In September 2019, Mr H and I started our own book blog; those posts are now merged with this blog, and in December 2019, I posted my very first quarterly reading round-up. I have continued to post quarterly summaries until this year, when I decided to switch to monthly posts.
Here is what I read in August 2026.
Charles Darwin's On the Origin of Species: Words That Changed the World by Anna Brett πππππ
A nice, light taster of the full book that I'm still to get to (I know!). Though Charles Darwin has his controversial moments, the immense contributions he made to science and natural history cannot be denied and On the Origin of Species is probably my top bucket list read. It's a daunting one, but this 'children's' version was a super fun little bite! The illustrations by Nick Hayes add such life and immersion to the book too.
The Bear and the Seed by Poonam Mistry ππππ
I hereby declare that picture books should be for adults too! I've progressed from my 'children's books are for adults too' soapbox to shout about how special and moving many picture books, especially this one, can be. The Bear and the Seed is written and illustrated by Poonam Mistry and the book had such an effect on me that I jumped straight online to see what other books she has...
The only reason I cannot give it 5 stars is because I wish it were longer.
Woodlore: Discover the Seasons and Stories of the Forest by Kevin Parr ππππ
What a whimsical journey, sharing the stories of our treasured trees throughout the seasons. Brought to life with illustrations by Anja SuΕ‘anj, it's a joy to know there are books like this to teach children important topics and garner a relationship with the natural world.
Bright Stars of Black British History by J.T. Williams πππππ
Such a beautifully put together book, illustrated by the talented Angela Vives, it takes us on a chronological journey through time from Roman times up to more recent years shining a spotlight on 14 brilliant Black British people and their contributions to the world including politics, medicine, music, sport and more. I really enjoyed the format, layout and illustrations of this not to mention getting to learn about some incredible people from history.
The Notted Island by Katherine Child πππππ
Adored! I don't know what else to say. Katherine Child is undoubtably a magician with a pencil, but the magic she was able to weave with words for this story is on another level! This is a new favourite and I need more from Katherine now!
The Secret World of Twilight: A Natural History of Dusk and Dawn by Sally Coulthard ππππ
Sally Coulthard is a nature author I will always pick up. Her way of writing manages to be informative and interesting, yet down to Earth and with a warmth and love for Nature, no matter the subject, that is so relatable to me. The Secret World of Twilight was yet another
The Extraordinary Disappointments of Leopold Berry by Ransom Riggs ππππ
Ransom Rigg's Miss Peregrine books are some of my all time favourites from more modern years. That made me snap this up as soon as it came out, however, I usually tend to stick to stories set in bygone eras or ambiguous time periods, so put it off. Mr H read it and gave it praise though, so I finally decided to read it this month. It was a page turner, with a unique point of view and left my ready for the sequel.
I Eat the Stars: How to Live Fully and Beautifully in a Collapsing World by Sarah Wilson [AUDIO] ππππ
As someone with an intense fear, phobia, and anxiety about the state of our world this was just the book I needed. It wasn't someone saying 'everything will be fine, don't worry' which annoys me to no end, but instead it validated my feelings and helped me to process the fact that the world as we knew it is gone. It's not that there is no hope for the future, it's that we have to think of everything in a different way now. As always, I love when an author narrates their own book. They know how it is meant to be conveyed and Sarah Wilson did it so well.
The Railway Children by E. Nesbit [AUDIO] πππππ
E Nesbit is one of my all time favourite authors and I've read the majority of her books. I have, however, never listened to one of her books. Of course this story is a 5-star read, but this particular narration is also 5-stars. Steven Garnett of Red Fox Voice on YouTube is a marvellous narrator and brought The Railway Children to life! It's so rare to hear more Northern accents represented in audio media and we need more of it.
Land of the Blue Flower by Frances Hodgson Burnett [AUDIO] πππππ
Squeezed in an extra listen, again from Steven Garnett's YouTube channel, to round out the month. This is actually a short story I was previously unaware of however it was just the right moral-filled tale to cap off a lovely reading month!
Year-Long Reads
Nature Writing for Every Day of the Year by Jane McMorland Hunter
Black History for Every Day of the Year by David Olusoga, Yinka Olusoga
Words for Life: To Boost Every Day of the Year by Susie Dent
Telling the Seasons: Stories, Celebrations and Folklore around the Year by Martin Maudsley
Urban Nature Every Day: Discover the Natural World on Your Doorstep Jane McMorland Hunter, Sally Hughes
Hettie Nettle's Handbook for Hedgewitches by Claire Barker
The Hidden Seasons: A Calendar of Nature's Clues and Signs by Tristan Gooley
The Wildlife Gardener's Almanac by Jackie Bennett
August Stats
August Pages - 1,050
Year-Long Reads Pages - 178
Total Pages - 1,228
Audio Listening Time - 17 hours 52 minutes
Average Rating - 4.5 stars
