Review: The Monster and Puppet Show - Kate Micucci - February 2026 When I worked in the library as a Children's and Teens Librarian, I was always on the lookout for funny interactive books that I could share with my class visits. There's nothing quite like watching kids light up when they get to participate in the story, and those are the books that stick with them long after storytime ends. If I was still in the library, The Monster and Puppet Show would absolutely be one of the books on my School Visits list. Kate Micucci – yes, Lucy from The Big Bang Theory! – has created something really special here. This book immediately reminded me of the classic The Monster at the End of the Book, which featured Grover from Sesame Street. When my brother was little, that was one of his favourite books that I would read to him, and he'd giggle every single time we turned a page despite Grover's protests. The Monster and Puppet Show captures that same magic of breaking the fourt...

Review: The Boo Crew Needs You - Vicky Fang and Illustrated by Saoirse Lou - August 2023 As the leaves begin to turn and Halloween lurks just around the corner, Vicky Fang and Saoirse Lou have delivered a delightful treat for young readers aged 4-8 with "The Boo Crew Needs You." This interactive children's book is a perfect addition to the October reading list, setting the stage for spooky fun during the Halloween season. Trouble has descended upon Monster Town, and it's a race against time to make things right. Enter Luna, Bones, and Fang, an endearing trio comprising a ghost, skeleton, and vampire. But here's the twist – they need your help! The beauty of this book lies in its interactivity, allowing young readers to become an essential part of the narrative. From mending a broken pumpkin to setting an unruly haunted house back on its feet, the action prompts engage children and encourage them to participate actively in the story. This not only keeps kids engage...

Review: I Celebrate My Voice - Nonku Kunene Adumetey - January 2022 What do you use your voice for? How do you express what you are feeling? Do you use your voicebox or do you use sign language? How do you celebrate your voice? Do you use it to sing or laugh? Do you use it to stand up for what you believe in? There are so many countless ways that one can use their voice. In I Celebrate My Voice by Nonku Kunene Adumetey we read about different ways that the kids use their voices. As a former children's librarian, I was always on the lookout for picture books that I could use for toddler time or school visits - something interactive and not too long.  This book would have been perfect as not only does it touch on an important issue and have a solid point to the book and represent a vital part of us all as human beings it also has the interactive side of showing different animals and actions which you can get the children joining in with, making the story not only great to listen al...

Review: Cocoa's Cranky Valentine - Beth Hughes - December 2022 This was quite a cute and fun read. It introduces us to Cocoa the dog who is a cranky bugger and this Valentine's Day he has a secret admirer who hopefully turns his frown upside down and puts some love into him. He gets a card, but just as he is about to open it the cat comes and snatches it and now won't give it back to Cocoa. Can we help Cocoa grab his card and find out who is his Secret Admirer in time for Valentine's Day? As someone who used to work with children and toddlers. This book would have been a perfect one to use for toddler time or an early school visit as the book is interactive and kids love interactive stories and get into them. On some pages, it tells the children to help blow to 5 or use your finger to trace the end of the yarn, etc. Cocoa's Cranky Valentine is the perfect colorful and interactive read for children aged 3-6 years old. Also, it was very cute, when Cocoa's secret...

Lauren Layne has partnered with Chapters App to bring her amazing romance books to the video game world. Lauren’s books start coming out in the app today with the release of Blurred Lines. Watch the book trailer!  Chapters is an app you can download in your phone’s app store for free. You can play your favorite books and make choices affecting how the characters react to the situations you’ve already read about! To celebrate Lauren Layne’s upcoming release schedule in Chapters five winners will win 100 gems of in game currency to buy outfits and look super hot for your dates with the boys you love. Just download the app using the links below and comment your email on this post that you downloaded the app. Someone from Chapters will email you and talk you through getting your gems! Download Links: iPhone: https://app.adjust.com/mpx7h2s Android: https://app.adjust.com/2hsctxz This winter there are five more books being released and a ton ...