Age 8
Father Christmas And Me by Matt Haig & Chris Mould
We love Father Christmas And Me and once we started reading we couldn’t put it down! Told by Amelia, The Girl Who Saved Christmas, it’s full of page turning drama, intrigue, Christmas magic and humour. It’s the perfect festive read. The blurb on the back of the book says ‘Let The Battle For Christmas Begin…’.
Last Stop On The Reindeer Express by Maudie Powell-Tuck & Karl James Mountford
I first saw Last Stop On The Reindeer Express at the Frankfurt Book Fair last year and loved Karl James Mountford’s beautiful illustrations with their cutouts and flaps. This wonderful, festive, magical adventure is full of love and warmth and helps children understand that sometimes families may have to spend the Christmas season apart.
It’s Christmas! by Tracey Corderoy & Tim Warnes
It’s Christmas! is a festive, feelgood story which makes us laugh. Parents, as well as children, will identify with Archie’s infectious, and sometimes overpowering, enthusiasm for all the preparations. Chaos reigns throughout the story and we love the humour in the illustrations.
Make & Play Nativity by Joey Chou
Joey Chou’s Make & Play Nativity is a wonderful introduction to the Nativity for toddlers, pre-schoolers and Early Years children but it’s also a fun activity for older children. This sturdy little board book includes 20 press out figures, craft ideas, The Christmas Story and a selection of popular Christmas carols.
Perfectly Norman by Tom Percival
Perfectly Norman is the story of how Norman’s everyday life changes when he grows a pair of wings. We love the way that Tom Percival sensitively takes us through Norman’s insecurities and experiences until he bravely confronts his anxieties and learns to accept his new situation.
Rooster Wore Skinny Jeans by Jessie Miller & Barbara Bakos
Rooster Wore Skinny Jeans is definitely one of the most eye catching picture book titles that we’ve come across. It really invited us to open the book and we weren’t disappointed! Rooster’s story is as funny as the title suggests but it also shows that it takes courage to be yourself, regardless of the reactions…
Ghost Story Box: Create Your Own Spooky Tales by Ella Bailey
We love Story Box: Create Your Own Fairytales and Ghost Story Box: Create Your Own Spooky Tales is just as much fun. Making spooky (or not so spooky!) stories using the large jigsaw pieces from The Ghost Story Box would be a fun activity for a Halloween party. We spent a long time discussing which…
The Storm Dog by Holly Webb & Artful Doodlers
The Storm Dog takes us back in time with Tilly who is learning about life in World War Two for a school project. Great-Gran is nearly ninety and sends Tilly a parcel which takes her back in time to give her the experience of an evacuee firsthand. We really enjoyed this story, as well as…
Harper and the Fire Star by Cerrie Burnell & Laura Ellen Anderson
Harper and the Fire Star is a beautifully written story full of mystery, secrets and musical magic. We were quickly drawn into Harper’s adventure, captivated by the colourful characters in The Circus of Dreams and intrigued by the mysterious Fire Star. We couldn’t stop reading until we got to the end of the book!