Dougal Round The World by Eric Thompson

The folks from the Magic Roundabout go travelling!






I've had this book since I was a very young child and thought it would be nice to read it again after all these years for old times sake.



It's such an old book that I couldn't even find a google image of the front cover! My mum and dad met Eric at an event in the early seventies and he signed this for me and my sister so it's extra special. He sadly died at a young age but his two daughters have gone on to become famous in their own right as the actresses Emma and Sophie Thompson. 



This is a fun book for young children with lots of imagination and humour.





I can't really give it a rating. But kids I'm sure would still enjoy it even though the world has changed and The Magic Roundabout is no longer on our screens.

The Boy who became Father Christmas by James Wilmot

It's Christmas morning and I've found myself with a few hours to spare before the madness begins during which I found this audio book on You Tube. I love it!



It's the perfect book for a child to read at this time of the year. It tells the story of how Father Christmas became Father Christmas! Even if you are just an old soppy sod like me you should read this and it will get you in the festive mood. It's well written and beautifully told. It will warm your heart.





Merry Christmas :)






5/5

Cookie by Jacqueline Wilson

This is the story of a girl who is brought up by her mum and an abusive father.





I always try to read a few children's books every year and I stumbled upon this on you tube and listened to the audio book. The colourful front cover grabbed my attention and I wasn't disappointed.


It's a great little story and it's probably aimed at 7 - 11 year olds but I think it could probably be enjoyed by all ages! It's a story that is full of light and shade and cleverly touches upon parental abuse but with an encouraging and happy ending.





I've read children's books by many authors but this is one of my favourites. I'd definitely recommend it to any parents if only to introduce their children to the fact that not all parents are good, but without scaring them too much. I'm not usually a big fan of audio books, they normally annoy me but this was great. It was well narrated and I loved the music as well. It's shame I didn't have the actual book because it sounds like the illustrations by Nick Sharratt were really good.







5/5

Eve's Diary by Mark Twain

I found this as an audio book on You Tube and thought it would be the perfect quick read.




Written in the style of a diary it is a unique and humorous portrayal of Adam and Eve. Written by Mark Twain it was written after the death of his wife and is part of a series of shorts that he wrote featuring the biblical characters.


I found it lightly amusing and quirky but it didn't set my world on fire.





3/5

Mortimer's Portrait On Glass by Joan Aiken

I needed a quick read to get this year's 52 book challenge back on track and I stumbled upon this on You Tube.





It's my first Joan Aiken book and it's a fun little story for young children. If you have a young child I'd recommend this one. It's got all the ingredients to keep them listening. Great fun, even for us older creatures :)







4/5

Instant Confidence by Paul McKenna

If you are struggling with confidence or interested in NLP this is a must read!




This is a re-read and I intend to read it at least once a year. I enjoyed it and found it helpful the first time around but on second read it works even better.


I can't afford to go to any classes to improve my confidence but this book really works if you read it carefully and follow what it teaches. It also comes with a helpful CD that reinforces what is taught.




Seriously if you struggle with self confidence. Pick up a copy!




5/5

NLP. The Essential guide to Neuro-Linguistic-Programming by Joseph Owen and Ian Townsend

This is the second NLP book that I've read and it is fascinating.




I'd recommend it to anybody interested in the subject or anybody who wants to improve the quality of their life. It's informative and helpful and easy to follow. It has wet my appetite and now I want to read more about NLP and hopefully I will be able to get my hands on more.


Books like this can be life changing if you want your life changing. I do!




A great read,





5/5