From contemporary classics and snowy tales of winter
wonderlands, to magical adventures and fun-filled comedies, there is a book to
suit every taste in a sparkling selection of Christmas children’s books
Age 7 plus
The Three Wishes
Alan Snow
AT long last… here’s the book that reveals all you have ever
wanted to know about the origins of our Christmas traditions. A contemporary Christmas classic that feels like it has
existed for centuries, The Three Wishes is a beautifully written and stunningly
illustrated book about the early beginnings of Father Christmas and comes from
the imagination of bestselling children’s author and illustrator Alan Snow.
With a narrative that reads like a seasoned fable and a plot
that fits together like a perfect festive jigsaw, this richly detailed and
colourful story explains all the traditions and myths around Santa Claus, from
how he travels around the world in one night, how his sleigh and reindeer can
fly, why he leaves presents, and even the origins of his red coat.
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A young boy is herding his family’s reindeer when they are
drawn into a mysterious cave. The cave is the holder of eternal summer, looked
after by three strange characters… a wooden creature, a bird and a fish. Once entered, the cave cannot be left unless time in the
outside world stands still. In his sadness at not being able to leave, the boy
is granted three wishes and chooses freedom, happiness and time. He is told
that they will all be granted… eventually.
After the first year of working hard in the summer cave, the
boy is allowed to see his family in the outside world. Time stands still as he
visits his parents, and he leaves gifts behind to show that he has visited. As the years go by, this annual visit continues and he
begins to call on not only his parents, but more and more other families... and
Christmas traditions as we know them, are slowly but surely created.
With illustrations that capture the essence, atmospherics
and quirkiness of the adventure through time, The Three Wishes is destined to
become a Christmas family favourite.
(Pavilion, hardback, £12.99)
Age 8 plus
The Beast and the Bethany
Jack Meggitt-Phillips and Isabelle Follath
IF your fancy is thrilling adventure tales that put guffaws
into the gruesome, and magic into the malevolent, then this modern classic is a
must for gifting at any time of the year!
A major film deal has already been announced with Warner
Brothers and Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts producer, David Heyman, for The
Beast and the Bethany, the first of a brilliant new series from exciting new writing
talent Jack Meggitt-Phillips and Zurich-based illustrator Isabelle Follath.
With his sharp eye for macabre humour and a storyline
brimming with originality and zany fun, Meggitt-Phillips brings us a hilarious
romp starring a nasty, ageless villain, a beastly beast with a hunger for
children, and a little orphan girl who can (fortunately for us all!) outwit
them both.
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Ebenezer Tweezer is a youthful 511 years old. He keeps a
beast in the attic of his mansion and he feeds him all manner of things
(including performing monkeys, his pet cat and the occasional cactus) and in
return the beast vomits out presents for Ebenezer, as well as potions which
keep him young and beautiful. But the beast is growing ever greedier, and soon only a nice
juicy child will do. So when Ebenezer encounters orphan Bethany, it seems like
(everlasting) life will go on as normal. But Bethany is not your average orphan…
not only does she pull every prank and trick imaginable, she positively enjoys
doing horrible things! Have Ebenezer and his beast met their match?
Wordsmith Meggitt-Phillips has a ball with this madcap
adventure which delivers everything a discerning young reader desires… an
extraordinarily naughty heroine to shout for, a villain who might just be
tamed, laugh-out-loud antics, and some moments of unexpected tenderness.
With terrific twists to keep the pages turning, and Follath’s
brilliant gallery of black and white illustrations which put extra life and
energy into the story, this is a delightful and dazzling opener to what promises
to be a favourite family series.
(Egmont, paperback, £6.99)
Age 8 plus
The Good Bear
Sarah Lean and Fiona Woodcock
ESCAPE into the winter wonderland of snowy Norway in a
beautiful middle grade novel that will pull on your heartstrings and speak loudly
about the importance of family. The Good Bear is a moving animal adventure starring a
troubled girl who finds solace in her mission to save a threatened bear, and
discovers that making her way in the world might also mean learning to accept.
Written by Sarah Lean, bestselling author of A Dog Called
Homeless, and beautifully illustrated by Fiona Woodcock, this is a story about unlikely
friendships, family bonds, building bridges, and the fight against animal
cruelty.
It’s the Christmas holidays in 1978 and 12-year-old Thea is
looking forward to spending them with her estranged father Henry in Norway. She
plans to tell him all about her dreams to become a writer and maybe, just
maybe, he will buy her the typewriter she so desperately needs. But when Thea and her father are reunited, everything feels wrong.
Her father is as distant as ever and now she has to share him with his new
family… his girlfriend Inge and her children. Unable to reconcile her feelings
of rejection and jealousy, Thea wishes she had never come to Norway.
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Then she makes a surprising discovery. Deep in the snowy
woods by the house, is a bear. He’s scared and hungry and he desperately needs
Thea’s help. When the town hears about a bear living in the woods, Bear’s
life is in even greater danger. Thea needs to show everyone that he’s not
dangerous – he’s a good bear. But if she is to save him, she needs to accept
the help of her new family.
Set in a magical snow-filled landscape, starring a
captivating young heroine whose fears seem very real and relevant, and gently
tackling sensitive issues about rivalry, trust and step-families, this is both
a celebration of our amazing natural world and a thrilling and emotion-packed
adventure.
(Simon & Schuster, hardback, £12.99)
Age 8 plus
Code Name Bananas
David Walliams and Tony Ross
TUCK into the wit and wacky adventures that spill from the
pen of multi-million bestselling author David Walliams in an epic new book set
in the heart of wartime London. Starring shy orphan boy Eric – complete with sticky-out ears
and glasses with a cracked lens – this is a fast-paced, whizz-bang tale of
action, laughter, secret plots, and the extraordinary friendship between a
little boy and a huge gorilla that just might save the day.
Every secret military operation needs a code name... in
1940, Britain is at war with Nazi Germany and 11-year-old Eric, who lives with
his fearsome grandma, spends his days at the place that makes him most happy…
London Zoo. His visits to the zoo are free and that’s all thanks to his
great-uncle Sid who has worked there for longer than anyone can remember
(including Sid!) and still possesses a fighting spirit despite losing both his
legs in the First World War.
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Sad and lonely after losing both his parents, Eric has one
animal that he particularly loves…Gertrude the gorilla, one of the oldest
animals at the zoo but also one of the most popular. But with bombs now falling all over London, Eric must rescue
Gertrude. Together with Uncle Sid, Eric and Gertrude go on the run through London
and escape the city, but while hiding out at the seaside, they uncover a
top-secret Nazi plot that will test the mettle of all three!
From London Zoo and Hyde Park to Victoria Station, London
Bridge and all the way to Bognor Regis, Walliams takes young readers on a
thrilling ride through danger, rip-roaring action and laugh-out-loud comedy
alongside two unlikely heroes and a banana-loving gorilla. With the glorious illustrations of Tony Ross to bring the
madcap mission to life, this is wartime as you have never before seen it!
(Harper Collins Children’s Books, hardback, £14.99)
Age 6 plus
Christmas Activity Book
James Maclaine, Lucy Bowman,
Rebecca Gilpin and Erica
Harrison
THERE won’t be a dull moment in the run-up to Christmas with
this fantastically festive activity book from Usborne. Packed with puzzles to solve, codes to crack, games to play
and doodles to draw, there are lots of activities inside to keep youngsters
busy and entertained.
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Help Santa fill his sack with presents, decorate a Christmas
tree, make snowflake decorations, discover the story of The Nutcracker ballet,
solve Christmas mysteries and enjoy an advent calendar to colour in day-by-day. The Christmas countdown starts here.
(Usborne, paperback,
£8.99)
Age 6 plus
My Very Very Very Very Very Very Very Silly Book of Jokes!
Matt Lucas and Sarah
Horne
Why is Cinderella no good at footie?
Because she’s always
running away from the ball!
CHRISTMAS wouldn’t be Christmas without some corny, cracking
jokes so put this brilliant book of Matt Lucas one-liners and anecdote in the
kids’ stockings and they’ll be giggling all the way to bedtime. Actor and comedian Lucas, star of The Great British Bake Off
and creator of Thank You, Baked Potato, an official UK download chart-topper
and Amazon bestseller, is on fine form in this super-silly joke book – given
added razzle, dazzle by illustrator Sarah Horne – and guaranteed to spread good
cheer and good laughs.
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As Lucas tells us, ‘Sometimes when I feel a bit sad, I tell
a silly joke and then I feel at least halfway better. I think it is important
to be silly, I wish more people would be silly and then the world would be a
better place or at least a sillier one.’
So step into Lucas’s mad, mad world but be warned, there are
some things you’re going to need… spare pants – in case you wet yours, needle
and thread – in case you split your sides, and a large box – in case you laugh
your head off and you still want to keep it!
(Red Shed, paperback, £6.99)
Age 5 plus
If You Come to Earth
Sophie Blackall
SEE planet Earth from a moving and gloriously human new
perspective in an exquisite picture book from two-time Caldecott Medal winning
author and illustrator Sophie Blackall.
Blackall, whose visually stunning book was inspired by the
thousands of children she met during her travels around the world in support of
UNICEF and Save the Children, imagines how a single, curious and imaginative
child might explain who we are, how we live, and what we feel, to a visitor
from outer space. Through simple, yet resonant words, and pictures that
somehow paint portraits of a thousand people, If You Come to Earth is simultaneously
funny and touching, and carries a clear message about the need to care not just
for the Earth but also each other.
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If you come to Earth, there are a few things you need to
know… we live in all kinds of places, in all kinds of homes, in all kinds of
families. Each of us is different but all of us are amazing. And, together, we
share one beautiful planet. Blackall’s all-encompassing journey across the planet
features the diverse people of differing abilities and disabilities, the
clothes we wear, the weather we experience, our varied modes of travel, our
places of learning, the creatures that share our world, the rivers that travel
to our oceans, our ability to make music and so much more.
With its vibrancy, energy, intimacy and sense of
togetherness and belonging, this beautifully created and comprehensive guide to
the Earth comes packed with warmth and humour, and is the perfect gift for
humanitarians young and old.
(Chronicle Books, hardback, £13.99)
Age 3 plus
The After Christmas Tree
Bethan Welby
A LONELY little Christmas tree gets an unexpected new home
in a heartwarming picture book just made for the season of goodwill. Beautifully packaged, and with empathy and caring written
all over it, The After Christmas Tree is the perfect gift for young
eco-warriors and comes from talented debut author and illustrator Bethan Welby.
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On a cold, grey afternoon in January, Brian sees a little
Christmas tree, stripped of its decorations and discarded by the roadside. He wonders
why no one was smiling at it any more and decides to take it home with him and
look after it. But will taking care of the forlorn little tree be as easy as he
thinks, and why don’t his family seem as pleased with it as Brian is? This magical book – which has a special appeal for
youngsters who fall in love with what seems to be the strangest of things to
adults – is wrapped up with love and features Welby’s expressive and
atmospheric watercolour artwork.
(Scallywag Press,
hardback, £12.99)
Age 3 plus
Merry Christmas, Baked Potato
Matt Lucas
MATT Lucas cooks up a feast of fun in this gigglesome
Christmas picture book starring a chip off the old block… Santa Baked Potato! This festive tale of potato pranks follows Lucas’s
chart-storming charity song, Thank You, Baked Potato, which was turned into a
laugh-out-loud picture book, with author and publisher profits going to
FeedNHS, a charity providing hot meals for thousands of critical care workers
in NHS hospitals across the UK.
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With his trademark anarchic humour, Lucas invites little
ones to look high up in the sky (and he’s talking higher than a parrot) to see
a root veg flying by (and no, he doesn’t mean a carrot!). It’s a romping, rhyming tale full of perfectly baked fun,
all brought to life by Scott Coello’s colourful illustrations, and when the
show is over, children can create potato art, play festive games or spread a
little kindness with a bonus page of activities for the whole family to enjoy. What are you waiting for… tuck in!
(Egmont, paperback, £6.99)
Age 3 plus
The Twelve Cats of Christmas
Alison Ritchie and Marisa Morea
LOOK out… there’s twelve cats a-leaping! Your little ones will enjoy the purr-formance when they curl
up with this riotous, rhyming picture book countdown to Christmas which has
adorable cats peeping out from every page. Full of feline festive cheer, this follow-up to the
bestselling The Twelve Dogs of Christmas is ideal for little people and cat
lovers everywhere who will love reading aloud the joyful rhyme and counting
cute cats on each page.
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Twelve mischievous moggies are getting ready for the
Christmas celebrations. But with two tangled tabbies, six caterwauling carol
singers and nine curious kittens hunting for hidden presents, not everything is
going to plan! Author Alison Ritchie’s sparkling rhyming story and Spanish
illustrator Marisa Morea’s gallery of charismatic cats capture all the madness
and mayhem of a pack of pussycats, and the excitement of the run-up to
Christmas. A wonderfully imaginative way to introduce children to those
favourite Christmas traditions!
(Simon & Schuster, paperback, £6.99)
Age 3 plus
Winnie-the-Pooh:
A Pudding for Christmas
‘Food means friends and friends mean food.’
ENJOY a feast of Christmas fun with Winnie-the-Pooh,
Christopher Robin and all the other family favourite creatures in an enchanting
festive picture book. Christopher Robin has played with all his toys and read all
his books from front to back, and then back to front... so what else is there
left to do on a dark, wintry day? Make a Christmas pudding, of course! All the
friends from the Hundred Acre Wood gather to help make an enormous pudding that
is fit for a feast. But when little Roo goes missing, Eeyore is inclined to
blame the pudding...
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With new colour illustrations that capture all the warmth
and charm of A. A. Milne’s original characters, this endearing yuletide tale is
the perfect stocking filler.
(Egmont, paperback, £6.99)
Age 2 plus
A Thing Called Snow
Yuval Zommer
THE friendship between two animals becomes a beacon of
kindness, friendship and community in a dazzling picture book from award-winning
author and illustrator Yuval Zommer. A Thing Called Snow, a gorgeous winter-themed book that
celebrates both togetherness and the natural world, has all those perfect
ingredients to delight children and their parents… warm, gentle storytelling,
stunning artwork, and heartfelt messages that beautifully reflect the spirit of
Christmas.
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Fox and Hare were born in spring, grew up in summer, and
were best friends by autumn. When winter comes, they can’t wait to jump, leap
and, bounce in this thing called snow. But what exactly is snow? Little ones
will love joining Fox and Hare on an exciting journey across the Arctic landscape.
Zommer, who puts the living world at the heart of his
powerful storytelling, brings the very youngest children a lyrically written,
warm and utterly charming story. Add on the glittering cover, Zommer’s exquisitely expressive
and atmospheric artwork, and gentle reminders about taking care of our
environment, and you have a verbal and visual treat to treasure for yourself or
gift to others.
(Oxford University Press, hardback, £12.99)
Age 2 plus
Christmas Lights
Ruth Symons and Carolina Rabei
‘At the end of the day, as the winter light fades,
We’re ready to drive home for Christmas.’
FOLLOW the journey of one little girl and her father as they
drive home for Christmas on a starry, twinkling, snowy night. Young children will love watching the pictures move as they
turn the pages, lift the flaps and spin the wheels to watch the play of night light,
colour and shadow in this gentle, wonder-filled book that was just made for
bedtime reading in the festive season.
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Clever paper engineering and turning devices make objects
appear to move on every spread, from fairy lights twinkling, stars shooting
through the sky, car headlights shining, and Santa and his reindeer flying high
up above the treetops. With Ruth Symons’ lyrical, calming text and the beautiful, richly
detailed artwork of The Ride-by-Nights illustrator Carolina Rabei, coupled with
the warm and loving shared adventure between a father and his child, this
twinkly tale will have toddlers feeling sleepy in no time. And with a sumptuous gold foil cover, and all the exciting anticipation
of Christmas wrapped up inside, this is the perfect gift for your little ones.
(Templar Publishing, hardback, £12.99)
Age 2 plus
Gigantosaurus:
The Best Day Ever
Cyber Group Studios
FOUR curious and playful young dinosaurs try to get the most
fun out of a short day in a roar-somely festive and action-packed adventure! Timid Bill, courageous Rocky, pint-sized, playful Tiny and inquisitive
Mazu return for a gigantic day out, based on an episode from the new
French-American CGI-animated Gigantosaurus pre-school TV series.
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The development by Cyber Group Studios of bestselling
British author and illustrator Jonny Duddle’s award-winning picture book
Gigantosaurus has been a major global hit, launching in the US on Disney Junior
in 2019, in the UK in June 2020 on Tiny POP, and now airing in many countries
around the world. Here we find the little dinos feeling gloomy because it’s
the shortest day of the year. Tiny promises to cheer everyone up with a big
holiday party. But when everything starts to go wrong, she might need a little
help from her friends to save the celebrations! Youngsters will love following the crazy, fun-filled antics
of the little dinos as they play in the snow and try not to disturb the massive
Gigantosaurus.
(Templar Publishing, paperback, £6.99)
