Age 3 plus
Victor, the Wolf with Worries
Catherine Rayner
MEET a little wolf with a lot of big worries in this
comforting and beautifully illustrated picture book from CILIP Kate Greenaway
Medal winner Catherine Rayner. Ideal for youngsters who are struggling with anxiety issues,
or may be nervous about starting nursery or school, Rayner’s gentle and
encouraging story about an adorable wolf cub will help children deal with their
own worries, and is especially useful for little ones who have trouble talking
about their feelings. Victor the wolf has lots of worries. He worries that he
isn’t brave enough, that he isn’t big enough and that he isn’t fierce enough.
In fact, Victor feels anxious about almost everything. But when Victor shares
his concerns with his best friend Pablo, he starts to feel a bit better. With
Pablo’s help, Victor learns even more ways to deal with those pesky worrying
thoughts. And as the worries grow smaller, Victor feels a bit bigger, a bit
braver... and a bit fiercer inside! The magic of Rayner’s fresh, richly expressive and painterly
illustrations in a palette of pastel shades – and the poignancy of Victor’s
growing understanding that a problem shared is a problem halved – springs to
glorious life in her talented hands, making this an exquisitely heartwarming
and stunning gift book which all the family can share and treasure.
(Macmillan Children’s Books, hardback, £12.99)
Finally Seen
Kelly Yang
LINA Gao’s little sister has spent her early years with her
parents in America... but Lina grew up with only postcards from her parents.
Kelly Yang, bestselling and award-winning author of the hugely successful Front
Desk series, returns with a gripping novel about family, friendship, and the
power of belonging. Lina Gao is finally leaving her grandmother in Beijing in
China to live with her parents and little sister Millie in the United States.
After being teased at school as the ‘girl left behind,’ this is the moment Lina
has been dreaming of for five years but once she’s in America, Lina soon
realises it’s not exactly like the postcards her parents have been sending her.
They live in an apartment, not a house as the postcards had described, and
school is much more difficult than she thought it would be, to the point where she’s
scared of making a mistake or mispronouncing words. Lina reckons it’s best for
her to stay silent and avoid the humiliation. But when Lina’s teacher presents
difficult challenges over her latest book selection, a book that deeply
resonates with Lina, it will take all of the girl’s courage and resilience to
overcome her fears and choose a future where she is finally seen. Finally Seen is an inspiring story of courage and resilience
based on Yang’s own experience of moving to America at the aged of six and
feeling scared and left out. The founder of the Kelly Yang Project, a leading
writing and debating programme for children in Asia and the United States, this
is an author who creates characters that readers can recognise and empathise
with. Emotionally powerful, and filled with Yang’s warmth and
wisdom, Finally Seen speaks loudly to youngsters facing their own real-life
issues of change and progression.
(Knights Of, paperback, £7.99)
Smugglers’ Fox
Susanna Bailey
THE spellbinding story of two brothers in the care system,
fighting to stay together, is set to win the hearts of readers young and old.
Susannna Bailey – whose debut novel Snow Foal was shortlisted for the Joan
Aitken Future Classics Prize – returns with a poignant new adventure in which
themes of family, facing your fears, and finding friends in unlikely places
take centre stage. Jonah from Redcar is Rio’s big brother. It’s his job and
always has been, especially when Mam does one of her disappearing acts, like
now. Her name’s Marina, which means ‘from the sea’ and just like the sea, she
changes with the wind. She comes, she goes. And the sea was a dominant presence
the last time Jonah and Rio saw her... the sea at Whitby. And it wasn’t in a
good mood. No one has seen Mam since that day and the social workers say she’s
not coming back this time. As Rio starts losing his sunshine colours, Jonah
promises him that they will always be together. But then Jonah is sent to live
with foster carer Mimi in a town by the sea. Jonah hates the sea. Bad things
happen around it. When Mimi shares a secret treasure map with him, Jonah
realises there might be a way to keep his promise to Rio. And with the help of
young fox Freddie, his new friend, Jonah feels a little braver and a lot less
alone. This haunting and emotive story is written with the sensitivity,
tenderness and insight that are becoming the hallmarks of Bailey’s work. With
its blend of real life issues and the magic of the natural world, Smugglers’
Fox is destined to capture both hearts and imaginations, and to speak loudly
and sympathetically to troubled youngsters.
(Farshore, paperback, £7.99)
A Bird Day
Eva Lindström
SOMETIMES it’s the little things in our everyday lives that
can cause the biggest smiles! Much-loved Swedish author and illustrator Eva
Lindström, winner of the 2022 Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award, brings readers an
adorably funny and whimsical picture book featuring an ordinary family day, but
told through the eyes of a bird family.‘Wash your beaks,
it’s time for lunch – flies again today,’ says Dad. After lunch the young birds,
Lena and her little brother Bo, are sent off to play... sometimes they sing in
the top of the tree, sometimes they play car chicken, sometimes they hunt
mosquitos, sometimes they compare leg size, and sometimes they poke grubs. This
is how birds spend a day. In A Bird Day, translated from the Swedish by Julia Marshall,
Lindström reflects on the familiar and the absurd in human behaviour through the
medium of a delightful bird family. And it’s not hard to recognise the familiar
dynamics of normal human family life... playing, mealtimes, stretching
boundaries, sibling jealousies, and sleep. Expressive faces, hilarious hairstyles, Dad’s great cooking,
and a sister and brother’s everyday conversation combine in this heartwarming,
illustrated story and, with witty observations of behaviour that adults too will
enjoy, this is a picture book to amuse all the family... and to read and share
together.
(Gecko Press, hardback, £11.99)
It Wasn’t Me!
Marta Altés
NEVER go to sleep on argument! When two friends discover
their belongings are going missing, the blame game begins and the arguments
take over. Can they ever be close friends again? CILIP Kate Greenaway Medal nominee
and BookTrust Time to Read favourite, Marta Altés brings her prodigious
storytelling and illustration talents to this fun and quirky picture book tale
of friendship, falling out and forgiveness. Meet Ellis and Charlie... two
friends, living happily on their very own island. Everything they do, they do
together, and everything they have, they share. Until, that is, things start to
go missing. It wasn’t so bad when just the pot went missing, and they could
live without the spoon, but then it started getting silly. More and more things
are going missing, NOBODY is owning up, and NOBODY is happy about it. But if it
isn’t Ellis and it isn’t Charlie, then WHO on this tiny island is the culprit? With
its reassuring, big-hearted message that even the very best of friends can fall
out (and usually only briefly!), rich illustrations, and a twist in its tail
that will make everyone giggle, It Wasn’t Me! will win the vote of every
curious child, and any youngster struggling with friendship anxieties. A joyful
and picture perfect reminder of the truly important things in life!
(Macmillan Children’s Books, hardback, £12.99)
The Bedtime Boat
Sital Gorasia Chapman
and Anastasia Suvorova
CLIMB aboard the red-sailed boat and lull your little ones
into dreamland! Author Sital Gorasia Chapman and award-winning illustrator Anastasia
Suvorova are here to help parents settle their restless youngsters with The
Bedtime Boat, a visually stunning, thoughtful and calming bedtime tale
featuring tried-and-tested mindfulness techniques. ‘Watch the boat, Chandan, it
floats on the ocean. It rises and falls with your breath’s gentle motion.’ Chandan
has had an exciting day out with his mum... but now it’s time for bed, and
however hard he tries, he just can’t sleep. Luckily, his mum has some a calming
mindfulness technique at her fingertips. The bedtime boat sits on Chandan’s
tummy, rising and falling with his breath. As he travels on a voyage of
imagination over the seas, the bedtime boat is always there to keep him
grounded, and soon gently lulls him into a relaxed and peaceful sleep. Chapman
– who was recently commissioned to write a poem for the CBeebies children’s
television series Colours – uses clever repetition of the calming boat motif in
her lyrical rhyming story. Add on Cyprus-based Suvorova’s dreamy digital
artwork, which brings with it the feeling and warmth of traditional materials,
and you have the perfect way to ease little ones into the land of sleep!
(Farshore, paperback, £7.99)
Fodo Dodo Goes Fishing
Edouard Manceau
BATH time is even more fun than usual when two quirky
animals imagine their tub is a boat to go fishing for... underpants! Author and
illustrator Edouard Manceau – who is
based in France – lands a perfectly cute and comical picture book as youngsters
are encouraged to let their imaginations take flight over the sea. This
morning, Fodo Dodo and Noodle are going fishing. They take raincoats, boots,
hats and a fishing rod. From their bathtub boat, they soon catch a beautiful
striped fish out of the laundry basket... an underguppy! Fodo Dodo and Noodle
rush to the kitchen to prepare their feast. But the owner of the underpants is
not happy with this game of make-believe. Never mind, Fodo Dodo has another
idea to keep the fun alive... with an even better use for the rest of the
laundry! Translated from the French edition by Daniel Hahn, this simple but charming
story – with its clever use of wordplay, rhythm and repetition – is packed with
silly words, colourful illustrations and knockabout comedy. The perfect book to
read aloud, turn a dull or troublesome bathtime routine into fun, and to
celebrate the creative joy to be found in play and pretend.
(Gecko Press,
paperback, £7.99)
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