Just adore this absolute hug of an album by #Midlake Beautiful autumnal vibes. Looking forward to seeing them in Sunderland (surprisingly) in January!

No. 35 in my #FavePicturebooks25 is “The Slightly Spooky Tale of Fox and Mole” by Cecilia Heikkilä. It is a masterclass in visual storytelling & emotional nuance. A cautionary tale of imbalance & ingratitude, wrapped in stunning, shadowy illustration. #PicturebookPage

No. 35 in my #FavePicturebooks25 is “The Slightly Spooky Tale of Fox and Mole” by Cecilia Heikkilä. It is a masterclass in visual storytelling & emotional nuance. A cautionary tale of imbalance & ingratitude, wrapped in stunning, shadowy illustration. #PicturebookPage

The reviews are in 🦁👦🏻

No. 36 in my #FavePicturebooks25 is “Bear” by #NataliaShaloshvili. It’s the ultimate ode to needing just a smidge of personal space and Bear is all of us when the world won’t stop barging in. The way the pages get busier and busier is genius. @quartokids.bsky.social Funny, fab #PicturebookPage

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No. 37 in my #FavePictureBooks25 is a stunner! “Painting Wonder” by @katiewrayschon.bsky.social. It is a radiant tribute to Pauline Bayne-Tolkien & Lewis’s illustrator. Passion, perseverance & pure magic on every page. A #PicturebookBiography that glows. #PictureBookPage

No. 37 in my #FavePictureBooks25 is a stunner! “Painting Wonder” by @katiewrayschon.bsky.social. It is a radiant tribute to Pauline Bayne-Tolkien & Lewis’s illustrator. Passion, perseverance & pure magic on every page. A #PicturebookBiography that glows. #PictureBookPage

No 38 in my #FavePicturebooks25 “Together We Remember” by #JackieMorera & #VioletaEncarnación is a tender, poignant story of grief, healing, and the bond between father & daughter. A beautiful reminder that remembering more, not less, helps us heal. #PicturebookPage

No 38 in my #FavePicturebooks25 “Together We Remember” by #JackieMorera & #VioletaEncarnación is a tender, poignant story of grief, healing, and the bond between father & daughter. A beautiful reminder that remembering more, not less, helps us heal. #PicturebookPage

No. 39 in my #FavePicturebooks25 is “Good Golden Sun” by @brendanwenzel.bsky.social A simple idea, tracing the sun’s journey becomes something brilliant. It shows how energy moves through the world and give everything life, and visually it zings. Great science. Fab stuff. #PicturebookPage

No. 39 in my #FavePicturebooks25 is “Good Golden Sun” by @brendanwenzel.bsky.social A simple idea, tracing the sun’s journey becomes something brilliant. It shows how energy moves through the world and give everything life, and visually it zings. Great science. Fab stuff. #PicturebookPage

No 40 in my #FavePicturebooks25 is… “To Activate Space Portal” by #AntoinettePortis is an hilarious, romp where diplomacy depends on your dental situation. Blrg & Zrk fear we’re here to eat them until they see our tiny teeth. Surreal art, glitchy translations, Genius. #PicturebookPage

No 40 in my #FavePicturebooks25 is… “To Activate Space Portal” by #AntoinettePortis is an hilarious, romp where diplomacy depends on your dental situation. Blrg & Zrk fear we’re here to eat them until they see our tiny teeth. Surreal art, glitchy translations, Genius. #PicturebookPage

Bit late but here are some amazing #Halloween picturebooks and novels. #PicturebookPage

Here is my favourite #Halloween picturebook. “Poultrygeist” The best first 3 pages of any picturebooks I own #PicturebookPage

Today’s soundtrack has got me right in the mood for #Halloween2025

Starting tomorrow: my Top 40 #FavePicturebooks25, a handpicked, parade of the funniest, boldest, weirdest, and most brilliant picturebooks of 2025. Just pure love for the power of picturebooks Don’t miss it! #PicturebookPage. Some are in the pics below some will be a surprise!

Happy Halloween…love a good Mausoleum!

If you see this, quote with a robot that isn't from "Star Wars", "Star Trek", "Doctor Who", or "Transformers”

To clarify…in October half-term.

Absolutely spoilt with the weather. Normally Dumfries and Galloway is cold and wet…apart from an odd shower it’s been the opposite. Glorious from coast to hilltop today!

Glorious early morning walk. Love Scotland!

Fireworks by Matthew Burgess & Catia Chien is delicious. It’s all about the joy and excitement fireworks bring - this is mainly about Independence Day, but can easily be applied to other celebrations and festivals. A lovely lyrical style, beautifully illustrated. One for @smithsmm.bsky.social

Glorious walking in Dumfries and Galloway. Love finding a graveyard with proper old graves in it, so many stories!

fave non-fiction book this year. “Omnibird” by #GiselleClarkson is a brilliant, funny and informative illustrated guide that turns kids into avian detectives. Packed with science & humour it inspires readers to really look at the birds around them and see the extraordinary. @geckopress.bsky.social

“Broken” by #XFang is a tender, cinematic picturebook that turns a shattered teacup into a story of guilt, forgiveness, and love. Mei Mei’s journey is both hilarious and heartfelt, with illustrations that radiate warmth and whimsy. A gem. #FavePicturebooks25 #PicturebookPage…

“Broken” by #XFang is a tender, cinematic picturebook that turns a shattered teacup into a story of guilt, forgiveness, and love. Mei Mei’s journey is both hilarious and heartfelt, with illustrations that radiate warmth and whimsy. A gem. #FavePicturebooks25 #PicturebookPage…

And so we come to the end. Excited to rejoin Lyra and Pantalaimon And see the twists and turns #PhilipPullman takes us on in “The Rose Field” Perfect timing just before half-term, that’s my reading sorted

Today has been a coloured vinyl and books kinda-day. @jonnybid.bsky.social @southgloshead.bsky.social

So much to say about the 90% phonics target. Most of it is about the ridiculousness of it. We have been 90% and 92% the last two years before that with a very SEND heavy year 1 we were 70%, before that we were 84%. Nothing to do with teaching and everything to do with cohort…

We are talking with children and celebrating their own “Personal Best”, that moment when a child does something better than they have before. Making the children proud of their own progress and achievement and think about how they can get better!

Wow! @philearle.bsky.social “When the Sky Falls” gets a truly stunning #GraphicNovel makeover. #FredFordham’s illustrations bring wartime London and Adonis the gorilla to life with raw emotion. A gripping, beautifully drawn story of unlikely friendship, courage & hope. #WWII

Wow! @philearle.bsky.social “When the Sky Falls” gets a truly stunning #GraphicNovel makeover. #FredFordham’s illustrations bring wartime London and Adonis the gorilla to life with raw emotion. A gripping, beautifully drawn story of unlikely friendship, courage & hope. #WWII

Thanks so much for this lovely review Simon. It means a heck of a lot. Particularly the penultimate sentence 🤗❤️

A tender triumph “My Friend, Billy Whiskers” by @dc-litchfield.bsky.social is a heartwarming tale of imaginary friendship, courage & empathy. Litchfield’s dreamy art & gentle storytelling help kids feel seen, brave & beautifully understood. A snowy-day hug in book form. #PicturebookPage

A tender triumph “My Friend, Billy Whiskers” by @dc-litchfield.bsky.social is a heartwarming tale of imaginary friendship, courage & empathy. Litchfield’s dreamy art & gentle storytelling help kids feel seen, brave & beautifully understood. A snowy-day hug in book form. #PicturebookPage

“My Soul, A Shining Tree” by #JamilaGavin is a lyrical WWI tale weaving three lives: a Belgian girl fleeing war, a German boy volunteered too young, and Khudadad Khan, the first Indian VC hero. A moving story of innocence, courage & connection in a moment and place. @farshorebooks.bsky.social

“My Soul, A Shining Tree” by #JamilaGavin is a lyrical WWI tale weaving three lives: a Belgian girl fleeing war, a German boy volunteered too young, and Khudadad Khan, the first Indian VC hero. A moving story of innocence, courage & connection in a moment and place. @farshorebooks.bsky.social

“Hero the Highway Girl” by @pennychrimes.bsky.social is pure #MiddleGradeMagic. Feisty heiress + pet wolf+ reluctant highwayman = Georgian chaos. Full of daring escapes, brave choices & heart. Jack and Hero are truly fab characters and their interplay is a delight @fireflypress.bsky.social

“Hero the Highway Girl” by @pennychrimes.bsky.social is pure #MiddleGradeMagic. Feisty heiress + pet wolf+ reluctant highwayman = Georgian chaos. Full of daring escapes, brave choices & heart. Jack and Hero are truly fab characters and their interplay is a delight @fireflypress.bsky.social

Feeling a wee bit overwhelmed by my To Be Read pile…genuinely don’t know where to start…a chunk will be read at half term Anybody up for suggesting where to start #TooManyBooksNotEnoughTime

Sad to hear of the loss of the extraordinary #JaneGoodall, here are a couple of brilliant picturebooks about her and a fantastic one she wrote. #PicturebookPage #RIPJaneGoodall

Thrilled for my bairn…short film he co-wrote, directed and acted in is picking up some awards. It’s not an easy industry, good to get a little recognition.

Thrilled for my bairn…short film he co-wrote, directed and acted in is picking up some awards. It’s not an easy industry, good to get a little recognition.

Finished “The Poisoned King” by #KatherineRundell — absolutely spellbinding. Dragons dying, kingdoms crumbling, and Anya & Christopher racing against poison and betrayal. A dazzling sequel to Impossible Creatures full of heart, magic, and justice. Stunning storytelling!

Just finished Letters from the Upside and wow — Katya Balen does it again! Her writing is tender, powerful, and full of heart. One of the finest children's authors out there. Every book is a gift, and this one truly soars. Literally one of the best writers around 📚 #KatyaBalen

So it begins…starting to think about my #Top40 #FavePicturebooks25 What an amazing year… there are more and I have no doubt a few coming out soon that will challenge the list. You’ve got to start somewhere though 1/3 36/105… #PicturebookPage

Perfect day, wild waves, driving wind and glorious sunshine. My favourite conditions for a beach/cliff walk.

So it begins…starting to think about my #Top40 #FavePicturebooks25 What an amazing year… there are more and I have no doubt a few coming out soon that will challenge the list. You’ve got to start somewhere though 1/3 36/105… #PicturebookPage