Craft Buddy x Harry Potter review : Wizarding World At Your Fingertips

 

Instead of planning a big holiday abroad this year, we've decided to go for two smaller trips over the summer, taking in a weekend at Disneyland Paris and another in London, to go to the Harry Potter Warner Bros Studio. Juliette in particular is a big Harry Potter fan and has seen all the films and even read the books so she's very excited. When the opportunity came up to review Craft Buddy's latest Harry Potter Crystal Art collection, I knew she'd be excited about that too. I wasn't wrong !

The first product that we discovered was from the Harry Potter Crystal Art Bag Charms range. Craft Buddy have recently added two new designs to their collection of sparkling bag charms, featuring Harry Potter's beloved snowy owl, Hedwig, delivering mail or the popular young wizard himself, zooming around on his flying broomstick.

 

We got the Harry Potter design which Juliette was very impressed with. The bag charms are perfect for attaching to backpacks, handbags or bunches of keys, making them harder to lose and rendering them instantly recognisable. 

Inside the pack, you get a Crystal Art Bag Charm with an adhesive template, a pick up pen, a tray, Jelly Wax, a clip-on hanger, bags of crystals and ziplock bags for the storage of spare crystals. I thought this would be fiddly and complicated to use but Juliette jumped straight in and found it very simple. You just need to stick the tiny resin rhinestones in place following the painting-by-numbers technique. The instructions say that it is suitable for fans aged 6 and over, with adult supervision, so this would be perfect for keeping crafty little fingers busy over the summer holidays. The £4.99 price tag is pocket money friendly too.

The second product that we got to try out was the Crystal Art Pin Badge kit. These come as blind bags so you have no idea which kit you will receive, adding some extra excitement. There are 16 characters available, so you could end up with Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, Ron Weasley, Draco Malfoy, Luna Lovegood, Hedwig, Hogwarts Crest, Lightning Bolt, Golden Snitch, Ravenclaw Badge, Slytherin Badge, Gryffindor Badge, Hufflepuff Badge, Harry Potter Name Badge, Hermione Grainger Name Badge or Ron Weasley Name Badge. Juliette thought they all looked good and she would have been happy with any of them.

Inside the pack, you get a metal pin badge with an adhesive template, a detachable metal badge stand, 2 removable pin backs, a sealed paper wallet with a tool kit, a pick up tool, Jelly Wax, bags of coded crystals and ziplock bags for spare crystals. The enclosed tool is simple to use and allows you to precisely stick each little resin rhinestone in place following the lettered guide. 

The completed 6cm-tall pin badge can be attached to jackets, bags, pencil cases, hats and accessories or displayed on the little strut stand on your bedroom desk or shelf. Priced at £7.99, they are perfect as gifts, party treats or stocking fillers, but they can also be swapped and shared to help you complete the full mystical set.

Both of these products provide a fun, creative and easily achievable project that children (and even grown-up fans) would be proud to show off or put on display. As everything needed is included in the kit and nothing messy like glitter or glue is needed, they would be ideal for tucking into mum's handbag or a child's backpack for using at a pyjama party, a visit to granny's house or a play date or even for keeping the kids busy during a weekend away or a summer holiday.

The new Harry Potter releases will be available at craftbuddyshop.com and join the successful and hugely popular Craft Buddy range, which has over 40 different products to date.

Disclosure : We received the products in order to share our honest review.

Children's book review : Formula Fast : Your Ultimate Guide to Formula One Racing - Matt Ralphs

Formula Fast from Phaidon, by Matt Ralphs with illustrations by Dragan Kordic, is an illustrated guide to Formula One racing, exploring the world's fastest sport through superhuman drivers, legendary tracks and cutting-edge cars. I used to vaguely follow Formula One about forty years ago and my daughter Juliette is a big fan now, so I was pleased to see that the book includes names that we are both familiar with : Max Verstappen, Lewis Hamilton, Desiré Wilson but also Ayrton Senna and Michael Schumacher.

The book is an exciting, eye-catching look at the sport that will appeal to readers aged 8 and upwards. Each page is bright and colourful with simple to follow, short texts that even beginner readers will be able to deal with.

The book cleverly combines fascinating facts, detailed illustrations and technical insights to give an overview of the engineering, strategy and human skill behind Formula One. From record-breaking pit stops and high-tech steering wheels to the training that helps drivers withstand extreme G-forces, readers will discover how teams prepare for race day, how car design has evolved and how safety, diversity and sustainability are shaping modern F1.

The book includes a timeline of key developments that charts the sport's global rise and a glossary of terms that clearly explains the sport's essential technical vocabulary. Whether you are a big fan of the sport or just have your interest piqued by the title, everything is clear to understand and makes the sport more impressive. It is also educational, linking Formula One to STEM learning through real-world examples of physics, engineering and design.

Here are just a few of the fascinating facts to whet your whistle :

- The world record for the fastest pit stop is 1.8 seconds.

- Drivers can lose up to 3kg in sweat during a single race.

- Formula One cars act like upside-down airplane wings to "stick" to the track.

- Races take place on every continent except Antarctica.

- The first F1 drivers raced without helmets or seatbelts.

There are plenty more facts and figures inside the book that your kids will love to share with you !

RRP : £16.95

• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Phaidon Press
• Publication date ‏ : ‎ 28 Jan. 2026
• Edition ‏ : ‎ 1st
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Print length ‏ : ‎ 64 pages
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1837290164
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1837290161
• Item weight ‏ : ‎ 740 g
• Reading age ‏ : ‎ 8 - 12 years
• Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 25 x 1.2 x 30.5 cm

Formula Fast is available on amazon or in all good bookstores.

Disclosure : We received a review copy of the book in order to share our honest opinion.

Children's book review : A Friend for Christmas - Mike Martin

If you're a regular reader of my blog, the chances are you might have pricked up your ears at the mention of the name Mike Martin. He's been featured on my blog many times for his numerous works of fiction in the Sgt Windflower series, as well as many tasty Canadian-style recipes in my #readcookeat posts inspired by the foodie mentions in his novels. If that's got you interested, I highly recommend going to check out the recipe for Newfoundland Molasses Raisin Bread. Winston Windflower loves it and so do I !

This time though, I'm here to tell you about another of Mike Martin's new releases. In the run up to the festive season, he has turned to a younger audience, releasing two children's books with a Christmassy theme, The Christmas Beaver and, the one that we reviewed, A Friend For Christmas.

The story introduces us to a big bunny family living in a warren under a big city, made up of Robbie Rabbit, his wife Rowena and their nine offspring whose names all start with R, making it great fun to read out loud at bedtime. (Can I just point out that, as an adult, I learned something in this book. Baby rabbits are called kits or kittens. How did I get to age 50 without ever even realising that I didn't know that !)

The rabbits are getting ready for winter when they receive a surprise visit from an unexpected animal - Whisperer, a big grey cat. Robbie is initially scared of the cat, a natural enemy to the rabbit family, but the cat seems to want to be friends. Should Robbie trust him? As it is Christmas, a time for peace on earth and good will to all men (and animals), Robbie sets his doubts aside and everyone has a lovely time, enjoying the spirit of trust, acceptance and friendship.

It's a lovely tale, putting the focus on important human values, that I could imagine Sgt Windflower telling his daughters Amelia Louise and Stella at bedtime. A special mention goes out to the illustrator, Sri Lankan Shey Kolee, whose beautiful artwork really brings the story to life. Definitely one to share with the kids or the grandkids in the run up to Christmas.

RRP : £12.14

• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Mezzo Publications (25 Oct. 2023)
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Paperback ‏ : ‎ 36 pages
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1777131472
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1777131470
• Reading age ‏ : ‎ 5 - 10 years
• Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 20.32 x 0.23 x 25.4 cm 

 

Disclosure : We received a review copy of the book.

Cookery book review : Make Bake Celebrate - Mrs Bun The Baker

When I look back at all the fun things I've done with the Madhouse kids throughout their childhood, some of the best memories are spending time in the kitchen, rustling up sweet (and savoury) treats for the whole family to enjoy together. Not only has this given them the skills and confidence to try new things in the kitchen, all that measuring and cutting into portions is a great way to test their maths skills without them even realising it. Quite frequently, I halve or double up on quantities just to get them to calculate all the new measurements as we go (but shh, don't tell them !)

Someone who shares my joy at getting the kids some hands-on experience in the kitchen is Mrs Bun The Baker. After starting out as Head of Food Tech at a secondary school, she developed a cookery school so that she could spend more time with her son and help kids develop their kitchen skills. This activity moved online during lockdown, opening her up to a wider audience. Make Bake Celebrate is her third book and we were delighted to receive a signed copy.

I always start a new cookbook by scrolling through the recipe index (or flicking through the pages, if there isn't one) to see what is hiding inside. I love the way that this book works its way through the year, covering recipes that highlight various celebrations - 3 Kings Bread for Epiphany, Heart Cake for Valentine's Day, Mother's Day Loaf, Simnel Cookies for Easter, Father's Day Medals, Camping S'mores for the summer holidays, Back to School Biscuits, Witch's Fingers for Halloween, Bonfire Bread for Guy Fawkes Night, Christmas Scones and Christmas Pudding Biscuits. Any of these recipes could be tied in with storytimes or project work on the different celebrations. Similarly, the recipes are a great way of introducing kids to a variety of countries - Wales (Welsh Cakes), America (Key Lime Pie), France (Chaussons aux Pommes), Italy (Pasta Cannelloni), Mexico (Mexican Bowls and Guacamole), India (Mango Kulfi), Central and Eastern Europe (Latkes). Internet is a great source of fun, kid-friendly projects such as wordsearches and simple crafts that would tie in perfectly with the recipes.

The recipes are very simple to follow with short texts that aren't too complicated for children to decipher. The instructions have been thought out for youngsters and there are various suggestions for making things simpler or more appealing to young chefs - for example, in this recipe for Soda Bread, you can split the dough into several pieces to make smaller rolls, making it easier to manipulate for little hands. There are also ideas for changing the flavours, replacing sun dried tomatoes with olives, rosemary, pumpkin seeds or cheese. There's nothing worse than realising you have an ingredient missing or knowing that your kids will turn up their nose at something in the dish, so these ideas are always appreciated !

Even as a grown-up, the book offers simple techniques that I'd never thought of. Who knew that making a cake with a hidden heart inside was so simple ?!

As well as being simple to create, the results are visually appealing and guaranteed to get even fussy eaters to have a taste. 

Even young children who can't read can follow the recipes in picture form and for beginner readers, the words used next to pictures are a great way of reinforcing reading practice, once again without the kids even noticing !

This is a great book on so many levels. As well as containing fun cookery projects that kids of all ages can get involved in, it provides lots of delicious treats that the whole family will enjoy. On top of that, it offers insight into different cultures and celebrations and reinforces learning in maths and reading. What more could you ask for ?!

Independently published, Make Bake and Celebrate is available in paperback (£11.99) on Amazon at https://amzn.to/3Nh3g76

 

It is also available on the author’s website at www.mrsbunthebaker.net

and WH Smith  -  https://bit.ly/3D4CJ89  - Waterstones - https://bit.ly/3uoZfEK

and Blackwells - https://bit.ly/3IyoBW1

Disclosure : I reviewed a copy of the book in order to write my review.

Giveaway #744 : Win a Grumbalina bundle - closing 8/1

I have partnered up with children’s author Karina Frederiks, who has recently launched the first in a series of new books: The Tales of Grumbalina and Friends. The six-part series looks at a young fairy growing up and dealing with the delights and stresses of innocence. 

Together we are excited to be able to provide you the opportunity to win one of the very first exclusive copies of the book, alongside a range of exciting and fun merchandise. The bundle includes a jumper of your choice, a children's t-shirt, a fairy tote bag and a copy of the book. There will also be a runner-up prize of just the book.

The series centres around the magical world of Pufftown, where the fairies live. It is a place of spells and magic where anything is possible and yet there are hurdles along the way that they must face: lack of motivation, jealousy and sometimes failure. However, together, the fairies learn valuable life lessons in facing these hurdles and discover the true meaning of friendship, perspective and rooting for the underdog. 

In the first book, Grumbalina and the Day Everything Changed, now available to buy online, readers meet Grumbalina and the other fairies and learn about their world of spells and magic. The school year has just started again after summer and Grumbalina doesn't want to go back. Not only does she struggle with her spells, she doesn't have any friends at school. But everything is about to change very quickly.

 This new series will take your children on a magical adventure and will resonate with readers young and old, with valuable lessons of friendship and growing up. 

 For more information head over to: 

www.grumbalina.com #grumbalinaandfriends

 *Sizes of merchandise are dependent on stocks at the time of drawing 

For your chance to win this exclusive bundle, check the instructions over on rafflecopter and hop on the next cloud and float into Pufftown. There is also a runner-up prize of the book.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

UK only. Closing date : 8/1

T & C's : Entries close at midnight on the closing date. Winners will be selected with a random number generator and announced on facebook and in the giveaway post subject line. Please note, you will be contacted by email and/or twitter and if I haven't heard from you after 28 days, I'll have to pick another winner. Prizes will be sent out by the companies or their PR directly to winners. Madhouse Family Reviews cannot be held responsible for any prizes that go astray. Any personal data given as part of the competition entry is used for this purpose only and will not be shared with third parties, with the exception of the winners’ information. The winners' personal contact information will be passed on to the PR/brand responsible and used only for delivery of their prize.

Book review : The Time of Green Magic - Hilary McKay

Last week, I had a stinking rotten cold and was even debating whether it could be the dreaded coronavirus. As I pondered going to get a test done, I tucked myself up in bed and chose a book to read from my overstuffed shelves. I definitely didn't want anything long and complicated, so I turned to one of my children's books and chose The Time of Green Magic by Hilary McKay. I was totally enchanted and read the whole thing in two days. Even though I was feeling like complete poo, it still put a smile on my face.

This touching novel features a newly recomposed family, as Theo and his daughter Abi move in with Polly and her two boys, Louis and Max. They need a bigger place to live in and, after a lot of frantic searching, end up going to visit a tall, ivy-covered house. This soon becomes their new family home.

As all kids of divorced parents know, putting together two families and keeping everyone happy is a tough job. Plus, the house is expensive and Polly has to (and actually wants to) go back to work to add some money to the pot. The boys are fed up with having to share a bedroom and young Louis is missing his mum badly. Abi is also in a bad mood because she isn't too keen on having to share her dad with everyone, plus her gran has moved back to Jamaica, now that she isn't needed to look after her grand-daughter.

Luckily, for Abi, there are lots of books that she can get lost in ... slightly more literally than she had planned. When reading about a voyage across a tropical ocean, she can sense a green parrot flying around the room and feel the salty wetness on the pages she is reading.

Louis, meanwhile, has found something else to keep him occupied - a moody wild cat that climbs up the ivy and sneaks into his bed at night. Louis calls him Iffen and fears him as much as he loves him. But where did he come from?

As the older brother, Max has other problems on his plate. He falls out with his best friend over a silly joke and then finds himself getting all tongue-tied when dealing with the new French babysitter. The one whose shoes he has just spattered with the dish of macaroni cheese straight out of the oven !

As each of the children sinks deeper and deeper into their own private well of despair, it turns out that they just need to come together and help each other out in order to find their collective happy ending.

As a parent, it's lovely to find a book that portrays adjusting to new recomposed family life in such a positive way - it reminded me of Tracey Beaker, with its arguments and resentments dwindling away as the family members each start to find their marks. Big bonus points for Abi's Granny Grace who "adopts" a new grandson to write to, to help cheer him up and settle in.

It's a lovely story that will enchant avid readers of all ages with its magical world of books, while also making young readers think about how they fit in with their family members and friends. It's as good as a steaming mug of marshmallow-topped hot chocolate for making you feel better when you're feeling under the weather !

star rating : 5/5

• Paperback : 224 pages
• ISBN-13 : 978-1529019247
• ISBN-10 : 1529019249
• Product Dimensions : 12.9 x 1.6 x 19.6 cm
• Publisher : Macmillan Children's Books; Main Market Edition (20 Aug. 2020)
• Reading level : 9 - 11 years
• Language: : English
• 
  

Puffin Books' help with keeping your kids busy during Confinement

Children's publishers Puffin are kicking off a series of daily online activities and events from next week, which sound perfect for helping to keep your kids busy and entertained. Let's face it - we could all do with a little help, so this sounds great !

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The much-loved and biggest UK children’s book publisher, Puffin, which in 2020 celebrates its 80th birthday, is now re-planning events to take authors, illustrators and stories directly into children’s homes. 

Initiatives include a daily Puffin Storytime, a Puffin Podcast series, an online book festival - the Puffin Festival of Big Dreams - as well as updated Puffin Schools resources to facilitate home-learning. They are also working with numerous partners to ensure children can continue to dream big and engage with reading and the power of storytelling from their homes.

Puffin’s range of activities and free initiatives across the coming months for children and families to enjoy from indoors, includes:

Puffin Storytime: From Monday 6th April, Puffin will be bringing 20 minutes of storytime magic to homes daily at 3.30pm on weekdays. This will include readings and draw-alongs from their stellar list of authors and illustrators. Caregivers, teachers and children can view Puffin Storytime on Puffin’s YouTube, Instagram and Facebook channels #PuffinStorytime

The Full ‘Puffin Storytime’ Schedule:

Mondays & Fridays, 3.30pm - Storytime & Draw-alongs for little ones 0-5. Launching on 6th April with Look Up! By Nathan Bryon and Dapo Adeola

Tuesdays and Thursdays, 3.30pm - Sam Copeland will serialise, in 20-minute episodes, the entirety of his hilarious book Charlie Changes into a Chicken for readers 7+

Wednesdays, 3.30pm - Story Starters for ages 6-11. Puffin authors will read extracts from their books to help inspire children to discover their next read. Launching on 8th April with an extract from the bestselling Murder Most Unladylike read by Robin Stevens.

The Puffin Podcast: A new 3-part Puffin Podcast series will launch on Sunday 19th April (via Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Acast and YouTube Kids), where comedian, children’s author and YouTube personality Humza Arshad hosts laugh-out-loud stories, games and jokes guaranteed to give you the giggles! Aimed at unlocking creativity, taking stories to imaginations worldwide and inspiring children to dream big, the podcast will be available at www.puffin.co.uk/podcast

The Big Dreams on Screen: In partnership with Into Film, Puffin’s The Big Dreams on Screen competition has now launched, and children have until 2nd August to send in their big dreams for a chance to have them turned into a film and premiered at their local cinema later in the year as part of the Into Film Festival, the largest youth-focused film festival in the world. Further information on how to enter can be found here: https://www.intofilm.org/news-and-views/articles/puffin-big-dreams-on-screen-competition

‘The Puffin Festival of Big Dreams’: To celebrate their 80th birthday and to mark the publication of The Puffin Book of Big Dreams, Puffin will be launching an online seven-day Puffin Festival of Big Dreams in May. The festival aims to inspire children, parents and teachers, and take readers of all ages on a virtual journey through 80 years of Puffin. The festival will host a five-day programme of writing workshops, drawing masterclasses and storytime sessions with Puffin’s diverse list of authors and illustrators, culminating in a weekend of live events. There will also be some surprises along the way with content reveals and behind-the-scenes footage. Puffin will ask readers, authors and illustrators to share their own big dreams during the festival using the hashtag #PuffinDreamer

Puffin Schools: To support teachers, parents and caregivers now tackling home-learning, the Puffin Schools website has been restructured to make Puffin books and resources accessible to children who need them. A huge collection of easy to discover resources to bring stories to life, including bite size activities and new categories such as Writing Prompts, Activity Ideas and Picture Book Packs, can be found at https://www.puffinschools.co.uk/

Partnership with TWINKL: TWINKL is the trusted home of teacher-created learning, planning and assessment materials. Puffin are providing resources from their authors and illustrators to Twinkl’s home learning hub, which offers daily educational activities and a range of free materials to use at home https://www.twinkl.co.uk/home-learning-hub

Working with the BBC: Puffin have also signed up to offer content and activities for both a BBC Bitesize Daily broadcast and BBC Bitesize Online.

Teach Primary’s ‘Author in Your Classroom Podcast’: Puffin authors, including Robin Stevens, Sam Copeland, Hana Tooke and Jamie Littler, will feature within Teach Primary’s ‘Author in Your Classroom Podcast’ series to inspire the next generation and will be available as they go live here - https://www.plazoom.com/

YA Book Club: Launching soon on teen and YA channel: Penguin Platform - teenage and young adult reading will also be supported by a new weekly LIVE Online YA Book Club, connecting readers with their favourite YA authors. Keep an eye on Penguin Platform on YouTube, Instagram and Twitter for further information.

Puffin is celebrating 80 years of inspiring children to dream big in 2020. For further details please visit www.puffin.co.uk/DreamBig and follow Puffin’s social channels for regular updates: Twitter/Facebook: @PuffinBooks | Instagram: @puffinbooksuk | #PuffinDreamer

Giveaway #733 : Win Hannah the Spanner and the Polar Bears - closed - winner Rachel Mccraith

Released this month – just in time for Christmas – Hannah the Spanner and the Polar Bears follows the adventures of Hannah and her friends as they cope with grumpy parents, sick reindeer and some strange goings-on in the back garden. This leads to an emergency visit to the Professor and befriending a lost polar bear in an attempt to help a big chubby man in a red suit save Christmas !

The books were all originally written as bedtime stories for Stuart Simmonds’ eldest daughter Hannah, and Stuart promised one day he’d find a publisher for them. That happened earlier this year and the books have been such a huge success that Stuart has been inundated with bookings from schools asking him to visit to read the books and run workshops encouraging children to read. The next two books in the series are now being published.

The previous books in the series are:

- Hannah The Spanner and the Dancing Bear

- Hannah The Spanner and the Robot

- Hannah The Spanner and the Circus

- Hannah The Spanner and the Trip to the Moon

- Hannah The Spanner and the Diamond Robbery

- Hannah The Spanner and the Racing Car

The entire Hannah the Spanner series has been written with bedtime reading in mind; the books are short fun stories, about Hannah on her incredible adventures, which can be enjoyed time and time again. They are aimed primarily at four to nine-year olds and are chock-full of colourful imagery to keep little ones entertained, whilst the engaging, funny stories resonate with older kids – and even keep the adults amused.

The Hannah the Spanner series is available from Waterstones and all good bookshops, Amazon and direct from the Hannah the Spanner website: www.hannahthespanner.com.

I have a copy of the book to give away to one Madhouse Family Reviews reader. Fill in your entries in the Rafflecopter widget below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

UK only. Closing date : 2/12/19

T & C's : Entries close at midnight on the closing date. Winners will be selected with a random number generator and announced on facebook and in the giveaway post subject line. Please note, you will be contacted by email and/or twitter and if I haven't heard from you after 28 days, I'll have to pick another winner. Prizes will be sent out by the companies or their PR directly to winners. Madhouse Family Reviews cannot be held responsible for any prizes that go astray. Any personal data given as part of the competition entry is used for this purpose only and will not be shared with third parties, with the exception of the winners’ information. The winners' personal contact information will be passed on to the PR / Brand responsible and used only for delivery of their prize.

You may also like to enter my other giveaways :

Giveaway #732 : Win a copy of Hedgehog Christmas - closing date 22/11

Giveaway #732 : Win a copy of Hedgehog Christmas - closed - winner Sheri Darby

We're into November, which means Christmas is well and truly on the way - eeeek ! Have you started shopping for your Christmas gifts yet? Well, this looks like a lovely festive-themed book that would be perfect for children of both sexes. It follows on from Hedgehog Queen and Hedgehog Magic, if you fancy catching up with more animal adventures or maybe offering all three as a special gift for young bookworms ?

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Discover the magic of Christmas with Hamish the hedgehog and Alistair

Set in the days before Christmas, young Alistair comes home to find a strange sparkling box on the dining room table, sent by his friend Hamish. In the box is Oscar, a tiny rabbit who is lots of fun. When Christmas Eve finally arrives, snow is falling heavily but Oscar insists that they go out and play. He leads him down a rabbit hole in his back garden that takes them to a giant ice door.

Hamish and his rat friend, Mr. Tilly, greet Alistair and Oscar at the door. Before they know it, they are all off on an amazing Christmas adventure. Not only do they take part in the great hedgehog sledding race and attend the hedgehog Christmas party, but they also have the opportunity to meet the Hedgehog Queen in her sparkly palace!

Before he knows it, Alistair wakes up in bed at home. It’s the early hours of Christmas morning. It couldn’t have been a dream, could it? Heading downstairs, he discovers a magical surprise under the Christmas tree...

David Hills lives in Sittingbourne, Kent. He says : “For many years, I have been lucky enough to have hedgehogs visit my garden. I have spent many an evening observing, feeding and housing them. As we know they are an endangered species, so it is of interest to us all and hopefully this book will bring awareness of hedgehogs to children and adults alike”.

Suggested age range : 5-7 years

• Paperback: 48 pages
• Publisher: Book Guild Publishing Ltd (28 Oct. 2019)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1912881810
• ISBN-13: 978-1912881819
• Product Dimensions: 19.8 x 0.2 x 12.6 cm

I'm delighted to have a copy of Hedgehog Christmas to give away to one lucky Madhouse Family Reviews reader. Fill in your entries in the Rafflecopter widget below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

UK only. Closing date : 22/11/19

T & C's : Entries close at midnight on the closing date. Winners will be selected with a random number generator and announced on facebook and in the giveaway post subject line. Please note, you will be contacted by email and/or twitter and if I haven't heard from you after 28 days, I'll have to pick another winner. Prizes will be sent out by the companies or their PR directly to winners. Madhouse Family Reviews cannot be held responsible for any prizes that go astray. Any personal data given as part of the competition entry is used for this purpose only and will not be shared with third parties, with the exception of the winners’ information. The winners' personal contact information will be passed on to the PR / Brand responsible and used only for delivery of their prize.

You may also like to enter my other giveaways :

Giveaway #731 : Win 1 of 3 DVDs of new family animation The Ice Princess - closing date 16/11

Giveaway #730 : Win a Minecraft Reign of Terror book - closing date 24/9

Hands up if you have a Minecraft fan in your house ! If you're desperate to get your kids away from their screens and into books, this might be the perfect option. Reign of Terror is based on the insanely popular animated series from Rainimator, which has garnered a stunning 90 million views on YouTube. Full of memorable characters, lush locations and dazzling special effects, this is a fantasy saga for the Minecraft generation. 

All five episodes of the first season of Rainimator's video series are reworked into a stunning graphic novel. You can catch up with The Struggle, Cold As Ice, We Are The Danger, Just So You Know and Goodbye, which are known online as Herobrine's Revenge. They will deliver an action-packed sword-and-sorcery story in a unique Minecraft-inspired world.

This is a fun, magical and epic adventure that offers a taste of Lord of the Rings and Game of Thrones for a younger audience. (The book has a recommended age of 10+.)  A major Minecraft film starring Steve Carrell is expected in 2019, so get your kids interested in the series before then (if they aren't already !)

RRP : £7.99

Paperback

96 pages

246 x 189mm

Published Jun 2019

ISBN 9781787392564

for more information : https://www.carltonbooks.co.uk/reign-of-terror-pb.html

If you like the sound of this book, you'll be pleased to learn that Carlton Kids have given me a copy to give away to a lucky Madhouse Family Reviews reader. Fill in your entries in the Rafflecopter widget below. Good luck !

a Rafflecopter giveaway

UK only. Closing date : 19/9/19

T & C's : Entries close at midnight on the closing date. Winners will be selected with a random number generator and announced on facebook and in the giveaway post subject line. Please note, you will be contacted by email and/or twitter and if I haven't heard from you after 28 days, I'll have to pick another winner. Prizes will be sent out by the companies or their PR directly to winners. Madhouse Family Reviews cannot be held responsible for any prizes that go astray. Any personal data given as part of the competition entry is used for this purpose only and will not be shared with third parties, with the exception of the winners’ information. The winners' personal contact information will be passed on to the PR / Brand responsible and used only for delivery of their prize.

You may also like to enter my other giveaways :

Giveaway #727 : Win a My Stem Day book - closing date 10/9

Giveaway #728 : Win a Brain Busters book - closing date 17/9

Giveaway #729 : Win a Puzzle Adventure book - closing date 19/9