Parents’ place Summer Book selection from Ed’s Reading Room
Here are Ed’s latest reviews for some great summer reads. You can download the specially written reading activities for these books and buy the books online at www.EdontheWeb.com. Ages 5 – 7 years
Ages 7+
Cowboy Pug: The Dog Who Rode for Glory by Laura James (Bloomsbury £5.99) Pug and Lady Miranda are saddled up ready for an exciting adventure. There are plenty of fun things in store for them like the county fair and candyfloss but they also have to deal with the runaway train, a water jump and even bandits. When Lady Miranda gets into trouble will she be able to smooth things over with the police officer and will Pug be able to earn his spurs? This is part of a super new series with very funny illustrations. It is a great story for newly confident readers, boys and girls alike.
Jinks & O’Hare: Funfair Repair by Philip Reeve and Sarah McIntyre (Oxford £8.99) Jinks and O’Hare are the repair team at Funfair Moon that boasts the highest helter-skelter and the scariest ghost train in the universe. Emily loves helping them and as her school, the Learny-Go-Round, is open only every other day she has plenty of time. But when the Funfair Inspector arrives everything seems to go wrong and chaos ensues. It seems someone is sabotaging the funfair. Will the whole fair spin out of control and be shut down? Or will Emily’s dream of becoming a funfair repairer come true? Here is another fantastic book from this wonderful writer and illustrator partnership. It is fast-moving, funny and entertaining – a rollercoaster of a story.
Evie’s Magic Bracelet: The Silver Unicorn by Jessica Ennis-Hill (Hodder £5.99) Evie is settling into her new home. The day she starts her new school, she receives a gift from Grandma Iris in Jamaica – a beautiful bracelet with a message. ‘Have a magical time!’ Evie is amazed when she understands what the seagulls and the animals at the city farm are saying. She gradually realises this all started when she put on the bracelet from Grandma Iris. She hopes her magic ability will keep the sprites at bay during the children’s paper chase and she hopes to help the silver unicorn out of his trouble. This is a warm-hearted story with lovely illustrations. It is ideal for children reading on their own or reading together.
The Jamie Drake Equation by Christopher Edge (Nosy Crow £6.99) Imagine your father was an astronaut! It would be so exciting especially when he is orbiting the Earth in the International Space Station. Jamie’s dad is an astronaut and, although at first he thinks it’s really cool that his father will be doing a spacewalk, he is actually just missing him being at home. When parts of the family solar system start to shake, Jamie becomes very worried. And when Jamie picks up a strange signal on his mobile, things start to get really complicated. Can Jamie prove that he’s a hero too? This is a very exciting story that is brilliantly written. If you’ve ever wondered what’s out there with the stars, you will find this book a real page-turner.
For more amazing books for your kids, visit www.familiesonline.co.uk/bookclub
Free kids entertainment at Ego Bramhall By Jayne Keep
We thoroughly enjoyed our first visit to Ego and will most definitely be back. The 2-4pm Sunday slot comes highly recommended by us as this is when you will find the party crew in to entertain. It wasn’t a particularly busy time either so would be fab chance to get booked in for a get-together with other families to enjoy a gorgeous meal and a
Ego Restaurant in Bramhall is a beautiful 110 seat Mediterranean restaurant located on Bramhall Lane South, right in the heart of Bramhall village. Although you may not first think it, this stylish restaurant is perfect for family dining, and it’s recently been made even more perfect for families with the free kids’ entertainment on Sundays! We popped in for a late Sunday lunch to sample what’s on offer, and after a warm welcome, my youngest two (ages 8 and 6) scuttled off to the ‘Party Crew’ for arm painting and bookmark making. The food options were so varied, from the traditional Sunday roast dinner, through pizzas to their speciality which is
Mediterranean inspired dishes. Three of us opted for the roasts, my eldest a pizza, and my youngest cod goujons and chips, which didn’t take long to come, was beautifully presented and all were good sized portions. The children’s roast was a scaled back version of the adults but still artfully plated, and the cod goujons were handmade with lovely fresh fish, and also came with a large bright salad. The food was delicious. I wouldn’t instantly think of a Mediterranean restaurant for a traditional roast but that was the nicest I have had in a long time! More colouring and balloon play for the littlies followed, while we waited for dessert – again, these were a good size and looked and tasted amazing.
10 Families Manchester | www.familiesonline.co.uk
catch up, while the kids can keep themselves busy. Not only do Ego provide the kids entertainment, but several nights through the week there are different offers available, so definitely worth checking out if you have a night off from the kids too! To book a table call 0161 439 0693. www.egorestaurants.co.uk