A Beautiful Spy

Rachel Hore

MINNIE Gray is determined that she won’t fall into the conventional trap of finding a ‘nice’ man, getting married and having children. Ten years after the end of the Great War, she wants to do so much more with her life… but being recruited as a spy for the British government to infiltrate the British Communist Party might just prove a step too far.

Inspired by the brave and meticulous work of the real-life spy Olga Gray during the 1930s – and in a change of direction from her much-loved time slip novels – Rachel Hore (pictured below) sweeps us into the daring exploits of an extraordinary young woman and a thrilling world of politics, subterfuge and espionage.

Raised in a smart area of Edgbaston, Birmingham, our suburban heroine is cast into a lonely, friendless double existence when she is recruited by renowned MI5 spymaster Maxwell Knight, the naturalist and broadcaster who was reputedly a model for the James Bond character ‘M’.

In the summer of 1928, Minnie Gray is an ordinary young woman in Edgbaston, living at home with her widowed mother, working as a secretary at the Automobile Association, under pressure to start thinking about marriage, but secretly longing to make a difference.

Then one day she gets her chance. At a local garden party, she meets the mysterious and rather glamorous Dolly Pyle who reveals that she works for the Secret Service and reckons there’s something about Minnie that they would like.

Recruited as a spy by the charismatic Maxwell (Max) Knight, who runs M section from his house in Sloane Street, and under strict instructions not to tell anyone, not even her family, Minnie moves to London and begins her mission… to infiltrate the British Communist movement. And after attending meetings of an organisation called the Friends of the Soviet Union, Minnie soon gains the trust of important leaders of the British Communist Party like Percy Glading and Harry Pollitt. But as she grows more and more entangled in the workings of the movement, her job becomes increasingly dangerous.

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Leading a double life is starting to take its toll on Minnie and her relationships and, feeling more isolated than ever, she begins to wonder how this is all going to end. The Russians are notorious

CHILDREN'S BOOKS: A lonely bear, a Tudor adventure and amazing treasures

Meet a girl on a mission to save a polar bear, journey to France to see a spectacular Tudor pageant, travel back in time to discover dazzling treasures, and hit the rooftops with a girl who can turn into a cat in a thrilling collection of new children’s books

Age 8 plus
The Last Bear
Hannah Gold and Levi Pinfold

ONE girl’s battle to save a sick and lonely polar bear becomes a battle cry to the whole world to save our precious planet in one of the most stunning children’s books of 2021. Debut author Hannah Gold dons her eco warrior armour and sets her rich imagination in motion to bring us The Last Bear, a magical, mesmerising story, set in the wild wonderland of Norway’s remote Bear Island, and which will pull on your heartstrings and make you look anew at how you too can make a difference.

Inspired by her love of big cuddly bears, the special friendship that humans – and particularly children – have with them, and the imperative need to save the environment, Gold set to work on this warm, lyrical and thrilling Arctic adventure. And what a magical reading experience it proves to be as illustrator Levi Pinfold provides the finishing touches to an unforgettable journey with a gallery of beautiful, atmospheric black and white illustrations that are guaranteed to take your breath away.

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There are no polar bears left on Bear Island, April Wood’s widower father tells her when they arrive at the remote Arctic outpost where he is spending six months researching weather patterns. April has had a lonely life since her mother died but has spent many happy hours in their wild and unkempt back garden where she has befriended a family of urban foxes and learned to love animals.

However, this trip Norway, where she will be alone with just her father, means they will be able to share time together and do things like building snowmen and sledging. What she didn’t reckon on was her father working on his data all hours and the devastating news that there are no longer any polar bears on the island because of global warming. Undeterred, April sets off every day in search of a polar bear and one endless Arctic night, she finally meets one. But he is starving, lonely and a long way from home, and determined to save him, April begins the most important journey of her life…

Written from the heart and with a message that carries far beyond the last pages of this deeply emotional and enthralling story, The Last Bear speaks loudly about the fragility and beauty of the planet as well as delivering the kind of wildly exciting and timeless adventure story that children long for. Ideal for animal lovers of any age, and the perfect vehicle to introduce young readers to the concept of conservation, this is destined to be a modern classic.
(HarperCollins Children’s Books, hardback, £12.99)

Age 9 plus
The Queen’s Fool
Ally Sherrick 

BEING ‘different’ wasn’t always easy when you lived in the turbulent days of 16^th century Tudor England... And when a young girl with learning difficulties sets out on a desperate quest to find her kidnapped sister, the journey takes her to King Henry VIII’s legendary ‘Cloth of Gold’ pageant in France and a perilous mission that will test her to the limit.

Ally Sherrick, an award-winning author whose historical novels have brought fascinating facts and thrilling adventures to an army of young readers, sweeps us away to the early years of Henry’s reign for a cracking story brimming with warmth, insight and extraordinary history.

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Cat Sparrow isn’t like other people. She loves music, and playing her bird-flute. She thinks differently too… and for a girl like her, the world can be an unsettling place and hold many perils. When Cat’s beloved sister, Meg, is snatched from their convent home, Cat sets out to find her. With the help of a young actor, Jacques, she follows Meg’s trail to the palace of Henry VIII and his queen, Katherine, and then over the sea to the strange and wondrous pageant of the ‘Field of Cloth of Gold.’ But in among the tents, feasts and tournaments, traitors are lurking and they discover that the kingdoms of England and France are both in terrible danger. Cat and Jacques must use all their wits if they are to foil a plot that threatens them all.

The Queen’s Fool is a gripping, page-turning adventure which explores the powerful bonds of siblings, the imperative to be yourself and forge your own destiny wherever that may lead you, and historical attitudes to learning disability. Sherrick does a superb job of evoking the rich detail and atmosphere of this period of Tudor history when King Henry and King Francis I of France took part in an extravagant tournament aimed putting aside differences and making a lasting peace. With a brave heroine to cheer for, and action and danger at every turn, this is learning made fun and fascinating.
(Chicken House Books, paperback, £6.99)

Age 7 plus
Amazing Treasures: 100+ Objects and Places That Will Boggle Your Mind
David Long and Studio MUTI

If you fancy going on a thrilling treasure hunt, open the pages of this brilliant book and discover over one hundred of the world’s most extraordinary wonders. Amazing Treasures: 100+ Objects and Places That Will Boggle Your Mind comes from What on Earth Publishing which specialises in the art of telling stories through timelines. And for every question their informative books answer, they spark another one, helping to encourage young readers into a lifelong love of enquiring and discovering.

This intriguing, colourful, fact-filled book is the second in a stunning Our Amazing World series and is an entertaining and enlightening celebration of the world’s most extraordinary man-made – and natural – treasures, objects and places. Exploring history, culture, geology and the environment through treasures ancient and modern, readers can marvel at giant gemstones, precious artworks, architectural wonders, intriguing ruins, moon rocks and so much more.

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Written by award-winning author David Long and illustrated by MUTI, a creative studio based in Cape Town, South Africa, Amazing Treasures sweeps us away on a breathtaking tour stretching across thousands of years and all around the globe. Discover sunken wrecks loaded with pirate gold, the huge diamond an Indian ruler once left in his shoe, the giant heads on Easter Island, the oldest dinosaur fossils ever found, an ancient machine pulled out of the sea near Greece, the abandoned tombs of the world’s most powerful rulers, and even meteorite treasures from outer space.

A central fold-out map reveals the locations of all the treasures featured in the book, including a lavish double spread of China’s Forbidden City, while Long also addresses contemporary topics such as our threatened natural wonders and the ownership of cultural treasures. With the fun of discovery on every page, this is the perfect book for young explorers and treasure-hunters.
(What on Earth Books, hardback, £14.99)

Age 5 plus
Kitty and the Twilight Trouble
Paula Harrison and Jenny Løvlie

WHEN you’re a girl by day and a cat by night, adventures are never far away! Author Paula Harrison and illustrator Jenny Løvlie work their special magic on this fun-filled first chapter book series which features enchanting rooftop adventures with feisty feline star Kitty and her cat crew on moonlit rooftops.

Beautifully presented in a small format for little hands and densely illustrated in tones of grey and orange on almost every page, superhero Kitty’s magical story is simply purrfect for both cat lovers and young adventurers.

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In her new moonlight mission, Kitty is excited about visiting the funfair with her trusty cats but Pixie, who has a nose for trouble, has made a new friend and doesn’t want to play with Kitty any more. She wants to play superheroes with Hazel instead. The problem is that Pixie and Hazel aren’t acting like superheroes, they are acting like supervillains. Before long they both find themselves in trouble at the top of the Big Wheel, and only a true hero like Kitty can save the day… Enjoy cheeky cats, night-time naughtiness and giggles galore as the merry band of moggies take on more than they bargained for!
(OUP, paperback, £5.99)

Age 5 plus
Mirabelle Breaks the Rules
Harriet Muncaster

BEING different is fun… especially when it comes to making mischief! From the magical world of author and illustrator Harriet Muncaster’s much-loved half-vampire, half-fairy Isadora Moon comes her impish, lovable cousin Mirabelle who puts the nice into being naughty.

Mirabelle's mum is a witch, her dad is a fairy, and she is a bit of both. When Mirabelle goes off to witch school she promises not to cause any mischief… but then the potions class goes a bit wrong and flying practice is a disaster. Soon enough, Mirabelle finds herself getting up to some seriously mischievous behaviour. Hopefully, with the help of her best friend, Carlotta, she can put everything right before home time!

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Full to its sparkly covers with crazy capers and enchanting purple and black illustrations, this enchanting series of first chapter books is perfect for early readers who like their glitter with a bit of knockabout, naughty fun. Mirabelle and her madcap family are perfectly created for little girls who are getting bored with run-of-the-mill fairies and princesses, and are eager to get their teeth into something excitingly different. Clever, imaginative, funny and positively fizzing with potions and broomsticks, Mirabelle’s misadventures always leave youngsters eager for more!
(OUP, paperback, £5.99)

Age 4 plus
The Incredible Painting
of Felix Clousseau
Jon Agee

MANY artists seek perfection in their work… but few achieve the verisimilitude of the amazing Felix Clousseau! Art imitates life in American author and illustrator Jon Agee’s gloriously playful picture book which takes the concept of absurdism to its hilarious limits as a series of paintings take on a life of their own. First published in 1988, and now back in print thanks to Scallywag Press, Agee’s much-loved classic explores realism in art through a series of hilarious plot twists and a large helping of the author’s trademark humour, wit and sense of the surreal.

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Felix Clousseau’s paintings are so realistic that they actually come to life… and that’s when the trouble begins! Outrageous, the judges cried. Ridiculous! Who would dare enter a simple portrait of a duck in Paris’s Grand Contest of Art when there are fine works of art from the likes of Gaston du Stroganoff, Felicien CaffayOllay and Alphonse LeCamembair? But when Felix Clousseau’s painted duck quacks, he is hailed as a genius. Suddenly everyone wants a Clousseau masterpiece, and the unknown painter becomes an overnight sensation. But that’s when the trouble begins...

A master of visual storytelling and zany humour, Agee’s perfectly understated picture book is brimming with ideas and artistic concepts which will entertain and inform a new generation of youngsters. Agee uses bold, eye-catching illustrations in dark and atmospheric shades, with a wealth of rich detail and expressive genius, as readers turn the pages and enjoy watching the chaos and confusion unleashed by paintings that spring to life. Laughter all the way… and a brilliant twist in the tail!
(Scallywag Press, hardback, £12.99)

Age 4 plus
Milo Imagines the World
Matt de la Peña and Christian Robinson

EVERYBODY enjoys people-watching but one little boy gets an unexpected surprise – and an important life lesson – at the end of a long subway journey. Matt de la Peña and Christian Robinson, the talented duo behind the award-winning picture books Last Stop on Market Street and Carmela Full of Wishes, deliver another soul-searching and poignant story, full of their trademark warmth and wisdom, which is sure to capture hearts and minds.

Youthful curiosity, never judging people on outward appearance, and the role of the imagination in growing up all play important parts in Milo Imagines the World, an emotive tale which explores a young child’s perception of the world. Milo is on a long subway ride with his older sister on the way to visit their mum in prison. To pass the time, he studies the faces around him and draws pictures of the other passengers, imagining how their lives might be. There’s the whiskered man with the crossword puzzle; Milo imagines him playing solitaire in a cluttered apartment full of pets.

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There’s the wedding-dressed woman with a little dog peeking out of her handbag; Milo imagines her in a grand cathedral ceremony. And then there’s the boy in the suit with the bright white sneakers; Milo imagines him arriving home to a castle with a drawbridge and a butler. But when the boy in the suit gets off on the same stop as Milo – walking the same path, going to the exact same place – Milo realises that you can’t really know anyone just by looking at them.

This clever, thought-provoking story is punctuated by Milo’s drawings of his wild imaginings and speaks loudly and illustratively about prejudice and the impact on families, and especially children, when a parent is behind bars. Stunningly illustrated, and written with real heart and compassion, this is a tale of our times told with simplicity and honesty.
(Two Hoots, hardback, £12.99)

Age 4 plus
What Did the Tree See?
Charlotte Guillain and Sam Usher

TAKE a journey through time and history under the canopy of a sturdy oak tree in a clever and enchanting picture book from a top author and illustrator team. Charlotte Guillain’s gentle rhyming verse sweeps youngsters across one hundred years of fascinating history in What Did the Tree See? as the hilltop oak tree witnesses life changing all around it.

From the time when hunters chased deer through the woodland and when trees were cleared for farmland, to the smog and factories emerging during the industrial revolution, one majestic oak has seen it all… and now we can too! 

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Brought to vivid life by the rich, detailed and energetic illustrations of Sam Usher – well known for his technical drawing skills and watercolour expertise – this beautifully produced book includes a timeline of events in world history across the periods featured in the poem, the life cycle of an oak tree, and prompts to help parents and children explore their own local history. And with ten pence from every book sold going to the National Forest, this is the perfect way to learn about history and help the environment.
(Welbeck Children’s Books, hardback, £12.99)

Age 3 plus
The Island
Judith Wisdom

THREE friends searching for a place to call home are the imaginative stars of an eye-catching picture book from visual communication author and illustrator Judith Wisdom. Quirky, collage-inspired illustration and emotive storytelling blend perfectly in this warm and charming tale championing friendship, hope, kindness, and highlighting the importance of not judging people who appear to be ‘different.’

Unhappy and thought of as strange and too shy, Moon Lady, Trunky and Little Lion decide one day to set sail in search of a better life. After a few days they find a beautiful island and land with great optimism for the future. But the islanders aren’t very friendly and one angry man declares that they should be locked up in a zoo and painted green to fit in. Stared at, isolated, surrounded by sad zoo animals, they decide to break out and sail away.

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As they leave, a great storm brews up and they see that the islanders are in peril. They return to help save the people. Everyone clambers on board the ship and they set sail again for a better life. As they sail, the colours they were forced to wear disappear, and they discover each other’s wonderful colours and realise that being different is fun. This busy, beautifully illustrated story – with its enchanting palette of muted colours and innovative design – is guaranteed to encourage important discussions with little ones about acceptance, the comforts of friendship and belonging, and the rewards of kindness.
(Troika Books, hardback, £11.99)

Age 3 plus
Alone!
Barry Falls

LIFE doesn’t always turn out how you plan it... Belfast author and illustrator Barry Falls puts the joys of friendship at centre stage in his beautiful, funny and thoughtfully created picture book which will inspire little ones to embrace life, however hard that sometimes seems, and to relish the rewards of living happily together.

‘There once was a boy called Billy McGill
who lived by himself at the top of a hill.
He spent every day in his house all alone
for Billy McGill liked to be on his own'

But one day Billy hears the squeak of a mouse, destroying his perfectly peaceful existence. So he gets a cat to catch the mouse. But the cat and the mouse make friends. So he gets a dog to chase the cat. But they all play together too. So then he gets a bear... then a tiger... and on it goes, until Billy’s house is so filled with characters that he has to move out. Will he find that he still craves peace and quiet, or is it actually quite lovely to have company and friends?

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Little ones will laugh out loud as they observe the growing chaos in Billy McGill’s once peaceful life and discover that it’s good to have families and friendship… even if they can sometimes test you to the limit. With its quirky cast of characters and gorgeous, rhyming story – packed with Falls’ vibrant, highly detailed and colour-soaked illustrations – this is the perfect book to read out loud and help children understand that life is fun… even when it’s not running smoothly!
(Pavilion Children’s Books, paperback, £6.99)

Age 2 plus
Everybody Feels
Lorna Freytag

CHILDREN can never be too young to understand their emotions. Help curious toddlers to explore their feelings with this bright, bold, illustrated board book which puts the focus on feelings we can all recognise… like happiness, anger, excitement, embarrassment, worry and sadness.

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Using eye-catching illustrations and simple language, Lorna Freytag examines both the good and the not so good emotions, and helps youngsters recognise that whether we are happy, sad, angry, worried or confused, all of our emotions are important. With some easy tips for feeling better, this is the ideal introduction to what can be a complex topic for little ones.
(Studio Press, board book, £6.99)

Repentance

Eloísa Díaz 

PAINFUL memories from Argentina’s notorious Dirty War in the early Eighties come back to haunt a Buenos Aires police inspector in a riveting and stylish debut novel from an impressive new voice in crime fiction.

Spanish writer and lawyer Eloísa Díaz (pictured below), whose parents left Argentina for Spain to escape the country’s dictatorship, weaves between two dramatic timelines for an exquisitely observed and darkly funny story steeped in the brutal politics of military dictatorship. Past and present collide, and moral dilemmas abound, as we are thrown into the complex life of   charismatic Inspector Joaquín Alzada when he is drawn into a murder case which will re-open the emotional wounds – and guilt – of his brother’s ‘disappearance’ twenty years earlier.

Because this is 2001 in a country ravaged by economic crisis, riots and repression, and however hard you try to keep your head down and out of trouble, working in the police force inevitably exposes you to the personal and professional realities of life under a dictatorship. In December of that year, Argentina is in the middle of yet another devastating economic crisis and riots are building in the streets of Buenos Aires. And making matters worse for Inspector Joaquín Alzada is a dust-laden haze hanging over the clammy, rage-filled city like ‘a polished slick metal lid on a pressure cooker.’

Now in his sixties, Alzada is burnt out and frustrated that he hasn’t been able to effect any real change in his country. He’s eligible for retirement but the police pension fund doesn’t have the money to pay out, so what he has been dreaming about for decades will just have to wait. 

But he is dragged out of his torpor when a dead body is dumped in a skip behind the municipal morgue and it could well be a young woman from one of the city’s wealthiest families who has been reported missing by her sister. Millionaire party girl Norma Echegaray had been shot three times in what appears to be a ruthless execution but soon Alzada is forced to confront his own involvement in one of the darkest episodes in Argentinian history… a time of collective horror and personal tragedy. Twenty years ago, the country was is in the grip of a brutal military dictatorship and during a period which became known as the Dirty War, a campaign was waged against suspected left-wing political opponents and intellectuals.

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It was a time when Alzada’s work exposed him to the many realities of life under the repressive regime… desperate people, terrified people and – worst of all – people who simply ‘disappeared’. Personally, he preferred to stay out of politics, enjoying a simple life with his wife Paula. But when

Six Tudor Queens: Katheryn Howard, The Tainted Queen

Alison Weir

SHE is the young queen who likes to dance and sing, and thinks a royal marriage will bring her riches and privilege beyond compare. But Henry VIII is a jealous king who prizes virtue above all else in women… and Katheryn Howard is an English rose with hidden thorns. If the truth of her past is weeded out, she could so quickly be cut down without ever reaching full bloom.

No queen of Henry rose so quickly and fell so spectacularly as the young and reckless Katheryn, and in the latest book of her groundbreaking sequence of novels featuring the six famous royal wives, Alison Weir (pictured below) uses her vast historical knowledge, in-depth research, and a tantalising slice of artistic licence to bring us a fascinating and compelling account of the doomed queen.

Born into an impecunious branch of the most noble family in the land, Katheryn was Henry’s youngest bride… a diminutive, naïve, and lively girl whose short life has become one of the most tragic and heart-wrenching tales in English history. Cruelly neglected in childhood by her feckless, spendthrift father who farmed her out into the care of other aristocratic families, the pretty, fun-loving and virtually uneducated Katheryn was easy prey for the ambitious, power-hungry Howard clan who were prepared to use a vulnerable girl to get closer to the throne.

When her mother dies in childbirth in 1528, seven-year-old Katheryn’s world is shattered. Her father has squandered her mother’s inheritance and ensured that, although they are members of the foremost noble family in England headed by the powerful Duke of Norfolk, they are almost penniless.

Sent to live in the household of her step-grandmother, Agnes Howard, Dowager Duchess of Norfolk, to learn the ‘skills and graces’ needed to make a good marriage, Katheryn spends her days with other dependant young ladies, and soon discovers that they are freely left to ‘make their own pleasure.’

Although she has no dowry, the fast-blossoming Katheryn comes to the attention of louche and dangerous young men like Francis Dereham, and Thomas Culpepper, a distant relative noted for ‘the pursuit of his own pleasure,’ who are attracted by her ‘pretty face and noble blood,’ and rumours that her Howard cousin, Lady Anne Boleyn, is soon to be the next queen. But all that changes when, three queens later, the 49-year-old king is on the hunt for a new wife with an impeccable past. Used shamelessly as a pawn by her family, the trusting Katheryn is quickly manoeuvred into the eyeline of the king and completely captures his heart.

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Although she cannot countenance marrying a man who is old, fat and smells, she has no choice but to comply and is secretly thrilled at the prospect of wearing ‘gorgeous clothes’ and living in

The Kindness Club on Mapleberry Lane

Helen Rolfe

A GRANDMOTHER with regrets and a secret wish, a daughter with no job and long-standing resentments, and an angry teenage granddaughter kicking out at life…

Meet three troubled members of a family whose emotional journey from estrangement to unity is set to win the hearts of readers looking for a much-needed escape from the fears and dark days of the pandemic. The Kindness Club on Mapleberry Lane is the enchanting new novel from Helen Rolfe (pictured below), the much-loved author of feelgood women’s fiction and a writer whose stories feature idyllic rural locations where problems are real, broken hearts are mended, and love and friendship blossom.

Employing all the warmth and charm of Maeve Binchy, and a special brand of kindness that she has made her own, Rolfe weaves together elements of mystery, romance, family relationships and the warmth of community in a story guaranteed to bring laughter, tears and miles of smiles.

Seventy-one-year-old Veronica Beecham’s cottage is the neatest house on Mapleberry Lane. A place for everything and everything in its place is her motto. But inside the wisteria-covered walls, Veronica has a secret… she has hardly left her perfect home in years. Veronica’s only lifeline for the last few years have been her good neighbour Charlie, a paramedic, and his bubbly little daughter, eight-year-old Layla. Their warmth and friendship have been a blessing and although there are lots of things she wants to forget, she also has lots to be thankful for.

But then her 15-year-old granddaughter Audrey – a girl she hardly knows – arrives on the doorstep from her home in Cheshire and Veronica’s orderly life is turned upside down. Shy and lonely, Audrey has been suspended from school and is struggling to find her place in the world.

Audrey’s mother, 39-year-old Sam, who has been estranged from Veronica since she married, was a stay-at-home mum until her husband met another woman and they got divorced. And now Sam, with her bruised heart, has been made redundant to add to her problems.

As a bond begins to form between Veronica and her granddaughter, Audrey develops a plan to give her gran the courage to reconnect with the community… they will form a kindness club, with one generous action a day to help someone in the village, and perhaps help each other at the same time. With the effects of their small acts of kindness beginning to ripple outwards, both Veronica and Audrey find that with each passing day, they feel a little braver. But there’s just one task left before the end of what turns out to be a very unexpected year for them all… to make Veronica’s own secret wish come true.

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Three generations of women from one wounded family must learn to get to know each other, face up to their personal demons, and rediscover the bonds of love and family that tie them together in

The Puritan Princess

Miranda Malins

OLIVER Cromwell… a devout Puritan, politician, and soldier whose Parliamentary armies toppled King Charles I, he famously burst out of his humble beginnings to rule England, Scotland and Ireland as its Lord Protector.

But behind the scenes lay a different figure to the accounts from history books and legend; a loving husband and devoted father, he was a man of outstanding gifts and charisma who believed deeply in the value of religious toleration.

The fascinating enigma that is Oliver Cromwell springs to vibrant life through the prism of his youngest daughter Frances in a brilliant, warts-and-all debut novel from historian Miranda Malins (pictured below) who specialises in the history of Cromwell, his family, and the politics of the interregnum after the English Civil War. In a thrilling story focusing on the last, tumultuous year of his Protectorate, Malins brings us a stunning portrait of the man and his court, the close-knit family whose fates depended on his decisions and actions, and the intrigue and human passions which played out at the centre of power.

In London in 1657, seventeen-year-old Frances has left behind her childhood home in rural Cambridgeshire and is still finding her feet in the sumptuous palaces of Westminster and Hampton Court where her father is the figurehead of England’s new centre of power. 

Following the turmoil of the Civil War, a fragile stability has returned to the country and four years ago, her father rose to the unprecedented position of Lord Protector of the Commonwealth, but after an assassination attempt on the Cromwell family, Frances is starting to realise the danger of her position.

Spirited, determined and a ‘bookish’ girl, Frances is fully aware that her family attracts the hatred and envy of others because, for many people, there is ‘no greater vice than ambition’ but the truth is that her father is not guilty of the sin of pride, and far from denying his humble stock, he glories in it. And now there is talk in the court of making her father King Oliver, and even of herself as a princess, a prospect that terrifies her because just the word ‘king’ can stir men into ‘a frenzy of passions’ and a storm of tears for the ‘martyr’ King Charles.

Frances has always dreamt of forging a marriage built on love but any sort of royal status would mean that a union would instead become a matter of state, with expectations that she would make an alliance useful to the nation.

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After her cousin’s wedding, Frances loses her heart to courtier Robert Rich, grandson of the Earl of Warwick, but the higher her father climbs, the more endangered become Frances’s dream, and

CHILDREN'S BOOKS: Shark calls, swan songs and a penguin stealing the show

The wonders of wildlife spring to glorious life in a super selection of children’s books that are perfect for half-term reading

Age 9 plus
The Shark Caller
Zillah Bethell

HOLIDAYS might still be off limits but there’s no stopping youngsters setting sail for the far side of the world and an adventure in the shimmering seas of beautiful Papua New Guinea. The Shark Caller is the fantastic middle-grade novel from Zillah Bethell who was born in the shadow of the volcano Mount Lamington in Papua New Guinea and has used her amazing childhood experiences for a moving tale of friendship, forgiveness and bravery.

Bethell grew up without shoes, toys or technology and, as a result, spent a lot of time swimming in the sea and sailing in canoes, occasionally earning money by taking tourists gold-panning in the highlands of Wau and Bulolo. Her family returned to the UK and this stunning adventure story – which vividly captures the sights, sounds and smells of island life and stars two girls struggling with grief, guilt, a culture clash and friendship issues – was written from her home in South Wales.

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Blue Wing’s guardian Siringen is the village shark-caller but he will not let her follow in his footsteps. The skill of shark calling is rooted in tradition and should only be passed down from uncle to nephew. Siringen also knows the reason for Blue Wing’s desperation to call sharks… to gain revenge on the shark that caused the death of her parents two years ago. Blue Wing’s simple life is turned upside down with the arrival of two American tourists, Atlas Hamelin and his daughter Maple. Siringen is entrusted with accompanying Atlas, who wants to search for coral on the island while Blue Wing is left with Maple.

Maple is rude, obnoxious and is unimpressed with what the island has to offer and Blue Wing is full of resentment that the tourists are staying the home she used to live in with her parents. But as the two girls learn more about each other they come to realise that they share much in common and together they might just be able to get what they both want from the island.

Set against a dazzling backdrop of forests, mountain, the bluest of blue seas and the deadliest of sharks, Bethell’s remarkable story is brimming with emotional angst and wisdom as traditions and cultures clash, and an unlikely friendship is forged despite mistrust and misunderstandings. Along the way, Bethell explores some big themes like life, death, grief, acceptance and change, and the juxtaposition of island traditions and western influences, whilst celebrating the shark, one of the most feared creatures on our planet.

With a map of the location of the story, and a fascinating glossary of pidgin English terms used in the story, The Shark Caller is beautifully written, deeply immersive, and one of the most emotional and spellbinding adventures you will read this year.
(Usborne, paperback, £7.99)

Age 9 plus
Vi Spy: Licence to Chill
Maz Evans 

I SPY with my little eye… a daring girl who might have to save the world! Welcome back into the fertile imagination of Maz Evans, author of the bestselling Who Let the Gods Out? books, and a hilarious new adventure series which stars a pint-sized super spy and a supporting cast of characters who are going to win the hearts of readers young and old.

Valentine (Vi) Day’s mum, Easter Day, is an ex- spy… Vi knows that because, like all spies, her mum is rubbish at keeping it a secret. They now live in a backwater town called Norton-on-Sea Divorce, hopefully far away from evil. 

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But now Vi’s mum is planning to marry Vi’s teacher, George Sprout but if that was shock enough, her dad, Robert Ford, the man she was told had died years ago, turns up definitely not dead and definitely one of the world’s (now retired!) most evil men. Now divorce is tough for any kid but when – like Vi's parents – your mum is ex-secret service and your dad is a (former) bad guy, ‘till death do us part’ takes on a whole new meaning. And with her parents’ focus firmly on each other, the real super-villains are having a field day. To save her family – and the planet – from evil domination, Vi must turn spy...

Expect giggles and gasps galore as youngsters dive into this full-on, comedy-laden story which includes lots of memorable moments, gripping twists, and Eighties nostalgia for older readers, whilst gently tackling emotive and important issues like parental divorce, friendship and bullying. With the queen of middle-grade comedy orchestrating the action and penning the lines, Vi Spy is on a mission to success!
(Chicken House, paperback, £6.99)

Age 8 plus
Swan Song
Gill Lewis

THE past year has inevitably brought high rates of anxiety and depression in children who have been confined to home and starved of certainty, companionship, and the joy of playtime and the great outdoors. Inspired by her own childhood in a city school, award-winning author Gill Lewis brings us a moving and profoundly insightful story of a troubled boy discovering the redemptive and healing power of nature.

Dylan is struggling. Since he started high school, everything has become too much to handle. Now he has been expelled for hitting another pupil and has been forced to move to the tiny village in Wales where his grandad lives. But when Grandad invites Dylan out on his boat to watch the whooper swans return to their winter feeding ground, things begin to change. Grandad doesn’t judge or question… he just lets Dylan be who he is. And out on the water, with no distractions or pressure, Dylan begins to feel like himself again. But when the swans and their home are threatened, and tragedy strikes at home, can Dylan keep going when it feels like everything is slipping out of control again?

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Weaving together themes of the natural world and mental upheaval, Lewis – who worked as a vet before becoming an acclaimed author ­– explores sensitive issues with the lightest of touches and in a gentle and accessible way. Beautifully written, full of hope, help and wisdom, and published in Barrington Stoke’s trademark dyslexia-friendly format, this is the perfect, uplifting read for both regular and reluctant readers.
(Barrington Stoke, paperback, £6.99)

Age 12 plus
Animal Farm
Written by George Orwell and illustrated by Chris Mould

‘All animals are equal but some animals are more equal than others.’

ANIMAL Farm, George Orwell’s tale of propaganda, power, greed and revolution, is as relevant today as when it was first published at the end of the Second World War in 1945. And now the classic allegorical novella, which sealed Orwell’s reputation as one of the world’s most influential writers, has been brought to life by the stunning illustrations of award-winning artist Chris Mould in a brilliant new series for young adults from Faber & Faber.

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The book tells the story of a group of farm animals who rebel against their human farmer, hoping to create a society where the animals can be equal, free, and happy. Ultimately, however, the rebellion is betrayed, and the farm ends up in a state as bad as it was before, under the dictatorship of a pig named Napoleon.

Mould’s atmospheric and deliciously macabre black-and-white illustrations bring out the humour and darkness of this unforgettable story with energy, thrilling drama, and a deeply evocative resonance. Published in luxury hardback with a striking cover, Animal Farm is a dazzling opener to Faber’s new illustrated collection of classics for teens, and the perfect gift for discerning readers.
(Faber & Faber, hardback, £14.99)

Age 4 plus
Get Up, Elizabeth!
Shirin Yim Bridges and Alea Marley

THERE are some right royal knots in a princess’s wild hair in a bold, comical and colourful picture book illustrated by Preston-based artist Alea Marley. If your child hates getting out of bed in the mornings, then Get Up, Elizabeth! will convince them that rising and shining in Tudor times was a much more painful process than anything they may have to face!

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Get Up, Elizabeth! – a riot of fun and fabulous hair – is a rip-roaring, rhyming romp from award-winning author Shirin Yim Bridges and illustrator Marley, and offers young readers a glimpse into the surprising and intriguing grooming habits of the 16^th century. It’s time for the noble young Princess Elizabeth to get out of bed and even a young royal has to scrub her face with almond paste, brush her teeth with soot, comb the tangles out of her unruly red hair while it’s set with glittering gems, get dressed, and then sit still while her ruff is sewn on and her sleeves are pinned. It’s tough rising and shining every day… even for the future Queen Elizabeth I.

This playful picture book, filled with Bridges’ jolly verse and illustrated in Marley’s rich and royal Tudor colours, helps children keep a-head in real history as well as delivering entertainment on every page.
(Cameron Kids, hardback, £11.99)

Age 3 plus
No! Said Rabbit
Marjoke Henrichs

AND here’s another picture book star who doesn’t want to get up! Meet an adorable little rabbit for whom some everyday activities are an absolute no-no in a playful and exquisitely illustrated story from Marjoke Henrichs which is guaranteed to strike a chord with harassed parents everywhere.

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Henrichs, an artist and theatre designer, brings a winning brand of ironic humour to both her words and a gallery of lively and gorgeously colourful illustrations in this sparkling debut picture book. Rabbit is happy doing his own thing, and he doesn’t want to listen to his mum telling him to get up, get dressed, have breakfast, play outside, go on his potty, come inside and least of all... have a bath! No, No, No! he says. But at last his tired mum hits on something they both love doing together… sharing cuddles!

Mums, dads and carers are all in the ‘no’ when it comes to awkward toddlers and this cleverly empathetic tale of tears and tantrums comes loaded with charm, drama… and lots of love.
(Scallywag Press, hardback, £12.99)

Age 3 plus
Dig! Dig! Dig!
Wenda Shurety and Andrea Stegmaier 

WELLBEING has become one of today’s most imperative issues for young people so here’s a new publisher determined to inspire hope, wonder, kindness… and a love of reading. Storyhouse Publishing, founded by Rachel Lawrence, is dedicated to producing beautiful picture books to inspire positivity and care for a bright future, including ideas about friendship, collaborative play and conservation. And with sustainability in mind, they are committed to reducing waste and printing all their books on FSC approved paper.

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In one of Storyhouse’s first publications, little ones are invited to imagine what it would be like to live on the other side of the world. It’s something that is very important to Jake who wants to find the answer to this burning question. But what will happen when he starts digging to make his discoveries… and where will the hole he is digging end? Working as a team pays off in this enchanting and playful tale as Jake and his gang of new-found friends dig deeper than they could ever have imagined.

With Andrea Stegmaier’s richly detailed illustrations to pore over, plenty of talking points to share, all the delights of friendship and discovery to enjoy, and an upside-down ending that will delight your own little adventurers, Dig! Dig! Dig! proves to be a hole lot of fun!
(Storyhouse Publishing, paperback, £6.99)

Age 3 plus
Got to Dance
Josette Reeves and Annabel Tempest

PUT on your dancing shoes and join a little monkey who loves to shimmy and shake! In a second bright and colourful picture book from Storyhouse Publishing, we waltz into the life of Magnus the monkey who finds joy not just in dancing but being admired as the best dancer in the forest. So when Betty the bear comes to town and everyone thinks her dancing is even better, Magnus decides to give up altogether. Can Betty help him to see that you don’t have to be the best to enjoy doing the things you love?

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Little ones will love boogying their way through this funny, cautionary tale about finding your confidence, never giving up, and learning to love the things you do for their own sake… and not just to win. Annabel Tempest’s rainbow palette of bold and colourful illustrations are the perfect match for Josette Reeves’ touching, heartwarming tale that ends on a note of triumph and a conga party that will have everyone wiggling, giggling and dancing the night away!
(Storyhouse Publishing, paperback, £6.99)

Age 3 plus
What About The Tooth Fairy?
Elys Dolan

HAVE you ever wondered why the Tooth Fairy doesn’t have a special day of her own? There will be toothy smiles all round when youngsters get their hands on this super funny picture book from Elys Dolan, one of the best author/illustrators currently working in children’s books. Here she sets her sights on that mysterious anomaly… the lack of a designated day for the overworked and under-celebrated Tooth Fairy.

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Santa has Christmas, Cupid has Valentine’s Day and the Easter Bunny has… well, Easter! So why doesn’t the Tooth Fairy have a special day? Everybody knows the Tooth Fairy is the best in the business but although she loves her job, sometimes she can’t help but wonder why she doesn’t have a day of her own, like all her very famous friends. With some expert advice from Father Christmas, the Easter Bunny, Cupid and Jack O’Lantern, Toothy tries to start her own Tooth Day! But no matter how hard she tries, their ideas for Tooth Day just don’t feel right. Soon the Tooth Fairy learns that for her day to be really special, she’s got to do it her own way!

Dolan has fun extracting all the humour she can out of this playful, big, bold story which stars everyone’s favourite magical characters and teaches important lessons about being yourself and making your own choices. Bursting with action, colour, comedy and spectacular illustrative detail, this is a story destined to be a classic favourite with all the family.
(Hodder Children’s Books, hardback, £12.99)

Age 3 plus
The Greatest Show Penguin
Lucy Freegard 

A LIITLE circus penguin steals the show in a warm and wonderful picture book from multi-talented author and illustrator Lucy Freegard. The magic of sawdust, sequins and spectacle of circus life spring to vivid life in this super, showstopping celebration of trusting your instincts, speaking up for yourself, discovering your unique talents, and finding a way to shine.

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Poppy the Penguin comes from a long line of circus performers. Amazing skills have been passed down from penguin to penguin but Poppy soon decides that performing in the family circus is just not for her. She much prefers to feel calm and in control, but the hardest thing is not juggling, or riding a unicycle… it’s telling her mum that she doesn’t want to perform any more. Fortunately, her bravery is worth it when Poppy discovers a better role… talent hunting and organising the whole show. And what a show it turns out to be!

Watch your little ones smile as they get caught up in the buzz and bustle of the big top and follow the trail of Poppy on her girl powered, action-packed journey from circus performer to high-flying impresario. Vibrant storytelling and watercolour illustration skills make this a show to remember!
(Pavilion Children’s Books, paperback, £6.99)

Age 3 plus
Bears Don't Wear Shoes
Sharon Davey

MOVING house is a big deal for children… and finding new friends can be the hardest part. Calm fears about a new home with a gentle, funny and fabulously illustrated picture book from Sharon Davey, a children’s illustrator and author who uses her past in theatre design to produce a book buzzing with love, life and vigour.

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Suzy’s family has moved house and everyone is just too busy to play with her. Eager for someone to play with, preferably someone who likes like biscuits, colouring in and dressing up, Suzy puts up a ‘Friend Wanted’ advert. And when Bear shows up, he seems perfect for the job... until he refuses to wear shoes! Can Suzy and Bear still be best friends if Suzy loves shoes but Bear absolutely won’t wear them?

The unusual but adorable friendship at the heart of this story provides subtle lessons about understanding and appreciating differences, and accepting that even the very best of friends don’t always need to like the same things. With its bold, colourful and child-friendly illustrations, brimming with rich and fascinating detail, Bears Don’t Wear Shoes is the perfect gift for any child who treasures friendship… and bears!
(New Frontier Publishing, hardback, £11.99)

The Jigsaw Man

Nadine Matheson

WHEN body parts are found by the River Thames in London, the murders have all the hallmarks of a notorious serial killer. But Peter Olivier, nicknamed the Jigsaw Man, has been locked away in Belmarsh Prison for over two years on a full-life tariff and no one knows that better than DI Anjelica Henley… because she was the one who nearly died bringing him to justice.

If you like your murder mysteries to come gory, gruesome and gripping, then dive into this hard-hitting debut thriller from Nadine Matheson (pictured below), a black criminal lawyer whose dark, disturbing tale of a cat-and-mouse police hunt is set only a short distance from her home in Deptford.

Drawing on her own experiences in the world of criminal law, this exciting new voice in crime fiction delivers a chilling page-turner, steeped in the vibes of this area of south-east London and featuring a diverse cast of characters from both the lawful and unlawful sides of the local community. Leading the charge in the hunt for a sinister and brutal murderer is our feisty female lead, Anjelica, a black woman juggling motherhood, a disgruntled husband and a complex family life with a high-profile job as head of the Serial Crime Unit.

Only recently returned to frontline work after the case that ‘changed everything’ for Anjelica, she is still recovering from the near-fatal stab wound the Jigsaw Man inflicted on her over two years ago. 

She nailed the evil culprit, won a commendation and promotion to detective inspector, but the horrifying events ‘had stolen a piece of her.’ Anjelica divides her time between her full-on job and being a wife to home-working financial journalist husband Rob and mother to toddler daughter Emma, but often wonders what it said about her that she was secretly ‘happier dealing with rapists and murderers’ than her own husband.

On the day she returns to active duty, Anjelica is called to a crime scene at Greenwich Pier where the scattered, dismembered body parts from two victims – a white man and a black woman – have been found by the river. The murders have all the hallmarks of Peter Olivier, the notorious Jigsaw Killer, but how can it be him when he is incarcerated in a high security prison wing? The race is on now before more bodies are found and despite her spine-chilling reservations, Anjelica knows she will have to face Olivier again because he might be the best chance they have at stopping a copycat killer.

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But when Olivier learns that someone is using his grisly signature – the arrangement of victims’ limbs in puzzle-piece shapes – he decides to take matters into his own hands, and Anjelica is faced with an unspeakable new threat.

‘Death was her adrenalin and it scared her’ because Anjelica Henley knows all too well that her inbuilt fearlessness, recklessness and desire for justice could see her become the next victim… The sassy, gutsy but quietly vulnerable Anjelica has her work cut out to piece together a baffling