Age 5 plus
The Nutcracker: And the Mouse King’s Christmas Shenanigans
Alex T. Smith
THE key to the Kingdom of Sweets has been stolen and there is much mischief and mayhem afoot! You know the Christmas season is well and truly moving into top gear when talented writer and illustrator Alex T. Smith peeps his head over the parapet with his latest fantastically festive Christmas adventure. And after the success of the Claude series and his much-loved books How Winston Delivered Christmas, How Winston Came Home for Christmas and The Grumpus, Smith brings us another spectacular gift book that offers brilliant storytelling, stunning artwork and some marvellously mirth-making mischief!
This year, Smith treats us all to a spectacular retelling of
children’s Christmas classic The Nutcracker... a Christmas story in his
trademark twenty-four-and-a-half chapters. The Mouse King is up to some very
sneaky shenanigans. The night before Christmas, he steals the key to the
Kingdom of Sweets and is determined to cause lots of Christmas chaos! Clara and
Fritz Strudel, and their new friend the Nutcracker, are the only ones who can
stop him. But when a magical curse is put on Fritz, it’s a race against time to
make it to the Kingdom of Sweets and find the Sugar Plum Fairy – the only one
who can break the spell! Can the adventurers stop the Mouse King’s naughty plan
and save Fritz before it’s too late? With a brilliantly exuberant story featuring jokes galore
and madcap magic, an unforgettable cast of hilarious characters, Smith’s bold
and colourful illustrations, a festively foiled cover, a chapter to enjoy each
day in December, and all lovingly wrapped in the author’s natural warmth, this
wonderful book is destined to become a family favourite in the run-up to
Christmas.
(Macmillan Children’s Books, hardback, £15.99)
The Great Reindeer Rescue
Stephen Mangan and Anita Mangan
CHRISTMAS is in danger... all Santa’s reindeers have
disappeared! Can a reindeer called Dave and a girl named Holly save the day? Hold on to your stockings and prepare for violent explosions
of laughter as the sensational sibling team of much-loved actor Stephen Mangan
and his talented artist sister Anita roll out their first fun-filled Christmas
book. After the runaway success of joint debut novels, Escape the
Rooms, The Unlikely Rise of Harry Sponge, and the hilarious The Fart That
Changed the World, the dynamic duo return with a fantastically funny spin on
The Night Before Christmas. It’s Christmas Eve and one of Santa's reindeers, Dave, is fed
up. He’s stuck behind boastful Rudolph again and a fart in the face is the last
straw. In the commotion, Santa crash lands on the roof of nine-year-old Holly’s
home causing an almighty Christmas lights explosion that blasts the reindeers
to far-flung corners of the Earth. It’s up to Dave and Holly to fly round the
world – from the top of the Empire State Building and the glorious beaches of
Tahiti to the icy Tundra of the Arctic – to rescue all the reindeers. Can Holly
and Dave get all the reindeesr back to Santa to save Christmas? Anita Mangan’s quirky and characterful illustrations are the
perfect pairing for her brother’s warm, wild and witty story which touches
sensitively on the topic of parental bereavement and reminds youngsters that
heroes come in all shapes and sizes. Add on a celebration of youthful determination and
ingenuity, and a brand of naughty humour that will have mischief-makers
giggling all the way to the last page, and you have the perfect gift book to
celebrate the true meaning of Christmas!
(Scholastic, hardback, £10.99)
Age 12 plus
Tiffany Aching’s Guide to Being A Witch
Rhianna Pratchett, Gabrielle Kent and Paul Kidby
IMMERSE yourself in a beautifully illustrated and practical guide to being a
witch in Discworld – the global bestselling series created by the late, great
Terry Pratchett – in this gorgeous slip-cased gift book. Tiffany Aching’s Guide
to Being A Witch has been co-authored by former graphic artist and now
full-time writer Gabrielle Kent, and Terry Pratchett’s daughter Rhianna who
says she has enjoyed ‘channelling the wit and wisdom of Discworld’s witches’ on
this joint ‘life-affirming and occasionally tear-filled adventure.’ Filled with
the rich, colourful and exquisitely detailed illustrations of Paul Kidby, this
entertaining and visually exciting guide covers everything you’ve ever wanted
to know from working with other witches to dealing with elves, and from tending
flocks to fending off forces from other worlds. It has, of course, been
lovingly compiled by Tiffany Aching herself, including snippets of remembered
wisdom from Granny Aching alongside notes from Granny Weatherwax, Nanny Ogg,
Miss Tick, and Rob Anybody who offer their own unique perspectives on all things
witchcraft. So whether you’re a herbologist or a headologist, this brilliant
in-world guide – with its stunning gold foiled cover and page edges – will
inspire and empower new witches and seasoned practitioners alike, and is the
perfect addition to any Discworld collection.
(Penguin, slip-cased hardback, £25)
The Little Prince
Louise Greig and Sarah Massini
EIGHTY years ago, a novel was published in France which
would become a classic across the world. The Little Prince was written by
Frenchman Antoine de Saint-Exupéry while he was exiled in the United States
from occupied France. A year after the book’s publication in 1943,
Saint-Exupéry disappeared over the Mediterranean while flying a reconnaissance
mission for his French air squadron. And now this charming story, which
features an extraordinary space-traveller on a journey through the stars, has
been beautifully adapted for young readers as a picture book by award-winning
poet Louise Greig and critically acclaimed illustrator Sarah Massini. So meet
the pilot stranded in the desert, and meet the Little Prince who tends his
beautiful rose on a planet of his own. Then follow the Little Prince as he
embarks on a strange and wonderful journey to strange and magical new planets
and finally to Earth where he meets the pilot and together they uncover the
secrets of love, friendship and compassion. The tender wisdom of Saint-Exupéry’s
story speaks loud and clear in Greig’s exquisite adaptation while Massini’s
emotive illustrations capture all the warmth and pathos of the memorable desert
meeting. Add on a stunning silver-foiled cover and you have the perfect gift book
for all the family to enjoy.
(Farshore, paperback, £7.99)
The Little Prince (Collector’s Edition)
Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
AND here’s a chance to revel in the visual and verbal beauty
of Antoine de Saint-Exupéry’s timeless classic with this brand new slip-cased Collector’s
Edition featuring the original translation by Katherine Woods and full-colour
illustrations. Woods (1886–1968) produced the original English translation of
The Little Prince in 1943. It was later followed by several other English
translations but her classic, poetic translation is treasured by fans and is
often considered to be the definitive English translation as it perfectly
captures the enchantment and charm of Saint-Exupéry’s storytelling. And what an
enchanting fable it is... a story full of wisdom that teaches the secret of
what is really important in life and has changed the world forever for its
readers both young and old. This stunning collector’s edition also features bonus
non-fiction content which explores the history of The Little Prince, the
real-life plane crash that inspired the story, and the life of the author. A
beautifully created book to read, enjoy and treasure.
(Farshore, slip-cased hardback, £20)
Stepfather Christmas: A Festive Countdown Story in 25 Chapters
L.D. Lapinski
ENJOY the countdown to Christmas with this thoroughly
heartwarming festive story which stars a girl who is convinced her new stepdad
is actually... Father Christmas! Written
by L.D. Lapinski, author of The Strangeworlds Travel Agency, this hilarious
tale is structured like an advent calendar and ideal to read one day at a time
in the lead up to Christmas (with an extra special chapter for Christmas Day!) It's 25 days until Christmas and 10-year-old
Harper gets a surprise when Mum announces she's bringing her new boyfriend Nick
home for the holidays! Nick seems nice enough but why do strange Christmassy
things happen whenever he’s around... like snow falling only in the family’s
garden and a reindeer suddenly appearing on the roof? Harper is convinced that
Nick must be Father Christmas and if her mum and older brother Will won’t
believe her, she'll just have to find a way to prove it herself! Stepfather
Christmas is a festive treat with lots of fun to enjoy whilst exploring emotive
topics like parents launching into new relationships and the effect that it can
have on children. With 25 chapters, Stepfather Christmas is ideal to read and
share every night in December.
(Orion Children’s Books, paperback, £7.99)
Operation Nativity
Jenny Pearson and Katie Kear
IT shouldn’t happen to the Angel Gabriel! The race to save
Christmas is on in a sparkling, festive, feel-good adventure from the Costa
Award-shortlisted Jenny Pearson whose brilliant books are based on a wonderful
mix of all the children she has ever taught. With inside illustrations from the
talented Katie Kear, Operation Nativity has everything you could want from a
Christmas story... laughter, heartwarming messages about love, hope and
togetherness, and the timeless joy of celebrating the season with your family. Oscar,
Molly and their parents are spending Christmas with their grandparents, the
Cuthbert-Andersons, at their grand home, Barlington Hall, in the pretty village
of Chipping Bottom. Mum isn’t keen because of the ordeal of taking part in
Barlington’s chaotic annual nativity play but what they don’t yet know is that
this year is going to be a Christmas they will never forget! It all starts when
Oscar and Molly rush outside to investigate a crash in the night and are
shocked to find a dazed Angel Gabriel wandering around their grandparents’ back
garden. And they are certainly not expecting to find themselves in a race to
save Christmas but if they don’t track down a missing shepherd called Steve, Balthazar
the wise man, the donkey and the actual Mary and Joseph, who have all
crash-landed in Chipping Bottom, not only will Christmas cease to exist but
they will too. Operation Nativity is on! If you love epic adventures, a cast of
the quirkiest characters you’ll find this side of Christmas, an extra-large
dose of festive vibes, and a story that acts like a warm and cuddly book hug,
then Operation Nativity is the Christmas cracker you’ve been looking for!
(Usborne Publishing, paperback, £7.99)
Age 5 plus
The Nutcracker: An Enchanting Pop-up Classic
Steve Patschke and Zanna Goldhawk
(Templar Publishing, board book, £11.99)
Age 3 plus
'Tis the Season: A Lift-the-Flap Advent
Calendar Full of Christmas Poems
Richard Jones
(Nosy Crow, board book, £19.99)
Santarella
Suzy Senior and Lucy Semple
DOES Cinderella dream of marrying a charming prince?
Certainly not in this brilliantly feminist twist on the traditional fairy tale
from the top team of author Suzy Senior and illustrator Lucy Semple! It’s more
a case of Santa meets Cinderella in this funny rhyming romp which takes Cinders
round the world and back in the twinkling of an eye. Oh no, it’s a chilly,
frosty Christmas Eve and Santa’s hurt his back. He cannot fly the sleigh or
even lift his sack. Is Christmas ruined? Not if Cinderella has anything to do
with it! Leaving her mean step-sisters behind, she offers to give Santa a hand,
and – along the way – travels across the world. But Santa has one more gift in
his sleigh. Could it be the chance for Cinderella to write her own happy-ever-after?
Senior’s addictive, rollicking rhyme and Semple’s richly detailed and comical
illustrations are the perfect match for this retelling of the classic fairy
tale which challenges stereotypes and is a joy to read aloud. Festive magic on
every page!
(Little Tiger Press, hardback, £12.99)
Pip and Posy: Snow Coaches
WHOOSH! Join best friends Pip and Posy as they head off for
some snowy adventures... and learn a few life lessons along the way. Snow
Coaches is the latest picture book in a series based on the award-winning,
animated TV series, produced by Magic Light Pictures, which follows the mouse
and rabbit pals in their wonderful world of play. Pip and Posy are excited to
spend the day sledging as fast as they can down the snowy slopes. They both
think their way is the best way to sledge as fast as possible! Jamila wants to
join in their fun but who should she listen to when it comes to learning how to
sledge? Will Pip and Posy learn to work together to help their friend sledge
down the hill? Youngsters will love this seasonal, snow-sprinkled story which
offers fun and frolics as well as important lessons about the benefits of
listening to other people’s ideas. And don’t forget to access the free Stories
Aloud smartphone audio book. Simply scan in the code inside the front cover.
(Nosy Crow, paperback, £6.99)
Age 2 plus
Bizzy Bear: My First Sticker Book: Christmas Time
Benji Davies
(Nosy Crow, paperback, £5.99)
Peekaboo Santa
Camilla Reid and Ingela P Arrhenius
LET your little ones enjoy the fun of Christmas time with a sparkling
new festive title in Nosy Crow’s hit novelty series featuring multiple sliders.
The books are created by the award-winning team of author Camilla Reid and illustrator
Ingela P Arrhenius and feature easy-to-use peekaboo sliders, a funny rhyming
text and a surprise mirror ending. With ten smooth mechanisms to push, pull or
turn on every spread, this beautiful book for babies and toddlers is packed
full of seasonal fun. Connecting with faces and playing peekaboo is one of the
first games that babies play and tiny tots will love this cute Christmas-themed
book. Guaranteed to be read time and time again!
(Nosy Crow, board book, £7.99)
The Great Big Christmas
Tree Hunt
Ekaterina Trukhan
TODAY is an exciting day... it’s time for a great big
Christmas tree hunt! Little ones’ eyes are guaranteed to light up when they get
their hands on this charming interactive Christmas board book from Nosy Crow in
partnership with the National Trust. Follow Polar Bear as he sets off on an
exciting lift-the-flap adventure. But all is not quite as it seems... will
Polar Bear ever find any decorations to put on his tree or will he find
something even better along the way? With lots of sturdy flaps to lift on every
page, the bold illustrations of Ekaterina Trukhan to enjoy, and a simple story
introducing cute animal characters, this delightful Christmas board book is
full of surprises and perfect for sharing this festive season!
(Nosy Crow, board book, £6.99)
Pip and Posy at Christmas
Axel Scheffler
AWARD-WINNING author and illustrator Axel Scheffler returns
with a fun and festive new title in his much-loved Pip and Posy felt flap
series for babies. This beautiful board book, with colourful, soft felt flaps throughout,
is based on Scheffler’s bestselling picture book series which stars the
delightful Pip and Posy and features all those familiar dramas of pre-schoolers
.With five colourful felt flaps and rich artwork, toddlers will love joining in
this snowy game of hide-and-seek and exploring (and tugging on the felt flaps!)
while they look for little mouse and rabbit friends Pip and Posy on every page.
The perfect gift to keep little hands busy this Christmas!
(Nosy Crow, board book, £6.99)
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