Age 9 plus
Magicborn
Peter Bunzl and Maxine Lee-Mackie
MYSTERY, history, fantasy and the wildest, most thrilling and chilling adventures… Lyrical and visionary writer Peter Bunzl, whose award-winning Victorian steampunk series, Cogheart, won him high critical acclaim and an army of young fans, makes a whirlwind return with an epic new dual world series featuring his very special brand of dark and delicious magic. With his seductive, hallmark mix of pulsating action, gripping mystery, heart-stopping danger and mesmerising fantasy, BAFTA award-winning animator Bunzl unleashes a sumptuous story featuring a fairy curse, a wild boy, scheming royals and a time-travelling plot with an exciting hint of Shakespeare about it.
‘The Curse is changed. You'll never know. The truth is lost. The lie will grow.’ The year is 1726 and the Royal Sorcerer of England is on the hunt for those who are magicborn. When Storm Girl Tempest is captured after accidentally unleashing a power she didn’t know she had, she is taken to Kensington Palace alongside Thomas, the ‘Wild Boy’ who turns out to be her twin. Trapped, Tempest and Thomas find their magic flickering to life and with it, long-buried memories. For they are the lost prince and princess of Fairyland, bound by a deadly curse... and now the fairies are coming to get them. A battle is building, one only they can end… but who will survive?
‘Magicborn was created somewhere between history, myth, and
fairy tales,’ says Bunzl and reveals this fabulous new series – which
transports readers to a magical land of wolves, devious royals and deadly
curses – was inspired by a 1726 mural from the court of King George I in
Kensington Palace featuring a ‘wild boy’ who lived there. And this is certainly a wild and wonderful story, brimming
with Bunzl’s descriptive elegance, all the exhilarating atmospherics of a
menacing fairy tale and peopled by a superbly drawn cast of characters that
promise to make this new series another modern classic. Add on the dark and atmospheric illustrations of Maxine
Lee-Mackie and you have soaraway historical fantasy at its very best!
(Usborne, paperback,
£7.99)
Click HERE for Lancashire Post reviews
How to Survive Time Travel
Larry Hayes and Katie Abey
SOME children’s books really do hit that elusive funny spot…
and this brilliantly bonkers sci-fi adventure series from the talented Larry
Hayes is hilariously, cleverly and perfectly on target! So buckle up for cheeky grins and gargantuan giggles, then
climb aboard Hayes’ second out-of-this-world novel and enjoy a time-travelling,
home-alone story with a difference. Fresh from saving their parents from the jaws of frenzied
billionaire Mr Noah in How to Survive Without Grown-Ups, ten-year-old Eliza and
her genius little brother, Johnnie, are called upon once again to save their
parents. Mum and dad have disappeared into thin air and it’s up to
the kids to save the day, travelling back in time to Egypt in the year 5000 BC.
Can they overcome friendly locals, a mysterious boy-god, snakes, a
rainbow-coloured Sphinx and another plot to end the world? And – most importantly of all – will they survive their
time-travelling mission? Hayes certainly knows how a child’s mind ticks and with Katie
Abey’s zany black and white illustrations throughout, this super-charged,
action-packed mission impossible is guaranteed to keep youngsters glued to the
page… and laughing all the way to Ancient Egypt and back!
(Simon & Schuster Children’s Books, paperback, £7.99)
Rumaysa: Ever After
Radiya Hafiza and Rhaida El Touny
BE dazzled, enchanted, entertained and empowered by Radiya
Hafiza’s beautiful and exciting sequel to her fantastic debut Rumaysa: A
Fairytale. This super new adventure spins the classic fairy tale to show that
anyone can be a hero, and invites youngsters to return to Once Upon a Time
where anything is possible… Mirror, mirror, on the wall, who’s the fiercest one
of all? Ever since she escaped her tower, Rumaysa has been searching the land,
far and wide, determined to find her long-lost parents. But after she receives
a mysterious invitation from Saira White, Queen of Bishnara, she is soon pulled
into a dark, magical adventure that threatens her own happily ever after.
Threaded through with magic and humour, this eagerly anticipated sequel is a
winner, intertwining traditional stories of Princesses, Princes, Witches and
Beasts with a fresh, inspirational and culturally diverse perspective.
Gorgeously illustrated by Rhaida El Touny, and brimming with action, heart,
thrills, spills and chills, this is a terrific tale for readers young and old.
(Macmillan Children’s Books, paperback, £7.99)
New Baby
Isabel Otter and Lucy Farfort
HAVING a new baby brother or sister in the family can be a
difficult concept for jealous toddlers so here’s the perfect picture book to
help them understand the changes ahead. New Baby is part of Little Tiger’s
beautifully created first experiences series which also includes Our Town:
Afraid of the Dark. Sofia and Bilal are twins, and they love making mischief
together! When their family of four becomes five, the twins realise that
sharing with new baby Farhan is harder than they had ever imagined. But with
gentle reminders about accepting situations we can’t control and working
together as a team, the twins soon learn to accept their baby brother. Author
Isabel Otter uses her simple but emotionally powerful story to teach little
ones about the importance of family and the patience and love needed to become
a big brother or sister, while Lucy Farfort’s beautiful and breathtaking watercolour
artwork captures all the excitement of welcoming a new addition to the family.
The perfect gift book for parents and carers.
(Little Tiger Press, hardback, £11.99)
Daddy Do My Hair: Beth’s Twists
Tolá Okogwu and Chanté Timothy
AS Father’s Day fast approaches, share in the joy of a
wonderful, heartwarming story which celebrates Afro hair, and the unique and
special relationship between a father and daughter. Written in rhyming verse by
hair care educator and author Tọlá Okogwu, and with bold and colourful artwork
by rising star illustrator, Chanté Timothy, this is a picture book for all the
family to treasure. It’s Sunday evening and dinner is over. Beth is excited and
heads to the sofa. Daddy is there with a smile and a chair. ‘Daddy,’ she asks, ‘will
you please do my hair?’ It’s the night before School Picture Day and Beth would
like a brand new hairdo so Daddy gets to work with water, oils and magical
twists of his wrists. Youngsters will love joining Daddy and Beth on a
wonderful hair adventure which highlights the quality time spent between parent
and child and includes Afro hair care tips from Nigerian-born Okogwu.
(Simon & Schuster Children’s Books, paperback, £6.99)
Maya’s Walk
Moira Butterfield and Kim Geyer
PULL on your walking boots and head for the great outdoors! Every
walk is a brand new adventure in an inspirational picture book from author
Moira Butterfield and illustrator Kim Geyer. Ideal to encourage your youngsters
to enjoy the wonders of the great outdoors, this beautifully written and
stunningly illustrated story is full of ideas to help children discover how
much fun a walk can be. Maya and her dad love walking… whether it's a walk
through woods full of wildlife, listening out for noises in the bustling
streets, or savouring the perfume of flowers at the local park, there is always
lots to see, hear, touch, and smell. Little ones will love joining Maya as she
discovers hidden treasures, hops and jumps along the path, and enjoys all the
magic of nature. At a time when the benefits to mental wellbeing of time spent
outdoors are more keenly felt than ever, Butterfield’s story shows just some of
the pleasures to be found in a walk, no matter how familiar the setting.
(Oxford University Press, paperback, £6.99)
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