Jacqui Sydney 📚

@jacquisydney

Ex KS2 teacher, children’s book blogger and lover of undunked biscuits and Lego. Currently reading all the books. Autistic. She/her. Blog:

454 Folgt5.877 Follower5.678 Posts

Bluesky

alt

Ist das dein Profil?Übernimm es — dann gehört dir jacquisydney.dirty.social.Profil übernehmen

Jacqui Sydney 📚@jacquisydney· 23d

Huge thanks to @nosycrow.bsky.social for today’s wonderful book post. The 1st in a dark new middle grade fantasy series, The Trouble With Magic by Amy Wilson sounds right up my street. Out 10/09. #KidlitUK #UKKidlit

Jacqui Sydney 📚@jacquisydney· 24d

Loved the 1st of the #DraculaAndDaughters books by @emcarrollauthor.bsky.social and couldn’t be more thrilled to have been sent a proof of School for Slayers 🦇 Out 10/09 for middle grade readers, the most enormous thanks go to Sarah @faberchildrens.bsky.social #KidlitUK #UKKidlit

The book being held in front of one of my hanging baskets. The red cover has a roughly circular picture below the title which has small black bats featured on either side of it and shows 3 girls with red hair standing in the open gateway to a creepy old house standing atop a hill.

Jacqui Sydney 📚@jacquisydney· 24d

Welcome to my stop on the blog tour for brilliant picture book The Tour at School (Because You’re the New Kid!) by Katie Clapham and @nadiashireen.bsky.social. Out now for 4+ readers from @walkerbooksuk.bsky.social worldssmallestlibrary.wordpress.com/2026/07/21/b...

The blog tour banner which lists the stops and shows the book’s cover which has a little Black girl with red glasses, plaits and a red pinafore jumping for joy on the left of a very nervous-looking little boy with brown skin who has the hood of his green coat pulled up over his head.

Jacqui Sydney 📚@jacquisydney· 27d

Huge thanks go to @andersenpress.bsky.social for today’s fabulous book post, The Pearly Pants - the 2nd in the Will Shakespeare Mysteries, by Kaz Penney, illustrated by Sammy Elgie. Out 27/08 for 7+ readers. #KidlitUK #UKKidlit

The book and its press release. The mostly purple cover shows a young William Shakespeare reaching up to an arrow that appears to have been shot through his hat by friend Tybalt who is holding a bow and arrow and laughing.

Jacqui Sydney 📚@jacquisydney· 28d

Huge thanks go to @tinabookpusher.bsky.social @scholasticuk.bsky.social for this finished copy of the brilliant The Wild Ones by Steve Cole 🐾 Out 30/07 for 8+ readers, here’s the link to my review to tell you all you need to know: worldssmallestlibrary.wordpress.com/2026/05/13/t...

The book and its press release. The cover shows a group of pets led by a Jack Russell dog on a dark abandoned street.

Jacqui Sydney 📚@jacquisydney· 28d

A middle grade that’s ‘enchantingly magickal and darkly murderous’ gets a definite yes please from me! A Scrap of Moss and Magick by Helen Parry is out 08/10 from @dfbstoryhouse.bsky.social, huge thanks go to Fern for sending this gorgeous proof 🥰 #KidlitUK #UKKidlit

The proof bundled up with the press release and a matching bookmark, all tied up with a sheer purple ribbon.

The proof and its press release. The cover shows a green manor house within an ivory circle against a purple background. Running towards the house is a purple horse and perched on the title is a magpie.

Jacqui Sydney 📚@jacquisydney· 29d

Back from a very warm and slow walk to town and popped into the local art exhibition to look at the artwork displayed there by illustrator James Mayhew.

A tortoise wearing a hat and holding a flag in its mouth as it walks along.

A glorious firebird flying away from a person in an ornately decorated red hat and coat.

4 smaller pictures featuring a character called Katie from (I think) books featuring her.

A fantastic castle, created in lots of bold colours, with several turrets with flags flying from them.

Jacqui Sydney 📚@jacquisydney· Jul 15

I can’t get enough middle grade science fiction so I’m beyond excited to have been sent a copy of Rusthead by Ross MacKenzie 🚀 Out 13/08 for 10+ readers, huge thanks go to @andersenpress.bsky.social #KidlitUK #UKKidlit

The book and its press release. The cover shows a boy with his back to us, standing in the cockpit of a spaceship looking out at a large red planet ahead. Another craft is visible on the right hand side of the picture.

Jacqui Sydney 📚@jacquisydney· Jul 14

I’ve been looking forward to reading this one for too long and can’t wait any longer!

Feather Vane by Beth O’Brien. The cover shows a girl with long red hair wearing a sky blue dress and a boy covered in dark blue feathers in a forest filled with feathers, fairies and fungi standing either side of a cauldron dropping ingredients into it.

Jacqui Sydney 📚@jacquisydney· Jul 11

Board book I’ll Love You Till the Sloths Starts School by Kathryn Cristaldi & Kristina Litten looks absolutely lovely 🦥 Out 16/07, thanks go to @antswilkinson.bsky.social @harper360uk.bsky.social #KidlitUK #UKKidlit

The book and its press release. The cover shows 2 sloths walking along the road with their bags towards their school.

Jacqui Sydney 📚@jacquisydney· Jul 10

There was a time when Friday nights meant visiting the pub and the consumption of several sherbets. Now it’s a Diet Coke at home and a caffeine-free one at that 👵🏻

Jacqui Sydney 📚@jacquisydney· Jul 8

Thrilled to have been given the opportunity for an early read of The Shadows of Kensington Gore by @mossmontmomery.bsky.social. Out 22/10, the most enormous thanks go to Georgia @penguinbooks.bsky.social @netgalley.bsky.social #MurderMystery #Whodunnit

The book’s cover which shows a silhouetted London skyline behind a large 3-storey house against a blood red background.

Jacqui Sydney 📚@jacquisydney· Jul 7

I’m resharing my review of BobLand by Matt Lucas, illustrated by Begoña Fernández Corbalán to celebrate receiving a paperback copy of this very funny read 🎢 Out now for 8+ readers, huge thanks go to @farshorebooks.bsky.social #KidlitUK worldssmallestlibrary.wordpress.com/2026/01/22/b...

The book, the cover of which shows a grinning boy with his arms in the air and a dog riding on a rollercoaster, with a theme park behind them.

Jacqui Sydney 📚@jacquisydney· Jul 6

Reading plans have changed due to my feeling sorry for myself and am returning to an old favourite.

Festergrimm by Thomas Taylor, the cover of which shows protagonists Herbie and Vi running from left to right along a walkway on the side of a building with white cat Erwin while a giant robotic figure behind them looks around the corner of the building at them with its right hand raised threateningly.

Jacqui Sydney 📚@jacquisydney· Jul 6

Everyone loves a choose your own adventure story and You Choose Party Time by Nick Sharratt & Pippa Goodhart looks like huge fun 🥳 Out 20/08 for 3+ readers, huge thanks go to @antswilkinson.bsky.social @puffinbooksuk.bsky.social #KidlitUK #UKKidlit

The book lying in some shade in my garden. The mostly jade green cover features the title in large foiled letters with lines of small rectangular pictures running in parallel to it and a girl and boy standing either side of ‘You Choose’ with their hands in a ta-dah pose.

Jacqui Sydney 📚@jacquisydney· Jul 6

Graphic Novel Wilomina and the Land of Dreams and Nightmares by @metaphrog.bsky.social has been on my radar for some time so I’m beyond excited to have been sent a copy. Out 13/08 for 8+ readers, enormous thanks go to @kirankhanom.bsky.social @scholasticuk.bsky.social #KidsGN #KidlitUK #UKKidlit

The book and its press release. The cover shows Wilomina facing the reader, with her hair in a high ponytail, holding a forked stick in her left hand and with a baby sucking on a dummy on her back. There’s a green cat-like creature behind her right shoulder and a pink winged creature flying on her left. All of them are standing in front of a large blue house with turrets with its lights on and 2 bat-like creatures flying above them and green tentacles on either side from an unseen creature or creatures.

Jacqui Sydney 📚@jacquisydney· Jul 4

A trio of titles from @walkerbooksuk.bsky.social in today’s post. Looking forward to reading Michael Rosen’s Nice Poems, illustrated by Hannah Robinson; Unicornia: Camping in the Clouds by Ana Punset, illustrated by Diana Vicedo and Indie in Disguise: Stylist-ing and Other Jobs by Emma Farrarons…

Top left: Michael Rosen’s Nice Poems, illustrated by Hannah Robinson. The yellow cover shows a white child clutching a long spoon in their left hand looking up at a large ice cream sundae on the table at which they’re sitting, which is being hugged by a small Black person, also armed with a long spoon.

Bottom left: Unicornia Camping in the Clouds by Ana Punset, illustrated by Diana Vicedo. The cover shows a girl with long lilac hair with assorted camping equipment on her back marching from right to left across a pastel-coloured rainbow.

Right: Indie in Disguise: Stylist-ing and Other Jobs by Katie Clapham, illustrated by Emma Farrarons. The yellow cover shows a young Black girl with flower-shaped glasses tying a bright pink neckerchief around the neck of small, fluffy brown dog that is sitting down and wearing grey socks on its front paws.

Jacqui Sydney 📚@jacquisydney· Jul 3

This has to be one of the prettiest proof packages I’ve been sent. Enormously looking forward to reading verse novel When the Birds Wake Uo by Jessica Mary Ellis, illustrated by Sophie Burrows. Out 10/09 for 8+ readers, huge thanks go to Fern @dfbstoryhouse.bsky.social #KidlitUK #UKKidlit

The book, postcard, press release and letter from the author tied up with a pale blue ribbon and accompanied by a net bag of Turkish Delight.

The goodies spread out on my lawn. The postcard, which shows the cover, depicts a girl with long dark hair kneeling on the ground outside holding up a treat for a scruffy dark grey and white dog who is begging for it. The proof’s cover shows lots of birds in flight drawn in shades of lavender against an ivory background.

Jacqui Sydney 📚@jacquisydney· Jul 2

What’s better than a trip to the seaside for fish & chips? A trip to the seaside for fish & chips and a visit to the bookshop to pick up the last in the #Heartstopper series. Wondering if Mr S will mind if I ignore him to read on the way home…

The graphic novel held up in front of a stony beach, barely visible sea and blue sky. The cover shows Nick and Charlie enjoying a passionate snog.

Jacqui Sydney 📚@jacquisydney· Jul 2

Welcome to my stop on the blog tour for brilliant middle grade fantasy Royal Institute of Magic: The Silver Dwarf by Victor Kloss. Out now from #VinciBooks @edpr.bsky.social #KidlitUK #UKKidlit worldssmallestlibrary.wordpress.com/2026/07/02/b...

The blog tour banner listing the stops and showing the book’s cover, which shows 2 teenager boys and a teenage female elf riding through a moonlit sky in a carriage being pulled by a white pegasus.

Jacqui Sydney 📚@jacquisydney· Jul 1

Last week’s hot weather meant even more reading than usual during June. I’m a bit behind sharing a few reviews but the most-viewed new one on my blog was for Beast Mode: The Animal Awakens by J. J. Arcanjo, link below ⬇️ worldssmallestlibrary.wordpress.com/2026/06/10/b...

Huge pile of physical reads read during June.

Jacqui Sydney 📚@jacquisydney· Jun 30

Always lovely when a book you’ve been keenly anticipating arrives early at your local indie. I’ve loved all of @nicolapenfold.bsky.social’s middle grades and am very excited to read this 🥰

The book held up under a tree in my local park. The cover, which is predominantly green, shows 2 teenagers with their hoods up running through heavy rain alongside several deer with birds flying above them.

Jacqui Sydney 📚@jacquisydney· Jun 29

Super cute graphic novel post today! Looking forward to reading Cat School: Odd Cat Out by Rose Robbins 🐈‍⬛ Out 06/08 for 7+ readers, huge thanks go to @scallywagpress.bsky.social @laurasmythepr.bsky.social #KidlitUK #UKKidlit

The book and its press release. The cover shows 3 cat friends (one black, one grey and one white with orange and black splodges) standing together surrounded by doodles and cat faces.

Jacqui Sydney 📚@jacquisydney· Jun 29

Today, I’m delighted to kick off the blog tour for very funny #YA romance The Party by Ben Tomlinson 🥳 Out 02/07 for 12+ readers from @andersenpress.bsky.social worldssmallestlibrary.wordpress.com/2026/06/29/b...

The blog tour banner listing the stops and showing the book, the cover of which shows a drunk teenage boy lying on a sofa with a girl standing at either end of it and the floor strewn with pizza, cups, crisps and toilet roll.

Jacqui Sydney 📚@jacquisydney· Jun 28

Being an old-fashioned kind of girl, I love a CD and this has arrived with perfect timing as Mr S is heading to the office tomorrow, meaning I can play this very loudly on repeat 😀

CD of The Wow! Signal by Muse. The cover probably has some deep meaning of which I’m blissfully ignorant but is almost exclusively black with the lit surface of a planet at the top of the cover and a thin beam of red light extending from the bottom to the centre of some sort of black circular structure in the centre which is possibly a space station but reminds me of those sweetie bracelets aimed at kids.

Jacqui Sydney 📚@jacquisydney· Jun 28

I know lots of people like to have a break between reads but as soon as I’ve finished one book, I’m usually on to the next. Loved YA title We are All Made of Molecules (full review to follow) and am now starting the 4th in the middle grade Nina Peanut series.

On the left, We are All Made of Molecules by Susin Nielsen and on the right, Nina Peanut: Major Drama Alert by Sarah Bowie.

Jacqui Sydney 📚@jacquisydney· Jun 27

A story about love, memory and letting go told in alternating verse and prose chapters, Atlas and Skye by Emma Smith-Barton, illustrated by Chita Erayanie, looks brilliant. Out 09/07 for 9+ readers, huge thanks go to @antswilkinson.bsky.social @puffinbooksuk.bsky.social #KidlitUK #UKKidlit

The book and its press release. The cover shows a tree with lots of household objects hanging from its branches. Sitting in the tree is a young girl with brown skin who is passing down a framed photo to a boy with light brown skin who is reaching for it with his left hand while clutching a book to his chest with his right.

Jacqui Sydney 📚@jacquisydney· Jun 27

Love me a #YA romance and Eternally Yours by Anika Hussain looks and sounds like huge fun 💖 Out 16/07 for 14+ readers, huge thanks go to @amberivatt.bsky.social @hotkeybooks.bsky.social

The book and its press release. The mostly pale yellow cover shows a young Black woman and man perched on the corners of a table with their bodies turned away from one another but each looking at the other.

Jacqui Sydney 📚@jacquisydney· Jun 27

Loved the first #WiskaWildflower book by Harriet Muncaster and am thrilled to have received the second,The Crystal Cave together with assorted treasure 🌺 Out now for 7+ readers, huge thanks go to @oxfordchildrens.bsky.social #KidlitUK #UKKidlit

The book, matching tote bag, letter from the author and pink pen. The book’s cover shows Wiska dressed in bright pink and green standing on the left looking towards her friend who has brown skin and is sitting cross-legged on the ground dressed in pink and holding a crystal up towards Wiska.

Jacqui Sydney 📚@jacquisydney· Jun 24

I’m going in! 🥰