Book Reviews
See our latest book reviews and search for all previous reviews. We’ll be adding more over the coming months, so check back to see if your favourite book has been reviewed by us.
Wild Wolf
Fiona French
When Proud Girl refuses Bravest Warrior as a suitor, he becomes angry and creates Ice Man in revenge who leads her into great danger.
Hoot and howl across the desert: Life in the world’s driest deserts
Vassiliki Tzomaka
An introduction to life in deserts across the world.
Mrs Noah’s pockets
Jackie Morris, illus. James Mayhew
Imagine what Mrs Noah was doing while Noah was building the ark.
Shakespeare’s Bear
Harry Oxford
This delightful story is narrated by Mummer, a bear adopted as a cub by the Shakespeare family in Stratford-on-Avon.
Young Palestinians speak: Living under occupation
Anthony Robinson & Annemarie Young
Life in Occupied Palestine told by the children and young people who live there.
The visitor
Antje Damm
A unique and beautifully illustrated picture book about loneliness and friendship.
Travels with my granny
Juliet Rix, illus. Christopher Corr
A young child joins her granny on her reimagined journeys from a time before dementia took over her life.
We are artists: Women who made their mark on the world
Kari Herbert
This book celebrates the work of 15 female artists from around the world and their impact on the art world.
Wild world
Angela McAllister, illus. Hvass & Hannibal
An exploration of some of the last great wildernesses of the world explored through stunning images and lyrical poetry.
The Thief, the Witch and the Shop of Curiosities
Mark Isherwood, illus. Drew Sinclair
When Peter wakes in the middle of the night, he is sure he can hear an intruder – but time has been frozen; no one else is aware of this and no one hears him speak to Peter.
Quill Soup
Alan Durant, illus. Dale Blankenaar
Noko the Porcupine is tired and hungry. Surely, he will find a welcome from the other animals. Sadly, not. One by one, they turn him away making excuses. Something has to be done.
High-Rise Mystery
Sharna Jackson
Norva (age 13) is the emotional one who believes in intuition, Nik (11) her younger sister looks to facts to make her deductions. Together they act as a detective agency for the housing estate that is their home.
Old man of the sea
Stella Elia, illus. Weberson Santiago
Grandfather is old; often visits pass in silence. It is far from exciting. Until one day, Grandfather starts to tells stories of his youth when as a sailor he travelled the world.
You’re strong with me
Chitra Soundar, illus. Poonam Mistry
The baby giraffe is very young and the world is a new exciting place to be explored, but frightening as well. Luckily mother is there to support and encourage. “You’re strong with me”, she reassures her little one.
The Jackal Who Thought He Was a Peacock – A tale by Rumi
Fereshteh Sarlak, illus. Firoozeh Golmohammadi, transl. Azita Rassi
This title introduces children to a fable of the great Iranian poet, Rumi. It is a story about the futility of wishing to be something other than you are.
Migrations: Open Hearts, Open Borders
A collection of postcard images addressing the subject of migration, featuring bird images.
Fiddle Dee Dee!
Dianne Hofmeyr, illus. Piet Grobler
Monkey makes an exciting find – a musical bow which makes magical sounds; finders keepers surely? But no, Hyena lays claim to the bow. How can the dispute be resolved?
Tiger walk
Dianne Hofmeyr, illus. Jesse Hodgson
A little boy visits an art gallery to see the painting “Surprise” by Rousseau, and the tiger in the picture draws his attention. In his dreams the tiger comes to him and together they go on various adventures. But there is always something that scares him – what does he actually fear?
White horse
Yan Ge, ill. James Nunn, transl. Nicky Harman
Yun Yun is ten. With her older cousin she is looking forward to “growing up”. But then her cousin does grow up, leaving her behind.
Sinbad the Sailor & Other Stories from the Arabian Nights
Transl. Laurence Housman, ill. Edmund Dulac, intro. Marina Warner
We all know The Arabian Nights – or do we? Though today we are most likely to meet the stories in collections made for children, the originals were for an appreciative adult audience.
Shadow
Lucy Christopher and Anastasia Suvorova
After the move to a new home, Ma seems completely preoccupied. She doesn’t see the Shadow; the Shadow that lures the child into the forest to become truly lost and alone.
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