Age 7 plus
Disgustingly Delicious
Soledad Romero Mariño and
Montse Galbany
FROG shake, fermented birds, wriggling live octopus, fried
tarantula... if these gruesome dishes were spotted on a menu, many of us would
turn tail and flee! But in a fascinating new book exploring some of the world’s
most disgusting-sounding delicacies, author Soledad Romero Mariño and
illustrator Montse Galbany invite youngsters to get a taste of how history and
culture have shaped popular food items from different countries around the
world, and why they might not be so gross after all. So if you think eating broccoli or anchovies sounds
unappealing, just wait until you hear what’s on the dinner table in other
countries... stewed cow’s intestines, jellied eels, gigantic tuna eyeballs, maggot
cheese, poo coffee, blood soup, hairy caterpillars, and, this writer’s
favourite, stinky tofu (a cross between rotten rubbish and smelly feet
according to experts!) These might sound more like the ingredients to make witches’
potions, but no, they are, apparently, delicious and exclusive dishes served in
countries as diverse as Cambodia, Tanzania, Greenland, Sweden, Japan and
Southern Africa. Whilst every page might not make your mouth water, the aim
of Disgustingly Delicious is to question what we consider disgusting and to
show the incredible diversity and creativity of the world's cuisine. Dish by dish, readers also discover surprising stories and
historical facts like the lucrative nature of the hairy caterpillar business in
Africa, the very healthy nutrients that can be obtained from using blood as
food, and the sheer expense of lashing out on a meal that includes ant larvae
in Mexico. Filled with weird and wonderful food, fun discoveries, and
giant helpings of the gross factor, this brilliantly offbeat book will help you
keep an open mind – but maybe a closed mouth!
(Orange Mosquito, hardback, £12.99)
Marvellous Maps
Simon Kuestenmacher and
Margarida Esteves
DID you know that the Pacific Ocean is so big that you could
fit all the countries in the world into it? Prepare to explore our world as you’ve never before seen it
– and enjoy a veritable treasure trove of quirky facts – in a spectacular new
book featuring amazing stories of planet Earth. Marvellous Maps, written by Australian Simon Kuestenmacher,
a rising star in data animation and interpretation, and illustrated by
London-based artist Margarida Esteves, contains a wealth of information and
fabulous artwork, all laid out in a fun, fascinating and unique map form. Maps are a powerful, visual way of exploring information
but, even so, Kuestenmacher reminds us, each of the maps in the book displays
just ‘a small portion of the endlessly complex world we live in.’ From nature
to history, and from mythology to technology, these beautifully illustrated
maps bring all kinds of information to life. Find out why you need to travel the world to make a
pepperoni pizza, how much of the moon Neil Armstrong explored, why the world
looks like a cat playing with Australia, how Odysseus made his legendary
journey and where to see the Northern Lights. Learn about the amazing travels
of Marco Polo, and if you want to know where the world’s dog and cat breeds
come from, what the Earth looked like 170 million years ago, where the best place
in the world is to put up a solar panel, how to find the hidden scene in the
map of the USA, who brings Christmas presents across Europe, and even what the
Earth looks like to dolphins, then dive into this coruscating cornucopia of
knowledge. Reading fun all magically mapped out...
(Welbeck Editions, hardback, £20)
I am Oliver the Otter
Pam Ayres and Nicola O’Byrne
‘I am Oliver the otter, and my fur is thick and glossy, I
live
along the riverbank where rounded stones are mossy.’
POET writer, broadcaster, entertainer and nature lover Pam
Ayres is back to win hearts and minds with an otterly beautiful new rhyming
picture book which celebrates otters – one of the best-loved stars of the
natural world – whilst highlighting the environmental challenges that these
endearing creatures face. Brought to life by the outstanding and exquisite illustrations
of artist Nicola O’Byrne, I am Oliver the Otter will enchant readers young and
old as we follow Oliver from his days on the riverbank to his meeting with the
adorable Ottilie and the birth of his family of little otters. Oliver spends his life pottering on the riverbank. He likes
to chat and sometimes whistle like a bird, but like most otters, he is a
solitary creature... until he meets a lady otter called Ottilie, the silkiest
and nicest otter he’d ever seen. The rest, as they say, is history! Come on down to the riverbank, and discover a wild and
wonderful world! Oliver, like most otters, is happy enough living alone,
swimming, chatting, whistling like a bird, or scampering along the
twisty-rooted waterways. Until one day, among the green rushes, he meets a lady
otter called Ottilie, and his life changes forever! With a serious environmental message lovingly and gently imparted
in Ayres’ beautiful verse, items for youngsters to spot, a sprinkling of
fascinating facts about otters and a fuller end section with more detail about
their way of life, how to spot them and
the threat to their habitats from pollution, this glorious book acts as both
entertainment and education. Add on O’Byrne enchanting illustrations of the natural
world, and a gorgeous foiled jacket, and you have the perfect picture book!
(Macmillan Children’s Books, hardback, £12.99)
Lily Grim and The City of Undone
Andy Ruffell
GET ready to be transported into a dark and dazzling mystery
set in a dystopian world where a terrifying villain stalks a girl with a
powerful gift... and danger lurks at every turn. Born and raised in Kent, Andy Ruffell studied English
Literature at Sheffield University and stayed on in Yorkshire to work as a
teacher and head teacher for nearly 18 years. And now this honorary Northerner
has won the Hachette New Writing North Prize for his scintillating middle grade
debut novel Lily Grim and The City of Undone. A gloriously atmospheric gothic fantasy adventure, with
friendship at its heart, this tale of a girl abandoned on a doorstep in the
eerie city of Undone when she was a baby, and now battling to discover just who
she really is, is packed with chills, thrills and a sense of menace that will
enthral young readers. Lily Grim's life is a mystery. She has lived with her elderly
guardian Gabriel in their rundown, second-hand shop in the City of Undone for
as long as she can remember. For years, the city dwellers have lived in uneasy
discord with The Others, a community of wanderers forced to shelter within the
city walls after years of severe floods drove them from their nomadic camps in
the wilderness. But Undone is a dark and dangerous place to live, especially
if you’re an Other. Feared for their special gifts, they are persecuted by the
cruel Master of the City, and taken to the Ring... a prison from which few ever
return. When the Master captures Gabriel and throws him into the Ring, Lily is
saved by a young Other boy called Dekka. He introduces her to a whole
Otherworld that exists beneath the City of Undone. To her astonishment, Lily
discovers she is an Other too – with powerful gifts – and is now in grave
danger because the Master wants her dead. But why? Can Lily find answers about
who she is, and where she’s from, and can her new friends rescue Gabriel...
before it’s too late? Ruffell packs in all those ingredients that children love...
fast-paced adventure, breathtaking world building, compulsive storytelling,
more twists and turns than a snakes and ladders board, and a cast of amazing
creatures and characters that will stay long in the memory. Don’t miss it!
(Hodder Children’s Books, paperback, £7.99)
Son of the Sea
Richard Pickard
YOUNGSTERS are set to fall hook, line and sinker for this
marvellous and magical tale of a mysterious web-toed boy from the talented Richard
Pickard whose debut novel, The Peculiar Tale of the Tentacle Boy, won the
inaugural Times/Chicken House Chairman’s Choice Award in 2019 and was
longlisted for the Branford Boase Award 2022. In this second whimsical,
wondrous novel, set in a mysterious and atmospheric seaside town, we are
plunged not just into the ocean, but into the life of Casper Delmare who
(though he doesn’t yet know it) was born to swim. His feet were the first
clue... Casper dreams of swimming the Channel. Surely, he was born to use his
webbed toes but instead, he is strictly forbidden to go near water... not even
in the neighbour’s pond. But when his parents have an unlucky accident, Casper
is sent to stay with a grandmother he’s never met... and it’s there that he discovers
his special tie to the sea. Once again, Pickard impresses with his ability to
conjure up a unique and magical storyline powered by the might of the sea, the
endless attraction of a dark and seemingly impenetrable mystery, and the
heartwarming dynamics of family life. Overflowing with its sense of adventure,
warm wit, LGBTQ+ representation and a message of acceptance, Son of the Sea is
guaranteed to float the boat of all young adventurers!
(Chicken House, paperback, £7.99)
Age 8 plus
The Boy Who Stole the Pharaoh’s Lunch
Karen McCombie and Anneli Bray
(Barrington Stoke, paperback, £7.99)
Surprisingly Sarah
Terri Libenson
SCHOOL is full of challenges and choices… just ask Sarah!
She has to decide if she’s brave enough to ask out her crush, or set to lose
her nerve and miss out on her big chance. Youngsters can make their own choices
on this weighty matter in the brilliantly empathetic new book in the
bestselling Emmie & Friends graphic novel series from bestselling US author
and cartoonist Terri Libenson. In her much-loved, trademark style, Libenson’s
latest look at middle school life is packed full of her lively illustrations
and is perfectly pitched at the eight-plus age group who are just starting to
learn the ways of the world. Here young readers can decide for themselves
between two choices, two storylines, and one surprise ending as Sarah faces her
‘to do or not to do’ dilemma. Sarah and Leo have been BFFs since they were
little. They share everything... until Sarah starts getting a crush on Leo’s
friend Ben. And one day Sarah is suddenly faced with her big moment and big
choice... ask Ben to the school dance OR chicken out! Either way, Sarah and
Leo’s friendship will be put to the test. Which one would you choose? Libenson’s
funny, tender and heartfelt story, which lets youngsters choose between one
storyline in which Sarah finds the courage to approach Leo, and one in which
she can’t face it, is full of relatable incidents, dialogue and friendship
issues which are guaranteed to appeal to young readers.
(HarperCollins, paperback, £8.99)
Age 7 plus
Max Magic: The Greatest Show on Earth
Stephen Mulhern, Tom Easton and Begoña Fernández Corbalán
(Piccadilly Press, paperback, £7.99)
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Boats! (and other things that float)
Bryony Davies and Maria Brzozowska
AHOY there! Do you love lifeboats, would you like to dive
deep into the ocean in a submarine, or would you fancy racing a dragon boat? Youngsters will be raring to jump aboard and discover
hundreds of seafaring vessels in this visually exciting introduction to sailing
which lets young boat enthusiasts discover a huge variety of fantastic ships
from around the world. Written by Bryony Davies and colourfully illustrated by Maria
Brzozowska, Boats! includes a gorgeous gallery of busy scenes with lots of rich
detail to explore, large cut-away images, and spreads filled with different
kinds of boats. Each double-page spread features a different group of boats
and other watercraft, such as helpful lifeboats, racing dragon boats, and super
submarines. Discover gigantic schooners, towering cruise ships, rowing, fishing
and record-breaking boats from around the world, plus hard-working ships such
as icebreakers, powerful tugboats and fireboats. There’s also a chance to
explore inside a car ferry, visit a floating market and find out just how a
boat floats in the first place. Filled with hundreds of different boats, ships, subs, and
other wonderful watercraft, even the most avid young boat fanatic will discover
new vessels they haven’t seen before. So what are you waiting for... hoist the
sail and let’s go!
(Welbeck Children’s Books, paperback, £7.99)
Sunny Side Up
Clare Helen Welsh and Ana Sanfelippo
WHEN you change the way you look at the world, the world you
look at changes. Author Clare Helen Welsh and Argentinian illustrator Ana
Sanfelippo combine their creative talents on a clever, novelty picture book
which explores the power and strength that can come from cognitive behavioural
therapy (CBT). Using cut-outs and flaps to transform the world around us, this
eye-catching book perfectly illustrates the impact that reframing your thoughts
can have. When you put on your sunny-side specs, a bad mood can become a good
mood, a goodbye can become a hello, and even the impossible can become
possible! But sometimes, no matter how hard you try, the sunny side seems far
away. And that’s OK. Sunny things will be there to discover whenever you are
ready. Welsh’s warm, emotional book empowers readers to take control of their
thoughts and choose how THEY see the world, showing young readers the beauty of
changing your perspective. Cleverly designed peep-through pages and the
innovative flaps allow children to transform each scene. The final cut-out even
lets readers hold up the book to try on their own sunny-side specs! With an
accessible, empathetic text and stylish illustrations, Sunny Side Up is the
ideal book for exploring difficult emotions.
(Little Tiger Press, hardback, £12.99)
This Girl Can Be a Bit Shy
Stephanie Stansbie and
Hazel Quintanilla
AFTER meeting rumbunctious Ruby in Stephanie Stansbie and
Hazel Quintanilla’s empowering picture book, This Girl Can Do Anything, we know
that this feisty little girl most definitely knows what she wants, and that NOTHING
is going to stop her. But in the second book of the series, we discover that some
days Ruby is brave, bouncy and chat-chat-chatty but on other days, she is not –
and that’s OK! Author Stansbie, a children’s books editor, captures the very
essence of a child’s psyche in this funny and heartwarming story which celebrates
the power of listening to your emotions and speaking up. Brought to life by
Quintanilla’s exquisitely characterful, retro illustrations, lovable Ruby is the
ultimate feisty role model to show young girls how to harness their voice and
inner strength, and be the heroines of their own story. With an underlying
message about setting boundaries and consent, This Girl Can Be a Bit Shy is filled
with important messages – and lots of fun – and is ideal to share with both girls
and boys.
(Little Tiger Press, hardback, £12.99)
Big
Vashti Harrison
‘Once there was a girl/with a big laugh
and a big heart/and
very big dreams.’
THE opening lines of US award-winning graphic designer and
illustrator Vashti Harrison’s picture book sets the scene for a moving story
inspired by the author’s own experiences of growing up as a Black girl in a ‘big
body’ in a world that celebrates small. Filled with bold but exquisite
illustrations, Big is a beautiful book about body positivity and
self-acceptance whilst reminding readers that words can both empower and cause a
legacy of pain. The big baby girl who was loved and feted eventually grew and
grew and grew. And it was good... until it wasn’t. Because when the girl grows
big, the world begins to make her feel small. She feels out of place and
invisible, and soon she isn’t herself at all. But with the girl’s size comes huge
inner strength... and this helps her look past the hurtful words to see how
perfect she really is. Accompanied by striking artwork and a fold-out flap, Harrison’s
quietly reassuring and accessible story explores the experience of being big
and, in her author’s note, she reminds us all that in the end, the girl’s body
isn’t a problem that needs fixing, but ‘the implicit biases we all hold.’
(Puffin, hardback, £12.99)
My Brother is an Avocado
Tracy Darnton and Yasmeen Ismail
WHEN there’s a new baby on the way, it’s hard for little
siblings to contain their curiosity, enthusiasm... and patience! So here’s the
perfect picture book to guide them through all the stages – and sizes – of
growing a baby... using natural food items as a parallel. My Brother is an
Avocado has been created by the exciting new partnership of acclaimed YA author
and now picture book writer Tracy Darnton and award-winning author, illustrator
and animator Yasmeen Ismail. It’s hard to wait for a new baby to join the
family, especially when it’s still growing inside Mum’s tummy. But when Dad
describes the size of the baby at each stage, one little girl imagines, while
she waits, all the fun she can have with her baby brother as a teeny-tiny poppy
seed, then a grape, then a lemon. But she’s not quite sure how she feels about
having an avocado for a brother, or an onion, or – gulp – a watermelon! With
its warm and funny stage-by-stage tour through all the sizes of a growing baby,
this joyful and imaginative picture book playfully explores the loooong waiting
game for a much-anticipated new sibling – and has an adorable twist at the end!
(Simon & Schuster Children’s Books, paperback, £7.99)
Grandads Are the Greatest
Ben Faulks and Nia Tudor
GRANDADS have a special relationship with their
grandchildren and as Father’s Day approaches, it’s the perfect time to pay them
a loving a tribute. Grandads Are the Greatest comes from the creative
partnership of actor, presenter and children’s author Ben Faulks and
illustrator Nia Tudor who loves filling her artwork with colour, texture and
the small detail that keeps youngsters glued to the page. Every grandad is
different ... but they’re ALL special! Is your grandad an adventurer or an
explorer? Is he a builder, an inventor, or a magician? Whatever your grandad
does, you can be sure he loves you! With a bouncy, irresistible rhyming text and
wonderfully diverse range of grandads from many different backgrounds and
professions to enjoy, Faulks brings us a joyous and playful celebration of
wonderful grandads and the love they have for their grandchildren. Add on
Tudor’s heartfelt and enchanting illustrations, and you have the perfect gift
for all the generations.
(Bloomsbury Children’s Books, paperback, £7.99)
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