I thought I’d scoop all three of these books into one post, as they tend to be slightly shorter reviews. So read on to find out about three of my recent reads for 5-7 year olds!
Book: Jasper and Scruff: The Great Cat Cake-Off by Nicola Colton
Publication date: 2nd September 2021
Ownership: Review copy sent free of charge by Little Tiger Books. All opinions my own.
I loved the previous instalments in this zany series about a smart cat and a chaotic dog – check out my reviews of Jasper and Scruff and Jasper and Scruff: Take A Bow here. This is another fantastic tale about the unlikely best friends, which sees them opening a restaurant only to discover they have competition from the snooty Sophisticats. The illustrations bring the story to fun, energetic life, and every page has something going on as well as the text, so this will keep the eye moving at the speed of Scruff. It’s a really entertaining series, and has a great message about being yourself and having fun with it.
Book: Sky by Holly Webb, illustrated by Jo Anne Davies, with cover art by Britta Teckentrup
Publication date: 2nd September 2021
Ownership: Review copy sent free of charge by Little Tiger Books. All opinions my own.
This wintry tale combines nature and magic, when a snowy owl helps Lara step back in time to befriend a girl from the past and save the owls’ nest. It’s a sweet and gentle read, full of icy atmosphere and a really nostalgic feel. I’ve previously reviewed Holly Webb’s Frost, another winter-set time-slip tale (find that review here), and there are definitely similarities between the two, but in a comforting way rather than a copy-paste way. Fans of Frost will definitely enjoy this! I thought there was a little more coherence between Sky’s time travel plot and the modern day, which I appreciated. The illustrations are lovely; there are slightly fewer than in some chapter books, so this would be great for really confident readers who are getting ready to move up to middle grade. Also, as a side note: I wasn’t expecting this to be a hardback! It’s gorgeous, and would make a lovely gift.
Book: Unicorn Academy: Evie and Sunshine by Julie Sykes, illustrated by Lucy Truman
Publication date: 5th August 2021
I’ve recently been reading some great adult fantasies with magical steeds in and it piqued my interest in this series. I ended up having a great time! This is a wonderfully sweet story about friendship and learning to love your own flaws. Both Evie and Sunshine (human and unicorn, respectively!) are likeable, believable characters, and would be so easy to identify with for a child who feels awkward sometimes. This is my first foray into the Unicorn Academy books, and while you can technically read this as a standalone, I think I came in in the middle of a plot arc; there are dozens of these books, but it seems like this is the second of four in a particular story arc about a treasure map, so I was a little lost in what had happened before. The friendship plot stands alone, though, and the world in general seems fun. I’d definitely read more in the series. There are plenty of great illustrations in an energetic style I enjoyed, and I love the incredibly shiny cover – it’s absolutely perfect for unicorn fans!
A Cat, A Book, and A Cup of Tea 
These all look so cute!
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Oh, they are!
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