Claire

This book was set in Korea from 1915 to 1945 and depicts the life of Najin Han. I really enjoy reading this type of fiction, which includes historical facts along with the actual story, so you get an insight into what peoples' lives were like living through these times. I also find it an easier way to learn about a period in history, rather than reading historical text books, which I just wouldn't bother to do.

An imaginative story that you could picture being spun to entertain the kids on the way home from a holiday by the beach. Quite formal in the way it was written - seemed almost the way books for children were written years ago - with the emphasis on ‘manners', cleaning the dishes, etc. We don't come across many books for this age group that include that kind of thing. However, that didn't inhibit Nathan (our 4 year old) asking to us to read it again, more than once. His reaction was ‘I want a dragon that lives in a shell'. We did wonder if there any more stories to follow... ..read more

This was a strange one, not exactly a story book, more in the style of an amusing comic book.

A good selection of Christmas stories. I was pleased to see a couple of nativity stories amongst the usual Father Christmas and presents type stories. It's the kind of book you would want to get before December so that you could read them to/with your child as a build up to the big day.

At the back of the book is an easy recipe for making Christmas biscuits with your children. It also has all the words to the Twelve Days of Christmas, which kids always have fun singing (I still remember singing this one at middle school!)

My son liked this book very much as he's very keen on pirates at the moment. The pictures were really well drawn, nice little details (like Captain Wag's dog bone earring). Good twist that the scary looking polar bears were really only trying help. At the back of the book is a fold out ice scene with stickers of the characters that your child can stick on to create their own picture (stickers always being popular with small children).

This is a good bedtime book for small children. I liked the way it follows a child's normal bedtime routine (might possibly help reinforce this routine with younger children who feel a bit reluctant to go to bed, but that would also depend on how strong willed your child is and how much a fight going to bed is!). The book is written in verse and it's comes across as a soothing lullaby. I also liked the pictures (reminded me a bit of Beatrix Potter).

This was a very good story, with a little bit of a moral behind it (i.e. its not really fun to be far away from your parents, as wandering off on your own can be scary). Big colourful pictures, nice clear font and easy words so that older children learning to read might be able to have a go at it themselves. I asked my son (4yrs) what he thought about it and he understood the moral in the story that if you wander away from mummy and daddy you might get lost.

These are updated animal versions of traditional nursery rhymes. The rhymes are very good and I think actually nicer for small children than the originals, as some of the rhymes we were told as children (three blind mice who have their tales ‘cut off' by the farmer's wife) are quite brutal when you think about it. This book also comes with a CD of the author reading the rhymes to you. My son particularly liked this as he could sit with the book on his lap and was able to tell when he needed to turn the page over. ..read more

A nice touchy-feely book for 3+ age group. It would probably appeal more to girls, although little brothers might also like looking at it. I could see that the zip on the front would be useful for hand-eye coordination and learning to undo and do up their own zips.

This was a really nice interactive Christmas book for young children. It would be nice to read leading up to Christmas as the child can read about things like making Christmas cards and decorating the tree and then have a go at doing these things with their family.