Book Reviews

A team of readers

Gobblefunked was founded in January 2013 by Linda Crosbie and Anne Whelton as a not-for-profit site, with the aim of taking the stress out of choosing books for little ones. Our reviewers include publishing professionals, mums and teenagers, and the Teenfunked reviewers focus on young adult content.

Reviews at Gobblefunked are written by a team that genuinely loves children's books, and that affection shows on every page. Rather than handing down a single verdict, each piece reflects the voice of whoever read it, whether that is a new parent discovering picture books all over again, a devoted auntie with a well-worn shelf, or a young adult enthusiast still loyal to the stories that shaped them. The aim is not to grade books but to describe what a title offers, how it reads aloud, and which sort of reader might take it to heart.

The collection is organised so that finding the right book feels unhurried. New releases sit alongside old favourites, letting visitors browse what has just arrived or return to titles that have quietly stayed with the team over the years. Categories stretch across the full age range, from picture books and short illustrated stories through to longer fiction and graphic novels, including dyslexia friendly and Irish language choices. Seasonal reads and themed lists help when a particular moment calls for something fitting.

Every review is meant to be useful to the person choosing a book, not just to the publisher. That means honest, warm description rather than hype, with attention to the things that matter when reading with a child: rhythm, humour, illustration, and how a story holds up on the tenth reading. Classic titles are revisited with the same care as new ones, since a book that has endured often has something worth saying to a fresh audience. The hope is simply that a review helps a reader find a story they will want to keep.

Beyond the reviews themselves, Gobblefunked is a place for sharing the joy of children's books in a wider sense, through author chats, news of shortlists and awards, competitions, and a monthly newsletter that gathers the highlights in one place. There are features on the people who make books, glimpses behind the scenes, and space for the playful, word-loving spirit that gives the site its name. Reviews are the heart of it, but they sit within a broader conversation about reading, curiosity, and the pleasure of a good story shared.