Tag Archives: #imclever

Great children’s book series

2022, Backtoschool, Children, Children's Books, Fiction, Funny, Recommended, , ,

Series fiction is great for, and popular with children – not only do young readers get to meet their favourite characters again and again, it also makes lighter work for adults who are keen to nurture good reading habits! School, animals, fantasy, adventure, humour…. there are excellent book series that suit all interests and tastes. Here are six of the hottest series available now:

The Princess in Black and the Mermaid Princess by Shannon Hale and Dean Hale, illustrated by LeUyen Pham

On most days, Princess Magnolia is a prim and proper princess… but when monsters stray onto her kingdom, she secretly transforms into The Princess in Black to fight them! Let Princess Magnolia show you how to be a pink princess, a fearless superhero – as well as someone with strong values. Princess in Black is a beginners’ chapter book series with cute, colourful illustrations. The stories are exciting and enormously fun. Shannon Hale, Dean Hale and LeUyen Pham are talented and award-winning creators who are also behind the popular Real Friends graphic novel series.

Find the full Princess in Black series here.

The Bad Guys Episode 14: They’re Bee-Hind You! by Aaron Blabey

The Bad Guys is like Reservoir Dogs – except funnier, kinder, and for kids! Mr Wolf, Mr Piranha, Mr Snake and Mr Shark feel dragged down by the bad reputations of their species, and are determined to show that they are good at Doing Good! Each episode (book) features a different mission that doesn’t always go to plan. The Bad Guys has a graphics-rich format, and plenty of silliness, ridiculous action, and toilet humour – all the things that engage even the most reluctant of readers! Get ready to hear a lot more about The Bad Guys in the lead up to its highly-anticipated movie adaptation. For ages 6 and up.

Find the whole series here.

Enola Holmes and the Black Barouche by Nancy Springer

Enola Holmes is back! After an 11-year hiatus, the success of the Enola Holmes movie adaptation has inspired author Nancy Springer to release further adventures about the witty, smart girl detective. In Enola Holmes and the Black Barouche, Enola teams up with her older and more famous brother (The Sherlock Holmes) to investigate the supposed death of an Earl’s wife. The Earl claims that she died suddenly of a fever, and was quickly cremated without a funeral – and Enola and Sherlock are determined to find out the truth. This engaging mystery has rich period detail about Victorian London, as well as some thought-provoking reflections about the constraints of class and gender in that era. Popular with ages 10+.

Read the full series here.

Dog Man 10: Mothering Heights by Dav Pilkey

Dog Man graphic novels are a spin-off of the (also super-popular) Captain Underpants novels that has found its own large and loyal fanbase. Beneath the riotiously funny adventures of Dog Man and his crime-fighting cop buddies, lie messages about friendship and celebrating differences. While enjoyed by a wide range of readers – including reluctant readers – Dav Pilkey’s books do have a special resonance with neurodiverse children – Dav himself was diagnosed with ADHD and dyslexia as a child, and his work normalises and respects different behaviours. For ages 7+

The whole Dog Man series can be found here.

Wolf Girl 6: Animal Train by Anh Do

The multi-talented Anh Do has written a slew of bestselling series (including WeirDo, Ninja Kid , E-Boy and Mythix) to suit children of different ages and tastes! Wolf Girl is an adventure-packed series with a feisty, resourceful young hero. Whilst fleeing from the family home away from imminent danger, Gwen becomes separated from her family. Alone in the dark unfamiliar woods, Gwen needs to trust her instincts to survive. Soon she meets and forms a pack / family with a wolf cub, some stray dogs and a hawk. They learn from and look out for each other as Gwen tries to reunite with her family. Wolf Girl has fast-paced, thrilling action and is loved by both boys and girls aged 9+.

Find the whole adventure here.

Middle School: Field Trip Fiasco by James Patterson and Martin Chatterton

James Patterson is better known as a master of crime/political thrillers, but do you know he also writes hilarious school stories aimed at children? His Middle School series follows Rafe, a new student at Hills Village Middle School. Rafe feels alone, different, and a bit lost at his new school, and decides to use rule-breaking as his way of dealing with troubles at home and at school. The trouble-making is funny but he also (subtly) learns that misbehaviour doesn’t pay, as he gradually discovers his interests and strengths. The wacky, over-the-top adventures and heavily-illustrated style is perfect for fans of Wimpy Kid and Tom Gates. For ages 9+.

Read the whole Middle School series here.

Learning to read: six great books for early readers

Backtoschool, Children, Children's Books, Learning, New Release, , , , , , ,

Children’s books are a delightful genre of books. The topics they cover are fun, silly, heart warming, insightful, cheeky and full of adventure. There is something rather special about hearing a child giggle aloud, or even chat to the characters of a book they are enjoying. With so many children heading back to school this month we wanted to share a handful of new books that we know will find a spot on the bookshelves both at homes and classrooms across Australia. 

We love hearing which books your children enjoy, and which ones you enjoyed as a child, please feel free to share in the comments below or over on any of our social media channels; instagram, twitter and facebook. 

The Museum of Marvellous Things by Kristina Stephenson

Sensible, serious Norbert Norris knows all the important things: dinosaurs, planets, shapes and sums. But when the Museum of Marvellous Things is in trouble, Norbert doesn’t know what to do. Only magic can save it – and he knows nothing about magic! Norbert must learn to believe, because when you imagine incredible things, almost anything can happen. This story is a joyful celebration of imagination and creativity, from the author of the bestselling Sir Charlie Stinky Socks books, Kristina Stephenson.

Scaredy Bath by Zoë Foster Blake

Bath-time is fun! There’s the bubbles, the bath toys and lots of splashing of course. But have you ever wondered what it’s like for the bath? Scaredy Bath does not like bath time . . . the piping hot water, the gooey muck and especially not the small boisterous grubby ones that shout and splash and make Scaredy all mucky! What’s a bath to do? Will Scaredy Bath ever enjoy bath time? Scaredy Bath is a delightful new addition to Zoë’s much-loved brand of picture books (you can find the other books here) that celebrate the ups and downs of family life.

Did you take the B from my _ook? by Matt Stanton

OK. Two things you need to know before you read this book. Firstly, your favourite thing in the whole world is the letter B. And secondly, you’re about to sneeze and all the Bs are going to be blown out of the book. So until you can get your favourite letter back, you’re about to sound really, really silly … And the kids will love it!

Abigail Fig: The Secret Agent Pig by Megan Hess

If you are a fan of the Claris books you are going to love this new character Megan Hess has dreamed up. It’s actually not in stores yet, but you can pre-order it. Clever and curious Abigail Fig has a real nose for details, tiny and big. But when a strange disappearance catches her eye she’ll need to think fast and act like a spy! Abigail Fig is a very curious pig. She’s full of questions, which can sometimes be a little annoying. But one day, her observation skills come in handy when she witnesses a pignapping – can she follow the clues to find her friends? This is destined to delight fashion-obsessed readers of all ages!

Thunderstorm Dancing by Katrina Germein

Thunderstorm is a rollicking rhyming story about a family who dance up a storm while the wind and rain swirl outside. Rhythm, rhyme and family mayhem. Perfect for reading aloud, this playful, energetic story will have young children leaping into action. When a sunny day at the beach turns stormy, a little girl runs for cover. Her daddy and brothers are wild in the wind and lightning, and her poppy is as loud as thunder. They fill the house with stamping and crashing while Granny plays piano to their riotous thunderstorm dancing. until the storm passes and they all fall down. Then, in the stillness, the girl is ready to play. What will she be, now that the rain has stopped and there’s a glimmer of sunlight? 

Bella The Brave by Rebel Wilson

Bella has so much to say, but she’s just too shy. If only she could be more like her confident sister, Stella. Then one day Bella’s mum brings her to the local choir. Could it finally be Bella’s time to shine? An empowering book about finding your voice from one of Australia’s best-loved stars, Rebel Wilson.

Enjoy!

Getting Organised with Booko: Your Best Life at Any Age by Andrew Fuller

life stories, Lifestyle, Organisation, Personal development, Recommended, Top Books, Top Tips, , , , , ,

Your Best Life at Any Age shares interviews with over 500 000 people to trace the most common identifiable stages of life. Understanding what stage you are in will lead to making changes that can improve your relationships and develop a more resilient mindset.