My good intentions regarding reading the enormous pile of books on my shelves this month were more than a little disrupted by going down with Covid in early September. Thankfully now much improved I’ve been catching up! Here are some of the children’s books that I’ve enjoyed reading in September.

Sharing books with my one year old grandson is a joy and especially so when they include the brilliant Zeki series by Anna McQuinn and Ruth Hearson. The latest, Zeki Hikes With Daddy published by Alanna Max Books is as perfectly pitched as its predecessors. It is full of joy depicting the loving bond between parent and child. The expert use of language is so lovely to read aloud encouraging little ones to copy the sounds they hear, keeping their attention and teaching them too. The wonderful, vibrant illustrations are full of detail for small children to recognise and parents to talk about. Zeki Hikes With Daddy is simply perfect for babies and their parents too.

Earlier this year I read My Name is Sunshine Simpson without any prior awareness of this lovely story and was struck by the engaging narrative voice. G M Linton’s sequel, Sunshine Simpson Cooks Up a Storm illustrated by Fuuji Takashi is every bit as good as the first book tackling big subjects such as family difficulties, grief, racial bigotry and coping with change in a positive and uplifting manner. Sunshine’s cheerful nature will, I think, engage and encourage young readers. In the aftermath of the death of her beloved grandfather Sunshine moves up to Year 6, her dad is asked to work away from home and her mum is struggling to cope with the reappearance of Sunshine’s glamorous Grandmother after many years absence. All these issues are ultimately resolved and the strength of a loving family and a caring community are celebrated. Key facts incorporated throughout the story make this book perfect for Black History Month but I would wholeheartedly recommend this for any time of the year. A wonderful, feel good read published by Usborne Books for age 9+

The Soccer Diaries is a brand new series by award winning author Tom Palmer starring Rocky Race, a British footballer looking to make it big in a US soccer school. Rocky Race is the fourteen year old sister of Roy of the Rovers and she’s determined, ambitious and an excellent football player. In the first book of the series, Rocky Takes LA, Rocky gets a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to attend a prestigious soccer camp in California, USA. Whilst there Rocky finds herself out of her comfort zone. In addition to trying to make a good impression on the pitch Rocky has to deal with friendship issues, homesickness, her own anxieties and a brand new world with strange rules. Rocky is an inspirational main character being relatable and with a strong sense of right and wrong. Readers will learn from Rocky’s experiences and the manner in which she deals with problems both big and small. Although perfect for football enthusiasts this has a broad appeal and deals with many issues in a matter of fact and positive style. Rocky’s anxiety and grief, the difficulties of having friends with different opinions and attitudes, coping with both the practicalities and emotional aspects of periods and family relationships are all incorporated into the story in a manner that will reassure readers. This is so much more than “a football book”, it’s a story of a girl on the cusp of adulthood not only coping but thriving. Published by Rebellion this month and suitable for 10+.

I am a little late to I Spy, a Bletchley Park Mystery by Rhiannon Tracey published in March by Piccadilly but thoroughly enjoyed this wartime adventure. Twelve-year-old Robyn has grown up in Bletchley Park, where her father works as a driver and there is nothing she likes more than helping her dad in the garages. Then the war begins and everything at Bletchley changes. Robyn is assigned to help with the carrier pigeons that take messages to the Allies. Bletchley is buzzing with people recruited for the war effort and Robyn becomes convinced that there’s something sinister going on within Bletchley Park itself. Children will enjoy the interaction between Robyn and her friends Ned and Mary and trying to solve the mystery alongside the characters. The historical details and inclusion of real people such as Alan Turing and Sir Winston Churchill will fascinate young readers and encourage them to find out more making this a valuable book for school classrooms and libraries.

In case you missed my reviews at the start of the month I would also highly recommend The Secret of the Blood Red Key by David Farr illustrated by Kristina Kister and Skrimsli by Nicola Davies illustrated by Jackie Morris.