booksgowalkabout – Page 7 – Dolphin Book Blog for younger readers

Ralf by Jean Jullien

The DolphinMarch 13, 2016April 3, 2016

Ralph is forever getting under his family's feet, But when a fire threatens to burn the house down, Ralf stretches himself to the limit to save his family.

This is an intriguing book with a style of illustrations that turns over the page for you. When Ralf cannot wake his family you instantly feel the life of a dog when everyone is asleep and they are forever alert.

Ralf is published by Frances Lincoln and was released in February 2016, the hardback edition is well worth the money and has a lovely tactile sense to your fingers.

Jean Jullien is a graphic designer from France who is known for his symbols of peace in the wake of the terrorist attacks in Paris in November 2015. He now lives in London and is working on an eclectic body of work in illustration.

Now working on children's books, his first book Hoot Owl, Master of Disguise is a huge success

We recommend this book for ages 2yr to share and for 4/5 years for beginning to read alone and for adults everywhere!

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Children’s Books published by the British Library

The DolphinFebruary 28, 2016

My Book of Stories -write your own adventures by Deborah Paterson
This is a thrilling book and is packed with ideas to write your own adventures. Create your own characters and use your imagination to share adventures. Dream up thrilling pirate escapades on the high seas or let your ideas soar as you imagine life at a Jungle School.
The book combines as a book with ideas on every page and as an activity book to write or draw as your story unfolds. The pages are very tempting to start work straight away.
The story starters are from the very best children's authors, such as Rudyard Kipling, J.K Rowling, JM Barrie and Arthur Ransome. Which new character, for instance, would you add to the Wizard of Oz and could you fill in the ships log for Phileas Fogg?
A great book for a gift, maybe following a visit to the library, or for in school. We recommend for 8 years and upwards.

My Book of Stories - write your own Shakespearean tales. By Deborah Paterson.
A wealth of Shakespearean characters, plots and stories are brought to life in this compendium of tales, activities and ideas. An intriguing book with an activity on each page, such as write your own fairy song for Midsummer Nights Dream or draw a secret disguise as in Twelfth Night.
The illustrations are beautiful and are taken from British Library collections.
This book would be an excellent resource as we celebrate the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare's death and also on Shakespeare Week, on 14- 20th March.
We recommend for 9 - 13 year olds and for adults too!
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Sue Martin

50 Things You Should Know About Series from QED. Human Body, Prehistoric Britain

The DolphinNovember 20, 2015November 22, 2015

50 Things You should Know about the Human Body by Angel Royston

This has everything you would need to know about the Human Body, unless you are about to embark on a medical degree!!

The facts are really clearly presented with illustrations that are accurate and easy to identify how parts of the body are working. The pages are well laid out and text and illustrations are combined to make an engaging impact. Each section has a different colour and the glossary and index at the back of the book will point the reader to the right places in the book without being off putting to children with any reading difficulties.

The start of the 50 Things You Should Know About Series from QED Publishing, well worth buying for home, school or the library. We suggest the book for 6-9 year olds and beyond.

50 Things You should Know about Pre-Historic Britain by Claire Hibbert

From The Old Stone Age, through the Ice Age, Bronze Age, Iron Age and touching on the Romans, this book has everything you need to start work on prehistoric Britain and to lead the reader into all sorts of interesting directions.

Particularly good section on an Iron Age Village and dwellings in Scotland called, crannogs, brochs and wheelhouses. For instance a crannog is a roundhouse that stood on a jetty and Loch Tay there were 18 crannogs.

We suggest the book for 6 - 9 year olds and beyond.

Great new series from QED Publishing and is part of their new books published in November 2015.

Sue Martin Dolphin Booksellers and Books Go Walkabout

The Snowman and the Sun

The DolphinNovember 13, 2015November 22, 2015

The Snowman and the Sun is written by Susan Taghdis and illustrated by Ali Mafakheri.

It is a delightful story about a snowman and his journey. You may think that a snowman stays firmly put on the ground. But in fact in this story the sun warms him and first of all he melts and then he evaporates and climbs high into the sky.

He turns into a cloud drifting free in the sky until it gets cold again and he falls as snow on the ground. Along come the children and once again he becomes a snowman.

A story about change and an explanation about how water is everywhere, the water cycle explained for young children.

The book is translated by Azita Rassi and published by the brilliant new publishers Tiny Owl, publishers to watch out for.

We recommend this book for 3- 7 years, either reading together or late on their own.

Sue Martin - Dolphin Booksellers and Books Go Walkabout

Tutankhamun’s Tomb

The DolphinOctober 30, 2015October 31, 2015

An amazing visual adventure through the tomb of Egypt's most famous Pharaoh, Tutankhamun. This hard back book is full of inviting flaps and pop ups as you journey through the Kingdom of the Nile and the Valley of the Kings.

The journey with the archaeologist, Howard Carter in 1922 takes place as he discovers the steps leading down into the tomb, which had not been walked on for over 3000 years, and as he glimpsed the treasures that lay in the tomb of Tutankhamun.

Written by Jen Green and Julie Renee Anderson and published by QED, this book is a real gem of a book for design, information and readability.

Each page is packed with facts in intriguing layout of the text, there are lots of opportunities for learning and adventure. The book would be an invaluable tool for KS2 work on the Egyptians or as a book at home or in the library for an avid explorer.

My favourite page was about Sailing across the Heavens, and a pop up model of a boat that was in the tomb for Tutankhamun to use to sail into the heavens. Sailing was important for the Egyptians and they believed that even the gods sailed in boats.

Packed from start to finish the information in the book will give those who read it a real interest and understanding about Tutankhamun and the Ancient Egyptians.

We recommend the book for 8 years to adult and beyond!

Sue Martin Dolphin Booksellers and Books Go Walkabout

Tiger, Mog and Pink Rabbit<br>– a Judith Kerr retrospective

The DolphinOctober 9, 2015November 22, 2015

Juidth Kerr exhibit The Judith Kerr exhibition had been held and produced by Seven Stories and was available to view in the Jewish Museum, London.

Fortunately for me I had a few hours to spare and couldn't have found a better place than this exhibition. There is something about Judith Kerr in her work and in her expression of her life that is so wonderfully understated, but yet so powerful in evoking the characters and the settings for the stories.

The Tiger who Came to Tea, just has so much appeal and his appetite for all the food and drink was insatiable! There is a life size model in the exhibition amongst a chaotic kitchen.

Mog, of course, is just everyone's favourite cat, and is the perfect pet at times and at others shows how contrary all cats can be, ie Mog at Christmas. Also in the exhibition was my favourite place, a huge cat basket with books for reading. Just right for curling up within!

And When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit, the pictures from Judith's own drawings and paintings at the time were on display, and some of the events that were happening around her, and just why they had to flee from Berlin.

She is quoted as saying, " If we had tried to leave Germany a day later, if I hadn't been stopped from asking questions on the train... I can never forget how lucky I am."

I could have spent a whole day here, but had to catch the train, homeward bound.

Sue Martin Books Go Walkabout and Dolphin Booksellers

Let’s Talk about Art<br>at The Royal College of Art

The DolphinOctober 9, 2015November 22, 2015

On a wet and windy autumnal evening I walked into the Royal College of Art for the making and creating of the book, The School of Art, published by Wide Eyed Editions.

Hosted by Ibby and Books for Keeps, this was a wonderful way to spend the evening.

Professor Teal Triggs and RCA graduate, Daniel Frost were sitting on the floor of the podium in front of the poster,I was early, and it was a good chance to take a photo and have a pre chat before the event.

With a glass of wine in my hand more people started to join the group and the lecture started.

Both Teal and Danny had a strong sense of enjoyment in developing the book, and the magic of the book was shown in their love of portrayals of the professors of different aspects; Professor of Ideas, Professor of Senses, Professor of Making and Professor of the Planets.

The design for the Professor of Ideas in a cloud with her ideas around her in the very comfy chair,was inspired by Daniel.

Teal said that the characters led the narrative and the concept for Professor of Ideas, for instance, was of an Edwardian woman 'who knew her own mind but was not afraid to wear a string of pearls.'

Publishers Wide Eyed Editions have another success in this book, for the inspiration for the idea and the creating of such a beautiful book, with especial praise for Jenny Broom, editor.

Recommended for children, 7-9, 9-12 years by

Sue Martin Dolphin Booksellers and Books Go Walkabout

City Atlas by Martin Haake and Georgia Cherry

The DolphinSeptember 25, 2015October 31, 2015

30 Best Loved cities around the word are brought to life in this wonderful fact finding atlas, the layout, illustrations and text are really engaging.

It is so much more than an atlas, the text is full of bite size pieces of information about the city and the images are unique. It's a really large book too and is very tactile cover. Take a look at...

Istanbul's page- look out for lamps at the Grand Bazaar, make a wish at the Basilica Cistern.

Mexico City - Rent roller skates in Mexico Park, put a trip to the ancient city Teotihuacan at the top of your list.

There are also things to find on each page, which will get you and the children searching through the illustrations.

City Atlas, from one of our favourite publishers, Wide Eyed Editions and written by Georgia Cherry and illustrated by Martin Haake

We recommend this book for 7- 9 years.

Can be bought on the book link for £16.99

Sue Martin Dolphin Booksellers and Books Go Walkabout

Rooftoppers<br>by Katherine Rundell

The DolphinSeptember 25, 2015November 22, 2015

Rooftoppers is fast becoming a classic in children's literature and is compared to the likes of Roald Dahl and Eva Ibbotson.

It's a fantastic story and beautifully imaginative with visions of different areas of Paris, as seen from roof tops. The main character, Sophie, has been lost and is found by Charles Maxim as she floated as a baby, in a cello case in the English Channel.

Despite being told that she was lost in a shipwreck, Sophie thinks otherwise and with Charles, finds herself in Paris with Matteo, a boy who walks tightropes and lives in the sky.

A beautiful story about pursuing your dreams and never ignoring the possible.

Published by Faber, Rooftoppers was winner of the Blue Peter Book Award and the Waterstones Children's Book Prize and short listed for the CILIP Carnegie Medal.

Katherine Rundell is an author to watch and her other children's story, The Girl Savage was her first book.

Available to buy through Dolphin Booksellers, Amazon link at £5.24

We recommend this book for 9 - 12 years.

Sue Martin Dolphin Booksellers and Books Go Walkabout

Though My Eyes: Emilio<br>by Sophie Masson

The DolphinSeptember 18, 2015November 22, 2015

I started the book, Emilio, and was unable to put it down!! Three hours later I made it to the end, through adventures, family kidnapping, and dealing with drug cartels, all through the eyes of Emilio.

In Chapter Two, Emilio hears the bad news.'

The Federal policeman said, 'My name is Raul Castro, and I am an officer of the PF here in Mexico City....I regret to inform you that I have bad news.'

Emilio learns that his mother has been kidnapped.

Author Sophie Masson deals with real life issues for a young person in an area of conflict. It is excellently written, and is part of the Through My Eyes series published by Allen and Unwin with series editor Lyn White.

As well as being a great read it has information about the languages used, the areas of drug cartels and a timeline of drug conflict in Mexico and provides a good teaching resource for use in schools.

We recommend this book for 9 - 12 year olds.

Sue Martin Dolphin Booksellers and Books Go Walkabout