Emily Bright and Sarah Campbell, founders of Parrot Street Book Club, a monthly book subscription service for kids, talk us through their five favourite books to transport kids on an adventure this winter
Emily and Sarah, Parrot Street Book Club
We’ve all had to stay a bit closer to home this year but we’ve still managed to have some amazing adventures through the books we read with our kids. We are passionate about the magic of books, which is what inspired us to set up Parrot Street Book Club, a monthly book subscription for children aged 5 to 11. Each month our subscribers receive a letterbox-friendly parcel containing a chapter book and an activity pack we’ve designed to accompany it.
We work hard to ensure we’re introducing our subscribers to books, authors and genres they might not otherwise have discovered, often seeking out tiny independent publishers or emerging authors.
Here are five of our favourite books to take you and the kids on an adventure.
The Land of Roar
This is a wildly imaginative modern fantasy adventure that reminded us of the Narnia books. Arthur and Rose are eleven-year-old twins, tasked with helping their grandad clear the junk from his attic. They both remember playing a make-believe game about a land named Roar, but when Grandad climbs through a Z-bed and disappears, Arthur wonders whether those games were make-believe at all. Featuring dragons, ninja wizards, mermaids and a very creepy baddie, this is a lovely adventure with beautiful illustrations for children aged 7+.
The Mapmaker’s Race
The Santanders are a family of explorers and mapmakers but since their father failed to return from his last expedition the family has struggled to make ends meet. Putting their skills to good use, they plan to take part in a race across mountainous terrain to discover and map the best route for a new railway. But when they become separated from their mother, it’s up to the Santander children to beat the other teams and win that prize! A classic adventure with some steam-punk elements, this is a great read for children aged 8+.
Knights and Bikes
Demelza lives in a caravan next to an abandoned adventure golf course. Her only friend is a pet goose. That is until enigmatic Nessa arrives and the two girls set out on an adventure to discover the truth about the legendary Penfurzy Knights. With only their wit, bravery and trusty bikes to rely on, it’s a rip-roaring adventure with a 1980s setting that parents will particularly enjoy. We’d recommend this for readers aged 7+.
The Incredible Dadventure
This was one of the first books we ever sent our subscribers but it’s still a firm favourite. Holly’s dad is a travel journalist and will be away for her 10th birthday while she’s stuck at home. However, her dad has created a special birthday treasure hunt for her and Holly soon discovers that you can find adventure in even the most seemingly boring of places. With illustrations throughout this is a great chapter book for children aged 5+.
Clean Getaway
When G’ma arrives in her RV and whisks him away on a road trip across the southern states of the USA, Scoob thinks he’s found a brilliant way to dodge his father’s anger at him getting into trouble at school. But as G’ma’s behaviour becomes more erratic Scoob learns that everything is not as it seems and gains insight into the history of his family and what life was like in a segregated American South. This is a highly entertaining, insightful and deeply moving story for readers aged 8+.