Sunday 13 December 2015

The Imaginary by A.F Harrold

Review of The Imaginary by A.F Harrold

I recently received a copy of The Imaginary by A.F Harrold to review and when it first arrived I wasn't sure I would really like it as it looked quite different from the books I normally enjoy but I decided to give it a go and read it with Mum as my bedtime story over the last week-I was really surprised but after a few chapters I couldn't put it down.

'Rudger is Amanda's best friend. He doesn't exist, but nobody's perfect.
Only Amanda can see her imaginary friend - until the sinister Mr Bunting arrives at Amanda's door. Mr Bunting hunts imaginaries. Rumour says that he eats them. And he's sniffed out Rudger. Soon Rudger is alone, and running for his imaginary life. But can a boy who isn't there survive without a friend to dream him up?'
I thought this book was fantastic- I liked the way Amanda created whole new world's with her imagination and how this was her huge strength in the end. I loved the loyalty that Rudger shows to Amanda and how even though you grow up and out of imaginary friends you can still see them again when you really need to if you try hard enough. I loved the idea that when a child doesn't need their imaginary any more there is somewhere for them to go until someone does need them.

The illustrations in the book were beautiful, really descriptive and are worth a good look on their own, I kept turning back to look at them in between reading the story. I liked the way the words on the page also reflected the story - such as when there was a power cut and the words were in white written on a black page so you felt like you were there in the power cut.

The story was really quite scary in places and kept your attention as you wanted to know what happened next and the ending was really dramatic. I think this is definitely one of the best books I have read this year and would really recommend it to anyone age 7+ up to any age at all - my Mum really enjoyed it too so I think it would appeal to nearly everyone who enjoys a good book.
 I just wish I had an imaginary friend now!

You can order The Imaginary here







Wednesday 9 December 2015

Santa Claus is Coming to Town

Santa Claus is Coming to Town


I haven't written much recently because we have been very busy the last few weeks and I know we have got lots of things coming up in the next few too. Like everyone else we are getting in to the Christmas spirit. I am really liking seeing all the Christmas lights going up as it makes the school run more festive and I love this time of year with all the parties, nativities and carol concerts so you can imagine how excited I was to be invited to go to Wyevale Garden Centre with my family for Tea with Father Christmas.

When we arrived we were greeted by an Elf and shown to our table in the garden centre restaurant, there was lots of things set up on the table to keep us busy including colouring, chocolate coins and Christmas crackers. So we pulled the crackers and put on our hats and did some drawing while we waited to see what would happen next.


The Elves came round and introduced themselves to everyone and asked if we had been good this year (I was honest and said I had been most of the time but not all even though Lottie said she had!) and then they brought our food out.We had been able to choose beforehand what we would like to eat and Lottie and I both had chicken goujons, chips and beans while Mum and Dad had a 'Festive Sandwich' which actually turned out to be an afternoon tea with cake and mince pies, tea and coffee - the cake was really nice (I had to try my Mum's piece- just for research though!) 



After we had eaten we were given a Christmas biscuit to decorate, we got a Christmas tree shaped biscuit and a bag of icing and some sprinkles and got to work making some yummy creations.

Soon it was time for Father Christmas to make his appearance so we were all given bells and sang jingle bells to welcome him, when he arrived he looked very jolly and all the children queued up to see him. He was very nice and friendly and chatted to us all (although Lottie was a bit scared) and didn't even mind when Sam tried to pull his beard!- We did stop him very quickly just in case he wasn't the 'real' Santa!!




At the end of the visit we were allowed to chose a gift- there was lots of lovely things to choose from and it was really hard to pick but I chose a set where you dig for Gems and Lottie picked a Mermaid doll which she loves. The Gems set is really good and I think it will be something I can use for quite a while as I have only dug out one gem so far even though I have used it quite a few times.

I really did enjoy our visit- Santa and the elves were really good, the food was nice and we had lots of fun- this is a really great way for the whole family to spend an afternoon together and get in the mood for Christmas.

Bookings can be made at many different Wyevale Garden Centres across the country and details can be found here










Wednesday 25 November 2015

Making New Discoveries!

Making New Discoveries-

Discovery Channel Microscope Review


Christmas has come early at our house this year- we have been sent a Discovery Channel 150x Microscope to test and have been having loads of fun investigating with it.

It is really easy to set up and focus and comes with two pre-loaded slides so you can get straight on and start discovering. We have been looking at wings on the pre-loaded slides and have been having fun using the tools to collect our own specimens- it includes tweezers, vials, a magnifying glass and a magnifying petri dish so we have collected and cut up leaves and flowers to examine and have looked at nails and hair under the microscope which come out really well.

The microscope can be set up to three different levels of magnification and is also lit up. It is for age 8+ and it is ideal for any child around 7 upwards who likes science or enjoys studying nature but it is straight forward enough that Lottie who is 4 has been able to go ahead and use it without too much help and whilst we wouldn't recommend bashing this type of equipment around we can also tell you that Lottie took the microscope in to school and shared it with her Reception class who all had a look and it came home none the worse for it's outing!

We really liked this product and highly recommend it as a great Christmas gift. If you would like to find out more you can visit the Trends UK website here 




Thursday 19 November 2015

Nickelodeon STEM Product Range from The Entertainer and a Giveaway

The Nickelodeon STEM Product Range from The Entertainer and a chance to win a set from the range!



I was so excited to be contacted by The Entertainer to see if we would like to participate in their Twitter Party (later today from 4pm to 5pm- follow @entertainertoys and @whatlukedidnext) and I was even more excited to be sent and Exploding Booms set from the Nickelodeon STEM range to test. 

STEM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics and the products within the range help children learn about these topics in a really fun way- you can make anything from soap bombs and fragrances to stink bombs, build circuits and perform experiments. It is an awesome range and ideal for children age 5 plus (with adult help) and around 8 plus with less supervision.

We tested the Exploding Booms set and found it really great. The instructions were straight forward to follow and the additional equipment needed was minimal - basically vinegar for a couple of the experiments and lemon juice for one so just normal household products.



We liked the exploded boom bags- these were straightforward and fun and easy to do without help- just blow them up and make them bang! We also made a volcano which was amazing- I loved the chemical reaction and thought the addition of colouring made it really cool. We had great fun with water bombs too. 

We still have several more experiments to carry out and I am especially looking forward to making the rocket which looks fab.

These sets are being sold exclusively in The Entertainer or online here and are currently just £10 making them perfect for Christmas.

Don't miss your chance to win a set from with the Nickelodeon STEM range kindly supplied by The Entertainer.



a Rafflecopter giveaway





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The Giveaway is open to UK residents only and the prize will be a product from within Nickelodeon STEM range chosen and supplied by The Entertainer. 
Winner will be determined by Rafflecopter and we will notify them within 2 working days of the competition close date using the details supplied at point of entry.
Once the winner has responded their details will be announced on the Rafflecopter widget


Wednesday 18 November 2015

Roald Dahl House of Twits App Review

Roald Dahl House of Twits App Review


As you may already know I am a huge Roald Dahl fan and I especially love The Twits even though Mr and Mrs Twit are truly vile!  (read my review of the book and see our Mr Twit beard here) so as you can imagine I was very excited to hear there was a new App available that you can play where you travel through The House of Twit.





I have been waiting and waiting to download this as I am only allowed to go on the internet and play games occasionally and then my Mum's tablet broke so I had to wait even longer. My Dad finally agreed I could put it on to his phone yesterday and I am loving playing it. I started last night and really wish he hadn't had to take his phone to work as I am looking forward to getting hold of Mr Twit.

So far I am on Level 7 and have been able to get my own back on Mrs Twit by poking her, waking her up and feeding her, tricking her by putting her in the cupboard and pouring water on her head and helping the monkeys- but then we had a power cut and I lost my internet connection so had to stop playing! I am hoping when Dad gets home tonight I will be able to carry on with the game and get a turn at making Mr Twit pay for his mean treatment of the monkeys- I think it is only 2 more levels until I unlock him! I am looking forward to level 8 where it goes into the bathroom- I hope I might be able to put Mrs Twit down the toilet and level 13 when I get to go to their bedroom and cause trouble!




                                                     
This app is so much fun and perfect for any Roald Dahl fans but also great for anyone that just wants a good game to play. Why not have a look yourself- watch the trailer here. You can buy the app here and at just £2.99 it is well worth it. I think this is ideal for children age 6-10 and will be showing it to my friends who will all love it too. It is a bit gruesome in places but Mr and Mrs Twit definitely deserve it!



Tuesday 3 November 2015

A Great Day Out for LEGO Fans!

Brick 2015 A Great Day Out for LEGO Fans 


This weekend I was lucky enough to travel to The NEC in Birmingham for Brick 2015. I was expecting a lot of LEGO but I can't believe just how many bricks there were!


They are also holding a Brick Show at the ExCel Centre in London on 11th - 13th December so if you think this might be for you read on to find out what we got up to at this weekend's show.



When we arrived at the NEC we headed straight for the exhibition and got going with exploring all the activities. There were some amazing displays and models- we all had different favourites but there was a huge Titanic and a Colosseum that were both really awesome that we all loved and there were models of characters like Hagrid, The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and R2D2 which I really wish I was able to build.


         

We joined in with making a huge mosaic- everyone had a base plate and a tiny section of a large picture to create which was then put together to form the whole thing. 




We made our house out of LEGO which was then added to a huge map of the UK and placed where we asked for it to go. As Lottie had made our house I made a floating building and asked the man to put it in the sea!


There was a chance to make racing cars and test them and race them on the ramps, which was good fun and we also attempted another Guinness World Record challenge- there were several different building challenges to complete.


We got to try the LEGO Dimensions computer game which is really really awesome and I would love to get at some point and the Avengers one which is coming out next year which was good too - although Lottie was cross that she couldn't make Captain America fly (he doesn't fly but she wouldn't believe me!)

Along with all the activities and all the amazing displays there were huge pits of LEGO each in a different colour which you could either sit in or grab a handful of bricks from and just build- it was fantastic- like a ball pool for big kids and grown ups! I think it would be my dream come true to have my very own LEGO pit, although Mum says we'd definitely need a bigger house then!

After that there was plenty of chance to add to our own LEGO collections with a huge Toys R Us selling just LEGO- there was so much to choose from! 

There were plenty of other sellers to buy from but I have picked out my favourite three stalls for you to keep an eye out for at the ExCel Show:

FAB-BRICKS.COM - we didn't get to see them at the show as they closed the queue off an hour before the end of the show so they could get everyone finished and we didn't arrive at their stand until then but they make personalised mini figures- you choose the hair, head, body, and legs and then they will engrave it for you. It looked amazing and both Lottie and I really wish we'd got them done so I would definitely recommend visiting them early on in your day.

Base Ace- 3D play platforms - My Mum had seen these online before we went and we were really excited to see what they were like- they are a brilliant idea and really good quality. The man showed us how you can have them upside down or add extension packs and lights and basically use them to come help play with your LEGO in any way you like. Lottie loved the treehouse type set but I really liked the one that reminded me if a rocket but I think you could use them all in so many different ways- I would love to create a fort or a space ship.

Mechabrick- the people there were really friendly and have created a game that has a large board and robots, weapons and people that move around but basically you use your existing LEGO and create models from you imagination which the robots then move round and blow up. It is also compatible with your base boards so the game can become as large as you like. It looks like a great way to enjoy LEGO with your friends and see where the game takes you. 

As you can see I now have a whole load of new ideas of what I would like to start saving up for!  

I would really recommend Brick 2015 as a great day out for any LEGO fan- there are plenty of chances to shop but there are also loads of chances to just play and enjoy LEGO alongside loads of other people who also love it.

Tickets for the show at the ExCel Centre can be ordered from here



A Note from Mum....

We had a great day out as the whole family- we all like LEGO (well except baby Sam who would just eat it but he was happy to sit in his pushchair and watch the world go by!) I felt there was plenty to do for children of Luke and Lottie's age groups and we easily filled the whole day and I also saw plenty of people with much older children who still seemed to be enjoying themselves- if anything I would have said we could have gone for longer as we didn't spend very long playing in the big LEGO pits or looking at some of the models. 

I have seen some people saying the tickets are pricey- they are right- it isn't a cheap day out. However, it is comparable with other Exhibitions we have been to and if your child enjoys LEGO then they will definitely get enough out of it to make it worthwhile. Our friends also went and they thoroughly enjoyed the day and again their son would have been happy to stay all night! It should also be a consideration that parking is £12- however this is the standard rate at the NEC for any show I have ever been to there and would be expected anywhere. The products being sold start from £1.50 upwards so you don't need to have a huge budget for treats to still enjoy the day but with Christmas fast approaching the December show will be a brilliant chance to get stocked up for it. 






We were lucky enough to be given tickets to the Brick 2015 Show and would like to take this opportunity to thank Poppyseed Media for their generosity. However all thoughts and opinions within this post are our own.


Saturday 31 October 2015

Awesome Toy Cars for Big Kids!

Awesome Toy Cars for Big Kids- Modarri Kit Cars Review



I love cars and always have done. When I was little I played with mine all the time- having races, creating traffic jams and causing smashes but as I have got older I don't really get them out much now unless Lottie wants to play but I have recently been sent some new cars that are going to change that.

Trends UK have added the amazing Modarri Kit Cars to their range. These cars were developed in the USA and are customisable to build any way you want. All the parts are included to make an awesome car from start to finish with real steering, suspension and rubber tyres. They don't take batteries and the tool is included which works with special screws that you can't lose.




There are three types of car- dirt, street and track and they all come with the chassis, suspension, hood and tyres - even better they are all interchangeable so you can have great fun swapping the parts around and building then rebuilding them over and over again.

Once you have built them you can then get on with playing with them but unlike normal children's cars you can actually 'drive' these by placing your fingers in the seats which allows you to spin, jump, do wheelies and just drive the vehicles before starting again.


I have really loved playing with these- they are for age 8 plus and I have found them to be relatively straightforward to put together but they took long enough and made you think enough that it feels like a proper activity just to build them. I love the way if you have a couple of the cars you don't have to exactly follow the instructions you can just see where your imagination takes you- in fact I saw thereare over 13 billion combinations of Modarri cars you can create- which is pretty amazing.



I have spent quite a lot of time playing with these over the half term- they are good fun to build and also great to play with. The cars are very responsive and I have created a track with a bundle of packaging that we had to recycle which gave them loads of obstacles to get round and over and we spent ages racing around.

I am looking forward to playing with these with my car mad friend who will absolutely love them and would I recommend then for any child who enjoys building, taking things apart or just playing with vehicles.


They have a RRP of £19.99 and my Mum is planning on using the idea for several people's birthday presents as we have never seen anything else like this and we know they will be really popular.




My recycling car track with jumps and obstacles!








Disclaimer: We were lucky enough to be sent the Modarri Cars from Trends UK to test but all views and opinions are my own. Thank you

Thursday 29 October 2015

The Best Things About Autumn

The Best Things About Autumn


The clocks have changed and it's getting dark really early now. I know we will soon have to start coming straight home from school because it will be too dark and wet to go to the park but I still have lots of things I like about Autumn so during a long car journey earlier in the week Lottie and I decided to make a list of our favourite things about this time of year.

1. All the colours- the trees that I can see from my bedroom window are really lovely colours and there are lots of different greens, yellows, oranges and reds wherever we look. I am going to collect some leaves tomorrow and do some prints.



2. Blackberries. I know I have said how much I love apple and blackberry crumble before but there are still plenty to pick round here at the moment and we have frozen enough to last us through the winter too!

3. Crunching in the leaves. When the trees do completely lose their leaves I love it when it is cold and dry and we can crinkle and crunch through them. There is a bit on the way to school where they gather in a dip and they are really fun to kick through and it sounds awesome if you push the buggy through them. I also LOVE using my Grandparents leaf blower!




4. Coming home when it is dark, closing the curtains, putting the fire on and having a hot chocolate with cream and marshmallows- yum!

5. Conkers- I think this is our favourite thing about this time of year, we have collected a huge stash between us and our favourite harvest time song at school is about conkers - you can find it on YouTube but doesn't show the best bit though where we all shout loudly 99...100- it's quite fun to see the teachers jump! We aren't allowed to play with them at school but Dad is going to set them up so we can play against him and Mum says we need to put them in vinegar to make them stronger. Next collection will be pine cones to decorate for Christmas!


What do you love about Autumn? Do you have any great tips for a perfect conker? 





All images in this post kindly supplied by and used with the permission of 

Emma Hearn- for further details please use the contact form

Saturday 24 October 2015

The most awesome and disgusting book EVER!

Ripley's Believe It Or Not! Eye Popping Oddities 2016- 

The most awesome and disgusting book ever!!!

I have recently been sent a copy of Ripley's Believe It Or Not! and it is quite possibly the best book ever.

I have never read their books before but I love this. The front cover is amazing- it has eyeballs and because it is 3D they actually follow you around the room.


There are loads and loads of little stories and facts throughout the book and they are so interesting. Some of them are really freaky though and make you squeeze you eyes closed and say ewww and I am really liking finding lots of stories about snakes to show my Mum who hates them!

I took this book to a family get together at the weekend and everybody had a read and all the people I showed found something that they wanted to read out loud to everybody else so I think this book is perfect for all ages.

There is even an app you can use to have fun with some of the people from the book- you can set yourself up in one of the pictures- it was really funny using one of my baby photos to fill on of the faces and we all had a go! It's very funny and you can have a go here to try turn your family into some very unusual characters.

I would say this would be a fantastic Christmas present or even just a treat for anyone age 6 upwards who enjoys reading about unusual things and I am definitely going to be going back to this book time and time again.

A note from Mum- 

At an RRP of £20.00 this is quite a pricey read, however, having watched Luke read it nearly constantly over the weekend I would actually say it is well worth the money! 

With just the right amount of 'disgusting-ness' this book is perfect for children of all ages from age 5-6 upwards. If the yucky bits aren't your thing there are also plenty of other just plain amazing facts too. The bite size snippets of stories make this book perfect for both reluctant readers as well as the more confident. 

I can see this book being dipped in and out of for years to come.

If you would like to order a copy of this book, which we feel will make fantastic reading for all the family it can be found here on Amazon and at the time of writing was listed at a much lower than retail price.




Friday 23 October 2015

Treats for friends

Giving Gifts: Bargains to be found at The Entertainer!

I love this time of year as I can start counting down to Christmas and my birthday- it's hard not to get excited once the Christmas decorations start going up in the shops. All the celebrations, school holidays, good food, fun times with friends and family- not to mention (hopefully) a few presents.


Of course it's always so exciting receiving presents and I love to write my 'wish list' in the hope I might be lucky enough to get something off it but now I also love giving presents that I know the people I am giving them too will like too. I normally make something for Mum and Dad, Granny and Grandad and my sister (and this year my brother too!) and Mum helps me out by getting a few little bits for my closest friends.



Next week however, one of my best friends, is going to be getting a treat that she will love (even though it's not Christmas or her birthday so it will be a real unexpected surprise! 
The Entertainer have been kind enough to give me something she will be absolutely thrilled with.



The toys from The Entertainer are a set of One Direction dolls- she is a huge One Direction fan and also being a 7 year old girl quite likes her dolls too. These dolls come boxed as collectors items so she can either keep them safely in their boxes as keepsakes or she can play with them as toys. They look quite funky and the resemblance to the band members is good.They seem to be quite sturdy and good to play with and are a similar size to other fashion dolls so could be used with them or mad One Direction fans might prefer to keep them boxed. 



Either way though these are great value at just £3.50 each- they are currently reduced at 
The Entertainer by over £10 each so if you are stuck for a gift idea these are a bargain. Zayn is sold out but you can get the whole of the rest of the set for under £15- you can't really go wrong with that as a gift can you?!



I can't wait to see my friend next week during half term- she is going to love her gift and have so much fun - thanks so much to The Entertainer for letting us have this fab set.




Monday 19 October 2015

Half Term Fun

Airspeed Oxford 1

Half Term Fun


The RAF Museum in London    


We have been making plans for half term (not that I am counting down!) and it was suggested to us that we should have a look at the RAF Museum in London.

I love all things aircraft and engineering and this sounded like a great idea. I have been browsing the website and think it looks like an awesome day out.

The website gives you lots of information about what is on display and the history of the planes so you can decided exactly what you would like to see, there are also marine craft, medals and uniforms on display.
London's marine craft collection

I am really keen to see one of the current exhibitions - The First World War In The Air. We went to Ypres last Christmas and I learnt about trench warfare and visited the Flanders Fields and Passchendaele Museums and found it so interesting and sad to learn about the First World War. I would love to learn more about this time in history and think this exhibition will be great to find out about the war in the air.


One of the display cases on show

There are loads of other things to see and do too and I think it will be a full day out which is pretty good considering it is free admission! There are also lots of other things you can add on to your day with a small charge- I would hope to have a try on the flight simulator for just £3


Our simulator in the Museum's Milestones of Flight Gallery

During half term there is also the chance to make your own Airfix model at the Museum for £3 which looks like fun and would be a great thing to take home.

For the parents there is a restaurant and a coffee shop and then for children to round off the perfect day out there is a gift shop for the all important souvenirs- I have already checked out the site and have found some good pocket money toys as well as notebooks, teddies and Airfix kits as well as plenty of other things to choose from.



The Museum is open daily and further information can be found here on their website or check out the trailer below to see what's in store for you.




Wednesday 7 October 2015

Country Life

6 things I love about living in the country

We live in a tiny village in the middle of the countryside and I go to school in a slightly bigger village ten minutes up the road. Our village has no shop and nothing much to do and we sometimes wish we didn't have to use the car every time we want to do something but there are lots of other things I love about living here. Mum says this will change as I get older so we thought it would nice to be able to look back and see that there were great things about being here at the age of 7!

- Nature

I know you can find nature everywhere but it really is right on our doorstep- we were closing the curtains the other night and saw a little deer nibbling at the neighbours plants, it was such a lovely, surprising sight we couldn't bring ourselves to shoo it away from the plants. We also get lots of birds of prey around- especially this time of year when they are plowing the fields. We have a little robin who visits every year and we have two hedgehogs that come into our garden- they make loads of noise!

- Machinery

At this time of year we get to see loads of really unusual farm vehicles along with the normal tractors (even if we sometimes get stuck behind them) and it it is really interesting to see them at work.

- Harvest

We aren't very good at growing things (expect rhubarb which takes over our garden) but have lots of friends and family who are- we have been given pears by my friend, apples from our neighbour and my Granny and then have been blackberry picking too so we have been baking lots of delicious cakes and crumbles- yummmm!

- Clear Skies

We get a great view here of the sky at night and in the middle of the night the other week when I woke up I got a great view of the Super Moon. I really like getting my telescope out and having a good look and have been able to see the moon really closely and spot some of the planets. Lottie has decided she would like to ask for a telescope for herself for Christmas but wants it to be pink!!

- Fields

I love getting my walking boots on and dragging Dad out for a long walk through the woods and across the fields- we collect leaves, sticks and have lots of fun running through the fields and jumping in the puddles.

- Snow

It is awesome when we get snow here, it takes forever to melt as not many cars use the road so when the snow turns to ice it lasts for ages and because it is quite quiet we have lots of fun sledging before getting started on the snowmen and snow angels! Oh and it's not too awful when we get snowed in and can't get to school for a day!

As you can imagine I am hoping for snow this year, we haven't really had a lot since Lottie was a baby so she has never really had the chance to play in it properly and I can't wait!

What's the best thing about where you live?





Friday 25 September 2015

Mister Cleghorn's Seal by Judith Kerr

A review of Mister Cleghorn's Seal by Judith Kerr

The Tiger Who Came to Tea is a firm favourite in our house so we were thrilled when we were asked if we would like to review the new book by Judith Kerr. Mister Cleghorn's Seal is Judith Kerr's first book in 37 years- which means she hasn't written any new books since before my Mum was born! Yet despite long break it was still just as good as I expected.



In our house we have quite a long bedtime process- after baths and getting ready for bed we play with Sam for a bit and then while Dad is giving him a bottle and putting him to bed Mum reads to me and Lottie. We start with a bit of something non-fiction or a fact book, then move on to a chapter of a fiction book or a short story either that Lottie chooses or that we can both enjoy and then finally Daddy puts Lottie to bed and Mum and I settle down for a chapter of something for me (normally Harry Potter!)

I was initially surprised to learn it was recommended for age 7+ but we decided to see how we got on and Mr Cleghorn's Seal was the perfect option for the three of us to enjoy together. It was a gentle book with some funny bits (imagine trying to do a long journey with a baby seal) but I think the reason it was recommended for age 7 plus is because it lightly touches on the death of animals and how humans sometimes treat them which could be upsetting for children that don't know about this. It really is just a mention though and my sister, Lottie (just turned 4) understood it, asked a couple of questions and then settled back into the story so I don't think it is too frightening.

We all really enjoyed the book which Mum read to in short bursts over three bedtimes and by the end we were very excited to hear how things turned out- although I worked out the ending I was still happy it ended the way it did as for a little while it looked like it could go another way.

I found the note from the author really interesting- Judith Kerr talks about how the story was inspired by her Father's story and this definitely adds something to the story.

I really enjoyed this book and think it will be one we go back to again and again. I would personally recommend it for children age 5-8 although many children younger will also enjoy it but perhaps their parents should read it first to make sure they don't feel parts of it would upset them before they get to the nice bits.

If you would like to read this lovely book you can order your copy here from Amazon

Friday 18 September 2015

A Review and a Competition

Our review of LEGO Awesome Ideas AND your chance to win a copy!

LEGO Awesome Ideas book ©2015 The LEGO Group. Produced by Dorling Kindersley under licence from the LEGO Group 
As you have probably worked out by now I love my LEGO and it is rare when we are not building something or playing with something we have made so when I was offered the chance to review the LEGO Awesome Ideas book I jumped at the chance.
We have had the original LEGO Ideas book for a couple of years now so I was excited to see how the new one compared. I loved the last book as it had some great ideas and found it really interesting reading about the Brickmasters however I felt that it was full of things that most children wouldn't be able to make straight off- the new LEGO Awesome Ideas Book is completely different from this point of view- there is some amazing creations but there is also loads of tips as to how to make them and some really great ideas as to how to adapt things.

My friends and I had a great afternoon looking through the book and deciding what we would like to make over the next few weeks. I really feel that we could have a good go at a lot of the things and love the fact that because it is an 'ideas book' rather than an instruction manual you can easily adapt the ideas to suit the pieces you have available. Whilst I like the excitement of opening a new box and set of instructions and making the sets up I also really enjoy taking a few pieces and seeing what I can create from them so this books suits me perfectly as it gives a starting point and provides plenty of helpful solutions.




The book is set up in sections so you can work on one complete project- such as Modern Metropolis or Fantasy Land and there are lots of small things you can make in each section if you are pressed for time.

Lottie and I have been having a play and Lottie has been making her usual LEGO house so I have been making furniture for it like the sofa and the table with stools shown in the book. I am in the process of making a glass fronted building which will be a greenhouse. We have made some vehicles to go with the traffic lights, fire hydrants and other Modern Metropolis things we have been making too.


                                                

                         
I can see we are going to have hours of fun using the book and am sure we will keep going back to it time and time again. We are really pleased to be able to offer you a chance to win a copy of your own but if you can't wait to get hold of it you can buy LEGO Awesome Ideas here on Amazon

                                                         

Now for your chance to win a copy of this AWESOME book!



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Thursday 17 September 2015

Danger Is Still Everywhere: Beware of the Dog

A Review of Danger is Still Everywhere: Beware of the Dog         by David O'Doherty and Chris Judge and a chance to win a copy

We have been sent some amazing books to review recently and I was thrilled to receive a copy of Danger is Still Everywhere: Beware of the Dog.

'Docter Noel is facing his most terrifying situation EVER - a little dog called napkin has come to stay. That may not sound particularly dangerous but every POD (Pupil of Dangerology) knows the only safe pet is a pet rock. So now Docter Noel is stuck in a wardrobe while Napkin wrecks havoc around the Dangerzone. And all the while Docter Noel is supposed to be writing his new VERY IMPORTANT handbook on Dangerology (Level 2). 

That is until the Pet of the Year competition is announced and Docter Noel hatches a plan to impress his neighbour Gretel. There's only one problem. Serial safety-flouter Max Wurst us the judge...

For Docter Noel, it's never been clearer that danger is still everywhere.'


I LOVED this book. I hadn't read the first handbook but it didn't matter I was still able to get straight into this second book- it was really funny and very silly and really made me laugh.

I thought the quiz was awesome and the pictures were fantastic. I would definitely give this book a score of 10/10 and would recommend it to any Dangerologist age 7+. Even if they were a grown up.

I am definitely adding the first Danger is Everywhere book to my 'must read' list!

We are delighted to be able to offer one lucky entrant the chance to win a copy of this must have handbook for themselves.


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Wednesday 16 September 2015

Just for Fun!

Just for Fun!

Today baby Sam turned 5 months old and we realised he is able to sit up for a minute or so by himself- this was very exciting and we ended up on the floor with him sitting up looking very pleased with himself, opposite me and Lottie, but every so often he would wobble and Mum would have to catch him before he fell over, so we had lots of fun counting how long he was able to stay up for. This all became very silly and in the end we have to award him the World Championship Sitting Up Award but in order to improve his abilities Lottie and I came up with a list of important rules.

Here is my GUIDE FOR BABIES CONSIDERING SITTING UP!

1. Find a comfy floor
2. Get someone to sit behind you holding you. Make sure they are awake.
3. Let go
4 BALANCE
5. Don't get distracted
6. Don't eat your hands
7. Don't try to eat your toes
8. Don't try to eat anyone elses toes
9. Don't laugh and get excited- you will wobble and fall over
10.You have now mastered sitting up. Now stay there and don't try to move and definitely don't try to play with, eat, destroy or put up your nose any of your brother's LEGO

Shouty Kid- How Harry Riddles got nearly ALMOST FAMOUS

Shouty Kid- How Harry Riddles got nearly ALMOST FAMOUS by Simon Mayle

When we got back off holiday I was really pleased to find I had lots of post- if there is anything for me it is normally good post not bills and stuff like Mum and Dad get stuck with- I wasn't disappointed as I was lucky enough for there to be several books waiting for me to read and review.

I decided to start with Shouty Kid- How Harry Riddles got nearly ALMOST FAMOUS by Simon Mayle because it looked like it would be really funny. I had not read either of the two previous Shouty Kid books but I liked the sound of it from the information on the back:

Hi there,

So I've joined a band with Jess and this new kid, Kevin, who is pretty annoying but also a REALLY talented guitar player. We've got a good shot at winning the Battle of the Bands competition for our school as long as Kevin doesn't get expelled first. But here's the thing, my Dad has this crazy idea to take me, my mum, my EVIL sister and twin brothers sailing round the world. For TWO years!!!! Swimming with dolphins and scuba diving would be pretty cool, but how am I meant to reach rock stardom if I'm stuck on a boat in the middle of the ocean?

Good luck and have fun.

Harry Riddles


Image result for shouty kid how harry riddles nearly almost became famous

I was really glad I picked this book to start with as it was awesome. Harry Riddles is so funny, the book really did make me laugh out loud.

I loved the way it was written with emails, texts, x-box messages, letters and lots of funny user names- it really kept my attention and wasn't like any book I have ever read before. Some of the people Harry writes to are hilarious- like a Nobel Prize winner and an Agony Aunt from a newspaper.

This was a really great book- I didn't want to put it down. I am definitely going to read the two earlier books now and hope Harry Riddles has some more adventures soon.

I would recommend this book to anyone age 7 plus who likes funny stories and would enjoy a different style of writing. I think it would be really great for people who don't want to sit and read huge chapters for ages and would like a book they can dip in and out of easily.