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Andrea Reece - Editorial Expert

Andrea Reece has spent almost her entire working life in children’s books, first as publisher, latterly as consultant, project manager and critic.

She has reviewed for LoveReading4Kids since 2015, is editor of the leading children’s books review journal Books for Keeps and administrator of the Klaus Flugge Prize and Branford Boase Award.

She was children’s programme director of the FT Weekend Oxford Literary Festival until 2023, spent three years as manager of National Poetry Day and works with CLPE on the CLiPPA (CLPE Children’s Poetry Prize) and with The Full English on the Poetry By Heart national competition. She has judged children’s prizes including the Costa Children’s Book Award and Alligator’s Mouth Award.

Latest Reviews By Andrea Reece

One excited little monkey wants to go on a bear hunt; one careful elephant aunty thinks that’s too scary. So, they set up a banana hunt instead. How many bananas can little Bernado hide, and what unusual hiding places can he find? Lots is the answer! As Auntie Dot searches for the hidden bananas and gathers them all together, things get stickier and squishier, but when a scary bear arrives, they’re thankful for the bumper hoard. The setting is a jungle, and the scenes are bright, bold and bursting with life with so much to spot. ... View Full Review

Forget Dennis the Menace, his cousin Minnie can match him in the mischief stakes, and she has lots of opportunities for behaving badly in this new illustrated adventure. Her class are off on a weeklong school trip to Camp Griller. It’s not exactly luxurious, and as for the food … but who cares when you can tell scary stories, play pranks, and enjoy some special midnight feasts? Even when it turns out Camp Griller isn’t all it’s supposed to be, there’s a happy ending for this set of Bash Street Kids. With ... View Full Review

Lesley Parr is one of the most notable new voices in historical fiction and her new story sends readers back to 1980. The Jam were providing a soundtrack to the summer and people across the UK and beyond were protesting against nuclear weapons. The outside world, in the shape of Paul Weller at least, has infiltrated Marcus’ conscious, the CND movement less so; his main preoccupation is navigating school and home life safely. The former is even less happy than it was since he fell out with his best friend, Jezza, and home is difficult for many reasons. His family ... View Full Review

Run Like A Girl 50 Extraordinary and Inspiring Sportswomen

This positive, empowering book turns accusations of running, throwing, catching ‘like a girl’ right around to give young women keen to participate in sports of any kind the confidence to go ahead and overcome any obstacles society or life might put in their way. It does this by introducing fifty amazing and successful female athletes who’ve all followed their dreams, no matter how hard it was. There are trailblazers in fields as different as cricket, surfing, squash and open-water swimming; some of the names will be familiar, like Nicola Adams and Simone Biles, others probably less ... View Full Review

For all that it’s a book about loss, The Fun We Had is bursting with joy, a celebration of happiness, days out and shared memories. A young girl visits her nana as the seasons pass, each time receiving a hug and a kiss, and together the two share memories of the happy times they’ve spent together. They remember sailing paper boats, splashing at the beach, making dens in the woods, and picnics in the garden. These days Nana is poorly and when the child suggests ways to make her better, the answer is always the same: ... View Full Review

Based on a tragedy in the author’s own life, this moving picture book delivers an inspiring message about finding courage even when you can hear that voice in your head saying you’ll fail or just aren’t good enough. Jennie Cashman Wilson met and fell in love with jazz musician Abram Wilson. She describes how his talent and determination to follow his heart inspired her to do the same, even after she lost him to cancer. He showed her the importance of living boldly, she says, and his story, told here, will show young people ... View Full Review

The distinctive vernacular of the north-east enriches this time-slip story which links present day challenges and grief with a 19th century tragedy. Archie lives with his mum and grandad in Heaton, almost directly above the scene of a mining disaster that took the lives of 75 men and boys two hundred years ago. His own life is affected by the area’s industrial history too. His grandad is fighting for breath after a lifetime working in the pit, his dad has disappeared looking for work elsewhere, and life for him and his friends is tough. The stories combine one terrible ... View Full Review

Lula and her dad are going on holiday to the seaside, but for the first time, Simone and her son Theo are coming too. Lula isn’t sure about this; she’s never had a big brother before and she’s certainly not happy when Theo puts her bucket and spade in the car. But then they arrive at the beach and Theo offers to help Lula with her sandcastle. By the end of the day, the two are firm friends and making plans for tomorrow. Júlia Moscardó’s illustrations depict a small ... View Full Review

Set in a dystopian future in which the earth has become so polluted even the air is toxic, Alastair Chisholm’s thriller, like all the best sci-fi stories, is full of warnings about contemporary society. Teenage Sparrow has already had to leave school to support her grandfather and little sister. She works as a courier, tearing round Edinburgh at top speed, relying on her hover skates and her bespoke tether to meet the specified delivery times. It’s not just food and rent the family need, oxygen must be paid for too, all supplied by big tech corporation ... View Full Review

Created by Harriet Muncaster of Isadora Moon fame, Mirabelle is half witch, half fairy, and totally irrepressible! In this adventure her witch mum is in a bit of a flap getting ready to host a barbecue for their new neighbours. Mirabelle promises to be good and indeed, tries her best to help, but things always go awry where she’s concerned, and soon there’s mess in the kitchen, far too much sugar in the lemonade, and frogspawn in her brother Wilbur’s drink! Sent up to her room, Mirabelle can’t resist using her favourite ... View Full Review

Half-vampire, half-fairy and loved by countless young readers, Isadora Moon is one of the liveliest, most appealing little characters around and there’s lots of fun and enjoyment to be had in this new activity book. In Isadora black and pink, here are wordsearches, puzzles, riddles and more – all Isadora themed – but perhaps most fun of all, lots of drawing challenges and opportunities. Whatever the weather, wherever they are, this will add a touch of Isadora Moon sparkle to young readers’ holiday adventures. View Full Review