Age 9 plus
When the Wild Calls
Nicola Penfold
HAVING escaped their sterile city, Juniper Green and her
brother Bear have settled in Ennerdale with their dad and his family but her
mission to save her grandmother and beloved best friend will lead her into
terrible danger. Travel back to the thrilling dystopian world created by Nicola
Penfold in this eagerly awaited sequel to Where the World Turns Wild, a
thought-provoking ecological adventure which won the hearts and minds of
readers, and was inspired by American author Richard Louv’s rallying cry to
save our children from ‘Nature-Deficit Disorder.’ In this new story, time is running out for the city’s
residents and Juniper decides she must leave her beloved Wild and head back and
save her family from a city hit by disease and social breakdown. Every day the
Wild introduces them to a new wonder, but Juniper can’t stop worrying about her
grandmother and best friend left behind. When she hears news that disease has
entered the city, she is determined to bring her loved ones to safety. Trapped
in a city riddled with disease and run by a ruthless leader, Etienne longs for
the Wild. With the guards becoming more aggressive to counteract the growing
rebellion, Etienne is prepared to fight for his freedom. But will he be able to
protect himself and keep those around him safe until Juniper returns from the
Wild? Penfold has created another beautiful, ecological, and
breathtakingly imagined other-world exploring friendship and bravery within an
exhilarating, fast-paced adventure, and highlighting how our world is becoming
dangerously disconnected from nature. With its cautionary reminder of the fragility of nature, and
our duty to guard the planet for generations to come, this is a timely book
written with genuine affection, and with a big helping of hope at its heart.
(Little Tiger Press, paperback, £7.99)
The Day I Fell Down the Toilet
Stephen Mangan and Anita Mangan
IT'S no joke to be at the centre of a case of mistaken
identity... unless you’re called Timothy and turn out to be a rather surprising
(and very welcome) superhero! There will be giggles galore and loo-fuls of laughter as the
sensational sibling team of much-loved actor Stephen Mangan and his talented
artist sister Anita roll out a toilet tale that is guaranteed to be flushed
with success. Hot on the heels of their wild and wonderful joint novels, Escape
the Rooms, The Fart That Changed the World and The Great Reindeer Rescue, the
dynamic duo return with a madcap adventure that is positively overflowing with
chaos and comedy. Disaster! The Queen of Dunny, the land where jokes come
from, has lost her sense of humour and banned fun of any kind. Her subjects
have one final shot at making her laugh otherwise no new jokes will be created ever
again! Enter the hero the world needs... Timothy Trench, a straight-talking,
uber-decisive child genius. Oh, wait... in an unfortunate case of mistaken
identity, the wrong Timothy – a boy who finds it impossible to make decisions –
is fetched to make the Queen laugh. Can he work out what will tickle Her
Majesty's funny bone and save the day? Anita Mangan’s quirky and comical illustrations are the
perfect pairing for her brother’s warm, fun-filled and witty story which
reminds youngsters that you should never underestimate underdogs... and that
you don’t have to be royal to be a superhero. Add on a spectacular surfeit of outlandish puns, silly
limericks, dancing ogres and the worst dad jokes ever, and you have the perfect
read for mischief-makers of all shapes and sizes!
(Scholastic, paperback, £7.99)
Oh Mummy Mia!
Maz Evans
FRESH from the runaway success of her Who Let the Gods Out?
books – which took young readers to new heights of all-round entertaining
storytelling – Maz Evans is back with the second book of her brilliant Gods
Squad spin-off series which started with Oh Maya Gods! The stars of these
adventures set in Ancient Egypt are Vesper – the football-mad, bossy and a teensy
bit grumpy daughter of Elliot Hooper, the original hero of Who Let the Gods
Out? – and Constellation Virgo’s son, Aster, who is super-smart, a bit nervous
and with a secret all of his own. In their new mission, the Egyptian gods are
up to no good. Seth, the god of war, has kidnapped Ra, the sun god... and now
Earth is on the brink of total destruction. It’s up to Vesper and Aster to
bravely descend to the Egyptian underworld to find Ra and save the world because
if they don’t, they could soon become mummies! Evans once more lets loose her
prodigious imagination as our two heroes tackle the world's worst behaved
immortals. Packed full of real Ancient Egyptian mythology, outrageously funny
antics, and spine-tingling danger, this hilarious tale of misbehaving immortals
will leave youngsters dying for the next ungodly adventure!
(Chicken House, paperback, £7.99)
Shadow Fox
Carlie Sorosiak
GET lost in a magical tale of loss and belonging from
Atlanta, Georgia-based author Carlie
Sorosiak whose novel, I, Cosmo, was a Waterstone's Children's Book of the Month.
Shadow Fox is told through the eyes of a wild, affectionate, prickly fox who
has a love of collecting shoes and not a small amount of magic. Bee’s family
runs a lakeside inn, offering rest and sustenance to weary travellers. Bee’s
Nan has gone missing, possibly drowned, but Bee knows that can’t be true. And
so does the hungry fox that her grandmother was feeding. Shadow is cross that
her supply of salmon has dried up and is determined to do something about it.
Soon both fox and child – who discover that they can communicate with each
other through telepathy – are on an adventure to find Nan... an adventure in
which they uncover sinister happenings and secret islands on the Great Lake,
and learn just how far magical powers can take you. This beautiful, enchanting and
fantastical story has a warm, loving and generous heart, and reminds readers,
both young and old, about the importance of friendship and being kind to each
other, as well as taking care of the natural world in all its many forms.
(Nosy Crow, paperback, £7.99)
Agent Harrier: This Book Will
Self-Destruct
Ben Sanders
TOP secret! This book will explode in just FIVE minutes... Expect
equally explosive giggles when youngsters get their hands on this
ticking-time-bomb graphic novel, first in a brilliant new comedy series from
the award-winning author and illustrator Ben Sanders. There’s no time to lose
for Agent Harrier who must follow the red wire and defuse the bomb before it’s
too late. Will our canine spy extraordinaire save everyone from being blasted
to smithereens.... AND catch then culprit who planted the wretched bomb in the
first place?! Be careful not to bark up the wrong tree, Harrier... it looks
like something very fishy could be waiting for you! With oodles of canine
comedy chaos and a pun-filled twist on traditional spy capers, this super-stylish
series is the perfect fit for early readers transitioning from picture books.
(Little Tiger Press, paperback, £7.99)
Dinosaur Pie
Jen Wallace and Alan O’Rourke
WHO would have thought that eating Dinosaur Pie would make
turn you into an (actual!) dinosaur? Irish debut author Jen Wallace – who likes
to weave stories from a child’s perspective – zones in on autism and
celebrating difference in her heartwarming and funny tale which is brought to
life by Alan O’Rourke’s delightfully dynamic black-and-white illustrations. Rory
is having a weird week... a really weird week. And it wasn’t really Rory’s mum’s
fault. She just bought Dinosaur Pie for a change and gave it to Rory for his
dinner. The next morning he was a dinosaur, a ridiculous, small, feathered dinosaur.
Not dressed up as a dinosaur... actually a dinosaur. It’s not all that funny
really. Rory can’t talk, he can’t bear the thought of eating an apple, and in
his new carnivore body he can’t stop craving sausages. All he wants to eat is
sausages and it doesn’t wear off. The supermarket that sold the pie doesn’t
want to know and the doctor isn’t all that helpful. What are his friends – who
finally take his embarrassing situation seriously – going to do to get Rory out
of dino-mode and back into a human boy? With its clever, intertwining blend of
real life, fantasy and friendship, this is a sparkling, fast-paced adventure
for youngsters ready to move on to chapter books.
(Little Island Books, paperback, £7.99)
Tree
Claire Saxby and Jess Racklyeft
DISCOVER the wonderful world of a magnificent tree – from
its roots to the tips of its uppermost branches – in this stunning new picture
book from the dream team of Claire Saxby and Jess Racklyeft, creators of the award-winning
Iceberg. Published with a stunning fold-out spread showing the full
length of the tree and its habitat, this is the perfect book to lure children
into the great outdoors this spring and see nature in action for themselves. Can you see the forest on this misty-morning mountain? Can
you see where the tree stands? It is the tallest in this forest of tall trees.
This tree is older than those who find it, but younger than the land it grows
from. Between sapwood and heartwood, water rises and energy flows. Listen to
the leaves bustle. Smell the forest air. This is the world of the tree. Blending scientific research, Saxby’s lyrical prose and
Racklyeft’s evocative and atmospheric illustrations, the dynamic duo focus
their talents and imaginative powers on a land environment, following the
growth of a mighty tree – a 300-year-old mountain ash –from the bottom of its
roots right up to the top branches. The world of the tree in one beautiful book.
(Allen & Unwin, hardback, £12.99)
Tiny Dogs: Bea’s Secret Friends
Rose Lihou
JUST because you’re a tiny dog doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy
BIG adventures! Join a little girl as she moves house in the first book of an
enchanting new series which has been perfectly created by dog-lover Rose Lihou,
a debut children’s author and illustrator. Tiny Dogs: Bea’s Secret Friends stars four delightfully tiny
dogs who share fun and adventures with a little girl who is feeling lonely as
she settles into her new life in a small village, far away from the big town
that she has always known. Bea and her mum are moving in with her grandparents which
will mean a new school, new friends, and big changes for Bea. All Bea can
remember about Granny and Grandad’s house is their big, beautiful garden with
its colourful flowers and secret hide-and-seek spots, but when Bea and her mum
arrive, the garden has grown sad and neglected. The wild garden feels like the
perfect place for Bea to hide away from all the changes in her life but when
she hears a strange noise in the long grass she can't quite believe what she
finds... four tiny dogs, no bigger than mice! Follow the adventures of Bea and
the tiny dogs – Sorrel, Willow, Pepper and Clover – as they become friends and
work together to save the garden! With Lihou’s emotive and colourful illustrations, reassuring messages about building confidence, finding your voice, and
discovering the joys of friendship and nature, little ones will already be tugging on the lead for the next Tiny Dogs adventure!
(Puffin, paperback, £7.99)
There’s Nothing Cuter
Than a Puppy
Tom Nicoll and Ross Collins
A RATHER fetching little puppy is the hot favourite to win a
Cutest Creature Contest... or is he? Author Tom Nicoll and illustrator Ross
Collins – the award-winning duo behind There’s Nothing Faster than a Cheetah –
are back to bewitch and beguile us with
brilliant laugh-out-loud, read aloud adventure featuring a wildly
competitive gang of alliterative animals taking part in a beauty pageant. From
slugs in Santa suits to warthogs in wedding wear, this fun and imaginative
picture book delivers glitz, glamour and giggles galore with special cameo
appearances from some familiar faces! Donkeys in dungarees, walruses in woolly
waistcoats, hyenas in hoop skirts... the Cutest Creature Contest is full of
tough competition! But there can only be one winner and surely there’s nothing cuter
than a puppy?! Prepare to have expectations turned upside down as a parade of
cheeky creatures strut their stuff in the wildest wardrobe wear on the ‘cat’
walk! Factor in a gallery of Collins’
hilarious illustrations and some fascinating animal facts – like llamas
spitting partially digested food over three metres, geese that can sleep while
floating on water and rabbit teeth that never stop growing – and you have an
all-round winner for animal and fun-lovers!
(Macmillan Children’s Books, paperback, £7.99)
This is the Ship that Jack Built
Peter Millett and Sam Caldwell
FEEL the rhythm of the verse and enjoy the rolling of the
waves in a rollicking picture book adventure from Peter Millett, an
award-winning children’s book author who lives in New Zealand, and
Glasgow-based illustrator Sam Caldwell. There are pirates, treasure, sea
creatures and fun to enjoy as little ones set sail with Jack and his precious
cargo of gold, which has been stored in the hold. What Jack doesn’t know yet is
that a whole host of thieves are out to snatch the gold from under his nose.
From the squid that opens the lid and the seal that tries to steal, to the cat
and the rat and the whale with its splashy tail, Jack really has his hands full
on this smashing, splashing voyage! Millett’s joyful and jaunty rhyming text is
full of repeated lines – every child’s favourite formula – with the comical, cumulative
tale building and building to an epic crescendo. Brought to colourful and
vibrant to life by Caldwell, this picture book odyssey is one that little readers
will want to revel in again, again and again!
(Buster Books, paperback, £7.99)
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