If you missed last week's post I spoke about the Picture Books category of the WCBP. Today I will be reviewing the books in the 5-12 category. One that actually had some wonderful titles!

Girl With A White Dog

I was apprehensive coming to this book. It sounded a lot like a Morpurgo book and let's face it he's a wonderful author. But I was so blown away by it. The story of two girls, their grandmothers and the second world war, it reflects on history, growing up and relationships. A real thought provoking book that I'm pretty sure most kids should read at least once.





Boy In The Tower

I adored this book. It felt like a mixture of Attack The Block and a family drama. Ade lives in a tower block with his mum, who doesn't like to leave the home. But when the block starts crumbling he has to make the choice, leave with the others or stay with his mum. It's an amazing insight for kids to read about adults with mental health issues but also has enough sci-fi and fun to not make it too serious.



Cowgirl

Cowgirl was definitely one of my favourites. One where you should definitely not judge a book by it's cover. It's based in a small town, one with a housing estate and farms. When Gemma and Kate join forces to help herd Kate's cows somewhere safe it's a magical tale of communities coming together. One that's definitely for girls that like Jacqueline Wilson but are a bit fed up with her formula of story telling.




Murder Most Unladylike

The first in a brilliant series. Meet Daisy and Hazel, two young girls living in a boarding school. You might think I'm writing about Enid Blyton but infact at Deepdean school there has been a murder and it's up to our two budding detectives to solve the case. Think Nancy Drew but with some tea and cake when it's all over! I adored this book and absorbed the second one as soon as it was released!




Violet and the Pearl of the Orient

Another detective tale! Violet is a budding Sherlock Holmes and when her famous friend is burgled it's up to her to solve the case. Jam packed full of wonderful and quirky characters you are constantly guessing the whole way through whom the sinister thief could be. A fun and light hearted book full of wonderful illustrations. Perfect introduction to the world of crime and detectives.




A Boy Called Hope

Dan Hope is a dreamer. His biggest dream however? That his dad will come home and love him. He sits and watches him daily on TV but hasn't seen him properly for over 4 years. Which is why he decides to take matters into his own hands and try and make his dad notice him. Cue lots of mishaps and problems, but ultimately this heartwarming tale is one of family lost and found and most of all hope. I loved this book, so much so that I've read it countless times and recommended it to so many people.

Working in a bookshop means I get to dive into some amazing titles, discover new authors and try something new. You are never too old to read kid's books. There is something magical about opening the pages to a world you are yet to discover and kid's books are amazing at creating something visually stunning.

Over the next few weeks I'm going to review all the books that have been shortlisted for the Waterstones Children's Book Prize. I'll be talking about the beautiful illustrated books, magical kid's books and stunning teen fiction that's been hand picked for this great prize.

First up is illustrated books, a section I love as they capture Max's imagination in so few pages.

Atlas Of Adventure 
Not your conventional picture book, this gigantic hardback is a book of luxury. An story that travels across the globe picking out real life adventure and wonder that you can explore from the comfort of your own home. Ever thought of seeing the Northern Lights? This amazingly descriptive book makes you feel like you are actually there! A coffee table book for everyone from 4 to 94.





Where Bear?

The tale of a bear and his friend growing up together. Unfortunately though, bear's do grow rather big so he should probably find somewhere else to stay. Only thing is that where should a bear go? With illustrations that remind me of Jon Klassen and Oliver Jeffers, this book is one that is going to become an all time classic.






The Sea Tiger

The Sea Tiger is a wonderful tale about friendship in the sea. The illustrations make you feel like you are flicking through movie stils or a graphic novel. Each page has new wonders that show you the true meaning of enjoying life and friendships. There is something so wonderful in this tale that means any age can read it and fall in love.



The Queen's Hat

This is a hilarious tale, and artistically beautiful. One that follows the unfortunate misfortune of the Queen's hat blowing away. Of course all the Queen's guards are on hand to run and try and catch the hat but it flys past all the London landmarks at such speed that we wonder if she will ever get it back! This is a great British book!




The Dawn Chorus

This is a wonderful story about Peep, a bird that is desperate to join in with the dawn chorus and their magical music. Unfortunately he can't find his place with the group, but it's got a great moral behind it about finding yourself and being true to you. The illustrations are timeless and one that will become a classic in no time.





Blown Away

This is definitely a favourite in our home, a cheeky tale of a story of a little penguin that just wants to fly his kite. Unfortunately things go a bit wrong and they fly away, meeting some others along the way. The illustrations are gorgeous and bright with some wonderful characters, including a Polar Bear named Clive!

Max is growing quicker than I could imagine, not only that but his tastes and interests are growing too. Now he doesn't want a baby room, he want's a big boy room. And I want one that doesn't have lots of garish characters. This seems to be a perfect balance of fun yet practical!

• Star Print Duvet Cover
• Super Hero Pillow Case
• Wooden House Shelf
• Lego Storage Unit
• Bed With Canopy
• Kallax Unit
• Never Grow Up Print

With Valentines Day around the corner I thought I would put together some ideas for him and her that could be something different to the generic flowers and chocolates (not that those aren't a good idea too!). We always want to think outside the box when it comes to gift buying but sometimes these things aren't as easy as we thought so here are some starting points for ideas.

Scott is a bugger to buy for. He's either into expensive tech or asks for a wash set. It doesn't leave much for the imagination. So I scour the net and try and find things that he will love. Hopefully some of these items will be great for him as well as your man friends too.

Beer Bods Subscription - I bought this for Scott at Christmas and let me tell you, Thursdays are the new weekends. He absolutely loves cracking open his weekly beer, chatting away with other subscribers and finding new favourites.

Lush Dirty Springwash - The most iconic range for men in Lush is the dirty range. Scott loves this refreshing shower gel and let me tell you, I may have used it myself too!

Pebble Smartwatch - For the inner tech geek, this watch is one of the lower ends of the smart watches but it packs a punch. There seems to be lots of hubbub around this and its all screaming with positive reviews.

USB Mixtape - Gone are the days of tape decks and walkmans. With the rise in smartphones there's no room for a mixtape. That is until now. This USB mixxtape is great as you can load and reload song idea's to your hearts content. Though I don't think standing under a window with a smartphone and tiny speaker will have the same impact as it did on Say Anything!

Smart Phone Projector - Scott adores this. It's a build your own smartphone projector. The box unfolds and slots together with surprisingly easy instructions. The projection isn't massive but is great for us to lie in bed and watch something on the wall.

Beard Grooming Kit - Beards are all the rage. You don't want a scraggly one though so a grooming kit is a must. This one comes in a great little tin meaning that you won't ever lose it!

Seattle Seahawks NFL Tshirt - Yes they may have lost the Superbowl, but Scott would have killed me for posting any other team. The NFL is getting hot here in the UK. With games played over here and teams appearing all over it's time to jump on a team wagon and see what all the fuss is about. And let's face it, the kit looks a whole lot nicer than the UK football teams!

Native Union Phone Case - A phone case is a great way of personalising something that everyone has. This is great as it's understated yet classy. A bold statement for the man in your life.

 It was fairly easy to make, a giant cardboard box cut up into a photo frame with a craft knife. I then mixed some white and brown paint to make a old newspaper colour. A few coats of this overnight left it with a great coverage.

I then scoured the internet to find a suitable font (let me tell you this took hours!) and then printed out the text that was going to be written. I did attempt to write it straight onto the board but after a long day at work I thought it would be safer to cut out the letters and stick onto the board. Unfortunately it then looked really stark with the white against the cream. Then I had a brainwave! I tea stained the whole of the board and managed to merge them together well.

With Valentines Day around the corner I thought I would put together some ideas for him and her that could be something different to the generic flowers and chocolates (not that those aren't a good idea too!). We always want to think outside the box when it comes to gift buying but sometimes these things aren't as easy as we thought so here are some starting points for ideas.

I can put my hand up and admit that I am awful for presents. I never know what I want, always say "surprise me" and flat out refuse to give any ideas. It's more that I just don't know how much I should ask for and if I actually want it. But I love everything that I've put in this, so if you're reading Scott, here's some hints!

Vodka Infusion Kit - Homemade things are all the rage at the moment and each year without fail I try and make someone infused vodka as a present. This is a great starting kit for anyone that wants to give it a go!

Shake N Make Ice Cream Maker - I have the frozen yoghurt version of this, it's great and gives you a perfect helping of froyo that you can top to your hearts content. This is the same but for indulgent ice cream. Move over Ben and Jerry's!

Lush Lots Of Love - No female gift guide is complete without something from Lush. This combines all the best parts of their Valentine's range into a perfectly wrapped box. You don't even have to buy any paper!

Fujifilm Instax Mini 8 Camera - I LOVE my Instax. I try and document loads of aspects of our lives with it as it is perfect to pop in the bag and gives you a great nostalgic feel looking back at your photos.

Busy B Address Book - I am in desperate need for an address book and this range from Busy B is amazing. If you haven't checked out their site, it's full of practical yet gorgeous bits and pieces to use around your home.

Tea For Two Print - Neil is a great friend of mine, my place is dotted in his prints and this is a perfect gift for Valentine's. All you need is a frame to hang this gorgeous print!

Gossip Girl Mug - Who doesn't love a good Gossip Girl quote. This is one of the most iconic ones that is all about Blair's love for Chuck Bass. You can buy this, curl up and watch it all on Netflix.

Ted Baker Phone Case - I love a good phone case, I seem to change mine all the time to find something that I can spot in my bag or won't lose if Max runs off with it. This Ted Baker one is gorgeous yet not too over the top. The perfect combination.