It's been a hectic February in the Roaring Reads house, and we haven't managed to keep up with the flurry of brilliant new Scottish (and Scottishish) kids books that have descended, like sparkly snowflakes! But today (February 29) is a magical bonus day, so we are taking the chance to round up some of the... Continue Reading →

In our Seven Stories feature, we ask a Scottish children’s author to share some stories about their own life. This month we meet Lari Don. We were enchanted by her new book, The Legend of the First Unicorn, and wanted to find out more about the stories behind it. 1) NEWS STORY: (What's the story... Continue Reading →

The unicorn on the cover of this book is so majestic that it seems to call you to turn the page and discover what's inside, and the story that unfolds within is no less enchanting. The Legend of the First Unicorn is a fable about a young prince who has lost his smile, and the... Continue Reading →

We were swept away by Tiger Skin Rug - a magical adventure that carries its readers between cultures and continents, and has concern for conservation at its core. Cricket-loving Lal and his little brother Dilip are from India, and they are not at all impressed with their new home in Scotland. They don't like the... Continue Reading →

We enjoyed this new-school story about Ella, who struggles to fit in with the in-crowd, and resorts to a guidebook: 'Five Ways to Make a Friend' for tips. The advice in Ella's book is less than brilliant, but following it propels her into some entertaining situations, and towards some important realisations. Five Ways to Make... Continue Reading →

A few weeks back, we were wondering where we could find a good story about Scottish wildcats. Then this landed on the doormat - and the wildlife fanatics in our house are delighted. Lynne Rickards & Kirsteen Harris-Jones' new picture book follows the adventures of Willow and Corrie, two squabbling wildcat kittens whose lives are... Continue Reading →

With its focus on a pair of long-eared siblings fleeing incomprehensible horror, it feels natural to draw comparison between The Blue Hare and Richard Adams' Watership Down, but while Hugh Webster's recent book shares empathy for wildlife and an eye for nature's details with that classic, it is slimmer and faster- paced - and shines... Continue Reading →

We don't think there are enough great stories out there for younger middle-grade readers, so after tearing through his first book, we were excited to get our claws into Whoa! I Spy a Werewolf, the second in Justin Davies series about Alice, a girl coming to terms with her special powers, and the gang of... Continue Reading →

Wee Shona the stray cat is forced to move on when the tin roof flies off her dilapidated shed in a storm. While she searches for a new place to live, her friends Angus and Tam are searching for her – but will they be able to help when they finally track her down? An... Continue Reading →