The Girl and the Dinosaur by Hollie Hughes and Sarah Massini. A little girl who digs for dinosaur bones on the beach  dreams at night that her Jurassic companion will come alive…Which of course it does! It’s all a bit magical and dreamy which is just what you want at bedtime! The illustrations are skilfully executed and are really superb. …

The New Kitten by Joyce Carol Oates and David Mottram. Well here’s one for the cat lovers (which includes me by the way)! The story follows Cherie the family cat, who gets a shock one day when she is presented with a new kitten into the house. You can predict the jealousy and bad feeling that results from this and …

Under the Same Sky by Britta Teckentrup. This is a beautifully illustrated book the features a whole host of animals all living under our shared sky. Cats, bunnies, foxes and even flamingos, all help carry this story of unification. It’s a simple book with minimal text, however the lyrical style gives it a comforting quality. Plus there is a clever …

I Really Want to Win by Simon Philip and Lucia Gaggiotti. I fully confident little girl thinks that she will win at sports day and any other competition. Unfortunately things don’t work out that way. Not only is this a well observed tale of children’s competitiveness and disappointment, it’s cleverly told in rhyme which makes the whole thing even better. …

Somebody Swallowed Stanley by Sarah Roberts and Hannah Peck. Not only does this book have an intriguing title, it also has a very clever story and an important ecological message. Stanley is a discarded carrier bag all adrift at sea and frequently mistaken for food by the marine life. What will become of Stanley and what about those who try …