By Holly Swain (author) , Holly Swain (illustrator) Part of the A Colin and Duck Story series
"Standing up for your friends, staying true to yourself, and trying new things — this swish picture book boasts a bounty of vibrant vampire-themed humour."
Paperback In Stock £7.99 £7.19
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Brimming with illustrative panache, and fresh on the fancy vampiric coat-tails of Colin's Castle !, Holly Swain’s Colin’s Grandma is a fang-tastic feast of picture book fun.
Colin lives in his “perfect vampire castle” with Duck. While the unlikely duo don’t always see eye to eye, they share a love of gardening, watching movies and trampolining. Today they’re focused on one task — making their castle spick and span ready for a visit from Colin’s Grandma.
But Grandma prefers the cobwebs and throws away the vaccum cleaner, she sees no point in vegetables for dinner, - and she’s a firm believer that “castles are JUST for vampires”. And so, Colin is compelled to make a stand. After declaring that the castle is also Duck’s home, he unleashes all manner of atypical vampire truths that Grandma might find hard to take, including the fact that he’s a vegetarian and sleeps at night. Horror of horrors! There’s no way Grandma can stay in such a place.
But before she leaves, Colin persuades Grandma to tuck into a veggie stir-fry (“It’s really not bad!” she admits) and to try the trampoline, all of which leaves her determined visit again very soon, while she leaves Colin and Duck with an unexpected gift…
Shot-through with a fun take on defying expectations (in Colin’s case) and stepping out of your comfort zone (well done, Grandma!), little ones will respond to the funny final twist with excited cries of “Again! Again!” as a result of Colin’s Grandma being such a treat to read aloud.
The brilliantly funny follow-up to the award-winning Colin's Castle!
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The brilliantly funny follow-up to the award-winning Colin's Castle !
Colin and Duck are back!
Colin and Duck are now friends. They're happily sharing their castle - and they're expecting a visitor … Grandma!
Grandma's brought lots of luggage - and her pet crocodile. Eek! Will she like Colin's unconventional castle? Will she like his vegetarian cooking? And will she like … DUCK?!
The highly anticipated sequel to Colin's Castle , with hilarious new characters and a brilliantly funny final twist.
The perfect book to share or gift during spooky season!
A brilliantly funny readaloud story that will have kids hooked.
Fun-filled artwork is packed with detail and humour.
Praise for Colin’s Castle;
Nominated for the Carnegie Medal for Illustration 2025
A Children's Book Club pick for Spooky Halloween Books – BBC Radio 4's Today programme
Included in The i’s Best Children’s Books to Read this Summer Holiday
'Hilarious' – The Sunday Times
'Full of humour and beautifully illustrated, young readers will enjoy the duck's antics and Colin’s attempts to live a bird-free life' – RTÉJr
'A perfect autumnal treat, Colin’s Castle is a story which will have children laughing hysterically before bedtime or in their classroom.' – Check ‘Em Out Books blog
'With a fiendishly funny adventure to enjoy, two unlikely adversaries, and a whole castle full of laughs, you won’t want to duck out of this rollicking romp!' – Lancashire Evening Post
Holly Swain is a children’s book illustrator, living in Hove with her husband Matt and their two daughters. As a kid she always loved to draw, making up characters and their worlds. She used to have a huge roll of paper under her bed that she constantly drew on which gradually got smaller and smaller, by which time she was big enough to go to college. She studied Illustration at UWE Bristol and then did an MA in Brighton.
Colin’s Castle is her debut picture book as both author and illustrator.
Win all three Colin and Duck books plus a fang-tastic vampire costume!
Closing date: 16/10/2026
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The brilliantly funny follow-up to the award-winning Colin's Castle! Colin and Duck are back!
The LoveReading4Kids Editorial Team have read and reviewed Colin's Grandma and determined it is suitable for children aged 3-6 years old
Colin's Grandma features in the following genres: Featured Books for 3+ readers, Featured Books for 5+ readers, Recommendations, Stories about Family and Friends, Funny, Animal Stories, Mystery / Mythology, People / Places, Picture storybooks, Children’s / Teenage general interest: Vampires, werewolves and shapeshifters, Children’s / Teenage general interest: Celebrations, holidays, festivals and special events, Children's and Young Adult Fiction, Children’s, Teenage and Educational, Children’s picture books, Children’s: picture books, activity books, early learning concepts, Children’s / Teenage general interest: Supernatural and mythological creatures, Children’s / Teenage: General interest
Paperback. £7.19, down from the £7.99 cover price. In Stock.
Colin's Grandma was written by Holly Swain and published by Farshore an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers
Colin's Grandma has 32 pages
Yes it is part of A Colin and Duck Story series
£7.19, reduced from £7.99. In Stock.
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