Age 7 plus
Extreme Planet: The Deep
Laura Cowan and Qu Lan
ARE you brave enough to delve into the chilling darkness of... the Deep? With no light, no heat and miles of sea above you, it might be the strangest, most extreme and scariest place on Earth! Delve into this fun and fascinating new book in Usborne Publishing’s new Extreme Planet flap book series exploring the hardest-to-reach places on Earth, and prepare to meet strange and unusual creatures, and explore alien worlds which never see the light of day. The mysterious, dark depths of the ocean spring to eerie life in this fascinating book written by Lucy Cowan in consultation with marine biologist Dr Diva Amon of SpeSeas and the National Geographic series Welcome to Earth.
Youngsters will love climbing inside a submersible and plunging
deep down beneath the surface, through the twilight zone and into the abyss
where the sunlight can’t reach and the weight of the water above presses down
on the creatures that live there. This is the deepest place in the entire ocean and it’s there
that readers will discover disturbing creatures, see what they eat and how they
live. From the bobfish to the vampire squid, and the yeti crab to the
cookiecutter shark, discover how these weird and wonderful creatures survive in
one the most inhospitable places on Earth. Filled with fascinating and meticulously researched facts, intriguing
flaps to lift, and brought to vivid life by the stunning illustrations of Qu
Lan, this is the perfect book for curious young minds eager to find out more
about the amazing world that lies deep in our oceans.
(Usborne, board book, £10.99)
Animal FACTopia! Follow the Trail of 400 Beastly Facts
Julie Beer and Andy Smith
ENTER a world full of feathery, scaly, slimy and furry facts! Every incredible animal fact in this magnificent book is connected in wild and hilarious ways. Simply follow a trail that hops from facts about escaping penguins to facts about sleeping meerkats, and from facts about baby snow leopards to facts about zebra stripes, and make a host of fascinating beastly discoveries. Animal FACTopia! – written by animal lover Julie Beer and brought to life by photographs and Andy Smith’s brilliant illustrations – comes from the endlessly inventive boffins at Britannica Books and is the fabulous follow-up to the bestselling books FACTopia!, Return to FACTopia! and Gross FACTopia! And as with the other titles in this dynamic series, Animal FACTopia! is verified by Encyclopaedia Britannica and doesn’t offer just one trail through a multitude of facts. Each of the 400 facts is connected to the next in a fascinating web of information where you will leapfrog from topic to topic in surprising and hilarious ways. Sometimes your path branches and you can slide down a rabbit hole to a totally different, but still connected, part of the book.
Did you know that beavers have orange teeth, that some
monkeys floss their teeth using bird feathers, that one species of bird can
walk underwater, that alligators stay underwater for longer by swallowing rocks,
that sea otters use rocks to crack open prey and that chameleons change the
colour of their skin to help them cool down? Discover facts about escaping penguins, farting zebras,
leaping dolphins, snorting elephants, dancing bears and more... all linked in the
most weird and wonderful ways. So what are you waiting for… follow your curiosity, meet a
purrfectly amazing world of animals, and get ready to roar with laughter!
(Britannica Books, hardback, £10.99)
The Unlikely Rise of Harry Sponge
Stephen Mangan and Anita Mangan
HOLD on to your sides and prepare for violent waves of
laughter as the sensational sibling team of much-loved actor Stephen Mangan and
his talented artist sister Anita roll out their third fun-filled adventure. After the runaway success of joint debut novel, Escape the
Rooms, and the hilarious The Fart That Changed the World, the dynamic duo
return with an all-action, marvellously manic and laugh-out-loud tale with a
message that any child can be a hero. Grumpy old King Chisel has a problem. He needs an heir to
his kingdom... fast! So he challenges the best kids from across the country to
compete in the Crown Duels, with the ultimate winner becoming king or queen.
Step forward champion athlete Gloria Squat-Further, mathematical genius Huxley
Beeline, artistic ace Jonny Mould, empathy expert Gossamer Fountain, and ordinary
boy Harry Sponge (definitely not to be underestimated!). The ridiculous prime
minister, Farting Bernie, is in charge and the contest swiftly descends into
chaos. Who will rise to the top and survive wild sabotaging, saggy royal pants,
the most disgusting meal ever invented, and a pair of frisky goats? Anita Mangan’s quirky and characterful illustrations are the
perfect pairing for her brother’s wild, witty and wonderful story which reminds
youngsters that you should never underestimate underdogs, and that you don’t
have to be rich, famous – or even royal – to be a winning superhero. Add on a celebration of youthful resilience, ingenuity and
heroics, and a brand of humour that will have mischief-makers giggling all the
way to the last page, and The Unlikely Rise of Harry Sponge is set to soak up
yet more much-deserved acclaim!
(Scholastic, paperback, £7.99)
Friendship Survival Guide
Caroline Young
FRIENDSHIPS are of vital importance for people of every
age... but what is a friend and why do we need them so much? Good friendships go hand-in-hand with good mental health and
this invaluable guide explores how we can make friends, how we can keep them,
what makes a good friend, and whether we need best friends. Accessible, friendly and perfectly pitched for children in
the last year at primary school and first years at secondary school, the insightful
Friendship Survival Guide is the work of writer and editor Caroline Young, with
expert advice from clinical psychologist Dr Angharad Rudkin. Friendships can be tough... and as adults, it’s difficult to
watch young people struggle with issues with friends and the impact it can have
on them so here are the tools and information to help them navigate
friendships. From recognising fake and toxic friendships and coping with
bullying and unkindness both on and offline to surviving fall-outs and
break-ups, to building resilience while successfully navigating issues around
tribes, groups and gangs, the guide comes packed with entertaining
illustrations, quizzes, tips on making friends and being a good friend
yourself, and links to further advice at Usborne Quicklinks. With friendly advice to guide youngsters through the ups and
downs and choppy waters of all kinds of friendships, this Usborne Life Skills
book is a must for home and school.
(Usborne Publishing, paperback, £6.99)
Age 8 plus
Gold Medal Mysteries: Thief on the Track
Ellie Robinson and James Lancett
(Simon & Schuster Children’s Books, paperback, £7.99)
The Adventures of Billy Shaman: The Rage of the Sea Witch
Roland Chambers
A SPIRIT fox, a talking tortoise and a shape-shifting
grandmother! There is so much to discover – and to love! – in a fascinating and
feel-good new series about exploration and discovery through the ages from
author and illustrator Roland Chambers. The Rage of the Sea Witch is the first book in the Adventures
of Billy Shaman series and introduces us to Billy, a new kind of explorer who
uses his magic to visit the past and to return the contents of the Darwin
museum to their original home. Featuring pivotal moments of discovery through the ages, Chambers
brings the past to life with a generous helping of fantasy and humour, alongside
a gallery of delightful, black and white illustrations on every spread. Shaman by name and shaman by nature, Billy just hasn’t found
his magic... yet. When his selfish, globetrotting parents (one a famous
explorer and the other a scientist) abandon him for yet another summer in the
long-gone Charles Darwin’s strange, museum-like house, Billy stumbles across a
200-year-old giant talking tortoise called... Charles Darwin. Named by the
famous man himself, Charles D, the tortoise, knows every inch of the house and
every artefact and fossil in it, and he’s keen to help Billy realise his powers
and set him on the path to adventure. A beautifully carved Inuit ivory necklace
is the first object that whisks Billy back in time to the shrieking chaos of an
Arctic blizzard to meet its rightful owner, a girl called Ahnah, her shape-shifting
grandmother, and the mysterious Greek geographer, explorer and astronomer
Pytheas. Chambers’ sparkling new series comes with an addictive
playground buzz and offers learning through fun as readers join Billy’s
worldwide adventure, make fascinating discoveries about Charles Darwin and
become explorers themselves.
(Zephyr, paperback, £7.99)
The Lost Leopard
Jonny Marx and Xuan Le
MEET Flora and Fauna, the world’s greatest explorers, and
help them track down an exceptionally rare and elusive species of wild cat!
Youngsters will love making their own exciting discoveries in this intriguing
picture book which lets little hands lift flaps and fold-outs as they join an
extraordinary adventure across rivers, through dense forests, high up into the
mighty mountains of the Himalayas and into the steamy jungle. Children’s book
editor and author Jonny Marx, and Vietnamese illustrator Xuan Le, combine their
talents to transport readers to lands far away as they follow a family on the
hunt for the amazing clouded leopard. Leading the way on this epic odyssey is
science boffin and map-reader Flora, inventor and animal tracker Fauna, and
their cute baby Bud who likes to laugh (and cry!) a lot. Packed with
fascinating facts about nature and wildlife, information on the different types
of climate throughout the world, and warnings about the blight of litter, The
Lost Leopard is both a captivating adventure and an eye-opening look at the
world around us.
(Little Tiger Press, paperback, £7.99)
Leonora Bolt: Eco Engineer
Lucy Brandt and Gladys Jose
WELCOME back to Crabby Island, home of the amazing secret
inventor Leonora Bolt, the girl who makes incredible gadgets from any old junk.
If you haven’t already met the resourceful Leonora in this super-sparkling Leonora
Bolt: Secret Inventor series – written by Lucy Brandt and illustrated by Gladys
Jose – then get ready to giggle and gasp at her hilarious adventures alongside
a wonderfully wacky cast of characters. In her third laugh-out-loud eco-mission,
Leonora faces a new battle with her terrifying Uncle Luther whose evil plans
have already included kidnapping her super-scientist parents. And this time, he
has hatched another outrageously evil plan to make his fortune. BrightWorld is
a brand new amusement park built under a massive snow globe and hidden in the
Perilous Desert, a blistering expanse of hot nothingness. The park is an
environmental disaster, yet tickets are selling in their millions! What's Uncle
Luther’s secret? Together with her friends and pet otter Twitchy Nibbles,
secret inventor Leonora must battle sandstorms, navigate the Bizarre Bazaar, save
her parents, and shut down Luther... for good. Filled with fun, friendship,
fantastic inventions and epic adventures, this clever and creative series
provides bags of comedy and entertainment, as well as gentle reminders about
the fragility of our planet.
(Puffin, paperback, £7.99)
Silver Linings
Fiona Woodcock
OPPOSITES attract, yin and yang, the perfect balance...
whichever way you look at author and illustrator Fiona Woodcock’s moving
picture book, Silver Linings, it’s a true celebration of harmony, empathy and
friendship! Published by Greenwillow Books, an imprint of HarperCollins,
this wise and wonderfully created book is brimming with imagination, emotional
intelligence and welcome positivity as neighbours, Pip and Parker, prove that
being very different can be the ideal recipe for the closest, strongest
friendships. Pip and Parker live next door to each other and are such
good friends that sometimes they don’t even need words to communicate. If
something goes wrong, Parker (who always looks on the bright side) helps Pip
see the silver lining. When the clouds roll in, Pip sees a day spoiled by rain,
but Parker sees a chance to play a fun cloud guessing game! When Pip accidently
drops her sweet strawberry snack into her lemonade, she’s certain disaster has
struck. But Parker finds a reason to celebrate their unexpected pink lemonade!
But what will happen when Parker makes a mistake and needs a little
encouragement, too? Can Pip cheer him up and show him the silver lining? Woodcock gives her stylish illustrations a palette of soft,
pastel shades to reflect the warm and gentle understanding between the two
close friends... one who tries always to be positive, and one who can’t help
but feel the negatives. Through words and pictures – which deliver a glorious
celebration of imagination, mutual support and loyalty – little ones learn that
even when their plans go awry, friends can provide the comfort, reassurance and
cheerful positivity that they need. Fun to read aloud, Silver Linings is perfect for bedtime,
story time, and for use in the classroom.
(Greenwillow Books, hardback, £12.99)
Amy Gets Eaten
Adam Kay and Henry Paker
FORMER doctor Adam Kay – and his partner in slime, aka
illustrator Henry Paker – takes youngsters on a pooey, gooey adventure through
the human body in their gross (but amazingly anatomically accurate!) new book. Amy Gets Eaten is the first picture book from the winning
author/illustrator team which created the bestselling middle-grade non-fiction
titles, Kay’s Anatomy and Kay’s Marvellous Medicine, and follows a piece of
sweetcorn on a fascinating but squelchy journey through the human digestive
system. So meet Amy, the small piece of sweetcorn who is eaten by
Noah, a medium-sized boy. Travel with her, and share laughs and yucks, as she zooms
down Noah’s throat, arrives in his stomach, takes a twisting, turning ride
through the intestines and discovers lots of facts about digestion, including
how different foods help us stay fit, strong and well. Kay and award-winning comedian, writer and illustrator Paker
are on their best writing and illustrating form in this laughter-filled picture
book which blends riotous humour with hard facts, and proves that the functions
of the human body can be interesting as well as rather disgusting! Ideal as a teaching tool, and perfect for parents who might
learn a little bit too...
(Puffin, paperback, £7.99)
The Very Hungry Caterpillar’s Jungle Hide & Seek
Eric Carle
COME and play in the jungle... and discover some amazing
wildlife! Little ones will love joining the Very Hungry Caterpillar in this
interactive board book written and illustrated by the remarkable author and
illustrator Eric Carle. Carle, who died in 2021 at the age of 91, was the acclaimed
American creator of brilliantly illustrated and innovatively designed picture
books for very young children but his best-known work was undoubtedly The Very
Hungry Caterpillar which has been translated into 70 languages and sold over 55
million copies. In this beautiful board book – with its gentle, rhyming
narrative, die-cut finger trails and details, and a chunky flap on every page –
the Very Hungry Caterpillar is playing hide and seek in the jungle. Follow the
finger trails and lift the flaps to discover sleeping sloths, swooping parrots,
crawling tigers and many more creatures. There is so much for little hands to
explore in this fun, first introduction to jungle creatures, their names and
their habitats. Following finger trails and lifting flaps encourages babies and
toddlers to be curious about the world and the creatures who live in it. Add on
lively illustrations in vibrant colours, and you have the perfect early
learning package!
(Puffin, board book, £7.99)
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