SOUTH WALES EVENING POST CHILDREN'S BOOK REVIEW NOV 25-26

This week my children's book reviews include a book of dastardly pirates, a magical journey on a dragon, Santa taking a holiday and a gigantic book of dinosaurs.

Also in the Weekend section of The South Wales Evening Post.

BOOK OF THE WEEK

PIRATES MAGNIFIED BY DAVID LONG & HARRY BLOOM

CHILDREN 5+

Let's embark on an exciting pirate adventure! Grab the magnifying glass included and search for treasure to see how pirates lived and what cargo they stole. Look out for the Welsh pirate Black Bart, as well. Each double spread contains ten things to look for within the intricate and detailed illustrations that fill the pages. So hoist the mainsail me hearty's and enjoy a rollicking adventure! Hours of fun, perfect for the holidays!

ISBN 9781786030276 HB Wide Eyed Editions £14.99

ONE MOONLIT NIGHT BY ZANNA DAVIDSON & SEO KIM

PICTURE BOOK 3+

A little girl goes on a magical journey with a dragon through the night. On every page, there is an exquisite pop up picture; intricately designed to show her riding over stormy seas and visiting magical islands. It is partnered with poetic prose that is perfect for bedtime, igniting children's imagination. Bursting with dragons, stars and adventure, sail away in a 'silvery boat of dreams'. An enchanting gift and a pleasure to share at bedtime.

ISBN 9781783705818 HB Templar £14.99

SANTA SELFIE BY PETER BENTLY& ANNA CHERNYSHOVA

PICTURE BOOK 4+

Santa needs a holiday so he leaves his elves in charge of Christmas to relax in the Winter Sun. But when everyone wants a selfie his holiday slowly becomes a disaster! An alternative Christmas story about the perils of being famous. A lovely touch is the pull-out photo frame included so you can have your own 'selfie' with Santa. Great fun is seeing Santa in unusual settings, from Paris to Brazil to the Grand Canyon.

ISBN 9781509831142 PB Macmillan Children £6.99

DINOSAURIUM BY CHRIS WORMELL & LILY MURRAY

CHILDREN 8+

Journey back millions of years to discover the largest and most ferocious animals that ever lived. This beautiful large format book brings an enormous range of dinosaurs to life. From favourites such as Tyrannosaurus Rex to lesser known such as Coelophysis, dinosaur lovers can explore the striking artwork and learn from the plethora of facts for hours. How did they evolve? Why did some have scales and others feathers? A Jurassic sized gift suitable for all ages.

ISBN 9781783707928 HB Big Picture Press £20

SOUTH WALES EVENING POST CHILDREN'S BOOK REVIEW NOV 18-19

This week my children's book reviews include an adventure full of magical tricks, a little girl who finds an enchanted reindeer, a book full of unicorns and Christmas classic which is accessible to all. 

Also in the Weekend section of The South Wales Evening Post.

BOOK OF THE WEEK

THE GREATEST MAGICIAN IN THE WORLD BY MATT EDMONDSON & GARRY PARSONS

CHILDREN 6+

Elliot loves magic and wants to follow in his great grandfather's footsteps; The Amazing Dextrini! He is determined to find the Greatest Magician in the World to learn how to perform magic tricks. On Elliot's adventure young readers can also learn amazing tricks whether it's how to make an object vanish; perform a card trick or predict the future. This interactive book is certain to be a big hit at Christmas for the whole family.

ISBN 9781509806188 HB Macmillan £14.99

LAST STOP ON THE REINDEER EXPRESS BY MAUDI POWELL-TUCK & KARL JAMES MOUNTFORD

PICTURE BOOK 3+

When Mia's dad can't come home for Christmas, she takes a ride on an enchanted reindeer so she deliver her card to him. Join Mia through peek-through pages and hidden flaps, that will envelop you in the warmth of the festive season. It reminds us that family makes it special however far away they are. This is perfect for little ones who are anxious about spending time apart from a family member, for the first time.

ISBN 9781848696938 HB Little Tiger £12.99

PRESS OUT AND DECORATE UNICORNS BY KATE MCLELLAND

CHILDREN 6+

Create beautiful flying unicorn decorations to hang or give to friends. Press out each piece; colour and slot together to make twenty sparkling decorations. Also available from Nosy Crow is 'The Colouring Book of Cards and Envelopes, Unicorns and Rainbows” by Rebecca Jones allowing kids to personalise their own unique stationery. Two magical gifts for creative children who love mythical horses. Ideal to share and lots of fun!

ISBN 9781788002172 HB Nosy Crow £9.99

A CHRISTMAS CAROL BY CHARLES DICKENS

CHILDREN 9+

A Christmas classic of virtue and transformation in Barrington Stoke's signature, dyslexia-friendly format. The book includes a clear typeface and pale yellow pages to lessen visual stress. Follow the miserly Scrooge, as he is visited by three ghosts warning him to change his ways before it's too late! The series includes The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde and Of Mice and Men especially designed to be accessible to all.

ISBN 9781781127537 PB Barrington Stoke £7.99

SOUTH WALES EVENING POST CHILDREN'S BOOK REVIEW NOV 11-12

This week my children's book reviews include books about a magical ballerina, a rabbit discovering the moon, a blind cat with ninja powers and a science fiction romance.

Also in the Weekend section of The South Wales Evening Post. 

BOOK OF THE WEEK

ELLA BELLA BALLERINA AND THE MAGIC TOYSHOP BY JAMES MAYHEW

PICTURE BOOK 4+

Discover a world of fairytale toymakers and dancing dolls in the beautiful introduction to the classic ballet, La Boutique Fantastique. Ella Bella steps into an enchanted toy shop to discover a new magical ballet adventure. Can she stop two dolls, who are in love, from being separated? Exquisitely and richly detailed illustrations throughout, this is perfect for little ballerinas. The latest in a wonderful series introducing famous ballets including Swan Lake, The Nutcracker and Sleeping Beauty.

ISBN 9781408336854 HB Orchard Books £12.99

GOODNIGHT BABY MOON BY JAMES MITCHEM AND CLAIRE PATANE

BOARD BOOK 2+

Follow a family of curious rabbits and the phases of the moon in this enchanting bedtime story. Easy to follow text, rhythmic phrases and magical twilight illustrations; little ones will want to return to this special board book again and again. I especially loved the LED moon on the front cover which lights up with the press of a button. A beautiful gift for all occasions.

ISBN 9780241276396 HB Dorling Kindersley £11.99

TOTO THE NINJA CAT AND THE GREAT SNAKE ESCAPE BY DERMOT O'LEARY

CHILDRENS 7+

Toto is no ordinary furry feline. She may be almost blind, but she also has incredible ninja skills. Follow Toto and her cheeky brother Silver, on their first rip-roaring adventure. A deadly Cobra has escaped from the zoo. Can they find the giant snake before it's too late? The characterful illustrations by Nick East compliment the irreverent humour and daring deeds throughout the tale. Purrrfect for early readers and to read aloud.

ISBN 9781444939453 PB Hodder £6.99

MY SIDE OF THE DIAMOND BY SALLY GARDNER

YOUNG ADULT 13+

When Jazmin's best friend, Becky vanishes, she is shunned by everyone. Did Jazmin have something to do with her disappearance? Or was it more to do with Icarus, with whom Becky had become besotted? When Becky jumped off a building why did no one see her reach the ground? With detailed and intriguing illustrations throughout, this mysterious and spooky tale will fascinate and beguile. A quirky and unusual science fiction romance for fans of Stranger Things.

ISBN 9781471406430 PB Hot Key Books £9.99

SOUTH WALES EVENING POST CHILDREN'S BOOK REVIEW NOV 4-5

This week my children's book reviews include a journal trying to combat online bullying, an artist crocodile, a celebration of the animal kingdom and a pictorial history of Tutankhamun and the discovery of his tomb.

Also in the Weekend section of The South Wales Evening Post. 

BOOK OF THE WEEK

BE COOL BE NICE BY GDV

CHILDREN 8+

Be Cool Be Nice aims to combat cyber bullies by encouraging us to be kind and to use social media in a more positive way. It inspires us to double check information and pictures before putting them onto the internet and to treat others as you would like to be treated. This journal style book is full of clever rhymes; cute characters and thought-provoking activities which you can personalise. Kindness never goes out of style.

ISBN 9781787410961 HB Studio Press £14.99

CROCODALI BY LUCY VOLPIN

PICTURE BOOK 3+

A wonderfully witty interactive story about Crocodali, a brilliant but very bossy crocodile artist. He enlists the reader to help with his painting but they had better follow his instruction of there will be trouble! Children and adults will delight in tilting; turning and shaking the book to help this diva artist create his masterpiece. Full of colour and character with fabulous painterly illustrations, this will be sure to inspire budding artists everywhere!

ISBN 9781787410930 PB Templar £6.99

THE VARIETY OF LIFE BY NICOLA DAVIES & LORNA SCOBIE

CHILDREN 6+

A celebration of the extraordinary diversity within the animal kingdom. This large format book is bursting with fascinating facts about mammals; birds, reptiles, fish and insects and will encourage children to treasure our world's biodiversity. Exquisitely illustrated, it shines a spotlight on how many different species exist in the world. Forty thousand types of beetle but only eight species of bear! Hopefully, the book will help raise awareness for new generations before it's too late!

ISBN 9781444931198 HB Hodder £14.99

THE STORY OF TUTANKHAMUN BY PATRICIA CLEVELAND-PECK & ISABEL GREENBERG

CHILDREN 7+

On this day November 4th, 1922 Howard Carter discovered the tomb of Tutankhamun. Travel through history and explore the story of the boy king and his magnificent tomb. Divided into three parts; the life and death of Tutankhamun; the discovery of his tomb and lastly what modern technology has since unveiled. Rich in detail and illustrations, this is a treasure trove of wonder and delight, about one of the most significant historical discoveries of our time.

ISBN 9781408876787 HB Bloomsbury £14.99