What We Are Reading Right Now… The Penguin Random House Edition…

It is a long weekend, can I hear a hoorah!!! The father person has been on leave and we have taken a break from school… there has been hiking and friends and trips to the beach… and between all that massive progress in the year of Getting Things Done Project. Amidst all the hard work there has been plenty of time for reading and relaxing of course…

Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls by Elena Favilli and Francesca Cavallo: The cover says 100 Tales of Extraordinary Women… and this is an extraordinary book. And the thing I love about it the most is that all my kids love and adore it. Each double page spread tells the story of an incredible woman on one page and then there is a stunning artwork of her on the other page. I had the idea that I would read a spread a day for school and my kids would learn about famous women in history… but it turns out that they all took this book off my desk as they went past and they have been pouring over these fascinating women for a week or two and then coming to tell me about them. Each women has her name, her date of birth, her country, a quote, her career and their are dozens of chosen walks of life… from politicians to top models, from scientists to environmentalists, artists, dancers, journalists, poets, tattoo artists and even a boxer. My heroes Sylvia Earle, Wangari Maathai, Maya Angelou and of course Malala are all in there… and my own girls are finding their own heroes between the pages.

This book is a work of art and has its own unique story all of its own and a website where you can check it out. This book began as a Kick Starter project, it went from strength to strength, and ended up being the most funded original book ever crowdfunded before. The artwork is out of this world, a team of sixty women from every corner of the world created a unique and interesting portrait for all the women featured in the book. This book really is a work of art… a book that will inspire women and girls of all ages… a book that clearly demonstrates that gals of every race, colour or creed can do incredible things when they put their minds to it. And there is even a page left blank for your girl to write her own story. While all my kids have enjoyed this book I can honestly say that my girls have absolutely loved it… this empowering book needs to be on every girls’ shelf everywhere. If you need an extra special gift for a gal of any age… then this is definitely the book of choice.

George’s Marvellous Experiments: If you haven’t read Georges Marvellous Medicine by Roald Dahl yet, then get to it as fast as you can. Meanwhile this book is enough to inspire all avid scientists… it is not your average book of science experiments for children, it is packed with explosions and dramatic effects. One impressive experiment after another, explosions and magnets, vehicles and mixtures… Directions are clear and it reads like a scientist’s journal, there are snippets to read and factoids to discover. Not to mention a box on every page explaining the science behind the experiments. It has a large format, and masses experiments to try out, and all with goodies that you can find around the house. Of course not only is it packed with experiments, but it is filled with wonderful Quentin blake illustrations and Roald Dahl quote and expressions through out it. Hood #8 is so inspired he already has a tray of “science tools” out, ready for a whole lot of action… I predict bendy bones. powerful potatoes and very wriggly worms, not to mention powerful potatoes in our near future. This book is bright and colourful and pure fun for scientists of all ages.

The LEGO Batman Movie: Chaos in Gotham City: (Activity Book with Exclusive Batman Minifigure) (LEGO DC Comics) Let me just say LEGO, and it comes with a mini figure… this reads just like an olden day comic. While my kids have never been to the LEGO Batman movie, they all enjoyed reading this comic… because: LEGO. This is a comic that is perfect for beginner readers, not a whole lot of writing to get through, all in little boxes… and there are activities and something to do on almost every single spread. Just good fun, the sort of books that even the most reluctant reader will pick up and read… because folks… LEGO!!! The story is fairly thin to an observing grown up. Your little Batman mini-figure is out to save the city. All my lego loving kids loved this one!!!

The Amazing Talent Show: Mattie’s Magical Animal Dreamworld These last two books were written by Lynn Bedford Hall and illustrated by Jane Heinrichs. The author is well known in South Africa for her cookbooks. She has written quite a few children’s books as well. The story is about Mattie, a lonely girl living in the African countryside… and at night the animals all become characters in her story and all her loneliness disappears. In the talent show we have a dancing ostrich, an elephant with an orange, a pig on a tight rope and a singing donkey… the talent show didn’t go quite as planned… but Mattie saves the day. A sweet and endearing picture book with lovely illustrations.

The Animals’ Funny Funfair: Mattie’s Magical Animal Dreamworld In this story, the animals in Matties World spring to life in her dream and she finds herself at the Fun Fair. There is a hoopla stall, dunking apples, and a roll-an-egg race. Not a single event goes quite as planned. But it all turns out well in the end. Good fun and a sweet read for small people who enjoy animal stories. I like the South African touches in the book… like a mention of Rooibos Tea and such like, making it a great read with a slightly South African flavour.

All these books were given to us for review purposes by Penguin Random House South Africa. This is not a sponsored post and opinions expressed are entirely our own.