A Review By Tamsin

First published in 1968 this story has become a children’s classic.

 We all know owls are night birds and don’t they go “too-whit, too-whoo”?   Plop is a baby barn owl and barn owls make a loud screeching noise when they call.  Their pale undersides are sometimes glimpsed at dusk as they swoop past on silent wings.  However Plop doesn’t like the dark and wants to be a day bird.  His worried mother assures him that the reason he is afraid of the dark is that he doesn’t know anything about it and each afternoon she sends him away from the nest to find out more about darkness.

 Plops ungainly descent from the nest is described in hilarious detail.  He meets various humans and finally a cat who all tell him why they love the dark.  He finds out that it is exciting, kind and beautiful and, of course, after all his adventures finally embraces the fact that he is a night bird and flies off into the moonlight to hunt alongside his parents.

Children and parents can enjoy this book on several levels, the wonderfully funny descriptions of Plop and his family, his language and his adventures while at the same time learning about what makes us afraid of things and how to overcome our fears.

Thomas is stuck in a traffic jam. But what’s the hold up on the main line? This title lets young children find out about Thomas and his engine friends. Still as popular as ever and no wonder!

 A boxed set of all seven volumes as individual hard-backed books from the Magician’s Nephew to The Last Battle. This well-known tale is widely agreed to be one of the few books you should read at least three times in your life – in childhood, in early adulthood and in old-age. Lewis’s intelligent and rich story telling is populated with fascinating characters, perfectly realized detail and a beautifully paced plot. The Chronicles of Narnia is a profoundly allegorical work from one of the world’s best-known Christian writers; as the children travel through different worlds on their adventure, they face the eternal questions and problems of humanity, good and evil, faith and hope, love and despair.  This lovely boxed set is ideal for a special occasion – or just to furnish a room.

A Review By Tamsin

Limited edition (1000 print run only) , £100

 This is a thing of rare beauty: a perfectly boxed gift edition of the complete works of Beatrix Potter, with embroidered and gilded illustration on the covers. A perfect gift for a birth, Christening, birthday or any other excuse you can think of. Really, it is breathtakingly lovely. Admired and much sighed over; but sadly a very limited edition, so snap it up quickly!

 A Review By Frances   

Another from the Warwickshire schools Library Service list, this one is not a detective story.  Andi’s Mum is a nurse from the Philippines. 

When she first came to Britain, she was unable to bring with her her son, Bernado.  He is still in the Phillipines living with his Aunt and Uncle, waiting for the day when he can go to England to be with his mother, his stepfather, William and his stepsister, Andi.

 Bernado’s best friend, Jabbar is a complete basketball freak and although Bernado is not as good, they still play together whenever they can, even sneaking in to an unfinished new basketball stadium to practice.

 In England, Andi is also a basketball fan and an excellent player, part of the girl’s basketball team at school.  Sadly they have to move away and although the new school has a basketball team, it is a boys only team, so she is ineligible to play.

Although basketball plays an important part of this story, you do not have to be a fan of the game to enjoy the book.  It is about love and friendship, superstition and the strength of families.  I found it harder to get into than the other two, but enjoyed it immensely.