The Quick Review

Leon and the Place Between – We’ve been raving about this book for over a year, so we’re thrilled to see it on the shortlist. But so that we don’t get stale by going on and on about it, in this month’s show we instead review Grahame Baker-Smith’s new picture book, Farther. Haunting and thought-provoking, with illustrations so enchanting you want to fall into them and stay a while. Age 6+.

Millie’s Marvellous Hat – A charming story that celebrates the power of a child’s imagination. Judges called the illustrations “Kandinsky-esque”. Truly marvellous! Age 3+.

Crazy Hair – Creepy story by Neil Gaiman matched with Dave McKean’s stunning primitivism-influenced art. Andy’s choice for Greenaway winner. Age 4+.

The Graveyard Book – Neil Gaiman rightly won the Carnegie Medal for this outstanding book for children. Not quite as frightening as Coraline, but pretty close. Chris Riddell’s chilling illustrations of the Man Jack and his hideous knife are a perfect complement. Age 9+.

The Great Paper Caper – Oliver Jeffers’s drawings in this very funny book with a subtle eco-message are delightfully retro with a colour palette so pretty you want to put them on your wall. Jennifer’s choice for winner. Age 4+.

There Are Cats in this Book – Our kids’ favourite book of the entire shortlist. Very cute cats with very clever lift-the-flaps. Age 1+.

The Dunderheads – Graphic novel for kids age 8+. Fun and imaginative illustrations with a fab story of revenge against a monstrous teacher. Super!

Harry & Hopper – The winner of this year’s Kate Greenaway Medal. Difficult story about a dog that dies and the boy who mourns him. Illustrations are accomplished but do not inspire wonder as much as respect. Age 5+.

The Quick Review

Bottoms Up! - Jeanne Willis’s sparkling rhymes and Adam Stower’s fabulous illustrations win the Red House Children’s Book Award in the Books for Younger Children category. A call to nudist action that results in mass mooning in our house, but we love it anyway.

The Baby Dragon Tamer – Jan Fearnley’s illustrations are pure magic in this gentle story about the dragon who goes hunting for treasure.

Crunch Munch Dinosaur Lunch - Our 3 year old can’t get enough of this book about a tough tyrannosaurus and his clingy baby sister, although we found it mildly grating.

A Very Strange Creature – Sweet tale of the animals who find a baby in the jungle. Pleasant enough for very young children. Age 1+.

Lows:

Highs:

Film – Bolt (full review in episode 4) and Up (episode 14) top our list – we’re still bickering over the merits of The Princess and the Frog (episode 22).

Art – Art Trolley at Tate Britain. Full review on location review in episode 25.

Books – Our top books of the year (although given how bad Jennifer is at maths, her year is a full 28 months long…) Leon and the Place Between (ep 8), Greek Beasts and Heroes (ep 22), The Great Dog Bottom Swap (ep 16), Don’t Want to Go (ep 23) and Everybody Was a Baby Once.

The Quick Review

How to Train Your Dragon – Or, as we like to think of it: “Avatar for Young Adults”. Brilliant film, go and see it in the cinema to get the full 3D effect. Age 6+.

When the Dragons Came –  Clever new picture book for age 3+ with subtle themes of immigration and tolerance explored through a child-friendly metaphor. Someone should send Nick Griffin a copy.

Theodore Boone: Kid Lawyer – Legal thriller writer John Grisham has announced he will pen a kids’ book, and Penguin has posted the first chapter online. As much as we wanted to hate it, we found ourselves quite intrigued with Theo Boone. We’re hoping the drama will continue as Theo really gets stuck into a case, working 22-hour days and never communicating with his family except through his Blackberry.

The Quick Review

 The Illustration Cupboard – Bijou art gallery at 22 Bury Street, London, where children’s picture book illustrators are treated like the master artists they truly are. Currently featuring an exhibit of the work of Brian Wildsmith. Age 6+.

 Tate Britain’s Art Trolley – Regular weekend programme where small children are given glue and crayons and invited to sit in front of masterpieces and create their own. It’s incredibly family friendly and completely free. The kids’ lunch in the café is good value too. Age 3+.

The Quick Review 

Don’t Want to Go!  From the author of Dogger and the Alfie books comes a new instant classic. With her nostalgic illustrations and heart-warming text Shirley Hughes once again captures the small worries of childhood, and then gently soothes both parent and child alike. Age 2+.

Caterpillar Dreams  A poetic ballad about the aspirations of two caterpillars. But life doesn’t always go the way we want. Some of us end up as butterflies, some as moths. Wonderful. Age 3+.

The Church Mice Adrift  Droll 1970’s picture book now being republished about mice who live in a vestry and their long-suffering cat Samson. A veiled look at English village life that will probably amuse parents as much as children. Ages 4-7.

Candle Man: The Society of Unrelenting Vigilance  One night burglars break into Theo’s mansion, and he discovers he has the power to melt bad guys with his bare hands! A cracking adventure in the best comic book tradition, with dashing heroes and dastardly villains – a terrific read for children aged 9+.

Witchfinder: Dawn of the Demontide  Teenage fiction in which 15 year old Jake has to fight witches to keep the demons in hell. His mum is decapitated early on, which will probably appeal to lots of teenagers.

The Princess and the Frog and new mythology series Greek Beasts and Heroes.

The Quick Review:

In The Princess and the Frog we meet Tiana, Disney’s newest princess / merchandising opportunity. A fabulous character – hard working, ambitious, black and beautiful, but she’s let down by an over-long script, clichéd supporting cast and a lazy Eurotrash prince. Some children will find the Shadowman very scary. Age 3+.

Greek Beasts and Heroes: As the world waits to see if the new demigod hero Percy Jackson can match Harry Potter in the orphaned-magical-boy-with-brainy-girl-friend-and-hapless-best-mate-who-go-on-predictable-adventures stakes, we applaud a new series of books for children age 5-8 that introduce Greek mythology to children. If your kids are interested in Percy Jackson, start them with these books first.