Books

Our Bedtime Story this week: CHIMPANZEES FOR TEA! by Jo Empson

Who hasn’t forgotten the shopping list mum at least once in a lifetime? CHIMPANZEES FOR TEA! is a hilarious new picture book from author and illustrator talent Jo Empson, featuring truly stunning expressive artwork and a hilarious rhyming tale on the theme of forgetfulness and being distracted by the surrounding world. 9 year old Diego and I love CHIMPANZEES FOR TEA! published by Puffin…
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Books

Our Bedtime story this week: GOODNIGHT SPACEMAN in collaboration with astronaut Tim Peake

2016 has been quite a year for the European Space Agency and the absolute protagonist of the latest out-of-this-world adventure is Tim Peake, ESA’s first British astronaut who has inspired kids with his regular videos from space during his mission in the past months. He is now the star of a new picture book published by Penguin Random House Children’s UK. GOODNIGHT SPACEMAN, produced…
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Books

Our Bedtime story this week - Nibbles - The Book Monster by Emma Yarlett

As a writer, I get to review books well ahead of publication date. I could not resist revealing a new book out in April though as it is really sweet and officially one of London Mums’ favourite picture books’ characters in 2016. Caution! This book contains a crunching, munching book monster! Whatever you do, don’t let him out. Uh-oh. Too late! Nibbles is a very naughty book monster…
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BooksCultur-Italy Ezine

Ten reasons to like Italian Inspector Montalbano book - TV series combo

As an Italian I am certainly biased when I list ten reasons to like Inspector Montalbano, the beloved Sicilian detective who adopts unusual methods to catch criminals. In Italy everybody knows and likes Commissario Montalbano’s adventures in Sicily thanks to two TV series which are super hits at international level. Even BBC4 shows them with Italian subtitles. Here are ten reasons to like…
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Books

Our Bedtime Story this week: The Queen & Mr Brown: A Night in the Natural History Museum

Queen Elisabeth is celebrating her 90th Birthday this April and is the subject of various children’s books. We recently reviewed The Queen’s Handbag by Steve Antony and we got an appetite for book about our beloved Queen. This week we have found another charming children’s book celebrating Her Majesty: The Queen & Mr Brown: A Night in the Natural History Museum is brand new…
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Books

How it Works: The Mum - Funny Vintage 'manual' on how to be a good mother from Ladybird Books for Grownups

How it Works: The Mum is the next title in the hugely popular Ladybird Books for Grown-Ups series; the hit of 2015 which sold in excess of one million copies over Christmas. The cover illustration showing a mum relaxing on a beach with her well behaved and calm child is clearly ironic and prepares you for what’s coming. This is the tone of the whole book and makes you think of all the work…
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Books

This week's Bedtime Story - My funny family gets funnier

My Funny Family Gets Funnier is the seventh book in the heart-warming and hilarious My Funny Family series authored by Chris Higgins. It’s a series to be enjoyed by school children from 6 to 10. The Butterfield family is quite big and quirky. Every family member has one peculiar personality trait. Nine-year-old Mattie (abbreviation for Matisse) is an excited narrator. She tells the story of…
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Books

This week's bedtime story: The Queen's Handbag by Steve Antony

London Mums bedtime story this week is The Queen’s Handbag by writer & illustrator Steve Antony published by Hodder Children’s books (1st Oct 2015).   Steve Antony is a very popular author at the London Mums’ Kids Club for his other masterpieces, The Queen’s Hat and Please Mr Panda. He is certainly child reporter Diego’s favourite writer, who keeps picking…
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Books

This week's Bedtime Story - The Snowball by Giuliano Ferri

You don’t need lots of words to tell a good story. The proof of this is certainly included in a new picture by Giuliano Ferri called The Snowball. Following another snow-themed book Rabbit and Bear : Rabbit’s Bad Habits I can speak on behalf of London Mums and express the wish to have some snow in London sometime this Winter to be able to finally make a decent snowman. It’s been…
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Books

My Bedside Book this week - Labrador by Ben Fogle

The forthcoming Spring issue of the London Mums magazine (out early March) will include an exclusive interview with adventurer TV star and London Dad Ben Fogle. My bedside book this week has to be his latest book Labrador – The Story of the World’s Favourite Dog which is a social history of Labradors, and how they have become the world’s most beloved dogs. What I love about it, is the…
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