Explore the contrasting lifespans of a host of creatures, take a tour of the hidden workings of your body, meet a super-sleuthing pair of cat detectives, travel to Georgian London and join a mission to solve a dangerous mystery, and share adventures with a small boy in a world of giants with a sunshine collection of new children’s books
Our Time on Earth
Lily Murray and Jesse Hodgson
WE are all on Earth but for a fleeting moment… and yet no two lives are the same! From the delicate mayfly, which lives for just a few precious hours, to the death-defying immortal jellyfish, author Lily Murray and illustrator Jesse Hodgson work their magic on this fantastic and fascinating celebration of animal life cycles and all creatures big and small.
Bestselling children’s author Murray explores lifespans across the animal kingdom, beginning with the very shortest lifespans and ending with the longest. From the incredible monarch butterfly, the mysterious axolotl, the grand Galápagos tortoise, Our Time on Earth offers an array of uplifting and eye-opening facts, revealing creatures born within days of their mothers and others that stay infantile for almost one hundred years. Discover why the lives of some animals are cut brutally short and why for some creatures, like a North Atlantic clam called the ocean quahog, their time on Earth can stretch to four hundred years or, in the case of the deep-sea glass sponge, over a staggering 11,000 years!
But perhaps the most amazing of them all is the immortal
jellyfish, a tiny jellyfish no bigger than a little fingernail, which
scientists discovered in the late 1980s and was found to be able to regenerate
itself from one life cycle into another. Highly-commended artist Hodgson’s stunning, atmospheric
illustrations perfectly capture each animal in their natural habitat, making
this an ideal way to help children appreciate and understand the diversity of
life.
(Big Picture Press, hardback, £15.99)
Age 7 plus
Marvellous Body: A Magic Lens Book
Jane Wilsher and Andrés Lozano
(What on Earth Books, hardback, 14.99)
Age 8 plus
What Do You See When You Look At a Tree?
Emma Carlisle
‘What do you see when you look at a tree? Leaves and twigs
and branches? Or do you see a real, living thing, That moves, and breathes and
dances?’
Beautifully written in a lyrical, rhyming verse, and fabulously
illustrated by the award-winning author and artist Emma Carlisle, this timely
and reflective book urges young readers to reconnect with nature by asking
questions that encourage critical thinking and reflection on their own
development, as well as helping to establish a deeper appreciation of the
environment and their place within it. Carlisle’s watercolour and hand-finished artwork, in a stunning
palette of colours, draws parallels to Charlie Mackesy’s bestselling illustrated
book, The Boy, The Mole, The Fox And The Horse, which was the 2019 Waterstones
Book of the Year, and evokes the classic nostalgia of E.H. Shephard’s
much-loved Winnie-the-Pooh. Mindfulness tips and information about trees are included at
the back, making this the perfect gift book for both adults and children to
read, share and treasure.
(Big Picture Press, hardback, £12.99)
The After School Detective Club: The Secret of Ragnar’s Gold
Mark Dawson and Ben Mantle
THEY might not be the ‘famous five,’ but the four members
(and a dog called Sherlock!) of the After School Detective Club are certainly
sleuthing in the footsteps of Enid Blyton’s eternally popular adventurers.
Welcome back to another thrilling case for a crime-cracking gang of youngsters
who are doing for Suffolk what the Famous Five did for Cornwall. The After
School Detective Club is the brainchild of bestselling author Mark Dawson and
award-winning illustrator Ben Mantle, and features a delightful modern twist on
a classic favourite. The series stars four friends, Lucy, Max, Charlie (plus
his faithful dog Sherlock) and Joe, and in this new adventure, they can’t
believe their luck when they get the chance to stay in a castle for their
Easter holidays. And Ufford Castle is everything they had hoped for, with a
moat and an ancient burial mound that gives it an air of mystery. But things
aren’t what they seem and a treacherous discovery in the grounds reveals a
300-year-old treasure map. The race is on. The After-School Detective Club is
in pursuit of Ragnar’s gold… a hoard of treasure said to have been buried by a
Viking warrior and guarded by his demon hound. But is someone else going to get
there first? Dawson reveals that Ufford Castle is based on Orford Castle on the
Suffolk coast and that Ragnar Lothbrok was a real Viking hero who carried out
many fierce raids along the coasts of Britain. Add on danger, daring, detective
work, friendships and fun to some real, exciting history, and there is so much
to enjoy in this thrill-a-minute adventure series!
(Welbeck Flame, paperback, £6.99)
Kitty Quest: Trial by Tentacle
Phil Corbett
EVERY picture has a laugh-out-loud moment in storyteller and
illustrator extraordinaire Phil Corbett’s fantastic, cat-tastic new adventure
with a super-sleuthing pair of feline detectives. Billed as Dog Man meets the
Lord of the Rings, this epic laugh-out-loud graphic novel series about two
aspiring monster slayers is packed full of cat-fuelled comedy and action
thrills and spills. In the second adventure, the islands of Pawdor are in peril
once again. Ferocious sea monsters have been spotted on shore, and the
townsfolk of Meowminster are in a complete panic. Luckily, Kitty Quest are
ready to protect the land. So what if Woolfrik and Perigold are the only guild
members (besides their mentor who is a ghost) and it’s just their second week
on the job? How are these two amateur heroes supposed to stop a whole army of
tentacled beasts? It may just take some quick thinking, a whole lot of luck,
and a little help from the most unexpected of places. In order to save all of
kitty-kind, Woolfrik and Perigold are going to have to learn to work together
and prove that two heads are better than one. Youngsters will be purring with
joy when they get their paws on this feast of visual colour and verbal cat
antics as the laughter levels rise on every page and our furry heroes face
their biggest trial yet. Reading purrfection for action fans!
(Simon & Schuster Children’s Books, paperback, £8.99)
Small!
Hannah Moffatt
BEING a small boy in a world of giants can cause some BIG
problems! There are plenty of outsized laughs to enjoy – and lots of beautiful
moments to hug to your heart – in a fabulous comic debut novel from Hannah
Moffatt, creative director at a language and behavioural science consultancy.
Harnessing her knowledge, imagination and empathy, Moffatt brings us a truly
daffy and delightful tall tale full of weird and wacky characters that seem to
have come straight out of a Grimms’ fairy story, but fuelled by rocket-boosting
giggles. When Harvey Small accidentally sets fire to his headteacher’s
trousers, Mum decides it’s time for a big change. She buys him a pair of
stilts, a pair of sludge-brown dungarees and a green velvet top hat, and packs
him off to Madame Bogbrush’s School for Gifted Giants. But Harvey is not a
giant… he’s a ten-year-old boy on stilts. And if his giant classmates, who
don’t like Smalls, find out, they will stomp him into a sandwich! Then the
Beastly School Board arrives for a surprise inspection and Harvey realises that
he’s not the only one in danger. With themes of divorce, isolation and bullying
sensitively explored, and the brilliant illustrations of Rory Walker to bring
Harvey and his world to life, this clever, creative book is fun from first to
last, and guaranteed to win the hearts of readers young and old.
(Everything with Words, paperback, £6.99)
The Lizzie and Belle Mysteries: Drama and Danger
J.T. Williams
TAKE a trip back in time to Georgian London and join two
young Black girls on a mission to solve a dangerous mystery in a thrilling
debut detective series from freelance writer and educator J.T. Williams. The
heroines of the Lizzie and Belle Mysteries are based on Lizzie Sancho, the
real-life daughter of exuberant 18th century letter writer and
abolitionist Ignatius Sancho, and Dido Belle of Kenwood House on Hampstead
Heath, who was born to an African mother and British father, and was
great-niece to the Earl of Mansfield, the Lord Chief Justice. In an
atmospheric, action-packed story set in London’s theatre land, we follow the
two 12-year-old girls as they investigate a baffling mystery, and fight to
protect their friendship, families and freedom. Lizzie Sancho and Dido Belle
are from different worlds. Lizzie lives in bustling Westminster in her dad’s
tea shop, while Belle is an heiress being brought up by her aunt and uncle and
living a quiet life at grand Kenwood House… but they both share a love of
solving mysteries. And when their eyes meet in the audience of the Drury Lane
theatre one night, both girls are sure they have seen something suspicious on
stage. Lizzie and Belle soon find themselves on the trail of a mystery, and
becoming best friends. But can they work out what’s going on in time to prevent
a murder? With two brave and determined girls – from contrasting backgrounds –
leading the action, and the fascinating streets of Georgian London brought
vividly to life, this exciting historical series is both a reading delight and
an inspiration for children to explore their own hidden histories.
(Farshore, paperback, £7.99)
Aziza’s Secret Fairy Door and the Mermaid’s Treasure
Lola Morayo and Cory Reid
STEP back into the magical world of adventure created by Lola
Morayo and Cory Reid in the fourth book of a fun-filled, heartwarming series
for younger readers. Lola Morayo is the pen name for the creative partnership
of writers Tólá Okogwu and Jasmine Richards who are both passionate about
telling stories that are inclusive and joyful and were inspired to write this
inspirational series by fairies and creatures from world mythology. Here we
find Aziza excitedly packing her suitcase ready to go on holiday when she finds
sand and seashells from the secret fairy door all over her room. Before long,
she is stepping through the door and into Shimmerton, a magical world with
princesses, naughty fairies, shapeshifters, unicorn shopkeepers and mischief
around every corner. And this time there is drama on the beach where naughty
fairies, the Gigglers, are causing havoc by accidentally awakening an ancient
shell-walker who has been asleep for many years under the sand. Everyone
scatters as the shell-walker grows bigger and bigger. What can be done? Aziza’s
new mermaid friend might just know someone who could help. Gorgeously
illustrated throughout by Cory Reid’s vibrant black and white illustrations,
this is the perfect summertime read for your own young adventurers!
(Macmillan Children’s Books, paperback, £6.99)
Five Bears
Catherine Rayner
WHEN five bears meet each other on their travels one day,
they all seem to be very different. But looks prove to be deceptive in this
beautiful, big-hearted picture book from CILIP Kate Greenaway Medal winner
Catherine Rayner. Ideal for youngsters who have grown up in lockdown, and may
be nervous about starting nursery or school, Rayner’s celebration of difference
and acceptance puts the joys of friendship firmly in the picture. Bear is
walking through the forest, minding his own business and just being a bear when
he comes across another bear. Other Bear is different and Bear feels nervous, a
little wary and just a bit unsure. The two bears wander along, thinking
different thoughts, and looking in different directions. Soon the two bears
come across another bear, and then another, and eventually find a bear stuck in
a tree. And when they talk to one another, and laugh and listen to each other,
the bears realise that perhaps they aren’t so different after all and perhaps
they could all be friends. The magic of Rayner’s fresh, richly expressive and
painterly illustrations, and the poignancy of the growing mutual understanding
and empathy of the five bears, springs to glorious life in her talented hands,
making this a gift book that all the family can share and treasure.
(Macmillan Children’s Books, hardback, £12.99)
Age 3 plus
The Knight With the Blazing Bottom
Beach
(Simon & Schuster Children’s Books, paperback, £6.99)
Strong
Clara Anganuzzi
‘YOUR strength comes from being true to yourself.’ That’s
the message that speaks loudly and clearly in a beautiful, thoughtful picture
book from author and illustrator Clara Anganuzzi who was raised in the stunning
Seychelles Islands. Maurice is different to the other dragons who like to bare
their sharp teeth, stretch their pointed wings and parade their magnificent
horns. He isn’t very scary, and he doesn’t like to breathe fire or snarl or
growl. In fact, what Maurice loves most in the world is flowers! But will the
others ever accept him for who he really is? Anganuzzi’s enchanting story of
self-discovery celebrates being the odd one out, and embraces all the different
ways you can be brave… like using your creativity to help others. With a story
steeped in kindness, courage and empowerment, and gorgeous, rainbow-coloured
artwork featuring a world of fiery dragons and mesmerising magic, this is the
perfect book to introduce your little ones to the idea that it’s OK to be
different.
(Caterpillar Books, hardback, £11.99)
Look to the Skies
Nicola Edwards and Hannah Tolson
TRAVEL with the amazing monarch butterfly on its epic
migration across North America to find warmer climes in Mexico in a stunning,
multi-coloured picture book from author Nicola Edwards and illustrator Hannah
Tolson. ‘In borderless blue skies,
bright butterflies roam, Travelling three thousand long miles from home.’ With
Edwards’ lyrical, rhyming text, Tolson’s engaging, quirky and richly detailed
artwork, and an array of intriguing peek-through holes to enjoy, Look to the
Skies takes young readers on an amazing adventure through cities, mountains and
finally to the majestic monarch butterflies’ perfect microclimate in the now
sadly endangered oyamel fir forests of Mexico. Vibrant and uplifting, this
gorgeous picture book is a life-affirming celebration of the simple joys of
looking up, and a reminder of the fragility of our planet’s ecosystem and the
urgent need to conserve nature’s wonders.
(Caterpillar Books, paperback, £7.99)
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