Take flight with some freewheeling princesses on an all-action route to freedom, laugh all the way to outer space with an out-of-this world adventure, share madcap capers with feline friends as they go cat-astrophically crazy, and tuck into more cheesy fun with everyone’s favourite Supermouse in a sunshine collection of summer books
Age 3 plus
Princesses Break Free
Timothy Knapman and Jenny Løvlie
LONG gone are the days when a princess had to sit around waiting to be rescued by a handsome prince… now, they rescue themselves! Girls will be leaping from towers, arming themselves with mushy apple pies, and parachuting with a giant pair of knickers when they get their hands on this humorous and gloriously go-getting picture book from author, lyricist and playwright Timothy Knapman and prize-winning illustrator Jenny Løvlie.
Princesses Break Free – a wild and wonderful fairy tale adventure – sets out to challenge all those stereotypical images of the pampered princesses and poised, preened damsels in distress and instead stars a princess who is ready to take charge of her own destiny. The story begins in a fairy tale world like any other… princesses in distress are rescued by valiant and dashing princes and live happily ever after. The End. But for Princess Tilly, sitting around waiting to be rescued by a prince is BORING. So… she simply rescues herself! ‘This puny prison can’t hold me!’ she declares. And it’s not long before word of Tilly’s exploits spreads across the kingdom and inspires other princesses (and princes and witches) to take their fate into their own hands too!
Knapman’s all-action, high-energy and humorous story – with
its fabulous cast of defiant princesses and traditional fairy tale settings –
invites youngsters to buck the trend, reach for the sky and be whatever they
want, instead of following a well-trodden and predetermined route into
adulthood. Brimming with Løvlie’s stunning gallery of rich and
colourful illustrations, and embodying messages perfectly fitted to a new
generation of 21st century children, this is a modern fairy tale with
a wickedly funny twist… and the perfect inspiration for your own little
princesses!
(Walker Books, hardback, £12.99)
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Age 9 plus
A Beginner’s Guide to Ruling the Galaxy
David Solomons
(Nosy Crow, paperback, £7.99)
Age 9 plus
The Dragon in the Bookshop
Ewa Jozefkowicz
A YOUNG boy struggling with the grief of his father’s death
is plunged into a magical adventure when he gets lost in the pages of his
favourite book. Polish author Ewa Jozefkowicz blends Polish folklore with a fantastical
quest in her powerful new novel about finding your voice in difficult times. An
old Polish city fizzes with fear and the townsfolk are at the mercy of a dragon
who lurks in the cave below the castle. Konrad’s dad always used to say, ‘There
is a character in a book somewhere that matches you almost entirely. It’s just
a matter of finding them.’ Konrad never expected the ‘finding’ to involve
stepping right into a story, and he never expected his dad not to be there with
him. After his dad’s death, Konrad stopped speaking. Not a word at home or
school as the years rolled by. But that begins to change when he meets Maya on
the beach he loved to explore with Dad. She doesn’t mind his silence. It gives
her a chance to be heard because at home no one seems to notice her. When the
pair go on a last visit to Konrad’s family bookshop before it is sold, they get
lost in the pages of Konrad’s favourite book of folk tales. Whisked back in
time to go on a quest with a dragon, they must find themselves and their
voices, as well as a happy end to the story in the book and in real life. Jozefkowicz’s
beautifully told, compassionate story – which was inspired by her own father’s
death when she was a teenager and her work with bereaved children charity Grief
Encounter – speaks volumes in this compelling and emotive medieval adventure. A
warm, enchanting and reassuring read.
(Zephyr, paperback, £7.99)
Age 8 plus
How To Hide An Alien
Karen McCombie
LIFE isn’t always easy… especially if you’re from another
planet! Much-loved children’s author Karen McCombie returns with the warm,
entertaining and thought-provoking sequel to her perceptive novel, How To Be A
Human, which imagined a friendship that really is out of this world. These life
lessons wrapped up in fantastical adventures gently explore what it means to
feel like an outsider and other emotive classroom issues like friendship,
bullying, and the pressures to be ‘popular’ and fit in. At the heart of these
stories is Star Boy whose space-pod was destroyed but is adapting to life on
Earth thanks to his friends Kiki and Wes who are helping him to get to grips
with becoming a passable human. They know what it’s like to be an outsider but
Kiki’s long list of don’ts is a constant reminder of how hard it is to pass for
a convincing human. But more troubling for the Star Boy are the strange pings
and pangs he is experiencing, and the hard-to-hide electrical surges that are
worrying his human rescuers, causing electrical disturbances all over town and
making it hard for him to stay invisible. And when the Star Boy accidentally
channels his true form on to the whiteboard of every class at Riverside
Academy, things reach a whole new level of panic. With frenzied reports of an
alien sighting trending on social media, how can Kiki and Wes keep their friend
safe? McCombie’s thoroughly heartwarming tale of a stranded alien and the two
unlikely school friends who discover him is packed with fun, humour and otherworldly
adventures, but it is also a reassuring read for youngsters who face their own
battles as ‘outsiders.’
(Little Tiger Press, paperback, £7.99)
Age 3 plus
Cats in Chaos
Peter Bently and John Bond
HAVE these feline friends gone cat-astrophically crazy?! Get
your paws on this second laughter-filled extravaganza from the picture book
collaboration of Roald Dahl Funny Prize-winning author Peter Bently and brilliantly
talented illustrator John Bond, the team which brought us the coruscating
canine caper, Dogs in Disguise. Cats in Chaos is a wickedly funny rhyming romp
which takes a fabulously funny and mischief-packed peep into the chaotic world
of cats and all the incredible things they get up to when their owners aren’t
looking! In the dark of night, as their owners sleep, the cats of the city are
all headed to one place… Catsby’s Great Circus! Step this way and see conjuring
cats, felines that fly, Siamese that swing from above, and don’t miss the
mighty motorbiking moggie Evel Katnevel, and the gobsmacking Purrcules Claw who
can balance thirty-one cats on one paw. But with so much activity, it only
takes one little mouse in the wrong place to put the whole circus in chaos! Bently’s
jaunty rhyme, a story full of action and laughter, and a cast of madcap moggies
– each rendered with Bond’s wit and expressive precision – burst out from every
page. And with a fantastic feline twist in the tail, this playful celebration
of cats is a purffect joy!
(HarperCollinsChildren’sBooks, paperback, £7.99)
Age 3 plus
Supermouse and the Volcano of Doom
M.N. Tahl and Mark Chambers
(Little Tiger Press, hardback, £12.99)
Age 3 plus
Dinos Don’t Give Up!
Smriti Halls and Richard Merritt
NOBODY could possibly be good at EVERYTHING… or could they?
Imaginative bestselling author Smriti Halls and inventive illustrator Richard
Merritt have fun with a dino-tastic story about a superstar dipolodocus who is
a whizz at everything she turns her hand to… until she’s toppled by a
surfboard! Diplodocus Dinah is BRILLIANT at everything. There’s nothing she
can’t do and no competition she can’t win. But what happens when the Surfing
Contest comes to Dino Town and Dinah discovers that surfing is something she
just can’t dino-do! For the first time ever, Dinah doesn’t come first. Will she
be distraught… or will she discover that that there’s more to having fun than
winning? Halls is on her best rhyming form for this inspirational story about
discovering your true grit and building the confidence to never give up, while
Merritt’s vibrant gallery of illustrations bring to life the cast of colourful
dinosaur characters and all the humour, fun and antics. Perfect for action and
dinosaur fans!
(Little Tiger Press, hardback, £11.99)
Age 3 plus
Shifty McGifty and Slippery Sam: Pirates Ahoy!
Tracey Corderoy and Steven Lenton
(Nosy Crow, paperback, £6.99)
Age 2 plus
The Roar
Eoin McLaughlin and Polly Dunbar
EVERYONE needs a listening ear when things go wrong! Bestselling
Irish children’s author Eoin McLaughlin and talented illustrator Polly Dunbar steal
hearts (and win giggles!) with The Roar, another exquisitely imagined and
illustrated picture book starring the adorable Hedgehog and Tortoise. With a quarter
of a million copies sold in an outstanding series which has included the
award-winning The Hug, While We Can’t Hug and The Longer the Wait, the Bigger
the Hug – all books that spoke loudly to youngsters during the worst of the
pandemic lockdowns – this inspirational pairing are back with the same winning
formula of subtle simplicity, humour and tenderness. There were so many things
that Tortoise wanted to do… so many games to play and rocks to climb. But oops,
Tortoise is stuck and being stuck makes Tortoise cross. Tortoise isn’t having a
good day because he’s stuck in a hole and is far too cross for hugs. But Hedgehog
sits and waits and listens to his troubles… and then makes Tortoise laugh! And
it’s all because the wise Owl told him that to cheer someone up, you have to
first try to understand what they are feeling. McLaughlin’s gentle story and
Dunbar’s delicate and emotive illustrations are the perfect combination to
reassure little ones and help them understand their feelings of anger,
frustration and upset. Simply beautiful…
(Faber Children’s Books, paperback, £6.99)
Age one plus
Spaceblock
Christopher Franceschelli and Peski Studio
THREE…two…one… blast off! Learn all about the wonders of space in
this out-of-this-world trip to the stars and back. Spaceblock is the latest
title in Abrams’ brilliant, collectible Block Book series and comes with the
fantastic, full-colour artwork of Peski Studio, a husband-and-wife illustration
and design team from Bristol. Ideal for young space fans, this entertaining and
educational book invites readers to experience the historic Moon landing, learn
about what modern astronauts do in space, read about the recent landing of Mars
rover Perseverance, and discover how theMoon circles our planet. The super
chunky Spaceblock includes vibrant artwork and cut-out pages on every spread and
ten impressive gatefolds, including one that unfolds to an impressive thirty
inches wide to showcase all the planets in our solar system. A picture perfect,
interactive package of facts, fun and cosmic marvels offering the youngest
children a whole new perspective on the wonderful world of space. And don’t
miss the other books in the series: Alphablock, Countablock, Dinoblock, Cityblock, Buildablock, Farmblock, Loveblock and Sharkblock.
(Abrams Appleseed, board book, £12.99)
Age one plus
Bookscape Board Books:
Wild Animals
Ingela P. Arrhenius
IS there a toddler who can resist a book that stands to
attention? Enjoy a day on the savannah with some wild and exotic creatures in
the latest title in Chronicle Books’ unique and inventive Bookscape Board Books
series. Each uniquely shaped page overlaps with the next to create a complete
landscape when closed (whether viewed from the front or back) and offers an
immersive world to explore with each turn of the page when open. In Wild Animals,
a simple text and colourful illustrations introduce babies and toddlers to
adorable animals of the savannah and act as a gentle lesson in the chronology
of day and night. With artwork by celebrated illustrator and designer Ingela P.
Arrhenius, these delightfully petite but chunky board books, with their
unique layers and tactile, toy-like quality, are an irresistible gift. A
novelty series that’s perfectly shaped for little hands!
(Chronicle Books, board book, £6.99)
Age one plus
Where’s My Turtle?
Kate McLelland
WHERE is Turtle hiding? She was here a moment ago. Can you
find her? Help your curious little ones get interactive with this sturdy
touch-and-feel board book which comes loaded with fun, discovery, word
recognition development, and lots of visual and tactile appeal. A tantalising
trail of colourful bubbles leads children past a touch-and-feel seahorse with
an iridescent scaly skin, a whale with a bumpy tummy, and a seal with flappy
flippers in the search for the green glowing Turtle. With Kate McLelland’s bright,
appealing illustrations, discoveries on each spread, the allure of touchy-feely
creatures, and a delightful flap ending, this enchanting series is ideal for
young children. The perfect sharing book for babies and toddlers finding their
way in the big, wide world!
(Little Tiger Press, board book, £6.99)
Age one plus
Who Said Roar?
Yi-Hsuan Wu
SHARE giggles with your little ones as they discover who
said Roar and who said Hiss! There is so much to enjoy in this gorgeously
illustrated, interactive board book, full of animal sound guessing games and
touchy-feely magic, as illustrator Yi-Hsuan Wu has fun with a cast of adorable
characters. Who said ‘Roar’? Was it the sloth, and did the colourful chameleon
say Snap? Pre-schoolers will love solving the mystery as they lift the
peep-through flaps and touch the eye-catching, tactile pages to find out which
noise matches which animal. With funny pairings, eye-catching illustrations,
intriguing flaps to lift, and a surprise mirror ending to put little readers in
the picture, this gorgeous book will be a hands-on hit with inquisitive babies
and toddlers!
(Little Tiger Press, board book, £6.99)
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