A Tapestry of Treason

Anne O’Brien

WHEN Shakespeare wrote of Macbeth’s ‘vaulting ambition,’ he could well have been describing the medieval Despenser family… a Yorkist clan steeped to their necks in treason and betrayal.

At the heart of their scheming to steal back the throne from the Lancastrian King Henry IV was Constance, Lady Despenser, a granddaughter of Plantagenet King Edward III, and wife of the self-seeking Thomas Despenser, Earl of Gloucester, a man who hailed from a family already tainted by scandals of treason and corruption.

The Despensers’ treachery, their battle to survive, their perilous politicking, and the daring woman willingly caught up in their power struggle, spring to vivid life from the pages of history in a dazzling new novel from the queen of medieval fiction, Anne O’Brien.

RICH DRAMA: Anne O’Brien

Using her impressive imaginative powers and vast historical research, O’Brien has given a voice and a leading role to some of history’s most fascinating but forgotten women, placing their struggles at the centre of riveting stories filled with political intrigue, romance and tragedy.

But in the cold and calculating Constance of York, O’Brien has given the spotlight to one of her most charismatic medieval stars yet… a complex, compelling woman far ahead of her time, a woman prepared to risk losing life, limb and her love for the only man who had ever won her heart, and all in pursuit of her family’s ambitions.

It’s a thrilling story, based on fact, filled with the kind of rich drama that should really only belong in pure fiction, and made viscerally authentic by the hand of a writer who knows how to make history a living, breathing, vibrant canvas.

In 1399, Constance, Lady Despenser, is more than a mere observer in the devious intrigues of her magnificently dysfunctional family, the House of York, which has prospered under the reign of Richard II and formed ‘the bedrock on which the king’s power rested.’

Surrounded by power-hungry men, including her aggressively egotistical husband Thomas Despenser, and ruthless brothers, Edward, heir to the Duke of York, and Richard of Conisborough, Constance freely admits that her family is driven by a ‘naked desire to match our influence to our royal blood.’

But on a visit to Ireland, Richard’s throne is snatched by his Lancastrian cousin, Henry Bolingbroke, who is quickly crowned Henry IV… and now the Despenser family’s power seems ‘to hang as insecurely as a bees’ nest in a wind-tossed sapling.’

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Unconvinced that the imprisoned Richard’s crown is lost forever, Constance and her cunning family decide to keep a foot in the camp of both royal houses, but restless as ever, Constance is soon placing herself at the heart of two treasonous and deadly plots against King Henry IV.

Although carrying out these conspiracies will place them all in jeopardy, Constance is not deterred, even when the cost of her ambition threatens to overwhelm her. Because, for the first time in her life, Constance has fallen in love… with the charming Edmund Holland, a man from a family as ambitious as her own.

It’s a love that brings her a previously unknown brand of happiness, one ‘with the purity of new honey dripping from a spoon,’ but even though her eyes might appear to be closed to the machinations of Henry’s court, ambition is still ‘too deeply ingrained in all of us, to be wilfully cast aside.’

Will Constance be tempted to hatch another daring and perilous Yorkist plot, even if it endangers her new-found contentment?

O’Brien is in her element in this gripping historical portrait, playing her own addictive Game of Thrones with the life of the intriguing Constance Despenser, a woman as much sinned against as sinning. Vilified by history but now recognised as a feisty, forthright woman fighting her corner in a man’s world, Constance was a remarkable if ruthless woman.

Unafraid to play a leading role in several treasonous plots against the Lancastrian usurper Henry, Constance’s veneer of cold pragmatism is finally pierced by her love for Edmund Holland in a warm and sexually potent relationship which smooths her sharp edges and exposes a vulnerability she has carefully hidden since her arranged marriage to Thomas at the age of just four.

Constance’s transforming affair with the handsome and beguiling Edmund is one of the most moving and captivating drivers of a story firmly rooted in the power struggles between the Houses of Lancaster and York, which were just the precursor to the bitter Wars of the Roses which would tear England apart.

O’Brien’s entertaining novel charts a course through rebellion, insurrection and the notorious Epiphany Rising as Constance, her husband and double-dealing brother Edward try desperately to assassinate the cousin who stole the Yorkist crown.

Brimming with plots, politics, passion and perfidy, this is historical fiction at its best as O’Brien allows the determined, fearless and flawed Constance of York to finally step out of the shadows and into the light. And as the author tells us in her final note, ‘How could I possibly resist writing about her, bringing her to life? Constance is not an easy heroine, but she makes for a formidable protagonist.’

(HQ, hardback, £14.99)

Lancashire novelist peeps between the pages of Pepys’ diaries

LANCASHIRE novelist Deborah Swift is going back in time to revisit the world of the theatre in Entertaining Mr Pepys, the final book of her enthralling trilogy starring the irrepressible 17^th century diarist Samuel Pepys.

Pepys lived through some of the capital city’s most tumultuous events – the Restoration of Charles II to the throne, the Plague and the Great Fire of London – all meticulously and memorably described in his journals, but just as intriguing are the colourful accounts of his sexual liaisons with women across London.

Mr Pepys, a respected naval administrator by day, had a regular string of mistresses and engaged in casual affairs with servants, barmaids and companions as well as the wives, daughters and mothers of friends and colleagues, liaising with them in their homes, the backrooms of taverns, in carriages, in theatre stalls and even church pews.

Following on from Pleasing Mr Pepys and A Plague on Mr Pepys, Swift’s new outing with the libidinous diarist sweeps us away to 1666, the year of the Great Fire of London, and into the fascinating world of the city’s theatres.

Swift, who lives in Warton, near Carnforth, used to work backstage in many North West theatres, including Liverpool Playhouse and the Duke’s Theatre, Lancaster, where she was responsible for designing scenery and costumes.

TRILOGY: Deborah Swift

In Entertaining Mr Pepys, we see the world of the theatre through the eyes of one of the first actresses ever to grace the stage, Elizabeth Knepp.

Knepp features in Pepys’ Diary as one of his liaisons, and Pepys was a huge fan of the theatre, so much so that he felt he was spending far too much time there, and that it was interfering with his office work.

To stop himself going to plays so often, he vowed he would fine himself, putting money in a jar if he couldn’t keep away. Nothing worked, and there are many references in the diaries to the multi-talented Mrs Knepp, whom he admired not just for her acting but also for her singing.

‘The theatre is a much more egalitarian place now,’ Swift tells us, ‘and women are integral to all aspects of production, on-stage and off, unlike in 1666 when women in the theatre were a novelty and had to fight to be heard, or taken seriously.

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‘In my novel, Elizabeth Knepp wants to shine, but has to battle the boy who used to play the women’s roles, a husband who thinks acting is only for whores, and just when things are going well, the greatest disaster of that century, the Great Fire of London.

‘I loved writing it, and researching the moment when women first came into theatre life to pave the way for the entertainment industry we have today.’

Based on events depicted in the famous diaries, Entertaining Mr Pepys brings to life London in the 17th century and includes some of the vibrant characters of the day, such as the diarist himself and actress Nell Gwynne, and features a dazzling and gripping finale during the Great Fire. Each novel in this fascinating series features a different leading lady and can easily be read as a standalone. 

✪ Entertaining Mr Pepys is out on September 12 in ebook, audiobook and paperback, and is published by Accent Press.

Gritty sagas put orphans in the spotlight

The plight of orphans in Victorian England takes centre stage in two gritty and gripping new summer sagas that are guaranteed to warm even the hardest of hearts

The Orphans of Bell Lane

Ruthie Lewis

IN The Orphans of Bell Lane, we meet two young sisters left alone in the world when their parents and brothers died in a cholera epidemic, and struggling to survive amidst the privations of a London workhouse.

The first book in the new The Ragged School series from publisher Zaffre’s much-loved Memory Lane list, this moving tale of hardship and hope is written by Ruthie Lewis, the pseudonym of Marilyn Livingstone and Morgen Witzel, a collaborative Anglo-Canadian husband and wife team of writers and historians who live in Devon.

And the story is made all the more poignant as it has been adapted from the author’s own family history, in particular a grandmother who was born and brought up in a small road in Rotherhithe next to the London Bridge railway line where much of the book is set.

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Banished from their home in Rotherhithe to a workhouse in Chelsea in 1849 after their parents and siblings die in a terrible cholera outbreak, ten-year-old Rosa Perrow and her five-year-old sister Grace must find the strength to survive.

Rosa looks out for Grace, protecting her from the dangers and bullies of the workhouse. Grace loves to learn but is not physically strong and Rosa is determined to master a skill or trade so they can leave the workhouse.

Eighteen years later, Rosa is married to bricklayer George Turneur and living back in Rotherhithe with their three young children, while Grace has joined the wealthy Clare family south of the river and is companion to their daughter Mela.

Their tough life at the workhouse ended when they were rescued by an aunt who took them to live with her in Bermondsey, but Rosa is now dying of consumption and her kind but feckless husband is struggling to cope with the children.

On the cusp of beginning a job as a teacher at a girls’ school in Sevenoaks in Kent, Grace must decide whether she can walk away from everything she has worked hard to achieve in order to protect the children Rosa has left behind.

Returning to Bell Lane in Rotherhithe and the gang-ruled streets of south-east London, Grace is determined to build a better future for herself and for the children of Bell Lane, no matter what the cost.

Her first job will be to give them an education, even if that means teaching them in an empty archway under a nearby railway viaduct… but these wild children are desperate and dangerous, and Grace could be putting her life in peril.

Lewis plucks at readers’ heartstrings in this drama-filled story of two sisters whose lives move in two very different directions, one on an upward trajectory to happiness, fulfilment and stability, and the other to hardship, struggle and tragedy.

Grace is an inspirational heroine, choosing to put family first and to take the tougher path in life, however hard that may prove to be. Her desire to help others, and to offer children the opportunity of a better life through education, lies at the heart of the story.

Powerful in its portrayal of the realities of Victorian London, and full of memorable characters from all walks of life, this is an engrossing and heartwarming read for all saga fans.

(Zaffre, paperback, £7.99)

The Foundling School for Girls

Elizabeth Gill

RUTH DIXON has never felt loved by her selfish parents and when her mother walks out of their home on Christmas Eve in 1855, the thirteen-year-old is left at the mercy of her callous and drunken father.

Alone and with no money, she will be forced out on the street at a time when she has never been more in need of help, compassion and friendship.

Prepare for shocking cruelty, the heartbreaking plight of an innocent young girl, and the grim realities of being poor and defenceless in Victorian Britain in the latest moving story from North-East saga queen Elizabeth Gill, bestselling author of Miss Appleby’s Academy and Nobody’s Child.

HOME TERRITORY:
Elizabeth Gill

Born in in Tow Law on the Durham fells, Gill loves her home territory, and her books, which now number over forty, reflect her natural warmth, her affinity with the folk of this tough corner of the country, and her gift for insightful storytelling.

And this atmospheric and emotionally powerful new series about the lost orphans of Durham and the nuns who take them in sees Gill at her very best as we meet a cast of beautifully drawn characters, encounter happiness and despair, hardship and hope, and discover that love is the greatest healer.

After Ruth Dixon’s mother deserts her on Christmas Eve, her quarryman father comes home drunk to their cottage in the wilds of County Durham and commits an unthinkable act. Without money or friends she has nowhere to go, but when he assaults her for a second time, she lashes out at him and takes flight.

Close to death, Ruth is rescued by Jay Gilbraith, a wealthy businessman whose own childhood was spent trying to stay alive on the mean streets of Newcastle and is now determined to help others by opening up a pit and building his own town in the hills.

Helping him in his task are a group of nuns sent from The Daughters of Charity Convent in Newcastle… among them, Sister Madeline (Maddy), a young woman he fell in love with over ten years ago but was rejected as a suitor by her father.

Maddy, who is both caring and practical, helps to provide food and shelter for orphans but she wants to educate them as well to give them a better future, and soon her foundling school for girls is flourishing.

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Ruth, meanwhile, comes to see her new friends as family and things are finally looking up, but then a pit accident changes everything, and they all stand to lose something – or someone – they love.

Gill is a warm, compassionate and humane storyteller with an acute awareness of what makes people tick, and this compelling, drama-filled story is full of the wisdom and understanding that has made her such a popular author.

The terrible conditions suffered by homeless and orphaned children in the 19^th century spring to life in a hard-hitting story which takes us to the heart of a newly established town in the wild fells of County Durham.

Through the saving graces of businessman Jay, the tender, selfless ministrations of the nuns, and the opportunities for a better future offered by Madeline’s foundling school, children once doomed to poverty and early death are given self-belief and ambition.

Warm-hearted, gritty and enthralling, this is a memorable tale from a master storyteller.

(Quercus, paperback, £6.99)

The Dirty Dozen

Lynda La Plante

AFTER six years with the Met, Detective Sergeant Jane Tennison has landed a coveted job with the famous Flying Squad, better known to cops and robbers alike as the ‘Sweeney.’ But what she thought was a groundbreaking appointment for a woman turns out be an ‘experiment’ by the bosses in an attempt to keep the men out of trouble during an ongoing investigation into police corruption.

The canny Jane has a lot to prove… and the squad’s ‘Dirty Dozen’ male detectives are not going to make it easy for her.

If you haven’t already discovered Lynda La Plante’s gripping ‘retro’ series charting the legendary detective chief inspector of the award-winning Nineties TV series, Prime Suspect, making her way in a man’s world long before she hit our screens, then now is the time to dive in and indulge your crime thriller senses.

ON FORM: Lynda La Plante

The Dirty Dozen is the fifth book featuring the iconic detective’s early years in the police force and while it can easily be read as a standalone, it would be a shame to miss all the fun when you can enjoy Tennison’s early career from day one by reading this nostalgia-packed series in sequence.

As Jane Tennison joins the Flying Squad in 1980, the force is currently feeling the discomfiting undercurrents of Operation Countryman, an investigation into police corruption in London following allegations made by a ‘supergrass.’

Jane is the first female detective to be posted to the Met’s renowned Flying Squad, based at Rigg Approach in East London, from where they co-ordinate investigations into armed robberies on banks, cash in transit, and other business premises.

Believing that her transfer to the Sweeney was on merit, she is shocked on her first day to discover she is actually part of a short-term internal experiment, intended to have a ‘calming influence’ on the team of men, dubbed the ‘Dirty Dozen,’ and make them think twice about ‘giving a suspect a slap.’

Meanwhile, the men on the squad don’t think that a woman is up to the dangers they face when dealing with some of London’s most ruthless armed criminals, the sort who think ‘the only good cop is a dead cop.’

Sensing immediately that she is ‘an outsider,’ not just with the closely-knit band of male officers, but also with the only other female in the building – office clerk Katie Powell who regards the newcomer as a rival – Jane is determined to prove she’s as good as the men.

Involved from the off in a brutal armed robbery on a security van outside a bank, Jane is allotted the menial leg work and interviews but discovers from a reliable witness that what could be the same gang is going to carry out a massive robbery involving millions of pounds. But she what she doesn’t know is who they are, or where and when they will strike…

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La Plante, the Liverpudlian who became one of the UK’s most famous crime queens, is something of a legend herself and the past few years have seen her busier than ever with the launch last November of Steve McQueen’s movie, Widows, based on her original thrilling 1980s ITV crime series, the publication later this year of another Widows book, She’s Out, and an exciting spin-off series now in the making.

And nowhere is this talented author and screenwriter more at home than in the company of her much-loved creation, Jane Tennison, as we reel back time to join the tenacious detective still finding her feet in the tough, male-dominated world of 1980s London policing.

Although not yet the hard-headed and totally assured chief inspector working with both knowledge and years of experience, we are now starting to see Jane play the game, act on her instincts, learn from mistakes, and outsmart the macho, male dinosaurs she works alongside.

Initial vulnerabilities are being carefully controlled, her confidence is growing by the day but there is still an appealing impetuosity of youth, ambition and enthusiasm that drives her to stumble into some dangerously reckless situations.

As always, La Plante takes us on a rollercoaster ride through a tension-packed, fast-moving plot, leavened by sparkling dialogue, a fine line in sardonic humour, and a fascinating slice of no-nonsense Eighties-style policing.

Packed with intriguing period detail and real-life events, police procedural and office politics so authentic that you feel part of the squad, and all topped off by cast of superbly drawn characters, this exhilarating series is crime writing at its best.

(Zaffre, hardback, £18.99)

CHILDREN'S BOOKS: Marvellous maths, fearless girls and gladiator games

Take a numerical tour through the universe, meet some legendary fairy tale females, head off to a dystopian future, and dance with a free-thinking disco bunny in some shiny new books for children currently hitting the shelves

Age 9 plus:

The Language of the Universe: A Visual

Exploration of Mathematics

Colin Stuart and Ximo Abadía

IF you thought maths was bamboozling, you certainly won’t after a thrilling numerical tour through the universe with exciting science writer Colin Stuart.

Designed to present maths as an exciting visual canvas that opens up the wonders of our world, The Language of the Universe contains nearly 80 pages of scintillating science as we explore the topics of maths in the natural world, physics, chemistry and engineering, space, and technology alongside incredible artwork from Spanish surrealist artist Ximo Abadía.

Presenting the information under four groupings, Stuart and Abadía combine impressive design with exhilaratingly presented content in a giant-sized book that will captivate and inspire youngsters. From atoms to beehives to the movement of the planets, everything around us is buzzing with maths. So how does this language of numbers, symbols and equations make every single thing in our universe tick like an unseen clock?

BUZZING: Colin Stuart

Visualise cosmic distances, discover the geometry in nature and marvel at the wonders of technology.

Humans have been using numbers for tens of thousands of years and this amazing book helps us to learn about mathematics in a new light as we discover that numbers are like words, pluses and minuses are like full stops and commas, and equations are like sentences.

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Stunning surrealist artwork by Abadía meets easy-to-read informative text by Stuart to create highly engaging content that will inspire future engineers, mathematicians and scientists. This is maths made fun, accessible, inspirational, and visually exciting… now, who would have thought that possible!

(Big Picture Press, hardback, £16.99)

Age 7 plus:

The Lost Fairy Tales: Fearless girls around the world

Isabel Otter and Ana Sender

IF you’re fed up with fairy tales that depict girls as shrinking violets and spoilt prima donnas, then turn the pages of this bewitching anthology and meet some fearless, feisty and legendary females!

The Lost Fairy Tales is an empowering collection of twenty overlooked and forgotten fairy tales which have been collected from different cultures around the world, and star strong heroines who take on life with humour, wit, cunning and bravery.

Fairy tales are traditionally stories of daring, magic and adventure, and can be found in every culture around the world, dating back thousands of years. Long before humans discovered how to write things down, stories were dreamt up and told aloud. Some would be remembered and recounted down the years and in this way, they passed down through the generations.

HEROINES: Isabel Otter

But in past centuries, girls were considered weaker and less intelligent than boys. They were expected to behave well, stay quiet and keep their opinions to themselves, while boys were encouraged to be boisterous and outspoken.

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And as the editors of fairy tale anthologies were almost always men, this meant that the stories they passed down invariably featured girls who were vain, weak, jealous or just plain boring!

Classic tales like Snow White, Cinderella and Rapunzel featured heroines waiting patiently to be rescued by a man and were definitely not in charge of their own destinies.

So here are girls from cultures all over the world who were allowed to be brave, clever and funny. Meet brave Aurora, a daring and wise young princess who rescues a prince and rules her kingdom as a wise queen, marvel at Thakne, an African tribal chief’s orphaned daughter whose mission impossible is to make shields from the hide of a fearsome dragon, and be awed by little girl from Japan called Maru-me whose strength is greater than the emperor’s famous wrestler.

A handy map shows the origin of stories from around the world, including Germany, Siberia, Japan, Canada, Lesotho, Mexico and Fiji, and Ana Sender’s magical illustrations, full of colour and atmosphere, bring these glorious tales to life and capture the spirit of adventure and the fascinating cultures that lie at the heart of the girls’ courageous deeds.

These are wonderful kick-ass heroines for a new generation of forthright females for whom damsels in distress is a concept from the distant past.

And for children seeking more inspiration, they can turn to the back of the book to enjoy some specially devised ‘thinking points’ for each of the stories as well as fascinating background to the fairy tales and their origin.

The perfect gift to inspire and uplift young adventurers…

(Caterpillar Books, hardback, £12.99)

Age 7 plus:

Dino Wars: The Gladiator Games

Dan Metcalf and Aaron Blecha

IF exciting action adventures set in a dystopian future where dinosaurs live with humans is your idea of reading heaven, then dive into the fun with Dan Metcalf’s brilliant Dino Wars series.

These thrilling, edge-of-the seat stories, set in a far future in which our world is under threat from extinction, provide addictive adventures but also act as a timely warning about the importance of taking care of our planet, wherever the threats come from.

Dino Wars: The Gladiator Games is the third book in this high-octane series and finds the clock ticking for Adam Caine as he battles to find the last Crystal to shut down the apocalyptic Coda Program.

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But when Chloe, Tuppence and their new friend S’Ariah are taken to Rextopia, home of the great T-Rex, the girls will have to face the brutal Gladiator Games, and the boys will have to make the tough choice between saving their friends and getting a Crystal.

Aaron Blecha’s black and white illustrations add extra vitality to a story brimming with danger and thrills, while Metcalf uses an entertaining plot to drive home important messages about diversity, friendship and never giving up.

Top-class reading for young adventurers!

(Maverick Publishing, paperback, £6.99)

Age 6 plus:

Shine: Bethany Sings Out

Holly Webb and Monique Dong

TUNE UP your vocal chords and prepare to sing out loud because those talented girls are ready to ‘shine’ again!

Welcome back to the Shine School for the Performing Arts and the fourth exciting adventure in a sparkling, revamped series of dance, drama, dreams and friendship stories from favourite children’s author Holly Webb.

Dance and drama classes are hugely popular among young children and for many, full-time stage school is the ultimate dream. So step into the limelight and share the captivating ups and downs of stage school and friendships with a talented cast of girls you will love to meet. 

FAVOURITE: Holly Webb

Bethany has been keeping a secret from her best friends… she’s attending the Shine School for the Performing Arts on a scholarship since her mum can’t afford to pay for stage school. But with all her homework and the long journey to and from school every day, Bethany is struggling.

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Then she’s offered the chance to perform in a backing vocal group at a celebrity charity concert with her favourite singer. Luckily, the school has a boarding house she can stay in so she can juggle all her work. Unluckily, the arrogant, scheming Lizabeth will also be staying in the house... Worried what her friends will think if they find out about her scholarship, and stressed about her school work, will Bethany be able to find her voice and shine in the concert?

This glittering, perfectly-pitched series, featuring stage, performance and domestic and friendship dramas, is being reissued with gorgeous new covers and redesigned pages, including fabulous, contemporary illustrations by Monique Dong. Expect wrong notes, rivalries, and plenty of showdowns!

(Stripes, paperback, £5.99)

Age 6 plus:

The Rescued Puppy and Other Tales: 
Three Stories in One Book

Holly Webb and Sophy Williams

MUCH-LOVED author Holly Webb is back to bewitch and beguile her young readers with three cute and cuddly adventures in one brilliant book in her adorable Animal Stories series which has sold 650,000 copies since the first story hit the shelves in 2006.

Webb has written over 90 books for children and the Animal Stories continue to gain momentum with the release of the Animal Stories app in 2015 and the launch of a fan club on the Animal Stories website.

In the first story, The Rescued Puppy, twins Georgia and Adam take Lucky, their new puppy, on holiday to sunny Cornwall. They are having a wonderful time at the seaside until Lucky gets into trouble on a cliff-top walk. How will the twins rescue him?

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In The Lost Puppy, we meet Ruby who loves playing with her puppy Toby and can’t wait to take him for proper walks. But on an outing to the woods, Toby’s curious nature gets the better of him and he runs off in search of adventure. How will Ruby find him?

And in The Secret Puppy, Daisy can’t help falling in love with Barney, the smallest pup at the campsite where her family are staying. Will she find a way to persuade Mum and Dad to let her keep him?

Sophy Williams provides the gorgeous black and white illustrations for this enchanting and gentle series which has captured the hearts of every animal-loving child. And don’t forget to look out for the free app on App Store and Google Play. It’s full of exciting activities, from fantastic games and puzzles to creative colouring and sticker fun.

Perfect for children just starting to read alone, youngsters who love to share a book with mum and dad, and any child who can’t resist the allure of animals.

(Stripes, paperback, £8.99)

Age 3 plus:

Be More Bernard

Simon Philip and Kate Hindley

DON'T be bounced into following the crowd! That’s the message that speaks loud and clear in a dancing, prancing picture book from Simon Philip and Kate Hindley, the talented author and illustrator team who created the Sainsbury’s Book Award-winning You Must Bring a Hat.

Be More Bernard, a colourful blend of clever storytelling and exquisitely detailed illustrations, stars a free-spirited, free-thinking disco bunny who encourages us all to chase our dreams and embrace our differences.

‘When the other bunnies bounced, I bounced. When they hopped, I hopped. When they slept, I did too. Like them, I dreamed. But MY dreams weren’t the same. They were less… rabbity. More… unusual.’

Bernard has decided that he’s not going to be like all the other bunnies any more.

HUMOUR: Simon Philip

He’s not going to twitch his nose and prick his ears. And while others might dream of carrots, Bernard’s dreams are altogether more... disco! He starts small, but when he finally gets to groove with grace and jive with joy at Bertie and Brenda’s Bunny Ball, Bernard shows the world that being yourself is the very best thing a bunny can be.

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Be More Bernard – destined to be a family favourite – features the intricate, brightly colourful illustrations that have made Hindley such a top class artist.

Her use of expression and emotion in each character is the perfect match for Philip’s high-octane story which uses humour and energy to convey empowering messages about being yourself and not following the crowd. Clever, visually appealing and full of wisdom, this is the perfect picture book for young adventurers setting out on their own journey of life!

(Simon & Schuster, paperback, £6.99)

Age 3 plus:

Let’s All Creep Through Crocodile Creek

Jonny Lambert

ALWAYS look before you leap! What’s that creeping through the crooked creek… could it be a scary crocodile?

Little ones will love helping to spot the hidden crocodiles in this fabulously fun romp from the ever-popular author and illustrator, Jonny Lambert, as a bold, brave (and some would say reckless!) mouse leads his more timid friends on a shortcut journey through the creek.

Let’s all creep through the crooked, creepy creek with Rabbit, Mouse and Tortoise! There will be scratchy thorns and swinging vines, but absolutely no sneaky, snappy crocodiles!

SNAPPY RHYMES: 
Jonny Lambert

But hang on… what’s that knobbly knarly back, those pokey, pointy claws, whippy tails, slimy bodies and scary, starey eyes? Eek! Watch out, Mouse, you should be paying close attention to what’s in front of you, especially when your pals are trying to warning you that something is definitely not right!

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Youngsters will love following the clues dropped by the anxious Rabbit and Tortoise, and along the way, they will learn that it’s always wise to keep an eye on what’s going on around you.

Lambert’s simple, gently humorous and cautionary tale reminds young readers that adventures are exciting but only when you are aware of the potential dangers. The snippy, snappy rhymes are perfect for reading aloud and will engage youngsters in the action while the visually exciting and atmospheric illustrations transport us to a world of swampy, sneaky crocodiles, and introduce a range of emotions from fear and trepidation to suspicion and realisation. Brimming with wisdom, colour, fun and adventure, this is the perfect story to share with anybody who’s scared of crocodiles!

(Little Tiger Press, hardback, £11.99)

Age 3 plus:

A Stone Sat Still

Brendan Wenzel

AWARD-WINNING US author and illustrator Brendan Wenzel is leaving no stone unturned when it comes to creating memorable children’s books that convey messages far beyond the normal parameters.

Following on from his Caldecott Honor-winning They All Saw a Cat, Wenzel turns his attention to the environment, nature, and animals in this clever and compelling picture book story of a seemingly ordinary stone… a stone that for the animals that use it, is a resting place, a kitchen, a safe haven, and even an entire world.

 MESSAGES: Brendan Wenzel

A Stone Sat Still is an exquisite exploration of perspective, perception, and the passage of time, with an underlying environmental message about climate change that is both timely and poignant.

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On each page spread, a different wild creature finds the round rock… chipmunk sits on it I the shadow of the sun, an owl sees it lit up by the moon, seagull breaks a shell on its surface and a snake uses it to sunbathe. And all the time, the waters are rising around the stone until it slips beneath the waves.

With stunning illustrations in cut paper, pencil, collage, and paint, and soothing rhythms that invite reading aloud, A Stone Sat Still is a modern children’s classic from a master storyteller and illustrator, and will enchant readers, provide food for discussion in nurseries and schools, and delight anyone who opens its pages.

(Chronicle Books, hardback, £12.99)

Age 3 plus:

My Hair

Hannah Lee and Allen Fatimaharan

AND there’s another celebration to enjoy in this stylish and gloriously exuberant debut from an exciting new partnership which emerged from the FAB Prize for undiscovered BAME writers and illustrators.

Author Hannah Lee and illustrator Allen Fatimaharan put their heads together to create this clever and playful rhyming picture book story starring a young black girl who is unsure about how to style her hair for a party.

WINNING STYLE:
Hannah Lee

Lee reveals she was inspired to write My Hair when her niece and nephew were born and she noticed early on that there was a lack of black characters in children’s books. ‘We had to hunt for books that looked like us,’ she says. ‘There’s a euphoria that comes from reading about someone that looks like you; someone has recognised you and you feel like there’s a piece of art in the world that reflects you.’

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And this adorable tale certainly helps to fill that glaring gap as we witness our little story book star contemplating the different hairstyles worn by her family, all brought to life by Fatimaharan’s fantastic array of eye-catching illustrations.

Joyous and vibrant, this clever, colourful story captures the excitement of getting ready for a party, as well as celebrating black hair and showcasing a dazzling array of amazing hairstyles.

(Faber & Faber, paperback, £6.99)

Age 3 plus:

In Every House, on Every Street

Jess Hitchman and Lili La Baleine

EVERY home is different, and everyone living inside it is different… but each home houses the beating heart of family life.

Little ones will love exploring this rhyming, chiming story which celebrates the diverse landscape of home life and families, and invites youngsters to recognise that although families come in many shapes and sizes, with differing faiths, hobbies, and abilities, the concept of family as warm and nurturing is the same almost the world over.

‘In every house, on every street…There is laughter and tears. There are friends. There is family. And there is love.’

AT HOME: Jess Hitchman

Take a look at the many rooms in a home and enjoy watching the many different ways we make use of that space… having fun baking in the kitchen, giggling round the table in the dining room, chatting in the sitting room, and working through worries at the end of the day in the bathroom.

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Jess Hitchman’s fun, rhyming story focuses on the simple joy of doing tasks together, an appealing concept for little ones who enjoy the routines of everyday life, and there’s a stunning final fold-out page with cut-out windows so that children can take a peek into a variety of homes where children are enjoying activities that are familiar to them.

Lili La Baleine’s palette of beautiful pastel shades provides a warmth and cosiness that feels like a loving hug, and there is plenty to see on every spread, ideal for sparking children’s observations and encouraging them to make parallels with their own lives and its meaning to them. Home is where the heart is in this beautiful book!

(Little Tiger Press, hardback, £11.99)

Age 2 plus:

One Fox: A Counting Book Thriller

Kate Read

WATCH out for the hungry fox in a stunning counting book that turns learning into a thrilling adventure.

One Fox, which stars a crafty fox on a midnight hunt for the farmyard’s unsuspecting hens, comes from the brilliantly talented debut author and illustrator, Kate Read.

The famished fox with two sly eyes is on the prowl… so the three plump hens had better watch out. But what the fox doesn’t know is that those clucking hens know something the fox doesn’t… there’s safety in numbers! With something different to count in every picture and numbers in both text and numerals, learning numbers from one to ten proves to be more fun than little ones could ever have imagined.

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Brimming with atmospheric, close-up illustrations, which capture everything from the scary, moonlit  farmyard to the raucous riot of colour as the hens chase away the cunning fox, this is a clever picture that marries comedy, thrills and learning in a glorious melee.

From one famished fox and two sly eyes through three plump hens and four padding paws to seven knocks at the door, ten sharp teeth, one hundred angry hens and one frightened fox, this is a story that will have everyone ‘s feathers flying… with a final flourish of laughter!

(Two Hoots, hardback, £11.99)

Age 2 plus:

I’m Actually Really Grown Up Now

Maisie Paradise Shearring

EVERY child loves a party… and one little girl is determined to prove to her parents that contrary to what they might think, she’s actually very grown-up!

I'm Actually Really Grown-Up Now, an irresistibly warm and wry story exploring just what it means to be an adult, comes from award-winning author and illustrator Maisie Paradise Shearring, creator of the much-loved picture book Anna and Otis.

IN PARTY MOOD:
Maisie Paradise Shearring

The grown-ups are having a party, and Meena would really love to join in but instead she’s sent to bed. Only grown-ups get to stay up late. When she sneaks out of bed and sees everyone downstairs having so much fun without her, she makes her own plans. And the next morning, Meena makes a very important announcement to her parents: ‘I’m actually really grown-up now!’

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But after a lot of fun experimenting with mum’s clothes and hats, going to work and party planning, she soon finds out that being grown-up might not always be as easy – or as much fun – as she had thought! Shearring, who has a special talent for capturing the bittersweet highs and lows of childhood and the humour to be found in everyday situations, captures the spirit of adventure and discovery that are such an essential part of growing up, alongside an inclusive gallery of illustrations, full of life, colour and comedy.

With its quirky leading lady, a beautiful irony that will not be lost on parents, and its playful, witty meditation on the frustrations of childhood, this is the ideal book to share with your own little party planners!

(Two Hoots, hardback, £11.99)

The Last Concerto

Sara Alexander

LET yourself be swept away by a symphony of sea, sunshine and the sweet sound of music in an enchanting new novel from Sara Alexander.

Alexander, author of summertime sizzlers Under a Sardinian Sky and The Secret Legacy, has worked extensively in the theatre, film and television industries, and she brings all her artistry and musicality to this breathtaking trip to the Italian island of Sardinia.

A young girl from a working class background, who discovers that she has a prodigious talent for piano playing, must make difficult choices when her dazzling new life and career begin to collide with her dreams of love and family.

Brimming with the sights, sounds and scents of one of Italy’s most spectacular and historic islands, The Last Concerto is written to the rhythm of Sardinia’s people, their love of food, their strong sense of community and kinship, and the beliefs and folklore that have bound them together for centuries, and the music of some of the world’s greatest maestros. 

ARTISTRY: Sara Alexander

Although famed for its natural beauty and rich history, Sardinia in 1968 is notorious too for the lawless bandits who kidnap wealthy landowners for ransom, and when eleven-year-old Alba Fresu’s brother, Marcellino, and her father, Bruno, are abducted by criminals who mistake Bruno for a rich man, the schoolgirl’s life is turned upside down.

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After days of worry and fear, Marcellino and Bruno are eventually released, but the experience leaves the quiet and thoughtful Alba shaken and unable to readjust to normal life, or to give voice to her inner turmoil.

Accompanying her impatient and sharp-tongued mother, Giovanna, to cleaning jobs, Alba visits the villa of the widowed Signora Elias and touches the keys of a piano for the first time. The instrument’s spell is immediate… not only does she feel safe but her fingers feel at home on the keys.

Soon Signora Elias is giving Alba secret lessons, forbidden by her mother, but at long last allowing the girl to express emotions that are too powerful for words alone.

Seven years later and now aged eighteen, Alba ignores her parents’ insistence that she work in the family’s car dealership and marry a local boy, and instead accepts a scholarship to the Rome conservatoire where she immerses herself in a vibrant world of art and a passionate affair.

But her path will lead her to a crossroads, and Alba will have to decide how to reconcile her talent with her longing for love and family, and find a way to convey the music of her heart…

The Last Concerto is a beautiful story as we follow Alba’s rollercoaster, emotional journey from troubled youngster to successful concert pianist discovering that compromises and sacrifices have to be made however high your star has risen.

Cleverly annotated with musical terms at the beginning of each chapter, and imbued throughout with the rich flavours of Italian life and food, and the soaring notes of a sensual composition, this is the perfect mood music for home or holiday reading.

(HQ, paperback, £7.99)

The Runaway Daughter

Joanna Rees

FORCED to go on the run from her home in the heart of industrial Lancashire, Anna Darton discovers an exciting and liberating new life with the Bright Young Things of London.

But even with a new name, and working in the exuberant and fashionable nightclubs of the big city in the roaring Twenties, shocking events in the past are never far behind.

Joanna Rees, author of fifteen novels, including glorious rom-coms, page-turning blockbusters and big-hearted adventures such as The Tides of Change and A Twist of Fate, makes a welcome return with a sweeping saga full of show dancing, gorgeous fashion, ambitious flapper girls, and dangerous enemies.

The Runaway Daughter is the first novel in A Stitch in Time, a dazzling historical trilogy which is steeped in the atmosphere, romance, and wild hedonism of a nation awakening from the grief and horrors of the First World War, and revelling in a host of new-found social and domestic freedoms.

TRILOGY: Joanna Rees

It’s 1926 and Anna Darton is on a midnight escape from her home, Darton Hall, in the industrial heartland of Lancashire where her father owns a mill, and from a shocking crime that she feels she was forced into committing.

Alone and frightened, she sneaks on board a train heading for London, knowing that she must reinvent herself ‘to cope with this terrifying descent into her future.’ On the way, she decides that henceforth she will be Verity (Vita) Casey because for the first time in her life, ‘she was free to be the truest version of herself.’

Arriving in London fills her with ‘a strange, nervous euphoria’ which quickly evaporates when she finds herself a lone fugitive in a terrifying metropolis with virtually no money and not a friend in the world. But salvation comes in the form of Nancy, a sassy American dancer at a notorious nightclub off the Strand called The Zip. Using the name Vita Casey, Anna becomes part of the line-up and is thrown into a highly-charged world of dancing, parties, flapper girls and fashion.

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And when she meets the dashing Archie Fenwick, Vita buries her guilty conscience and believes him when he says he will love her no matter what. But unknown to Vita, her past is fast catching up with her, and when the people closest to her start getting hurt, she is forced to confront events back Darton Hall or risk losing everything she holds dear.

From the mills and hills of industrial Lancashire to the vibrancy and volatility of London’s clubs and fashionable young sets, Rees delivers a gripping and glamorous story propelled by one young woman’s desperate battle to leave behind heartache, cruelty, and a dark secret.

Alongside Vita’s adventures both on and off stage in London’s high spots is an undercurrent of menace which adds a thrilling frisson to the author’s rich evocation of women enjoying their long-overdue independence, and a city determined to throw off the sombre pall of wartime death and destruction.

Social issues like homosexuality, the early beginnings of the feminist movement, drug usage and workers’ rights are also explored as the old Anna’s past is slowly revealed, and the new Vita immerses herself in the extravagances of the post-war period.

Immaculately researched, teeming with vibrant characters, full of twists and turns, and with fascinating insights into flapper girl fashions, The Runaway Daughter is a tale of self-reinvention and finding love, and is a captivating start to what promises to be an exciting trilogy.

(Pan, paperback, £7.99)