Katy by Jacqueline Wilson #bookreview

Katy Carr is the eldest of six children in her family and fills the role perfectly with her daring, bossy, funny, imaginative and sometimes outrageous personality. Katy loves nothing more than playing in the great outdoors: climbing trees, skateboarding, cycling or swinging. However, her life changes unexpectedly and dramatically in an instant, following a serious accident that leaves her with a spinal injury.

As Katy tries to come to terms with her new life, we share her anger and frustration, but also see her resilience, grit and determination. She courageously battles on and manages to reinvent what it means to be Katy Carr and discovers that you can still fly, even when you can no longer walk.

The subject matter is mature, but handled in Wilson's usual sympathetic and understanding way, allowing readers to feel uplifted, even through the darkest moments. Although sad, the story is also empowering, showing readers that with courage and determination anything could be possible.

The story is a modern and contemporary reworking on the nineteenth century classic What Katy Did, a favourite of the author when she was a child. This new book has a message that is appropriate to today's audience, underpinning the importance of finding the strength and determination to overcome even the hardest of obstacles. A message that can be applied to a whole range of situations, and not just the situation that Katy found herself in.

We are big Jacqueline Wilson fans and this new title gives us yet another engaging young heroine that young girls can relate to, delivered to us through sensitive storytelling. Jacqueline Wilson has a style of writing that is a little old fashioned compared to some of the other YA authors that my children read, but it's comforting, reassuring and familiar, just like a favourite blanket. We always have a place for the latest Jacqueline Wilson book on our shelf.

Katy is out on 30th July 2015, published by Puffin, £12.99 in hardback. Also available as an e-book.

How to Lose A Lemur - Book Review

This delightful picture book follows a young boy who is being followed by lemurs!  He tries to avoid them by hiding, disguising himself and eventually running far, far away.  He thinks he's lost them, then realises he's got himself lost in the process.  Thankfully the lemurs are on hand to help!

Freddy was sent a copy to read! The book has lovely illustrations and the text is upbeat, cute and quirky.  Little ones will love following the story as the boy travels across the lake, up mountains, across the desert and into the sky in a hot air balloon.  It's very imaginative!

Sharing this story with Freddy got him to thinking about different ways to travel across different landscapes and how he'd cope if he was being followed by a troop of over friendly lemurs!

RRP £5.99

Children's Picture Books

If you are looking for some great children's books to add to your kids' home library, here are two lovely titles that we have been enjoying together from Harper Collins.

The Runaway Bunny

This Essential Picture Book Classic has an old fashioned simplicity and a powerful messsage filled with reassurance and affirmation of a mother's love for her child.  When the baby bunny thinks about running away, his mother tells him all the ways that she would bring him back home.  First published in 1942, this is a real classic with gentle magic in its words and illustrations.  The tale of unswerving love and maternal devotion will never grow old.

By Margaret Wise Brown
RRP £6.99 PB

Splat Says Thank You

Splat is a cat that my children already love and here he is back for a new seventh adventure.  In this title Splat wants to thank his mouse pal Seymour for being his friend, in a bid to cheer him up.  Splat makes a book listing all the funny and sweet reasons that he is so thankful to him.  The illustrations are fabulously detailed, lively and  beautifully humorous.  The text is heart-warming and filled with laugh out loud moments that pre-schoolers will love.

By Rob Scotton
RRP £6.99 PB

Both of these books are available to buy now from good stockists and are also available as e-books.