouldn’t recommend it to children under teenage, but that probably depends on the child. A very mature thirteen and up would be best in my opinion.

Warning: I can’t review this without spoilers. If you prefer not to be spoilered, stop reading now.

Leah Jackson is an average (poor) sixteen year old attending her local Academy School. Since all the cuts, the only non-paying schools are Academies that dump you straight into Volunteer Work Programmes on graduation (daily travel and canteen vouchers supplied, for The Greater Good.) Are you scared yet?

Schooling isn’t free; healthcare isn’t free; the population isn’t free. The government has cut everything and the poor are just expected to be violent wasters, with little opportunity to escape the life they’ve been born into. Since the Riots, the Academies have been fitted with Lock Down, an automatic security system that keeps the kids inside the school with no escape.

On this day, Friday 18 September, a group of kids have started a siege within the school. The school goes into Lock Down, there’s no escape. Due to being late that day, Leah is in detention so thinks the shots she first hears are some kind of fireworks at assembly in the gym. Then the gang start to round-up the rest of the school, and the killings begin.

Told in first person, we find out the setting in snippets throughout the book, as we follow Leah desperately trying to survive; and desperately worrying that her younger brother is one of the shooters. Siege is not a comfortable read, although it took me a few chapters before I was emotionally involved. The first shootings (POW POW POW) didn’t have the deep impact they should have but the narrative grabbed me more the more realistic the setting became to me.

As the politics and action notch up during the last chapters, Siege finishes with a stark list of the casualties of the day. It’s not what you want to read; and with that ending the book knocks you out for the count.

It has its imperfections (Leah’s slang slips and don’t think too hard about the details) but with so much in the news about changes to schooling, and cuts to services, and blaming poverty for violence, Siege is a scary prediction of things that too easily could be.

Source: Copy offered as giveaway by the lovely Karen Lawler @karenlawler on Twitter.

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My Funny Family On Holiday by Chris Higgins & Lee Wildish

Posted on 15 April, 2013 | 2 Comments

My Funny Family On Holiday: Chris Higgins & Lee Wildish (Hodder Children's Books, 2013)
My Funny Family On Holiday: Chris Higgins & Lee Wildish (Hodder Children’s Books, 2013)

Warning: contains spoilers!

This is an early reader chapter book aimed at 5+ (although I’d say 7 for most children to read themselves, probably a read aloud earlier than that) about a larger than average family going on holiday told from the viewpoint of second-eldest child Mattie, who is nine.

It’s the second in a series and I’ve not read the first but that wasn’t necessary as all the characters were described and explained in the early pages. I thought it was a wonderful story for young readers containing lots of things that they’ll either be familiar with or could learn about. It’s nicely written, not overly complex and has enough happening to remain entertaining.

For me, it fell apart at the end with the reveal of Mattie’s friend being a ghost. It just seemed so out of place in the story, but maybe for very young readers it might be an exciting reveal. I love fantasy, it’s my favourite genre, but I never think it works tacked on to the end of a book. If the fantastical is there throughout, bubbling under, then fair enough, but this didn’t seem the case to me.

I realise I am completely over-analysing a book that I’m thirty years too old for, but a more literal child who was expecting a story about a holiday may not enjoy the addition of a ghost character either! Otherwise, an excellent book for young readers and one I’m sure my daughters’ school will be glad to receive.

Disclaimer: We were sent a copy of My Funny Family on Holiday by Hachette. No other financial reward was given and the opinions are my own. I was not asked to write this post.

Note: We are fortunate to receive a variety of review books, far too many to keep! Most of the chapter books and novels, plus about half of the picture books, are donated to either my daughters’ primary school or a local charity.

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The Wonky Donkey by Craig Smith & Katz Cowley

Posted on 9 April, 2013 | 2 Comments

The Wonky Donkey: Craig Smith & Katz Cowley (Hodder Childrens' Books, 2013)

The Wonky Donkey: Craig Smith & Katz Cowley (Hodder Childrens’ Books, 2013)

A book review! I know, it’s been two weeks since the last one, but I just haven’t been in the right frame of mind to write any recently. Time to catch up on some of the overdue review books though!

I am in two minds about The Wonky Donkey. When it arrived and I started reading I chuckled to myself at the first few pages and thought it was awesome; but only thought that for about half the book and then it fell apart for me. I like the idea of it – lots of repetition and silliness – but the language doesn’t work in UK English for me. I thought it was American, but it’s actually by a New Zealander and was originally a song:

There’s a CD with the book, which is probably of Craig Smith singing The Wonky Donkey but I’m afraid this is a terrible review because I’ve completely misplaced the book and we’ve not listened to the CD. The song does seem to be horribly catchy though! I only read the book to MG and DG once and there wasn’t much of a reaction positive or negative to it.

I think it’s a marmite book: you’ll either love it or not. It’s not for us but that’s not to say it isn’t a fun and silly idea that many children and families will find hilarious and enjoy immensely. If you think the song is funny, then this book is for you. I’m keen on silly repetition so it gets our thumbs up for that, Hee-haw!

Disclaimer: We were sent a copy of The Wonky Donkey by Hachette Childrens Books for review. No other financial reward was given and the opinions are my own. I was not asked to write this post.

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My Cat Pip

Posted on 20 March, 2013 | Leave a comment

mycatpip

I seem to be very good at completely missing out on ‘major brands’, having never heard of Belle and Boo before and now having never heard of Pip the Cat! In both cases this has been a good thing as it means we’ve had no preconceived notions of what to expect and can take the books on their own merits. And in both cases, these books are far more than you’d expect from the average brand tie-in, they’ve all been made with thought and care. The fact that they are ‘brands’ is the only thing Belle and Boo and Pip the Cat have in common, that and the fact they both have a wonderful series of books.

The first four My Cat Pip books were published this month, with a further four coming out in October. These four include two sticker books, a lift-the-flap book and a Where’s Wally style book. The next four include a doodle book, sticker book, search book and activity book. Plenty of different things to choose from and with these A4 books starting at £3.99 they’re good value too.

Purrfect PIP! and Showtime PIP! are sticker books with 11 double page scenes and over 100 stickers. The stickers include outfits to dress up the cats in the scenes and lots of accessories too. I’m so glad we were sent both sticker books because both MG and DG love to spend time on these books personalising the scenes. It’s a great boost for DG’s motor skills and I’m really proud of how she’s sticking the outfits on matching to the cats’ bodies rather than randomly sticking anywhere as she has a tendency to do. MG loves creativity and doesn’t use stickers so much, preferring to draw her own pictures, but she’s really taken to these books and the creative freedom they allow. These books would be great for a long car/bus/etc journey as there’s enough variety and stickers to keep children from a range of ages (approx age 2-8) amused. Great value at £3.99 each.

Where are you PIP? is a Where’s Wally style book suitable for younger children. Pip always has his white badge and can be quite challenging to spot (for me, MG got them all in no time at all!) Once Pip has been found there are a selection of six cute animals; the contents of his backpack; and even more things to spy listed at the back of the book. On top of the search pages there are a few other puzzles scattered through the book too. Unlike Let’s Find Mimi, there’s no overall narrative, this is an activity book and priced accordingly at just £4.99. There’s lots to look at, a great ‘busy book’ for children approx age 3-8.

Pip, Pip, Hooray! is a book packed with gazillions of flaps on every page. Maybe not gazillions, but there are over 50 flaps in the book. The narrative follows Pip and his friends on various activities from cooking, to the park, to a construction site to the beach! The flaps are really innovative in places: for example the see-saw flap gives the impression of the see-saw going up and down, with all the pictures in the background matching up on the flaps. Lots of interest for little hands to explore, this book is probably suitable from around 18 months (it has the “not suitable for children under 36 months” warning on it, but there are no small parts and the only risk would be eating the paper which I’m sure any parent/carer would supervise against!)

All four books have been thoroughly enjoyed and are especially suitable for toddlers and pre-schoolers, although older children will still enjoy them too. The bright and bold cartoon illustrations are attractive and fun. Every page is full of all sorts of things to see. We recommend all of them – Pip, Pip, Hooray! :-)

Disclaimer: We were sent copies of four My Cat Pip books by Hachette Childrens Books for review. No other financial reward was given and the opinions are my own. I was not asked to write this post.

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Red Riding Hood and the Sweet Little Wolf by Rachael Mortimer and Liz Pichon

Posted on 19 March, 2013 | Leave a comment

Red Riding Hood and the Sweet Little Wolf: Rachael Mortimer & Liz Pichon (Hodder Children's Books, 2012)

Red Riding Hood and the Sweet Little Wolf: Rachael Mortimer & Liz Pichon (Hodder Children’s Books, 2012)

The story follows the Red Riding Hood plot from the wolf view-point. Sweet Little Wolf is sent out by her parents to get dinner (one onion, two potatoes, one tender and juicy little girl…) but gets sidetracked by listening to Red Riding Hood’s fairy tales and dressing up in Grandma’s lovely pink nightgown! Red Riding Hood finds Sweet Little Wolf snoring and screams, so a woodcutter runs in to help. But all ends happily with Red Riding Hood writing a nice letter to Mr and Mrs Wolf.

Interview with DG about the story:

Me: What did you like best?
DG: The sweet little wolf. When she dressed up. The little girl had lots of apples.
Me: What didn’t you like?
DG: Mummy and Daddy wolf. They were naughty.
Me: Is this a good book?
DG: Yes!

This book is worth having for the illustrations and the focus on writing lists and letters – great encouragement for early school-age children – you could do some lovely writing projects based on this book as a starting point.

Disclaimer: We were sent a copy of Red Riding Hood and the Sweet Little Wolf by Hachette Childrens Books for review. No other financial reward was given and the opinions are my own. I was not asked to write this post.

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Let’s Find Mimi by Katherine Lodge

Posted on 18 March, 2013 | 1 Comment

Let's Find Mimi: Katherine Lodge (Hodder Children's Books)

Let’s Find Mimi at Home: Katherine Lodge (Hodder Children’s Books, 2012)
Let’s Find Mimi in the City: Katherine Lodge (Hodder Children’s Books, 2013)

These two books have been popular ever since they arrived in the Chaos house. They are not be appearing on the Week in Books posts as often as they are looked at because I only add books that we read from start to finish as read that week. But these books are poured over several times a week, looking for new things in all the pictures. They are just brilliant.

Katherine Lodge comes from a family of artists. Sister Jo Lodge is also a huge favourite in this house, and based on the daughters I must look out for mother Maureen Roffey too! There are currently four Let’s Find Mimi books, and we were lucky enough to be sent two of them.

Let’s Find Mimi is a Where’s Wally with mice. Less cluttered than the Where’s Wally books these are suitable from a younger age, but are captivating for a large age range with so many details to look at. Mimi and her family are to be found on double page spreads on a theme, and there’s a rhyming story to read through too. Mimi always has her fairy wings on; brother Mac has a butterfly net; sister Molly has her toy duck; and there’s mum, dad, grandparents and auntie to find too. As well as finding the family, the cute and wonderfully detailed double spreads have lots of interesting things to look and talk about.

I can’t stress how much we love these books! Thoroughly recommended by both of the Chaos children, and mum too :-)

Disclaimer: We were sent copies of Let’s Find Mimi at Home and Let’s Find Mimi in the City by Hachette Children’s Books for review. No other financial reward was given and the opinions are my own. I was not asked to write this post.

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Dave by Sue Hendra & Liz Pichon

Posted on 1 March, 2013 | 1 Comment

Dave: Sue Hendra & Liz Pichon (Hodder Children's Books, 2009)

Dave: Sue Hendra & Liz Pichon (Hodder Children’s Books, 2009)

I’ve lost track of how many times we’ve read this book. It’s a huge success with both MG and DG and I generally have to read it at least twice in a row whenever it is chosen. Look at the praise on the front cover: “I laughed so much I farted!” says six-year-old Edward. That might give you an idea of the humour in this book.

Dave is a BIG cat who eats fantastically sized meals until one day he gets stuck in his catflap. The whole garden of bugs, birds, squirrels and more try to help free him but it’s not until one bright bug has the idea of feeding Dave beans that he manages to get free. 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, Blast Off!!!

As you can imagine, this book is wonderful to read to small children and great to add sound effects to! We all do a great line in raspberries in the Chaos household.

Dave was originally published in 2009 and has been reissued with a lovely glittery cover this year. Sue Hendra and Liz Pichon are both hugely (and deservedly) successful separately and this is a lovely combination of their talents. It will not suit you if you don’t like fart humour, but will be a huge success for children who love David Roberts’ Dirty Bertie picture books for example. Or children aged about two to… um 37 and counting?!

We all LOVE Dave, and recommend him wholeheartedly. Wholesome and full of beans ;-)

Disclaimer: We were sent a copy of Dave by Hachette Childrens Books for review. No other financial reward was given and the opinions are my own. I was not asked to write this post.

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National Hug Day with Hugless Douglas

Posted on 16 January, 2013 | 34 Comments

Hugless Douglas in London looking for hugs

Monday 21st January is the most depressing day of the year, according to some made-up calculations. It’s also National Hug Day, which seems like a much better idea. In honour of this, a giant Hugless Douglas will be out and about in London all day. He’ll need all that fur with snow predicted. Brrrrr!

David and Douglas’ London Schedule:
8.30am Hugless Douglas at Watermark bookshop, Kings Cross Station.
10.00am Hugless Douglas at Buckingham Palace.
11.00am David Melling and Hugless Douglas at Waterstones Piccadilly signing books and giving hugs.
2.00pm David Melling and Hugless Douglas at Netley Primary School giving 117 free books to the children!
4.00pm David Melling and Hugless Douglas at Watermark books, Kings Cross Station signing books and giving hugs.

If you’re out in London and take a photo of your hug with Hugless Douglas, tweet it to @hodderchildrens and you could win a Hugless Douglas plush and signed book.

Signed books and slippers

If you’re not in London, how about a set of signed books and fluffy Hugless Douglas slippers? This wonderful prize comes courtesy of Hachette Children’s Books and I wish I could enter because they look so lush! Fortunately there’s a second chance to win with Book Sniffer too.

For one entry into the draw, let me know about your favourite kind of hug. For a second entry, do some social media sharing or tell a friend about National Hug Day and Hugless Douglas. Winner chosen via the Rafflecoptor widget below so make sure your entry counts! The competition closes at 12am 22nd January.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Look at those slippers, aren’t they gorgeous?

Slippers!
If you’re on Twitter, follow @davidmelling1 and @hodderchildrens because they’re awesome, and for notification of other competitions throughout the week.

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Little Roar’s Peekaboo by Jo Lodge

Posted on 13 January, 2013 | 1 Comment

Little Roar's Peekaboo: Jo Lodge (Hodder Children's Books, 2012)

Little Roar’s Peekaboo: Jo Lodge (Hodder Children’s Books, 2013)

I’m slightly out of touch with board books, on account of daughters who will turn six and four this year (where did the time go?!) but it’s oh-so-tempting to want to collect all five of these new Little Roar books! Technically ‘too young’ for either MG or DG, both girls pounced on this book when it arrived and we’ve read it many, many times over.

Not that there’s a huge amount to actually read, but words are unnecessary in this fabulous pull it, twist it, turn it, interactive book. The words that exist are just perfect for toddlers, encouraging searching the pictures and repeating “Peekaboo”. Little Roar’s Peekaboo consists of only four double pages but it feels like more because of the (extremely sturdy, toddler friendly) tabs on each page.

Jo Lodge is something of a toddler’s dream book creator. We all adored the Mr Croc books and, despite their quality, the girls managed to thoroughly destroy them with much love over the years! Every house with babies or toddlers (or pre-schoolers, or…) ought to have at least one Jo Lodge book and Peekaboo Little Roar would be a lovely one to start with.

Peekaboo Little Roar

The thick, chunky tabs pull out to reveal Little Roar and his friends as they hide in different scenes. As well as the main characters appearing: spiders climb their threads, bugs climb trees, the moon appears… The tabs are slightly different (above or at the side, pull out or twist etc) making an exciting challenge for small children.

Peekaboo Little Roar

The bright colours are inviting and I can see this becoming a toddler’s favourite book that they can ‘read’ independently very quickly. “I do it!” is a common refrain from toddlers trying to gain independence and the tabs in this book are perfect to allow them free rein – even at almost-four DG can get so frustrated with small tabs in other pop-up and interactive books we own (and they break so very easily…)

I was very impressed with this book, and surprised by how much MG loved it. She’s almost six and well on the way with reading but this book attracted her instantly and she ‘helps’ her little sister read it on a regular basis.

Peekaboo Little Roar; Little Roar’s Starry Pyjamas; Little Roar’s Five Butterflies; Little Roar’s Red Boots; and Little Roar’s Round Balloon were published on 3rd January and would make wonderful presents for toddlers or expectant parents. Peekaboo Little Roar is more interactive, and is priced accordingly. I haven’t seen any of the other four books to review.

Disclaimer: We were sent a copy of Peekaboo Little Roar by Hachette Childrens Books for review. No other financial reward was given and the opinions are my own. I was not asked to write this post.

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