The love of reading and collecting Children's Books.
About the Blog
Reading, rumbling and reviewing and collecting all children's books . . . from J.K Rowling to Philip Pullman, as well as up and coming authors. This is for like-minded enthusiasts, who are as passionate about modern-day children's authors as we are. So enjoy, communicate and share the love of books with us.
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Shrapnel Boys, by Jenny Pearson, is a historical fiction novel set in London during 1939. The story follows Ronnie Smith, a young boy both thrilled and terrified by the onset of World War II. While excited by the nightly bomb raids and the morning's shrapnel collecting with his friends, Ronnie also faces battles closer to home. His little brother is mixed up with a secret job and dangerous new friends, leading Ronnie into a situation that could alter the course of the war.
Pearson, known for her humorous children's books, takes a more serious turn with this novel while retaining her signature wit and heart. The narrative is praised for its fast-paced and compelling portrayal of the realities of war through the eyes of children. The book has received positive reviews, with comparisons drawn to Robert Westall's *The Machine Gunners* for its depiction of brave children in wartime. Pearson’s experience as a primary school teacher shines through in her authentic characterisations and understanding of children's perspectives.
Published to coincide with the 80th anniversary of the end of WWII, *Shrapnel Boys* promises an action-packed and thought-provoking read for young audiences, bringing history to life with accuracy and sensitivity, having been reviewed by the Imperial War Museum.
Pacy, memorable and a Second World War novel to read in your life time. Get your piece of SHRAPNEL now and give it a read. Published by Usborne this May 2025.
Good Morning. Welcome, Everybody to Mr. Ripley's Enchanted Books. I hope you are all faring well and keeping safe. It's a great pleasure to be apart of The Super Miraculous Journey of the Freddie Yates blog tour. This is one of my favourite funny books of the year. It has bags of humour and features many fantastic characters. If you like to find out more about the book please check my book review Here. Today's stop features a post by Jenny Pearson. It talks about her favourite books with heaps of humour and heart. What are your favourite funny books? Please let us know what yours are on the blog or share them with us on twitter using the #Freddie Yates and tag us all in the tweet. Happy reading and enjoy your day.
While I hope there are lots of funny parts in the Super Miraculous Journey of Freddie Yates, from accidental pant snuffling to exploding toilets, I wanted to make sure it was also packed full – like Phyllis’s pear and potato turnovers – with some heartfelt moments. I love books that have heaps of heart and humour and I’m going to share with you some of my favourites.
Frank Cottrell-Boyce is an absolute genius. I love all his books. All of them. I first read Millions and adored Damian – he has such a unique look on the world which is both endearing and amusing – I laughed, I cried, and I became a lifelong fan at that moment. I then read Sputnik’s Guide to Life on Earth and I could not have loved that alien-dog more. Framed, Cosmic, The Forgotten Coat, Broccoli Boy, Runaway Robot – honestly, if you haven’t read any of Cottrell-Boyce’s books, do yourself a favour and read them all. They are so so good. You will thank me for this, trust me.
Lara Williamson is an author who knows how to create wonderfully loveable characters who take you on an emotional rollercoaster of laughter and tears. If you haven’t met Beckett (The Boy Who Sailed the Ocean in an Armchair), Dan (A Boy Called Hope), Adam (Just Call Me Spaghetti-Hoop Boy), and Mabel (The Girl With Space in her Heart), you simply must get yourself acquainted.
The Charlie Changes into a Chicken series by Sam Copeland is a firm favourite in my class, and as a teacher, I have had so many parents tell me how this is the series that got their child into reading. It is incredibly funny – from the narrator teasing his readers and arguing with the publishers and his illustrator, to the footnotes and the hilarious plot – this series guarantee laughs and lots of them. But alongside the laughter, Copeland deftly touches on childhood anxieties including illness, loss of a parent’s job, and divorce.
The Best Medicine by Christine Hamill is another one of my favourite books. Twelve-year-old Philip writes hilarious letters to his hero, Harry Hill, looking for advice to help him achieve his goal of becoming a comedian. But Philip’s life is interrupted when his mum gets breast cancer. What follows is a story which is heart-warming, uplifting, moving and also very funny.
Jenny Pearson has been awarded with six mugs, one fridge magnet, one wall plaque, and numerous cards for her role as ‘Best Teacher in the World’. When she is not busy being inspirational in the classroom, she would like nothing more than to relax with her two young boys, but she can’t as they view her as a human climbing frame. She has recently moved to the North East of England and while she has yet to meet Ant or Dec, she has learned how to use canny in a sentence. Which is dead canny, like.
