Would you ever trust a cat? What about a cat that talks? Many of you know the tale of Puss In Boots. A cat that helps his master become rich beyond his wildest dreams. But none of you have seen it performed the way we did.

We were kindly given some tickets to attend the show of Puss In Boots at the Lighthouse Poole performed by Lyngo Theatre.

Lyngo Theatre are a small production company that draw upon English and Italian connections to create highly visual and creative shows based on fables for children.

The idea of having one sloping stage, one actor and a massive story to tell can be daunting for anyone but Patrick Lynch does an amazing job of telling the tale and adapting to many characters that all the kids, especially Max were squealing with glee. The way he worked with the cat puppet was amazing. Max was totally convinced there was a real cat on stage.

Using smoke, mirrors and hidden panels Lynch manages to transform the stage into everything from a pond for fishing to an oven to cook bread in. He opened the show by covering himself in flour, something you don't expect to see at any old show. There were even a host of fruit and vegetables being thrown on stage to entertain the children, bring an atmosphere and beat to the show.

The play stands at 50 minutes, so perfect time for a child to be captivated without getting bored and I can definitely vouch for the fact that these kids in the audience were hooked.

The Lighthouse was the perfect setting for this, they have a small studio that meant that we felt so close to the action and were sat in a way that even the smallest of people could watch what is going on during the show.

Thanks Lighthouse for letting us see this wonderful show! Be sure to check out their site for more family friendly events and Lyngo Theatre's for the rest of the Puss In Boots tour dates.

If you haven't worked out by now, YA is my favourite thing to read. Yes at 24 I still read books aimed at teens. Mainly because I find the stories interesting, groundbreaking and a lot more fun to read than some of the stuff in "adult" fiction. You find that YA authors are pushing the boundaries to try and do more, discuss topics others won't and help people on a journey through life.

There is an amazing amount of YA debut novels coming out. But I had to be ruthless. I needed to pick just 5 books that are coming out this year that will blow you away.



7 Days - Eve Ainsworth
7 Days, 2 victims, 1 bully. This amazingly insightful book about bullying takes you into the mind of both the bully and the victim. For Jess, school is a safe haven away from her disruptive home, but life isn't made easy by the wonderfully perfect Kez and her gang. But surely Kez's life isn't all it's chalked up to be either. A nail biting, heartwarming story that will have you cheering and crying right until the last page.

Simon Vs The Homo Sapians Agenda - Becky Albertalli
Simon is 16 and is trying to work out who he is. When an email about his sexuality lands in the hands of the wrong person things don't look so great. Especially when he's just opened up to the world that he has feelings for Blue (you don't find out who Blue is until the end!). The book talks a lot about the sexual norm and why being gay isn't the weird thing. What if straight people had to come out to the world too?

My Heart and Other Black Holes - Jasmine Warga
Two teens make a suicide pact. Not because they are scared but because they know they can't do it alone. One is a smart, physics nerd called Aysel and the other is Roman who is dealing with a family tragedy of his own. It seems weird to read a book about motivational coaches in suicide, but this is something that does happen and it's amazing to get in the head of both characters. At the end of the day it is only them that can control their own fate. A gut wrenching book that will have you bawling through it.

Weightless - Sarah Bannan
Okay, I am cheating slightly. This will be filed under fiction. But the book is about teens and it read like a decent YA book to me so I'm putting it in there! A new girl turns up at school, she hits right up to the top of the school's hotlist. Except no-one knows anything about her, her social media is barren and until a tv crew shows up people are still in the dark. An amazing eye opener into cyber bullying and bullying in general. One that will resonate amongst young people.

Drop - Katie Everson
Carla wasn't always a junkie, it wasn't as if she set herself up to be one, it just happened. But she isn't one of those wreck heads that steals and sleeps on the street. She's different. But when she starts a school and meets the resident bad boy she gets swept off her feet and really isn't the normal good girl she thought she was. This book isn't out until August (not even the artwork has been released) but my god this blew me away!

So thats 5 of my top debuts. What books are you looking forward to?

I love blogging, we have a great little corner in our flat with a disk that I can scurry and write away at. Having said that, A girl can dream about making her blogging space that little bit better right?

• Apple Macbook Pro - My Mac is dying a slow and painful death. It's about 6/7 years old now and unfortunately suffered a massive crack down the bottom of it (oops!)
  
• Olympus Pen Camera - Having my DSLR all the time isn't the best. It's heavy, I have loads of lenses and a bit of a pain to capture quick shots for the blog. This is perfect. As small as a compact but as good as a DSLR
  
• Notes Pegs - I'm forever losing important information, this is a great way to keep on top of it all.
  
• Grey Peg Board - I love how adaptable this board is, I can make it for paperwork, important things and anything else that looks pretty!
  
• Grown Ups Poster - I love this poster. It reminds me that life doesn't need to be boring.
  
• Pilot V Signpen - I am a bit of a pen snob. Once I find a pen I love I will buy it for as long as I can get hold of it. When I got this pen I was amazed how easy it was to write with and how thick and bold my writing was.
  
• Triangle Dotted Notebook - A perfect notebook for keeping at my desk so that I can jot down any ideas and sketch and shoot plans
  
• Moleskine Notebook - Okay I am addicted to Moleskines. Like pens, when I find a brand I love I normally stick to them. This is perfect and hardwearing enough to throw in my bag and scurry any post ideas down on the go. 

So for the past couple of weeks my Friday Reads posts have been dedicated to looking at the Waterstones Children's Book Prize shortlist. Finally we are onto the teen category, normally aimed at children 12/13+. But don't let that fool you a lot of these would be great adult reads too!

Smart

If you are a fan of Mark Haddon's "Curious Incident..." book then this is one for you. A homeless man is found dead and no one, not even the police want to find out who did it or what happened. Was it an accident or something far more serious. That's why Keiran decides to find out what happened, after all secrets can't stay secret forever. This is a lovely tale about a boy growing up and finding his place in the world. It looks at topics such as bullying and compassion.



Dead Ends

The story of Dane and Billy. One is a notorious bully and the other has Downs Syndrome. What starts as a forced connection turns into a great story of boys trying to understand their own family dynamics whilst forging an unexpected friendship. It was a great insight into the mentality of a bully and a victim. Except you don't really know who's who. I really enjoyed this book, Erin has a distinct style of writing that means I can devour books pretty fast!



The Strange And Beautiful Sorrows Of Ava Lavender

Magic runs through Ava's family, so when she is born with soft feather wings her family want to keep her safe. Except Ava is just like any normal girl and wants to venture out and see the world. But how will the other people see her? This book is a great blend of magic, mythology and escapism with some beautifully written text. It doesn't seem like your typical YA book but one that definitely should be read.




The Apple Tart Of Hope

This is one that I have already reviewed (see Here) but to give it another synopsis. Oscar is gone, presumed dead, but his brother and best friend think otherwise. It's a tale of two friends trying to find out what's happened, understand mental health and grieving. There is a real evil character running through it, but you always remember that an apple pie can make things better, even just for a moment.




Half Bad

A council of white witches has Nathan under lock and key, they are scared of him as his father is the darkest black witch there is. Nathan must escape before his 17th birthday otherwise he will die, there is a gift he must receive before then. A wonderful spin on the idea of witches that is really refreshing to read. I've already read Half Wild (the sequel) and that is fantastic!





Only Ever Yours

Set in a dystopian world where beauty is all that matters, you meet Freida and Isabel, two girls forged together through their impending fate. Will they end up as wives for the elite males, or living life as a concubine. A dark, intense story that will stay with you forever. Looking at female objectification, social media and the challenges of living up to the media expectations. Think The Handmaids Tale meets Mean Girls. You don't want to miss reading this.