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The Bear & The Fox
@bearandfoxblog.bsky.social
220 followers 620 following 65 posts
A family blog, sharing recipes, craft ideas, book & games reviews, and travel tips for Edinburgh and beyond. https://www.thebearandthefox.com/
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[AD] Out today…the gnaw-some new picture book from Lu Fraser & Kate Hindley! The Busiest Beaver is a heartwarming story about thinking differently, trusting yourself, and the power of having a cheerleader in your corner. www.thebearandthefox.com/review-the-b...
#kidslit #kidsbooks #booksky 💙📚
Photograph of a boy holding up a copy of the book The Busiest Beaver, which he is seen reading.
September 11, 2025 at 7:04 AM
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Warm up for tonight’s #Eurovision Grand Final with this fun emoji quiz. Can you guess the winning songs, going all the way back to the 60s? Some clues are ‘say what you see’, some are more abstract. All but one of the song titles are in English. Answers tomorrow.
Eurovision Emoji Quiz. Can you guess these winning Eurovision song titles? The emojis pictured are as follows. 1 fairy, book 2 glass of water, toilet 3 teddy bear 4 bomb, explosion, A, explosion 5 arrow pointing up, fire, red bird 6 question mark, woman shrugging, question mark 7 plane, wing, wing, heart 8 satellite 9 closed lock, numbers, open lock 10 scary mask, man dancing, woman dancing 11 Numbers 648 times 3 12 joystick 13 three musical notes 14 electric guitar, toilet roll, two children 15 table bell, A, church bell 16 question mark, two calendars 17 diving gear, A 18 Life ring, two kisses, arrow pointing right, person 19 person singing 20 arrow pointing in to a tray, pair of eyes 21 thinking emoji, crown, brain, arrow pointing up 22 hands praying, church 23 gold medal, heart 24 arrows pointing up left down and right, a road, a thumbs up 25 person running, screaming emoji 26 heart, torch, lightbulb 27 number one 28 syringe, anchor 29 high five, emoji celebrating 30 two superheroes
May 17, 2025 at 1:43 PM
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This charity shop understands how to sell a dress! #pocketsforthewin
A dress in a charity shop window, with a tag on it that says “I’ve got pockets!”
April 12, 2025 at 7:12 PM
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[AD] Out today - two fab new #Scottish picture books! My Granny Went to Scotland, a fun caper with bold & colourful illustrations; and By the Beaver Pool, a gentle story about new beginnings, connecting with nature & rewilding. www.thebearandthefox.com/review-two-n... #kidslit #kidsbooks #booksky 💙📚
A photograph of the two books My Granny Went to Scotland and she brought back, and By the Beaver Pool, laying on top of a tartan blanket.
March 20, 2025 at 8:30 PM
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Happy #WorldBookDay! My latest Scottish #kidlit book of the week is The Highland Falcon Thief by @mglnrd.bsky.social & Sam Sedgman - a brilliant mystery adventure story set aboard a steam train which travels through parts of Scotland. www.thebearandthefox.com/scottish-boo...
#kidsbooks #booksky 💙📚
In the centre of the graphic is a photo of the cover of the children's book The Highland Falcon Thief. The cover shows a big red locomotive, with two children hanging off it either side. Behind the book cover is a pink splatter on a pale blue background. In the bottom left corner of the graphic is an outline of Scotland, which is blue with a white St Andrews cross on it. At the top of the graphic is the text Scottish Book of the Week.
March 6, 2025 at 8:31 PM
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My next Scottish #kidlit book of the week is ‘A Pattern of Secrets’ by @lindsaylittleson.bsky.social 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

Set in 19th century Paisley this gripping Victorian adventure story expertly blends facts with fiction. I couldn’t put it down! www.thebearandthefox.com/scottish-boo...

#kidsbooks #booksky 💙📚
In the centre of the graphic is a photo of the cover of the children's book A Pattern of Secrets. The cover shows silhouettes of a boy’s and a girl’s head, with a colourful Paisley pattern in the background. Behind the book cover is a pink splatter on a pale blue background. In the bottom left corner of the graphic is an outline of Scotland, which is blue with a white St Andrews cross on it. At the top of the graphic is the text Scottish Book of the Week.
February 26, 2025 at 12:29 PM
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My next Scottish #kidlit chapter book of the week is ‘Artie Conan Doyle and the Gravediggers Club’ by Robert J. Harris 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 Set in 19th C #Edinburgh, the fun adventure story features the famous author Arthur Conan Doyle as a school boy. www.thebearandthefox.com/scottish-boo...
#kidsbooks #booksky 💙📚
In the centre of the graphic is a photo of the cover of the children's book Artie Conan Doyle and the Gravediggers’ Club. The cover shows the title of the book in big letters against a blue background, surrounded by footprints. At the top is the silhouette of two boys, one wearing a deerstalker hat and holding a magnifying glass, and at the bottom a silhouette of a gravestone with a shovel next to it. Behind the book cover is a pink splatter on a pale blue background. In the bottom left corner of the graphic is an outline of Scotland, which is blue with a white St Andrews cross on it. At the top of the graphic is the text Scottish Book of the Week.
February 16, 2025 at 10:56 AM
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The #Edinburgh Half Term is almost here. Check out my guide to What's on for FREE for families, so you can enjoy the holidays without breaking the bank! www.thebearandthefox.com/february-hal...
#WhatsOnEdinburgh #EdinburghWithKids #EdinburghGuide #VisitEdinburgh #VisitScotland
A pale green background with a pattern of dark green leaves. In front of that is a dark green box with What's on for February Half Term in Edinburgh in white writing. In the corner is a red circle which says Free Events and Activities in white writing.
February 5, 2025 at 4:54 PM
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My Scottish #kidlit chapter book of the week is ‘Away With Words’ by Sophie Cameron 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 Set in Fortrose in current times. Unlike any other book I’ve read before, it was a unique little gem that I just couldn’t put down.
www.thebearandthefox.com/scottish-boo...
#kidsbooks #booksky 💙📚
In the centre of the graphic is a photo of the cover of the children's book Away With words. The book cover shows an open pair of hands surrounded by lots of words in different colours. Behind the book cover is a pink splatter on a pale blue background. In the bottom left corner of the graphic is an outline of Scotland, which is blue with a white St Andrews cross on it. At the top of the graphic is the text Scottish Book of the Week.
February 3, 2025 at 6:43 PM
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My Scottish #kidlit chapter book of the week is 'The God of All Small Boys' by Joseph Lamb 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 Set in Dundee in 1917, it celebrates the ups and downs of boyhood against a WW1 backdrop. Beautifully written, I couldn't put it down.
www.thebearandthefox.com/scottish-boo... #kidsbooks #booksky 💙📚
In the centre of the graphic is a photo of the cover of the children's book The God of All Small Boys. The book cover shows the black silhouettes of four boys against a sunrise lit sky. Behind the book cover is a pink splatter on a pale blue background. In the bottom left corner of the graphic is an outline of Scotland, which is blue with a white St Andrews cross on it. At the top of the graphic is the text Scottish Book of the Week.
January 26, 2025 at 12:54 PM
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Happy Burns Night! Here's a wee freebie to keep the kids entertained for a while today. Download your copy of my Burns Night Activity Pack from my blog here >> www.thebearandthefox.com/burns-night-...

#Scotland #Scottish #BurnsNight #BurnsSupper #Freebies #FreePrintables
A photograph showing three printed pages with Burns Night Puzzles, alongside some colouring pencils. The pages include a word search, a a maze, and a picture to colour in.
January 25, 2025 at 11:21 AM
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My project for 2025: Reviewing a #kidlit chapter book set in Scotland every week (there are so many!) 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 First up, the fabulous Rivet Boy by @scattyscribbler.bsky.social which is set during the construction of the Forth Bridge. Loved it! www.thebearandthefox.com/scottish-boo... #kidsbooks #booksky 💙📚
In the centre of the graphic is a photo of the cover of the children's book Rivet Boy. The book cover show an illustration of the Forth Bridge. Behind the book cover is a pink splatter on a pale blue background. In the bottom left corner of the graphic is an outline of Scotland, which is blue with a white St Andrews cross on it. At the top of the graphic is the test Scottish Book of the Week.
January 18, 2025 at 2:01 PM
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#bookadvent #christmascountdown Day 24: The Night Before Christmas, by Clement C. Moore & Eric Puybaret. There could only be one choice for the final day. I’ve recorded a video review of it too youtu.be/UsuNiV8fdL4 
#christmasbooks #kidsbooks #kidlit #booksky 💙📚
Photograph of the book cover The Night Before Christmas. The cover shows an illustration of Father Christmas with a sack full of presents about to go down a chimney of a snowy rooftop as two reindeer look on.
December 25, 2024 at 9:57 PM
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#bookadvent #christmascountdown Day 23: Mouse’s Night Before Christmas, by Tracey Corderoy & Sarah Massini. A new take on the famous poem, where the mouse is awake - and ends up saving the day!
#christmasbooks #kidsbooks #kidlit #booksky 💙📚
Photograph of the book cover Mouse’s Night Before Christmas. It shows an illustration of a mouse standing in a snowy landscape, watching Santa with his sleigh and reindeer flying through the sky. There are some Houses in the background.
December 24, 2024 at 12:30 AM
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#bookadvent #christmascountdown Day 22: The Christmas Eve Tree, by Delia Huddy & Emily Sutton. This story about a homeless boy & a scrappy little tree is quite sad, but also full of hope.
#christmasbooks #kidsbooks #kidlit #booksky 💙📚
A photograph of the book cover The Christmas Eve Tree. The cover shows an illustration of a big carry a cardboard box with a very small pine tree inside it. Next to him is a black dog. In the background there are houses with lit windows. It is snowing.
December 22, 2024 at 11:11 PM
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Check out my guide for the #Edinburgh #Christmas holidays, with free or low cost events and activities to get you out the house without breaking the bank.
www.thebearandthefox.com/christmas-ho...
#WhatsOnEdinburgh #EdinburghWithKids
A graphic with the words What's On for the Christmas Holidays in Edinburgh inside a dark blue rectangle. The patterned background is different shades of blue with white snowflakes. There is a red circle highlight with the words Free Events and Activities.
December 22, 2024 at 10:39 AM
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#bookadvent #christmascountdown Day 21: The Empty Stocking, by Richard Curtis & Rebecca Cobb. A tale of twins, one on the naughty and one on the nice list. But Santa leaves the wrong twin’s stocking empty! Will she do the right thing?
#christmasbooks #kidsbooks #kidlit #booksky 💙📚
A photograph of a white Christmas stocking, with colourful pom-poms at one end of the opening and the embroidered words Be Jolly. Next to the stocking lies the book The Empty Stocking. The book cover shows an illustration of two girls in front of a Christmas tree. One is holding a full stocking, the other is kneeling down with an empty stocking next to her.
December 22, 2024 at 12:46 AM
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#bookadvent #christmascountdown Day 20: Oliver Elephant, by Lou Peacock & Helen Stephens. A sweet Christmas story about a lost toy, with gorgeous illustrations.
#christmasbooks #kidsbooks #kidlit #booksky 💙📚
A photograph of the book cover Oliver Elephant. The cover shows an illustration of a little boy holding a toy elephant, standing in front of a Christmas tree. There is a small toy elephant next to the book.
December 20, 2024 at 9:58 PM
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#bookadvent #christmascountdown Day 19: Christmas in Exeter Street, by Diana Hendry & John Lawrence. In this funny story, more and more Christmas visitors keep arriving, until there’s even a baby sleeping in the kitchen sink!
#christmasbooks #kidsbooks #kidlit #booksky 💙📚
A photograph of the book cover Christmas in Exeter Street. The cover shows an illustration of a row of houses, outside on the streets there are lit street lamps, a red post box, and snow on the ground. It is snowing. The middle house shows all the windows lit up, and Santa Claus standing outside the front door.
December 20, 2024 at 12:27 AM
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#bookadvent #christmascountdown Day 18: The Christmas Department Store, by Maudie Powell-Tuck & Hoang Giang. Christmas has lost its magic for Benji, until he stumbles upon an extraordinary department store.
#christmasbooks #kidsbooks #kidlit #booksky 💙📚
A photograph of the book cover The Christmas Department Store. The cover shows an illustration of a little boy in a red hat standing in the snow in front of a shop. The shop has stained glass windows, and is decorated with Christmas wreaths and garlands. A polar bear wearing a hat and bow tie is opening the door of the shop from the inside.
December 18, 2024 at 11:35 PM
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#bookadvent #christmascountdown Day 17: Ollie’s Christmas Reindeer, by Nicola Killen. A sweet story about a wee girl who meets a reindeer and goes on a magical adventure.
#christmasbooks #kidsbooks #kidlit #booksky 💙📚
A photograph of the book cover Ollie's Christmas Reindeer. It shows an illustration of a little girl wearing a reindeer costume against a snowy landscape, in the background are some houses ans trees. There is a reindeer head dress laying next to the book.
December 18, 2024 at 12:24 AM
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#bookadvent #christmascountdown Day 16: Christmas Eve at the Mellops’ by Tommy Ungerer. A story about giving, compassion, and the true meaning of Christmas.
#christmasbooks #kidsbooks #kidlit #booksky 💙📚
A photograph of the book cover Christmas Eve at the Mellops. The cover shows an illustration of four pigs in the snow, each carrying a Christmas tree, outside a snow covered house.
December 17, 2024 at 12:13 AM
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#bookadvent #christmascountdown Day 15: How to Hide a Lion at Christmas, by Helen Stephens. When Iris visits her Auntie Sarah for Christmas, she has to leave her pet lion behind. But he has other ideas!
#christmasbooks #kidsbooks #kidlit #booksky 💙📚
A photograph of the book cover How to Hide a Lion at Christmas. The cover shows an illustration of a lion wearing a Santa hat, lying in front of a Christmas tree. A little girl is trying to cover him in wrapping paper.
December 15, 2024 at 11:02 PM
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#bookadvent #christmascountdown Day 14: Red & Lulu, by Matt Tavares. A Christmas miracle story about two cardinals who get separated. It’s beautifully illustrated too.
#christmasbooks #kidsbooks #kidlit #booksky 💙📚
A photograph of the book cover Red & Lulu by Matt Tavares. The cover shows an illustration of a street in New York City between sky scrapers, with a large Christmas tree at the end of the street. In the foreground are two cardinal birds, one red, one brown. It is snowing. Next to the book is a white bird Christmas decoration.
December 14, 2024 at 9:45 PM
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#bookadvent #christmascountdown Day 13: Bear Stays Up for Christmas, by Karma Wilson & Jane Chapman. Bear usually hibernates over Christmas, but his friends try to keep him up so he doesn’t miss it.
#christmasbooks #kidsbooks #kidlit #booksky 💙📚
A photograph showing the book cover of Bear Stays Up For Christmas. The cover shows an illustration of a best laying down, with one eye open and one eye closed. He is surrounded by other animals, including a badger, a mole, a rabbit and a mouse.
December 14, 2024 at 12:07 AM