It's the tenth annual National Storytelling Week this week, so what better time to take a look at some of the latest releases in the world of children's books.
Children tend to approach books differently to adults – whilst we are on the lookout for something new, children enjoy re-reading the same books repeatedly. And even if your child is a confident reader, they will still enjoy it if you take the time to read to them. Bedtime stories don't have to stop just because your child can now do it themselves.
- Dogs of Rock: Story of the Band by Paul Cocken & Frankie Nally
- The Mousehunter Books by Alex Milway
- Get Ahead Fred by Daisy Dawes and Steve Bicknell
- Jacqueline Wilson
They're dogs! They're in a rock band! What's not to like? A totally crazy tale aimed at younger children and wannabe rock stars, featuring hilarious photographic images of real-life Jack Russell dogs, Marv 'n' Rick. Readers can follow the dog duo from the early days of late-night jamming sessions to international stardom. A great one for muso parents who like to rock out when reading a bedtime story.
The final part of the Mousehunter Trilogy, Mousebeard's Revenge, has just been released. These books for confident readers, by ParentDish contributor Alex Milway follow the exciting adventures of pirates, mice and the fantasy world they inhabit.
Released this week, featuring lovely shots of model characters, created by Daisy Dawes, who worked on Pingu and the Harry Potter films. Beautifully illustrated with lots of detail, this will appeal to fans of the likes of Charlie and Lola. Under fives will love the story of Fred and his amazing hat collection, and parents will enjoy reading out the sing-song rhymes.
The Tracy Beaker author is so popular that she's had a new comic named after her – look out for that in the shops in the next few weeks. The most recent Wilson book, Hetty Feather, is a historical tale. The paperback is due out in July, but if you can't wait till then, many bookshops have good offers on the hardback.
And to celebrate National Storytelling Week, Woolworths (don't forget they still exist online) have got many special offers on classic children's books, including Mr Gum, The Gruffalo and many more.