CHILDREN'S BOOKS: Boredom-busting books for half-term and Halloween

When it comes to gruesome giggles, spooky sniggers and creepy cackles, it’s a well-known fact that children can never be too young to get into the ‘spirit’ of Halloween, so here’s a simply bewitching selection of activity and reading books that are guaranteed to fill the half-term boredom gap for your youngest little mischief makers

Age 6 plus
Escape from the
Haunted House
Sam Smith, Claire Thomas and Jared MacPherson

CAN you escape the haunted house? Solve the puzzles to survive… if you dare! Adventure with an alluring Halloween theme takes centre stage in the puzzle-packed pages of this spooky interactive book written by Sam Smith, designed by Claire Thomas and illustrated by Jared MacPherson. Join best friends Alicia and Jay who are trapped inside a haunted house. But don’t forget that you’ll need to keep your wits about you as you creep through shadowy corridors, cobweb-covered bedrooms and mysterious attics! Each room has a puzzle that must be solved before the pals can pass through… help them crack fiendish codes, spot hidden objects, unlock safes and trapdoors, solve riddles, take on tricky memory challenges, and put your skills to the test. To win, you’ll have to outwit ghoulish ghosts and overcome menacing monsters and, to move from one room to the next, you’ll have to solve those puzzles first! With a wide range of word, logic, number and picture puzzles, and with all the answers at the back of the book, this is the perfect mix of story and puzzles. Don’t miss the brain-teasing fun!
(Usborne Publishing, hardback, £6.99)

Age 5 plus
Pomona: Stories of the Cat Witch
Tor Freeman

HAVE you met Pomona? She’s a cat AND a witch… but she’s also a kind friend. Welcome to acclaimed author and illustrator Tor Freeman’s enchanting forest world of Pomona in a warm-hearted, wise and witty collection of short stories. Our heroine Pomona lives in a little cottage in the forest with her pet caterpillar Baudrillard and not far from her friends Ratso, Prince Frog, Elfis and Grandma Wyona. Pomona works hard to keep her cottage (and friends!) in order although sometimes things happen that are beyond her control. Fortunately, there is always a valuable lesson to be learned. In her new adventures, she works out how to bake a cake with love, sets up a friendship for lonely Baudrillard, discovers empathy, and finds confirmation that there definitely isn’t enough room for anyone else in her hammock! Utterly bewitching…
(Guppy Books, hardback, £14.99)

Age 5 plus
Cute Halloween Window Art
Kate Nolan

TURN your windows into a Halloween wonderland with pumpkins, bats, ghosts, cats and other cute-creepy characters with this fun-filled, hands-on craft book from Kate Nolan. Colour the 14 adorably spooky Kawaii-inspired designs, then cut them out and decorate your windows. Special translucent paper lets light shine through your finished artwork, creating colourful Halloween decorations in a spooky stained glass window style. And alongside the window art, children can enjoy fun puzzles and drawing activities on each facing page, making this an all-round creative and rewarding Halloween activity book. Ideal for rainy afternoons and making your windows look spook-tacular!
(Usborne Publishing, paperback, £6.99)

Age 5 plus
Sticker Dolly Dressing Halloween
Fiona Watt, Stella Baggott and Non Fig

HALLOWEEN is on the way and it’s time to dress the sticker dolls for their spooky celebrations! Hours of hands-on entertainment are guaranteed with the new Sticker Dolly Dressing book, one of Usborne Publishing’s best and most popular series. And this colourful new book is bulging with gorgeous sticker clothes and accessories to dress the dolls in their creative costumes and use the accessories and decorations to complete the magical scenes. Youngsters will love choosing outfits for the dolls from over 200 stickers as they prepare for a party, go trick-or-treating, carve creepy faces into pumpkins and dress as spiders, witches and cats! Children won’t be stuck for something to do with this beautiful, sparkle-covered activity book and with so many stickers to choose from and easy-to-remove perforated sticker pages for decorating each scene, this is a Halloween adventure no fun-loving fashionista will want to miss!
(Usborne Publishing, paperback, £7.99)

Age 5 plus
Jolly Monster Town: The Treasure Hunt
Rong Rong

WHO can resist a jolly monster? There’s a whole town packed with monsters waiting to fire up your young readers’ imaginations in the second book of an enchanting, full-colour chapter series from author and illustrator Rong Rong. It’s the start of another busy day in Jolly Monster Town and Ralph the Pufferfish Monster can’t wait to get to the beach and find treasure! But in his rush, he digs up a mole’s house, wakes up a hill monster and disturbs a whole troop of emerald turtles, thinking their shells were jewels! Ralph needs to slow down – or does he? Spot Ralph’s friends Twiggy the Log Monster and Uno the Cyclops Cat, and help find the buried treasure. With delightful details to explore and lots of wacky characters, this joyful book is perfect for reading for pleasure and encouraging imaginative play. Once in Jolly Monster Town, readers will never want to leave!
(Nosy Crow, paperback, £7.99)

Age 5 plus
Halloween: Sticker by Numbers
Beth Hamilton

GET stuck into Halloween with this ‘spook-tacular’ Halloween sticker-by-numbers activity book which lets youngsters learn as they create. With ten scenes to complete, over 150 stickers and fun facts on every page, this is the perfect way for children to celebrate and learn about Halloween. Discover the origins of trick-or-treat, learn about superstitions, meet Halloween animals and find out the cultural link to spiders. Match the numbered stickers to the numbers on each picture to make Halloween scenes and as each page is perforated, the scenes can be torn out and displayed or given as gifts. From creepy costumes and pumpkin carving to spooky haunted houses, the book is packed with hands-on entertainment!
(Little Tiger Press, paperback, £6.99)

Age 3 plus
Frankenkitty
Maudie Powell-Tuck and Mini Grey

WE'VE all heard of Frankenstein and his monster… but whoever heard of Frankenkitty? Enjoy mischief and mirth rather than monsters and their makers in this delightful picture book twist on Mary Shelley’s classic novel from the top team of Maudie Powell-Tuck and Mini Grey. ‘Here is a tale to chill the blood and thrill the soul – a tale of spooky paws and eerie claws, The tale of Frankenkitty!’ Born from stitches and lightning, Frankenkitty wanders the halls of the darketty dark castle… he might look cute to YOU but everyone trembles at the sight of him. Can he really be such a foul and loathsome creature? And can anyone save him before it’s too late? Packed with deliciously dramatic narration from bestselling and brilliantly creative author Powell-Tuck, and the freakishly fun illustrations of Kate Greenaway Medal‑winner Grey, this spine-tingling tale serves as a mischievous reminder that looks can be very, very misleading. Get ready for a laugh-out-loud twist in the tail and be warned that the lovably weird Frankenkitty could happily haunt your shelves for years to come!
(Little Tiger Press, hardback, £12.99)

Age 3 plus
Halloween Journey
Patricia Hegarty and Katya Longhi

‘With a whistle's loud shriek and a clickety-clack, The ghost train clatters along the track. Skeletons rattle their rickety bones, And the air is filled with ghostly moans.’ 

HOP aboard the spooky ghost train with this fantastic, layered pop-up gift book to discover a range of Halloween scenes from haunted houses to pumpkin fields and witches’ shacks. Children will love discovering the spooky skeletons and ghostly ghouls hidden amongst the intricate illustrations. Patricia Hegarty’s atmospheric rhyming text and vibrant illustrations by Italian artist Katya Longhi bring the excitement of Halloween to life. The perfect starter for the Halloween season!
(Little Tiger Press, board book, £14.99)

Age 3 plus
Who said Boo?
Jeanne Willis and Brian Fitzgerald

A CATCHY rhyme and those much-loved pantomime vibes create the perfect package for Halloween as author Jeanne Willis and illustrator Brian Fitzgerald blend their talents on a fun, read-aloud picture book. ‘In the green, green castle with the green, green door, And green, green carpets on the green, green floor, There lived a little ghost who was never seen, And that is because he was green, green, green!’ A naughty little ghost loves giving his unsuspecting victims a fright with a loud ‘Boo!’… they can’t see him, but the reader can! Each character blames the wrong person, until the clever jester finds an unexpected way to expose the culprit. There will be shouts of ‘he’s behind you’ as little ones enjoy spotting the green ghost hidden on every page… and lap up Fitzgerald’s gloriously green and comical illustrations. A brilliant book destined to be a favourite at any time of the year! 
(Scallywag Press, hardback, £12.99)

Age 3 plus
Little First Stickers Creepy Halloween
Kristie Pickersgill and Kirsty Tizzard

FROM bubbling cauldrons to haunted houses, there is so much to fright and delight young Halloween fans in this adorably spooky sticker book. Children will love using over 150 colourful stickers as they go trick-or-treating with little monsters, pick the perfect pumpkin, tiptoe through whispering woods and have a howl at the werewolves’ full-moon party! Meet magnificent monsters, wacky witches and ghosts galore as you add the colourful stickers to the creepy scenes. An ideal screen-free activity book that will encourage creativity, help develop motor skills and independent thinking, and keep little ones entertained for hours. Halloween fun at your fingertips!
(Usborne Publishing, paperback, £5.99)

Age 3 plus
I Will Haunt This
Viviane Schwarz and Chris Riddell

WHAT does a ghost do when it hasn’t got anything to haunt? Award-winning children’s book illustrator and former Children’s Laureate Chris Riddell teams up with acclaimed author and illustrator Viviane Schwarz for this spooky but cosy picture book about friendship, kindness and connection. A little ghost lives in a vase in the attic but when the vase breaks, the ghost goes round the house, looking for a new home… something made with love. But the house is full of tidy and shiny new things instead of old comforting ones. When the girl of the house helps the ghost settle into a dusty teapot hidden on a high shelf and full of warm memories, the ghost can do something for the girl, too… encourage her creativity and confidence. Messages about the warmth and security of home shine out through both the moving and original story and Riddell’s almost ethereal artwork. A book to treasure far beyond the witching season…
(Walker Books, paperback, £8.99)

Age 3 plus
Halloween Snap
Laura Borio and Helena Towell

LITTLE ones will be seeing double when they learn to play the game of Snap or other matching games with this super boxed set of 52 spookily-illustrated cards. The ideal way to learn important skills like turn-taking, rules, and winning and losing, and all whilst enjoying the fun of spotting pairs, these robust, easy-to-handle cards are delightfully decorated with Halloweeny illustrations of witches, spiders, bats, cats and other spooky season motifs. Playing games is a vital part of a child’s early education, helping them to understand concepts such as co-operation with other people, conversation and concentration. An entertaining introduction to matching and card games, this box of Halloween-shaped fun is perfectly created to help youngsters ‘snap’ out of their boredom or to keep them busy on journeys!
(Usborne, card pack, £6.99)

Age 3 plus
Midnight Creep
Jemima Shafei-Ongu, Honoka Taki and Karim Nagi

PARTY along with spiders of all kinds and get inspired to dance in this colourful, creepy-crawly original singalong picture book which celebrates spiders, imagination, and the Arab folk dance, the dabke. Welcome to Midnight Creep, created by Sydney-based author Jemima Shafei-Ongu, who has links to the region’s Dharug Aboriginal people, illustrated by Japanese artist Honoka Taki, and sung by Karim Nagi in an audio singalong video animation accessible via QR code. All the giants are asleep and the lights are out… Everybody give a shout and SCREEEAM! What do spiders do when we’re asleep? What if they gathered beneath the full moon for a celebration, with jumping, dancing and feasting until dawn? But shhhh… be careful not to wake the giants sleeping upstairs! Listen, join in and dance along with the audio singalong, learn about the dabke, a communal folk dance, and discover more information about spiders at the end of the book. The ideal rhythm for Halloween!
(Barefoot Books, paperback, £7.99)

Age 3 plus
My Big Autumn Colouring Book
Kate Nolan

GET cosy and celebrate the changing seasons with BIG Autumn colouring! Colour in happy hedgehogs and scampering squirrels, bright berries and falling leaves in this book of delightful autumn drawings. With over 90 bold, simple outlines to fill in, it will provide hours of entertainment while helping young children develop mark-making, pen-control and colouring skills. Packed with fun and creativity, My Big Autumn Colouring Book is ideal to beat half-term boredom whether that’s at home or on holiday travels!
(Usborne Publishing, paperback, £4.99) 

Age 2 plus
Five Little Pumpkins
Catherine Veitch and Holly Surplice

‘Five little pumpkins rolled off one night, across the farm, causing quite a fright. Mrs Owl said, “Come back to me!” How many pumpkins can you see?’ 

AUTHOR Catherine Veitch and illustrator Holly Surplice team up for the fourth title in an enchanting and wonderfully colourful lift-the-flaps picture books series based on the nursery rhyme Five Little Ducks. And this time it’s Halloween as we join five adorable pumpkins on a night time adventure around the farm. There’s so much to see as Mrs Owl and the pumpkins roll, bounce and leap out of the pumpkin patch, play peek-a-boo in the horses’ stables and try not to wake the sleeping piggies. Along the way, they meet all kinds of friendly animals of the night. But wait… the pumpkins are disappearing one by one. Whatever are they up to? Lift a host of intriguing flaps to find the pumpkins and discover a fantastic surprise ending. The picture perfect book to celebrate Halloween and all the fun of the autumn season!
(Templar Publishing, paperback, £7.99)

Age 2 plus
We’re Going to Pick a Pumpkin
Sarah Reid and Agnes Saccani

WHERE is the perfect pumpkin? Join two little children and their cheeky ghost friend as they search to find the BEST pumpkin ever in a delightfully spooky and fun-filled counting book from author Sarah Reid and illustrator Agnes Saccani. ‘We’re going to pick a pumpkin, and we’ll have a lot of fun! There’s so many to choose from, but I want the BIGGEST one!’ Is the perfect pumpkin in the garden or maybe the haunted house? Even better, could it be filled with tasty treats? Reid’s bouncy rhyming text is packed with Halloween fun while Saccani’s bold and vibrant illustrations feature pumpkins to count on every spread. Children will love exploring different locations in the hunt for the best pumpkin and with a fabulous countdown surprise at the end, this is the perfect bedtime read!
(Scholastic, paperback, £7.99)

Age one plus
Ghost Goes Boo!
Becky Davies and Mitch Miller

WATCH little faces light up as they get hands on with this bold and colourful sound book from author Becky Davies and illustrator Mitch Miller which features five favourite Halloween characters. Join Ghost on a trick-or-treating adventure and when he disappears, help to find him. Simply press the sounds button on every spread in the interactive, chunky board book and wait for the giggles as they meet the friendly ghost saying ‘boo’, a bat flipping and flapping, a wacky witch cackling, a black cat meowing and a cheeky owl twitting and twooing! Ghost Goes Boo! is the first in a humorous new sound book series for toddlers, with modern art, a lively text and a refrain that children will love.
(Little Tiger Press, board book, £9.99)

Age one plus
Pumpkin, Pumpkin, Pumpkin!
Sarah Finan

THERE'S only one thing this baby loves to eat… pumpkin, pumpkin, pumpkin! Creamy mash, tasty pies, or fresh from the patch… every kind is delicious. Pumpkin, Pumpkin, Pumpkin! is the fifth book of Post Wave’s Yum, Yum, Yum! pre-school board book series which introduces tots to favourite foods and all the delicious ways they can be eaten. Written and illustrated by award-winning designer and illustrator Sarah Finan, these bright and bold books about the joys of eating nutritional foods feature a sweet rhyming text, vibrant artwork and clever peep-through holes on every page. With rounded corners and sturdy pages, the book is ideal for little hands and is a joy to read aloud. The perfect tasty treat for Halloween!
(Post Wave Children’s Books, board book, £7.99)

Age 6 months plus
Slide and Peek Witch
Hector Dexet

JOIN a witch who has a few tricks up her sleeve in this delightful slide-and-peek Halloween board book from Paris-based author and illustrator Hector Dexet. What autumn surprise is hiding for the bat tonight? Which animal will discover a cosy new pair of pyjamas? And can you guess what the witch has in store for the animals? This playful and colourful novelty book is packed with autumnal fun and spooky-sweet surprises. With every pull and slide of the tabs, little hands will discover the magical gifts the witch has conjured… but not all is as it seems! A cosy chair transforms into a monster, a jar of cookies wriggles into spiders, and an umbrella flaps into a bat. This enchanting Halloween board book includes big, satisfying sliders and Dexet’s joyful and colourful artwork. Total bewitchment for tiny tots!
(Post Wave Children’s Books, board book, £7.99)

The Man with the Golden Compass

Vaseem Khan

THE world of 007 has never lost its glamourous allure since Ian Fleming’s first book, Casino Royale, hit the shelves in 1953 and became the launch pad for one of the most sensational and lucrative success stories in both the publishing and film industries.

In more recent times, a steady run of inventive James Bond spin-off books have thrilled a contemporary audience and die-hard fans alike. Some have focused on characters other than Bond himself, such as Miss Moneypenny and the Double-0 section, but Vaseem Khan, author of two award-winning crime series set in India, was firmly fixed on the ingenious gadget wizard himself, Major Boothroyd (aka Q).

Quantum of Menace, the first impressive book of Khan’s quirky, clever and thoroughly entertaining Q Mysteries series, was published last year in partnership with the Fleming Estate and won the accolades of critics and the hearts of readers. And now we return once again to a Bond world in which 007 plays a mere cameo role to techno titan Q as we have never before seen him. For Khan (pictured below), writing this fresh and fascinating Bond-fuelled series was ‘the greatest honour’ of his life but it came with challenges, not least the task of employing just the right tone for a character who has become as deeply embedded in the 007 stories as James Bond himself.

And this second outing for Q proves that the author has risen superbly to the challenge, bringing us a much more up-close-and-personal Q, a man who has lost his job at MI6 and is now operating in an increasingly fraught modern world… a place which reflects some of 21^st century life’s darkest corners but is leavened, in trademark form, by the Bond brand’s much-loved wit and satire.

Enforced redundancy from a highly specialised role developing weapons and field technology for MI6 left Q – still only in his fifties – feeling adrift and unsure of his place in the world until he returned to his sleepy hometown of Wickstone-on-Water to successfully solve the murder of his childhood friend Peter Napier, a quantum computer scientist.

The move back to Wickstone healed some of Q’s insecurities but came with complications… resuming a prickly relationship with his estranged and authoritarian father Mort, and the awkwardness of working alongside his bitter ex-fiancée Kathy Burnham, the woman he dumped at the altar thirty years ago but still gives his heart ‘a frisky little bounce’ and is now the local tough-as-nails police detective inspector.

Much to Kathy’s discomfort, Q has now been hired as a civilian investigator by the police to re-examine the unsolved murder of Lawrence Noble, a tech millionaire turned online antique dealer who made his money in computer gaming before buying a local stately home and living there as a virtual recluse. Almost a year after his death, police still haven’t worked out why Noble was tortured before his killing, and the significance of a circular golden object inscribed with mysterious runes which was found close to his body.

As Q investigates, danger stalks those around him, and he soon finds himself dragged into a chilling conspiracy where past and present meet in a way he couldn’t possibly have imagined. To solve this perilous case, he’s going to need some input from old pal James Bond, the services of his humanoid robot Miss Honeypenny (secreted out of MI6 before he left), and help from his 17-year-old ‘assistant’ Zak Youssef who has a troubled history but also a unique skillset when it comes to the gaming world.

Bond fans will relish this second outing with Q, a delicious feast of skulduggery, ruthless treasure hunting and technological wizardry served up with a side helping of genuine emotional intensity, spine-tingling suspense, welcome guest appearances from forever favourites like Bond and Moneypenny, and the return of a disturbing figure from the 007 universe.

Khan puts ingenuity, dry humour and powerful psychological intensity into this gripping addition to the Bond canon as the ever-inventive Q employs his top-secret field technology skills to investigate a brutal murder and follow a perilous twisting, turning path to justice. Motored by the decidedly modern concept of online gaming, but still wrapped up in the irresistible nostalgia, quirkiness and stylish authenticity of the Bond world, The Man with the Golden Compass is buzzing with big personalities, compelling detective work, and an addictive get-up-and-go vibe.

Perhaps more thoughtful, aware and emotionally wise than the original, this terrific series with the inimitable Q at its heart is proving to be a treat for both Bond and detective fiction fans. So fasten your seatbelts and prepare for action… Q might be out of MI6 but he’s definitely not out of the game! 
(Zaffre, hardback, £20)

The Murder Planner

L.C. Tyler

‘Ninety percent of detective fiction is crap…’ 

COULD you have a more ‘arresting’ opening line for a tale of murder most foul set against the backdrop of a publishing house?

With a deliciously dark and caustic brand of comedy setting the scene, it can mean only one thing… L.C. Tyler, the wittiest author in, yes, detective fiction is back to delight his army of fans, and he’s got a humour-packed humdinger for all lovers of irreverent crime romps.

A former civil servant and a past chair of the Crime Writers Association, Tyler (pictured below) is best known for his superb Herring comedy series starring unforgettable author and agent duo Ethelred Tressider and Elsie Thirkettle, and the dazzling John Grey historical series featuring a clever, sardonic lawyer operating during the reign of the restored King Charles II. And if you haven’t yet enjoyed the black humour and murderous deeds that make his books such an enjoyable and unmissable treat, then dive in now and discover the audaciously original The Murder Planner, a perfect blend of wit, stand-out characterisation, and devilish twists and turns.

Every perfect murder needs a cunning plot and nobody knows that better than Sable Knight, owner and Commissioning Editor at the London publishing house Day & Knight. Crime and detective fiction is Sable’s forte but behind the glossy covers and gripping blurbs there is a much darker and secret enterprise.

By day, Sable publishes crime books and by night, they’re brought to life. And her ‘special editorial services’ – an added extra developed by her former publishing partner Joe Day, now dead in either Spain or Portugal, Sable is not sure which – is turning out to be far more lucrative than the average publishing deal.

Some clients, otherwise known as would-be authors, need a little help plotting their entirely fictional killings and for the right (high!) price, Sable’s murder planning service can secretly commission other struggling writers – those who can pen good murder plots but not necessarily good stories – to devise purely hypothetical blueprints for a perfect crime. But when her latest client, the secretive Lady Flowerdew, walks into Sable’s office declaring, ‘I’m told you kill people and that you’re very good at it,’ the plot (or is that plan?) to murder her wealthy banker husband goes badly off script. And with a blackmailer now also in the mix, Sable discovers that the line between editor and accomplice is dangerously thinner than she thought.

This effortlessly funny, and yet wickedly plotted, murder escapade is an ingenious blend of hilarious satirical humour and literary lampooning as the best-loved tropes of traditional crime fiction are perfectly paired with piercingly acute observations and moments of pure slapstick comedy gold.

And with that now familiar twinkle in his eye, comedy magician Tyler conjures up an eclectic line-up of characters, each one exquisitely drawn and brought to life… but star of the show has to be the exhilarating Sable, a woman of razor-sharp wit, terrifying capabilities and penetrating put-downs but whose intentions often stray from the straight and narrow, and whose morals are most definitely questionable.

Written with the author’s priceless panache and limitless imagination, and packed full of brilliant twists, cunning red herrings and nail-biting suspense, The Murder Planner sees Tyler at his entertaining best…
(Allison & Busby, hardback, £16.99)

CHILDREN'S BOOKS: Beauty’s ugly side, a fairy world and awesome comics

Enter a dark, dystopian world where youth and beauty have become a dangerous obsession, step into a thrilling world of glittering courts and dazzling trickery, discover what it was like to be a Norman invader of England, and learn how to make your own amazing comics in an exciting collection of October children’s books

Young Adult
Little Mice
Tara Crowe

A THRILLING dystopian novel from exciting debut author Tara Crowe is guaranteed to set young imaginations on fire with its pertinent and powerful questions about contemporary society, and a world that has become obsessed with youth and beauty. With a searching exploration of what happens when youth itself becomes a commodity, Little Mice is a dark and compelling page-turner and the first book of what promises to be a daring and dazzling trilogy. In the Canopy Complex, no one grows old. Age is for the little mice, the donors far below who bleed so the privileged can thrive. Seventeen-year-old Astra Fairwood has never questioned the system. Why would she? As the daughter of the Chief Enforcer, her future is secure… a life of parties and privilege. But then everything is taken from her. Cast out of the Canopy and condemned to the Donor Zone, Astra is forced into the very world she was raised to fear. There she meets a girl who challenges everything she thought she wanted and soon learns the Canopy taught her to fear the wrong thing. The real threat was never the Zone… With tensions rising and the people she loves most in danger, Astra must choose between the life she was promised and the truth she can no longer ignore. Does a world built on the blood of others deserve to survive?

London-based Crowe was inspired to write Little Mice after working at a collagen supplement company, and when she heard a segment on the radio about blood plasma experiments on mice, the concept of blood plasma being taken from the young and being used to rejuvenate the old lingered and morphed into a compelling topic for her debut novel. The result is an unputdownable reading feast of big ideas, gripping intrigue, heart-stopping menace and full-on action adventures. Don’t miss it!
(Leapfrog Press, paperback, £10.99)

Age 12 plus
Rowan
Bex Hogan

IF folklore, fantasy and dreamy adventures full of danger and trickery tickle your reading taste buds then dine out on Rowan, third book of Bex Hogan’s gorgeously romantic Faery Realms series which has included Nettle and Owl King but can also be read as a stunning standalone. Step into the Faery Realms, a world of glittering courts, dangerous bargains and dazzling trickery. Many years ago, Rowan’s ancestor followed a white hare and disappeared without trace. Since then, her descendants have warned the women of the family against the magic of the cunning, shape-shifting hare, known often to be witches in disguise. Centuries later, Rowan, heartbroken and yearning to escape, ignores the warnings and follows the hare to a new world. She finds herself in the mysterious yet beautiful realm of the Shadow Mountains, underneath the green light of a single bright star. Entranced by its beauty, she is lured deeper into the embrace of the faery realm. But the hare is revealed as a witch and all its promises of happiness and healing turn to dust as Rowan finds herself a pawn in an ancient rivalry between witch and faery lord, and entwined in the fickle nature of the fae. As the danger beneath the glamour around her grows, Rowan will need all her skills to survive. Dark, atmospheric and utterly bewitching, this new danger-fuelled fantasy is another magical read from an author with magic in her soul.
(Zephyr, hardback, £16.99)

Age 9 plus
Queen’s Witch
Skye McKenna and Tomislav Tomić

IF you’re looking for an adventure with a truly magical atmosphere, step into the wonderful world of Hedgewitch and enjoy the final book set in Faerie, the dazzling land which lies just beyond our own! Queen’s Witch is the fantastic finale of the enchanting Hedgewitch series, the debut creation of Skye McKenna who grew up surrounded by red dust in a mining town in the Australian outback but then travelled to England and fell in love with the British countryside. Illustrated by Tomislav Tomić, the series has been hailed as a modern classic. Now living in Scotland, McKenna was inspired by her love of magic and adventure to write these captivating novels which star a family of witches who protect Britain from the denizens of Faerie, creatures who are all too real and far more frightening than the story books suggest. Cassie Morgan is approaching the final stage of her witch’s training. If she passes her next test, she will finally get her Witch’s Licence and be able to travel to Faerie to search for her missing parents. But with the wicked Erl King hiding in the shadows, waiting to strike and declare war on witchkind and the people of Britain, it’s unclear what the future holds for Cassie, her coven and the newly crowned young Queen Matilda. It will take all of Cassie’s skills, help from friends near and far, and her courage to face the Erl King. Can she save both Britain and Faerie and reunite her long-lost family? McKenna is a born storyteller, building an enchanting, magical world that is as alluring as it is viscerally and thrillingly real… a place where the characters spring to glorious life, where the natural world takes centre stage, and where readers are guaranteed to return to time and time again even as the series ends!
(Welbeck Children’s Books, hardback, £16.99, published on October 22)

Age 9 plus
What it was like to be a Norman
David Long and Stefano Tambellini

THE Normans who invaded England in 1066 were descendants of fierce Viking warriors… so what was it really like to live in England after their famous invasion? Walk in the footsteps of William the Conqueror with Blue Peter Award-winning author David Long as he expertly unearths the captivating history, culture and legacy of the Norman era in the in the seventh book of his enthralling What It Was Like to Be... series. An expert in distilling complex stories from the past into an informative and entertaining format for young readers, Long skilfully explains how William the Conqueror led a formidable army across the English Channel, changing the course of British history. The Normans became ruthless rulers who built monumental castles, established a new social order and merged their customs with those of the English people. From the grandeur of their fortresses to the harsh realities faced by the common people, discover the intricate tapestry of life during the Norman era. Through vivid storytelling and Stefano Tambellini’s captivating illustrations, Long invites young readers to explore the triumphs and trials of the Normans and understand their lasting impact on our world today. Published in Barrington Stoke’s trademark dyslexia-friendly format, this is a top class series from a dynamic writing and illustration duo.
(Barrington Stoke, paperback, £7.99)

Age 8 plus
The Frozen King: A Greenwild Adventure
Pari Thomson and Elisa Paganelli

WHO can forget author Pari Thomson and illustrator Elisa Paganelli’s award-winning, bestselling Greenwild series, featuring a dazzling secret world where the wilderness is alive and the magic is real? It’s a place of wonder that has enchanted thousands of readers across the globe and now there’s the chance to experience those thrills again as we embark on a perilous voyage to the ends of the earth in The Frozen King, a new and epic standalone adventure set ten years after our earlier protagonist Daisy’s story ended. The old stories speak of magic that showers down from the Northern Lights… Eleven-year-old Annika may be heir to the ocean-ruled kingdom of Iffenwild, but she would much rather be sailing with her travelling theatre troupe than learning how to be queen. When her beloved uncle Max – the king – returns gravely injured from a secret mission to the Utter North, her world shifts in an instant. Determined to find a long-lost cure, Annika journeys into the frozen North… a land of towering ice cliffs, frozen seas and powerful ice magic. However, the deeper she ventures, the clearer it becomes that something far darker is stirring. If Annika fails, it won’t just be her uncle’s life at stake… it will be the fate of the entire magical world.

Thomson’s aim for her debut Greenwild series was always to write ‘a love letter to the beauty of the natural world’ and this thrilling new eco-adventure with its sugar-dusted taste of winter, danger and wildness  – brought to life by Paganelli’s stunning illustrations – is breathtaking in the sheer power of its world-building, characterisation and imaginative storytelling. Written in Thomson’s elegant, descriptive prose, and with an addictive sense of adventure, fantasy and fun, The Frozen King is another unforgettable story which can be enjoyed and treasured by readers of any age!
(Macmillan Children’s Books, hardback, £14.99)

Age 8 plus
Felix and the Future Agency: Sky Riders
Rachel Morrisroe and Paddy Donnelly

THE world is in danger and the future is calling! Join a boy gifted with foresight in the second book of an explosive adventure series from Rachel Morrisroe, a children’s author who has turned her talents to exciting middle grade fiction. Partly inspired by some of the real history around the Aberfan disaster in Wales in 1966 and brought to life by Paddy Donnelly’s atmospheric illustrations, the Felix and the Future Agency series stars delightful hero Felix Green whose magical gifts are vital to save a world in danger. Now he’s back for a second year at the future agency and has just passed his initiation test to become a sky rider. It’s not a moment too soon, as agents have been going missing and the Future Agency is at risk once more from the school of night. It seems as though a double agent could be working inside the organisation and Felix still hasn’t found his missing friend, Luke. As Felix begins to receive premonitions of himself with his old adversary, Christopher Marlowe, he starts to worry that he, too, could find himself recruited to the dark side. Packed with mystery, secrets, astrology, exhilarating sky rides and spine-tingling danger, Felix and the Future Agency delivers not just a breathtaking edge-of-the-seat adventure but also an exploration of life change, coping with big emotions, and all those other growing-up  experiences. The Future calls…
(Simon & Schuster Children’s Books, paperback, £7.99)

Age 7 plus
How to Make Awesome Comics
Neill Cameron

DO you like comics… would you like to make your own? Well here’s your chance as genius comics creator Neill Cameron brings youngsters the ULTIMATE guide to making their own super-awesome comics. This interactive and fun masterclass provides invaluable help on thinking up ideas, creating characters and learning how to draw pretty much everything from speech bubbles and sound effects to the vital keys to drawing cartoon faces and emotions. With lots of inspirational tips and tricks for comics-obsessed kids, colourful diagrams and clear instructions, this spectacular updated version of a perennial favourite is full of inspirational tips and tricks for budding comic makers. And if you need even more comic-creating advice, head over to The Phoenix comic website where you can find draw-along videos, free printable material and top tips from tons of creators. So what's better than reading comics? Drawing your own, of course!
(David Fickling Books, paperback, £10.99)

Age 7 plus
Game of Pets: The Boy
Who Knew Too Much
Aaron Blabey

FORGET Game of Thrones and dive into Game of Pets, a hilarious new high-stakes adventure series from Aaron Blabey, creator of The Bad Guys and a brilliant author and illustrator who can boast having around sixty million books in print. This new and insanely anarchic romp – which promises to blow your mind, and leave your cats and dogs under heavy suspicion – is the perfect package for your reluctant readers. Who doesn’t love a good game, but what if life on Earth was an intergalactic game show, and our pets were the evil animal overlords? Well, the game show is live… and your cat is definitely in on it. Meet Griff, an eleven-year-old kid with innumerable allergies who has just been told he’s the only one who can save the world. The trouble is, this prophecy comes with a warning: ‘Watch your back, man… your PETS are not what they seem…’ Young mischief-lovers will need to buckle themselves in for this highly illustrated, laugh-until-your-belly hurts adventure which features a talking axolotl, a diabolical game show, lots of plot twists and that famous trademark Blabey humour which bubbles behind every page of the story. And one thing’s for sure… Game of Pets will have you looking at your pets very differently!
(Macmillan Children’s Books, hardback, £10.99)

Age 7 plus
Ultimate Football Heroes 2027
Matt & Tom Oldfield, Emily Stead,
Seth Burkett and John Murray

LOOK back at a stunning year of football action with Ultimate Football Heroes 2027, a bumper special edition of the ever-popular Ultimate Football Heroes series. This brilliant year book features biographies and life stories of the biggest and best footballers from across the world and their incredible journeys to stardom, as well as lots of fascinating football facts, stats and quizzes to test your knowledge. Discover all the highlights of the 2025-26 season, featuring intense Premier League face-offs, the thrilling moments of the Women’s Champions League, plus all the action and incredible highlights from the USA-Mexico-Canada 2026 FIFA World Cup! Peek inside for the fierce competition in the Premier League, all the excitement across the European leagues, and the incredible performances from the top players of the latest season, including Erling Haaland, Kylian Mbappé, Alessia Russo, Lamine Yamal, Désiré Doué and Mohamed Salah. With its sparkling, silver-foiled cover, this is the ultimate year book for fans of the beautiful game, bang on goal for all aspiring young players and the perfect gift for your reluctant readers!
(Dino Books, paperback, £9.99)

Age 7 plus
Dawn Horse
Grahame Baker-Smith

STUNNING artwork and the emotive tale of a curious young horse on a journey through time to meet his prehistoric ancestors blend beautifully together in an extraordinary picture book from award-winning self-taught author and illustrator Grahame Baker-Smith. Enriched by the guidance of researcher and Indigenous advocate Dr Yvette Running Horse Collin and her deep cultural insight, Dawn Horse honours both scientific discovery and Indigenous knowledge by depicting the horse’s story not only as one of evolution and survival, but also as one of profound connection. In a race through time, readers discover that there are countless chapters in the Book of Equus, a tale deep and ancient, as they join Palomino on his epic journey, meeting ancestors that include the tiny Eohippu, the swift Merychippus and the wild Equus ferus. And as he witnesses millions of years of evolution, Palomino also discovers the powerful bond between horses and humans, a relationship that has shaped civilisations and endured both beauty and hardship. Baker-Smith’s exquisite artwork brings to life a powerful story about the life of one horse and how the whole species came to exist, moving seamlessly between the personal and the epic, and reminding readers that these amazing creatures have shaped landscapes, cultures and human history for millennia. A beautiful and resonant celebration of resilience, partnership, and the enduring spirit of the horse.
(Templar Books, hardback, £14.99)

Age 7 plus
Bunny vs Monkey: Day of the Heroes!
Jamie Smart

HOLD on to your hats for more wild wacky adventures as Bunny and Monkey return in their exhilarating remastered series which delivers all the comedy and chaos of the daffy duo’s helter-skelter world! This outrageously funny new adventure in the super-popular series features 233 pages of fast and furry-ous exuberant fun… plus some entertaining draw-it-yourself activities. Bunny and Monkey are part of the Phoenix Presents series, published by David Fickling Books in partnership with The Phoenix comic, which goes from strength to strength, and much of that success is due to the genius of the extraordinarily talented illustrator Jamie Smart whose comic-strip Bunny vs Monkey books cause giant waves of laughter. So welcome back to the Woods where not all heroes wear capes… some have fur, some have sticky fingers, and some even have EXPLODING UNDERPANTS! What could possibly go wrong? The Woods need a hero. There’s a greased pig in a pickle, everyone is stuck in jelly and there’s a zombie invasion happening! Only Bunny and friends can save the day… as long as they don’t get in each other’s way! Laugh-out-loud comical and ingeniously addictive, these manic, high-energy stories were just made for fidgety readers who like their books to come with plenty of comic-strip pictures and loads of heroic hijinks and harebrained havoc. Madcap antics for a new generation of action kids!
(David Fickling Books, hardback, £12.99)

Age 5 plus
Me and My Feelings:
A First Look at Emotions
Dr Punam Krishan
and Veronika Chaves Morales

JOURNEY from the smile on your face to the butterflies in your tummy and uncover the topsy-turvy world of emotions with a fun and fact-filled lift-the-flap book from Dr Punam Krishan and illustrator and Veronika Chaves Morales. Grown-ups know that feelings come in all shapes and sizes… big ones, small ones, happy ones, sad ones. But it can be hard for youngsters to understand why sometimes you’re bursting with laughter and at other times, you feel like a fire is building up inside you. But every emotion you have is important and normal! With the help of Dr Punam, an NHS GP and television doctor, children can explore and comprehend the full range of their emotions, from happiness and surprise to worry and anger. Me and My Feelings contains over 90 flaps to lift as each page of the book reveals exciting discoveries about their feelings, from the science behind them to how they can recognise and manage them. Packed with Morales’ appealing and accessible illustrations, this bright and colourful book is an empowering first look at the big feelings little people have… and ideal for use in schools, nurseries and at home.
(DK Children, board book, £14.99)

Age 5 plus
Adventuremice: Mini Mice Mayhem
Philip Reeve and Sarah McIntyre

YOUNGSTERS love these meeces to pieces! The dream team of author Philip Reeve and illustrator Sarah McIntyre pool their talents for the new book in a simply brilliant early reader series which has all the fun of TV hit Paw Patrol, and the charm and whimsy of classics like The Wind in the Willows. With its focus on fun, friendship and kindness, Adventuremice features Pedro, a timid little mouse who has proved himself to be brave enough to join the heroic team protecting the Mouse Islands from danger.  In this new outing, mini mice have descended on the Adventuremice’s mousebase and Pedro and his friends will need all their wits about them! The class of cute but naughty mouselets are causing total chaos as they splatter yummy cake mixture everywhere they’re not supposed to. But when someone even naughtier turns up at the Mousebase, could the messy mouselets help the Adventuremice save the day? Reeve’s lively, heartwarming and fun-filled storytelling delivers all those ingredients that children love – immersive adventures, lovable heroes, reassuring friendships, exciting action and plenty of smiles – and all brought to vibrant, colourful life by McIntyre’s exquisitely characterful illustrations. A warm and whiskery favourite with mouse lovers of every age!
(David Fickling Books, paperback, £6.99)

Age 5 plus
Fairytale Fiasco: Sleeping Beauty
Myles McLeod and Evgenia Golubeva

MEET Cleo! She has a special power and with the help of her friend, Book Mark, she can launch herself into any fairy tale each bedtime and try to fix all the things that go wrong. The problem is that it tends to turn into a fiasco and she has to use her courage and quick wit to save the day! This clever, colourful and enchanting comic-form series is the creation of husband and wife team, author Myles McLeod and illustrator Evgenia Golubeva, and with contemporary, fresh retellings of familiar favourites, each with a brilliant twist, the books dish up everything to entice and entertain newly independent readers.  In Fairytale Fiasco: Sleeping Beauty, we learn that Princess Briar-Rose and everyone in her castle have been asleep for one hundred years. Luckily Cleo is here with her noisy alarm clock to save the day! ZIP and BOOM and FLASH and KAZAM! Can Cleo and Briar-Rose persuade the grouchy thirteenth fairy to break the sleep spell? And will Cleo get home in time for her bedtime story? Packed full of McLeod’s empathetic storytelling and Golubeva’s endearing and inclusive colour illustrations, and published in a small size book that is tailor-made for little hands, early reading has become a whole lot of fun!
(Guppy Books, paperback, £7.99, published on October 29)

Age 3 plus
The Most Magnificent Moose
Rachel Bright and Jim Field

A HAPPY-GO-LUCKY moose’s joyous view of the world is tested to the extreme in a simply delightful story from author Rachel Bright and illustrator Jim Field, the globally bestselling partnership which has now created ten stunning picture books. Bright’s gentle and lyrical rhyming text is teamed perfectly with Field’s stunning illustrations, making their adventures a delight to read again and again. And after big hit books like The Lion Inside and The Turtle Who Turned the Tide, we now meet Morris, the moose who thinks the world is AMAZING until he overhears a conversation between two busy beavers and starts to think thoughts he’s never had before. Are some moose born better than others? Is he... enough? Soon, all the other moose begin to argue about who is the best. Can Morris help his friends realise that there is magnificence inside us all? Brought to life by Field’s adorably characterful illustrations, packed full of fun and feelings, and with empowering messages about the pitfalls of comparing ourselves to others, this is the most magnificent read-aloud book and guaranteed to be a favourite with both adults and children!
(Orchard Books, hardback, £12.99)

Age 3 plus
Our World: Germany
Andrea Tripke and Andrea Liebe

GUTEN Morgen! Let’s spend a day in Germany, eat crusty Brötchen, traditional German bread rolls, for breakfast, cycle to town, shop at the market, bake a delicious plum cake called Pflaumenkuchen, and pick apples with Oma and Opa, German for grandma and grandad. Even learn words in German with pronunciation guides throughout the story. Author Andrea Tripke and Andrea Liebe draw on their personal experiences of growing up in Germany to create this charming board book which features educational endnotes and a pronunciation guide, and is part of Barefoot Books’ Our World series for young readers. 

Also in the series is Our World: Wales written by author Heather Davies and illustrator Nia Havilliard in which readers spend a day in Wales, counting the daffodils with Nain, exploring a castle, and singing with Mam’s choir. These Our World books avoid stereotypes and concentrate on daily life rather than landmarks. Bold artwork and an engaging text make global learning accessible to young children while back-of the-book notes offer simple explanations of the objects and actions found in the book. A whole world of knowledge!
(Barefoot Books, board books, £7.99 each)