New Books for Kids from Jonthan Ball Publishers…

So we are on holiday, enjoying the sights and sounds of life in the city. Last winter we did a house swap with friends and it was fabulous and we are doing it again in the summer… we are trying to do one or two fun outings or activities each day and otherwise we are totally relaxing and lying around reading all day… so be sure to tune in for tons of book reviews… And we would like to welcome a new publisher to our blog, Jonathan Ball Publishers, with this collection of lovely books for children.

se7en-21-Dec-17-435810425_15013143204120920218-5.jpg

Paddington on Patrol



Paddington Little Library, Movie Tie-In: This is a set of little board books filled with the characters from the latest movie.
se7en-21-Dec-17-445212312_9726552413518897252-11.jpg

If your small children have seen the movie… then they will delight in meeting the family up close, seeing Paddington’s wardrobe, enjoy Paddington’s delightful manners… and see Paddington’s London, which is not your typical taxi tour at all.
se7en-21-Dec-17-435809263_4335968291887065396-4.jpg

And if you turn your board book collection then together the back covers create a simple puzzle of Paddington himself. Just a sweet little extra.

The Much Anticipated “Here We Are”



Here We Are: Notes for Living on Planet Earth by Oliver Jeffers:
Oliver Jeffers, whose picture books are pure magic, has pulled out all the stops to create a picture book that will be loved by grown ups and children alike.
se7en-21-Dec-17-445215973_15985257589902471518-13.jpg

The illustrations are the kind that you want to pour over… facts intertwined with magical colours and and a flowing rhythm.
se7en-21-Dec-17-438317346_9741637488515397711-8.jpg

There is a not so hidden message in it. Be nice. Nice to the world and nice to the people in it.
se7en-21-Dec-17-438314751_11095304395264673678-7.jpg
I know it sounds all airy fairy and poetic, it is just that!!! Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful… this book is far more than a story, it is a work of art.

From Africa to Scotland… there are Mountains to Climb.



The Snow Angel by Lauren St. John and illustrated by Catherine Hyde: I knew I would love this book when I opened the first few pages, and after the dedication this quote: “Life is like mountaineering – never look down” Sir Edmund Hilary.
se7en-21-Dec-17-435509222_6658967698820467402-2.jpg

This is the story of Makena, a twelve year old girl with her head in the clouds… quite literally. She might live with her family in busy Nairobi, but in her head she is climbing the highest mountains in the world… nothing will stop this girl, or her mind from wandering… she is a force to be reckoned with.
se7en-21-Dec-17-445206460_829712869108866992-10.jpg

In the first part of the book Makena and her dad are going on a beautiful picturesque adventure together. They are off to climb mount Kenya. (spoiler alert…) And then Makena’s life is shattered when her parents find themselves in the path of the Ebola virus… and Makena ends up on the streets of the notorious slums, frightened for her life. She finds shelter wherever she can get it and friendship keeps her going. A trail of events and Makena finds herself in Scotland…
se7en-21-Dec-17-435834527_10518193235787739653-6.jpg

This book is poetic and beautiful, with a fox that leaves a trail of stars and winds itself in and out of the story, and in and out of the pages… Makena does finally finds someone who can understand her wild imaginings, with the famous quote: “Logic will get you from A to Z. Imagination will get you everywhere” Einstein. You will experience every single emotion as you read this book… it is lovely, it is happy, it is sad, you will grieve, you will despair and you will rejoice. This beautiful book, with the glittery snow on the cover is a wonderful read about a feisty girl that just won’t give up.


Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by J.K. Rowling, illustrated by Olivia Lomenech Gill: This is a reference book of the extremely beautiful kind. It is filled with all the creatures and magical beasts from the world of Harry Potter.
se7en-21-Dec-17-435805213_16871270969282316950-3.jpg

The illustrated version is just beyond incredible, this book is really an inspired work of art. J.K. Rowling has drawn her fans into her world of make believe by creating an entire “behind the scenes” world to go with it. Really this is a beautiful large format encyclopaedia, full of detailed illustrations and descriptions.
se7en-21-Dec-17-435507778_9187259010998809299-1.jpg

This beautiful book reads like the notebooks of Newt Salamander, the magicologist’s, notebooks. Every detail, ink blot and footnote has been included for our personal examination. This isn’t a book you are going to read from cover to cover or occasionally dip into. This is a book that Potter fans will want to keep front and central on the coffee table, and they will read it again and again, until they have every single fact memorised. There is an introduction that answers many frequently asked questions, like why Magizoology matters, and information regarding all sorts of top secret phenomena, as well as a useful star classification of the beasts found in the M.O.M. (Ministry of Magic).
se7en-21-Dec-17-445216489_5410791867570251960-14.jpg

The book contains an A-Z of fantastic beasts, from the Acromantula to the Yeti… and everything else in-between. And hidden behind the Romanian Longhorn and the Swedish Short-Snout is a wonderful fold out double double spread of a Ukrainian Ironbelly. Really, all the featured creatures from the series can be found between the pages of this truly magical book. If you are looking for the perfect book for Harry Potter fans, then you can stop looking, you just found it!!!

Huge thank you to Jonathan Ball Publishers for supplying this fabulous collection of books for review purposes. This is not a sponsored post and all the reviews are as usual my own.

One Reply to “New Books for Kids from Jonthan Ball Publishers…”

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *