I grew up with Hairy Maclary (he's from New Zealand) so this one's a classic for me. Most people know the original book, Hairy Maclary from Donaldson's Dairy (a dairy, by the way, is what New Zealanders call a newsagent or corner store—it's just a local place selling bread, sweets and newspapers). In the first one, we're introduced to Hairy and his friends: Hercules Morse, Bottomley Potts, Muffin McLay, Bitzer Maloney and Schnitzel von Krumm (with a very low tum). The tale goes like this: they all join up together, wander down 'past the shops and the park at the far end of town', then they run into Scarface Claw—a feral tomcat with a V-shaped slice missing from his ear. Screech! Bam! Climax! Suitably freaked out, the dogs all scarper off up the road to their respective hiding places.

It's a cool story in its easy simplicity, but I think Bone is better.

Bone's storyline is also straightforward. The town’s butcher gives Hairy Maclary the eponymous bone, and, understandably chuffed, Hairy starts to make his way back to the dairy to enjoy the thing in peace. Unfortunately, all his friends (Hercules Morse, Bottomley Potts, Muffin McLay, Bitzer Maloney and Schnitzel von Krumm (with a very low tum)) spot that he has something worth their attention, and, enviously licking their chops, they start trailing him. They want Hairy's bone, and they're gonna get it.

In the action that follows, Hairy shakes off his pursuers one by one, causally picking his way through an ever more challenging route to Donaldson's Dairy, the route itself designed specifically to snag the weaknesses of the other dogs (The gap through the sign is too small for Hercules Morse; the hedge is too grabby for the fluff of Muffin McLay, etc.). It's a hero narrative, one in which the protagonist never breaks a sweat, never loses his cool, and never throws a punch (or a bite), so you respect him all the more in the end. He's intelligent. He's calm. And his reward is that he gets to enjoy what is rightfully his. 
 
Highly recommended. 

The first book as an easy (but extremely loveable) plot. It’s fairly self-explanatory; Aliens love underpants. They come down to Earth not to meet us, but to take our underpants. The book retells the adventures of their trip to Earth and all the fun they have, we learn their favourite underpants, and the way they wear them. It’s funny and exciting, and paints Alien’s in a fun light, not one we should be scared off. 

The next book is even better.

The aliens are coming down for their usual “pant-pinching” mission when disaster strikes. A meteor is heading to Earth, and you’ll never guess who saved us. The aliens stopped the meteor with nothing other than a very large underpant made of nothing but underpants. 

Even though this book has a slightly more complicated plot (as far as children’s books go), the story is even more loveable. Not only are the alien’s our friends, but they saved us, using none other than the peak of comedy; underpants!!  The adventure and fun makes for a perfect read, and the books build on perfectly from each other. It’s similar enough for the children to remember the last book, but different enough to still be exciting and new. 

I’m sure you will love this book just as much as aliens love underpants!
 

The Rainbow Fish tells a riveting story about the most stunning (and most selfish) fish in the sea. He’s covered with shimmering scales, which every other fish adores and wishes they could have. Many muster up the courage to go up to the rainbow fish and beg him for a single scale, but each and every one of them is rejected. By keeping his enchanting scales to himself, the rainbow fish manages to distance himself from the rest of the fish, and soon finds himself overcome with loneliness. Desperate to be reunited with his friends, he goes to the octopus, which seems to have been awaiting his arrival, and asks him what he should do to fix everything. The octopus advises the rainbow fish to share his enchanting scales as it is the only way that he can make friends. Reluctantly the rainbow fish does what he should have from the start, and finds that sharing might not have been as bad as he originally thought.

This book emphasises the significance of sharing, and how it can help form everlasting friendships. 

I would 100000000% recommend.

(I just found out that there's a second book so off I go to read it!)

The clear frontman of all the Mr. Men books, Mr Tickle, is off on a new adventure, putting his extraordinarily long arms to good use and traumatising the public. But are Tickle’s morally dubious tickling weapons really that harmless? He’s out there in the wild, lurking… somewhere. He even got past the police! At this point, I’m wondering why the world is not on edge.

Throughout his memoir, his character evolves from performing clever, time saving party tricks to threats and crimes. His one singular purpose in life is to tickle and this beast will stop at nothing to hear the cries and screams of his victims as phantom fingers creep closer and closer…

His orange limbs can get into any nook or cranny, tickling you until your knees buckle and you’re seeing stars behind the alarms flashing in your mind.

Nowhere is safe.

Can this singular tickly mastermind overthrow the town? The world? He’s already asserted dominance over the rest of the Mr. Men. Are we next?

Please. Read this book. Learn his strategies before it’s too late. Studying his wiggly arms may be our last hope.

RATING 5/5 OUT OF PURE FEAR

SPREAD THE WORD

This book was gifted to me by my old child minder Mela and ut soon became a family favourite. The book contains 5 short, humorous stories, illustrating the heart warming and entertaining adventure of friends Frog and Toad. Frog is a fine green frog, with a cheery, relaxed nature. Toad is a short, brown toad who, even though he is just as caring and kind as Frog, is the more serious and uptight of the duo.

The stories are fairly simple, with tales of going swimming and writing letters and finding lost buttons. However, my favourite thing about this book is the relationship between Frog and Toad. Their friendship demonstrates the many ups and downs of human attachments, reflecting on deep truths about life and love and relationships. The situations that Frog and Toad find themselves in are fairly relatable, especially a particular story about the difficulty of restraint when it comes to cookies. I resonate with that, both as a child and teenager.

Or in the story ‘ A Swim’, Frog responds to mocking comments about his bathing suit by simply walking past the crowd of animals laughing at him.

Also, one of the great things about thus book is that it is just as enjoyable to reread. Last year i read this book to my 4 year old cousin and we both thoroughly enjoyed it, whereas trying to hack your way through Thomas The Tank Engine ( undeniably one of the most boring children books in existence) is painful and dreary.

In short, I think these books are a great read for children and adults alike. 

 

My father, as a pastor, would frankly be disappointed if this wasn’t my pick. I can’t say it’s my favourite children’s book, or book for that matter for multiple reasons of both theology and literature – but owl babies was my pick and It got stolen. You do have to give it to the writers of the Bible (whoever you choose that to be) credit as whether or not you believe in the meaning and truthfulness of the stories – there are some bangers. Floods destroying the world, seas splitting in half and kings massacring children sounds like just as much as a great thriller as an aid to spiritual fulfilment – and who oh who can complain about bottomless wine – because that was one of my personal highlights of the read. Another advantage of it is that it’s a very long read so it’ll keep you entertained for a while – although if you can’t be bothered for that then you can get it told to you every Sunday at 10:30AM at Brockley Community Church. I can’t particularly promise you I’ll be in attendance but both my father and THE father will be. (Shameless plug I definitely wasn’t paid to say.)

This charming children’s book, long the delight of British children, has been a classic ever since it was published in 1968. Generations of young’uns have grown up alongside this charming story. 

This first-class children’s novel opens with an intriguing knock at the door of Sophie, a young and happy girl who lives with her mother and father. Of an evening, as she was engaging in that most English of traditions, tea and cakes, a mysterious entity raps against the door-frame of their lovely house. Sophie and her mother, analytically minded as ever, attempt to figure out who it could be, before giving in to temptation and peering through the now public portal- and what do they see? A tiger! 

Yes, that’s right, a tiger. A healthy (if, as we shall soon learn, rather indecorous) adult male specimen of the species Panthera Tigris. ‘Excuse me but I’m very hungry’ the tiger tells young Sophie, and requests that he be allowed to have tea with her and her mother. But a veritable pandemonium of partaking soon ensues, as the tiger gobbles up all the food he can find. Sophie and her mother, distraught, do not know what to do. ‘Oh, whatever shall daddy eat now!’ thinks the mother. 

But not to worry! 

Soon enough, the father comes home, and, being an accommodating man, quickly thinks of a solution; the family shall all go out to the café for a lovely late-night treat! All is well, and the family prepare the next day with extra food, in case they are ever visited by that ravenous gentleman ever again.

This story is a classic for a reason; its heart-warming narrative of love, greed and redemption will teach many a child for years to come. 

I give this book a well deserved 10/10!
louis

This book is quite clearly superior to all and one of the best books to be. A simple storyline and a happy ending of them actually liking green eggs and ham. What could be better. 

The story starts off with a strong opener of ‘I am Sam’ and from this you know this character is all-powerful and he will be remembered in our minds forever as he decides he actually likes green eggs and ham. But, you will not find this out until you have read the slightly confusing repetition of the book, all 60 pages. Yes 60 pages worth reading and worth your time, it will bring you lots of intelligence and wisdom because the book is just this great. 

You might not be able to believe this but there is even a moral to this story. Much like everyone living, at the start of the book Sam refuses to try green eggs and ham. But when he refuses to eating it in many different places including in a box and with a fox he decides to try it. This therefore giving young children a good lesson to try new things, giving this book even more reason to be the best book as it even teaches you important lessons no one else could teach you. 

And, not only does the book start with ‘I am Sam’ I also ends with ‘Sam I am’ which is just the same sentence rearranged, bringing this repetitious book in a full circle. This is why it is the superior book and will forever live in you head.

If you couldn't already tell from this excellent indetail review, I would 100% recommend this book.
10/10