Age 7 plus:
Plastic Sucks! You Can
Make A Difference
Make A Difference
Dougie Poynter
TUNE in to a better future for our planet by getting drastic
with plastic! McFly bassist and environmental activist Dougie Poynter is
urging youngsters to join the ever-growing band of eco warriors who are willing
to go the extra mile to save planet Earth by helping the war on the use of
plastic.
Plastic Sucks! You Can Make A Difference is an awesome and
inspiring guide – written by Poynter who was a key player in the campaign to
ban microbeads in the UK – showing children who want to make a difference how they
can get involved in the mission to cut out single-use plastic.
Plastic is everywhere and it sucks. It fills up our oceans,
endangers our wildlife and never goes away. So it’s time to take action, says
Poynter, and to find ways to cut down our plastic use and help protect our
environment because together, we really can make a difference.
 |
| SPREADING THE WORD: Pop star Dougie Poynter |
The book covers the history of plastic and the pros and cons
plastic has had on the planet, from plastic bags to prosthetic limbs. It also introduces
us to some key campaigners and eco entrepreneurs, and is full of top tips, pop
art infographics, simple facts and pages for your own notes.
‘If we can all do just one small thing to help reduce
plastic use and save the planet, we can give ourselves a big pat on the back,’
says Poynter, ‘and spreading the word is one of the most important things we can
do.’
Click here for Lancashire Post review
Click here for Lancashire Post review
The clear and easy steps in Plastic Sucks! You Can Make A
Difference show us how we can all make small changes and become champions for
our planet, and includes contributions from Will Travers, president of Born
Free, James Robson and Andy Bool from the Sea Life Trust, Amanda Keetley,
founder of Less Plastic UK, and Anna Cummins and Marcus Eriksen, founders of the
5 Gyres charity.
Ideal as an essential handbook for young eco warriors who
might feel overloaded with information on the plastic crisis but are still
determined to help, this is the perfect inspiration for anyone who wants to
make changes to save our world.
(Macmillan Children’s Books, paperback, £9.99)
Age 8 plus:
A Life Made by Hand:
The Story of Ruth Asawa
The Story of Ruth Asawa
Andrea D’Aquino
SOMETIMES it’s just the tiniest of details in the world
around us that can inspire an artist to create their greatest work. This beautifully illustrated book tells the story of
pioneering Japanese-American artist and sculptor Ruth Asawa whose work is
collected in major museums around the world, and who had the ability to turn a
simple strand of wire into the most graceful sculpture.
Written and illustrated by Andrea D’Aquino, an artist and
author whose previous books include an illustrated edition of Alice’s
Adventures in Wonderland and Once Upon a Piece of Paper, A Life Made by Hand is
an enchanting introduction to Asawa’s work and comes with instruction for
children to make their own paper dragonfly, and educational tools for parents
and teachers.
Ruth Asawa (1926-2013) was an influential and award-winning
sculptor, a beloved figure in the San Francisco Bay Area art world, and a
devoted activist who advocated tirelessly for arts education.
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| INFORMATIVE: Andrea D’Aquino |
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The gorgeous collages featured throughout the book reveal
the ways in which Asawa went about her sculptural creations, including drawing
forms in the dirt with her bare feet. She saw beauty in the ordinary… the webs
of spiders, wings of insects, and drops of water found in the garden on the
farm where she spent her childhood.
‘Though a respected name in the world of fine art, Asawa is
still rather unknown even to the very engaged admirers of twentieth-century art,’
says D’Aquino. ‘The sheer beauty and bold, accessible nature of her art
deserves a wider audience.’ She adds that the book focuses on her growth as ‘an original
and visionary artist,’ and aims to ‘capture the spirit of her creativity
itself.’
Inspirational, cleverly created, and informative, this is
the perfect gift for young art lovers, and a delightful addition to any school
library.
(Princeton Architectural Press, hardback, £12.99)
Age 3 plus:
Everybody’s Welcome
Patricia Hegarty and Greg Abbott
AS the world faces a period of uncertainty and instability,
it seems more important than ever to learn the age-old values of friendship. So what better than a gorgeous, fun-filled board book to
help parents and carers to teach the very youngest children about the ideals of
refuge, inclusivity and shared bonds?
Everybody’s Welcome, a warm and joyful rhyming story written
by seasoned author Patricia Hegarty, is the brainchild of Thomas Truong,
publisher of Caterpillar Books and the son of a refugee and a European migrant.
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| JAUNTY RHYMES: Patricia Hegarty |
Click here for Lancashire Post review
Wouldn’t it be great if you could build a home that opened
its doors to everyone… tall or short, fat or thin, rich or poor? Well, perhaps
if everybody pitches in to help, one little mouse can achieve that dream and
give a much-needed home to Froggy the frog, some homeless rabbits, a lonely big
Brown Bear and a host of other creatures.
Hegarty’s jaunty and lovingly composed rhymes put sharing
and togetherness centre stage while illustrator Greg Abbott brings the action
to life with a gallery of cute and cuddly animal pals. Quirky page cutaways add
extra interest for young readers and with its important messages about caring,
sharing and kindness, this is the ideal book for parents and nursery or school
groups. Friends united on every page!
(Caterpillar Books, board book, £6.99)
Age 3 plus:
We Are Together
Britta Teckentrup
‘On our own we’re special,
And we can chase our dream.
But when we join up, hand in hand,
Together we’re a team.’
AWARD-WINNING enchanting picture book
brimming with love, discovery and peep-through surprises. Vibrant artwork featuring a diverse cast of children
combines with a gentle, rhyming text and peek-through pages as we follow a
journey of self-discovery and togetherness which teaches the importance of
sharing and co-operation.
Click here for Lancashire Post review
Click here for Lancashire Post review
Through simple rhyming text and a gradually widening cast of
characters, Teckentrup explores the benefits of togetherness. The beautiful
collage techniques bring humans, animals and the natural world together in a
balance that delivers an unforgettable book and increases youngsters’ awareness
of the wider global family.
Teckentrup is a prominent voice in books that promote
inclusion and the overwhelming message of unity in this visual and verbal
extravaganza will inspire and delight both children and parents.
(Caterpillar Books, paperback, £7.99)
Age 3 plus:
Alice’s Wonderland Tea Party
Poppy Bishop and Laura Brenlla
SURELY no tea party could ever be normal in Alice’s
Wonderland… so why is she insisting that there is strictly no silliness?
Author Poppy Bishop and illustrator Laura Brenlla turn the
tables (literally, in this madcap adventure!) as the Mad Hatter and his chums
become the hilarious party-poopers at Alice’s gathering at Grassy Bank in
Up-the-Rabbit-Hole, Oxford.
Little ones will be laughing all the way to the Queen of
Hearts’ tarts in this lift-the-flap and peep-through romp which begins with a
curious fold-out invitation to a Wonderland tea party promising ‘no growing,
shrinking, or silliness of any kind.’
Alice wants her tea party to be perfect, not silly like the
Mad Hatter’s. ‘Please bring something sweet to eat. Don’t bring anything
silly!’ But wait a minute, the White Rabbit has brought only clocks to eat, the
Dodo is carrying an upside down cake and the Cheshire Cat has a disappearing
pie? And why is everyone upside down? Will Alice succeed in hosting a perfectly
ordinary tea party or will her array of strange guests have ideas of their own?
Bishop provides the witty text, and the cast of well-known
and loved characters are all captured in a beautifully vintage illustration
style from Brenlla. With large lift-the-flaps, fold-out spreads and clever
peep-throughs revealing some rib-tickling surprises, this entertaining and
interactive story gets curiouser and curiouser with every turn of the page.
Young readers will delight in finding all the rich detail
and amusing asides, including watching the Cheshire cat sneak in and out of
sight along the way, in this enchanting twist on a much-loved classic.
(Little Tiger Books, paperback, £7.99)
Winnie and Wilbur:
The Bug Safari
Valerie Thomas and Korky Paul
THE adventures of Winnie the Witch and her black cat have provided spellbinding, bite-size stories for 32 years and the two madcap stars take centre stage again in this multi-coloured, bug-hunting, super-size picture book.
Written by the ever-inventive Valerie Thomas and brilliantly
illustrated in Korky Paul’s distinctive and charismatic style, Winnie and
Wilbur’s escapades are always mad, bad and dangerously hilarious, and their new
adventure comes in a colourful story written especially for the family’s
youngest members.
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| PLAYFUL ILLUSTRATIONS: Korky Paul |
Click here for Lancashire Post review
Bugs, mini beasts, and creepy-crawlies are endlessly
fascinating to children and they certainly come under the spotlight in Winnie and
Wilbur’s latest all-action adventure. With giggles, anarchy and drama from the start, this story
has all the hallmarks of a classic Winnie and Wilbur outing, but scatterbrained
Winnie is not as simple as she seems and always conjures up some fascinating
discoveries and life lessons amidst all the frantic fun and chaotic capers.
With Paul’s highly detailed and playful illustrations, and
Thomas’ madcap story, this wickedly funny Winnie adventure is guaranteed to
cast a spell!
(OUP, hardback, £11.99)
Age 8 plus:
Anita Ganeri
Illustrated by Luisa Uribe, George Urmos and Keiron Ward
IN 1960, a young scientist set off into the Tanzanian wilderness to study chimpanzees, the first step to becoming the world’s leading expert on these amazing animals.
Discover the story of Jane Goodall’s inspirational career
and what led this animal-loving woman to dedicate her life to primatology and
conservation, and share some of her groundbreaking discoveries in this
fascinating book.
Trailblazers: Jane Goodall is the new title in a fun and
factual biography series inspired by the lives of pioneers both past and
present. Packed with little-known trivia, fascinating facts and lively
illustrations, these books celebrate the lives of forerunners in every sphere,
from science and sport and business to activism, politics and the arts.
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Click here for Lancashire Post review
So how did Jane Goodall become the world’s leading
chimpanzee expert? Having dreamed of studying animals in their natural habitat
since she was little, she jumped at the first opportunity to set sail for
Africa and observe primates – even though many people were against the idea of
a young woman living among wild creatures, so far from home.
Without a university degree or any specialist training,
Goodall went on to invent new methods of research and made stunning discoveries
about primate behaviour, turning her into one of the 20th century’s most
remarkable pioneers in the world of animals.
With a gallery of interactive illustrations and a lively
text full of facts, and the spirit of adventure and discovery, this is the
perfect book to make learning fun!
(Stripes, paperback, £6.99)
Age 5 plus:
Rachel Delahaye
HEAD off on a magical trip to Antarctica and see a snow-covered landscape full of amazing creatures like foxes, fishing birds, seals, orcas… and lots and lots of penguins!
Little Penguin Rescue is the third book in a beautiful
series of gentle stories for younger children by former journalist Rachel
Delahaye. Readers follow feisty Fliss on her action-packed adventures to save
wild animals in danger.
Each story comes with gorgeous black and white
illustrations and contains a subtle educational element, teaching children
about the species of animal and the environment featured in the book.
 |
| MAGICAL TRIP: Rachel Delahaye |
Each adventure in the series is be set in a distant location
around the world, transporting readers to amazing new places. Here we go into
the far reaches of the South Pole for icy adventures with the animal-loving
schoolgirl.
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Click here for Lancashire Post review
In the middle of a snowball fight, aspiring vet Fliss is
whisked away to the Antarctic! Surrounded by penguins, Fliss marvels at the
sight of these beautiful animals huddling together to keep warm. Then a
snowstorm blows in, separating a chick and its injured mother from the group. Fliss is determined to return her feathery friends to their
colony, but the icy waters are full of dangerous creatures and Fliss isn’t used
to the harsh environment. It’s going to take a lot of quick thinking, and
waddling, to reunite them…
Little Penguin Rescue combines a lively, heartwarming
adventure with easily recognisable real-life issues, like the environment, all
told from a child’s perspective, resulting in a captivating story perfectly
pitched for youngsters just starting chapter book reading… and anyone who is
wild about animals!
(Stripes, paperback, £5.99)
Star Friends: Hidden Charm
Linda Chapman and Lucy Fleming
MYSTERY, magic, adventure and danger… the perfect mix for young readers getting to grips with reading alone! Linda Chapman, author of over 200 books for children, has her finger firmly on the pulse of little girls and animal lovers in the fifth book of her wonderfully warm, exciting and tender Star Friends series which has won the hearts of thousands of youngsters.
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| PERFECT MIX: Linda Chapman |
Click here for Lancashire Post review
In their eighth adventure, the Star Friends are enjoying the
holidays, but it’s not all fun and games as they try to discover who summoned
the Shades that caused chaos in Westcombe. During their investigations, they
notice that the village is strangely quiet – even the popular café is empty.
Could the two be connected? The girls need to pull together to solve this
mystery before it spirals out of control.
Chapman’s imaginative stories – ideally pitched for building
reading confidence – transport children into the wonderful Star World through
her gentle narrative and enchanting characters while Lucy Fleming provides the
appealing and contemporary illustrations which capture all the dramas and
challenges as the friends battle to overcome evil using their magical powers.
With captivating animal characters, enchanting adventures
and a lively group of Star Friends to get to know and like, there is fun, love
and adventure on every page as well as important messages about wildlife and
the environment. A spellbinding series that inspires a love of reading…
(Stripes, paperback, £5.99)
Fighting Fantasy:
Assassins of Allansia
Assassins of Allansia
Ian Livingstone
THE groundbreaking Fighting Fantasy role-playing gamebooks, which thrilled a generation of young adventure-seekers in the Eighties and Nineties, have been making a welcome comeback thanks to Scholastic Books.
Many of those readers from thirty or more years ago are now
parents and enjoying introducing this iconic series to their own kids and
watching a new generation become the superheroes of outrageous tales of
monsters, demons and magical worlds.
 |
| ICONIC SERIES: Ian Livingstone |
Click here for Lancashire Post review
Assassins of Allansia is the latest book in the series and
comes from the pen of Ian Livingstone, one of the founding fathers of the UK
games industry. Together with Steve Jackson, he co-founded the iconic Games
Workshop in 1975, launching Dungeons & Dragons and Warhammer in Europe.
In time-honoured style, the hero is the young reader who has
accepted a wager to live on a small, uninhabited and inhospitable island. But
after taking up the challenge to survive on Snake Island, which lies off the
coast of Allansia, a nightmare unfolds when a bounty is placed on your head.
From being the hunter, you become the hunted. Now you must
find the Assassins before they find you. But who are they? Where are they? Everybody
you meet could be an assassin. Trust no one. And may your stamina never fail!
Livingstone brings his own special brand of heart-stopping
action, terrifying monsters and page-turning plotting to this new thrilling
Fighting Fantasy adventure. Expect the unexpected!
(Scholastic, paperback, £6.99)
Once Upon a Star
James Carter and Mar Hernández
AND here’s a story that makes a BIG impression…
Once upon a star, There were no stars to shine, No Sun to
rise, No Sun to set, No day no night, Nor any time, There was no Earth, Nor
universe.
The Big Bang theory comes in for some stellar treatment in
this super space-travelling picture book from prize-winning poet and
educational writer James Carter, and star illustrator Mar Hernández.
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| SPACE MISSION: James Carter |
Click here for Lancashire Post review
Every day our universe is expanding as scientists and
researchers learn more and more about outer space. But where did it all begin
and where do we come from? Find the answers through words and pictures as the
worlds of poetry and non-fiction collide to create a unique picture book about
our Sun.
Turn the pages and delight at Hernández’s striking and dynamic
illustrations as Carter’s simple but informative verse portrays the mighty boom
that led to a Big Bang and the giant rocks that formed eight unique planets.
A lyrical and lovely out-of-this-world picture book for all
young space explorers!
(Caterpillar Books, paperback, £6.99)
The Space Train
Maudie Powell-Tuck and
Karl James Mountford
Karl James Mountford
IMAGINE a space train so fast that it makes stars look like streaks
in the sky! Maudie Powell-Tuck and Karl James Mountford take flight in a
super picture book brimming with big ideas, futuristic fun, a space-mad boy
called Jakob, a granny who can’t sit still, and a robot chicken called Derek.
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| FUTURISTIC FUN: Maudie Powell-Tuck |
Jakob, who lives in a space station light years from Earth,
has found the long-lost Space Train hidden away in Hangar 19, but it’s old,
battered and broken and looks like it can never be mended. Granny reveals that
the Space Train once criss-crossed the universe on tracks of stardust visiting
two thousand, seven hundred and forty seven space stations.
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With the help of Granny, her Toolbot and Derek the robot chicken, can Jakob fix the train and head off into space to find new friends? Little ones will love joining Jakob on his space voyage beyond the peek-through pages and hidden flaps. Powell-Tuck imbues her tale with the spirit of fun and adventure, a big helping of imagination and plenty of giggles while Mountford’s rich and intricately detailed illustrations invite us to step through the book’s cut-out cover and into a thrill-packed ride. Climb aboard for an unforgettable space odyssey!
Click here for Lancashire Post review
With the help of Granny, her Toolbot and Derek the robot chicken, can Jakob fix the train and head off into space to find new friends? Little ones will love joining Jakob on his space voyage beyond the peek-through pages and hidden flaps. Powell-Tuck imbues her tale with the spirit of fun and adventure, a big helping of imagination and plenty of giggles while Mountford’s rich and intricately detailed illustrations invite us to step through the book’s cut-out cover and into a thrill-packed ride. Climb aboard for an unforgettable space odyssey!
(Little Tiger Books, paperback, £6.99)
In a divided world where dogs only play powerful Rock Dog
music and cats only play the smoothest Cat Jazz, one little dog is determined
to buck the trend and follow the music in his heart. He dreams of cats and dogs
playing together some day even though everybody laughs at him.
Click here for Lancashire Post review
But who is destined to have the last laugh when the little dog starts jamming with the cats?
Age 2 plus:
Tibble and Grandpa
Wendy Meddour and Daniel Egnéus
 |
| MOVING STORY: Wendy Meddour |
LOVE between the young and older generations shines brightly
in a beautifully expressed and moving story from one of the picture book
world’s top teams.
Author Wendy Meddour has received an Arts Council grant to
enable her to fulfil a project entitled Vulnerable Children and the Power of
Picture Books, and Tibble and Grandpa is the last of three books which has
included Lubna and Pebble, another winning partnership with Swedish illustrator
Daniel Egnéus.
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| STUNNING ARTWORK: Daniel Egnéus |
Using her powerful affinity with a child’s eye view of the
world, Meddour brings us a warm, powerful and deeply emotional story about love,
loss, and family bonds as a little boy slowly breaks down his grandfather’s
barrier of grief after the death of a beloved granny.
Click here for Lancashire Post review
Click here for Lancashire Post review
Tibble loves talking to his Grandpa but Grandpa has stopped
listening to him and is only interested in doing some gardening. Mum says to just
give him time but impatient little Tibble wants to talk to Grandpa now so he
tries to get Grandpa interested in his favourite game… choosing their Top Threes!
And that’s when something amazing happens… Grandpa starts talking again, taking Tibble out again, and telling the child that he was his Granny’s Top Star!
And that’s when something amazing happens… Grandpa starts talking again, taking Tibble out again, and telling the child that he was his Granny’s Top Star!
Meddour’s insightful and tear-jerking tale is given extra
poignancy by Egnéus’ stunning artwork which captures all the charm and
gentleness of the exquisite unfolding of Tibble’s innocent but effective
efforts to help Grandpa grieve and make him smile again. A heartwarming story and the perfect book to help children
explore the difficult subject of bereavement…
(Oxford University Press, hardback, £11.99)
Age 2 plus:
Jazz Dog
Marie Voigt
TALENTED author and illustrator Marie Voigt hits all the
right notes in a beautiful picture book which aims to heal destructive
divisions in society. Jazz Dog – a clever and compelling story celebrating
friendship and togetherness – has music at its heart as jazz-loving cats and
‘rocker’ dogs learn that the sweetest harmonies come from sharing the limelight.
 |
| IN HARMONY: Marie Voigt |
Click here for Lancashire Post review
But who is destined to have the last laugh when the little dog starts jamming with the cats?
Voigt uses her original narrative voice to convey resonant
messages through a delightful, thoughtful story that sings out to young readers
the importance of following your dreams and standing up for what you know is
right.
Using beautifully layered and atmospheric artwork in a
palette of distinctively muted shades, Voigt plays out her timely and
ultimately uplifting story with a warm heart and a wise head. A musical extravaganza for a divided world…
(Oxford University Press, hardback, £11.99)
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