“It was Flo’s first day at nursery. She had a packed lunch and a new bow.” When Flo starts nursery, she makes sure she is pleasant and polite. She takes with her a new bow and a packed lunch in a bucket. She soon discovers that buckets are made to go missing. Friends are made to be found.  *** This was quite possibly the cutest little picture book I have ever read. Its about penguins at nursery, one of which is on their first day, and how they make friends. Its the perfect book to introduce to a young one starting nursery who is a little scared or wary of…

“The First Call  The green phone  on the wall in the hall hardly ever rang.  Anyone who wanted to speak to Mom called her cell.  Sane with Angela.” When 7 year old Joe answers the phone, he doesn’t expect to hear his brothers voice. 10 years his senior Ed has been gone a little while, and the news on the other end of the line is not good. Ed has been locked up, and they are convicting him of murder, he’s on death row. 10 years later Ed’s execution date has been set, and this might be the last summer they ever have together.  *** I have always been a…

“‘Happy fifteenth birthday, genius! Just think this time next year you’ll have a first-year Cambridge First and a bunch of mates who might just keep up with you. Love, Gerry'”  Nick is 15. He isn’t a genius, he’s just starting Cambridge next month because he ‘works hard’. He is uprooting the life he and his dad have in London, away from everything he knows, because he has to live within a 3 mile radius of the College, but can’t live in dorms because of his age. He and his workaholic dad will be just fine though, things will carry on as they have in the last 4 years. With Nick…

“Stick Man lives in the Family Tree With his Stick Lady Love and his stick children three.” Stick Man is living a great life, until one day, when out for a run, he comes into contact with a four legged-friend. There begins an adventure he will never forget. But he’s one determined Stick Man and he won’t rest until he’s back at his family tree! *** I have always heard amazing things about Julia Donaldson’s books. They are raved about by many parents. We got the Gruffallo before Spike was even born and I’ve read it many times. Room on the Broom and The Snail and The Whale were bought…

“What truth must she face? How far will he dare to go? One Story. Two Sides.” How far is too far when it comes to the people you love? Claire Casey hates being the centre of attention. But if it means getting Sef Malik to notice her, it’s a risk she’s happy to take. Sef is prepared to do anything to help his recently disabled brother. But this means putting Claire’s love – and life – on the line. Because when you’re willing to risk everything, what is there left to lose? *** I love Non Pratt’s books. They never fail to capture me and make me love each and…

“Blue, for example. Like the colour the sun makes the sea. Like the beach bucket he wore as a hat, king of the tidal parade. Like the word I and the hour of nobody awake but me. I thought blue was mine, and that we were each ourselves, and that some things could not be stolen. I thought the waves would rise up, toss down, rinse clean, and that I would still be standing here, solid. I was wrong about everything.”   Haven is a six-mile long, half mile wide island. Mira and her friends are a handful of a smaller community of year-rounders on the holiday island. They have…