CHILDREN'S BOOKS: Forbidden romance, a grief encounter and cute facts

Enjoy the romantic vibes of two star-crossed classroom lovers, meet a girl coping with the death of her beloved brother, follow an ingenious, winding trail of 200 super-sweet facts, and laugh out loud at the adventures of schoolgirl queen of friendships in a sunshine selection 

Age 14 plus
Sweet Heartbreak
Alexandra Moody

FORGET Romeo and Juliet, and meet Noah and Isobel, another pair of star-crossed lovers whose worlds collide at the country’s most elite boarding school, reigniting an ‘ancient grudge’ and setting in motion a deliciously romantic and utterly dazzling new ‘mutiny.’  Sweet Heartbreak is the swoon-worthy and heart-stopping first book of Australian author Alexandra Moody’s sensational Weybridge Academy trilogy, featuring a school for the kids of billionaire parents, and a place where two youngsters from opposite sides of the tracks find themselves freewheeling into a tangled web of secrets, betrayals, dramas… and forbidden romance. Isobel – the new kid on the block at Weybridge Academy – recognises straightaway that Noah Hastings is everything she’s not. Their worlds should never have collided but when her long-lost father reappeared, her life was flipped upside down. It turned out that he’s ridiculously wealthy, and without warning he plucked her from her simple life and threw her into a world of excess. Isobel’s father has only sent her to the most elite boarding school in the country where money and status mean everything. 

He gives her just one rule while she’s there… stay away from Noah Hastings. It should be a simple request. Noah is the king of Weybridge Academy, the heir to an empire and a serial heartbreaker. She’s just the new girl who grew up waiting on tables… she doesn’t fit into Noah’s world, and he could never be a part of hers. There’s more to this boy than Isobel expected, though, and he seems just as drawn to her as she is to him. But it’s not only their differences that stand between them… it’s the secrets they keep. Think popular boy with filthy rich parents, and a girl more used to serving up bacon in her mum’s beach café than riding round in luxury sports cars, and you have the simmering, shimmering backdrop for an unmissable and seductive romance. Tingling with teen angst and emotion, relatable characters, fun friendships, and billionaire youngsters, this is a classroom drama with more twists than a snakes and ladders board, and the perfect addictive series for romantics to fall in love with!
(Electric Monkey, paperback, £9.99)

Age 9 plus
Tadpole Summer
Catherine Bruton

‘IN the midst of life we are in death’ says the Bible… it’s a concept hard for children to fully understand, let alone accept. But as spring bursts out all around, a moving and inspirational story from multi-award-winning author of No Ballet Shoes in Syria Catherine Bruton reminds us all of the power of nature to heal, comfort and bring hope, even in the face of a cruel loss. Both heartbreaking and heartwarming, Tadpole Summer explores sibling love, the wonders of nature and the pain of bereavement and grief as a young girl struggles to cope with her terminally ill brother’s last months and to face the reality that their days together are numbered. Frog has always known her younger brother Tad is unwell. He has Spinal Muscular Atrophy (called SMA-PME for short) but that has never been an obstacle for their unbreakable bond. They share a room and do everything together, Frog happy to do whatever Tad needs. But when Tad is taken into hospital, Frog finds it difficult to be in their bedroom alone and starts camping in the garden. She only plans to be there while Tad is away but she finds an unexpected calm amongst the sounds and smells of nature and a space of her own that she’s never had before.

When Tad comes home, their bedroom has to change to accommodate all his hospital equipment and Frog isn’t sure where she fits in their family any more. She retreats back into the garden, using the excuse of a sponsored camp-out for charity. But as Tad’s condition worsens, Frog needs to face the truth that she may not have much longer with him. Working to bring the small wonders of the natural world to Tad, can Frog find a way to make this last summer together unforgettable? Bruton excels in this exquisitely imagined tale of a girl who faces her brother’s death by immersing herself in the sights, sounds and smells of the natural world, finding solace and calm in summer breezes, the scent of fresh green grass and the buzzing of the bees. With its rich gamut of emotions, feast of sensual vibes, and the green shoots of nature providing light in the darkness, this is an unforgettable story from a master storyteller.  
(Nosy Crow, paperback, £7.99)

Age 9 plus
Dragonborn: The Twilight Child
Struan Murray

SOMETIMES children are born to be dragons… and sometimes an epic fantasy series is born to set imaginations on fire! Scottish author Struan Murray – whose debut novel, Orphans of the Tide, won the prestigious Branford Boase Award – plays his best card yet with this electrifying fantasy adventure series which stars a fiery girl striving to master her powers as a dragon and takes world-building to dizzy new heights. The Twilight Child is the second Dragonborn book and returns to the perilous life of Alex Evans who has discovered her true identity as a dragon and is now embarking on a dangerous quest to stop Drak Midna, the greatest dragon of all, who is waging a war against humanity. And when tragedy strikes the legendary island of Skralla, Alex and her friends journey north to the magical heart of Scotland where dark plots are in motion, and humans and dragons fight side-by-side against a rising storm of ancient demons. Sinister forces are growing stronger every day and as friendships fall apart and enemies, old and new, strike from the shadows, Alex must master her own awesome power and unravel a mystery that might just be the key to victory… the legend of the Twilight Child. Murray has given us a true, inspirational hero… a thrilling young girl on a journey of self-discovery who is ready to sideline her fears and emotions and take on dragon skulls, ferocious battles and a fiery, fearsome enemy in order to save the world. Littered with fire-breathing danger, an endless layer of mind-blowing secrets, and an emotional intensity that will burn its way into young hearts, Dragonborn is a daring, dazzling and dizzying delight!
(Puffin, hardback, £14.99)

Age 8 plus
Cute FACTopia!
Kate Olesin and Andy Smith

WHEN you are invited to follow an ingenious trail of 200 super-sweet facts about extremely small teddy bears, teeny tiny ants, pygmy hippos and chilled-out capybaras, it can only mean one thing... FACTopia! is back and this time it’s adorably CUTE! Written by writer, editor and professional fun fact finder Kate Olesin, and brought to life by amazing photographs and award-winning Andy Smith’s fabulously witty collage artwork, Cute FACTopia! is the newest and cutest title in the best-selling FACTopia! series which was featured in this year’s official World Book Day book selection. Cute FACTopia! is published in What on Earth! publisher’s irresistible new pocket-sized format, making it ideal to keep children entertained during journeys and holidays. So choose your own path to meet the pygmy hippo called Moo Dheng whose ears wiggle when she sleeps, and marvel at the world’s tiniest teddy bear. Learn how elephants dance in the rain, and babies hiccup inside the womb, and then jet off into space to discover a comet shaped like a rubber duck and a dwarf planet with a huge, heart-shaped ice field on its surface. Every fact in the book is linked to the next in funny and surprising ways. And there isn’t just one trail through these pages… sometimes your path branches and you can choose to jump to a totally different (but still connected) part of the book. Where will your curiosity take you? Connecting topics as diverse as animals, plants, dinosaurs, art, architecture and even space – all through the lens of cuteness – this is a perfectly sweet treat for reluctant or struggling readers.
(What on Earth!, hardback, £9.99)

Age 8 plus
Nina Peanut: Major Drama Alert
Sarah Bowie

HANDS up if you want another Nina Peanut adventure with the schoolgirl queen of friendships, frenemies and big dreams? Fans of the one and only megastar mystery-solver Nina will be racing to get to grips with her outrageous new antics as Irish writer and illustrator Sarah Bowie makes a welcome return with her fabulous full-colour illustrated series. Nina Peanut: Major Drama Alert is the fourth outing for everyone’s favourite naughty schoolgirl who also happens to be a superstar frozen pizza chef, ghost hunter, mystery solver, jet-setter, creative genius and now (drum roll!) drama queen. As Nina tells us, I CANNOT believe Mum is making me show the new boy at school around town. Ethan shoved an ice cream in my face when we were four years old, annoying! But wait... he's older now and... quite cool. Wears a leather jacket, into skating, the best looking boy who-is-not-in-a-boyband I’ve ever seen. Why have I gone bright red? We’re putting on some random play… Romeo and Juliet? I don't expect you've heard of it… it’s at the end of term and I want the starring role opposite Ethan. But of course my arch-enemy Megan BUMFACE is also set on the part… the race to be the ultimate drama queen is ON! With fun, laughter, mega mishaps and drama all the way, there’s never a dull moment when Nina is on the case!
(Scholastic, paperback, £9.99)

Age 7 plus
A Mermaid’s Rescue
Chris Riddell

MERMAIDS, Moondays, secrets and seahorses... the Costa Award-winning and ever-inventive author and illustrator Chris Riddell makes a welcome return with the second book of a sea-soaked series that sheds a ray of sunshine on every youngster’s summer reading. Full of Riddell’s richly detailed and intricate black and white illustrations, these utterly charming and comedy-infused fantasy adventures deliver a seductive blend of friendship, underwater fun and imagination as we follow a mermaid who loves to record the escapades of her weird and wonderful friends in her diary. When timid Atalanta Scrimshaw notices strange footprints in the sand at Sleepy Cove she knows something is wrong. Her best friend, Creech (a creature from the Blue Lagoon), has vanished! Atalanta raises the alarm, and she and her mermaid friends begin a thrilling chase through Mer City. Can Atalanta and her friends pull off a daring rescue from the aquarium lair of a wicked industrialist before it’s too late? With its cast of incredible characters, all the magic of a dazzling underwater world, and Riddell’s trademark wit, inventiveness and exciting storytelling, A Mermaid's Rescue is must reading for all fantasy fans... and guarantees waves of fun all the way to Sleepy Cove!
(Macmillan Children’s Books, hardback, £12.99)

Age 7 plus
Pen, Pad, Play! Over 50 Amazing Ideas for Drawing and Designing
Elliot Ryan

OPEN your pad, pick up your pen… and let’s PLAY! It doesn’t matter whether you’ve been drawing for years or you’re just getting started, here’s the chance to set free your creative side and let your imagination run wild with a brilliant new activity book series written and illustrated by experienced art teacher Elliot Ryan. Pen, Pad, Play! is packed with over 50 surprising and inspiring design-themed drawing activities to get brains buzzing with new ideas. Packaged in an eye-catching, portable drawing pad with tear-out sheets and a sturdy backboard for use on the go, every child can have fun feeling creative without any pressure to come up with perfection. Written and illustrated prompts help to build children’s confidence and artistic literacy, and spark their imaginations, and as no previous drawing experience is required, anyone of any skill level can enjoy feeling creative. Each book in this innovative series focuses on a different drawing theme, features two different bright pantone colours and is guaranteed to keep kids (as well as teens and adults!) entertained for hours on end. So whether you’re a daring doodler, a budding artist, or want to inspire your youngsters, simply pick up a pen, open the first page of your pad and get creating!
(Nosy Crow, paperback, £9.99)

Age 7 plus
Buck & Ears Pirate Detectives
Jennifer Bell and Sarah Horne

CLIMB aboard for the funniest sea voyage you will take this year… and while you’re giggling, spot the hidden clues to solve a pirate mystery! Children’s author Jennifer Bell and award-winning illustrator Sarah Horne blend their talents on the first fabulous book of a hilarious new series that is crammed full of madcap adventures, and entertaining puzzles and clues for readers to solve. Your ‘hosts’ on this laughter-filled seafaring odyssey are Buck and Ears (a boy and his loyal rabbit!) who are officially the worst pirates on the Seventy Seas but now angling to be the best ocean-going super-sleuths. It all begins when Buck and Ears bump into the terrifying Captain Bloodfang and she gives them an ultimatum… follow CLUES to find her missing chef or else be turned into pirate stew! Along with their misfit crew, can Buck and Ears solve the case and save themselves from a horrible fate? Join the fun and spot the clues as you try to solve the mystery before the two pirate detectives! Kids will love doing their own detective work in Bell’s cleverly created and decidedly fishy world of Buck and Ears as they spot the clues, follow the twisting, turning puzzle trail, and enjoy giant waves of laughter with the cast of zany characters who spring to life through Horne’s brilliant illustrations. Chaos ahoy!
(Scholastic, paperback, £7.99)

Age 5 plus
Salty Dog and Pals
Katie Chappell and Helen Stephens

THE fun, warmth and joys of friendship are explored in four colourfully illustrated stories perfectly created to encourage youngsters setting out on independent reading. The bright, happy and laugh-out-loud seaside adventures of Salty Dog and Pals have been co-written and illustrated by another pair of best pals, Katie Chappell and Helen Stephens. Join Salty Dog and his best friends Kitty (the cat) and Bernard (the duck) who all live together in a little upside-down boat house by the sea. It’s a windy day on the island and Kitty LOVES windy days! They’re perfect for flying a kite. But what happens when an unsuspecting Bernard gets a little caught up in the kite? And on bath night, Kitty is going to make it extra special for her best pals… bubble bath, disco lights, bath bombs and – shhh! – Bernard’s extra special shampoo. But it’s looking VERY bubbly, maybe Kitty has used just a bit too much! It’s a stormy night on the island but Salty is on hand to sing everyone some sea shanties. But then the lights go out and there’s a mysterious knock on the door… Now it’s a foggy night on the island. Kitty has knitted a jumper for Bernard but it’s MUCH too big. Bernard is upset, Kitty is upset so it’s a good thing Salty has just the right solution. Filled with sea shanties, Highland dancing, howling storms and extravagant bath time routines, life on the island is certainly NEVER dull! With cosy stories to enjoy and Stephens’ stunning four-colour illustrations, all set in a beautifully imagined and utterly charming seaside world, this lovely book is ideal for bedtime sharing and building confidence in early readers.
(Walker Books, paperback, £6.99)

Age 5 plus
Bravepaw and the Fangstone of Flintfall
L.M. Wilkinson and Lavanya Naidu

CAN a gallant mouse find the Gems of Harmony and save her homeland from destruction? Award-winning Australian author of more than twenty books for young people, L.M. Wilkinson teams up with Melbourne-based artist Lavanya Naidu for the third escapade in a fully illustrated and super-readable adventure series packed full of magic, prophecies, quests, heroics and loyal friendships. It’s a story that’s the stuff of legend and Titch knows that she must find the Gems of Harmony if she is to have any hope of fulfilling the prophecy of Bravepaw. If only she knew where to begin her quest! The magnificent Library of Lexhelm seems to hold the answers, or at least its books can help Titch and her friends ask the right questions as they journey into danger. But prophecies can be twisted, enemies can be slippery, and sometimes the person it is hardest to trust is yourself. With all of Alluria on the line, can Titch make the right decision? With an against-all-odds mission full of powerful crystals to complete, a battle between good and evil to win, and friendships to foster and treasure, this all-action mouse ‘tail’ is the perfect fit for every child who loves heroes and whisker-raising adventures!
(Allen & Unwin, paperback, £7.99)

Age 4 plus
Magpie and the Sparkling Words
Lucy Rowland and Craig Shuttlewood

WORD power is at play on every page of this uplifting, rhyming, vocabulary-rich picture book from award-winning author Lucy Rowland and artist Craig Shuttlewood whose vibrant illustrations sparkle with colour, character and joy. In a MYSTICAL wood stood a MAGICAL tree… the home of BRILLIANT Magpie. From her nest, Magpie listens to the wonderful words of her fellow woodland animals. Words with a sparkle, a shimmer, a shine, entwined in her nest in the tree. She gathered them up and giggled, ‘They're mine – these sparkling words just for me!’ But eventually, the other animals stay quiet so their words aren’t being whisked away. Only then does Magpie realise that the silent wood doesn’t glitter in the same way as before. After a storm destroys Magpie’s nest, and sends her stash of sparkling words zooming back out into the forest, she finally learns that it is unity, kindness and sharing language that makes the words sparkle. And words certainly speak just as loud as actions in this joint celebration of the natural world and the fun to be found in literacy. Rowland’s lyrical story effortlessly weaves an exciting vocabulary alongside important themes of sharing, kindness and teamwork, encouraging readers to find enjoyment in literacy and share sparkling words with each other. The perfect picture book for story time… and to give children’s language development a helping hand.
(Templar Books, paperback, £7.99)

Age one plus
Nell and Beany: The Big Fish
Camilla Reid and Kate Hindley

GET ready to meet a lovable new board book duo destined to be a favourite with toddlers and pre-schoolers! The Big Fish is the first adventure for Nell and Beany, an enchanting and lovable cat and dog pairing from the top team of author and specialist pre-school books creator Camilla Reid and award-winning illustrator Kate Hindley. Friends Nell and Beany love to go on adventures together and today they are going on a fishing trip. But what will they catch? With Reid’s fun, read-aloud rhyming story, the cute cat and dog duo’s antics to enjoy, tabs to pull and a wheel to push, slide and turn, plus Hindley’s bright, charming and colourful illustrations, little ones will find plenty to do and see along the way on this entertaining voyage of discovery!
(Macmillan Children’s Books, board book, £7.99)

Age one plus
The Waiting Room
Eleni Tassopoulos Wehner and Danamarie Hosler

SITTING in the waiting room is boring for Roscoe… fortunately his sister Ivy knows just what to do to make waiting fun! Join the siblings as Roscoe’s antics get noisy and disruptive in their latest adventure in the delightful Roscoe & Ivy board book series. This clever and accessible series focuses on the daily life of a neurodivergent family and is the creation of neurodivergent author and illustrator team, Eleni Tassopoulos Wehner and Danamarie Hosler, who draw on their own lived experiences. Roscoe and Ivy have to wait for Mama. The only toy in the waiting room has beads that go up…then down…then up…then down. It’s too boring for Roscoe would rather sing a song or bang-bang-BANG on the fish tank. Can his patient big sister keep the peace until Mama comes back? Helpful endnotes offer gentle guidance on tolerating boredom and the strategies that can be used to distract an impatient child. The perfect travelling companion for neurodivergent families!
(Barefoot Books, board book, £7.99 each)

Age one plus
Tomato, Tomato, Tomato!
Sarah Finan

THERE'S only one thing this baby loves to eat… tomatoes, tomatoes, tomatoes! Little ones will love slurping their way through the juicy slices, tangy pops and saucy spoonfuls of delicious tomatoes in the fourth board 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 pages. With rounded corners and sturdy pages, the book is ideal for little hands and is a joy to read aloud. A tasty treat that will be relished again and again and again!
(Post Wave Children’s Books, board book, £7.99)

Murder at the Spirit Lounge

Jess Kidd

FORMER nun and now a familiar figure in the Kentish seaside town of Gore-on-Sea, Nora Breen is finding her feet at the ‘dead centre’ of a new calling… an amateur detective with a sharp mind, an advanced sense of worldly intuition, and a cynicism rare for someone who spent 30 years in the contemplative shadows of the cloisters.

But when a private séance at a local medium’s home ends in an unholy death, and an ever-increasing threat to all those in attendance that night, Nora is unexpectedly launched into a race against time to discover who is the spectre at what is fast becoming a ‘feast’ of suspiciously spooky murders.

Jess Kidd (pictured below), one of today’s most multi-talented authors, spirits us back into the life of the indomitable Nora, the former Carmelite nun with the observational skills of Hercule Poirot and lead player of the enchanting Nora Breen Investigates series which burst on to the cosy crime scene last year with Murder at Gull’s Nest… and wowed readers with some stellar super-sleuthing and an author at the top of her game.

Set in the 1950s and in a land still weary from six long years of war, the past plays into the present in this witty and wonderful series which shines with the brilliance of coastal sunshine, delivers time and place with aplomb, and features an unlikely detective who – like the deceptively astute Miss Marple – is determined enough and brave enough to dig deep into territory far more unsavoury than a nun would normally experience.  

After her three decades as Sister Agnes, Nora Breen never takes for granted the freedom of once again ‘being at large in the world.’ She lives with a ‘jumble’ of eccentric characters at Gulls Nest, a once grand place but now an ageing and rather shabby boarding house on the seafront at Gore-on-Sea.

On one of her customary shoreline walks on a brilliant December morning, Nora is interrupted by the arrival of a young police constable who tells her she has been summoned to accompany her new ‘partner’ in crime, Detective Inspector Hilary Rideout, at the home of Doreen Chimes, Gore-on-Sea’s resident psychic who settled in the town last summer after a run of sell-out stage shows.

Mrs Chimes would like to report the theft of a valuable trinket and has personally invited Rideout to that evening’s private séance… sessions always held for just five selected people. After 30 years of ‘pondering the afterlife,’ Nora regards summoning spirits and conversing with the dead as ‘claptrap’ but the inspector is lured in by her promises of messages for the afterlife.

It’s an invitation he will regret accepting when the evening ends in a suspiciously spooky murder. And in the coming days, more of those who attended the séance find themselves in mortal peril. Can Nora figure out who – or what – is behind these spectral killings before Rideout himself falls victim to a ghostly murderer?

In a fast-moving story, which sees the very down-to-earth Nora harnessed into a local reporter job to help probe the murderous goings-on in the spirit world, the body count rises as fast as the frissons of tensions and teasing which disconcertingly pass between our former nun and the good inspector.

And once again, the enchantingly inquisitive and intelligent Nora steals the show as she continues rediscovering a world far removed from the whitewashed corridors of a Carmelite monastery and finally finds an outlet for her renowned powers of intuition and what some might call, her nosiness.

Kidd is a supreme author who bestows only the very best character studies on each and every one of her unique cast, employing her extraordinary ability to sum up a persona in the fewest perfectly chosen words, and setting a scene with her trademark precision.

And yet, brimful as it is of dazzling writing, perfect plotting and laugh-out-loud dialogue, Murder at the Spirit Lounge also provides an exquisite snapshot of a nation still emerging from the ravages of war, a place where memories of loss are still raw and the scars of ex-servicemen like Hilary Rideout are just the physical ‘hurts’ that people can see.

Expect plot twists, red herrings galore, the welcome emergence of a delightful detective ‘odd couple’ who would slot perfectly into a Sunday night cosy crime TV series… and enjoy the anticipation of Nora’s return in A Pot of Poison!
(Faber & Faber, hardback, £16.99)

The Ship’s Cat

Alex Howard

FELINE heroics on the world’s mightiest oceans are guaranteed to be lapped up by cat lovers in a cosy seafaring odyssey starring a lovable street stray from London searching for love, friendship… and his forever home.

Alex Howard (pictured below), a TikTok favourite and bestselling author of much-loved time-travelling adventure, The Ghost Cat, charms and enchants us again with this feel-good cat’s ‘tail’ of resilience, belonging and keeping your head above water whilst sailing into the unknown.

From the sun-drenched harbours of the Mediterranean to the bustling decks of ocean racers and narrowboats of Edinburgh’s Union Canal, readers will be purring with delight when they get their ‘paws’ on one magical cat’s epic mission to sail the seven seas.

Archie is a street-savvy London cat who has no faith in humans. A cat can only trust himself, after all. But when he takes shelter from the cold near an airfield, he accidentally finds himself stowed away on a flight to Turkey. What he doesn’t yet know is that it will launch him into an epic sea voyage… one that will take him farther than he’s ever been and challenge everything he thinks he knows about ‘home.’

Because after landing in Turkey, he stumbles into a fishing boat in a quiet cove and discovers he is no ordinary feline. With his unique polydactyl paws, each with an extra toe, Archie realises he is not only a useful companion aboard fishing boats and luxury yachts, but also something of a lucky talisman.

Yet beneath the viral fame and whispered tales of ‘the magical ship’s cat,’ Archie yearns for something deeper… a forever human who will love him not as a talisman but as a companion. Determined to return to the shores of Blighty, Archie must rely on the generosity – and vessels – of humans to make his way home and in doing so, becomes a legend among sailors as he travels. It may be luck that drives Archie on his great seafaring odyssey around the world but it will be love which eventually sends him home… not to some place, perhaps, but to someone.

Witty, uplifting and inspired by Howard’s own experiences on a transatlantic voyage in which he crewed on a ‘leaky’ sailing boat and encountered storms and many ‘antics,’ The Ship's Cat is guaranteed to find port in the heart of every reader!
(Black & White Publishing, hardback, £16.99)

CHILDREN'S BOOKS: Speaking out, a vampire empire and time-travel fun

Discover a menacing world in which being polite isn’t a choice, visit it an ancient Scottish island and meet Vikings, vampires and vengeful gods, join a thrilling countdown on a journey into the past, and laugh out loud at a street full of madness and mayhem in an eclectic round-up 

Age 9 plus
The Ministry of Manners
David Solomons and Hazem Asif

THE Ministry of Manners guides, protects and teaches the people to be better… it definitely doesn’t rule by force. Or does it? David Solomons, award-winning author of the My Brother Is a Superhero series, explores what is lost in keeping quiet and what is found in fighting back in an audacious new middle-grade novel based on the resonant themes of George Orwell’s classic book Nineteen Eighty-Four. Be quiet. Be polite. Or be silenced. Alfie and Margot Hawthorne have grown up under the Ministry of Manners where politeness isn’t a choice… it's the law. And one wrong word can change your life. Alfie knows how to stay out of trouble, but Margot has never been one for quiet obedience. When the Ministry takes Margot, everything changes. Inside the Manners Retreat, she fights to stay herself in a place built to erase her. Meanwhile, Alfie falls in with the Unsilenced… those who still dare to speak. But the Ministry has plans of its own and if they succeed, rebellion won’t just be punished... it will be impossible.

Using a world inspired by Orwell’s Nineteen Eighty-Four, Solomons brings young readers an exciting and accessible all-action adventure set against a dystopian landscape in which children fight back against an oppressive regime which requires quiet obedience over free expression. With its powerful messages and encouragement of critical thinking, a cast of gutsy youngsters, and the atmospheric illustrations of Pakistani illustrator and designer Hazem Asif, The Ministry of Manners is a thrilling and thought-provoking read.
(Piccadilly Press, paperback, £7.99)

Age 11 plus
Vampire Empire: Red Tide
Curtis Jobling

THINK (literally!) bloodthirsty Vikings, terror and fates that really are worse than death… and what do you get? The age of the Vampire Empire! Bestselling author, illustrator and animation creator Curtis Jobling is on fine warrior form in the first book of a thrilling duology which features a supernatural Viking warband on the rampage in 900 AD Shetland. Starring a fearless Norse girl and a blacksmith’s son fighting for survival when Viking vampires descend on their island, this is supernatural thrills on steroids. The people of Unst, Norse and Pict alike, enjoy lives of relative peace… none more so than Hilde, the fiery daughter of Jarl Frida, and Cormac, the blacksmith’s boy. Hilde yearns for a life of adventure, like the one her tormented mother had before her, carving her name in the great sagas as a legendary shieldmaiden. But Hilde should be careful what she wishes for. When a terrible Viking warband arrive upon the island, shrouded by an otherworldly fog and hell-bent upon horror, Hilde and Cormac’s worlds are turned upside down. They bring with them terrors and secrets, the likes of which a Norse girl and a Pictish boy could never have dreamt of in their worst nightmares. For when the Harrowed Men come raiding, there is no escape from their cruelty… or their unquenchable hunger. And no amount of blood will slake their thirst… Valhalla for fans of Vikings, vampires and vengeful gods!
(Fox & Ink Books, paperback, £8.99)

Age 9 plus
The Time Engine
Lindsay Galvin and Kristina Kister

ADA Lovelace, the 19^th century English mathematician and writer renowned for her work on Charles Babbage’s proposed ‘Analytical Engine,’ takes a starring role in a thrilling and magical new tale from Lindsay Galvin, a former science teacher who has become one of our most exciting middle grade authors. The Time Engine follows on from the success of The Elixir, a time-slip adventure which wowed readers last year with its exciting and atmospheric fusion of science-fiction and history. When Eric Finch discovers a mysterious machine hidden in his attic, he realises that his mother has been keeping a huge secret. A brilliant mathematician, Eric’s mother has used designs from an old journal belonging to her ancestor Ada Lovelace to build the machine, but Eric has no idea how it works or what it does. Unable to resist tinkering with the machine, Eric finds himself thrust into an unforgettable adventure. But his actions have also threatened the very fabric of time, with possibly terrifying consequences. Can he join forces with a young Ada Lovelace and find a way to rectify time and get back home? Galvin’s richly descriptive writing, her vibrant imagination and her ability to deliver adventures full of peril, pathos and powerful messages have made her a go-to author. Add on Kristina Kister’s atmospheric illustrations, fascinating science and history facts wrapped up in a high-stakes adventure, and Barrington Stoke’s trademark, dyslexia-friendly reading format, and you have the perfect book for both homes and classrooms.
(Barrington Stoke, paperback, £7.99)

Age 8 plus
Welcome to Weird Street
Stephen Mangan and Anita Mangan

KNOCK, knock who’s there?  Prepare for neighbourly madness and mayhem as the sensational sibling team of much-loved actor Stephen Mangan and his talented artist sister Anita return with the weirdest and wildest collection of linked short stories! Welcome to Weird Street... what appears to be a very ordinary place, filled with very ordinary houses and very ordinary people. But wait a minute… When Sarah moves to the street and sees a cat prowling up and down, she decides to find its owner and return it. She knocks on each door and discovers a wonderfully weird (and a little bit dangerous!) array of delights within. From a haunted painting and a headmaster whose alter ego is a clown, to a jet-powered garden swing, a ghost-pet adoption agency and a wild hall of mirrors, these are zaniest neighbours you could hope to meet! As always, Anita Mangan’s quirky illustrations are the perfect pairing for her brother’s super-silly, bite-size escapades which roll out at the opening of every door and the turning of every page. Powered by youthful energy, ingenuity, wildly imaginative storytelling and an addictive brand of naughty humour, Welcome to Weird Street will have mischief-makers giggling to the end of the road… and back!
(Scholastic, paperback, £7.99)

Age 7 plus
Ben Nuttall’s Footy Factory
Ben Nuttall and Nigel Baines

HELP your young footballers to get a kick out of reading with this brilliant book from Ben Nuttall, the world’s Number One record-breaking freestyler and YouTuber who is on a mission to get reluctant readers (particularly boys!) off their screens and finding fun in books. Ben Nuttall’s Footy Factory has been carefully created and is colourfully illustrated throughout by Nigel Baines to inspire confidence and creativity in youngsters by offering an irresistible mix of a step-by-step guide to freestyle football skills of all levels and jaw-dropping stories of the famous players who have shown them off on match day. So dream big, train hard and welcome to the Footy Factory where you can learn tricks for next game. Impress your mates in the playground with your unbelievable tekkers… or just have a laugh trying a new sport! With QR codes linking to bespoke training videos of Nuttall showcasing specific skills and tricks, this is the perfect book to get your kids reading, enjoying outdoor fun… and keeping on the ball!
(Fox & Ink Books, paperback, £7.99)

Age 5 plus
National Trust: Rewild This Book!
Illustrated by Lizzie Lomax

CREATIVITY meets messy play! Published in collaboration between Nosy Crow publishers and the National Trust, this fun, innovative and timely activity book literally draws on nature as each page of it can be planted in the ground and returned to nature after you have covered it with your own artwork. So get rewilding… draw, stick, find, sniff, colour, rip, dip, roll, throw and make, then go outside and get the book back into nature! An interactive activity book with a difference, Rewild This Book! comes from new design talent Lizzie Lomax and encourages creative, messy play inspired by the natural world. What happens if you dip a page of this book in a puddle or roll the book down the hill? Can you turn mud into mud creatures or make a masterpiece using only a twig? Try, create and see what happens! There are over 60 activities and prompts to help spark young imaginations… and remember, you can’t rewild this book without getting a little bit WILD!
(Nosy Crow, paperback, £9.99)

Age 3 plus
Go Go Dodo!
Huw Lewis Jones and Fred Blunt

THEY say there are two sides to every story and there are certainly two ways of looking at this hilarious picture book romp from the top team of author Huw Lewis Jones and illustrator Fred Blunt. Meet a blissfully carefree dodo who is taking a stroll through a very gentle jungle, across a very friendly swamp and over a very soothing sea… completely unaware that, not only is his walk full of peril, but he’s being stalked by a VERY hungry tiger! What will happen when they enter the very dangerous grass? Little readers will adore shouting, in full-on panto style, ‘He's behind you!’ in this simple and fun-to-read story where text and art tell two sides of the same story. Lewis Jones provides the brilliantly teasing wordplay and Blunt excels with a riotous colour storm of action, hidden mishaps and laugh-out-loud chaos. Destined to be a family favourite!
(Little Tiger Press, paperback, £7.99)

Age 3 plus
Marcie and Giraffe
Kim Gregory

PUT a welcome splash of colour into your little ones’ lives with this beautifully created and inspirational picture book from debut author and illustrator Kim Gregory. With resonant themes about self-expression and embracing mistakes, Marcie and Giraffe offers a fun and gloriously messy life lesson! Marcie has painted a picture of Giraffe. At first, she loves it! But when Giraffe paints a picture of Marcie, she’s not so sure. ‘Your art is better than mine…’she sighs, before making a series of FIERCE and SCRIBBLY pictures that capture her inner turmoil. Can Marcie and Giraffe find a way to make art together? In this joyful celebration of youthful life lessons, Gregory boldly explores what it feels like to compare yourself to others through high-octane illustrations in vibrant primary colours which bring Marcie and Giraffe to life in style. Full of warmth and personality, this hilarious picture book duo will inspire youngsters to express their ideas with confidence and discover the messy magic of making art with friends. Perfect for children learning to trust and celebrate their creative voice!
(Little Tiger Press, hardback, £12.99)

Age 3 plus
Valerie: Australia's Bravest Sausage Dog
Lucinda Gifford

DISCOVER the amazing true story of the tiny dog who captured the heart of a nation! All over Australia and around the world, people fell in love with Valerie, the bold-hearted dachshund who escaped a campground on Kangaroo Island and roamed the wilderness for over 500 days before being reunited with her loving owners. In this gloriously warm-hearted romp of a rhyming picture book, bestselling author and illustrator Lucinda Gifford who studied architecture in Scotland but now lives in Melbourne, imagines adorable Valerie's adventures and bring them to vivid and hilarious life. ‘Living the beach life and riding the swells. Practising backstroke and digging up shells. Dining on oysters and fancy ice cream... Valerie knew she was living the dream.’ Suddenly, Valerie hears urgent cries and hastily grabs a disguise. ‘What missing doggie? I don’t think that’s me… I’m on an adventure with lots more to see!’ Youngsters will love roaming with Valerie as she befriends dolphins, eats her fill and explores the wilds... all before finding her way safely home again. An adventure on four legs!
(Allen & Unwin, hardback, £12.99)

Age 3 plus
Our Islands
Phoebe Roze

JOIN a bear on a heartwarming adventure to discover the path back home and the truest of friendships in a beautifully evocative picture book from Phoebe Roze, an illustrator from the Highlands who finds inspiration in the landscapes, nature and folklore of Scotland. When Bear’s cosy island life is interrupted by a wild storm, he finds himself adrift and alone. Washed ashore on a new island, fear turns to wonder as he encounters an unlikely friend, Isla. Together, they join forces to help Bear find his way home. As they set off, they begin to explore the vibrant surrounding islands, discovering all kinds of different homes. But after all the amazing sights they see, Bear still longs for the comfort of his island home. Can Isla help Bear navigate the sparkling islands, or will he forever be adrift? Brought to life by a gallery of colourful and atmospheric artwork, Roze’s tender tale of the lonely bear – with its exquisitely beautiful sense of place – will touch the heart of all readers as an unlikely friendship blossoms and Bear discovers the true meaning of ‘home.’
(Post Wave Children’s Books, hardback, £12.99)

Age 2 plus
123 Count with Me
Illustrated by Georgie Birkett

COUNT with me! Get your little ones in shape for counting lessons with this fun and innovative trace-and-flip board book which lets youngsters trace each grooved number to explore its shape. Using a finger, children can track numbers from 1 through to 20 whilst learning the early concepts of counting and writing, and enjoying colourful lift-the-flaps for added fun. And help them along the way by tracing the numbers as you say them, pointing to pictures of objects that correspond to each number while you count, and asking your child what comes next. Vibrantly illustrated by Georgie Birkett, 123 Count with Me’s innovative track-and-trace format is ideal for practising hand-eye co-ordination and the perfect travelling companion for road trips and train rides!
(Little Tiger Press, board book, £7.99)

Age one plus
World's Best Dad
Isabel Otter and Lynn Giunta

THE world's best dad is mine and he is wonderful! Celebrate your dad and all the wonderful things he does for you with this adorable pop-up board book which comes packed with love. Written by Isabel Otter and boldly illustrated by Lynn Giunta, this beautiful book is the perfect gift book for all the dads and father figures in your life. The vibrant, uplifting text reminds readers how brilliant dads are while a cute cast of animal pairings capture the special sweetness of the father and child relationship. With gorgeous paper-cut artwork and eye-catching pop-ups, World’s Best Dad is a book to be loved, shared and treasured.
(Little Tiger Press, board book, £9.99)

Marked for Death

R.O. Thorp

SPENDING a term with one of the world’s most famous freshwater biologist at a stunning medieval university in Middle Europe was supposed to be a spring and summer of ‘enormous opportunity’ for Dr Finn Blanchard, a rising star in sea sciences.

But within days of his arrival, Finn finds himself plunged not into the nearby lake’s fascinating fish life but into a murder mystery involving two suspicious deaths and missing papers which could well lead to the discovery of a missing Shakespeare play.

If you set sail with Death on Ice, last year’s irresistibly compelling killer cruise crime caper starring the memorable scientist twins, Finn and Rose Blanchard, then don your gowns and mortar boards for another murderously enjoyable romp from R.O. Thorp (pictured below), an Australian currently living in Cork in Ireland who was a Clarendon Scholar at Oxford and won the London Short Story Award in 2011.

And after an adventure in the frozen north, we move to warmer, southern climes for another slice of entertaining escapism packed full of chills, thrills, history and mystery, and featuring a perplexing case starring amateur detective Finn (more comfortable with a school of fish than a faculty full of off-beat academics), and an ancient place of learning that harbours the darkest secrets and deadliest rivalries.

After a murderous time on a marine research voyage to the Arctic Circle, Dr Finn Blanchard is focusing on his spring term tenure at the University of St Ludmila in Pereja, a centuries-old town which lies next to an ancient glacial freshwater lake reputed to have a rare microclimate. Finn, a young man with a ‘positive’ disposition and an ‘aura of softness,’ is looking forward to meeting the famous freshwater biologist Dr Martine Saluto (labelled ‘absolutely terrifying’ by her students) after making his own mark with a groundbreaking monograph on Greenland sharks.

It’s only three months since the university’s administrator, Nina Hussar, fell to her death down the stairs of the university’s renowned carillon tower even though she had used the steps for many years. An investigation concluded her death was nothing more than accident but mystery still hangs over the events and Finn is far more interested in discovering whether there are any clues to a long-vanished species of shark in the nearby lake.

One of the first people he meets is Nina’s nephew, Stephen Huskins, an assistant professor in literature, who is clearing his aunt’s belongings from her room and they join forces when the sudden and seemingly unexplained death of an elderly professor unearths cryptic clues to Shakespeare’s missing play Cardenio.

By now, Finn is forced to admit that his research isn’t the only fishy thing at St Ludmila’s and he calls on the expertise of private detective Tom Heissen, who is also Finn’s much lamented ex-boyfriend. With head librarian Amelia Wolfe also joining them in their investigations, the case becomes increasingly dangerous and if Finn can't figure out who the killer is soon, the next blood in the water might be his own…

Marked for Death is glorious skulduggery from start to finish as Thorp lets loose her imagination, her sense of fun and her writing skills on a wacky, cerebral-themed murder escapade which delivers the charm and atmospherics of the Golden Age without losing the scientific know-how of the 21^st century. With the more practical and dominant twin Rose busy tagging manta rays in the Azores, this new case falls to the less worldly but lovable twin Finn who teams up here with the redoubtable Detective Inspector Nevena Marinova, a diverse team of university staff and academics, and a very welcome helping hand from Finn’s former flame and private eye Tom.

With a twisting, turning plot which quickly runs into deep, dark waters, some entertaining personality clashes, lots of dark secrets popping up in both the lake and the university’s dusty vaults, and an interesting ‘play’ on Shakespeare’s real-life missing Cardenio manuscript, Marked for Death is chock-full of contemporary vibes and yet retains the seductive timelessness of the murder mystery genre. A first class performance!
(Faber & Faber, paperback, £9.99)

The Queen’s Coronation

Jennifer Ryan

AS Queen Elizabeth II prepares for the Coronation, a spectacular event that will mark out the rest of her days, three other young women are also looking to find their own way in an ever-changing world.

Former non-fiction books editor Jennifer Ryan (pictured below) – who has now found success writing fiction –transports readers back in time to the busy months before the Queen took the throne where we meet three women whose work at Buckingham Palace is the springboard for what they hope will be a better future. 

There’s a lot to get done ahead of the queen’s coronation in the early months of 1953… and even more so when your livelihood is at stake. Young, naïve and ambitious, Lucy Jones is a junior wardrobe assistant who dreams of being a famous singer, so when she meets a handsome, wealthy man at the palace who promises her future stardom, she cannot help but fall for his charms.

Caroline Brimstone, meanwhile, loves her role as the queen’s Assistant Dresser but behind closed doors she is struggling with a husband who gambles away their money, and is constantly fighting for a better life for herself and her daughter. 

On a trip to Balmoral in Scotland, Caroline meets a man from her past who is everything that she longs for and could be her key to a new and better future.

And then there’s Miranda Miller, an undercover journalist from America who is working as a temporary secretary with the Coronation Office’s planning committee and is secretly gathering information for an inside scoop on the royal occasion and could be the key to keeping her job… the only thing she has left.

But they are all running away from their own demons and, in order to succeed, they must shed their feelings of shame, trust themselves, and be brave enough to reclaim their lives. As Queen Elizabeth takes the throne and a new era begins, will the three women learn to join forces, find new strength, and build their own future?

The Queen's Coronation is a heartwarming tale of female resilience and friendship as the three palace workers meet the challenges that still existed for many women in the 1950s and find the courage to fight for the future they want rather than the one that society expects of them.

Using the drama, chaos and excitement of the months leading up to the Coronation, Ryan blends fact and fiction into an emotion-packed exploration of not just the start of a queen’s groundbreaking reign but ordinary women finding their feet at an equally life-changing crossroads in their lives. A right royal treat!
(Pan, paperback, £9.99)

Celebrations at the Toffee Factory

Glenda Young

OVER four years of war have finally ended and three friends, whose lives have been scarred by hardship, uncertainty and upheaval, hope for better days in the dramatic last chapter of a heartwarming trilogy from one of today’s most exciting saga writers.

Set against the fascinating backdrop of a toffee factory in Chester-le-Street in County Durham during the First World War, the Toffee Factory trilogy comes from Glenda Young (pictured below) who lives near Sunderland and has won an army of fans who have followed the fortunes of a group of likeable women encountering everything from romance and tragedy to secrets and lies.

The Great War might have ended but Jack’s toffee factory is struggling after years of sugar rations and its troubles are far from over. Fun, feisty Elsie longs for freedom and excitement. Hoping to meet the man of her dreams, she spurns the attention of dependable Stan. Will she realise that what she wants and what she needs are different things?

Efficient Anne takes control at the factory to change its fortunes after the war and creates a new line of toffee. However, an unwelcome blast from Mr Jack’s past could jeopardise the factory’s success. And Hetty is torn when her sweetheart Dirk prepares to leave for his home town in Belgium. 

At the same time, her old boyfriend Bob returns from the Front, determined to marry her. Who will Hetty choose? As the toffee factory girls celebrate the end of the war, they are more determined than ever to face the future with courage and hope.

Using her local knowledge and her eye for the ups and downs facing a small, close-knit community, Young creates an authentic and richly colourful portrait of life both in and immediately after the Great War. With drama at every turn and a cast of beautifully drawn characters, readers will love getting their teeth into this last date with the unforgettable toffee factory girls.
(Headline, paperback, £8.99)

A Woman of Spirit

Margaret Dickinson

BORN within a month of each, Molly and Queenie have been the best of friends since their schooldays but when they both fall for lovable rogue Harry Spencer, their close relationship will be tested to the limit.  

Margaret Dickinson (pictured below) – a writer who had her first novel published at the age of 25 and has since gone on to pen a raft of bestselling sagas – is on fine form as she brings us a gritty and heart-rending tale of unrequited love set against the fears, suspicions and uncertainties of the First World War.

In June of 1912 in Leicestershire, all the girls notice startlingly handsome Harry Spencer… with his shiny black hair and brown eyes full of mischief, the girls in the neighbourhood battle to ‘walk out’ with him or even just talk to him. Molly and Queenie are no different but Molly knows she fades into insignificance at the side of blonde-haired, blue-eyed Queenie who seems to make everyone look twice at her.

It breaks Molly’s heart to see Queenie flirting with Harry but she quickly turns her mind to the Suffragette movement, finding solace and passion in helping their cause.

Inevitably, the girls’ friendship becomes strained and when war breaks out in 1914, the local community starts to hear rumours that Molly has been delivering white feathers, a symbol of cowardice, and she is cast out by everyone she holds dear. In times of despair, can Molly hold on to hope and prove the truth that is in her heart?

Dickinson is a born storyteller who knows how to immerse her readers in the past and a forgotten way of life, and in her emotion-packed new romance, she brings us a torrid tale filled with heartache, courage and page-turning drama. 

Written with the author’s signature warmth and insight, A Woman of Spirit delivers the kind of rich period detail that brings the past and its people to vibrant life. A delight for all saga fans!
(Macmillan, hardback, £22)

Hay Bales and Hollyhocks

Sheila Newberry

A YOUNG girl’s idyllic life in the Cambridge Fenlands is changed forever when her family moves to the  Norfolk countryside, just as the country is about to be plunged into the upheaval of the Second World War, in a heart-warming saga from Sheila Newberry.

Newberry (pictured below), the Suffolk-born author who died in 2020, knew a thing or two about the ups and downs of family life. A mother of nine children, and with twenty-two grandchildren and six great-grandchildren, this much-loved writer left a legacy of nostalgic sagas – including this page-turner previously published as Our Cousin Rosanna – which have enthralled readers across the decades.

In Hay Bales and Hollyhocks, we are transported back to the Fens in 1938 where little Rosanna is part of a close-knit family and the youngest of three cousins. In a time of childhood abandon and with adventures to enjoy on the waterways, life couldn’t be more perfect for her.

But things are not always as they seem and when Rosanna’s new baby brother Russ is born, tragedy strikes the family. To make matters worse, the outbreak of World War Two is just around the corner and when the family moves to the Norfolk countryside, Rosanna is torn from the life she loves. But as she and the other young family members grow up together, she realises that to find happiness, we sometimes have to break away from the things we know.

Full of rich period detail and nostalgia, and written with Newberry’s natural empathy and insight into what it meant to live through times of upheaval and personal challenges, this gently uplifting story is a saga to savour.
(Zaffre, paperback, £9.99)