Learn how to stay safe in the modern world, discover why engineers are superheroes, join youngsters on the trail of secrets and spies at wartime Bletchley Park, take time out for a chat with an infamous pirate, saddle up for an adventure with a girl and her pony, and discover how to help endangered dolphins with a super springtime selection
Ultimate Survival Handbook
Andy McNab
STAYING safe in the modern world has never been so important so dive into this smart and savvy children’s survival guide from world-famous ex-SAS author Andy McNab. As a member of 22 SAS, McNab was at the centre of covert operations across five continents for nine years and was awarded both the Distinguished Conduct Medal and Military Medal during his military career, and has since become one of the world’s best-selling writers.
Using his vast experience and wisdom, McNab brings a 360-degree emphasis on survival in three key environments for today’s young readers... crucial skills for the wild, staying safe in the urban world, and protecting your online identity. Find out the best way to set up a camp, safely start a campfire, find your bearings, search for food and water and stay safe in the great outdoors. There are also important basics for camping and hiking, and readers will discover what to do about more unusual events... including escaping quicksand, tsunamis and wild animal attacks.
In the guide to urban survival, learn how to stay safe in
the city, avoid stranger danger, keep clear of crowd crush at a big event, find
your way around any urban environment, seek help if you get stuck in a lift, and
how to manage any emergency. With years of military-grade security experience, McNab is
also perfectly placed to give crucial tips on staying safe online. Discover how
to make an unbreakable password, how to hide your identity from trolls and
scammers, and how to banish cyber-bullies. Having survived the world’s most gruelling situations, Mc
Nab’s invaluable book delivers hard-won advice in clear and simple language,
with lots of practical tips, visual references and anecdotes from his own
survival experience. So if you want to be ready for the outdoors, street-smart in
the city, and safe online, this fun, simple and authentic real-world survival
guide has everything you need!
(Welbeck Children’s Books, Flexibound, £12.99)
Engineers Making a Difference
Dr Shini Somara, Manuel Šumberac
and Adam Allsuch Boardman
IF you thought being an engineer was simply solving some important contemporary challenges, think again because it turns out they’re actually Superheroes! In an inspirational collaboration between What on Earth Publishing, Imperial College London, and the Gatsby Charitable Foundation, youngsters are gifted an exciting introduction to engineering which showcases forty-six diverse, creative and extraordinary engineers who are actively helping to change our world. Two free copies of this extraordinary book – superbly illustrated by Manuel Šumberac and Adam Allsuch Boardman – will be sent to every secondary school in the UK as part of a kit which includes a teacher’s guide, twelve posters covering a hot topic from each chapter, and a full-length laminated timeline.
Written by mechanical engineer and leading broadcaster Dr Shini Somara, who is passionate about making science and technology accessible to all, the fully illustrated book – aimed at 12 to 15-year-olds who are considering their future educational and career choices – comprises role model profiles from across the engineering industry, with chapters ranging from the environment to robots, and from communications to entertainment. These real-life engineers are using their problem-solving skills on everything from protecting the planet, creating clean energy, designing prosthetic limbs and eliminating food shortages to programming AI and exploring the surface of Mars.
Meet an eclectic cross-section of engineers such as space
physicist Professor Michele Dougherty from Imperial College, Pierre Paslier, the
co-founder and co-CEO of the sustainable packaging startup Notpla, Jamie Pinnel,
a technician working at the European Organisation for Nuclear Research and
rollercoaster designer Michelle Hicks. From apprentices and lab technicians to university
professors and start-up CEOs, discover the broad ranging possibilities of
engineering jobs, what problems these engineers are solving and why they love
their jobs... and find out if you want to join them in their desire to change
the world for the better.
(What on Earth Books, hardback, £16.99)
I, Spy: A Bletchley Park Mystery
Rhian Tracey
IT'S wartime, there’s an enemy operating undercover, and it’s up to three intrepid youngsters to solve a perilous mystery! Inspired by trips to Bletchley Park – one of the most secret places in Britain during the Second World War – and her own family’s link to the code-breaking centre, Welsh author Rhian Tracey brings us a ripping yarn of secrets, spies and subterfuge. I, Spy: A Bletchley Park Mystery is based on true events and explores not just the nationally important work of the Bletchley Park staff but how three plucky youngsters form close friendships during the adversities of wartime and dare to dig deep to unearth a plot that puts the country in deadly danger. Twelve-year-old Robyn has grown up in Bletchley Park where her father works as a driver. When she's not at school, there's nothing she likes more than helping her dad in the garages. Then the war begins in September of 1939 and everything at Bletchley changes for Robyn... no more climbing trees and no more swimming in the lake. She’s stuck in a place full of grown-ups and rules and secrets.
But then Robyn is assigned to help with the carrier pigeons
that take messages to the Allies. It means she must sign the Official Secrets
Act and is ordered not to leave the grounds of the park. While Bletchley is
buzzing with people recruited for the war effort and all eyes are on the skies,
Robyn becomes convinced that there’s something sinister going on within
Bletchley Park itself. Together with her friends Mary and Ned, Robyn resolves
to uncover the enemy in their midst... Packed with intrigue, mystery, excitement and a host of
feathered friends, this heartwarming and inspirational story packs a real punch
as the children embark on a race against time to track down an elusive traitor. Add on the dramatic and authentic wartime backdrop, some
clever red herrings and an old-fashioned, addictive sense of adventure and you
have the perfect history/mystery for young thrill-seekers!
(Piccadilly Press, paperback, £7.99)
The Astonishing Chronicles
of Oscar from Elsewhere
Jaclyn Moriarty and Karl James Mountford
THE Aussie queen of fantasy novels Jaclyn Moriarty is back
to cast a spell with another thrilling tale of friendship, magic and dastardly
dangers! The Astonishing Chronicles of Oscar from Elsewhere is the
fourth whimsical and witty middle-grade novel from Moriarty and illustrator
Karl James Mountford in their highly acclaimed Bronte Mettlestone series. In another mesmerising blend of fun and fast-paced
adventure, Moriarty gives readers a fresh perspective on her richly imagined
fantasy land through the eyes of new character Oscar Banetti who is just
skipping school and hanging out at the local skate park on Monday morning when
he suddenly finds himself transported into a very different world where witches
and water sprites really exist and there are no aeroplanes, Netflix or even
pizza. In the company of Bronte Mettlestone, her cousins Imogen and Esther Mettlestone-Staranise,
and their pirate-cum-prince friend Alejandro, ordinary Oscar finds himself on a
quest to locate nine separate pieces of a key, held by nine separate people, in
order to unlock a complicated spell that has trapped the Elven city of
Dun-sorey-lo-vay-lo-hey. If they don’t succeed in their quest, on Friday at
noon the spell becomes permanent, the Elves will be crushed to death and Oscar
will be trapped in this magical world forever. Moriarty’s vivid imagination and storytelling skills unleash
a thrilling and epic adventure as we follow the quest to find the nine keys,
share a breathtaking adventure full of cryptic challenges, and a witness a battle
to the very end. Add on an addictive brand of wickedly clever wordplay, the
welcome reappearance of the irrepressible Mettlestone clan, and the stage is
set for another outrageously entertaining performance!
(Guppy Books, paperback, £7.99)
Weather Weaver: Winter’s Keep
Tamsin Mori
IMAGINE having a cloud for a friend and being able to choose
the weather… would it bring sunshine-filled happiness, or storms of darkness
and discontent? Always at ease in the stunning scenery of her mother’s Shetland
homeland, where she whispered spells into sea shells and sang to the selkies,
author Tamsin Mori has harnessed the islands’ fabulous myths and legends for
this mesmerising Weather Weaver debut series filled with magic, danger… and
weather of every kind. These thrilling, original and action-packed adventures
celebrate the rich, mysterious and unpredictable moods of the elements whilst
gently exploring universal themes like gaining independence, the meaning of
home, handling grief, and discovering the fallibility of adults. Taking centre
stage is Stella who grew up on a tiny Shetland island but left five years ago
and has now returned to stay with her widowed Grandpa. When she first arrived,
Stella felt lonely but then she met an old woman named Tamar, a Weather Weaver
who can spin rainbows and call hurricanes. And now, with the help of Nimbus, a
feisty young storm cloud, Stella is learning the craft of weather weaving. In
this third adventure, we find that with Velda overthrown and the Storm Laws
abolished, hundreds of young Storm Weavers are set to be reunited with their
stolen clouds. The very first cloud taken belonged to Tamar’s last apprentice,
the sea witch, and when Heather returns, seeking to lay the past to rest, the
first person she turns to is Stella. But how far can you trust a sea witch? Is
she seeking redemption, or plotting her final revenge? With the Teran rising
from the deep and the island in his icy grip, Stella and her friends will have
to fight to save weather as we know it. Drawing on the elements, island myths,
and the natural world, Winter's Keep is an enchanting and inspirational
tale which blends the thrills and spills of magic with a beautifully portrayed
and authentic young girl who is firmly rooted in reality. Add on the wild
beauty of Shetland and some fascinating insights into weather systems, and you
have a wonderful, windblown reminder that looking for the end of the rainbow
isn’t always an impossible dream!
(UCLan Publishing, paperback, £7.99)
Interview with Blackbeard
and Other Vicious Villains
Andy Seed and Gareth Conway
JUST imagine if you could go back in time and talk to plundering
pirates and famous villains from the past... what would you ask? Blue Peter
Award-winning author Andy Seed and illustrator Gareth Conway have fun with
their entertaining history series which features ‘interviews’ with ten big
names from the past. So join former teacher Seed on his amazing time-travelling
machine as he interviews ten famous villains who take a quick break from dastardly
deeds to answer all sorts of (very nosy) questions about their actions and
unique perspectives. Get to know villains like the pirate Blackbeard, Ivan the
Terrible, Gunpowder Plot conspirator Guy Fawkes, Vlad the Impaler, highwayman
Ned Kelly and the Roman Emperor Nero. Are these villains as wicked as we’ve
been led to believe, and will intrepid Andy make it out alive? Discover the
good, the bad, and the unexpected as each baddie reveals the truth about their
lives... and attempts to find out about the future! This super, fun and
fact-filled book offers a bite-sized text in a question-and-answer format and is
paired with Conway’s lively and entertaining illustrations, perfect for
reluctant readers and comedy-seeking history fans. With bonus facts about key
events in each ruler’s life, and a fun quiz at the end, the book is ideal for
Horrible Histories fans… and any reader who enjoys a fresh and captivating take
on historical figures from across the world.
(Welbeck Children’s Books, paperback, £7.99)
Meg and Merlin: Running Away
Tanya Landman and Sònia Albert
SADDLE up for an action-packed new instalment of
award-winning author Tanya Landman’s captivating Meg and Merlin series which is
proving a dream read for pony lovers. Packed with action, fun and friendships,
these warmhearted stories celebrate the close bond between horse and rider, and
this gripping new adventure will have youngsters cantering through the pages. Meg
and her new friend Sam Houseman meet up to take out their ponies, Merlin and
Alfred, but after a long picnic ride and a lovely day in the countryside, Meg takes
a wrong turn and gets lost while making her way home. And things take a
dangerous turn when Merlin gets spooked and takes off, galloping straight
towards the deadly danger of a main road... can Meg get him back under control
before disaster strikes? Brought to life by the lively illustrations of Sònia
Albert, and published in Barrington Stoke’s trademark dyslexia-friendly format,
this drama-filled adventure about a ride that spirals out of control is a
sure-fire winner for young readers.
(Barrington Stoke, paperback, £7.99)
Can we really help the Dolphins?
Katie Daynes and Róisín Hahessy
THE wonders of the oceans – and the threats that they face –
spring to colourful and inspirational life in a charming new book in Usborne
Publishing’s resonant Can we really help… series. Can we really help the Dolphins? is the fourth title and
offers young readers a positive and empowering introduction to protecting our
seas... and the creatures that live in them. It has been written by non-fiction
author Katie Daynes who thinks the best thing we can do is encourage children
to play their own part in protecting their future from climate change. Brought to life by Róisín Hahessy’s beautiful
illustrations and lovable characters, children learn about the many important
roles our seas and oceans play, and the practical and helpful solutions available
for positive action to help stop climate change. With a cast of children taking starring roles, the story
reveals how a message in a bottle turns a seaside holiday into a worldwide
campaign to save the ocean. The sea creatures are having a rough ride at the
moment, navigating plastic litter, chemical spills, warming oceans and fishing
supertrawlers. The dolphins, turtles, penguins and other creatures share their
predicament with six sparky, beach-loving children... and together they make an
exciting plan to save the world's seas and oceans. Young readers cannot help but be inspired and energised when
they discover what’s really going on under the sea, and are empowered to play a
small but important part in helping sea creatures and shaping the future.
(Usborne Publishing, hardback, £9.99)
Call the Puffins!
Cath Howe and Ella Okstad
WHEN a rescue is needed, call in team puffin! Author,
teacher and self-confessed puffin enthusiast Cath Howe works her word magic on
the first book of a sparkling new series starring a stellar group of young
puffins in training for a search and rescue team. So head off to the island of
Egg where a brave and bold puffin rescue team are in training. The puffins must
work together to rescue birds and eggs wherever they are in danger. Eager to
get started are Muffin, who is following in her dad’s footsteps and anxious not
to let him down, Tiny whose eyesight is a challenge but is determined it won’t
stop him for long, and Forti who seems so over-confident but is really
desperate to impress. Along with their fellow recruits, these plucky and
unflappable little puffins must work together to help all the birds on the
island! Brought to life by the enchanting artwork of illustrator Ella Okstad,
this gorgeous new series celebrates teamwork, belonging and resilience as the
new puffin team get in the swim for their exciting rescue roles. Add on an
irresistible helping of fluttery fun and mischief and youngsters are in for the
perfect puffin fest!
(Welbeck Flame, paperback, £6.99)
Madeline Finn and the Rescue Dog
Lisa Papp
THE healing power of books, and the joys of shared reading,
are guaranteed to tug at everyone’s heartstrings in a beautiful and
inspirational picture book from American author and illustrator Lisa Papp.
Madeline Finn and the Rescue Dog is the follow-up to the much-loved Madeline
Finn and the Library Dog and both books were inspired by the Read-to-Dogs
programme at Papp’s local library where she spent the better part of a year
following the wonderful dogs and their dedicated owners. And in this new
adventure, we join Madeline Finn who has lots of responsibilities with her new adopted
puppy Star. She has to walk and feed him, and make sure he has a safe place to
sleep. But, she learns, the most important thing is love. So when Madeline
visits an animal shelter, she has lots of questions about the dogs who live
there. Do they get to play outside? Do they get to sleep under blankets? Does
anyone read to them? Does anyone tell them they love them? Madeline is
determined to help the shelter dogs but can she find a way to make each one of
them feel special? With the help of some friends and a few good books, she just
may discover that even small people can make a big difference. Love and caring
shine out from every page of this adorable and gentle story which comes with a
gallery of Papp’s soft focus illustrations in a palette of exquisite,
retro-style watercolour tones.
(Old Barn Books, paperback, £8.99)
The Big Bad Bug
Kate Read
A GREEDY bug with a penchant for bullying gets his
comeuppance in a big, bold and beautiful picture book from talented author and
illustrator Kate Read whose debut, One Fox: A Counting Book Thriller, won both
awards and plaudits. Read, who paints, dyes, prints, draws on and cuts up paper
to create collage illustrations, has fun with a magnificent minibeast
mini-drama in which little ones enjoy a richly colourful bug’s eye view of the
world. The Big Bad Bug, a self-proclaimed ‘very rare species’ is used to
getting his own way, but claiming a giant berry all for himself is a step too
far. Will he ever learn to share, and mend his bullying ways? From the bottom
of the garden to the inside of a jar of blackberries, this picture perfect
story about a self-important beetle is a humorous reminder for young children that you can’t always get your own
way, and that kindness and community are worth far more than selfishness and
bullying. Bursting with Read’s richly detailed illustrations in a palette of
rich and vibrant colours, and all accompanied by gentle, life-enhancing
messages, this is a story to share and enjoy.
(Two Hoots, hardback, £12.99)
All the Wonderful Ways to Read
Laura Baker and Sandra de la Prada
IF you want to discover the transporting wonders of reading,
take a thrilling, rollercoaster journey through the pages of an inspirational
picture book! The perfectly titled All the Wonderful Ways to Read is a joyful
rhyming romp which opens up a whole world of books and encourages youngsters to
read whatever, however and wherever they choose. ‘Books take us on journeys
that we can all share, And give us the power to go anywhere! So no matter just
how, or what book, or your speed, what I wish for NOW.... is that YOU love to
read!’ Fly to the moon, sail out to sea, sneak into dragon worlds, laugh, gasp,
cheer and read stories that you wish could go on forever. Carefully and
imaginatively written by Laura Baker and illustrated with warmth and wit by
Sandra de la Prada, the book is a glorious celebration of reading in all its
forms... ideal as inspiration for reluctant readers and a joy for little
bookworms.
(Little Tiger Press, hardback, £12.99)
Radzi’s Move Like a Cub
Radzi Chinyanganya and Aimee Wright
WELL-KNOWN children’s TV presenter and TikTok sensation
Radzi Chinyanganya gets kids rolling, waddling, prowling and swinging in a
colourful board book full of fun, action and extra cute baby animals! Radzi’s
Move Like a Cub is the perfect pre-school introduction to the joys of moving as
little ones are invited to copy their favourite baby animals. From puppies and
kittens to baby elephants and lion cubs, this eye-catching book includes a
range of simple animal movements carefully selected to engage, energise, and
then relax little ones. And as they learn to move like animals, children
develop important early learning skills and have fun naming the animals and
objects that go with each movement. Aimee Wright’s adorable illustrations bring
the baby animals to life and the simple text helps to broaden their vocabulary.
Created in a sturdy board format, the book is tailor-made for little children
to enjoy with parents, or hold by themselves, and as getting moving has many
health benefits, such as balance, co-ordination and mindfulness, this feast of
fun and action is a must for your own little cubs!
(DK, board book, £7.99)
Meet the Weather
Caryl Hart and Bethan Woollvin
HEAD for the skies and prepare for all weathers with an
exciting, multi-coloured and action-packed picture book from the top team that
brought us the acclaimed Meet the Planets and Meet the Oceans. Join in the fun
of an exciting hot-air balloon adventure with Caryl Hart’s romping rhyme and
the gorgeous, eye-catching neon illustrations of Bethan Woollvin, and get ready
to meet everything from whooshing wind and feathery, fluffy snow to bright
rainbows and shimmering sunshine. Little ones will love being swept away into
the adventures of a girl and her dog as they say hello to all the different
kinds of weather that make up our amazing world. Visit rainy rainforests, snowy
mountains and stormy seas, and enjoy the ride as science learning blends
perfectly with Hart’s rhyming story and Woollvin’s brightly coloured and
high-energy artwork. So what are you waiting for? 5, 4, 3, 2, 1... come rain or
shine, let’s take off on an unforgettable journey!
(Bloomsbury Children’s Books, paperback, £7.99)
Don't Tickle the Gorilla!
Sam Taplin and Ana Martin Larranaga
DON'T tickle the gorilla... because it might roar if you do!
Little ones will be well and truly tickled when they get their hands on this
fabulously fun and ‘feely’ sound book. There’s a gigglesome gorilla, a squawky
crane, a grunting hog and a squeaky mongoose just waiting to entertain when
toddlers give them a tickle! Tiny tots will love pressing the fluffy, touchy-feely
patches to hear the different animal sounds in this delightful novelty board book.
At the end of the story, all the animals get noisy at the same time in a
musical finale guaranteed to get everyone dancing. With Sam Taplin’s fun
narrative and the wonderfully vivid artwork of Ana Martin Larranaga bringing
the animals to life, expect loads of laughs and tons of touchy-feely, singalong
encores! Perfect for babies’ tummy time, sensory play, or simply snuggling up
at story time.
(Usborne, board book,
£12.99)
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