How to train your dragon by Cressida Cowell

Hiccup Horrendous Haddock the Third is a smallish Viking with a longish name. Hiccup’s father is chief of the Hairy Hooligan tribe which means Hiccup is the Hope and the Heir to the Hairy Hooligan throne – but most of the time Hiccup feels like a very ordinary boy, finding it hard to be a Hero. 

In the first How to Train Your Dragon book Hiccup must lead ten novices in their initiation into the Hairy Hooligan Tribe. They have to train their dragons or be BANISHED from the tribe FOR EVER!

But what if Hiccup’s dragon resembles an ickle brown bunny with wings? And has NO TEETH? The Seadragonus Giganticus Maximus is stirring and wants to devour every Viking on the Isle of Berk . . .
Can Hiccup save the tribe – and become a Hero?

This book had me laughing out loud and I absolutely loved the illustrations in it too. After just finishing Cressida Cowell’s second instalment of the Wizards Of Once I decided to give this book a try too. Suffice to say I wasn’t disappointed!

I have to warn any parents out there this is nothing like the movie but personally I thought it was better. The funny illustrations brought the book to life too.

The chapters were short and easy to read and ideal for children. The language was easy for children to understand and also funny. References to belching and pooping will have all children giggling.

All in all another great read from our new children’s laureate looking forward to Book 3 of the Wizards of Once later in the year.

The Missing Bookshop by Katie Clapham

Children who like reading will love this gentle story. Milly’s favourite thing is story time at her local bookshop. She’s been going since she was very little and the shop owner Mrs Minty can always recommend the perfect book. Milly likes helping in the shop too and she notices it’s looking older and shabbier than it used to. When the bookshop suddenly closes, Milly can’t bear the thought it might not reopen, and her response prompts other people to make their feelings known too.

Milly is a little girl who loves reading and especially loves visiting her local bookstore Mintys Bookshop.

Mrs Minty who owns the bookshop loves to read to the children and has a story time there which Milly loves too.

Milly dreams of running the bookstore or working there when anything happens to Mrs Minty.

One day she passes the bookstore and it’s closed. Eventually the bookstore goes up for sale. Milly is distraught and draws a picture of how she would love the bookstore to look and pins her picture outside the shop. Day after day children leave pictures, poems and letters asking for the bookstore to stay open.

No one knows who has got the bookstore and what it will be like until opening day finally arrives……

I loved this simple little book with its amazing illustrations by Kirsti Beautyman, it’s highlights how some children still love to read and be read to. Milly is a lovely little character and worries a lot too, but finds comfort in her reading.

This little book is a must for children and maybe by reading this lovely book it will show the importance reading has for us.

I’ve loved books all my life as has my daughter and still does. So a must for anyone child or adult to read this little book which shows us how books can impact on our lives.

The Truth About Awful Arnold by Gracie Owens

A new school
A new start
And a new bully—Arnold.
Eloise hated everything about the horrid boy. So much so she named him Awful Arnold.
But he wasn’t any old bully… he had secrets… and Eloise and her new best friend, Monroe, set out on a mission to find out exactly what he had to hide!

Eloise lives on Lilac Street and hates it she hates the fact she’s moved away from her friends and her old school.

At Beatrice Park School she is forced to sit in class next to Arnold who teases her constantly she nicknames him Awful Arnold.

Eloise unfortunately lives across from Awful Arnold so can’t even escape his taunts at home.

One night she sees strange lights occurring in Arnold’s house and takes a photo. Now she has a new mission to find out what the lights are and who Arnold really is and with the help of her new friend Monroe they set out to discover what secret Arnold is hiding…..

I was given a copy of this children’s book by a friend at work. She told me the author uses the name Gracie Owens because these are her children’s names the authors name is Rachael Tonks which when I looked her up she’s written more books. So intrigued by this fact I agreed to read this sixty page long book and review it.

I loved the characters in this book really there are three main characters which are Eloise, Monroe and Awful Arnold, the author dealt really well with a couple of sensitive subjects bullying and acceptance.

She dealt with this is a fun way but didn’t detract from the seriousness of either of the subjects.

The story was well written and aimed at children between 5 – 12 years old. It’s written in a simple form so an easy reader or read aloud book. The book would make an ideal classroom read especially as its centred around Eloise’s experiences in school.

The twist in the story at the end was simple and well thought out and will leave children realising it’s okay to be different and you can still be liked and loved for who you are.

Excellent little read highly recommended!