• Win a copy of Dirty Bertie: Frights and Bites
    competition - Family Life

    Win a copy of Dirty Bertie: Frights and Bites

    September 21, 2018 - By 

    I really enjoy Autumn. We’ve been looking for conkers and kicking leaves on the school run and fully embracing the changing weather. Our thoughts have been turning to Halloween and I’m hoping to find some pumpkins this weekend so we can start planning our Autumn decorations. With Halloween on the horizon I’m happy to have a spooky Halloween giveaway to share with you. Created by David Roberts, one of the UK’s foremost children’s illustrators, Bertie is the star of two picture books – Dirty Bertie and Pooh! Is That You, Bertie? – as well as this fabulously funny young fiction…

  • polar bear painted rock
    Craft book review - Crafts for kids - Painted rocks

    Pebble Pets: 50 Animal Rock Art Projects by Denise Scicluna

    August 15, 2018 - By 

    You all know how much my children and I love creating painted rocks. We’ve hidden quite a few over the summer holidays so were keen to make some new ones. We were kindly sent a copy of Pebble Pets to review, this features over 50 adorable animal rock art designs for the ultimate stress-free family menagerie! Pebble Pets: 50 Animal Rock Art Projects by Denise Scicluna Pebble Pets is authored by Denise Scicluna, who also wrote Rock Art. Pebble Pets is a great guide to creating cute and characterful animal rock art projects in a variety of styles. We love decorating rocks…

  • competition

    Win a copy of Octopants by Suzy Senior

    July 26, 2018 - By 

    We love a good picture book here at the gingerbread house. My 6 year old loves to read but still prefers to share a picture book with us (I hope this never ends!). The perfect pants are hard to find for someone shaped like me, Could Octopants be just the job? Why not dive in and see ..? There are all-in ones for urchins and slipper-socks for eels…but will Octopus ever find a pair of pants to fit? A hilarious rhyming romp, packed with underwater underwear! Suzy Senior’s storytelling charm combine with Claire Powell’s vibrant, bright and colourful cartoon-esque illustrations…

  • Easy Wood Carving for Children book cover
    book review - Crafts for kids

    Easy Wood Carving for Children {book review}

    June 30, 2018 - By 

    With the Summer holidays looming I am beginning to collect ideas of days out and activities to keep my children busy. Like any children, they can get bored during the school holidays, so I like to have some ideas up my sleeves to bring out. Easy Wood Carving for Children Following on from the success of his previous book, Snitte: The Danish Art of Whittling, Frank Egholm seeks to extend the appeal of this traditional hobby to a younger generation in his new book, Easy Wood Carving For Children. Wood carving is the ideal activity to help them reconnect with…

  • Minecraft: The Crash book cover
    book review - Family Life

    The second official Minecraft novel – Minecraft: The Crash

    June 26, 2018 - By 

    It’s been almost a year since my son received a copy of the first official Minecraft novel, The Island by Max Brooks. It was one of the first Minecraft books he read, later going on to read The Elementia Chronicles. The Island tells the story of a new hero stranded in the world of Minecraft, who must survive the harsh, unfamiliar environment and unravel the secrets of the island. My son really enjoyed reading The Island so we were delighted to be sent a copy of the second official Minecraft novel – Minecraft: The Crash by Tracey Baptiste to review.…

  • How the Light Gets In
    book review - Family Life - London

    How the Light Gets In {book review}

    June 19, 2018 - By 

    How the Light Gets In is the exciting new book from award winning short story writer and novelist, Clare Fisher. You may remember that I reviewed her debut novel All the Good Things last year. From the publishers that brought you Attrib and Other Stories by Eley Williams, How the Light Gets In is another spellbinding short story collection. How the Light Gets In by Clare Fisher A book of very short stories that explores the spaces between light and dark and how we find our way from one to the other. From buffering Skype chats and the truth about beards, to fried chicken shops and the…

  • They Say Blue by Jillian Tamaki
    book review - competition - Family Life

    Win a copy of They Say Blue by Jillian Tamaki

    May 29, 2018 - By 

    We love sharing books and I’m excited to tell you about a lovely new picture book called They Say Blue by Jillian Tamaki. In captivating paintings full of movement and transformation, Tamaki follows a young girl through a year or a day as she examines the colours in the world around her. Egg yolks are sunny orange as expected, yet water cupped in her hands isn’t blue like they say. But maybe a blue whale is blue. She doesn’t know, she hasn’t seen one. Playful and philosophical, They Say Blue is a book about colour as well as perspective, about the things…

  • Daisy’s Vintage Cornish Camper Van
    book review - Family Life

    Daisy’s Vintage Cornish Camper Van {book review}

    May 27, 2018 - By 

    Are you enjoying the Bank Holiday weekend? We’ve escaped London for a few days in the country and I was really happy to have a new book to take with me to read. I love to read but have to admit that my brain is usually a little frazzled after a day with the kids to read anything too heavy. Last year I really enjoyed The Summer of Serendipity by Ali McNamara and was delighted to receive her new book to read, Daisy’s Vintage Cornish Camper Van. Daisy’s Vintage Cornish Camper Van by Ali McNamara Welcome to the gorgeous Cornish…

  • Win 1 of 5 copies of The Wizards of Once by Cressida Cowell
    book review - competition

    Win 1 of 5 copies of The Wizards of Once by Cressida Cowell

    May 16, 2018 - By 

    Fans of Cressida Cowell, author and illustrator of the bestselling How to Train Your Dragon and The Wizards of Once book series, will love a giveaway I have to share with you today. Hachette Children’s Group has released a live action short video to accompany the paperback release of Cressida Cowell’s #1 bestseller, The Wizards of Once. The one minute film – produced by London-based creative agency Ralph, with direct input from Cressida Cowell herself – is inspired by The Wizards of Once story, in which a young boy Wizard, Xar, and young girl Warrior, Wish, meet in the Wildwood, beginning a magical adventure.  A twist…