Age 8 plus:
The Extremely Inconvenient Adventures of
Jaclyn Moriarty and Karl James Mountford
IMAGINE a world made up of magical kingdoms… and that you
are on a mission to unlock their mysteries!
Australian writer Jaclyn Moriarty, the prize-winning author
of novels for young adults, uses her vivid imagination, storytelling skills and
love of language to unleash a thrilling, epic adventure full of fantasy, fun
and wickedly clever wordplay.
The Extremely Inconvenient Adventures of Bronte Mettlestone
is her first book for younger readers and it’s a witty and wonderful tale
starring a ten-year-old girl and her quest to visit all her ten aunts to
discover the fate of her parents.
Steeped in the dark atmospherics and wry humour of Lemony
Snicket, full of intriguing clues and conundrums, and with the vibrant,
graphic-style illustrations of Karl James Mountford to bring Bronte’s daring
exploits to life, the book has all the perfect ingredients for middle grade
readers.
Bronte Mettlestone is not too bothered when she learns that
her parents have been killed by pirates. They both ran away to have adventures
when Bronte was a baby and she barely even remembers them. She has been raised
by her Aunt Isabelle, with assistance from the Butler, and has spent a pleasant
childhood of afternoon teas and riding lessons.
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| CLEVER WORDPLAY: Jaclyn Moriarty |
Now, however, her parents have left detailed instructions about
what Bronte must now do in their will (instructions that, annoyingly, have been
reinforced with Faery cross-stitch, which means that if she doesn’t complete
them, terrible things could happen). Bronte must travel to the different kingdoms alone,
delivering gifts to ten other aunts… a farmer aunt who owns an orange orchard,
a veterinarian aunt who specialises in dragon care, a pair of aunts who captain
a cruise ship, and a former rock star aunt who is now the reigning monarch of a
small kingdom.
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Click here for Lancashire Post review
But as she travels from aunt to aunt, Bronte encounters an
Elvish football match, solves a case of mistaken identity and learns to ride a
dragon. Soon she suspects that there might be more to this journey than the
simple delivery of treasure… although she little suspects that she will have to
play such a big part in the extraordinary events that follow.
Expect dragons, witches, whisperers and water-sprites as the
insouciant Bronte embarks on an adventure to discover if her parents really were
killed by pirates at sea. Moriarty’s story – classic in its style but with a
deliciously contemporary twist – is rooted in the strong ties of kinship, the
power of words, the bravery of one inspirational girl, and the giant steps we
must take in order to come of age. Funny, quirky, and clever, this outrageously entertaining
story will have youngsters already counting down to the next instalment, The Slightly
Alarming Tale of the Whispering Wars, due to be published in autumn next year.
(Guppy Books, hardback, £12.99)
Age 9 plus:
Dork Diaries: Spectacular Superstar
Rachel Renée Russell
NIKKI Maxwell, Queen of the Dorks, is back for more
adventures full of dorky dramas in this amazing fourteenth instalment of the
blockbuster, bestselling Dork Diaries series. Nikki and her BFFs Zoey and Chloe are the giggling, gossiping
stars of Rachel Renée Russell’s much-loved series which chronicles the daily
dramas of the 14-year-old’s life inside (and outside!) school, and is
celebrating its tenth anniversary this year.
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| NEW DRAMAS: Rachel Renée Russell |
Russell, a US lawyer who prefers writing children’s books to
legal briefs, also illustrates the fabulous Dork Diaries, filling Nikki’s
entertaining meanderings with drawings, doodles and comic strips. There are an
amazing 45 million Dork Diaries books in print worldwide… proof that Russell is
in perfect communion with her middle grade readers. The books were inspired by Russell’s own middle school
experiences as well as those of her two daughters, Erin and Nikki. Elder
daughter Erin assists with writing and Nikki helps with the illustrations.
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Click here for Lancashire Post review
In this latest outing, Nikki Maxwell and her bandmates are
looking forward to an awesome time on tour as the opening act for the world
famous Bad Boyz! The only downside is that Nikki’s frenemy, MacKenzie
Hollister, has weaselled her way on to the tour as a social media guru. Nikki is determined to stay out of MacKenzie’s way to avoid
any drama, but then she learns that MacKenzie is going to be her room-mate. Total
disaster! Will Nikki survive her dream tour as it quickly goes from awesome to awful? Friendship, fun and boyfriend gossip… what more could a girl
want?
(Simon & Schuster, hardback, £12.99)
Age 9 plus:
The Velvet Fox
Catherine Fisher
EMBARK on a thrilling adventure, full of Welsh-flavoured
magic, folklore and fantasy, with Catherine Fisher, an acclaimed poet and
children’s author who lives in Newport. The Velvet Fox is Fisher’s exciting sequel to The Clockwork
Crow, which was shortlisted for the Blue Peter Book Award and winner of the Tir
na N-og Welsh Children’s Book Award, and delivers the same addictive brand of
chills, thrills and masterful storytelling.
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| WIZARDRY: Catherine Fisher |
After rescuing Tomos from enchantment, orphan Seren Rhys is
enjoying her first summer at Plas-y-Fran. But as autumn arrives, it brings with
it a mysterious new governess who seems intent on drawing Tomos away from Seren
and his family.
Dangerous figures from a bewitched toy carousel stalk the
house and, fearing the worst, Seren calls on the clockwork crow to help her.
But can he reach her in time, and will Tomos be able to escape the magical
creatures threatening to ensnare him, led by the Velvet Fox?
Expect darkness, sorcery, full-throttle adventures, and a big helping of fun as Welsh wizardry proves once again to be utterly bewitching!
Expect darkness, sorcery, full-throttle adventures, and a big helping of fun as Welsh wizardry proves once again to be utterly bewitching!
(Firefly Press, paperback, £6.99)
Age 9 plus:
The Last Human
Lee Bacon
A ROBOT who has never questioned the rules, a human who
shouldn’t exist, and a journey that will change everything…
American author Lee Bacon’s thought-provoking and heartwarming middle grade novel challenges young readers to consider just what it means to be human in a world that is now full of screens, robots and technological devices.
American author Lee Bacon’s thought-provoking and heartwarming middle grade novel challenges young readers to consider just what it means to be human in a world that is now full of screens, robots and technological devices.
The Last Human, Bacon’s first novel to be published in the
UK and soon to be an animated film, imagines a world now ruled by machines
after humans became extinct thirty years ago.
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| COMPELLING STORY: Lee Bacon |
Twelve-year-old robot XR_935 is just fine with no humans.
Without humans around, there is no war, no pollution, no crime, and every
member of society has a purpose. Everything runs smoothly and efficiently.
Until the day XR discovers something impossible… a twelve-year-old human named
Emma.
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Click here for Lancashire Post review
For its whole life, XR has been told that humans were evil
and that the world is better without them but Emma doesn’t seem evil. In fact,
she seems scared and now she needs XR’s help. Emma must embark on a dangerous
voyage with an unlikely new friend and two other robots in search of a
mysterious point on a map. How will they survive in a world where rules are
never broken, and humans are not supposed to exist?
Bacon blends humour, adventure, themes of prejudice,
friendship and acceptance, and moments of heartfelt emotion in a clever,
compelling story that explores the complexity of being human through the
objective eye of a robot.
(Piccadilly Press, paperback, £6.99)
Age 8 plus:
Seven Ghosts
Written and illustrated by Chris Priestley
AS Halloween draws ever nearer, get your goosebumps well and
truly raised with seven ghostly spine-tingling tales from the master of horror
Chris Priestley. The award-winning author of the Tales of Terror series and
the hugely popular and award-winning Mister Creecher, Priestley is also a
talented artist and illustrator, and his cartoons have been published in The
Independent as well as other national newspapers.
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| SPOOKY TALES: Chris Priestley |
Seven Ghosts, featuring a multi-narrative story and lots of
hair-raising horror, comes from innovative publisher Barrington Stoke and is
produced in a super readable format especially suitable for struggling,
reluctant or dyslexic readers.
Jake and the other finalists in a writing competition have
been invited to stately house, Grimstone Hall, for a tour like no other. As
their guide leads them through grand rooms, hidden nooks and magnificent
grounds, they hear the stories of seven ghosts who haunt the halls.
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But strange shapes and shadows follow Jake as he journeys
through the house and with each tale that Jake hears, he begins to feel more
uneasy. All is not as it seems and soon Jake will discover that old ghosts have
been stirred up and something is very, very wrong…
Priestley’s atmospheric, black and white illustrations are
the perfect accompaniment to super scary stories brim full of chills and
thrills!
(Barrington Stoke, paperback, £6.99)
Age 7 plus:
Harriet Versus the Galaxy
Samantha Baines
JUST because you can’t hear very well doesn’t mean that you
can’t save the planet! Harriet Versus the Galaxy is a hilarious and heartfelt debut
novel from multi-award winning, hearing aid-wearing, comedian, actor and author
Samantha Baines who is determined to put deaf youngsters firmly at centre stage
in her stories.
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| RAISING AWARENESS: Samantha Baines |
Baines, who first experienced hearing loss three years ago,
is an Ambassador for Action on Hearing Loss and the British Tinnitus
Association, and champions representation of the deaf to raise awareness of
this ‘invisible disability.’ This exciting intergalactic adventure starts at home with
Harriet, who has moved in with her Gran and discovered that her hearing aid can
do more than she ever bargained for. It all started when she found an alien in
her room and learned that her family secretly work for a secret agency.
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Click here for Lancashire Post review
Harriet is the Earth’s first line of defence as the only one
who can understand the invaders and she must save the day for the intergalactic
SAS agency with her new non-binary friend Robin. Her hearing aid certainly helps
her understand aliens from across the universe… if only she could understand
her own feelings. Full of warmth and humour, Harriet Versus the Galaxy –
beautifully illustrated by deaf artist Jess Maria Flores – is a tale of
friendship, empowerment, disability and one little girl’s fight to save the
planet.
(Knights Of, hardback, £12.99)
Age 5 plus:
The House of Madame M
Clotilde Perrin
IF you go down to the woods today… you’ll find a haunted
house! Enjoy the scares and dares of Halloween with a fabulous,
interactive book that lets youngsters explore every dark nook and cranny in the
thrilling, chilling home of the strange and shadowy Madame M.
There’s creepy fun, hidden jokes and spine-shivering
surprises to uncover in a super, large-format, lift-the-flaps book from
talented French illustrator and author Clotilde Perrin who has published over thirty
books, including the international lift-the-flap bestseller Inside the
Villains.
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| SCARY FUN: Clotilde Perrin |
The House of Madame M comes from Gecko Press, a lively
independent publisher of ‘curiously good’ children’s books based in Wellington,
New Zealand, which prides itself on championing eclectic stories, rich in
language and illustration, and with a strong ‘heart factor.’
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Click here for Lancashire Post review
And this entertaining book is certainly full of exciting
innovation as youngsters are invited to step into the house of Madame M, with a
warning to be as quiet as they can, and to be very, very careful as they
explore the hallway, living room, kitchen, bathroom and bedroom. Each room is
full of surprises to make even the bravest shiver. Are we in the house of an
ogre, a witch or something else altogether?
Children will love lifting the flaps, pulling the tabs,
reading the hidden jokes, and finding what lurks in the wardrobe, behind the
door, and tucked under the furniture in a book full of humour, rich detail and
atmosphere. A brilliant box of tricks for all the family!
(Gecko Press, hardback, £16.99)
Age 4 plus:
The Adventures of Moose
and Mr Brown
Paul Smith and Sam Usher
COMEDY is all the fashion in an inventive and beautifully
creative picture book from international fashion designer Sir Paul Smith and
star illustrator Sam Usher.
This exciting and artistic duo have stitched together The
Adventures of Moose and Mr Brown, a cleverly produced, laugh-out-loud story of
animals, travel, design, and finding inspiration in the most unlikely of
places.
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| CAPTIVATING STORY: Sir Paul Smith |
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| STAR ILLUSTRATOR: Sam Usher |
Smith is renowned for his creative spirit and this
delightful debut children’s book, the first in a new and exciting series, features
a cast of curious and charming characters, inspired by toys that he has owned
for many years.
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Click here for Lancashire Post review
Mr Brown is an international fashion designer who meets
Moose on a plane travelling to London. Moose is distraught as he has lost his
twin brother Monty who got on the wrong plane. Mr Brown agrees to help Moose
track down Monty, and in return, Moose helps bring even more inspiration to Mr
Brown’s business. They travel around the world, helping other animals with
their designs, including slippers for sloths, parkas for penguins and scarves
for giraffes, while looking for Monty.
Will Mr Brown and Moose find Monty
before Mr Brown’s big catwalk show? Usher’s vibrant, colourful and characterful illustrations
capture all the exuberance and spirit of adventure that mark out Smith’s
captivating story about the joys of friendship and the power that comes from
using your creative talents.
(Pavilion Children’s Books, hardback, £12.99)
Age 3 plus:
Beaver’s Big Adventure:
A Journey Home
Magnus Weightman
INSPIRED by becoming a father, architect and urban designer
Magnus Weightman uses his love of drawing, nature and travel for
an enchanting, rhyming picture book which aims to nurture every child’s dreams
of exploring and adventure.
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| JAUNTY RHYMES: Magnus Weightman |
Beaver has big dreams so one day he makes himself a sturdy
boat and heads off on a big adventure to explore the world. Down the river and
over the rapids he goes until he’s far from home, but when he gets lost along
the way, he starts to wonder how he will get back.
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Click here for Lancashire Post review
Fortunately, Akita the dog
offers to help Beaver find his way home and together they take off in in a
hot-air balloon to travel the globe and look for Beaver’s home.
Packed with jaunty rhymes and wonderfully detailed pictures
of animal houses from around the world, this clever colourful book is brimming
with fun, friendship and fascinating facts about different animal habitats.
Ideal for discussing environmental themes with young
children, the book also includes a world map and charts Beaver’s amazing global
journey.
(Five Quills, paperback, £6.99)
Age 2 plus:
Sea Lights
Ruth Symons and Carolina Rabei
‘At night we sail over the inky black sea,
me and my dad, in our little red boat.
We cast out our nets, and we wait in the dark,
and the star light shines above us.’
FOLLOW the journey of one little girl and her father as
their fishing boat comes back home… Little ones will love to turn the pages and watch the night
sky light up in this gentle, heartwarming book that was just made for bedtime
reading.
Clever paper engineering makes object appear to ‘light up’
on every spread, from the roaming beams of the lighthouse and the warm yellow
lights of the fishing village to a firework display seen through the window of
a warm and cosy bedroom.
Click here for Lancashire Post review
Click here for Lancashire Post review
With Ruth Symons’ lyrical, repetitive text and the richly
detailed art of The Ride-by-Nights illustrator Carolina Rabei, coupled with the
love between a father and his child, this twinkly tale will have toddlers feeling
sleepy in no time. And with a sumptuous silver foil cover, and the gorgeous
light and shade atmospherics of dark winter nights, this is the perfect
Christmas gift.
(Templar Publishing, hardback, £12.99)
Age 2 plus:
Oi Puppies!
Kes Gray and Jim Field
THE exciting team of writer Kes Gray and illustrator Jim
Field are up to their wonderful word tricks again as they play puppy love with
a new rhyming extravaganza.
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| RIOTOUS ROMP: Kes Gray |
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A masterclass in the absurd, this clever, comical picture
book stars our familiar friend Frog and the long-suffering Dog who is looking
after some puppies. Well, quite a few puppies, actually, and none of them will
sit! Not even on guppies, like they’re supposed to. Puppies are far too busy
being puppies to sit but they’re getting a little out of hand. Luckily Frog has
got a cunning idea and it involves a ‘seating’ plan built on rhyme…
With increasingly outrageous word combinations on each page
and a gorgeous gallery of Field’s bold and amazingly expressive illustrations
to enjoy, youngsters will be joining in the rhymes, laughing out loud and begging
for more the moment the last page has turned. Comedy capers for all the family!
(Hodder Children’s Books, hardback, £12.99)
Age 2 plus:
Iguanas Love Bananas
Jennie & Chris Cladingbee
and Jeff Crowther
TAKE a fun lesson in rhyming words, foods and animal names
with a clever, comical picture book from debut author duo, Jennie and Chris
Cladingbee.
Did you know that cheetahs like fajitas, iguanas love
bananas, kangaroos love vindaloos, albatross scoff candy floss, tufted puffins
like blueberry muffins and cockatiels like jellied eels? Lots of animals are
going bananas for their favourite foods, causing havoc and confusion to
everyone around them! Can anything stop them?
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Click here for Lancashire Post review
The Cladingbees' ingeniously inventive rhyming story comes with tray-loads of quirky food and a
host of familiar and unfamiliar creatures which will have little ones poring
over both words and pictures.
Jeff Crowther provides a gallery of gloriously colourful,
richly detailed and characterful illustrations which help to cook up a storm of
chaos, comedy and captivating creatures.
(Maverick Publishing, paperback, £7.99)
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