Saturday, February 02, 2013

Children's Books - my latest reviews!



This weeks Childrens reading and reviews from the bookshop boss here at Unicorn Tree Books!

All these reviews and indeed a geat many more can be found on the excellent Good Book Stall Website www.thegoodbookstall.org.uk - well worth checking out :D

All the books reviewed here (and don't forget to check out the review page we have on here as well!) and those found on www.thegoodbookstall.org.uk can also be found at or ordered from Unicorn Tree Books too, both in the shop and online at either www.lincolnbookshop.co.uk or www.lincolnchristianbookshop.co.uk or at the wonderful www.hive.co.uk (but please do remember to make us your favourite shop when you visit Hive! the online bookshop where every sale supports independent physical bookshops!)

Indeed all these reviews are the property of The Goodbookstall and me - please don't use them without ascribing them to me as the author and also to www.thegoodbookstall.org.uk (who they should also be linked to if used online!) and yes that does include if you cut and paste bits of them and add a few words here and and take a few out there too!



Title – Ten Minute Easter Activity Book
Author – Bethan James & Heather Stewart
Format – A4 Paperback
Price – £3.99
Publisher – Barnabas for Children (BRF)
Date of Publication – January 2013
ISBN – 978-0-85746-138-4
Reviewer – Melanie Carroll

Colourful activity book for the 7+ age group I would say, each ‘activity set’ has a story component, and then word and logic puzzles for the children to have fun doing that are estimated to take about 10 minutes. Although called the Easter activity book it actually goes well past the lent/easter stories and into some of the ascension and acts material. In all there are 22 activities sets/stories in the book and it would be great for keeping kids amused and informed about the lent/easter season, and at 10 minutes or thereabouts just right for giving them during a sermon, or even quite good for using during a series of Sunday school sessions.

Title – My Very First Bible
Author – Lois Rock
Format – Small Hardback
Price – £4.99
Publisher – Lion Childrens
Date of Publication – October 2012
ISBN – 978-0-7459-6148-4-9
Reviewer – Melanie Carroll

Lovely new mini-format of a well established and loved childrens first bible, with lovely, colourful and simple drawings by Alex Ayliffe and words by Lois Rock. This edition has a lovely padded jacket cover and obviously being in the mini format is perfect for little hands to handle. At only £4.99 it would make a lovely little gift too for a special occasion, or just a lovely bible story book for a younger child at anytime.

Title – Psalms, Prayers And Praises
Author – Sophie Piper
Format – Small Hardback
Price – £6.99
Publisher – Lion Childrens
Date of Publication – October 2012
ISBN – 978-0-7459-6382-2
Reviewer – Melanie Carroll

In the same style and series as the wonderful Our Father, 10 Commandments and My First Holy Communion Gift books, Psalms, Prayers and Praises will make a fantastic edition to these white hardback gift books with gold foiled covers – this one is a particularly good addition because with the variety of material included it really would be suitable for the widest range of occasions from older child baptisms through to younger child confirmations, and even birthdays or as an easter gift maybe. Lovely illustrations by Angelo Ruta and short verses make this a lovely little gift book.

Title – The Lion Book Of Prayers For Me
Author – Christina Goodings
Format – Small Hardback
Price – £5.99
Publisher – Lion Childrens
Date of Publication – October 2012
ISBN – 978-0-7459-6346-4
Reviewer Melanie Carroll

A lovely padded jacket children sized book of prayers to match the previously released Lion Bible For Me. Wonderful simple colouring book style images from Emily Bolam make this a fresh and appealing Childrens book with simple and appropriate prayers that cover a whole range of occasions and situations, including Christmas and Easter as well as the usual thankful, sorry, joyful type ones that are to be expected in a beginner/toddler prayer book.

Title – The Story Of Easter
Author – Fiona Boon
Format – Small Hardback boardbook with Carrying Handle
Price – £4.99
Publisher – Authentic
Date of Publication – February 2013
ISBN – 978-1-86024-883-2
Reviewer Melanie Carroll

A lovely new edition to the Easter market for little children and toddlers, a small padded jacket board book with carrying handle. Inside the pages are a bit frenetic but in a wonderfully fun way with busy pencil drawn style characters with collage style fabric pattern backgrounds and clothing. The words are done in a lovely curved way with some words emphasised in bold that almost makes you sing them out. Lovely and fun with a hint of serious but not sombre make it totally appropriate for a tiny audience.

Title – Easter (Candle Library Series)
Author – Karen Williamson
Format – Box Set Board Books
Price – £3.99
Publisher – Candle Books (Lion Hudson)
Date of Publication – February 2013
ISBN 978-1-85985-942-1
Reviewer Melanie Carroll

Another from the Candle Library series of lovely little boxed sets of 6 small board books and at a really good price too. In this Easter Collection we have ‘Jesus Rides to Jerusalem’, ‘A Special meal’, Jesus is Arrested’ ‘Jesus Dies on a Cross’, ‘Jesus is Alive!’ and finally ‘Jesus Returns to Hid Father’. They are lovely small books with wonderfully colourful images and simple storylines in each. Great for any child, and they would also make a great addition to any church group or library, or even to be split up and given as easter gifts to a Sunday school class perhaps.
Title – The Life Of Jesus
Author – Sophie Piper
Format – Small Hardback
Price – £9.99
Publisher – Lion Childrens
Date of Publication – January 2013
ISBN – 978-0-7459-6367-9
Reviewer – Melanie Carroll

Though in the same style and series as the lovely Our Father, 10 Commandments, My First Holy Communion, and Psalms, Prayers and Praises this is a more ‘grown up’ affair for want of a better term, being aimed I would think at a slightly older child given the size of type being used. It does though make a fantastic ‘bible’ addition to these white hardback gift books with gold foiled covers. It is a particularly good addition for those who want to give a gift of the story narrative of Jesus’s life, because each story has the corresponding reference to where it can be found in the bible, and there is a great short introduction that introduces Jesus and how the bible contains a collection of stories about him. It really would be suitable for the widest range of occasions but perhaps most perfect for someone new to the church or making their communion or confirmation. Lovely illustrations by Angelo Ruta and well written stories make this a lovely gift book.

 Title – The First Easter
Author – Lois Rock
Format – Hardback
Price – £3.99
Publisher – Lion Childrens
Date of Publication – January 2013
ISBN – 978-0-7459-6320-4
Reviewer – Melanie Carroll

This is not a new book as such but it is a new hardback edition of a popular book by lLois Rock with illustrations by Sophie Allsopp. The story of Holy Week and Easter then Pentecost and the disciples setting forth to spread the Good News follows true to the story told in the Gospels. The lovely, but serious looking, watercolour illustrations really suit the story and add weight to the telling. This is a lovely and sensitive easter book and at the price a very good buy too.

Title – The Lord’s Prayer – And Other Classic Prayers For Children
Author – Lois Rock
Format – Hardback
Price – £3.99
Publisher – Lion Childrens
Date of Publication – January 2013
ISBN – 978-0-7459-6322-8
Reviewer – Melanie Carroll

A beautiful collection of Prayers for children with the most lovely and evocative watercolour painting illustrations from Sophie Alssopp make this a wonderful book and an absolute bargain at the price it is, especially given the gold foiling on its cover which makes it a perfect looking gift  or prize giving book. With 27 short but suitable prayers from a range of sources covering not only the bible and other traditional sources, but Mother Teresa and John Milton too, and then arranged into themes for easy use – with a first line appendix in the back too! - really means this is a great little prayer book indeed.

Title – Easter Sticker Book
Author – Karen Williamson
Format – Staple Fold
Price – £2.99
Publisher –Candle Books (Lion Hudson)
Date of Publication – January 2013
ISBN – 978-1-85985-943-8
Reviewer – Melanie Carroll

I love the format of this little Easter sticker book , it so takes me back to primary school days! It’s one of those books where the picture is above taking up much of the page and the words are on a white band in beautifully clear black print across the bottom. Lovely for children just learning to read alone. The stickers that come with the book are easy to place for young children too because they fit over the faded image in the pictures. Altogether a great little book.

Title – Busy Bee’s Easter – Activity Book With Stickers
Author – Jocelyn Miller
Format – A4 Staple fold
Price – £4.99
Publisher – Lion Childrens
Date of Publication – January 2013
ISBN – 978-0-7459-6373-0
Reviewer Melanie Carroll

Fantastic Easter fun and crafts with this activity book. Yes it has stickers, and a couple of pages of actual do in the book activities, some with a religious look and theme, but mostly this book is an action filled craft time book that would do for any group of children regardless of churchmanship or non! Easter eggs galore and fun, Easter egg bunting, Easter egg baskets, spring flower cards, Easter bunnies and carrot boxes to make – it’s a great craft filled book and would be a great book for any Children’s group or pack leader, or parent looking for some idea’s and things to do in the run up to Easter.



Remember we are here to serve you and we really appreciate your support - go on Shop Local and use an Independent - it's better for all of us when we go local to go global ;-)
So we'll look forward to seeing you, recieving an email from you, chatting on the phone (01522 525557) with you or even facebooking or twittering with you when you come in for your books, gifts, cards, crafts, candles, stationery, ereader, fairtrade product or for anything else we sell!
- or indeed for any other reason too!

No comments: