Children’s book review – May

It’s children’s book review time! This month, we’re back to the library with a lucky-dip selection featuring insects, owls, rabbits and a balloon.

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Ambrose Goes for Gold / Tor Freeman

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Ambrose Goes for Gold is cute, and features insects of all types, sizes and colours to demonstrate that everyone’s good at something. Ambrose REALLY wants a gold medal. But he’s not the best at jumping or water skating or running. He’s not the strongest. He’s not even the noisiest. Will he be best at something?

Inevitably. Like I said, it’s cute, and the support the other insects give Ambrose is encouraging. But while Ambrose isn’t a sore loser, he does forget to congratulate any of the winners in the midst of all his striving for gold and disappointment at just missing out most of the time. It would be a nice touch to see it happen just once.

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The Lost (and Found) Balloon / Celeste Jenkins and Maria Bogade


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This book is just lovely. In The Lost (and Found) Balloon, Molly O’Doon ties a note to the bottom of a balloon and sets it free. You follow the balloon’s journey as it floats high, higher and higher still, then sinks slowly back down to Earth. You then meet another person who reads the note, and contacts Molly.

There are a couple of not-quite-rhyme rhymes, but they’re forgivable. The illustrations are lovely (and provide a hint as to the book’s ending) and the words just flow. I’ve already bought this book to give to a friend’s daughter for her birthday. I repeat, just lovely.

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Twoo Twit / Kes Gray and Mary McQuillan

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Twoo Twit really is a twit. He’s not as smart as your average owl, or probably even your average bear, Booboo. He crashes into trees, sits on prickles and can’t count. It takes a church bell incident for him to realise that he must do something.

There’s some name-calling and general teasing in this book, so if that’s not something you want to encourage in your little one, steer clear. But for older little ones, it could be a conversation starter. And the book’s message about the importance of education comes through as loudly and clearly as a church bell ringing.

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Time for a Hug / Phillis Gershator, Mim Green and David Walker

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It didn’t take long for Time for a Hug to become the most requested book in our house. This book is a joy to read, and Ashleigh loves it. It has counting, time telling, routines and, of course, plenty of hugs!

It’s filled with ideas for filling in a day. And of course, the best part is that every time you get to the refrain, you can hug your children without fear that they’ll pull away! Winner.

Now, if you’ll excuse me, it’s time for a hug.

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What books have you read with your children lately?

This post is the ninth in a series of children’s book review posts. Check out the others here:

Children’s book review (April)
Children’s book review (March)
Children’s book review (February)
Children’s book review (January)
Children’s book review (December)
Children’s book review – family favourites (November)
Children’s book review (October)
Once upon a book review (September)