Storytime with Hannah and Patrick

The city roared like a jungle. Leonie roared back at the city. She shook her mane and swished her tail. She was a  lion girl. Leonie and her mother are off to the big city! Inspired by the people, sights and sounds, Leonie can't wait to discover it all. Her mother tells her to stay close, but there's SO much to see. And surely nothing can scare a brave lion girl, can it? A wild, spirited t...

Hello my Little Readers. Today we will be reading 'I Have A Super Power' - a book to encourage and empower both children and adults to learn and explore their emotions, thoughts and feelings, particularly focusing on anxiety. This book can enable better understating about anxiety, open up communication and encourage connection. Author, Ted Kelly wants children to know that even uncomfortab...

Snuggle up and get ready to jump into “DOGFISH Just be YOU!” written by Rita Reed, illustrated by Craig Cartwright, from the engaging children’s picture book series Dogfish Tales. Will Dogfish save the day? Dogfish sets out on an exciting Arctic adventure to see the glistening northern lights. Along the way he meets many talented friends and a baby polar bear who is in BIG trouble! Join Dogfish on...

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL OUR LITTLE (& BIG) READERS! The Big Christmas Bake, written by Fiona Barker and illustrated by Pippa Curnick, is a beautiful, lyrical, and humorous Christmas story for the whole family to enjoy. Join us for a funny, lively romp through the twelve days of Christmas, taking the elements of the popular carol, and weaving them cleverly into the ingredients for a Twelfth Nigh...

It's Christmas Eve at Storytime with Hannah and Patrick! Snuggle up at bedtime and join us as we jump into 'Selah's Gift to Father Christmas' by Jeanelle Brew, illustrated by Sarah Jane Docker, published by Bryan House Publishing. Selah is on a very important mission. With the help of her family, friends and Missy the kitten, she is searching for a present to give to Father Christm...

Today's festive story, in the build up to Christmas day, is a reading of Chapter One from Wishyouwas: The tiny guardian of lost letters, written by Alexandra Page, illustrated by Penny Neville-Lee, published by Bloomsbury Children's Books 📖 Meet Wishyouwas, the tiny guardian of lost letters. It’s 1952, and London is shrouded in a thick smog. When Penny Black visits her uncle’s post office...

We're counting down the days to Christmas and here's the perfect festive read for the big day... 'A Family Christmas' by Alana Washington, illustrated by Emily Nash, published by Uclan. Grab your copy to read along with us, plus it would make the perfect gift for Christmas! A heart warming Christmas tale that invites every child to see themselves and their family within its pages....

We're counting down the days to Christmas! Our second festive read-aloud tale is 'Fletcher and the Stars' by Julia Rawlinson and Tiphanie Beeke, published by Graffeg. As Fletcher looks up at the night sky, the stars flicker out, one by one. Soon, instead of a starry sparkle, there is... nothing! Fletcher sets out to help the stars shine again, but as he and Badger race through the wint...

We're counting down the days to Christmas so to start our festive read-alouds we bring to you ‘Cub’s First Winter’ by Rebecca Elliott, published by Imagine That 📖 Wrap up warm my little readers and join us for a snowy adventure in the forest ❄️ For more kids' stories, subscribe to Storytime with Hannah and Patrick on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and wherever else you listen to your podcasts!...

This week's picture book reading is the beautiful story of 'Just Because' by Rebecca Elliott, published by Lion Children’s. Toby thinks his sister Clemmie is the best! Join their adventures to find out why. A heart-warming story of the very special bond between a brother and a sister, no matter what. “A truly lovely book. It is indeed for all readers, all children and all adults. It sh...

This week's picture book reading is ‘Bertie The Very Blind Bat’ by Joanne Moore and Michelle Gemmel, published by HOKA. We are all a bit different and the world would be bleak if everyone was the same, not special or unique. Despite being visually impaired, Bertie sees himself as a ‘super-bat’: nothing can stop him! Or can it? Bertie gets into a tricky situation and starts to give up on himsel...

This week’s picture book reading is ‘The Pet’. Grab your copy and read along with us as we jump into this laugh-out-loud cautionary tale (for children and grown-ups) written by Catherine Emmett and illustrated by David Tazzyman, published by Macmillan. Digby David slammed the door,  and dumped his bag upon the floor. "Daddy! I DEMAND a pet, Why have I not got one yet?" Review We love Cat...

This week’s picture book reading is 'On the Farm', written and illustrated by Axel Scheffler, published by Pan Macmillan. Grab your copy and read along with us as we experience a very busy day on the farm, in this super interactive and imaginative tale, from the illustrator of The Gruffalo. Which farmyard animal is your favourite? 🐴🦆🐷🐐 For more kids' stories, subscribe to Storytime...

This week’s picture book reading is ‘Cub's First Summer’ by Rebecca Elliott. Grab your copy and read along with us as we jump into this enchanting tale. In 2019, my husband and I adopted our little boy and 'Cub's First Summer' is the first book we ever read to him. I actually created a recording of the story for him to listen to in foster care, so he could hear my voice every day a...

This week’s picture book reading is ‘The Littlest Yak’ by Lu Fraser and Kate Hindley. Read along with us as we jump into this rollicking, rhyming picture book that celebrates individuality, unique talents, and the importance of not growing up too fast. For more kids' stories, subscribe to Storytime with Hannah and Patrick on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and wherever else you listen to your podcast...

This week's picture book reading is 'The Dragon Who Didn't Like Fire' by Gemma Merino; a deeply funny and moving story about acceptance, difference and unconditional love. Everybody knows that dragons can breathe fire, but unlike her brothers and sisters, this little dragon is different. She doesn’t like fire but she desperately wants to fly and make her Dad proud. In an attempt at...

This week's picture book reading is SHOO! By Susie Bower and Francesca Gambatesa, published by Pushkin Press. Mrs Golightly doesn't like animals - and now a whole zoo has moved next door! No matter how hard she tries to shoo them away, she finds animals everywhere: a kangaroo on the loo, a giraffe in her bath, and even ants in her pants. What can she do to get rid of these stinky, botherso...

This week’s picture book reading is Roo Parkin’s delightfully hilarious ‘Sid’s Big Fib’, illustrated by Irina Avgustinovich and published by Maverick Books. Grab your copy and buckle up for the brag-a-thon as Sid and Lulu try to outdo each other with their weekend goings-on. From epic amounts of chocolate cake to riding the Cosmic Colly-Wobbler, Lulu always edges it. Until one day, Sid launches......

This week's picture book reading is ‘King of the Swamp’ by Catherine Emmett and Ben Mantle, published by Simon & Schuster. McDarkly lives quietly all on his own, growing orchids in his dank swamp, until one day his peace is disturbed by an arrogant King who wants to turn the swamp into a roller-skate park. McDarkly has ten days to prove that the swamp isn't damp and dark, but an enchan...