Discover
the endless ways that water impacts humans and nature, marvel at inventions to
rewild every city on Earth, join a horse-mad girl for the adventure of a
lifetime, and enjoy lots of madcap antics with Beano star Minnie the Minx in a
selection of super December books
Age 8
plus
The
Wonderful World of
Water: From Dams to Deserts
Sarah
Garré, Marijke Huysmans and Wendy Panders
WATER, water everywhere... dip into any page of this fun, fact-filled book and
discover the endless ways that water impacts humans and nature, and sustains
life on Earth. Water is
our planet’s most important resource, yet it’s easy to overlook its
significance in our daily life. This kaleidoscopic journey across the planet
offers fascinating insights into how water is connected to the air we breathe,
the food we eat, and how our own actions can upset the delicate balance of its
cycle. Readers
learn about how water journeys from ocean to sky to mountains, rivers, soil and
back again, how water purification works, the flora and fauna of the
rainforest, cloud formations and the weather they predict, natural phenomena
such as the tiger bush, why rivers flood, and what causes a tsunami.
Did you
know that three-quarters of Earth's surface consists of water and that because
there’s so much water, astronauts see Earth as a blue planet from their
spaceship. Discover how a water molecule consists of two types of atoms... one
oxygen atom (O) and two smaller hydrogen atoms (H). And that's why scientists
call water H₂O. Water, we learn, has always been there, and it travels round
and round on an endless journey known as the water cycle. When it
rains, part of the rain disappears into the ground. Those raindrops find their
way into the groundwater and it can be just under our feet or much deeper. Some
droplets reach the groundwater after a few days, weeks, or months, but it can
also take years or even centuries.
Learn
about an oasis, an area of land where plants can grow in the middle of a very
dry region because there is freshwater. Sometimes it’s a natural spring but
there are also a great many oases where humans have given nature a helping
hand. In the rainforest, meanwhile, there are an enormous variety of different
animal and plant species... some yet to be discovered. Presented
by researcher Sarah Garré, Professor Marijke Huysmans and illustrator Wendy
Panders in lively and engaging double-page spreads, each topic is explored with
quirky illustrations, trivia, and sidebars that encourage further exploration
and experimentation. And best
of all, it makes young readers aware just how deeply entwined their futures are
with the health of our planet’s water.
(Prestel
Publishing, hardback, £19.99)
Age 9
plus
Ultrawild:
An Audacious Plan for Rewilding Every City on Earth Steve
Mushin
STEP into
the pages of a graphic novel like no other! Youngsters
will be queueing up to join industrial designer, illustrator and maverick
inventor Steve Mushin as he tackles climate change with an avalanche of
mind-bending, scientifically plausible inventions to rewild cities and save the
planet. Based in
New Zealand, Mushin collaborates with scientists and engineers to solve
perplexing problems that no one else seems to know what to do about and this
intricately illustrated, mind-bendingly original book is bursting with
brilliant inventions that could just save the world... while inspiring readers
of all ages. Ultrawild
– Mushin’s brilliant debut book – features one hundred technically possible,
totally bonkers inventions as Mushin takes on climate change and
sustainability, the big questions of our time, putting the ‘A’ firmly into STEM
studies and showcasing how the arts can invigorate thinking.
Jump into
his brain as he designs habitat-printing robot birds and water-filtering sewer
submarines, calculates how far compost cannons can blast seed bombs (over a
kilometre), brainstorms biomaterials with scientists and engineers, studies
ecosystems and develops a deadly serious plan to transform cities into jungles,
rewilding them into carbon-sucking mega-habitats for all species, and as fast
as possible. Through
marvellously designed and hilarious engineering ideas, Mushin shares his vision
for super-high-tech urban rewilding, covering the science of climate change,
futuristic materials and foods, bio reactors, soil, forest ecosystems,
mechanical flight, solar thermal power and working out just how fast we could
actually turn roads into jungles, absorb carbon and reverse climate
change.
Developed
over seven years – with all projects vetted by experts – Ultrawild is a book
brimming with optimism as the author explores creative thinking, science,
technology, engineering and maths (STEM) and the potential for massive change.
Filled with laugh-out-loud design comedy, it aims to empower and excite a new
generation of designers, scientists, engineers and ultra-wild thinkers. A
tour-de-force of extreme problem-solving which is guaranteed to provide hours
of enjoyment and encourage readers, young and old, to think outside the box as
we adapt to an ever-changing world.
(Allen
& Unwin, hardback, £14.99)
Age 12
plus
100 Tales
from the Tokyo Ghost Café
Julian
Sedgwick and Chie Kutsuwada
(Guppy
Books, paperback, £10.99)
Age 9
plus
Finding
Wonder
Lauren St
John
MASTER storyteller and passionate conservationist Lauren St John returns with an
unforgettable and moving tale starring a girl, a winning ticket, a stolen
horse... and the adventure of a lifetime! Young horse fans will be chomping at
the bit to get their hands on this equine extravaganza which blends daring
deeds, a marvellous mystery and a stable full of stupendous steeds. Orphaned
Roo Thorn feels like the unluckiest girl in the world... until she discovers a
letter. The mysterious letter urges Roo to ‘grab life by the wings and fly’ and
with the help of her aunt, Joni, Roo sets out to buy her dream horse... a fiery
showjumper named Wonder Boy. When Wonder vanishes without a trace, Roo and Joni
are determined to save him and set out to investigate his disappearance. But as
the mystery deepens and more prize horses are stolen, the pair find themselves
drawn into a thrilling, but dangerous, adventure. How far will they go, and
what will they risk, to find Wonder? With eye-catching cover artwork by Levi
Pinfold and beautiful interior illustrations by Marie-Alice Harel, this
twisting, turning and gripping detective adventure celebrates not just one
young girl’s heartfelt passion for horses but the joys to be found in family
ties, friendships and the natural world. Rich in detail and emotionally
charged, Finding Wonder is a thrill ride from start to finish.
(Faber
Children’s Books, paperback, £7.99)
Children
of Winter
Berlie
Doherty
ONE of the
most inspirational stories to come out of the devastation of the Black Death
plague – which swept across England in 1666 – springs to life in this beautiful
new edition of master storyteller Berlie Doherty’s Children of Winter. Author
of over 60 books for children, teenagers and adults, and winner of the Carnegie
medal for both Granny Was a Buffer Girl and Dear Nobody, Doherty lives in the
Derbyshire Peak District and in this beautifully atmospheric and authentic
novel she recreates the time when the tiny village of Eyam in Derbyshire was
hit by the plague and cut itself off to protect other communities. Set in the
20th century, the story centres around Catherine Tebbutt and her family
as they set out from their home in Sheffield to visit their grandmother’s house
deep in the Derbyshire hills. Sheltering from a storm in an ancient cruck barn
with her younger sister and brother, it becomes strangely familiar to Catherine
and she is drawn back to a time when three children sheltered all winter from a
terrible plague that was ripping through their village. With beautiful cover artwork
by Tamsin Rosewell, this emotion-packed and thought-provoking tale is a
reminder of the suffering and loss wrought by the plague on families across the
land, and the sacrifices of the brave folk in the village of Eyam.
(UCLan
Publishing, paperback, £7.99)
The Wild
Robot Protects
Peter
Brown
CAN nature
and technology exist together in harmony? The Wild Robot Protects is the third
enchanting book in award-winning author and illustrator Peter Brown’s
bestselling The Wild Robot series which is brought to life by his gloriously
atmospheric illustrations. These bold, original and imaginative adventures are
contemporary classics which explore what happens when nature and technology
collide. Roz the robot has made an unlikely home for herself on an idyllic
island dense with forests, wild flowers and friendly animal inhabitants,
including her own young son, Brightbill the gosling. Life on the island is
perfect until a dying seal washes ashore and warns of dangerous, cloudy waters
that are flowing towards the island, bringing new dangers for the animals.
Forced inland, they will have to fight over fewer resources and Roz realises
that she must march into the waves and undertake an incredible undersea
adventure to find a way to protect her beloved island and all who live on it.
With a heartwarming, moving and action-packed story about survival, unusual
friendships and the importance of family, The Wild Robot Protects is a dazzling
addition to this inspirational series.
(Piccadilly
Press, paperback, £7.99)
Age 7
plus
Beano
Minnie’s Mission of Maximum Mischief
Craig
Graham, Mike Stirling and Laura Howell
(Farshore,
paperback, £7.99)
Age 5
plus
The King's
Coronation and the
Kohinoor Diamond
Anthea
Turner, Wendy Turner and Rufus Thomas
DID you
know that there is a community of mice who live beneath London's bustling Tube
stations? Get ready for fun, laughter and action as celebrity sisters Anthea
Turner and Wendy Turner join forces again to revive their endearing tales of a
group of lovable mice in the first book of a brand new Underneath the
Underground series. The sisters, who have both enjoyed successful television
and business careers, first introduced readers to the antics of the furry
creatures nearly 30 years ago with their popular series, Underneath the
Underground. And now they have updated the enchanting stories – with the help
of illustrator Rufus Thomas – and created this sparkling series for a whole new
generation of younger readers, starting with this hilarious and topical adventure.
It’s two weeks before the King’s Coronation and the British Asian Mice at
Hounslow Underground Station are planning a fabulous party to celebrate. But
disaster strikes when a huge glitter ball spins around and fails to shine!
There’s panic all round until clever mouse, Mo Low, has a fantastic idea... to
take back the famous Kohinoor diamond from the Royal Crown and return it to the
Indian community where it belongs! It’s a daring plan and it could all go
terribly wrong but the mice know the Kohinoor diamond is perfect to light up
their ballroom on the King’s special day and they are determined to pull it
off. The question is, will King Charles and Queen Camilla notice? The only way
is up for these daring little Underground mice in a new series which is
guaranteed to have young readers squealing with delight!
(Splendid
Publications, paperback, £8.99)
The Colour
Monster: The Feelings
Doctor and the Emotions Toolkit
Anna
Llenas
WHEN the
world seems a scary and confusing place, there’s one person who can teach us
all a lesson… the Colour Monster! Spanish-born author and illustrator Anna
Llenas is winning hearts and minds with her beautiful picture book series, The
Colour Monster, which explains, in the most delightful and imaginative way, the
many human emotions that we all experience. In this
new adventure, we discover that the Colour Monster is now a doctor and he’s
more than ready to encourage conversations about consent, mental health and
wellbeing because his first patient today is Nuna who is not feeling okay
because she was asked to do something she didn’t want to do. She ended up
saying yes because she didn't know how to say no, and it left her feeling
strange and confused. Fortunately for Nuna, the Colour Monster can help to heal
emotions, especially those that are big and difficult to understand. To begin
with, Nuna cannot find the right words but with the help of Colour Monster and
his emotions toolkit, Nuna learns how to use tools and techniques that will
make her feel better. Together they try things like deep breathing, arts and
crafts, blowing bubbles and dancing until she starts to feel calmer. Now will
Nuna be able to talk about what's bothering her? This
bright and colourful story addresses complex themes around consent, saying no and
mental wellbeing in a sensitive, age-appropriate way. Using her experience as
an art therapist, Llenas interweaves techniques that can make conversations
easier, including large, fold-out pages which allow children to look inside the
emotions toolkit and make use of the ideas for themselves (with the support of
a grown-up when needed). Add on Llenas’ distinctive and visually exciting
collage-effect illustrations, full of warmth, wit and vibrant colour, exquisite
design and eye-catching contrasts, and this is a simple but highly effective
and accessible exploration of feelings and well-being.
(Templar
Publishing, paperback, £7.99)
The Duck
Who Came for
Dinner
Steve
Smallman and Joëlle Dredemy
YOUNGSTERS will love getting their teeth into the fifth tasty picture book in Steve
Smallman and Joëlle Dredemy’s heartwarming and hilarious The Lamb Who Came for
Dinner series. The Duck Who Came for Dinner sizzles with Smallman’s wit and
warmth and French illustrator Dredemy’s striking and characterful artwork as we
meet up again with Wolf, Hotpot the lamb and their pet crocodile Omelette one
windy day when a little duck blows into Wolf’s backyard. Wolf and Hotpot call
her Apple, and together they nurse her wonky wing back to health. But though
she may be small, Apple is one plucky duck and it’s not long before she is
flying to their rescue when Hotpot’s kite-flying adventure turns sky high.
Smallman’s clever, comical and cautionary tale encourages young readers to
challenge stereotypes and expectations, and look beyond the surface. The
perfect book to share with your own special family and friends!
(Little
Tiger Press, hardback, £12.99)
Age one
plus
Old Bear
Jane
Hissey
CUDDLE up
close for the return of Jane Hissey’s beloved Old Bear with this newly refreshed
teddy-bear classic which is perfect for sharing with little ones! Old Bear
himself was given to Hissey by her grandmother when she was born and he has
travelled the world with her, visiting schools, libraries and literary events,
becoming increasingly worn and threadbare but still recognisable to millions of
adoring readers. Old Bear tells the heartwarming tale of how a much-loved teddy
bear is lost and finally found again. After Old Bear is packed away in a box in
the attic, Bramwell Brown becomes determined to save his forgotten friend. And
so, with the help of Little Bear, Duck, Rabbit and an assortment of other toys,
he plans an ingenious rescue mission to save Old Bear from loneliness and bring
him safely back home. Nostalgia and the warmth of true friendship shines out
from each page in this beautiful paperback edition of Hissey’s adorable story.
Stunning, photo-realistic artwork blends with a funny, reassuring text, making
this a teddy bear tale to love and treasure forever.
(Templar
Publishing, paperback, £7.99)
Little
Explorers: Goodnight
Dinosaurs
Molly
Littleboy and Jacob Souva
SLEEPY babies and toddlers can’t help but pick up on the gentle rhythms of this
gorgeous new board book in the delightful Little Explorers series which combines
facts, fun and a beautiful verse with cut-out, peep-through pages… perfect to
share at the bedtime wind-down. ‘Drift through the mountains, the sky blushing
bright. Pass by the dinosaurs, wish them 'Goodnight'.’ Little ones will love
saying goodnight to the sleepy dinosaurs as the sun sets and discovering
fascinating facts about the different dinos as they drift through valleys,
along rivers and over mountains. And watch little ones’ eyes start to close as
the creatures of land and sea settle down for their night-time slumbers.
Produced in a chunky format, these beautiful books have fun facts on every page
about the dinosaurs they meet, and the horizon page has a twinkling and foiled,
double-page spread to illuminate the bedtime journey. A beautiful, interactive
lullaby of soothing words and pictures…
(Little
Tiger Press, board book, £7.99)
