I Read, Therefore I Blog

The Blurb On The Back:

Discover more about You with the Mr Men and the Little Miss.

A new series to encourage children to understand more about their own emotions and how to manage them with the help of the Mr Men and Little Miss.

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The Verdict:

Roger Hargreaves and Elizabeth’s Kilbey picture book (part of the DISCOVER YOU SERIES) uses the MR MEN AND LITTLE MISS trade mark silly humour to explore what it means to be different and how characteristics that you think are disadvantages can actually make you special and powerful. It’s a lot of fun and there’s advice for parents, care givers and teachers at the end with suggestions on how to read the book with young readers.

MR MEN LITTLE MISS ALL DIFFERENT was released in the United Kingdom on 4th August 2022. Thanks to the Amazon Vine Programme for the review copy of this book.

The Blurb On The Back:

It’s the first day of school and LITTLE MISS TINY is very excited! There is so much to learn and so many new friends to make.

Step in to LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE’S classroom and join all your favourite MR MEN and LITTLE MISS for a busy day at school!

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The Verdict:

Based on his father Roger Hargreaves’s hugely successful LITTLE MISS and MR MEN SERIES, Adam Hargreaves’s self-illustrated picture book (part of the MR MEN LITTLE MISS EVERY DAY SERIES), this book is perfect for young readers who are about to have their own first day in school and may be feeling a little anxious about it by showing them how the Mr Men and Little Miss go to school and have their own silly experiences.

MR MEN LITTLE MISS GO TO SCHOOL was released in the United Kingdom on 7th July 2022. Thanks to the Amazon Vine Programme for the review copy of this book.

The Blurb On The Back:

Life Online

What do you do to keep safe online?

What should you share online? How do you search safely? How can you be a good online friend? In this book find out all about Internet safety and how to behave in an online world.

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The Verdict:

Sarah Ridley writes and edits educational books for children and young people. Anne Rooney is an experienced writer of non-fiction for children and adults. Ryan Wheatcroft is an experienced children’s book illustrator. This solid introduction to online safety for readers aged 6+ (part of a series) covers most of the core issues but I wished it had addressed in-game purchases and in-game currency as it’s something children need to understand.

Thanks to the Amazon Vine Programme for the review copy of this book.

The Blurb On The Back:

Discover the fascinating story of MARIE CURIE a trailblazing scientist who discovered two radioactive elements.

Did you know that Marie studied science at a secret university?

Or that she invented portable x-ray machines that helped save many soldiers’ lives during the First World War?

Packed with facts, photographs, illustrations and more, DK Life Stories take you beyond the basics to find out all about history’s most amazing people.

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The Verdict:

Nell Walker is a writer with a Master’s degree in Creative Writing. This fascinating biography of Marie Curie for readers aged 7+ covers her childhood in Poland (where education opportunities were restricted), her work on radioactivity and marriage to Pierre and role in the development of x-ray machines. Charlotte Ager’s sensitive illustrations work well alongside photographs and Walker clearly conveys a woman of remarkable spirit and ability.

Thanks to the Amazon Vine Programme for the review copy of this book.

The Blurb On The Back:

Never stake more than you can afford to lose.

When failed magician turned cardsharp Valen Quinol is given the chance to play in the Forbearance Game - the invitation-only tournament where players gamble with secrets - he can’t resist. Or refuse, for that matter, according to the petty gangster sponsoring his seat at the table. Valen beats the man he was sent to play, and wins the most valuable secret ever staked in the history of the tournament.

Now Valen and his motley crew are being hunted by thieves, gangsters, spies and wizards, all with their own reasons for wanting what’s in the envelope. It’s a game of nations where Valen doesn’t know all the rules or who all the players are, and can’t see all the moves. But he does know if the secret falls into the wrong hands, it could plunge the whole world into war …

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The Verdict:
Alex Livingston’s fantasy novel combines gambling and politics with intricate world building. Unfortunately, the pacing lags, the relationships don’t convince (notably Ten and Quinol) and the geopolitics political is confusing. I enjoyed the 18th century French inspiration and Livingston’s put a lot of thought into his card games so while I wouldn’t rush to read further books in this world, I’d check out his other work.

THE KNAVE OF SECRETS by Alex Livingston was released in the United Kingdom and in the United States on 7th June 2022. Thanks to Rebellion Publishing for the review copy of this book.

The Blurb On The Back:

Pandemic Planet
Beginning in late 2019, the COVID-19 pandemic spread rapidly around the world, causing the deaths of millions of people and leading to closed schools, empty streets and shuttered businesses.

But viruses and pandemics have been part of human history for thousands of years, from the Black Death to SARS. PANDEMIC PLANET looks at what pandemics are, how they spread and how we deal with them. It explores how we arm ourselves against dangerous diseases, from developing groundbreaking new vaccines to simple, individual measures such as washing your hands and wearing a face mask. It also looks at how and what we learn from pandemics, as well as some of their surprisingly positive outcomes.

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The Verdict:

Anna Claybourne is an experienced writer of non-fiction for children. This reassuring and informative illustrated book about pandemics and diseases for readers aged 9+ is part of a series about issues related to the planet and will particularly help them to make sense of the recent COVID-19 pandemic. She does a great job of breaking down the causes of pandemics but also deals well with the consequences of it and does so without scaremongering.

Thanks to the Amazon Vine Programme for the review copy of this book.

The Blurb On The Back:

WINE AND MURDER - nothing is more likely to rouse Auntie Poldi’s love of the chase.

Still relishing the notoriety from her spectacular resolution of the Candela case, Poldi is alive to the faintest whiff of criminality.

What to others might seem a series of misfortunes - the water supply cut off, a poisoned dog - is clearly, to Poldi, an escalation: the Mafia have had her in their sights ever since she solved Valentino’s murder.

Poldi has tasted blood. No one is above suspicion. And trouble will surely follow …

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The Verdict:

The second in Mario Giordano’s AUNTIE POLDI SERIES (energetically translated from German by John Brownjohn) is a rollicking crime novel packed with humour, passion and more twists than you can shake a stick at. Poldi is a great creation - a 60-something alcoholic with a death wish who’s lust for life is reinvigorated by her investigations - such that you can’t help root for her. I hadn’t read the first book but I will definitely be doing so.

Thanks to the Amazon Vine Programme for the review copy of this book.

The Blurb On The Back:

Why did ancient Greeks ride elephants into battle?

Discover history for yourself with this fun, quirky series that tackles the questions other books are afraid to ask!
- Why did the ancient Greeks exercise naked?
- How did an owl inspire a city-state?
- And just what was Pythagoras’ theory of … beans?

A QUESTION OF HISTORY: THE ANCIENT GREEKS answers all these questions and much more.

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

Tim Cooke is an experienced children’s author and editor with a particular interest in history. This fun introduction to the ancient Greeks (part of a series) aimed at readers aged 9+ has cheerful illustrations by Matt Lilly and gives you a very broad idea of who the ancient Greeks were (perhaps too broad as some topics are a bit random). That said, it’s a good way of getting youngsters interested in classical history and so is worth a look.

Thanks to the Amazon Vine Programme for the review copy of this book.

The Blurb On The Back:

What can you learn from the RAF to transform your own leadership skills?

The Royal Air Force is a well-oiled machine. Much of that is down to its unique leadership style where seniority doesn’t automatically imply leader: anyone can be a leader on a mission. Rise Above unpicks the RAF leadership model to provide a fresh perspective on how to:
- Deploy the shared leadership style to get the best results for your team
- Improve your personal leadership competences to guide your own development and enhance your skills as a leader
- Embrace diversity and inclusion, technology, innovation and adaptability, which have long been a reality for the RAF.

John Jupp combines practical strategies with real-life examples from over 100 years of the RAF, illustrating how leadership works, so you will be better equipped to lead effectively.

Whatever your level, you can lead.

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The Verdict:

John Jupp was an RAF Group Captain, set up the RAF Leadership Centre in 2003 and currently works as a leadership consultant. His book gives an interesting description of the RAF leadership model and how the service evolved, but he fails to convince on how it can be applied outside the RAF (which is a unique entity with a unique structure and mission) and also doesn’t look at where it’s fallen down and what lessons were drawn from that.

Thanks to the Amazon Vine Programme for the review copy of this book.

The Blurb On The Back:

According to the rule, Freddie has to say “yes”.

Freddie is unremarkable - too unremarkable. In fact, his teachers and fellow students keep forgetting who he is. Even his TV-producer mum thinks he’s a disappointment. After embarrassing himself in front of Jasper Perry (the gorgeous teen star of his mum’s new show), Freddie decides to try something different: saying “yes” to every opportunity.

That’s how Freddie ends up auditioning for the school musical (Grease), actually going to parties, and flirting with hot new boy Zach! He’s becoming a whole new Freddie - maybe even one that his mum might be proud of.

But the path to love is never smooth, and sometimes you have to get things wrong in order to work out what - and who - you really want.

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

Simon James Green’s YA gay rom-com is a light hearted affair that nods at PRIDE AND PREJUDICE and GREASE while hitting all the romance notes you’d expect and throws in some smart observations about how being a gay compares with how TV show gay teens together with genuinely hilarious one-liners and scenes (I particularly enjoyed those with bitchy theatre kids). I’m not normally a YA romance fan but would check out Green’s other books based on this.

Thanks to the Amazon Vine Programme for the review copy of this book.