Discovery Box magazine

The Discovery Box magazines, aimed at 9 - 12 year olds, focus on the central themes of history, science, the world and animals. Using an exciting mix of photos, drawings and texts, which maintain the reader's interest from cover to cover, they deliver a wide range of interesting facts, even for the grown ups !

In the issues that Sophie read, the main topics were - in the first magazine - South Africa, King Arthur, bones and the birth of a dolphin, and - in the second magazine - the exploration of the moon, Cambodia, hamsters and basketball ! There is something to interest everyone and the themes are quirky enough to bring up different information that the children have probably never come across before. As I mentioned before, even I learnt some interesting facts that I was unaware of and I picked up the magazine for a sneaky read after Sophie had finished with it !

It is in-depth enough to offer a lot of information but concise enough not to be too long and boring to young children, who often have a limited attention span. The short texts are also simple enough for slightly unconfident readers.

The front cover promises that it is "more than a book" and that is certainly true - Sophie loved the giant fold-out section full of facts at the beginning and also the special hands-on projects to illustrate the themes. I loved the numerous "Guess what Mum" moments that led to Sophie teaching me a thing or two and gaining in confidence due to this unexpected role reversal with her being the one imparting the knowledge !

star rating : 4,5/5

For more information and to subscribe, go to www.bayard-magazines.co.uk

Sleepless Nights - Sarah Bilston

Quinn (or Q, as everyone calls her) has just come through the pregnancy from hell (the subject of the first instalment, Bed Rest, which I haven't read, although I would now like to). And she survived ! But now, much as she loves him, she finds herself living with the baby from hell, who spends all his time crying uncontrollably and screaming for hours on end for no apparent reason. Baby Samuel is six weeks old at the start of the book, exactly the age of my own baby, so I could really sympathise with Q's emotional turmoil, stress and, at times, sheer panic. The ups and downs of life as a new mother are accurately portrayed, not without humour, and several times, the storytelling reminded me of a watered-down version of Kathy Lette - who just happens to be my favourite author. She'll make you laugh, she'll make you cry - but maybe that's just my post-pregnancy hormones settling down !

But this book is a real "three-for-the-price-of-one", bringing together three distinct parts. We have an emotional tale of maternal angst. Then we have a detective story - Q goes back to work and, along with her husband, takes on a small-town law firm and their first case. And thanks to Jeanie, Q's sister who has come over from England to help look after her nephew, we have the romantic elements of a classic, complicated, chick-lit love story.

The book therefore will appeal to multiple audiences. But, unfortunately, it is also a case of "Jack of all trades, master of none". The story of Q's problematic motherhood is all-encompassing for the first part of the book. Q cannot bear to have her baby out of sight (or even out of touch) and both parents are terrified, taking him to hospital in the middle of the night and contacting specialist doctors. But then, when they are ready to go back to work and the book is reading to move into its next phase as a detective novel, baby Samuel suddenly gets better, stops crying and his parents stop being obsessed with him. It's all just a bit too convenient ! The love story element is also a bit too superficial and predictable.

But then I glanced at the cover and wondered if the book's structure wasn't actually supposed to be representative of its main character. The author seems to have tried to blend three things into one, just as Q must try to juggle her triple role as mother, career woman and wife. The number three seems to be strangely important in fact, as we have three sisters, the career-driven Q in America, fun-loving Jeanie temporarily in the States and full-time mum and wife Alison, back home in England.

I actually had trouble working out if the girls were English or American to begin with. Quinn seems to be the classic hyperactive, intense American woman, Alison is the strait-laced, semi-aristocratic woman that you could imagine setting out afternoon tea on lacy doilies and Jeanie, the Brit abroad, is in between. This was not helped by American terms, such as crib death, coming out of the mouths of supposedly English characters. But this slight identity crisis is surely the result of the author's transatlantic lifestyle (an English girl, married to an American and living in Connecticut - just like Q ! ) and the fact that I was reading the American edition so perhaps some words were americanised.

All in all, it was a thoroughly enjoyable read. If you specifically want a detective story, a love story or a "new mum" story, you'd be better off picking someone who concentrates on just one genre, but for a lightweight, heartwarming read (just right, when you're going through your own sleepless nights !), it's perfect.

star rating : 4/5

Hardcover: 304 pages
Publisher: Harper (August 11, 2009)
ISBN-10: 0060889942
ISBN-13: 978-0060889944

FRUBI Shades Children’s Sunglasses

These days, nobody in their right mind would allow their kids to go out in the sun without slapping on some high factor suncream, because we all know about the risks of skin cancer. We also all know that protecting our children's eyes from the harmful effects of the sun is just as important, but that one can be a bit more tricky to deal with ! First of all, you have to convince your child to actually agree to wear them and not keep taking them off. Secondly, once they're feeling cooperative, you have to find a way of actually making them stay on their face and not fall off every time they move ! And kids move and run and jump about a lot !


Frubi Shades deal with both of those problems instantaneously. The soft foamy mousse material is very comfortable to wear and the choice of funky colours and patterns will appeal to the most fashion-conscious toddlers. Even the boys will love black pirate design !


The velcro-fastening on the wraparound band can be adjusted to find the perfect fit and the glasses can then be pulled on and off without undoing them every time so it's foolproof, even for tiny fingers. They fit so snugly that they even stayed on when my daughters starting doing handstands while wearing them !


The age range is supposed to be 6 months - 6 years but Sophie, aged 8, didn't want to be left out so she wore them too. She said they were really comfortable and soft and they were funny because they make you look googly-eyed ! They're also very resistant - Juliette, aged 4, was bending them inside out, putting them in her (doggy-shaped !) handbag over and over again, leaving them lying on the floor (the only bad thing is the material seems to be irresistible to puppies so keep them well out of chewing-range !) and they were not scratched or damaged in any way. They passed the rough and tumble test with flying colours !

Despite being fun and funky, they have been designed and tested by ophthalmologists so they do offer serious protection. They will definitely be a permanent fixture in my beach bag from now on, right next to the sun cream and baseball caps !

star rating : 4,5/5

price : $9.99 (approximately £6)





Sophie and Juliette modelling the Black Pirate and Baby Blue Butterflies Frubis

Breakfast : Food Worth Getting Out Of Bed For - Greg Duncan Powell

With a title like that, I was expecting great things - but the cover photo is of a boiled egg and soldiers, which is hardly ground-breaking or inspiring stuff !

The author explains in the preface that as a farmer in Australia, his daily routine involved tea and toast half an hour before dawn, then off to milk the cows until 9am, when a three-course breakfast would be served - porridge, eggs or stewed meat on toast, then toast and jam - before heading off for some more physical work then lunch. While this was great for our ancestors or for those who still have a very physical job, I think most white-collar workers - or even busy mums come to that ! - these days would have a hard job fitting this into their daily routine. Not to mention all those excess calories to burn off due to our modern sedentary lifestyle.

He goes on to say : "I truly believe that human existence would be much more pleasant if more importance was placed on breakfast. Most of the ills of the modern world can be traced back to three things : not enough sleep, not enough sex and not enough breakfast. While this book can't do much about the first two, it does aim to change the latter." (Well, as a mum to a 6-week-old baby, I guess I should be grateful for small mercies then ! ) The witty comments continue throughout the book.

Time to see what's on offer then. I consider myself to be fairly adventurous and am happy enough to sample exotic local delicacies, even first thing in the morning, but even I admit to turning my nose up at a couple of these breakfast suggestions - cabbage and oil on toast ? It doesn't sound particularly appealing at any time of day, let alone at breakfast-time ! Gehacktes -otherwise known as steak tartare ? For breakfast ?! I think I'll stick with tea and toast, however boring they may be, thanks !

I'm sure my next comment will make the author's hackles rise because it's exactly the kind of prejudice he's trying to overcome, but a lot of the recipes seem to me to be more suited to a light lunch or - dare I say it ? - brunch. For example, being married to a Frenchman, I can safely say that croque monsieur (like a cheese and ham toasty) and savoury crêpes (la galette de Brettone) are certainly not breakfast food in France - in fact, the latter is not even correct French, if you want to get really picky !!

There are recipes for more traditional breakfast fare, like muesli and granola, but to be honest, do we really need recipes for such simple dishes as stewed rhubarb, grilled mushrooms and sardines on toast ?

Some recipes did tickle my tastebuds though - banana bread and huevos rancheros sounds like a fabulous way to start the day to me ! The exotic recipe ideas and witty anecdotes providing a potted history of breakfast made it a worthwhile read.

I can see myself trying out of several of these recipes, but for lunch or supper. Sorry Mr Powell but I think I'll stick with a bowl of cornflakes and a glass of orange juice for now !

star rating : 3/5

Hardcover: 172 pages
Publisher: Murdoch Books (17 Aug 2009)
ISBN-10: 174196380X
ISBN-13: 978-1741963809

Snowflakes and Schnapps - Jane Lawson

If the stark white, cold imagery on the front of the book isn't a big enough hint, the blurb on the back will immediately set the scene :"Join Jane Lawson as she takes you on a culinary journey through the magnificent cold-climate cuisines of the snow-cloaked regions of Northern, Central and Eastern Europe ... Celebrate the season of winter !" As you turn the page and see the closeup photo of thick, luscious red shagpile carpet, you feel all warm and snuggly and know you're in for some serious comfort-food that will warm the cockles of your heart, and your belly !

The author, Jane Lawson, sounds like a bit of an anomaly ! She is Australian but has a passion for cold weather and wintry snowscapes, linking back to her possible European ancestry. Before perusing the table of contents, I tried to guess what I'd find and some of the classic, predictable dishes are there : potato flatbreads with smoked salmon and a side serving of pickled cucumber. It's the stereotype of a Nordic lunch ! But other classic dishes are given a slight tweak to make them more interesting - such as goulash soup with caraway dumplings.

As I continued to turn the pages, the mouth-watering photography and the author's way of making authentic recipes accessible by proposing alternatives for hard-to-come-by ingredients, won me over and I soaked up the unusual and sometimes surprising recipes. The Karelian open pies - salmon or ham, with a creamy cheese sauce, in a rye crust - are unique and unlike anything I've ever seen before. Gingerbread-spice coffee and mulled wine transport me mentally to snowy Christmas markets. Exotic ingredients that sound like they should exist in fairytales make me wonder what the food would taste like - cloudberries, honeycake snowballs ...

A lot of the recipes are very surprising and I can't decide whether or not the author is audacious and adventurous or just a total gastro-lunatic ! I've never seen so many contrasting flavours coming together in one recipe since watching Celebrity Masterchef ! Liquorice custards with coconut-lime macaroons and plums. Grilled oysters with cauliflower custard and caviar. Coriander roast chicken with walnut sauce. The proof of the pudding will be in the eating for these and other mind-boggling creations. Other recipes use more homely ingredients but still come up with surprising combinations : Pork in milk with a polenta crust. Pork and cabbage cakes with sweet-onion relish.

This is as much a coffee-table book as a recipe book, guaranteeing armchair travelling and tingling tastebuds without ever setting foot in the kitchen let alone outside of your front door. It is a weighty, luxurious, artistically-presented tome which justifies the hefty £25 price tag.

star rating : 4.5/5

Hardcover: 288 pages
Publisher: Murdoch Books (7 Sep 2009)
ISBN-10: 1921259027
ISBN-13: 978-1921259029

My Flipper Toothbrush Holders

When I first saw these products on internet, I thought they looked cute, I knew the girls would love them but I couldn't really see how they were any different to any of the other toothbrush toppers we've had, used and discarded in the past.

When they arrived, as predicted, the girls fell in love with the cute animal shapes and bright colours. They immediately ripped them out of the box and that was when I noticed the suckers to fix them to the wall. I inwardly groaned because every time we've ever had anything with suckers, it has never stayed attached to the wall ! But I played along and stuck them to the tiled surface above the sink.

It's actually a great idea for keeping brushes up out of the way. It's more hygienic, and whereas other brush covers without suction pads end up on the side of the sink and then get knocked on the floor, these ones stay clean and tidy - genius ! No more toothpaste stains on the sink, I love it already ! And despite months of previous nagging to put the toothbrushes in the glass and not on the side of the sink that fell on deaf ears, as soon as these Flippers arrived in the bathroom, the girls didn't need reminding at all !

I was also impressed with the automatic mechanism for opening and closing the animals' tummies to put in or take out the toothbrush - and the girls loved it so much they played with it for five minutes non stop !! As it says on the website, it definitely encourages and motivates young children to remember to brush their teeth.

An hour later, I heard a bonk and resignedly went to the bathroom. Sure enough, the suckers hadn't stuck and the toothbrushes and holders had fallen off the wall. I was disappointed because the girls loved them so much, I really wanted them to work. So I persevered, this time moistening the suckers before sticking them to the tiles and - bingo ! - this time they stayed on all night and are still stuck fast as I type. Looking at the website this morning, I notice that it does tell you to moisten the suckers before sticking them to the wall (or glass). I didn't notice that on the packaging so don't forget or you'll be unimpressed !

I get a feeling these new animal friends will be permanent fixtures in our bathroom now !

star rating : 4.5/5

RRP : £4.95

BBC Cbeebies Waybuloo magazine

Looking at the cover of the magazine, it doesn't look any different to any of the other kiddies' magazines on offer. Even the characters, cute as they are, with their enormous eyes and pudgy baby faces, look very similar to numerous other children's TV characters, like the Teletubbies, In the Night Garden, etc. They are called the Piplings, and even their names are reminiscent of other TV shows : Lau Lau (not to be confused with Laa Laa the Teletubby), Nok Tok (sounds strangely like Ninky Nonk), Yojojo (anyone thinking of Yoho Ahoy ?) , De Li (ahhh finally one that doesn't immediately make me think of another Cbeebies character !!)

Flicking through the magazine, it offers all the same type of activities too - a hide and seek observation game with stickers, a maze/follow the dots to practise fine motor skills, spot the difference, colouring, storytime ... The editor explains that it's all based around five key areas : feeling good, communication, being creative, finding out and physical development. It's the same old same old.

Nevertheless, Juliette, aged 4, was immediately sucked in and excitedly did the whole thing from cover to cover in one sitting, whereas normally she will get bored after a few pages and move on to something else. She loved the Yogo "copy the pose" exercises. I loved the little comprehension questions in the storypages to check she was following and understanding what I was reading.

One interesting moment was the "draw and spot" page when she had to copy a narabug (butterfly). She immediately said "oooh it's difficult, I won't manage that" but I showed her the step by step instructions, she followed the lines (concentrating so hard her little tongue was sticking out !) and she succeeded ! She was really excited about doing something she thought was beyond her capacities and rushed off to show her dad ! That's got to justify buying the magazine just for that one feel-good moment !

I realised as I was working through the magazine, and confirmed my suspicions by reading the introduction to parents on the first page, that the whole focus of this magazine is feelings and emotions. It's not always easy for pre-schoolers to explain how they're feeling so giving them the vocabulary of emotions - happy, pleased, clever, excited, disappointed - has to be a good thing. The topic for this issue was kindness but presumably that changes in each magazine.

When I took a closer look at the sticker sheet, I realised that the reward stickers were in two parts. Some for the parents to give to the children for good behaviour (with specific instructions on what needs to be done to get the sticker) but also stickers that the child can give to the parent (thanks for playing with me, thanks for looking after me, ...). I thought it was a great idea for the sticker exchange to work both ways, cleverly reinforcing the kindness/sharing/your actions making others feel good message of the magazine.

My only slight quibble would be the price, which seems a little high at £2.35 when it's for a pre-schooler and will inevitably get ripped apart and scribbled on within minutes ! I also thought it was lacking in fan pages/competitions/send in your drawings and photos pages, but as this is a new magazine, that may be introduced in later issues.

star rating : 4.5/5

The Undrowned Child – Michelle Lovric

What’s in a name ? Quite a lot really, when your name turns out to be Teodora-of-Sad-Memory and everyone calls you the Undrowned Child, destined to save the dying city of Venice. The beautiful city is under attack from the fearsome ghostly traitor of the dark past, “Il Traditore”, who has returned from beyond the grave, along with his monstrous allies, to wreak his revenge and destroy the city he once lived in long ago.

We join Teo in her journey of self-discovery, as she goes "between the linings", becoming part human - part ghostly invisible child, unlocking the secrets of her own past and destiny, along with those of the city she must save. She enlists the help of Renzo, the Studious Son of the old prophecy, and together they embark on an epic journey, peopled with strange mystical and magical creatures who help them on their way. I particularly love the curry-quaffing mermaids who converse entirely in sailor-speak punctuated with archaic oaths !

The book tells an adventure of epic proportions, slightly reminiscent of Narnia, bringing together all the forces of good and evil for a final heroic battle. The story incorporates a number of wholesome values, such as friendship, solidarity, courage, perseverance, self-sacrifice. It also explores some other characteristics, evoking both sides of the coin, for example vanity (Maria is overly-vain and is transformed into an ugly dwarf whereas Teo is gently chided into taking more care over her appearance), patriotism (Renzo will courageously defend his city whatever the cost, but he also comes to realise that his instant dismissal of Teo as a non-Venetian is purely based on false racist stereotypes) and loyalty (many characters, including Teo and Renzo, are prepared to make the ultimate sacrifice to defend their friends and allies, but Teo also learns the hard way that her naively blind trust of and loyalty to Maria could have been her – and the whole city’s -downfall ).

I think this has the potential to be made into an absolutely brilliant film. It ticks all the right boxes, offering the suspense, the adventure, the epic battles, the fantastical creatures, the humour, the well known landscapes. It could be a crazy mixture of Harry Potter, The Little Mermaid and Cloverfield ! I actually wonder if it would have more success and reach a wider audience as a film, because although I loved reading it as an adult, I did wonder at times if it was a bit too ambitious in length and literary style for the target audience of children and teenagers.

As a teacher, I also love the section at the end that explains which elements really exist or existed in Venice and Venetian history and which were purely invented. Used along with the map at the start of the book, there is scope for some great class projectwork here.

star rating : 4,5/5

Paperback: 432 pages
Publisher: Orion Children's Books (2 Jul 2009)
ISBN-10: 1842557025
ISBN-13: 978-1842557020

Vtech Kidizoom Splash Digital Camera

My two little testers (and I've no doubt their little brother will follow suit as soon as he's old enough !) haven't stopped playing with this - oh sorry, "testing" it, they take their new role very seriously ! - ever since it arrived. While Mum and Dad fussed about reading the box (does it need a memory card ? what do you have to do to get the photos on to the TV or computer ? how many photos can you take ?), they just picked it up and immediately started taking photos, as simple as that. So it passes the first test - it really is very easy to use, even for small children.

As an adult - particularly as a mum, who invariably has to find space for it in my bag, it seems a bit too heavy and chunky but it does seem totally comfortable for little hands. It's shock-resistant and has in fact been dropped several times and come through unscathed, thanks to the protective rubber edging.

The photos are not of a brilliant quality, unless you decide to purchase an additional memory card so that you can use the high resolution option. But to be honest, even when they use our grown-up digital camera, the photos are a bit blurred because they don't take the time to get them properly in focus or they invariably wobble a bit, so the quality is comparable. The in built memory can hold about 200 photos or 5 minutes of video, which is plenty.

Sophie (aged 8) absolutely loves the added features. You can edit photos to add special effects, like putting a pig's nose, devil's horns, a pirate hat, fox ears or big cartoon eyes on people, which has provided hours of hysterical giggling on the floor ! She also loves the little games (memory game, photo puzzle, tic tac toe), even if they seem incredibly basic to me !

Juliette (aged 4) enjoys snapping anything that moves, as well as most things that don't (the floor, the fruit bowl, daddy's shoes !) so I'm sure it's good for developing creativity and imagination !

The video option and waterproof case for taking photos underwater haven't been tested yet because the main appeal is for taking photos, but I'm sure they'll get round to it eventually. It's good to have some extra features to discover in a few months time when the novelty has worn off too (although it's been a few weeks already and they're still fighting over it !!)

It would make a great gift for budding photographers. It is quite pricey but provides hours of fun for all the family (yes, I guarantee even mum and dad will end up taking silly photos of people with pigs' noses and Viking helmets ! ) and it is solid enough to give a few year's good service.

star rating : 10/10 (Sophie said 5/5 wasn't enough !)

Joni Lamb – Surrender All

Joni Lamb is a working wife and mum. She is also the executive producer of and talk-show host on the Daystar Television Network, the world’s second largest faith-based television network -or in other words, a TV Evangelist. I can relate to the former but not the latter, so I don’t always share her point of view. But she always comes across as a genuinely nice, caring person. And she knows how to write in a friendly, approachable way and draw in the reader, giving the equivalent of a big literary hug to those who need one !

The basic idea behind this book is simple – Surrender All to the Lord and all will come good. Follow your heart, not your head and listen to what God wants you to do. He moves in mysterious ways but He has a plan for all of us and if you allow Him to guide your life, this will be – as it says on the cover – “your answer to living with peace, power and purpose”. Don't worry about a thing, don't try to make any decisions yourself, just let God take total control of your life and trust in Him.

I’m sure this is a very reassuring and enlightening read for believers or those in need of guidance. It is basically a catalogue of feel-good stories showing time after time that everything works out in the end. But I have to admit that I personally read it pretty much as I would watch the Jerry Springer show, at times with the same wide-eyed, head-shaking sense of total incomprehension as I discovered people’s lifestories. I have no intention of criticising other people’s beliefs, but as I personally don’t adhere to this school of thought, I admit to finding the book somewhat overlong, oversimplified and tedious.

star rating : 1/5 (but I admit I'm not in the target audience)

Hardcover: 224 pages
Publisher: WaterBrook Press (September 16, 2008)
Language: English

ISBN-10: 1400073758
ISBN-13: 978-1400073757