I am a bit overexcited today to be welcoming Lucy Strange, author of The Secret of Nightingale Wood, to the site. I read The Secret of Nightingale Wood (find it on The Bookshelf) in one sitting, lying in bed with flu over Christmas last year. Never have I been so happy to be ill! The story transported me back to childhood and into the most wonderful magical tale.   

I'm excited to bring you two competitions courtesy of Lexi Rees, author of Eternal Seas reviewed this week on the Bookshelf.  Lexi is offering Amazon vouchers and the exciting opportunity to see your illustrations published in her next book. Both competitions are easy to enter.  

I am very excited to see the Great School Libraries initiative up and running today - congratulations to all those people who have worked so hard behind the scenes. Let's all get behind their campaign, because every child deserves a great school library.  

It's coming up to that time of year again and I've been looking at books about starting secondary school. There are lots of picture books for kids joining nursery or reception, but fewer about going up to Year Seven. Here is my initial list but it's a work in progress so please get in touch with any more to add ideas.