The Woman in the Middle

Milly Johnson

LIFE isn’t easy for middle-aged daughter, wife and mother Shay Bastable… She is in the unenviable position of being the filling part of the sandwich generation – compressed tightly between her parents and her children or, as she would say, ‘the two fat slices of bread’ on either side of her.

Her job is ‘to glue, to serve, to bind together’ her elderly, failing mum and dad and her two twenty-something youngsters who might have flown the nest but could still at any minute take a flight path to home again. So all she needs now is a big, life-changing crisis.

When much-loved Barnsley author Milly Johnson (pictured below) is writing the script, expect laughter and tears all the way and this warm, funny and razor-sharp exploration of what it means to be caught in the generation gap is, quite simply, a dazzling, contemporary masterpiece. This is a writer whose wide-ranging experiences as a columnist, joke-writer, poet and after-dinner speaker have made her a consummate ‘people person,’ enabling her to fill her clever stories with characters we can all recognise and to seamlessly blend heartfelt emotion with laugh-out-loud comedy, gritty reality with gorgeous romance, and moments of sheer magic with the downright prosaic.

And brimming with Johnson’s trademark heart, soul and humour, The Woman in the Middle is the kind of clever and compassionate novel readers have come to expect from the winner of the RoNA Best Romantic Comedy Novels of 2014 and 2016, and the winner of last year’s RoNA Outstanding Achievement Award.

When Shay Corrigan married Bruce Bastable 24 years ago, she swore she would never let her identity be buried under being a wife, mother or daughter, and that she would never sacrifice herself at the ‘altar of family.’

How wrong could you be? She’s now very much the woman in the middle, a typical part of the sandwich generation, caring for her frail parents and her children Courtney and Sunny, supporting Bruce, holding them all together and looking after them as best she can. Shay had dreamed of a marriage full of love and respect but instead has ended up with the flawed relationship that her parents had until they divorced late in life five years ago… a marriage where the man goes out to work to earn the bread and the woman does everything else. But when a large orange skip arrives next door to her mother’s house on a local estate, it sets in motion a cataclysmic series of events which leads to the collapse of Shay’s world and she is finally forced to put herself first.

Click HERE for Lancashire Post review

However, if Shay is to move forward with her present, she needs to make sense of her past. And so she returns to the little village where she grew up to uncover the truth about what happened to

CHILDREN'S BOOKS: Golden goddesses, time-travel perils and magical mysteries

Be inspired by the stories of fabulous female figureheads, join some time-travelling thieves on a dangerous voyage, discover dark secrets hidden beneath the ice, step into the eye of a storm, and hoist the mainsail with a shipload of pirates in a new selection of children’s books

Age 9 plus
Goddess 
50 Goddesses, Spirits, Saints
and Other Female Figures
Who Have Shaped Belief
Dr Janina Ramirez
and Sarah Walsh

GODDESSES, guides, spirits, saints, witches, demons and mountains… step into the pages of this amazing book and meet 50 female figures from around the world who have entranced and empowered people through the ages and whose stories have shaped belief.

Produced in a partnership with the British Museum, this fabulous collection, superbly written by cultural historian and broadcaster Dr Janina Ramirez and brought to life by the lavish illustrations of Sarah Walsh, tells the stories of female figureheads who still inspire us today.

Click HERE for Lancashire Post reviews

There are loving creators, wise leaders, fearsome warriors, gentle healers and mystical protectors, and they can each inspire youngsters to find strength within themselves. Meet the fascinating females that have played an important role in shaping belief today… from Athena, Mami Wata, Ezili Danto, Xiwangmu, Baba Yaga, Durga, Juno and Venus to Chalchiutitcue, Brigid, Mokosh, Pattini, Rangda, Medusa, Kali, Oshun and Spider Mother. Divided into thematic chapters, but connected by the power of the female, there are important stories of creation and love, action-packed stories of war and death, and heroic stories of great adventure and strength.

Based on original sources and with photographs from the British Museum collection, this stunning introduction to goddesses throughout history and mythology is both entertaining and educational, and will inspire young readers to learn and empower themselves through stories and ideas that stretch back thousands of years. With each spread full of facts, fantastical stories and gorgeous illustrations, this is a magnificent celebration of girl power you won’t want to miss!
(Nosy Crow, hardback, £16.99)

Age 10 plus
The Ship of Doom
M.A. Bennett

IF mystery, inventions and the tale of the doomed ship Titanic, tickle your reading taste buds, then feast on the first book of a rip-roaring, time-travelling mystery by the bestselling STAGS author, M.A. Bennett. At Greenwich, London, on February 15, 1894, Luna thinks that an evening at her aunt’s butterfly club sounds deadly boring. But it turns out that the meeting, held in the Butterfly Room at the Greenwich Observatory, is not at all as Luna expects. The Butterfly Club is a society with an unusual secret… they use time travel to plunder the future for wonders. Together with her friends, Konstantin and Aidan, and a clockwork cuckoo, Luna boards the Time Train. The gang travel to 1912 and find themselves aboard a great ship travelling from Southampton to New York. They locate a man called Guglielmo Marconi and his new invention… the wireless radio. But as the ship heads into icy waters, they discover its name… the RMS Titanic. Can Luna and the boys save Marconi and his invention from the doomed ship? Can they get the radio back home to the Butterfly Club and how will their actions change the rest of time? Packed with fascinating real history, heart-pumping thrills and an exciting cast of characters, this fantastic mystery tale asks youngsters to consider if they would risk the future to change the past. Don’t miss the boat with this thought-provoking and gripping adventure with a charismatic group of time-travelling thieves!
(Welbeck Flame, paperback, £6.99)

Age 9 plus
A Storm of Sisters
Michelle Harrison

GET ready for more icy thrills and malign magic as master storyteller Michelle Harrison returns with the fourth fantastically frosty adventure in her much-loved Pinch of Magic series. A Storm of Sisters is guaranteed to send more shivers of excitement down young spines as they join the Widdershins sisters discovering perilous secrets hidden beneath the ice. When the Widdershins and Granny are called away in deepest winter to look after cousin Clarissa, it doesn’t take long for adventure – or trouble – to find them. The town of Wilderness has plenty to explore with its frozen lake and winter market, as well as being haunted by a doomed highwayman and his secret love. But the legends are true and seeing a ghostly figure one night, the girls realise that Granny is in terrible danger. As an icy storm rages, the race to save her begins… can the sisters lay Wilderness’s ghosts to rest before another soul is claimed? The coolly addictive and icy cold world conjured up by the Harrison’s magical pen – and the charismatic warmth and feistiness of her female stars – cannot fail to cast a spell over her young audience. Imaginative, filled with darkness, light and impressive world-building, this is middle grade reading at its very best.
(Simon & Schuster, paperback, £7.99)

Age 8 plus
The Weather Weaver:
A Gathering Storm
Tamsin Mori 

IMAGINE having a cloud for a friend and being able to choose the weather… would it bring sunshine-filled happiness, or storms of darkness and discontent? Always at ease in the stunning scenery of her mother’s Shetland homeland, where she whispered spells into sea shells and sang to the selkies, author Tamsin Mori has harnessed the islands’ fabulous myths and legends for a mesmerising debut series filled with magic, danger… and weather of every kind. These thrilling, original and action-packed adventures celebrate the rich, mysterious and unpredictable moods of the elements whilst gently exploring universal themes like gaining independence, the meaning of home, handling grief, and discovering the fallibility of adults. Taking centre stage is eleven-year-old Stella who grew up on a tiny Shetland island but left five years ago and has now returned to stay with her widowed Grandpa. When she first arrived, Stella felt lonely and trapped but then she met an old woman named Tamar, a Weather Weaver who can spin rainbows and call hurricanes. And now, with the help of Nimbus, a feisty young storm cloud who is in need of a lot of training, Stella is learning the craft of weather weaving. In this new adventure, weather weavers from all over the globe are coming together at the annual Gathering to trade weather magic and stories. Stella and Nimbus can’t wait to meet others like them but they are in for a frosty welcome. Seasoned weather weaver Tamar has always been a rule-breaker but this time she has broken the law and it’s Stella who will lose everything if the trial goes badly. Can Stella and Nimbus thaw the hearts of the council elders, or will winter tear them apart? Drawing on the elements, island myths, and the natural world, A Gathering Storm is an enchanting and inspirational tale which blends the thrills and spills of magic with a beautifully portrayed and authentic young girl who is firmly rooted in reality. Add on the wild beauty of Shetland and some fascinating insights into weather systems, and you have a wonderful, windblown reminder that looking for the end of the rainbow isn’t always an impossible dream!
(UCLan Publishing, paperback, £7.99)

Age 7 plus
Rainbow Grey: Eye of the Storm
Laura Ellen Anderson

THERE'S a rainbow-coloured adventure full of wit, wonder and magic just waiting to be enjoyed in the second book of creative author and illustrator Laura Ellen Anderson’s sky-high series. These are thrilling adventures full of colour, fun and imagination as Anderson transports us into the world of ten-year-old Ray Grey who lives in the magical kingdom of Celestia in The Weatherlands, high in the sky. After a forbidden trip to Earth on the back of cloud cat, Nim, Ray’s life changed forever. She is now Rainbow Grey and a Rainbow Weatherling with astounding weather power at her fingertips, used to keep the Earth safe and balanced. In her second adventure, Ray is getting accustomed to life as Rainbow Grey – she now has ALL the magical weather powers at her fingertips, although she hasn’t quite mastered them yet! When all of the cloud creatures start disappearing – including her beloved cat Nim – Ray and her friends have a mystery to solve. Ray is sure that a dark magic is behind the disappearances. Can she work out what is going on before cloud magic is lost forever and Earth is destroyed by the ultimate storm? Anderson, whose bestselling Amelia Fang books have enchanted young readers, delivers another rip-roaring, colour-infused tale of bravery, storm-filled action, kindness and warm-hearted friendships. A gallery of fun-filled illustrations add an extra layer of humour, charm and entertainment in a story that delights… come rain or shine!
(Farshore, paperback, £7.99)

Age 7 plus
The Extraordinary World of Birds
David Lindo and Claire McElfatrick

TAKE flight into the blue yonder with bird lover David Lindo whose fascination with the birds that share our cities have earned him the title, the Urban Birder. With the brilliantly colourful and vibrant illustrations of Claire McElfatrick to help him track a flight path high into the skies, Lindo takes us on an eclectic global journey to meet parrots, hummingbirds, eagles and owls as we swoop across the pages of this wonderful book. Illustrations and photographs help young nature enthusiasts to enjoy the extraordinary world of birds as they discover the surprising homes, relationships, and habitats of our feathered friends, and learn about how we can protect the wonderful bird world. Discover gamebirds, flightless birds, and perching birds, amazing facts about how birds talk to each other, what they eat, and how they are able to fly. From frozen ice-scapes to sweltering deserts, and from prehistoric ancestors to amazing adaptations, children can explore the surprising homes, relationships, and habits of our feathered friends. Lindo’s engaging text explains to children just how amazing birds are, what they do for our planet, and how we can help to protect birds and their natural habitats. He also shows that birding can be accessible to all, inspiring even city-dwellers to engage with birds in urban environments. With a glossary of bird terminology, a full list of national birds, information on all things bird, including beaks, feathers, nests, eggs and habitats, this is perfect as a home or classroom read, and is guaranteed to inspire a new generation of twitchers!
(DK Children, hardback, £14.99)

Age 7 plus
It’s a Wonderful World
Jess French and Aleesha Nandhra

OUR world is wonderful but it’s in danger! That’s the message that shines out loud and clear from the pages of this inspirational and yet practical book by nature lover, TV host, author, and veterinarian Jess French who is known for her CBeebies show Minibeast Adventure with Jess. In this beautifully created book, packed with Aleesha Nandhra’s vibrant illustrations combining art with photography, French tells children that they may feel small, but their actions can make a big difference.  She encourages youngsters to take care of the planet not by simply focusing on the problems, but teaching them practical solutions to the issues facing our world today, from living a sustainable lifestyle to using their voice in politics and the positive contribution that humans can make to each other’s lives.  As well as tips on taking care of plants and animals, French delivers themes of self-care and mindfulness throughout the book, and introduces children to activism. Discover how to reduce your carbon footprint, understand the importance of preserving our forests, oceans, and endangered animals, and learn the best ways to stand up for what you believe in. With Nandhra’s eye-catching illustrations creating stunning spreads, and French’s empowering and fact-filled book providing an introduction to nature conservation and protection, It’s a Wonderful World shows children that being kind to each other and working together is the best way to start protecting the planet. The perfect book to discover more about yourself and what you can achieve… and how to find wonder in the most unexpected places!
(DK Children, hardback, £9.99)

Age 7 plus
Flyntlock Bones: The Ghost of Scarletbeard
Derek Keilty and Mark Elvins

AHOY, me hearties… get ready to hoist the mainsail and climb aboard a ship full of pirates charting a course to danger and mayhem! Youngsters will adore this super, swashbuckling comedy adventure from the top team of author Derek Keilty and illustrator Mark Elvins as they set sail with the final riotous instalment of a seafaring trilogy. Starring a gallery of wonderfully anarchic characters, a vividly imagined world of raucous pirates, and two budding young investigators determined to solve every mystery that comes their way, this is a glorious mix of detective work, danger, slapstick fun and outstanding illustrations. So welcome back to the Black Hound… a ship full of the cleverest pirate investigators you ever set eyes upon. The Countess of Bohemia’s jewels have been stolen by a ghost. Not just any old ghost, but the ghost of Captain Scarletbeard, the scariest pirate who ever lived! Flynn and the crew of the Black Hound end up descending to the murky depths to Davy Jones’ Locker where they uncover a ghoulish plot that threatens the survival of the Seven Seas. Expect thrills, mystery, ghosts, magic spells and lots of madcap adventures as this exciting writing and illustration team produce their trademark waves of laughter, deck full of comedy characters, and barrel-loads of grog and salty giggles! 
(Scallywag Press, paperback, £6.99)

Age 4 plus
The Book Family Robinson
Jonathan Emmett and Sam Caldwell

BOOK yourself in for a treasure island adventure as author Jonathan Emmett and illustrator Sam Caldwell let their imaginations take flight on a fun-filled picture book. Featuring a clever twist on the classic tale of Swiss Family Robinson, Emmett brings us a ‘bookish’ family Robinson who are shipwrecked on a treasure island, only to be plunged into a face-off against a fearsome pirate crew. The keen-reading Robinsons set out to sea, their boat barely afloat with all their books, until a storm strikes down their holiday plans. Shipwrecked on a mysterious island, they gather up their soggy books and research how to survive… completely missing the treasure littered all around them! But the Bloodbucket pirates remember it all too well and when they find the Robinsons have taken their turf, it’s time to walk the plank! With only baby Charlie’s favourite, hilarious book, Silly Monkey Goes to the Toilet, left to hand, can the Robinsons read themselves free from a watery doom? Stories – and books of course – really do conquer all in this charming, madcap adventure which puts the pleasure of reading at the top of everybody’s wish list!
(Templar Books, paperback, £6.99)

Age 4 plus
Eyes That Speak to the Stars
Joanna Ho and Dung Ho

‘Your eyes rise to the skies and speak to
the stars… and your eyes can foresee the future.’
THE bestselling team that brought young readers the stunning picture book, Eyes That Kiss in the Corners, combine their talents again to create a companion book filled with the same hallmarks of reassurance and inspiration. Blending words of lyrical beauty and breathtaking illustration to celebrate Asian-shaped eyes and the power of love, Eyes That Speak to the Stars is a heartwarming, poetically imagined story about a young Asian boy learning to love both the shape of his eyes and his heritage. It is the work of author Joanna Ho, who is of Chinese and Taiwanese heritage and passionate about equity in books and education, and illustrator Dung Ho, who was born and raised in Hue Imperial City, Vietnam, and finds inspiration for her exquisite artwork in nature. When a friend at school creates a hurtful drawing of his eyes, a young boy turns to his family for comfort. And through their words, he realises that his eyes rise to the skies and speak to the stars, shine like sunlit rays, and glimpse trails of light from those who came before. In fact, his eyes are like his father’s, his agong’s, and his little brother’s, and not only that… they are visionary. Inspired by the men in his family, he recognises his own power and strength from within, and his ability to change the future. Eyes That Speak to the Stars is a joyful and moving story that will delight readers of all ages with its celebration of family connections, comforting messages about self-acceptance and the rewards of diversity, and its outstanding visual elegance.
(HarperCollins, hardback, £12.99)

Age 3 plus
Hello Spring
Jo Lindley

FLOWERS reaching for the sun, butterflies flitting and birds swooping… soak up the joys of spring in the first of a magical new picture book series from debut author and illustrator Jo Lindley. Best Friends with Big Feelings features stories about friendship, feelings and the seasons, and each is set in an enchanting natural world that little readers will love to return to again and again. So say hello to the Little Seasons! After a whole year of waiting, it’s finally Spring’s turn to wear the Weather Crown and create her own special season. Her friends can all remember how beautiful spring was last time. But this time, as Winter places the crown on her head, Spring starts to feel anxious. Can her friends help by showing her that not everything has to be perfect? Lindley’s four charismatic friends, who control the seasons, gently explore key social and emotional themes, such as anxiety, self-belief and resilience, in this irresistible new series. With its sparkling foil finish and a gallery of colourful and eclectic illustrations, Hello Spring is an entertaining teaching tool for exploring both emotions and the seasons.
(Farshore, paperback, £6.99)

Age 3 plus
Me, in the Middle
Annette Demetriou and Angela Mayers

JUST as trees have many colours and shapes but all dig down into the same rich earth, so too do our family trees. Loosely based on her own childhood experiences as the daughter of a black immigrant father and a white mother, author Annette Demetriou brings little ones a beautiful story celebrating all kinds of families, but particularly those of mixed heritage. Georgie’s class is learning all about families but when each one is asked to point to the place their parents come from on a map, she doesn’t know which parent to pick. She dreads having to draw her family tree as homework but once she starts working on it she realises how special it is and just how far and wide the branches spread. Soon Georgie is helping to show her class that all of their roots dig down into the same earth so they’re not that different after all! With Angela Mayers’ gentle and expressive illustrations to add colour and poignancy, Demetriou’s inspirational and emotionally powerful story comes straight from the heart and offers uplifting messages to children, whatever their heritage.
(Owlet Press, paperback, £7.99)

Nine Lives

Peter Swanson

NINE anonymous letters, a list of nine names… nine strangers singled out for death. If that sounds like the plot for an Agatha Christie mystery, you wouldn’t be far off the mark as Peter Swanson, American master of the psychological thriller, harnesses the much-loved tropes of the Golden Age for a supremely clever and cryptic page-turner that will delight his army of fans.

With more than a nod to Christie’s classic And Then There Were None, this talented writer brings us a chilling, thrilling and high stakes feast of baffling conundrums and serpentine twists as the race begins to find an elusive and ruthless killer who is on a countdown through a series of murders.

Best known for suspense-packed novels like The Girl with a Clock for a Heart, Eight Perfect Murders and Every Vow You Break, Swanson once again turns his razor-sharp mind and prodigious imagination to the fiendish brand of murderous magic which has made this Massachusetts author such a perennial favourite. And Nine Lives should come with a warning to prepare for a single-sitting reading marathon as Swanson (pictured below) plunges us head-first into an addictive and deftly executed crime mystery which positively crackles with menace and suspense, and will keep you guessing right through to the last-gasp finale.

If you’re on the list, someone wants you dead… nine strangers from all corners of the US receive a list with their names on it in the mail. It’s a single, folded sheet of paper with no clue as to who sent it or where it came from.

None of the nine people know or have ever met the others on the list. Some dismiss it with a shrug as junk mail and some as just a fluke. One woman, whose extravagant lifestyle is financed by her wealthy lover, senses ‘something vaguely threatening’ about the list, and Jessica Winslow, an FBI agent in New York who is also on the list, is baffled by the cryptic letter and sends it off to forensics.

The group of disconnected people are not too worried until very bad things begin to happen. First, Frank Hopkins, a well-liked elderly resort owner, is found drowned, his head pushed into a rock pool on a beach in the small town of Kennewick, Maine. Then Matthew Beaumont, a father who is currently stressed by his hectic and chaotic family life, is shot in the back while running through his quiet neighbourhood in suburban Dartford in Massachusetts.

Click HERE for Lancashire Post review

A frightening pattern is emerging, but what do these nine people have in common? Their professions range from oncology nurse to aspiring actor, and they are located all over the country. So why are they all on the list, and who sent it? Jessica Winslow is determined to find out. Could

A Mother’s War

Mollie Walton

MANY people have been enthralled by the story of the Bletchley Park codebreakers but perhaps few know about of the work of the heroic women who worked in secret, transcribing and decoding the encrypted German messages as they arrived.

Inspired by her visit to the stunning Raven Hall Hotel, which sits 600 feet above sea level in Ravenscar, near Scarborough, and enjoys a cliff-top view over Robin Hood’s Bay, Mollie Walton has dug into this beautiful area’s wartime history.

Walton, pseudonym of historical novelist Rebecca Mascull and author of the compelling Ironbridge series, discovered that Raven Hall, built in 1774, was used as a billet for wartime forces with many of the women working at a Y Station, a signals intelligence site, near Scarborough. And as the wartime home front has often been compared to people’s lives during the Covid-19 pandemic, in terms of the anxiety, fears for the future, restrictions on civil liberties and the grieving process of families who lost loved ones, Walton (pictured below) set out to explore the experiences of women in society, in work and in the home.

In September of 1939, widow Rosina Cavert-Lazenby has summoned her five daughters – Grace, Evelyn, Constance and twins Daisy and Dora – to Raven Hall, the crumbling ancestral home of the Lazenby family, of which Rosina is the sole living member.

As war with Germany is declared, Rosina’s eldest daughter, 21-year-old Grace, who has been studying at Oxford, informs her mother that she will be joining the home front effort as a wireless-telegraphist based at a Y station in Scarborough and soon she is

A Daughter’s Destiny

Rosie Goodwin 

ADD a welcome sparkle to the dying days of winter as Rosie Goodwin, one of Britain’s best-loved saga queens, conjures up more storytelling magic for her Precious Stones series.

The star of each standalone story in this glittering collection is named after a gemstone and follows on from Goodwin’s enchanting Days of the Week series which won the hearts of her army of readers and a fistful of accolades.

A former social worker and foster mother, Goodwin (pictured below) has penned well over thirty beautiful, heartwarming novels, exploring life and love in days gone by, and selling a million copies. She was also awarded the rights to follow three of the late, great Tyneside writer Catherine Cookson’s trilogies with her own sequels. 

And now, A Daughter’s Destiny – a gritty, drama-packed tale featuring the struggles and hardships of two sisters to stay afloat after their privileged life is snatched away – delivers the same winning blend of romance, intrigue, fascinating characters, and richly detailed, authentic and atmospheric settings.

Our new gemstone star is Emerald Winter who has lived a privileged life with her parents and her younger sister Abigail in the stately Astley House in Warwickshire. But all that suddenly changes in 1875 when her father disappears, leaving the family in enormous debt.

Click HERE for Lancashire Post review
 

The sisters and their mother Dorcas are forced to throw themselves on the mercy of Emerald’s cold and uncaring uncle Bernard who begrudgingly allows them on his farm. Desperate to find work, Emerald must leave her family and travel to London to become the companion of a distant aunt she has never met.

Meanwhile, rebellious Abigail is unwilling to lower herself to menial farm chores and instead runs away to London, finding work as a hostess in a Soho club where she soon attracts trouble. Torn

A Songbird in Wartime

Karen Dickson 

A YOUNG singer with a voice that melts hearts takes the starring role in a drama-packed saga set in the beautiful West Country. A Songbird in Wartime comes from the pen of Karen Dickson (pictured below), an author who started writing stories when she was just a child and has always been interested in social history. 

Her heartwarming sagas may be set in the rolling hills of Dorset but are inspired by the stories of her grandparents who lived in the North and grew up in the early part of the twentieth century.

Drawing on their vivid descriptions and memories, Dickson’s new rollercoaster tale stars a girl whose loyalty to the man she loves is tested through enmity, fame, misunderstanding and the uncertainties of wartime.

At Shaftesbury in 1936, the prestigious Mansfield House Hotel has been a refuge for 20-year-old Emily Baker ever since she was orphaned at the age of sixteen. Not only did they give her employment as a chambermaid, but it’s also where she met her fiancé Tom Harding, the hotel’s gardener.

Emily’s greatest gift, however, is her singing voice with its rich intensity and flawless purity, a talent recognised by the hotel manager who turns her into the hotel’s star turn, attracting audiences from the surrounding villages and towns.

Click HERE for Lancashire Post review
 

But when ruthless Bristol theatre agent Roland Thurston stays at the hotel and hears Emily singing, he is determined to take her away to Bristol and make her a star. And when he learns that Emily would never leave her fiancé, he hatches a plan to get her away from Tom.

Six years later, Emily has made a name for herself as the Bristol Songbird. Her love for Tom is still as strong as ever, but she has not heard from him since a long ago fateful night when her life

CHILDREN'S BOOKS: Epic train travels, a Lakeland mystery and dangerous games

Explore a host of famous railway journeys from your armchair, enjoy the fascinating folklore of Poland in a dazzling debut novel, share a bucket list quest with a boy and his grandpa, and join a group of youngsters as they race to save the world in a super half-term selection of children’s books

Age 7 plus
Epic Adventures
Explore the World
in 12 Amazing Train Journeys
Sam Sedgman and
Sam Brewster

YOU don’t have to be a full-on train fan to enjoy the thrill of this runaway global journey taking in some of the world’s most wondrous railways! So leap aboard and don’t look back as lifelong train buff Sam Sedgman, Adventures on Trains author and the British Book Award of 2021 winner, takes youngsters everywhere from the Arctic Circle to the South Pacific, and from Silicon Valley to the African savannah and beyond.

Filled with the richly detailed colour illustrations of Sam Brewster, this beautiful, informative book encapsulates all the excitement and wonder of adventure and travel through an intriguing, criss-crossing trail of train journeys. Climb on board and travel across six continents, thirty-four countries and twelve train journeys to see futuristic cities and ancient temples, wild animals and even delicious meals.

Click HERE for Lancashire Post reviews

Sedgman’s enthusiasm is infectious and young readers will delight in his descriptive and informative text about train journeys including the Eurostar (London to Amsterdam), Orient Express (Paris to Istanbul), the first Transcontinental Railroad (Chicago to San Francisco) and the Rejuvenation Express (Beijing to Hong Kong).

Each locomotive adventure reveals some of the rich history, culture, landscape and wildlife of the countries travelled. Take in the safari sights of Southern Africa, wrap up warm in the Arctic Circle, celebrate Chinese New Year, and taste some tea in India whilst on a toy train… there’s a whole world to discover when travelling by train! With its epic scope, revelations about how railways and feats of engineering changed nations forever, and how train travel connects us all, this is a glorious global adventure for train and travel fans of every age.
(Macmillan Children’s Books, hardback, £12.99)

Age 9 plus
The Bird Singers
Eve Wersocki Morris

THE fascinating folklore of Poland springs to glorious life in Eve Wersocki Morris’s dazzling and spine-tingling debut novel which stars two sisters engulfed in a super-spooky mystery in the Lake District. Wersocki Morris’s grandparents came to the UK in 1946 as Polish refugees and The Bird Singers – a dark and enthralling fantasy story full of twists and turns – harnesses her lifelong fascination with European myths and fairy tales. ‘The whistling had started on their first night. At first, Layah thought it was bird song – a high thin sound which became a melody, rising and falling. And each night, it returned.’ Strange things have been happening to Layah and her younger sister, Izzie, ever since their mother dragged them to a rain-soaked cottage miles from anywhere in the Lake District. There is a peculiar whistling at night, a handful of unusual feathers appear on their doorstep and there are murmurings of a shadowed woman in the forest. And their mother is behaving very oddly. Layah is mourning the loss of her dear grandmother in Poland and can almost hear her Babcia’s voice telling her the old myths and fairy tales from that magical place. And as the holiday takes on a dark twist, Layah begins to wonder if the myths might just be real. The loving relationship between the two sisters lies at the heart of this thrilling mystery as together they battle to unravel secrets from the past. With its electrifying atmospherics, original storyline and powerful evocation of place, The Bird Singers is a fantastic debut from an exciting new voice in children’s fiction.
(Hodder Children's Books, paperback, £7.99)

Age 9 plus
Escape Room
Christopher Edge

ARE you ready for the challenge of a brain-twisting, heart-racing, high-stakes adventure that will test both your mind and your mettle? Enter Christopher Edge’s gripping Escape Room and join a group of daring youngsters as they race to save the world. Award-winning author Edge, who grew up in Manchester, likes nothing better than to set young minds in motion and he is back to enthral and educate readers with an edge-of-the-seat mystery which pulses with the eeriness of Squid Game and the thrills of Indiana Jones. When twelve-year-old Ami arrives at The Escape, she thinks it’s just a game… the ultimate escape room with puzzles and challenges to beat before time runs out. Meeting her team-mates, Adjoa, Ibrahim, Oscar and Min, Ami learns from the Host that they have been chosen to save the world and they must work together to find the Answer before time runs out. But when the Host locks the door behind them as they enter the first room, they quickly realise this is no ordinary game. From a cavernous library of dust to an ancient Mayan tomb, a deserted shopping mall stalked by extinct animals to the command module of a spaceship heading to Mars, the perils of The Escape seem endless. It’s the ultimate game and there’s only one aim… to save the world. Can Ami and her friends find the Answer before it’s too late? There is so much to love in this fabulous middle grade novel as Edge weaves science, history, fantasy, horror and fun into one great big adventure full of surprises, suspense and mystery. So what are you waiting for… it’s game on!
(Nosy Crow, paperback, £7.99)

Age 9 plus
Grandpa Frank’s Great Big
Bucket List
Jenny Pearson and David O’Connell

A DYSFUNCTIONAL family, a large inheritance and a grumpy grandpa! Get ready for a new feel-good and thoroughly heartwarming adventure from the Costa Award-shortlisted Jenny Pearson whose brilliant books are based on a wonderful mix of all the children she has ever taught. Grandpa Frank’s Great Big Bucket List is an epic, action-packed adventure about family, discovering who you are, and realising that people are never too old to find happiness. Life has been a bit tricky for eleven-year-old Frank John Davenport. His dad, Frank Senior is always in trouble as one money-making scheme after another goes awry in true Delboy Trotter style. His mum is spending all her time at the tennis club after winning membership in a dubious competition. And Frank finds it hard to make friends of his own age on account of all the impromptu moves the family are forced to make. But when Frank receives an inheritance of £462,000 from the grandma he didn’t know he had, things take a turn for the unexpected. The money comes with strict instructions for Frank to look after his grandfather, a grumpy old man who is currently living in a residential home. But this isn’t going to stop Frank who quickly compiles a list of all the ways he can spend the money AND look after his grumpy grandpa. Money may buy hot-air balloon rides, monster-truck lessons and epic parkour experiences, but can Frank discover that happiness is, in fact, priceless? This tender and yet laughter-filled story, which explores the problems facing children in dysfunctional families and the threads of love that bind together the different generations, is guaranteed to pluck at your heartstrings. Bursting with Pearson’s sensitivity, humour and wisdom, this is a book that will be on every child’s reading bucket list!
(Usborne, paperback, £6.99)

Age 9 plus
Spark
Mitch Johnson

AFTER the runaway success of his two novels, Kick and Pop!, award-winning author Mitch Johnson returns with an explosive, all-action adventure set in a thrilling dystopian world in which only the strongest will survive. Ash has always lived in Last Village, lonely since the day his father left and never came back. The world is unbearably hot, water is drying up, and life is hard. After a vicious thunderstorm, Ash wakes to find that the village’s water has completely run out, and all the other villagers have mysteriously disappeared. Accompanied by the outcast Bronwyn, Ash sets off in search of water and for answers about what happened to the villagers. They hope to find The Kingdom, a rumoured land to the north where life still flourishes. Ash and Bronwyn have to survive a journey across an arid landscape, discovering that other people out there are even more dangerous than the lightning strikes that follow them. Then they reach The Wall… beyond it, something impossible. Lying in wait are the answers Ash is searching for, and maybe even the truth about what happened to his father. If only he could get past The Wall...  sometimes all it takes is just one spark. Johnson’s thought-provoking novel explores faith, belief, and a world in which heat and lack of water has brought desperation and enmity. With spine-tingling tension, a timely reminder about the threats to our endangered planet, and an adventure that celebrates the rewards of understanding and friendship, Spark is a gripping read from first page to last.
(Orion Children’s Books, paperback, £7.99)

Age 9 plus
Dinosaurs Rock!
Dougie Poynter

DINOSAURS! Can children ever get enough of the fascinating prehistoric monsters that roamed the Earth hundreds of millions of years ago? And who doesn’t love to read about these creatures’ roars, claws and jaws? So to feed their cravings, let them get their teeth into this ultimate dino guide from Dougie Poynter, McFly bassist, dinosaur fanatic, and co-author of the bestselling picture book series The Dinosaur that Pooped. Filled with tons of fun facts, hilarious jokes and incredible infographics, this brilliantly entertaining and informative book provides youngsters with hours of fun as they unearth everything they ever wanted to know about these jaw-droppingly cool prehistoric legends. Read interviews with top dinosaur scientists, discover dinosaurs in pop culture, test yourself with true or false questions, enjoy an introduction to fossil hunting, learn more about the different species from the brachiosaurus to the velociraptor, and marvel at the fabulous infographics. A fun book to share with all the family, Dinosaurs Rock! is ideal for reluctant readers and dinosaur heaven for all those avid dino fans!
(Macmillan Children’s Books, paperback, £9.99)

Age 8 plus
The Luckiest Kid in the World
Danny Wallace and Gemma Correll

WHAT if you suddenly had everything that you’d ever dreamed of… would it make you happy? That’s the question posed by comedy king, author and presenter Danny Wallace in his new fun-filled adventure starring an ordinary boy who discovers that going from zero to hero isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. Ten-year-old Joe Smith is average in every way. He is average height, lives in an average town, on an average street, in an average house, with a very average family. But when a survey identifies him as the most average kid in the country… well, that makes him very special indeed. Suddenly everyone wants Joe to test out their latest products. Overnight he is sent mountains of gifts… the best trainers, the coolest bike, the most exciting new tech and the latest flavours of ice cream. He gets special cinema screenings and the entire water park all to himself. Joe now has everything he could possibly want in the world… and that’s far from average. Maybe being ordinary is actually more special than he had imagined. Wallace’s rollicking cautionary tale – brought to life by the bold and expressive illustrations of Gemma Correll – is packed full of his trademark laugh-out-loud comedy but also contains inspirational and timely messages about the importance of family, the warmth of friendship, and the little things in life that make everyone special.
(Simon & Schuster, paperback, £7.99)

Age 7 plus
Fantastically Great Women Artists and Their Stories
Kate Pankhurst

WOMEN are the creative geniuses behind some of the world’s most daring and influential artwork… but for too long their stories have not been told. So let your youngsters feast their eyes and hearts on this inspirational celebration of female artists from Kate Pankhurst, a descendant of Emmeline Pankhurst, the famous organiser of the UK suffragette movement. Over half of all the visual artists working today are women, but most of the paintings and sculptures shown in many galleries and museums are the work of men. Pankhurst sets the record straight with her fascinating, illustrated stories of some of history’s most talented female artists. Express your feelings and find your identity through art with Frida Kahlo, run away to the circus and paint with Dame Laura Knight, help bring talented artists into the spotlight with Peggy Guggenheim, and challenge racism and segregation by creating powerful art with Faith Ringgold. You can also meet Amrita Sher-Gil, Elisabeth Le Brun, Emily Kame Kngwarreye and Kathe Kollwitz. With comic strips, family trees, maps and more, Pankhurst’s revealing and enlightening book is a celebration of just some of the women whose creativity and dreams have left a mark on the world and the first of an exciting new series for young readers.
(Bloomsbury Children’s Books, paperback, £6.99)

Age 6 plus
There are Birds Everywhere
Camilla de la Bedoyere and Britta Teckentrup

DIG out your binoculars and reach for the sky with a fabulous book of birds that will have all the family aflutter! Camilla de la Bedoyere, an author with a background in zoology, and award-winning illustrator Britta Teckentrup explore the amazingly colourful world of birds in There are Birds Everywhere, a super-sized and sumptuously illustrated non-fiction book. The colourful world of birds is full of surprises and diversity… some birds live by the sea, some in the savannah, and some might live in your roof. See eagles soaring through the skies, peek at a woodpecker’s treetop nest and follow emperor penguins as they brave freezing temperatures on their icy journey to the sea. Young readers learn where in the world all sorts of different birds can be found, and all the weird and wonderful things about them that they never imagined were true. With an added search-and-find element, this an exciting, fun and fascinating way to take flight with a host of feathered friends.
(Big Picture Press, hardback, £12.99)

Age 5 plus
Big Sky Mountain: The Forest Wolves
Alex Milway

DOCTOR Dolittle meets Dora the Explorer in this exhilarating new illustrated series which is the next best thing to breathing in the scents of the great outdoors! Screenwriter and Hotel Flamingo author Alex Milway inspires everyone to pull on their walking boots and join a little girl called Rosa on Big Sky Mountain… a place in the wilderness that has a home for everyone. There is never a dull day on Big Sky Mountain! Rain or shine, there is always something that needs doing. Rosa has come to live with her Grandma Nan and they are busy building a bigger cabin when a storm strikes, and a host of animals descend for shelter. It’s not long before Rosa discovers that she can talk to the animals but there is one unexpected visitor… a tiny wolf cub. This little wolf doesn’t seem like the scary, giant-fanged forest wolves that Rosa has heard about! Can the cub really be part of their pack? Rosa and Grandma Nan set off into the forest to find out. There is adventure with a capital A in this gorgeous tale of friendship, outdoor fun and caring for the environment. Ideal as a first chapter book for new readers and full of Milway’s vibrant two-tone illustrations, this is a truly wild and wonderful story for your own little explorers!
(Piccadilly Press, paperback, £6.99)

Age 3 plus
Snowy White
Gareth P. Jones and Loretta Schauer

‘Crystal ball up on the wall, who’s the finest cat of all?’
BE prepared to preen, pucker, giggle and guffaw as Gareth P. Jones leaps back into the lives of little ones. Snowy White is the third Fairy Tale for the Fearless in Jones’ fun-filled twist on traditional fairy tales series which has included the hilarious Rabunzel and Cindergorilla. These laugh-out-loud adventures come with the fabulously bold and eye-catching illustrations of Loretta Schauer and lots of empowering messages for young children. Here we meet vain ginger tom Kingsley who reckons he is the finest cat in the kingdom. How does he know? Because his crystal ball tells him so! But one day, the crystal ball has a different story to tell. A new cat by the name of Snowy White has arrived in the kingdom. She’s beautiful, she’s kind and Kingsley is determined to get rid of her. Luckily, though, Snowy gets a helping hand – or seven – from some very special new friends! With its ingenious twist on the classic tale of Snow White and super silly story full of cat stars, this heartwarming tale of courage, friendship and recycling will have your youngsters purring with delight!
(Farshore, paperback, £7.99)

Age 3 plus
Frank and Bert
Chris Naylor-Ballesteros 

THERE are one hundred reasons to love this adorable picture book featuring a stellar fox and bear double act! With a thread of humour (and wool!) running through its warm heart, author and illustrator Chris Naylor-Ballesteros delivers a heartwarming reminder to us all about the joys and rewards of friendship. Frank the fox and Bert the bear are the best of friends and they love to play hide and seek. But, on account of his size, Bert isn’t quite as good at hiding as he thinks he is and Frank always wins… every single time. So when it’s Bert’s turn to hide, and Frank has to decide between winning again or making his friend happy, Frank has a countdown plan that will let Bert win (even if Bert has the last laugh!) This interactive and fun-filled story – with its stunning illustrations featuring eye-catching flashes of neon colour and lots of visual humour – proves that winning isn’t everything, and is guaranteed to get your youngsters counting and giggling right through to the last page! Every Nosy Crow paperback picture book comes with a free Stories Aloud audio recording… just scan the QR code and listen along.
(Nosy Crow, paperback, £6.99)

The Language of Food

Annabel Abbs

‘A recipe can be as beautiful as a poem.’

IF you have a taste for a story that will feed both your senses and your literary appetite, then feast on a delicious book which has been exquisitely concocted from the real-life story of a fascinating but forgotten female cookery pioneer.

The Language of Food is a truly mouthwatering blend of culinary and historical novel writing, and comes from the pen of Annabel Abbs, an author whose gift is to lift women from the shadows of history and place their lives at centre stage.

And after the runaway success of her award-winning debut novel, The Joyce Girl, which gave a voice to Lucia Joyce, the talented but troubled daughter of Irish writer James Joyce, Abbs (pictured below) brings us the remarkable story of 19^th century poet and cookery book author Eliza Acton, and Ann Kirby, the young kitchen maid who became her pioneering partner. Acton’s 576-page Modern Cookery, which was first published in 1845, became a bestseller in weeks, revolutionising cooking and cook books around the world. Her biggest innovation was to not just list the ingredients and give accurate measurements, but also to champion nutritious food and persuade the public to eat a healthier diet.

And it is the remarkable tale of how a published poetess – whose middle class upbringing meant that she had never even learned how to boil an egg – became a renowned cookery writer that was the inspiration for Abbs’ intriguing and uplifting novel.

In 1835, and after the success of a locally printed anthology, 36-year-old Eliza Acton makes her way from her Ipswich home to a London publishing house clutching her new collection of poems which she has been writing diligently for the last ten years, and which she hopes will be accepted and published for a larger audience. But despite conceding that Eliza’s poems are ‘neat and elegant,’ the publisher tells her that ‘poetry is not the business of a woman’ and instead asks her to go home and write a cookery book which is what readers really want from women. England is awash with exciting new foods and spices but no one knows how to use them.

Eliza feels humiliated to have her poems spurned and to be asked to write something as frivolous and functional as a cookery book but when her father is forced to flee the country for bankruptcy, and she and her mother move to the Kent town of Tonbridge to open a boarding house, Eliza has no choice but to consider the offer.

Click HERE for Lancashire Post review

Never having cooked before, she is determined to learn and to discover, if she can, the poetry in recipe writing rather than simply repeating the ‘messy, strangled prose’ and ‘inexact and scruffy’ recipes inside the books currently available. To assist her, Eliza hires 17-year-old Ann Kirby, the

When Ghosts Come Home

Wiley Cash

WHEN a man is found shot dead next to an aeroplane that crash-landed in the middle of the night, the sheriff of a small coastal town knows that all eyes will be on him to solve the mystery.

But this is North Carolina in 1984 and the murder of a Black man will not just exacerbate racial tensions but change the course of long-serving Sheriff Winston Barnes’ life… and the fate of the community that he swore to protect.

When Ghosts Come Home is prize-winning US author Wiley Cash’s fourth novel and it’s a searing and emotionally powerful exploration of racism, class barriers, the complexity of relationships in a tight-knit community and how different people cope with life’s almost inevitable tragedies. Written with Cash’s (pictured below) exquisite evocation of time and place, his insight into the frailties of what it means to be human, and with a haunting darkness that he tempers with unexpected rays of light, hope and redemption, this is a timely novel that delivers so much more than an intriguing mystery.

When the roar of a low-flying plane awakens him in the middle of the night, 60-year-old North Carolina Sheriff Winston Barnes knows something strange is happening at the nearby airfield. But nothing can prepare him for what he finds… a large aeroplane has crash-landed and is now sitting sideways on the runway with no signs of a pilot or cargo.

And when the body of local Black man Rodney Bellamy is discovered – shot dead and lying on the grass near the crash site – Winston begins a murder investigation in Oak Island, the small and insular beach town which has been ‘forgotten by the rest of the state.’ Soon the FBI have men on the scene looking for a drugs connection but Winston wants to keep the case under his jurisdiction to prove that he is capable and in charge of the situation. And it seems everyone is a suspect, including the dead man Bellamy, whose father is a teacher and a civil rights leader. Winston knows that his days as sheriff may be numbered because his deputies are already choosing sides when his job goes up for grabs in an election in just a week’s time. Winston faces a challenge from 41-year-old Bradley Frye – a wealthy, arrogant and well-connected property developer who is part of a gang that cruises through the Black neighbourhoods and terrorises the residents.

Click HERE for Lancashire Post review

As rumours and accusations fly, long-simmering racial tensions explode overnight, and Winston, whose own tragic past has followed him like a ghost, must do his duty while facing the painful