Age 9 plus
Mouse Heart
Fleur Hitchcock
FORGET Burns’ famous ‘wee, sleekit, cowrin, tim’rous beastie,’ and meet the mighty Mouse, a girl with the heart of a lion and the super-sleuthing skills of Sherlock Holmes! Fleur Hitchcock – an exciting author whose speciality is writing thrilling children’s mysteries with added adventure – transports readers into a gripping theatre land murder mystery set against a sumptuous historical backdrop and steeped in spine-tingling danger. With atmospheric artwork by the talented Ben Mantle, and heart-stopping action full of daring stunts, Gothic vibes and truly villainous villains, Mouse Heart serves up all the perfect ingredients for middle-grade mystery fans.
It’s the reign of Queen Anne II and Mouse might be a
foundling but she carries a fierce love for her pieced-together family at the riverside
Moth Theatre. She has found a home and happiness with Mr and Mrs Hawkin, their
two children (Eve who is ‘poisonous’ and her ‘kinder shadow’ brother Adam) plus
all the theatre’s resident actors. And when their leading man, Walter, is
wrongly arrested for murder, Mouse swears she will free him. But another member
of the cast has a secret identity… as a ruthless killer. As Mouse’s
investigation leads her ever closer to their true, deadly nature, can she
outwit them without losing everything she holds dear?
Mouse Heart – with its clever, entertaining balance between
the light and dark delights of crime mysteries – is a wonderful starter for
young readers as Hitchcock invests her adventure with lots of twists and turns,
a vibrant cast of superbly imagined characters, and a brave, daring and
inspirational female star player. Expect, spies, pirates, rich period detail, and an abundance
of drama and theatrics as the curtain rises on one of 2022’s most memorable and
imaginative performances!
(Nosy Crow, paperback,
£7.99)
Age 4 plus
A Perfect Wonderful Day with Friends
Philip Waechter
(Gecko Press, hardback, £11.99)
Mr Men Little Miss: Worries
Roger Hargreaves
JUST because you’re little doesn’t mean you don’t have BIG emotions! Inspire, uplift and empower your pre-schoolers with an entertaining, educational and collectible illustrated Mr Men and Little Miss ‘Discover You’ series which helps little ones unpack big feelings. Roger Hargreaves’ eternally popular Mr Men and Little Miss are the ideal characters to help children understand their own – sometimes puzzling – emotions and how to manage them. With engaging questions to encourage conversations and some tips from favourite characters to help children develop their emotional intelligence, these small, carefully created books gently explore big feelings with sensitivity and thought, allowing room for discussion, engagement and fun. In Mr Men Little Miss: Worries, we meet Mr Worry who worries about everything. Can Mr Calm and Little Miss Sunshine help him to ease his worries? In All Different, an empowering story about appreciating and celebrating our differences, Little Miss Tiny wishes she was taller while Mr Tickle loves his long arms, perfect for tickling. The Mr Men and Little Miss are all different, and it’s time for them to realise that they are all uniquely brilliant in their own way.
In Try Again, an inspiring story about self-esteem and
resilience, Little Miss Brave approaches life head on, bravely facing any
challenge while Mr Bump finds that he bumps and trips his way through life but
always bounces back. Being able to adapt and recover from change or misfortune
is as important for us as it is for the Mr Men and Little Miss. And in Be Kind,
a story about the power of kindness and the happiness it brings, Mr Happy loves
making his friends happy by doing kind deeds while Mr Mean finds it the hardest
to be kind. Can Mr Happy and Little Miss Giggles help him to learn that small
acts of kindness bring much happiness? With colourful characters on every page, and gentle,
reassuring messages about feelings and emotions, these clever little books are
perfect additions to any home, nursery or school.
(Farshore, paperback, £4.99 each)
The Last Monster
Dan Walker
AFTER the success of his fabulous fantasy adventure, The
Light Hunters, children’s author Dan Walker sweeps us back into the thrilling
world of the youngsters whose mission is to save the world from Monsters.
Walker’s books have been nominated for many awards and his sense of pace and
gift for exciting storytelling shine through in this gripping sequel. The Light
Hunters have fought Monsters for centuries and Squad Juno are the very best at
it. From cities to villages, the young group’s abilities are on show for all to
see now that their powers don’t have to be used in secret. Every victory they
have prevents a Monster from taking more victims, preventing more loss. Lux
Dowd, Squad Juno’s healer, has had more than enough loss... but a more
immediate loss is that of his powers. Lux can’t – or won’t – heal his team-mates.
Whenever he tries, a terrible energy comes from within and hurts the people
around him. Lux can’t afford to lose any more of those he cares about. Sent on
a mission that could end their war against the Monsters, the Light Hunters soon
find themselves making new allies in their quest to unearth an Ancient secret
that may be able to stop the attacks. Could this really be the last monster
they fight? Young readers will love catching up with Lux and Squad Juno in this
edge-of-the-seat adventure which delivers action and twists at every turn of
the page whilst exploring the rewards of teamwork, true friendship and trust.
(UCLan Publishing, paperback, £7.99)
Fire Power
J.M. Joseph
SET your summer reading on fire with the third and final
book in a hilariously hot and flamingly funny series from master of comedy J.M.
Joseph. Fire Power is the follow-up to the hugely popular Fire Boy and Pants on
Fire which introduced us to 11-year-old Aidan Sweeney who received a
mysterious package of sweets from South America and found that they gave him amazing
superpowers, including igniting his body! But it’s not easy being an accidental
superhero. Aidan (aka Fire Boy) and the circus he joined are in trouble once
again. Aidan’s nemesis, the billionaire Clayton Jones, is spreading fake news
throughout the world, painting Aidan as the bad guy. With circus fans dwindling
and the world turning against them, Aidan knows it’s once again up to him to
save the day. But to do so, he will have to reveal the truth about Clayton
Jones… and it looks like Clayton might have some special powers of his own.
Joseph certainly knows how to set young imaginations on fire as he peppers his
story with quirky chapter headings, notes and doodles which are guaranteed to
keep youngsters glued to the page… and giggling all the way to the satisfyingly
fiery finale.
(Hodder Children’s Books, paperback, £6.99)
Barb the Brave: The Ghost Blade
Dan Abdo and Jason Patterson
WHEN the going gets tough, Barb the Brave gets going!
Welcome to the second high-octane and laugh-out-loud adventure in Dan Abdo and
Jason Patterson’s dizzying and delightful graphic novel series which well and
truly hits the funny spot with young readers. Abdo and Patterson (aka Dan &
Jason) have developed numerous animated campaigns, network TV and web series in
both the US and UK and their latest star, Barb, is the top of the current crop.
Barb is a Berzerker, one of an elite crew of warriors who protect the land of
Bailiwick from the scourge of monsters. The evil Witch Head has captured all of
the adult Berzerkers… cue Barb to the rescue! But she’s not alone because Barb
has got her own amateur crew of wannabe zerks, made up of farmers, monsters,
and her best pal Porkchop the yeti. This ragtag gang must infiltrate Maug Horn,
the monster capital, and find Franny Fire Fingers, who they hope will lead them
to the Wise Wizards and the power to fight Witch Head. But when Barb’s powerful
Shadow Blade sword is no match for the evil she encounters, she must learn that
her true power comes from her own heart. With a high-stakes adventure, action
sequences bursting out of every page, a fine line in knockabout humour, and a
cast of super-quirky characters to enjoy, this is top notch reading for fans of
Bunny Vs Monkey, Disney’s Brave and Dav Pilkey’s Dog Man.
(Simon & Schuster Children’s Books, paperback, £8.99)
Age 6 plus
Space Blasters: Suzie Saves the Universe
Katie and Kevin Tsang and Amy Nguyen
(Farshore, paperback, £6.99)
Puppy Club: Lulu’s Big Surprise
Catherine Jacob and Rachael Saunders
ANIMAL magic comes adorably alive in the first book of a
gorgeous new early reader series from author Catherine Jacob and illustrator Rachael
Saunders. Packed with puppy love and a cast of characters that youngsters will
take to their heart, this is the ideal book to make the leap from picture books
to chapter books. Jaya and her friends Willow, Harper and Elsa all dream of
having a dog and are desperate for a puppy of their own. They’ve even created
Puppy Club to find out all they need to know. When the time comes, they will be
the perfect owners! So when Jaya’s aunt, who runs Underdogs Rescue Centre,
tells Jaya that new dog Lulu is expecting puppies, it feels like the girls’
best chance to get their parents to agree. It’s time for Operation Paw-fect
Puppy! Along with new Puppy Club members, Arlo and Daniel, the children set
about trying to prove to their parents what responsible owners they would be.
But will it be enough to persuade them? Puppy heaven for animal lovers!
(Little Tiger Press, paperback, £5.99)
Captain Cuddles
Maudie Powell-Tuck and Julio Antonio Blasco
SUPERHEROES don’t have to be super-awesome, sometimes they
are just… well, cuddly! Stretch out your arms and give a big book hug to
Captain Cuddles, a hilarious hero who is saving the world one hug at a time.
Top team, author Maudie Powell-Tuck and illustrator Julio Antonio Blasco work
their special magic on this cuddle-filled picture book caper with a wickedly
funny and huggable story full of twists and turns, and Blasco’s fantastic,
colour-filled illustrations. Rascally bank robbery? Runaway train? Never fear, Captain
Cuddles is here! The world’s snuggliest superhero can turn baddies into goodies
with just the power of… a HUG! But watch out, Captain, there’s a wicked flea on
the loose! Will Captain Cuddles’ superhero squeeze be enough to save the day?
Or will he be blasted off far, far away? With flaps to lift and die-cut shaped
pages for curious little readers, this is the perfect snuggle-up story for
bedtime reading.
(Little Tiger Press, paperback, £7.99)
Who’s Hiding?
Satoru Onishi
LEARNING is definitely fun with Japanese author and
illustrator Satoru Onishi’s classic bestseller Who’s Hiding? and now a new
sturdy board book format of the much-loved book makes it accessible to even the
youngest child. This brilliantly inventive and engrossing look and search
puzzle book features many interactive layers and is ideal for reading aloud.
Keep your eyes peeled as eighteen colourful animals, including everything from Dog,
Tiger and Hippo to Zebra, Bear, Reindeer and Kangaroo, do something new on
every page. Can you spot what it is? Who’s hiding, who’s crying, who has horns,
who’s facing backwards? Look carefully because the answers to these questions
are not as simple as they first appear. Everything changes on every double page
as the animals disappear, turn around, cry or sleep, and young children love
spotting the changes and getting to know the animal names, colours,
expressions, emotions and how to count. Ideal for testing children’s
observation, memory, recognition skills and vocabulary, the book is educational
and challenging without being too daunting, and offers fun as well as learning.
(Gecko Press, board book, £8.99)
The Worry Jar
Lou John and Jenny Bloomfield
‘Everybody has worries. And worrying
about them makes them
worse.’
THE words of a little girl’s granny ring loud and true in a beautiful,
reassuring picture book from author Lou John and illustrator Jenny Bloomfield.
Managing worries is hard for everyone but it can seem like a mountain to climb
for little ones so help build their confidence and teach them a simple but
effective coping method with this heartwarming and uplifting story. Frida
worries all the time. Big worries, small worries, and all-the-time worries. Her
worries feel heavy, just like the pebbles she collects every day. Some days,
Frida’s worries become the only thing she can think about but then, one day,
her granny teaches her an ingenious way to keep her worries in check with a jar
full of worry pebbles. And Frida finally feels the weight of her fears slip
away. With John’s cleverly created and gentle story, and Bloomfield's
beautifully observed illustrations bringing Frida’s feelings and experiences
vividly to life, this is a must-have book for school, nursery and home.
(Oxford University Press, hardback, £11.99)
What Can You See? In Space
Kate Ware and Maria Perera
DISCOVER the wonders of the universe in a clever
peep-through board book with intriguing cut-out pages that take you on a
journey through outer space! With simple, bite-size fun facts about rocket
launches, astronauts, walking on the moon, comets whizzing through the sky, our
solar system and galaxy, little ones will love peeping through the pages and
following the space adventure from mission control and blast off to the
enormous Milky Way. With its sturdy board book pages, richly detailed, bright
and bold illustrations by Maria Perera, Kate Ware’s fascinating facts,
intriguing peep-through pages and endless hidden details to spot, this is the
perfect introduction to the joy of books, the fun of learning… and the vast and
amazing universe! Also available in the series are What Can You See? On the
Farm, What Can You See? At Night and What Can You See? On the Building Site.
(Little Tiger Press, board book, £7.99)
Age one plus
Toddler Take-Along: Things That Go
Becky Davies and Ana Zaja Petrak
(Little Tiger Press, board book, £7.99)
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