Age 5 plus:
The Truth Pixie Goes to School
Matt Haig
Perhaps one of the most talented children’s authors writing today, Matt Haig seems to hit the spot perfectly every time he puts pen to paper.
Creator of the runaway successful book, A Boy Called
Christmas, which is being made into a film by Studio Canal, and nominated for
the Carnegie Medal three times, Haig won the hearts of both children and
parents last year with The Truth Pixie, an uplifting, rhyming story about a
girl with a pixie friend who can’t tell lies.
Click here for Lancashire Post review
Click here for Lancashire Post review
Both funny and utterly beguiling, the story – illustrated
throughout by the ‘inky genius’ Chris Mould – gave heart and hope to children
struggling to cope with mood swings and depression, and encouraged them to learn
to love themselves
And now our mixed-up little heroine, Aada, is back and
facing the fears and uncertainties of a new school and new friends, but with
the same old truthful pixie friend to help her get the better of bullies and
learn the importance of being yourself.
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| WIT AND WARMTH: Matt Haig |
‘Don't try to be something
You really are not.
Your one true self
Is the best thing you’ve got.’
It’s been a bad year for Aada… she’s had to move town, start
a new school and wear a new frown. Even worse, her gran has died and her dad
lost his job. But it’s not all sad because Aada still has her best friend, the
Truth Pixie, who lives in Aada’s house and sleeps under her bed.
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| PICTURE PERFECT: Chris Mould |
She trusts the
pixie implicitly because she can only say things that are true and tells her
it’s okay to feel what she feels. But their friendship is tested to the limit
when Aada comes under pressure to ditch the Truth Pixie in order to find some
human friends. Can they survive without each other?
Haig is guaranteed to make readers – both young and old –
laugh, cry and sigh with this beautiful, empowering and emotional story which
delivers wit, warmth and wisdom with the intuitive intelligence and acute
observation that we have come to expect for this humane and very human writer. Aada’s experiences and struggles piece together fragments
from every modern child’s world, a place where bullying is all too prevalent,
friendship problems underlie everyday life, and self-confidence is often hard
to maintain.
This is self-help reading with an impish flavour, adventure
with timely, contemporary messages… and no home, school or troubled child
should be without it!
(Canongate, hardback, £9.99)
Age 8 plus:
First Names: Malala (Yousafzai)
Lisa Williamson and Mike Smith
The world is – and has been – home to some amazing people…
so what fun it would be to get up close and personal with them!
This exhilarating and quirky non-fiction series from David
Fickling Books invites young readers to get on first name terms with some of
our planet’s cleverest and most inspirational personalities through the lens of
fun, lively and highly illustrated biographies.
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| FUN FACTS: Lisa Williamson |
The spotlight in First Names focuses on famous people from
history like Emmeline Pankhurst, Amelia Earhart, Abraham Lincoln and Harry
Houdini as well as more modern names like Elon Musk, the billionaire,
mega-brain entrepreneur, that some readers may not know.
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Click here for Lancashire Post review
The aim is to let children discover who, for example, Albert
Einstein really was and not just what he achieved, and to see these famous
names as ordinary people who grew up to do extraordinary things.
In the latest book in the series, written by Lisa Williamson
and illustrated by Mike Smith, we meet the inspirational, brave and brilliant
activist Malala Yousafzai, the youngest ever winner of the Nobel Peace Prize
who survived being shot in the head at the age of 15 to keep fighting for all
girls to receive an education.
Discover how Malala, the ordinary girl who has inspired
everyone from Barack Obama to Reese Witherspoon, came to win the prize, how an
earthquake literally rocked her world, and learn why everyone forgot her
twelfth birthday.
All the titles in this brilliant series aim to be
entertaining and factually accurate, and are designed to educate and inspire.
Lively black and white illustrations, provided by a range of excellent comic
artists throughout each book, help to tell the story, with each personality
featured chipping in to add their own comments.
So forget all those stuffy, dull history books and get up
close with the people who made (and, in some cases, are still making) things
happen. High energy, informative and entertaining, these books make learning
fun and are the perfect addition to every inquisitive child’s shelf.
(David Fickling Books, paperback, £6.99)
Age 5 plus:
Hamish Takes the Train
Daisy Hirst
East or West, home is best… Creative author and illustrator Daisy Hirst takes youngsters
on an action-packed adventure from cosy countryside to busy city in an
enchanting and heartwarming new story.
Friendship and the reassuring familiarity of home take star
roles alongside a daring bear and contented goose in this quirky, funny and
gentle story from rising star Hirst who has been shortlisted for an AOI World
Illustration Award and whose first picture book, The Girl With a Parrot on Her
Head, was an Honor Book in the prestigious Ezra Jack Keats Awards.
Click here for Lancashire Post review
Click here for Lancashire Post review
Hamish the bear and Noreen the goose lead a very happy life
in the country. They love to spend long days together, watching the trains
whoosh past, but Hamish has always wondered what lies at the other end of the
train tracks.
And so begins Hamish’s adventure as he journeys to the city
to explore new places, makes new friends and even gets himself a job on a
building site where he learns to drive a crane. But however brilliant the city
is, Hamish realises how much he misses his home and his good friend, Noreen. And
there’s always the destination at the other end of the tracks to explore!
Combining both the spirit and fun of adventure, and the
rewards of kindness, Hirst’s gloriously offbeat and richly layered story,
filled with her distinctively textured illustrations, is narratively and
visually appealing, and ideal for new readers and as an enchanting bedtime
story. Heart and humour in perfect harmony…
(Two Hoots, hardback, £11.99)
Age 4 plus:
Jon Agee
Is there life on Mars? There certainly is in this playful, laughs-on-every-page picture book from American Jon Agee, a master of visual storytelling and deadpan humour whose books have won starred reviews and medals galore in his native country.
With wry wit, sardonic silliness and pictorial perfection,
Agee’s story, featuring a daring and optimistic young astronaut who arrives on
Mars with the certainty that he will be the first person to discover life
there, simply brims with its creator’s irresistibly quirky charm.
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| QUIRKY CHARM: Jon Agee |
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Young readers will love getting in on the joke that unknown
to the tunnel-vision space explorer, there’s a giant-sized Martian wending his
way through the illustrations and enjoying a delicious snack of cupcakes along
the way.
Classic slapstick storytelling combines with minimalist
master Agee’s stylish, uncluttered illustrations in a story rich in humour,
fun, subtle simplicity and visual virtuosity. Out of this world!
(Scallywag Press, hardback, £12.99)
Age 4 plus:
Guido van Genechten
Do chickens and dinosaurs have anything in common? Surely not… Belgian-born author and illustrator Guido van Genechten turns the tables on traditional notions of evolution with this enchanting picture book tale of a chicken who shows how she is related to dinosaurs by sharing her family scrapbook.
Almost everyone thinks that dinosaurs are extinct, but is that really true? What if you were to find out that they are still alive, and even living among us! Meet an ordinary chicken whose family photo album reveals the long withheld truth about her daddy’s very, very, very distant ancestors in an incredible (but true!) story about dinosaurs.
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Van Genechten provides plenty of giant-sized tyrannosaurus laughs as he takes us on a fascinating, illustrated tour through the world of dinosaurs as we meet members of the velociraptor, diplodocus, stegosaurus, triceratops and iguanodon families, and onwards through asteroid collisions, earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.
Using humour, lively illustrations, a fun-filled story, and
a charismatic chicken, The Truth About Dinosaurs delivers an eye-catching and
entertaining potted history of evolution which is guaranteed to bring a smile
to the face of anyone aged between four and 250 million years old!
(Five Quills, paperback, £6.99)
Age 3:
Goes to School
Anna Llenas
When the world seems a scary and confusing place, there’s one person who can teach us all a lesson… the Colour Monster!
Five years ago, Spanish-born author and illustrator Anna
Llenas won hearts and minds with her beautiful picture book, The Colour
Monster, which explained, in the most delightful and imaginative way, the many
human emotions that we all experience.
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| WARM WIT: Anna Llenas |
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Our madcap hero knows he has to go to school, but what
exactly is it and what will he do there? Will it be a spooky castle filled with
terrifying animals, a scary jungle guarded by evil plants, or a place in the
sky amongst the rainbows and clouds? And will he ever escape? With his friend
Nuna by his side, the Colour Monster has an unexpectedly exciting – and chaotic
– first day at school!
From music lessons, to lunchtime (and eating books), to
making new friends, the Colour Monster’s antics are guaranteed to win top marks
from children who will love the bright illustrations, slapstick comedy and
laugh-out-loud conundrums encountered by the exuberant monster.
A graphic designer, Llenas’ distinctive and visually
exciting collage-effect illustrations, full of warmth, wit and vibrant colour,
exquisite design and eye-catching contrasts, provide a simple but highly
effective and accessible exploration of the fun and fears of that first day at
school.
(Templar Publishing, paperback, £6.99)
Age 3 plus:
A huge success since its publication in Germany in 1989, The
Story of the Little Mole, who is the victim of a rather smelly incident, has
delighted adults and children alike to become an all-time comedy classic.
Despite being turned down by many publishers who thought it
was too rude, the quirky detective tale now enjoys a cult following, has been
published in ‘plop-up’ format, and has even been performed as musical theatre!
Click here for Lancashire Post review
Click here for Lancashire Post review
This hilarious children’s classic, by German author and
illustrator duo Werner Holzwarth and Wolf Erlbruch, has now been reissued in a
special anniversary edition with a shiny, gold-foiled cover and beautiful,
glossy pages.
Star of the story is a little mole who wakes up one morning
only to have one of the other animals ‘do its business’ on his head. The short-sighted
but determined Little Mole sets out to track down the culprit by examining
their poo, and to exact his revenge in his own cunning little way.
The Story of the Little Mole was way ahead of its time 30
years ago, breaking a taboo and opening the ‘toilet door’ to a host of authors
and illustrators who have since featured a natural part of human life in their
children’s books.
And now a new generation of mischievous youngsters can enjoy
the original and best story in this glorious new edition. A story not to be
poo-pooed!
(Pavilion Books, paperback, £6.99)
Age 3 plus:
Nicola Edwards and
Feronia Parker-Thomas
Feronia Parker-Thomas
‘If we want to be happy together,
We need to have all of the tools.
Good manners make life so much better.
They’re not just some silly old rules.’
It’s never too early to start teaching little ones the
importance of good manners and this clever, colourful picture book provides
life lessons with both love and laughter.
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Click here for Lancashire Post review
Young readers will get a gentle jolt of recognition when
they step into a noisy, nightmare jungle full of squawking, squealing and
tears! It’s full of misbehaving animals, from messy monkeys and rude tigers to
grumpy grizzly bears. But with the help of some quirky, memorable rhymes from
Nicola Edwards, lessons in being good team players and adorable animal
illustrations from Feronia Parker-Thomas, children will enjoy learning how good
manners really do make the world go round!
Through upbeat, exhilarating rhymes and a playful animal
adventure, Edwards provides little readers with a fun introduction to manners
and the importance of being polite. Parker-Thomas’s jungle animals are
portrayed with humour and whimsy while the light-hearted tone lets little ones
learn the lesson of minding your manners through visual and verbal enjoyment.
The politics of politeness perfectly portrayed…
(Caterpillar Books, paperback, £6.99)
Age 3 plus:
Libby Walden and Richard Jones
‘There’s no escaping growing up, it’s something we all do.’
The theme of ‘growing up’ is now part of the school curriculum and this engaging picture book from author Libby Walden and illustrator Richard Jones is the perfect aid for teaching in schools and sharing at home.
Walden’s warm and wise words about the journey from infancy
to old age includes the imaginative play of childhood, the ‘wild and restless’
teen years, the adventures of young adulthood, and the ‘inner peace’ that comes
from learning the wisdom of ‘life’s lessons.’
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Click here for Lancashire Post review
Jones’ enchanting and atmospheric illustrations sensitively
depict each stage of life and the transformations that we undergo as we grow
up.
As We Grow is a gentle and sensitive introduction to
discussions about the whole process of change. The story educates curious minds
but works equally well as a story book with its calming palette of muted
colours and a lilting and lovely rhyme structure.
With clever peep-through introduction that enhances the
appeal to small children, and stunning illustrations, As We Grow is a must-have
for schools, nurseries and parents.
(Caterpillar Books, paperback, £7.99)
Age 3 plus:
Happy: A Children’s Book of Mindfulness
Nicola Edwards and Katie Hickey
And Nicola Edwards and Katie Hickey have created the perfect
soothing read for those quiet times of thoughtful meditation. Happy: A
Children’s Book of Mindfulness gently encourages young readers to take a look
their emotions and the beautiful world around them, with stunning illustrations
and thought-provoking rhymes on every page.
Click here for Lancashire Post review
Click here for Lancashire Post review
This poetic journey to a place of happiness and calm will
inspire and empower youngsters to enjoy the healing practice of mindfulness.
A range of emotions and sensations, which all children have
experienced, are explored through the words of Edwards’ tender poetry while
Hickey’s atmospheric, evocative illustrations – set mainly in the great
outdoors – perfectly conjure up the feelings in focus.
Each double page spread contains a positive message and a
gentle prompt for practising mindfulness. ‘We breathe deep and expand like the
galaxy, We breathe out many thousands of stars, And if ever we start to feel
panicky, This reminds us of just who we are.’
A much-needed and empowering pause in a frantic, non-stop
world…
(Caterpillar Books, paperback, £6.99)
Age 2 plus:
Rob Ramsden
Understanding the life cycle of a plant has never been easier – or more enchanting – than in this beautiful picture book from Rob Ramsden.
Written and illustrated by Ramsden, who teaches graphic
illustration and animation to both children and adults, this deceptively simple
but appealing book is the second in a series of stories from Scallywag Press and
aims to encourage young children to enjoy and appreciate the natural world.
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| NATURAL WORLD: Rob Ramsden |
Click here for Lancashire Post review
A little boy and girl find a seed and decide to keep it
safe. They play with it, dance for it, and sing to it but it doesn't grow. So what
must they do to make it grow? They learn to plant the seed and in the early
spring it starts to grow and grow until the autumn comes and it dies. Their
sadness is lifted when they discover the gift that their plant has left for
them… lots of new seeds to plant!
Ramsden’s thoughtful and charming story encourages an
increasingly vital human empathy with the natural world and will inspire
children to plant their own seeds and watch the plants grow and regenerate for
another year.
Colourful, contemporary illustrations and a short, rhythmic
story help to convey the magic of nature, the joys of friendship, and the fun
of shared activities, making this the perfect book for home, school and
nursery.
(Scallywag Press, hardback, £11.99)
Age 2 plus:
Benji Davies
Four years ago, Benji Davies’ beautiful picture book, Grandad’s Island, won awards for its sensitive and reassuring approach to helping bewildered young children coping with bereavement.
The story of eternal togetherness won the children’s book
professional category at the Association of Illustrator’s prestigious World
Illustration Awards, picked up the Sainsbury’s Best Picture Book Award, and was
crowned overall Sainsbury’s Children’s Book of the Year 2015.
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| AWARD-WINNER: Benji Davies |
Click here for Lancashire Post review
At the bottom of Syd’s garden, through the gate and past the
tree, is Grandad’s house. Syd can let himself in any time he likes. But one day
when Syd comes to call, Grandad isn’t in any of the usual places. He’s in the
attic where he ushers Syd through a door, and the two of them journey to a
wild, beautiful island awash in colour.
Grandad decides he will stay on the island so Syd hugs him
one last time and sets sail for home. Visiting Grandad’s house at the bottom of
the garden again, he finds it just the same as it’s always been… except that
Grandad isn’t there any more. Syd knows he will miss him very much but is happy
that Grandad is in such a wonderful place.
The message that Syd loves Grandad, Grandad loves Syd… and
that will never change lies at the heart of this gently illuminating and
charming story which is sure to comfort to youngsters struggling to understand
loss by reminding them that our loved ones live on in our memories long after
they have gone.
(Simon & Schuster, board book, £6.99)
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