What to read after the Rainbow Magic Fairies?

Last week a friend asked me for book suggestions for her daughter who loves the Rainbow Magic fairy books. She loves the fantasy aspect of the series, and the slim volumes that don't intimidate her. But what could she read next? What should she move on to? It struck me that it's probably a common...

Nicola Davies’ Top Ten Nature Picture Books – with giveaway

The 2014 Scottish Friendly Children's Book Tour (in association with the Scottish Book Trust) takes the very best UK and international authors directly into schools across Scotland and the UK to inspire a love of reading, writing and illustration. This is an idea that fills me with joy. It's so important for children to be...

Teaching your child to read – book bands, reading schemes and early readers.

The world of reading schemes, book bands, early readers and early chapter books can be a bit of a minefield and seems to have its own language. It can be particularly tricky if your child hasn't started school yet and you are working it all out on your own. I thought it might be useful...

Wild Child by Jeanne Willis and Lorna Freytag

You know that feeling when you see a book and you get a thrill of excitement? When you have found something new and exciting and daring to be different. When you pick it up and read it and that thrill of excitement is transformed into butterflies as you realise that this book is truly something...

Doodle Bites by Polly Dunbar

Tilly and Friends is a much loved CBeebies series teaching children about friendship and getting along with those around them. The series is based on Polly Dunbar's Tilly books, the first of which is Doodle Bites. Doodle wakes up feeling bitey. After biting her way through the house she spots something very good to bite...