Age 9 plus
The Secret of the Treasure Keepers
A.M. Howell
A RACE against time to discover the secrets buried on a farm in the windswept Fenlands of England is set to thrill young readers as master storyteller A.M. Howell returns with a fantastic post-war adventure. Inspired by her lifelong interest in archaeology and some famous East Anglian archaeological finds now in the British Museum – the Roman Mildenhall Treasure and Hoxne Hoard, and a Bronze Age settlement at Must Farm – the award-winning author of The Garden of Lost Secrets and The House of One Hundred Clocks brings us a gripping new historical mystery.
In February 1948, in the depths of the British Museum, a
telephone rings and 12-year-old Ruth is the only one on hand to answer it. Some
long-buried treasure has been discovered on an isolated farm and Ruth and her
aspiring archaeologist mother find themselves travelling to the Fens to
investigate.
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They soon discover ancient artefacts are not the only things which the mysterious landscape of Rook Farm is hiding. At the farmhouse itself, Ruth finds secrets lurk around every corner. Joe, the farmer's son, is hiding something about the treasure, while land girl Audrey watches their every move. But before Ruth can find out more, the treasure is stolen. With a storm coming, Ruth must race to uncover the secrets of the treasure keepers before all of their lives are changed forever.
Set in the immediate aftermath of the Second World War, The
Secret of the Treasure Keepers is rich in the atmospherics of the period and
explores some fascinating real-life historical events from the British Museum’s
wartime evacuation of its valuable objects and the effects of aerial attacks on
cities like Norwich to post-war rationing and widespread electricity shortages. With themes of family secrets, buried treasure, national
hardship, resilience, women’s rights and archaeological integrity at its
beating heart, plus all the addictive the excitement of literally digging into
the past to enjoy, this is top class reading for all middle-graders.
(Usborne, paperback, £7.99)
The Lost Whale
Hannah Gold and Levi Pinfold
PREPARE to shed tears as you dive into the second soaraway
adventure from outstanding new author Hannah Gold whose bestselling 2021 debut,
The Last Bear, was The Times Children’s Book of the Week, shortlisted for the
Waterstones Children’s Book Prize and the British Book Awards 2022, and winner
of the Blue Peter Award. Inspired by a fascination with whales dating back to
her early twenties when she first saw a grey whale in Baja, Mexico, Gold
harnesses the wonder and magnificence of these sea creatures for a
heart-rending story about the connection between a boy and a whale, and the
bond that sets them both free. What if you could communicate with a whale? Rio
has been sent to live with a grandmother he barely knows at her wooden chalet
at the edge of the Pacific in California while his musician mum is in hospital
back home. Angry, alone and adrift, the only thing that makes him smile is
joining his new friend Marina on her dad’s whale watching trips. That is until
an incredible encounter with White Beak, a gentle giant of the sea, changes
everything. But when White Beak goes missing, Rio must set out on a desperate
quest to find his whale and somehow save his mum. Gold dons her trademark
eco-warrior armour and sets her rich imagination in motion to bring us this
magical, mesmerising story, set against a stunning backdrop and guaranteed to
pull on your heartstrings and make you look anew at how you too can help to
save the grey whale which is imperilled by warming seas, plastic pollution and
over-fishing. Kate Greenaway Medal-winning illustrator Levi Pinfold provides
the finishing touches to this unforgettable journey of heart, hardship and hope
with a gallery of truly evocative black and white illustrations that are
guaranteed to take your breath away.
(HarperCollins Children’s Books, hardback, £12.99)
The Boy in the Post
Holly Rivers
THERE'S a special mail delivery for adventure-loving
youngsters as Holly Rivers – author of the brilliant Demelza & the Spectre
Detectors – brings us her second first class adventure. Featuring an action-packed
journey across the Atlantic, a trio of brave siblings and a menagerie of furry
and feathered posties, The Boy in the Post comes with an enchanting retro feel
and a cast of quirky characters, and immerses youngsters in a fabulous fantasy
world. Siblings Orinthia and Séafra Shalloo accept a summer job from eccentric
Grandy who has collected a menagerie of furry and feathered posties known as
animails. The children are especially fond of Geronimo, a homing pelican. But
when the big bird fails to return from her first international voyage to New
York, six-year-old Taber – the youngest sibling – is devastated, so much so
that he mails himself to New York where Geronimo was sent. Orinthia and Séafra
follow suit, stealing a precious stamp and hopping in a freight crate – and
soon all are embarked on an extraordinarily audacious and thrill-a-minute
adventure. Expect dollops of derring-do and danger, suspense-packed twists and
turns, and giggles galore as this funny, frantic and warm-hearted adventure
puts family and friendship firmly at its beating heart.
(Chicken House, paperback, £7.99)
The Ogress and the Orphans
Kelly Barnhill
ESCAPE into a fantastical, allegorical adventure from Kelly
Barnhill, the talented Newbery Medal winning and bestselling author of The Girl
Who Drank the Moon. In her coruscating exploration of greed, kindness, unity,
division and the sheer power of books to entertain and inform society, Barnhill
brings us a rip-roaring and far-reaching tale set in an exciting and
atmospheric alternative world. Stone-in-the-Glen, once a lovely town, has
fallen on hard times. Fires, floods, and other calamities have caused the
townsfolk to lose their library, their school, their park, and all sense of
what it means to be generous and kind. The people put their faith in the Mayor,
a dazzling fellow who promises he alone can help. After all, he is a famous
dragon slayer. (At least, no one has seen a dragon in his presence.) Only the
clever orphans of the Orphan House and the kindly Ogress at the edge of town
can see how dire the town’s problems are. When one of the orphans goes missing
from the Orphan House, all eyes turn to the Ogress. The orphans, though, know
this can’t be… the Ogress, along with a flock of excellent crows, secretly
delivers gifts to the people of Stone-in-the-Glen. But how can the orphans tell
the story of the Ogress’s goodness to people who refuse to listen? And how can
they make their deluded neighbours see the real villain in their midst? The
orphans have heard a whisper that they will ‘save the day’ but just how, they
will have to find out. Written with her trademark elegance and attention to
detail, and with a cast of characters that lingers long in the mind, this is
both a spellbinding adventure and a timely, cautionary story about the damage
wreaked by greed and corruption.
(Piccadilly Press, paperback, £6.99)
The Wild Before
Piers Torday
IN his stunning prequel to the award-winning, bestselling
The Last Wild trilogy, favourite author Piers Torday brings young readers a
memorable and mesmerising tale of hope and friendship in a troubled world.
Starring a cast of captivating animal characters, and delivering timely and
eloquent messages about the importance of saving our planet, The Wild Before asks
how do you save a world that won’t listen, and features one small animal’s
quest against the odds to save it. One stormy, snowy night, a pure silver calf
is born on an ordinary muddy farm by the light of the moon. This is the
legendary Mooncalf whose arrival has been foretold since the dawn of time.
According to a dream passed down from animal to animal, if the calf dies, a
great Terribleness will come… rising seas, a plague, skies raining down fire,
the end of all things. And Little Hare vows to persuade all the animals to protect
Mooncalf, whatever the cost. But keeping danger at bay is easier said than
done, and soon Little Hare realises that he is the only one who can save the
world. On the road to devastation, lies a pawprint of hope… This captivating
and atmospheric animal adventure is destined to be loved by readers of all ages
as Torday blends an exciting adventure with gentle warnings about the threats
from climate change. Beautifully written and a masterclass in imaginative
power.
(Quercus Children’s Books, paperback, £7.99)
Itty-Bitty Kitty-Corn
Shannon Hale and LeUyen Pham
YOUNGSTERS will be tickled pink when they get their hands on
this fabulous picture book about a little kitten with BIG unicorn-sized ideas! Itty-Bitty
Kitty-Corn, a clever, comical and colourful celebration of the magic of
unexpected friendships, comes from the bestselling superstar duo Shannon Hale
and LeUyen Pham, the team behind the bestselling graphic novels Real Friends
and Best Friends. The adorably pink Kitty thinks she might be a unicorn. She feels so perfectly unicorn-y! ‘Neigh!’
says Kitty. But when Unicorn clop clop clops over, sweeping his magnificent
tail and neighing a mighty neigh, Kitty feels exceedingly small. Can this
unlikely pair embrace who they are, and truly see one another? This is the
star-studded author and illustrator team’s first picture book together and
their messages about being exactly who you want to be speak loudly and clearly
as Hale’s magic with words blends beautifully with Pham’s pink and perfect
gallery of illustrations. The most heart-bursting, tail-twitching,
fuzzy-feeling, perfectly unicorn-y story imaginable!
(Abrams Books for Young Readers, paperback, £6.99)
Every Bunny is a Yoga Bunny
Emily Ann Davison and
Deborah Allwright
IT'S not just grown-ups who need to relax and unwind after a
busy day! Calm and soothe your tired toddlers with this adorable book hug from
the clever boffins at Nosy Crow. Created in a partnership with the National
Trust, this funny, reassuring and entertaining picture book about yoga,
mindfulness and finding calm comes from debut author Emily Ann Davison, who
trained as a primary school teacher, and award-winning illustrator Deborah
Allwright. Yo-Yo is a fidgety, bouncy, can’t-sit-still-EVER type of bunny. Even
Grandpa’s yoga class won’t stop her wiggling and giggling! But what will Yo-Yo
do when she finds herself lost and all alone in the deep, dark, shadowy forest?
Maybe Grandpa’s yoga will help her find the way home. Packed with Allwright’s
gallery of colourful woodland characters, an alluring countryside setting, a soothing
bedtime ending, and three pages of simple, easy-to-follow step-by-step yoga
instructions, children can stretch, breathe and feel calm with the
irrepressible Yo-Yo. And every Nosy Crow paperback picture book comes with a
free Stories Aloud audio recording so just scan the QR code and listen along!
(Nosy Crow, paperback, £6.99)
Who Will You Meet
on Dinosaur Street?
Gareth Peter and Tim Budgen
WITH a career as a composer and lyricist for the theatre,
and an understanding of rhyme and rhythm crafted through years of song writing,
it’s little wonder that little ones are bouncing along to Gareth Peter’s fun
and energetic picture books. In the second book of his addictive Who Will You
Meet series, which comes packed with Tim Budgen’s marvellously multi-coloured
and vibrant illustrations, we head off to Dinosaur Street and join a foot
stomping, foot stamping madcap party! The dinosaurs are all in a frenzy and
eager to go to the Fizz-whizzing Flash-tastic Fireworks Show. So get ready to
meet Flashysaurus, Splashysaurus, Whoops-there’s-been-a Crashysaurus, and a
whole host of other lovable characters. The story – and the action! – certainly
go with a rhyming swing as the daffy bunch of dinos strut their stuff. Bags of
fun to read aloud and ideal for encouraging lots of reader engagement, this is
a guaranteed repeat-read family favourite!
(Simon & Schuster Children’s Books, paperback, £6.99)
A Dress with Pockets
Lily Murray and Jenny Løvlie
WHO would have thought that pockets could lead to such
exciting adventures? Rising star Lily Murray and Waterstones Prize-winning
illustrator, Jenny Løvlie dig deep into the joyous contents of pockets for this
funny, frock-filled picture story for modern girls who don’t just want sequins
and sparkles on their dresses! Lucy and Aunt Augusta are dress shopping and at
the Fabulous Fashion Store, there are dresses to suit just about everyone.
There are fancy dresses, frilly dresses, stripy dresses, silly dresses, sun
dresses, fun dresses, blue dresses, green dresses. But Lucy doesn’t care about
frills or lace. She wants a dress WITH POCKETS. And as she wades through the
titchy dresses, witchy dresses, very, very itchy dresses, she starts to worry
about where she’s going to put her leaves, and nettles, and delicate petals,
her magical spells and beautiful shells. The hunt is on… will Lucy find the
dress of her dreams? Murray’s fabulously frothy, floaty, best dress story –
with its subtle feminist undertone and matched perfectly with Løvlie’s array of
gorgeous illustrations – celebrates the joy of pockets, and how they can
unleash the inquisitive, adventurous spirit in any fun-loving youngster.
(Macmillan Children’s Books, paperback, £7.99)
The Littlest Elephant
Kate Read
WHEN you’re always in a rush, it’s easy to let some
important life lessons pass you by! Meet Ellie, the adorable and littlest
elephant, who wants to stop for nothing and nobody in a funny, fast and furious
tale from the brilliantly talented author and illustrator, Kate Read, creator
of the multi-award-winning counting book One Fox. Meet Ellie… she’s on her way
to the pool for a swim. At first she is too excited to notice the chaos she is
causing but, after a series of mishaps, it is the words of a tiny mouse which
show her how to slow down, notice the other jungle creatures, help others, and
let everyone join in the fun. This cautionary tale with a big, warm heart comes
with Read’s rich and colourful illustrations featuring a cast of colourful
jungle creatures from a chameleon to a tiger. A beautifully crafted and written
book, and the ideal tool for teaching lessons about empathy and helping those
in need.
(Two Hoots, hardback, £12.99)
Cheesed Off!
Jake Hope and Genevieve Aspinall
SAY cheese! Yes, there will be miles of smiles for this
tasty, cheese-flavoured story from picture book duo Jake Hope, a reading
development and children’s book consultant, and Genevieve Aspinall, a recent
graduate from UCLan, Preston, with a first
class honours degree in illustration. It’s time for a P-A-R-T-Y and you’re invited!
Join the fun with photos, presents, party foods and some special surprise
guests… because if there’s one word that is guaranteed to bring out the
mischievous mice from their hiding hole, it’s the word cheese! With its sparse
use of text, clever play on words and spellings, Aspinall’s richly detailed and
colourful illustrations, and Hope’s fun storyline full of cheesy humour and
energy, this is the perfect book for less confident young readers.
(UCLan Publishing, paperback, £7.99)
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