Age 8 plus
Arkspire
Jamie Littler
MAGIC, mayhem and misfits! Welcome to the world of Arkspire...
a city of twists, turns, tricksters and extraordinary secrets which only one
girl can uncover. Jamie Littler, renowned creator of the bestselling
Frostheart books, is back to amaze and entertain us with an extraordinary new
middle-grade fantasy series full of thrills, chills, comedy and the talented
author-illustrator’s stunning artwork. Arkspire is a city obsessed by magic. The five Arcanists – a
group of all-powerful magicians – have protected the great city for as long as
anyone can remember. Within the hustle and bustle of these cobbled streets
lives Juniper Bell, a thief who would do anything for her family... even her
unbelievably annoying twin sister, Elodie. Then one night, something incredible happens. A mysterious
stolen relic (nothing to do with Juni, ahem) explodes, revealing a mysterious
creature, Cinder, who appears to ‘bond’ with Juni. Problem is that the only
creatures that are like Cinder are allegedly dangerous enemies of the Arcanists...
and it's not long before they turn their attention to Juni. Soon Juni, Cinder
and everyone she loves are pulled into an extraordinary world of magic, power
and prestige... but also grave danger. It seems the world Juni thought she knew
is nothing but a lie, and now only Juni and Cinder can bring it down. Magic – powerful magic – lies at the beating heart of
Littler’s masterful new series as Juni must pretend to be something she isn’t,
struggle to survive living a lie, and cope with a magical creature that has
been inadvertently freed from its ancient prison. Packed with the sort of fabulous characters we have come to
expect from Littler, glorious illustrations, and a mesmerising story that
reminds us to never give in to self-doubt and to treasure our friends and
family, this is storytelling and adventure at its very best.
(Puffin, paperback, £7.99)
Lottie Brooks’s Totally
Disastrous School-Trip
Katie Kirby
‘Woe is me. So much is wrong in my life... 1. Still look
like a tomato
2. Am stuck indoors whilst my friends go bowling without me (RUDE)
3. My parents are leaving me to go out on a ‘Date Night.’ GROSS!'
IF the tone of that message strikes a chord, then you’ll be
heading straight off to the shops to buy the fourth brilliant book in Katie
Kirby’s hilarious and relatable tales of Lottie Brooks’ adventures and misadventures...
part of a runaway successful series that is being devoured by readers in the
unique ‘tweenage’ years. Kirby, who writes and illustrates this perfectly pitched
series, has a natural gift for finding humour in recognisable, everyday
challenges, and the mega-funny Lottie Brooks books capture all the
giggle-worthy and cringe-inducing essence of this often awkward pre-teen time
of life. And after Lottie’s mirth-making mishaps in The Extremely
Embarrassing Life of Lottie Brooks, The Catastrophic Friendship Fails of Lottie
Brooks and The Mega-Complicated Crushes of Lottie Brooks, she’s back for more
extremely embarrassing adventures on a residential school trip. After a summer of meeting handsome French boys and getting a
tiny bit sunburnt (OK, fine... a lot sunburnt), Lottie is heading off on a
week-long residential school trip to a place called Camp Firefly. It’s going to
be a whole week away from embarrassing parents and little brother Toby’s tasty
air biscuits! But the trip soon turns into a total disaster. The other girls
staying at the camp are MEGA-MEAN, best friend Jess is spending all her time
with the new girl, super smiley Isha, and Lottie’s diary gets stolen! Who knew that
a school trip could cause so much DRAMA?! Lottie once more navigates the pitfalls and perils of
growing up in this fantastically funny and yet wonderfully life-affirming new story
which is filled with friendship troubles, pre-teen politics and embarrassing
moments, and is guaranteed to have young readers giggling, gasping and cringing
all the way to the start of their own new term!
(Puffin, paperback, £7.99)
Alex Neptune, Monster Avenger
David Owen and George Ermos
INDIANA Jones meets Pirates of the Caribbean in another
ultimate treasure-hunting, puzzle-solving ocean adventure from David Owen, the
exciting author whose YA debut novel, Panther, was longlisted for the Carnegie
Medal. Monster Avenger is the third book of Owen’s thrilling, all-action and
fun-filled Alex Neptune series for younger readers which was inspired by his
self-confessed love for nail-biting heists, fantastical monsters and heartfelt
friendships. At its core is Alex, the
boy born with the power of the ocean in his hands. In his new mission, Alex
finds that the sea creatures near Haven Bay are acting very strangely,
attacking boats, and he senses some dark power is controlling them. When he
tracks down his friend the water dragon, he finds it has been infected too. If
he can’t find a way to stop it, the deadly parasite the water dragon is carrying
could spread throughout the seas. After battling storms, electric eels and an
army of angry crabs, Alex realises that the only way that he and his team can
save the dragon and all their ocean friends is by going inside the dragon... With the power of the sea at the centre of a
fast-flowing story, the weirdest cast of characters this side of the tide, eco
themes that speak as loudly as the crashing of the waves and the
fantastic illustrations of George Ermos, this sparkling maritime odyssey is
must reading for all adventure lovers!
(Usborne Publishing, paperback, £7.99)
Super Ghost
Greg James, Chris Smith and Amy Nguyen
AWARD-WINNING authors and Radio 1 broadcasters, Greg James and
Chris Smith, team up again for a superhero adventure that is guaranteed to have
readers laughing all the way to Paragon City! This is the top team that gave us the hilarious Kid Normal series,
and the guffaw-inducing The Great Dream Robbery, so expect to split your sides
and giggle till your tummy hurts when you join them on this action-packed
journey into the unknown. It's just another day at the office for world-famous
superhero Doctor Extraordinary as he battles his arch-nemesis Captain Chaos in
yet another epic showdown. Unfortunately this one doesn’t quite go to plan and
they both get blown up inside a giant robot. Doc Ex’s number-one fan,
twelve-year-old Sonny Nelson, is devastated. A world without heroes is totally
rubbish! But things take an even more extraordinary turn when Doctor Ex returns
as a ghost and only Sonny can see him. With Paragon City under attack from cute
baby pandas, Sonny and his best friend, Spot, must help Doctor Extraordinary
save the world one final time. There are laughs aplenty in this tale of thrills, spills, chaos
and crystals as James and Smith plunge youngsters into their unforgettable
comedy caper which has a big, warm heart and carries inspirational messages
about friendship, family and what it takes to be a real hero. Add on the fabulous illustrations of Vietnamese artist Amy
Nguyen, and the unforgettable grinning pandas, and you have the perfect book
for your own young adventurers!
(Puffin, paperback, £7.99)
Art is Everywhere
Joe Haddow and Ellie Hawes
IF you thought that art was just pictures on the walls of a
gallery, then you’re in for a BIG surprise when you turn the pages of a fun and
fascinating new book from Joe Haddow, the leading light of the BBC Radio 2 Book
Club. Haddow, whose CV includes being a drummer, radio producer,
podcast presenter, art collector and a passionate music fan, is a passionate
advocate of the arts, and one of his most recent projects is working with Soho
House on their How To Be An Artist podcast series. And now he’s on a mission to teach youngsters that ‘art’ has
many different forms – drawing, colouring, writing, poetry, music, film, TV –
and wants to share how joyful and inspiring those arts can be, and how great
are the people who make ‘art.’ Packed with the engaging and accessible illustrations of
artist and designer Ellie Hawes, Art is Everywhere explores the concept of ‘the
artist,’ explaining to young readers that while an artist can be someone
holding a paintbrush and standing in front of an easel, the term artists can
means so much more. So whether you sing, draw, write, dance, paint, act, play an
instrument or tell jokes, or if you are just wanting to find out how to
discover what kind of artist you want to be, this inspiring, friendly guide to
art and why it matters is the perfect springboard to a future in the arts.
(UCLan Publishing, paperback, £7.99)
The Lucky Bottle
Chris Wormell
AHOY, me hearties, here’s a super swashbuckling tale of
pirates and witchcraft that is sure to cast a magic spell! Chris Wormell, one
of Britain’s most celebrated author-illustrators, sweeps young readers across
the ocean to a little desert island for a rip-roaring adventure with a young
Robinson Crusoe-esque castaway called Jack Bobbins. Ten-year-old Jack is
stranded on a desert island with no way to get home. He’s been very lucky… he
has survived a terrible storm and the mysterious island he has found himself on
has a kindly (if unusual) inhabitant, fresh water and plenty of food. But Jack
needs to find his way home and as he uncovers incredible hidden treasures on
the little island, he starts to formulate a plan… a plan that will involve
witchcraft, terrifying sea monsters and pirates! But if Jack is going to
succeed he will need to be very, very lucky. Packed with Wormell’s evocative
and atmospheric illustrations, The Lucky Bottle is a thrilling visual and
verbal adventure, full of exhilarating escapades, unexpected friendships,
danger, daring and a big dollop of magic. Storytelling and illustration in
perfect harmony!
(David Fickling Books, paperback, £7.99)
Agent 9: Flood-a-geddon!
James Burks
ADVENTURE-LOVING readers will be purring with joy when they
get their hands on the first book of an outrageously funny new graphic novel
series from James Burks, the talented US movie and television show animator and
author. Leading the feline fun and cat-orchestrated chaos is Agent 9
of the Super-Secret Spy Service... a fearless feline operative who seems to
court danger, daring, and some unfortunate destruction! The Super-Secret Spy Service's mission is to keep the world
safe from maniacal villains. And Agent 9 is one of its best operatives.
Although Nine always manages to complete the mission, there is occasionally
some collateral damage (like the priceless Pigasso painting that was destroyed
while foiling an art heist). So Agent 9 is now on probation but when bumbling
supervillain King Crab manages to overtake S4 headquarters, there is no one
else to turn to. Nine – along with a robotic partner named FiN – is all that
stands between King Crab and his diabolical plans to melt the polar ice caps
and build a massive water park. Can Agent 9 prove to be the right cat for the
job by overcoming impulsive behaviour and saving the world from a complete
flood-a-geddon? Fast, furious and hair-raisingly hilarious, Agent 9’s
madcap, spy thriller-style adventures are guaranteed to leave youngsters
gasping for breath and crying with laughter. With comedy and chaos on every
page, Burks’ special brand of one-liners, and lots of brilliant illustrations
to enjoy, readers will be counting down to the next outing for Agent 9 in
October!
(Piccadilly Press, paperback, £8.99)
There are Reptiles Everywhere
Camilla de la Bedoyere and Britta Teckentrup
PULL on your sturdy boots and get ready to track down some
of the world’s most amazing reptiles! There are Reptiles Everywhere – with its stunning
gold-foiled cover – is the third in a series of non-fiction books illustrated
by bestselling artist Britta Teckentrup, teaching where in the world all sorts
of reptiles can be found, and revealing some of the weird and wonderful things
about them that it’s hard to believe are true. Written by Camilla de la Bedoyere, who has an academic
background in zoology, and sumptuously illustrated by Teckentrup, this
beautiful book explores the world of reptiles and brings these wonderful
creatures to life through fascinating facts and rich and vibrant colours. This fabulously illustrated introduction to everyone’s
favourite cold-blooded creatures is full of bitesize facts. Learn more about
reptilian anatomy, natural habitats, conservation efforts, migration patterns,
survival strategies and extinct species. Who would have guessed that the world of reptiles is so
varied, so intriguing... and so brightly coloured!
(Big Picture Press, paperback, £8.99)
Crow
Nicola Skinner and Rebecca Bagley
ESCAPING into her own little world seems the best way for
Hattie to cope with her worries about moving to a new home and a new school.
But she hadn’t reckoned on her extraordinary new ‘friend’ making it even more
difficult to fit in! A magical wish goes bizarrely wrong in critically
acclaimed children’s author Nicola Skinner’s brilliant Barrington Stoke
debut... a surreal and funny schoolyard tale brought to life by the atmospheric
illustrations of Rebecca Bagley, and published in Barrington Stoke’s
dyslexia-friendly format. After moving from the busy, bustling city of Bristol
to a village in Somerset, lonely Hattie Mole feels out of place at her new school
and creates a scarecrow called Crow. Hattie wants him to guard the den she
finds in the playground, the only place she feels happy and comfortable. Poor
Crow really just wants to have fun with the other children, but he takes his
job for Hattie very seriously and his behaviour starts to get scarier and
scarier. Will Hattie realise that Crow is ruining her chance to make new
friends before it’s too late? Skinner’s unique voice shines through in this
fantastical comical and enthralling tale which explores relatable anxieties
around friendship and starting a new school, and is perfectly pitched for
middle grade readers.
(Barrington Stoke, paperback, £7.99)
Princess Katie’s Kittens:
Pixie at the Palace & Bella at the Ball
Julie Sykes and Sam Loman
WELCOME to Starlight Palace and enjoy princesses, kittens and sparkly fun! Princess Katie’s Kittens – an adorable series written by ace storyteller Julie Sykes and illustrated by creative artist Sam Loman hits the spot perfectly for youngsters just moving on to chapter books. In Pixie at the Palace, the first book in the series, we meet Princess Katie who lives in a beautiful palace in the kingdom of Tula. Her greatest wish is for a cat of her own so when she finds six little kittens abandoned in the forest, she just has to take them home! But when one of the kittens goes missing, can Princess Katie and her best friend Becky find little Pixie and bring him safely back to Starlight Palace?
(Piccadilly Press, paperback, £6.99 each)
Age 5 plus
Itty Bitty Princess Kitty: The Royal Ball
Melody Mews and Ellen Stubbings
(Simon & Schuster Children’s Books, paperback, £5.99)
Tiny, the Secret Adventurer
Aisha Bushby and Kübra Teber
BEING teeny weeny doesn’t mean you can’t have big, scary and
exciting adventures! Aisha Bushby, author of a string of children’s books, lets
her imagination take flight for a beautiful new early reader chapter book
series which comes complete with the gorgeous illustrations of Turkish artist Kübra
Teber. Tiny is a small creature with a big heart living in Oakwood Primary
School garden. Her animal neighbours don’t like her because she looks like a
human. They think humans are big, noisy and messy... and they’re scared of her.
But when Frog is in danger, Tiny comes to the rescue and makes new friends too!
With its inclusive, heartwarming adventure story, a gallery of adorable
illustrations, and the cutest star player this side of the school’s garden
wall, little readers are destined to fall in love with Tiny!
(Usborne Publishing, paperback, £5.99)
The Midnight Babies
Isabel Greenberg
AWARD-WINNING illustrator, comic artist, and writer Isabel
Greenberg makes even the weariest parent raise a smile in a fun and fantastical
bedtime adventure starring babies battling the thing they hate most at
bedtime.... sleep! The Midnight Babies – with its army of rebellious babies
joining forces to defy their night time nemesis sleep – is a gloriously
whimsical picture book fusion of fantasy, fun, feisty infants and fabulous
illustrations guaranteed to capture the imagination of both parents and their
little ones. Greenberg turns the concept of winding down for bedtime on its
head with this hilarious, tongue-in-cheek nocturnal-themed anti-lullaby that
will strike a chord with wide-eyed toddlers and sleepy parents everywhere. Surely
bedtime shouldn’t be this much fun!
(Abrams Books for Young Readers, hardback, £12.99)
Dinos Don’t Give Up!
Smriti Halls and Richard Merritt
ENJOY a summer-themed, tidal feast of fast-flowing words,
and a sunshine gallery of big, bold illustrations, in a fantastic, fun-filled
picture book from award-winning author Smriti Halls and star illustrator
Richard Merritt. Dinos Don’t Give Up! is an enchanting, rhyming tale about
discovering your true grit and firing up your determination, and stars Diplodocus
Dinah who 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 there’s more to having fun (like a shared hug and
cuddle!) than winning? Filled with gentle humour and youthful joie-de-vivre,
this inspiring story of brilliance, resilience and getting back on your feet is
packed with encouragement to face adversity, hidden details on every page, and
an assortment of everyone’s favourite dinos! Perfect for sharing and reading
aloud...
(Little Tiger Press, paperback, £7.99)
Age 2 plus
Never, Ever, Ever Ask a Pirate to a Party
Clare Helen Welsh and Anne-Kathrin Behl
(Nosy Crow, paperback, £7.99)
The Thunk
Michelle Robinson and Deborah Allwright
THERE'S a world of adventure just waiting to be discovered
in a gloriously fresh, funny and whimsical picture book from award-winning
Michelle Robinson who lives with her family in a village called Tatamagouche in
Nova Scotia, Canada. With a clever, comical story celebrating the power of the
imagination and the joys of friendship, Robinson’s flawless rhyming text
transports us to a land of colour, comical creatures... and terrible smells! So
meet Hector Voltaire, a young explorer who can’t wait to discover all the
wonders of the wide world. First up is a magical, mythical creature called the
THUNK. The Thunk has a trunk and its fur’s blue-ish pink, and it’s ever so
slightly, completely... EXTINCT. Or at least, that's what everyone else thinks.
Young Hector is determined to prove them wrong and sets out all alone with his
exploring equipment on a grand journey of discovery. Brought to spectacular
life by the stunning illustrations of bestselling picture book illustrator
Deborah Allwright, a wonderfully wild adventure awaits all who those dare join
Hector on his expedition to the land of fairies, unicorns, monsters, trolls...
and thunks!
(Bloomsbury Children’s Books, paperback, £6.99)
Age one plus
Finn’s Little Fibs: A Big Bright Feelings Book
Tom Percival
(Bloomsbury Children’s Books, paperback, £7.99)
Word Museum
Isabel Otter and Sophie Ledesma
JOIN Oriel the ostrich and her students as they explore the
word museum in this joyful and interactive book which introduces little
learners to two learning topics... words and museums. From the ancient pottery
arcade to a corridor full of gadgets, and from animals and furniture to
technology and clothes, youngsters can join a group of little animal culture
lovers as they explore the museum’s exciting exhibits. Lively illustrations from
Sophie Ledesma and an engaging story from Isabel Otter take youngsters on a
journey of discovery and learning. With gatefolds, peek-through holes, shaped
pages and questions for curious minds, Word Museum is perfect for little hands
as they explore the mesmerising world of museums, learn some brilliant first
words in an enjoyable and original way, and
have fun spotting the little mouse in every scene. Cute animal characters and an
interactive text encourage readers to engage in the museum tour, making them
feel like part of the class. The ideal fun and stimulating first word book to
share with your toddlers.
(Little Tiger Press, board book, £8.99)
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