Mend your broken heart with an anthology of wise and
comforting words, meet two star-crossed lovers longing to heal the wounds of
family feuding, discover the wonder and joy of nature with a gorgeous
collection of artwork, and dive into the thrilling world of some of Earth’s
most bizarre life forms with an eclectic mix of new children's books
Age 12 plus
You Can Do It With
a Broken Heart
Ana Sampson
HEARTBREAK… it’s the emotion that hits like a freight train
and leaves us reeling. And which teen hasn’t been there… marathon-watching The
Notebook, blasting Taylor Swift, or desperately hoping for a Mr Darcy-level
hand flex to solve all their problems? And when the hot priest in Fleabag says ‘It'll
pass,’ most want to believe him even as their hearts remain shattered. So here
to console and heal the broken-hearted is You Can Do It With a Broken Heart, a
perfectly curated line-up of comforting poems selected by acclaimed anthologist
Ana Sampson who has been editing poetry collections since 2009 and whose output
includes two volumes by women, She is Fierce and She Will Soar. Featuring a
wide range of classic and contemporary voices, her new collection moves
thematically through the stages of heartbreak… shock, despair, fury,
acceptance, and moving on.
Whether you’re in the ‘ugly crying on the bathroom floor’
phase or the ‘I’m totally fine, just listening to break-up anthems on repeat’
stage, these poems get it. Their aim is to validate pain, unleash inner angst,
and remind the heartbroken that even when it feels like the world is ending, they
are not alone. Feel the raw, relatable wisdom of literary legends like Emily
Dickinson, Rumi, W.B. Yeats, Dorothy Parker, Wilfred Owen, and Anne Sexton. And
for those moments when a modern voice to scream-sing along with might be needed,
discover the powerful poetry of Ada Limón, Hera Lindsay Bird, Jackie Kay, and
Nikita Gill. You Can Do It With a Broken Heart is for anyone who has loved and
lost, and is ready – in the immortal words of Love Actually – to get the bleep
kicked out of them by love again. Not just a poetry book but a new best friend!
(First Ink, hardback, £14.99)
Age 13 plus
Cherry Tree Ranch
Meghan DeGuelle
CAN two star-crossed lovers overcome the hostility that has
torn apart their families? Immerse yourself in this sweet, coming-of-age cowboy
romance full of forbidden love and themes of identity and forgiveness, and set
against the backdrop of a small town American ranch. Written by Meghan DeGuelle,
Cherry Tree Ranch is a love story with a compelling historical mystery at its
heart and stars a girl who inherits a ranch and falls for the rodeo rider she
can’t have. When Dahlia solely inherits her beloved grandpa’s ranch, her
life turns upside-down. Her decision to stay instead of going to college is
easy, but she needs to raise money fast to avoid selling… and all she has to
save her heritage are the sour cherries from the orchard and the sweet honey
from her bees. Her second problem is local rodeo rider, Cash, who she can’t
stop running into. Between their old family enmity and his star-rider
girlfriend, Dahlia knows she should keep her distance… so instead focuses on
the attentions of her school friend, Wyatt. But when Cash rescues her after a
bee sting and comes to work with her in the orchard, the attraction becomes
even harder to bear. And along the way, Dahlia discovers letters and diaries in
an old barn that reveal a tragic love story from generations before. Among
them, a secret is waiting to come to light... could the mysteries of the past
be the key to unlocking the ranch’s future and could the love growing between
Dahlia and Cash heal the wounds of their families’ history? DeGuelle, who is
herself a ranch owner and was born and raised in Colorado, delivers an
empowering and swoon-worthy romance full of favourite tropes and guaranteed to
be a hit with teen readers.
(Scholastic, paperback, £8.99)
Eileen Soper: The Wonder of Nature
Joy Baker and Eileen Soper
DISCOVER the wonder and joy of nature with this gorgeous
collection of artwork from celebrated 20th century artist Eileen
Soper, who died in 1990 aged 85 and famously illustrated the Enid Blyton books.
Originally created to accompany Blyton’s Nature Readers series, these vintage
illustrations, plus quotes and facts, perfectly capture the intricate
landscapes, flora and fauna of the natural world. Beautifully packaged, the
book showcases twenty-two reproductions of the highly collectable ‘Nature
Plates’ alongside the story of Soper’s fascinating life, and quotes from her
nature writings and diaries. Printed on sturdy, high-quality A4 card, each
picture can be pulled out and framed, or the book can be read from start to
finish to learn all about Soper’s extraordinary life, her love of nature and
her celebrated artistic career as an etcher, modeller, illustrator, painter,
writer and naturalist. A must-have for collectors, art lovers and aspiring
young artists.
(Macmillan Children’s Books, £20)
A Year of Fairy Tales
Sophie Anderson and Elisa Paganelli
TAKE a thrilling journey through the seasons and
celebrations of a child’s year in this stunning collection of fairy tales from
Sophie Anderson, an award-winning writer whose imaginative powers have made her
one of middle-grade readers’ favourite authors. Born in Swansea but now living
in the Lake District, Anderson’s trademark is sublime and lyrical storytelling,
a gift which allows her to sweep readers away to soaring, evocative landscapes
where folklore and realism blend together in memorable, mesmerising adventures. Inspired by Slavic folk tales and the stories of her
Prussian grandmother, this exciting writer is bewitching us once again with a
year’s worth of magical and extraordinary fairy tale adventures that have been
passed down for generations, all illustrated in glorious colour and rich detail
by Elisa Paganelli. Some are twists on classics, such as Jack and the Beanstalk
and Rapunzel, while others, like The Bear and the Dragon and The Sleeping
Forest, are original stories inspired by folklore and reflecting the world as
it is today. With a gorgeous foiled cover and ribbon bookmark, A Year of Fairy
Tales is a magnificent gift book package which brings Anderson’s astonishing
writing to life against the backdrop of Paganelli’s beautifully evocative
artwork. A book to read, love and treasure…
(Usborne, hardback, £25)
The Swifts: A Garden of Vipers
Beth Lincoln and Claire Powell
GET ready for a large helping of family dramas, flowers and
fatalities as author Beth Lincoln makes a welcome comeback with the third book
of her rip-roaring gothic mystery series starring the irrepressible Shenanigan
Swift. The Swifts series is Lincoln’s gloriously quirky debut and the writer
who was raised in a former Victorian railway station in the North of England
made her mark from the outset with the first book winning the 2023 Nero
Children’s Fiction Award and the Barnes & Noble Children’s & YA Book
Award. Meet the Swifts… on the day they are born, each Swift is
brought before the Family Dictionary. They are given a name and a definition,
and it is assumed they will grow up to match. Unfortunately, Shenanigan Swift
has always had other ideas. And after catching a killer and solving a
century-old art theft, it’s now the depths of winter and Shenanigan Swift and
her family are summoned to America, where Daisy’s brother, millionaire
floristry heir Dandelion DeMille, is in danger. Racing to the DeMille family
home – a 72-storey skyscraper greenhouse in the heart of New York City –
Shenanigan is too late to stop a murder. But it’s Dandelion’s Uncle Charlie who
has fallen victim to a mystery assassin. As a snowstorm rages outside,
Shenanigan, Felicity, Phenomena and Erf must uncover both motive and means. But
when twenty-three floors of the DeMilles’ greenhouse are packed with poisonous
plants, deadly flora and murderous creatures, how will they ever uncover what
really happened in The Greenhouse?
With black and white illustrations throughout by the
talented Claire Powell, this follow-up to The Swifts and The Swifts: A Gallery
of Rogues packs in the same brand of mischievous humour, ingenious plotting and
brilliant characterisation that enthralled readers in the first two comic
capers. With an intriguing mystery to solve, Shenanigan’s family antics to
enjoy, and a thoroughly satisfying denouement, this is pure entertainment from
start to finish.
(Puffin, paperback, £8.99)
Age 8 plus
The Curator’s Collection: An A to Z of Plants
Katie Scott and Zanna Davidson
STEP into the world of plants with this exquisite
pocket-sized
Welcome to the Museum gift edition from the Curator’s Collection
series. Inspired by the acclaimed
Botanicum – a super-sized book of stunning
botanical delights and the next best thing to stepping inside a real-life
exhibition of plants – An A to Z of Plants has been created in collaboration
with the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Packed with beautiful illustrations, this volume
offers an alphabetical journey through the diverse and fascinating kingdom of
flora with each entry revealing the hidden wonders of plants and flowers. From
Aquilegia Canadensis and wild columbine to Zingiber officinale (ginger root)
and Cucurbitaceae (autumn pumpkin), the book has been carefully curated with
scientific insight and artistic elegance. The perfect gift for nature lovers,
design enthusiasts and curious minds alike, An A to Z of Plants is a glorious celebration
of the beauty and complexity of the botanical world in a format that is as handy
as it is enlightening.
(Big Picture Press, hardback, £8.99)
Age 7 plus
Zombie Worms and Blue Dragons
Ben Garrod and Emily Higgs
GET up close to the strange and thrilling world of some of
Earth’s most iconic – and often most bizarre – forms of life. Whether it’s a
tasselled wobbegong, a type of carpet shark from Australasia, or an African
gaboon viper, one of the most toxic creatures on the planet, this amazing,
full-colour gift book celebrates 100 of the largest, smallest, oldest, newest,
most venomous, fearsome, intelligent, and strangest forms of life on Earth. With evolutionary biology and science professor Ben Garrod as
our guide, Zombie Worms and Blue Dragons delves deep into the wonders of the
natural world to uncover some of the wildest facts. Packed with the
extraordinarily detailed artwork of graphic designer, illustrator and
palaeoartist Emily Higgs, the book explores incredible plants, animals and life
forms which many people will never even have heard about. Which poisonous tree
can kill you when it rains, how do some snakes shapeshift to fly through forest
canopies and why do some parasite fungi turn their victims into real-life
zombies? With fascinating, up-to-date facts revealing the secret lives of these
species and genus, and every colourful page filled with dazzling animals,
plants, fungi and a host of other life forms, this beautiful compendium is
ideal for all nature fans.
(Zephyr, hardback, £16.99)
Age 7 plus
K-Pop Witch Academy: A Trainee’s Dream
Fiona Scoble, Seong-Jae Kong and Jenn Aguilera
A PERFECT performance will cast powerful magic… but one
misstep could spell disaster! Welcome to the K-Pop Witch Academy: A Trainee’s
Dream, first book of a high-octane new illustrated series that is perfectly in
step with fun-loving K-Pop fans. Written by Fiona Scoble, with cultural advice
from Korean teacher Seong-Jae Kong, the books are illustrated by Jenn Aguilera
in the full-colour shojo manga style which originates from Japan and is characterised
by a distinctive decorative, character-based and romantic art form. Are the K-Pop Witch Academy trainees up to the challenge?
When eleven-year-olds Soo, Ivy, and Min are among the few students invited to
join an elite K-pop academy on Ganghwado Island, they think they’re chasing
stardom. What they don’t know is that this school doesn’t just make idols… it
makes witches. At this secret academy, trainees learn how the perfect blend of
vocals, dance, and rap can cast spells powerful enough to change the world. But
magic demands harmony… and these three trainees couldn’t be more out of sync.
Ivy is buzzing with main character energy, but her confidence as a performer
could lead to magical chaos. Soo loves to sing, but can she overcome her
shyness and find her voice as a star? Min is born to dance, but she’s so busy
keeping the peace that she might never claim the spotlight. Every rehearsal is
a musical and magical disaster, but if the girls can find their harmony, they
could become a global sensation! Brought to life by over 50 pages of Aguilera’s
bewitching illustrations, K-Pop Witch Academy is destined to be a must-read for
all young fans of manga, magic and K-pop.
(Do Re Mi, paperback, £8.99)
Age 7 plus
The Dragon Mountain
Mathieu Pierloot, François Maumont and Charis Ainslie
FRIENDSHIP is the greatest magic! Join two little witches as
they embark on an action-packed magical adventure in this spellbinding
illustrated book from Belgian author Mathieu Pierloot and French
illustrator François Maumont. Translated into English by Charis Ainslie and
packed with Maumont’s glorious and characterful colour illustrations, this
spellbinding book explores friendship and bravery against a backdrop of magic
and adventure. When two little witches, Lilith and Medusa, are sent
foraging for potion ingredients, they discover a boy called Julius and his pet
duck Custard. But inside the boy’s bag is a stolen dragon egg, snatched from a
group of hobgoblins! Lilith and Medusa know they need to return the egg to its
mother before she destroys everything and everyone looking for it. Setting off
on a treacherous journey through a magical forest, across an enchanted,
fog-covered lake and on to a mysterious uncharted island, they will encounter goblins,
a kidnap, evil creatures and an adorable baby dragon. This exciting adventure is
guaranteed to captivate young readers as, surrounded by strange creatures,
hidden dangers and strange magic, the witches and Julius discover that courage,
kindness and friendship can be more powerful than any spell.
(Post Wave Children’s Books, hardback, £12.99)
Tomorrow Bright Before Us: An Inspiring Quote for Every Day
of the Year
Illustrated by Victoria Ball
‘What are days for? Days are where we live. They come, they
wake us, Time and time over. They are to be happy in: Where can we live but
days?’
THESE wise and wonderful words from English poet and novelist Philip
Larkin are just some of many inspirational quotes packed into this dazzling
gift book – lavishly illustrated by artist and surface designer Victoria Ball –
which has been perfectly created for every day of the year. Readers of every
age can discover brilliant words on every subject, from the beloved voices of
inspirational writers, thinkers and scientists to leaders, artist and activists.
Paired with Ball’s evocative illustrations full of warmth, joy and hope, Tomorrow
Bright Before Us is an ideal gift for creative young minds… and a book to
cherish and return to time and time again.
(Nosy Crow, hardback, £25)
Age 5 plus
The Polar Night Adventure
Cecilia Blomdahl and Suzie Mason
AT the top of the world, far, far to the north lies a frozen
island called Svalbard… a place that sparkles with ice and where towering mountains
fill the snowy landscape. Discover the magic of Svalbard in this heartwarming
illustrated Arctic adventure from bestselling author Cecilia Blomdahl, a writer
who moved to the island in 2015 and began sharing her daily life online. Often
featuring her dog Grim, a Finnish Lapphund, her tales provide a positive and
educational insight into living in an environment where polar bears rule the
tundra and winter is spent in complete darkness. Will Grim find his way home? As the last glimmers of light
fade from the snow-covered peaks and polar night arrives, Grim finds himself
lost in the vast Arctic. On his unexpected journey, he encounters mischievous
arctic foxes, reindeer huddled in the snow, and bright-white beluga whales
rising from the fjord. But danger lingers too… is that a polar bear in the
distance, or just its tracks? Beneath a sky filled with stars and shimmering
northern lights, Grim finds the courage to keep moving forward. To make his way
home – and back to Cecilia – he must face his fears and follow his heart
through the darkness. A timeless tale of powerful nature, bravery, wonder, and
resilience, brought to life by the atmospheric illustrations of Suzie Mason,
The Polar Night Adventure has the makings of a contemporary classic!
(DK Children, hardback, £14.99)
The Green Child
Hollie Hughes and Britta Teckentrup
‘The green child yawns and stretches, and the forest wakens
too, Green leaves begin to sprout and grow, and EVERYTHING feels new.’
MEET the
Green Child, guardian of the seasons and protector of our planet, in a heartfelt
and hopeful picture about how small changes can make a big difference to our
planet from author Hollie Hughes and award-winning illustrator Britta
Teckentrup. In the deepest, darkest forest where the trees are gnarled and
wild, along a winding path we find the Green Child deep asleep. But as winter
shifts into spring, the Green Child rouses from slumber and breathes new life
into the world. Through ever-brightening days, she ushers in the changing
seasons until summer finally arrives. But as the days grow hotter and longer,
the forest begins to wither away. The Green Child realises she has a job to do…
to send a message to all of mankind… but will anyone listen? Told in Teckentrup’s
lyrical rhyme, this timeless modern classic celebrates the cycle of the
seasons, sparking curiosity about the natural world in young readers and
inspiring a new generation of environmental heroes. Perfect for young eco fans,
The Green Child is a gentle reminder to respect nature and live in harmony with
our planet.
(Post Wave Children’s Books, hardback, £12.99)
The Star Tree
Luosha Liu
YOUNG readers will have stars in their eyes when they turn
the pages of this enchanting picture book which has been specially created by self-taught
children’s book illustrator and author Luosha Liu as a first young comic book. In
the heart of the forest, Ellie cherishes the ancient tree. But one night, the
tree explodes with starlight, showering the forest in a glittering avalanche!
Faced with mountains of stars, Ellie and her animal friends must put their
creativity to the test. Can they turn this starry chaos into a dazzling
celebration? Beautiful, soft-toned artwork and the appealing comic-style format
blend to perfection in this heartwarming tale of friendship, resourcefulness,
and the magic that happens when a community shines together.
(Post Wave Children’s Books, hardback, £12.99)
Age 3 plus
Don’t Feed the Troll
Emily Gravett
REVEL in the colourful and enchanting delights of a
spectacular new picture book from multi-award-winning Emily Gravett whose
adorable stories are written and illustrated with artistic genius, true affection,
and a freewheeling sense of fun which tumbles out of every page. Her latest
inspired creation is Don’t Feed the Troll, a laugh-out-loud, rhyming fairy tale
adventure full of her trademark wit, warmth and irreverent humour. Everybody in
faraway fairy tale land is getting ready for a very special party. All except
one tiny bridge troll who is making his own fun… by being extremely rude! With every
insult he hurls and every ego he bruises, the tiny troll gets bigger and
bigger. How will Cinderella, Goldilocks, the three little pigs and all the
other fairy tale friends defeat this pesky troll? Might being kind instead of
rude be the trick that shrinks him back to a more manageable size? Look out for
the witch and her cauldron full of apples, the wolf threatening to blow the
little pigs’ homes and lots of other fun details as this celebration of
kindness finally puts the troll back in his (small!) space. With its sparkly
gold foil jacket and happy ending, this is the perfect gift book for bedtime
reading.
(Two Hoots, hardback, £14.99)
Vampires and Other Creatures of the Night
Celeste Cortright and Giulia Orecchia
CAN you guess the fantastical creature of the night? See
who’s hiding as you turn the pages of this spectacular book and meet everything
from vampires to skeletons as you learn about the mythical creatures that creep
through the night. This ingenious, interactive board book features mystical
riddles about each creature and as readers guess and turn the page, tiered
layers cleverly slide to reveal answers!
Written in rhyming verse by Celeste
Cortright and illustrated by Giulia Orecchia, Vampires and Other Creatures of the
Night is part of Barefoot Books’ super-inventive
Slide-and-See Fantastical
Creatures series. It boasts an interactive format which keeps kids engaged
while learning and includes fact-packed endnotes about each of the creatures
featured in the book. Also in the series is
Unicorns and Other Creatures of the
Earth which features fantastical, mythical creatures that walk the Earth,
including unicorns, leprechauns, wizards, yetis and gnomes. Magical, hands-on
journeys into the realms of fantasy!
(Barefoot Books, board books, £14.99 each)
