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< Back Christina Davis Tilly the Troll's Shopping Spree Tilly the Hopping Troll by Christina Davis is a delightful and engaging children's book set in the whimsical Enchanted Rainbow Realm. The story follows Tilly, a young troll who lives with her family in the Troll Forest. As the youngest sibling, Tilly is often left with the smallest bridge, which she dreams of upgrading by winning a game of tag against her brothers. However, her brothers have magical shoes that give them an unfair advantage, leaving Tilly at a disadvantage. When Tilly discovers a pair of teleportation high-tops at the Flea Market, she sees them as her ticket to finally winning the game and claiming a bigger bridge. However, her impulsive shopping habits lead her to spend her savings on shiny jewelry that she doesn’t need, leaving her unable to afford the shoes. This moment of disappointment teaches Tilly—and young readers—the importance of prioritizing needs over wants and avoiding impulse purchases. The story is both entertaining and educational, with relatable themes for children and parents alike. Davis cleverly uses Tilly’s journey to impart lessons about financial literacy, goal-setting, and the value of hard work. Tilly’s determination to save up for the shoes after her initial setback is inspiring, and her eventual success demonstrates the rewards of perseverance and planning. The inclusion of discussion prompts and activities at the end of the book further reinforces these lessons, making it an excellent resource for parents and educators to encourage critical thinking, practical life skills, and financial literacy. Jane Sparks’ illustrations are vibrant and whimsical, perfectly complementing the enchanting world of the Troll Forest. This book is highly recommended for children aged 4-8, as well as parents and educators looking for a creative way to introduce financial literacy and decision-making skills. Tilly’s story is a charming reminder that with patience, hard work, and focus, we can achieve our goals and make thoughtful choices that lead to lasting happiness. Star rating: 5 Stars Summary: A heartwarming and educational tale, combining fantasy and practical life lessons. Purchase here

Book Reviews: Age 3 to 7 Jane Xu Can Pandas Be Koalas Too? Daniel Cramton Seeking the Lost: Sheep Jessica Pleuss Sharing My Family Vatika and Natalie Gulati Penelope and The Unicorns Katie Laprade Magical Things Brett Gunning and Stacy Padula On the Right Path: Book One Jamie McMahon The Handy Pandas Ashley Wall The Day I Had a Spaceship Vicki Scott Burns Charli's Turtle Triumph: A Marine Biology Adventure Christina Davis Tilly the Troll's Shopping Spree Ben Askew This Monkey Lost A Banana Bridgetta Tomarchio Monsters Don't Say Meep: Even the tiniest roar can make the biggest difference LOAD MORE

< Back Dr. John Stanley Weekes Seven Vials of Wrath: God's final outpouring of wrath upon man, the seas, rivers and streams Book blurb... Are you prepared for what's to come? This gripping, prophetic book offers a dramatic forecast and Biblical foretaste of the End Times, born from night visions and divine revelation. The author recounts a stirring vision of the imminent rapture when Christ will return in the clouds to gather His chosen people, both dead and living, to live with Him eternally. For the Lord Himself shall descend from Heaven with a shout with the voice of the arch-angel, and with the trump of God, and the dead in Christ shall rise first, then we who are alive and remain, shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air. This pivotal event will ignite the unfolding of apocalyptic chaos: global unrest, lawlessness, famine, and the rise of the anti-Christ. As the Beast gains power, demanding allegiance through his mark, the world will tremble under the weight of divine judgment. Yet, amid darkness, hope shines for those who believe. Purchase here

< Back Kim C Lee The Night Owl Goes to Space A dreamy adventure in space. The Night Owl Goes to Space is an illustrated picture book about a little boy who drifts off to sleep and has a dreamy adventure in space. He dreams of climbing a floating stack of stairs into the sky and far out to space. From beyond the earth’s atmosphere, the boy has a magnificent view of the earth and the other planets within our solar system. He sees the rocky planets, Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars. He sees the gas planets, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune. He sees Pluto, a dwarf planet, planetary moons, shooting stars and far distant galaxies. He watches space rockets zoom across the cosmos, and satellites floating through space. As night turns into day, the little boy’s dream is interrupted by an alarm clock, and he must return back down the wooden stairs to earth. While this dreamy adventure in space ends, he hopes there will be another space adventure tomorrow night. The Night Owl Goes to Space is a fun and imaginative picture book by author Kim C. Lee. The book is a great introduction to space and the solar system for very young readers. The book will help build vocabulary and language skills, and will help young children learn the names of the planets in the milky way. With lots of space facts and figures, and a handy glossary, this book is a great resource for budding space explorers, and anyone interested in the universe and our solar system. The illustrations by Vera Sysolina are bright and vibrant, and will captivate younger readers. Star rating: 5 Stars Summary: Overall, a fun and imaginative picture book, with a sweet character and a dreamy adventure in space. Purchase here

< Back Bryan Murphy Pandemic Hacker 2 Book blurb... Sam is dead. Now, as Martha, she has vanished into the shadows. Empowered by her new identity, she sets her sights on the leaders of the extortion and trafficking group. Together with her AI, Zoe, they delve deeper into the group's dark secrets. These individuals make war criminals appear virtuous in comparison. The group leaders operate with impunity. Their security and IT teams are formidable. But Martha is determined to dismantle their empire, stealing their ill-gotten money and learning their secrets. With each strike, the group's IT experts get closer to knowing her and Zoe's identities. The engagements are not just on the internet. Every physical disruption puts everyone in danger. Rejoining with Claire, the chase has become a high-stakes game of cat and mouse. Both sides believe they're the top predator. Innocent lives can be destroyed. Is the best option to expose the leaders to the authorities or work to remove the hydra heads of the organization? Martha must navigate the physical world, while Zoe works to dominate the virtual one. Purchase here

< Back Randy Susan Meyers The Many Mothers of Ivy Puddingstone A young woman is torn between saving the world and saving her family. Summer 1964, eighteen-year old Annabel Cooper, a self-declared, free-thinking Unitarian, volunteers with the Mississippi Freedom Summer Project. She is assigned to work as a teacher in a Baptist church, and decides she wants to devote her life to serving God. Everything changes when she meets and falls in love with Clay, a young African American volunteer. The couple try to keep their blossoming relationship a secret, but when Clay mysteriously disappears, the involvement of the Klu Klux Klan cannot be ruled out. Annabel returns home and starts a new relationship with Guthrie. Annabel and Guthrie attend college in Boston together, and move into an intentional community, Puddingstone, with other civil rights activists. The Puddingstone families devote their time to fighting for human rights and social justice, but Annabel is forced to give up college when she falls pregnant and has a daughter named Ivy. In the mid 1970’s, the Puddingstone families decide to move their children to a commune in Vermont - the Roundhouse. The children are cared for permanently by one adult, while the other parents continue to fight for their cause in Boston. Life in the commune is challenging, and Ivy struggles to adapt to the new environment and regime. But when the children discover an old, locked trunk in a barn, there are tragic consequences that change their whole lives forever. The Many Mothers of Ivy Puddingstone is a poignant and thought-provoking novel by Randy Susan Meyers. Set predominantly in the 1960’s and 1970’s, the story centres on Annabel Cooper who makes the heart-wrenching decision to send her children away to live in a commune. Interweaved throughout Annabel’s story is the story of her daughter, Ivy, who reflects on her own experience. Meyers has crafted a story that is both intimate and expansive. Told from the perspective of the two women, the book captures the unique bond between mothers and daughters, and it also captures key events of this turbulent period of American history. There are beautiful moments of joy, love and tenderness, and there are harrowing scenes of loss and grief. I laughed and cried in equal measure. Star rating: 5 Stars Summary : A beautifully written, witty and heart-warming novel of love and loss, set against the backdrop of the American civil rights movement. Purchase here

< Back Jordan Marsh Try Your Own Case A definitive guide to representing yourself in court, by Jordan Marsh. The Sixth Amendment to the United States Constitution guarantees the right to an attorney for all criminal defendants. There is no such right for people involved in civil lawsuits. The rules and laws that govern civil litigation naturally favor the side with the attorney who has the best training and experience. However, many people cannot afford to hire a good attorney, and many others are unable to find an attorney to represent them . Try Your Own Case is a guidebook by trial attorney and author Jordan Marsh to support people in ‘pro se’ litigation, in other words those who are representing themselves in a civil case, rather than being represented by an attorney. Marsh’s aim is to level the playing field between those who are represented by an attorney and those who are representing themselves. Marsh explains that the rules that govern civil litigation are complex and sometimes difficult to understand for those who do not have legal training, but with plenty of research, preparation, and focus, anyone can do this. The book is divided into three parts, each focusing on different aspects of the civil litigation process. Part I explains the stages of a lawsuit before the trial; Part II explains the pretrial and trial process; and Part III explains other key aspects of civil litigation. There is a handy glossary and index at the end of the book, and a comprehensive package of additional information and resources in the appendix. Try Your Own Case by Jordan Marsh is a guidebook for people who are considering representing themselves in civil court. The book aims to demystify the legal process and provides practical guidance for those navigating the court system without an attorney. This is a comprehensive, extensively researched, well written and engaging guidebook. Marsh’s writing is clear, simple and accessible for both the lay-reader and more experienced professional. While it may not replace the need for professional legal advice, it does provide a solid foundation for understanding the civil litigation process. I have absolutely zero legal knowledge and I learnt a great deal from this informative and insightful book. I hope I never have to represent myself in court, but if I do, I know exactly where to go! Star rating: 5 Stars Summary : An essential read for anyone navigating a civil lawsuit on their own. Purchase here

The Underground Book Readers: The Secret Society < Back Terry Overton The Underground Book Readers: The Secret Society A group of teens try to take back control of their lives, when their freedoms are removed by military force . Set in 2031, the World Force military controls everything across the United States of America, from food to fuel, and even books. Since the totalitarian military regime was introduced, many adults and young people were sent away or vanished without trace. Many others died of disease. Children were left to fend for themselves, in a hostile environment where everything is tightly controlled. It has been seven years since the schools closed, and five years since books were banned. No one is allowed to read, and no one is allowed to teach anything that isn’t approved by the World Force. In the mountains and valleys of Virginia, a group of orphaned teens find an underground cave in the countryside and join together to rediscover the joy of reading. Kahn, Jairus, Casey, and Asher meet every day in the cave to eat and talk, pray and read the Bible, and devour a book in their illegal collection. For seven years, the teens have met in secret, avoiding the military, and amassing a collection of over three hundred books. Until one day, a young girl named Leena follows Kahn to the cave and is introduced to their secret society. Can Leena be trusted? Will she be accepted into the secret society? And how long can the group evade the World Force military? The Underground Book Readers: The Secret Society (Book 1) by author Terry Overton is a dystopian fiction novel for young adults, set in the not-too-distant future. The book follows five young people as they battle for survival under a new world order, where everything is controlled by the military. As the teens struggle to navigate a world where curiosity is suppressed and intellectual freedoms and creativity are under siege, their friendships are tested to the limit. Brilliantly told, with rich and vivid detail, Overton does a great job at building a hostile, futuristic world where a generation of teens are prohibited from accessing the many things, we take for granted in life. Readers who enjoy mystery and dystopian novels will enjoy this thought-provoking tale of humanity’s battle against a new world order. Star rating: 5 Stars Summary: A vivid and chilling exploration of a future world, where books and learning are prohibited. Purchase here

Blood and Silver < Back Vali Benson Blood and Silver A gripping story about a young girls fight for survival during the silver rush, from author Vali Benson In 1880, twelve-year-old Carissa Beaumont travels from San Francisco to Tombstone, Arizona, with her mom Lisette, her mom’s employer Lucille, and two other women. They arrive at their new home, Rose Red’s Home for Wayward Ladies, a run-down brothel where Lisette and the women are expected to earn their keep. Soon after their arrival, Red Rose is found brutally murdered, and Lucille takes over operations at the brothel. Lisette becomes sick and Carissa discovers that Lucille has been drugging her mother with Laudanum. Carissa calls the doctor, who introduces her to Miss China Mary, the local drug dealer who controls most of Tombstone. Together they hatch a plan to slowly reduce her mother’s drug supply and wean her off Laudanum. Miss China Mary grows fond of Carissa, and finds her a job tending to women’s hair and cosmetics at the Grand Hotel. But just as Carissa is enjoying her new independence, she makes a remarkable discovery in the hotel basement that will change her life forever. Blood and Silver by Vali Benson is a tense, gripping, historical drama, about the life of a young girl during the 19th century silver rush. Carissa is determined not to follow in her mother’s footsteps and seeks our new friendships and new opportunities. Carissa is a well-developed and relatable character, who shows courage and determination to move on in life, when all hope is lost. Based on real life events, places and characters, the book is an entertaining and educational read about a fascinating time in American history. With plenty of drama and suspense, this book was hard to put down. Well written, with vivid descriptions of a small but rapidly growing town in Arizona, the book will appeal to readers of women’s fiction, historical fiction, and westerns. Star Rating: 5 Stars Summary ‘An entertaining and educational read about a fascinating time in American history. A FINALIST and highly recommended.’ Purchase here

< Back Leah Ingledew Where's My Shell? Help find a tiny turtle a brand-new shell, with author and illustrator Leah Ingledew He is small, he is scared, and he is naked. He is a teeny, tiny turtle with a rather big problem. He appears to have lost his shell. A shell that protects him from the elements, and from pesky predators that might gobble him up at any moment. But (thankfully) no-one wants to eat the naked tiny turtle, because without his shell no-one can quite figure out who or what exactly he is! So the tiny turtle sets off to find a new shell, and with a little help from his coastal friends, he tries on many new shell-like substitutes for size. The seaweed is too scratchy, the pebble is too tough, and the hermit-crab’s shell is already rather occupied. The tiny turtle finally finds his perfect shell, just in time to help a slimy sea snail. A slimy sea snail who is small, scared, and naked. A slimy sea snail with a rather big problem… This is a fabulous and fun picture book for young children. It is well written by Ingledew, with great use of repetition and alliteration. This is a great read aloud story where children will love to repeat the phrases and the tongue-twisting names of all the creatures. They will laugh at the turtles’ antics and his unsuccessful attempts to find a suitable shell. They will adore the little turtle character and enjoy the glorious coastal scenes, beautifully illustrated by Ingledew. Leah Ingledew has an amazing talent for both illustration and storytelling and we look forward to watching her progress further in this artform. Star Rating: 5 Stars Summary ‘A fabulous and fun picture book with an adorable main character. Well written and beautifully illustrated. A BRONZE WINNER and highly recommended.’ Purchase here

< Back Dr. Trent W. Smallwood Lethal Decree Sebastian Storm overcomes childhood trauma to become an elite super soldier, from author Dr Smallwood. Thirteen-year-old Sebastian Storm’s life is turned upside down when he tragically loses both of his parents within a forty-eight-hour period. First, his beloved mother is killed after apparently falling down the stairs, but Sebastian is convinced his abusive father pushed her. Sebastian is grief stricken but his father shows no emotion. Sebastian is determined to punish his father and shortly after, Sebastian’s father dies in a gruesome and equally suspicious manner. Sebastian is sent to an orphanage for a while, before he is taken in by an older friend James, and goes to live on his farm. James mentors Sebastian and teaches him soldiering and combat skills. Sebastian channels all of his grief and energy into his combat training, and years later, he is noticed by the US government and trained to become an ‘elite super-soldier’. But, a fellow trainee, Tobias Teague, holds Sebastian responsible for his wife’s murder, and sets out to avenge her death. For years, the two men manage to avoid each other, but when Tobias plans a horrific terrorist attack, Sebastian must find a way to stop his old enemy. Lethal Decree is a testosterone-fuelled, suspense thriller. It is an enthralling and gripping novel, filled with action and violence. Sebastian is a well-developed, complex, and likeable character, despite his sadistic tendencies. There is one particular scene that reveals the complexity of his character, when he leaves his father to die in a bear trap, but then sets a rabbit free. The book will appeal to those who enjoy gripping, suspense thrillers, but the gratuitous violence and sex scenes are not for the faint hearted. Star Rating: 5 Stars Summary ‘A testosterone-fuelled, and gripping suspense thriller. A FINALIST and highly recommended.’ Purchase here

< Back Dawn McLucas Why Am I So Quiet? A little girl celebrates her quietness, by Author Dawn McLucas Eight-year-old Ava is a creative little girl, with a quiet personality and a love of reading. It is her first day back at school, and Ava is looking forward to seeing her friends again. Busy in her own thoughts, as she travels on the bus to school, Ava doesn’t hear her friend call her name. The friend asks, ‘Why are you always so quiet Ava?’ In class, her teacher comments that she has been quiet today, and later at home, her mom also comments that she has been quiet since she got home from school. At bedtime, Ava asks her mom if being quiet is a bad thing. Her mom reassures her that there is nothing wrong with her, and it is okay to be quiet. Ava has a school assignment about her family, and she learns she has more in common with her mom and dad than she realised. Through talking with her friends, Ava also finds the perfect response when people ask her why she is so quiet. Why Am I So Quiet? by author Dawn McLucas, is a wonderful picture book for younger readers about a quiet little girl who learns to accept, and love, her quiet personality. It is a positive story that will help children to understand that being quiet is a positive attribute. It will help children develop confidence and self-esteem, and it will encourage them to accept themselves just the way they are. This is a great resource for parents, carers and teachers to start conversations with younger children about personality and diversity. It will make a great addition to home and pre-school libraries. As a quiet person myself, constantly asked why I am so quiet, I really connected with this story. I wish I had this story as a youngster, as it would have helped me understand that quietness is a positive attribute. Star rating: 5 Stars Summary: A wonderful picture book that will encourage young children to accept themselves just the way they are. Purchase here