I guess I’m not as much of a grown-up as I fear, particularly when it comes to a title like Hide and Seeker. But nothing is the same… Anyone who plays the game disappears, one by one, taken by the mysterious Seeker.

Children will be delighted to read how imagination and friendship can change an ordinary day into a magical adventure! As a veteran preschool teacher, parent and grandparent, I have found this amazing rhythmic tale of hide and seek to skillfully convey to toddlers and preschoolers, the unconditional love a mother has for her child. If I read this when I was growing up, I think it would have seriously scared me due to the situations the kids are put into as well as the monster. I still haven’t come to any real conclusions on that matter, so I’m just going to say that it really comes down to the individual child reader. This past Halloween, my daughter wanted to dress up as a dentist, of all things, so my husband and I went along dressed up as giant teeth.the group whittles down quickly until only a handful remain, and thankfully these characters are well-developed with fully defined personalities and backstories designed to ignite the reader's sympathies—flawed but likable underdogs with hard-earned survival skills put to good use. i love that justin uses his puzzle piece to self-soothe throughout the book, but he has to give it up to save his friends. An innocent game of hide and seek turns out to be not so innocent and suddenly Justin and his friends are faced with a monster trying to steal their souls all because of a game! My granddaughter’s love of unicorns along with the colours pink and purple make this book an excellent choice for her, I am sure plenty of children will love it too!

In this funny seek-and-find book, Fergus, a big brown bear with glasses, gets tips from the narrator on how to get better at hiding. He's also dealing with panic attacks and anxiety and on top of that there's the worry that he and his sister will lose their house to bill collectors. Meanwhile, Rebus' boss, Detective Superintendent Watson, has roped him in to help on an anti-drugs campaign, which lets him hob nob with the rich and powerful -- fancy lunches and parties, invitations to the most exclusive clubs. I liked that, but eventually as you discover the truth behind the park, it could have gone deeper into those elements. This was a great way to escape reality and I found myself devouring this book a lot faster than I thought I would.The illustrations are eye-catching, and the story is a perfect length for twos and threes, who are just starting to use positional words.

And so I found myself wondering idly if the book was too dark for kids and maybe some of the violence should have been toned down. Andrea has this uncanny ability to create a layer of tension that imposes itself on the reader from the very first page and it does not relent until you get to that relief inducing last chapter. I’ve loved her previous books so I was delighted to get an advanced copy of Hide and Seek, prior to its release in August.

So unfolds the tale of two timelines, interweaving the past, the present and the secrets of the residents of Rowanbrook. The book starts off about a year after Justin's mom has died and close friend, Zee, reappears after going missing for about the same time. Joanna becomes all-consumed by finding out what happened to the little girl because of a secret she is hiding. I'm easily disturbed and the most annoying part about a great thriller like this that you don't want to stop reading is that I have to when night falls.