Age 7 plus
Solstice: Around the World on the Longest, Shortest Day
Jen Breach and 14 Global Artists
EXPLORE the daily lives of children around the world through the lens of one single special day – June 21 – the longest day of the year in the northern hemisphere, and the shortest in the southern hemisphere. With the help of 14 artists from different corners of the world, this beautiful and informative book allows readers to meet 14 fictional children in 14 places from the far south to the far north, and to discover the science, history and cultural significance of the solstice. Written by children’s author Jen Breach, and lavishly illustrated by an eclectic mix of global artists representing their different home countries, Solstice brings young readers scientific and cultural information using the worldwide experience of a solstice as its scientific core, and the descriptions of children’s lives at each latitude as the cultural narrative.
Just twice each year, during the solstice, Earth leans
closest to our home star, the Sun, and since ancient times people have used the
Sun as a timekeeper. They knew that the length of daylight changes in a regular
way and celebrated the solstice as a signal of changing seasons. This clever, colour and informative book enhances the text
and illustrations with fascinating infographics about geography, hours of
sunlight, sunrise and sunset times, and how the Earth’s tilt creates solstices
and seasons. And a global event needs a global perspective so Solstice
introduces us to non-traditional families and some of the interesting facts
that crop up in the different accounts... for example, in the Chinese entry we learn that pandas
need to play or else they get sad! Packed with fascinating non-fiction, stunning illustrations
for each location by artists representing their home countries with authority
and beauty, and the opportunity to learn words in each language (including how
to say hello!), this is the perfect, children-friendly way to discover a truly
magical day.
(What on Earth Books, hardback, £15.99)
The Grimmelings
Rachael King
JOIN a young girl as she tries to break the curse of a kelpie and save her family in a thrilling adventure full of alien magic, folklore and dark spirits from exciting New Zealand writer Rachael King. Set amidst the stunning scenery of King’s homeland, The Grimmelings is a powerful, highly atmospheric adventure that harnesses Scottish mythology and contemporary New Zealand culture to create an utterly compelling tale of family, love and legacy. Ella has long since learned not to listen to the local gossip about her and her family... she has her mum, Morag, her little sister Fiona, and their incredible grandmother, Grizzly, who often tells tales of her Scottish ancestry and the strange stories of creatures who travelled between our world and the faerie realm. The girls help Morag to run their horse trekking business in the heart of the stunning New Zealand landscape known as The Basin. And of course there is Magpie, Ella’s beloved horse, who is as cheeky and changeable as the black and white birds she’s named for. But the same evening local boy Josh Underhill goes missing, Ella feels uneasy.
His teasing of the sisters had ramped up recently and Ella had
snapped. She hadn’t really meant to curse him and she doesn’t even really
believe in curses anyway. But now he’s missing and a strange, inexplicable
foreboding sensation is falling over The Basin and when a black horse appears
on the hill above the house, Ella feels somehow drawn to it. She now knows that
words are powerful and she shouldn’t have uttered a wish and a curse on the
same day. And who is Gus, the boy with the impish grin, who seems to appear in
answer to her wish, and what does the black horse want? When Ella finds that
her grandmother’s warnings of creatures that dwell in the lake are more than
just stories, she and her pony Magpie are drawn into a dangerous, life-saving
mission. A former literary festival director, King’s dazzling novel
explores themes of loyalty, courage, and being careful what you wish for as
Ella and her family try to unravel the mystery that seems to be stalking them,
and work out whether it’s a spirit force for good, or one with evil intentions. Featuring a cast of unforgettable characters, all the
atmospherics that one would expect from such a unique and mystical landscape,
and with fantasy threaded through every corner of the action and drama, The
Grimmelings is the perfect way to get ‘carried away’ this summer!
(Guppy Books, paperback, £7.99)
I Am Wolf
Alastair Chisholm
ENTER a thrillingly imagined dystopian world packed with big
ideas, spine-tingling danger and jaw-dropping surprises as highly-acclaimed
author Alastair Chisholm unleashes the first book of a dazzling new trilogy. With a bold and highly original ‘other world’ just waiting
to be discovered, a cast of unforgettable characters, plenty of
thought-provoking concepts, and a page-turning adventure to get lost in,
youngsters will be hooked from first page to last. Coll belongs to Wolf. He lives with his crew on their
Construct, Wolf, a huge technological ‘creature’ driven by the clan’s combined
willpower. Together they roam their savage world, battling other Constructs, fighting
for territory, and absorbing them into their own. Coll is determined to show he
deserves his place in Wolf’s crew, especially because some of the crew treat
him unfairly because of his limb difference. But when a new and dangerous
Construct attacks them, Coll is thrown clear from Wolf and left behind. Now he
must get back to his crew, helped by Rieka, a ‘Tock’ who makes the Constructs
work. She promises Coll a way to return, but does she have ulterior motives, can
she be trusted and what is she really trying to do? As Coll learns new ways to
survive and uncovers the truth, it destroys everything he thought he knew about
his crew, the world they live in, and even himself. In a world full of danger,
and suddenly without meaning, will he ever find Wolf again and even if he does,
will he still belong? Expect to be bewitched and bedazzled by Chisholm’s
imaginative power as Coll’s fascinating, fearsome world rolls out across 225
pages of action, intrigue, peril and unlikely alliances. With its cast of
unforgettable characters and uncertainty round every corner, the second book in
the series can’t come too soon!
(Nosy Crow, paperback, £7.99)
When Saturday Comes
Tony Bradman and Tania Rex
A BOY torn between love for his family and his love of
playing football is the star of a moving story from the top team of acclaimed author
Tony Bradman and accomplished illustrator Tania Rex. Daniel had a hard time
when his parents split up two years ago and his dad started working abroad. He
had to move and start at a new school, but things changed for the better when
he made friends with Ethan and started playing football for the Haybrook
Rockets who are coached by Ethan’s dad. This season the team are in with a
chance of winning the Championship but just as things are looking up for Daniel,
his own dad comes back and the only time he can meet up is a Saturday morning...
when Daniel plays football. He doesn’t want to let his dad or his team down, so
what is Daniel going to do? Bradman’s sensitively told story – specially
created by publisher Barrington Stoke in a super readable format for reluctant
or dyslexic readers – zones in on Daniel’s strained relationship with his
struggling dad when he is forced to choose between playing football and spending
quality time with the father he hasn’t seen for quite some time. Harnessing all
the familiar feelings and frustrations of children caught between warring
parents, Bradman brings us a story full of warmth, insight and wisdom, with the
added poignancy of Rex’s expressive and emotive artwork.
(Barrington Stoke, paperback, £7.99)
Age 8 plus
The Secret Society of Very Important Post
Alexandra Page and Penny Neville-Lee
(Bloomsbury Children’s Books, paperback, £7.99)
The Narzat
Luke Marchant and Rory Walker
IMAGINARY worlds don’t come more funny, fantastical and
downright wacky than this delightful comic debut from primary school teacher,
and now author, Luke Marchant. Packed with the equally zingy and zany
illustrations of Rory Walker, this hilarious and warm-hearted adventure stars
the lovable Narzat, a fantasy animal faced with some very weird and wonderful
villains in the very, very faraway Jumble Jungle Wood. The Narzat lives in the wood
with his friends, the LookyLizard (a feisty reptile who communicates through
sign language) and the Chatty Chirper (a comically talkative bird who never
shuts up). Little is known about how the Narzat arrived there, but he wears a
necklace bearing a meaningful inscription. The Jumble Jungle Wood is full of
animals you would love to meet because they are fun and friendly but some, like
the roaring Ravenoserous are absolutely lethal. And then one day, two villains
arrive, Lord and Lady Snide, armed with guns and a fierce desire for furs and
the Narzat’s necklace. Can the Jumble Jungle Wood defeat the two awesome
newcomers and their wicked plans? Featuring goodies to love and baddies to boo,
The Narzat is a visual and verbal delight as Marchant and Walker harness their
considerable talents on an all-action romp that packs in everything that young
readers adore. A sure-fire winner with mischief-makers!
(Everything with Words, paperback, £7.99)
Winnie-the-Pooh and the Party
Jeanne Willis and Mark Burgess
JOIN your favourite characters from the Hundred Acre Wood at
birthday party time in a beautiful gift book that marks the hundredth anniversary
of Winnie-the-Pooh’s first appearance. With gentle rhyming verse by bestselling author Jeanne
Willis, and inspired by A.A. Milne’s classic poem Teddy Bear, this joyful,
heartwarming rhyming adventure about true friendship and having fun features
the enchanting, full-colour illustrations of Mark Burgess, in the style of the
original illustrator E.H. Shepard. This dazzling series of books, by a contemporary pairing, introduce
a new generation to the much-loved adventures of Winnie-the-Pooh and have been authorised
by the Trustees of The Pooh Properties and the Trustees of The Shepard Trust. Featuring some of the best-loved characters from the Hundred
Acre Wood, and with all the comforting vibes of Milne’s classic tales, the adventures
in rhyme come in beautiful hardback gift editions with a foiled jacket. In this cosy new story, it’s Rabbit's birthday and that
means party time in the Hundred Acre Wood! With all our beloved characters in
attendance, name badges are a must... but spelling can be tricky, as Booh Pear,
Tiddle and Wiglet find out! Will Rabbit let them in if their names are not
spelt correctly? With reassuring, humour-filled adventures to enjoy, and
moments that capture the essence of Winnie-the-Pooh and his friends, this is
the perfect introduction to a classic favourite and a brilliant read-aloud
story for all the family to enjoy!
This book is published on May 23
(Macmillan Children’s Books, hardback, £12.99)
Pick a Story: A Monster Princess Shark Adventure
Sarah Coyle and Adam Walker-Parker
DECISIONS, decisions, decisions! Being given a choice can be
scary and for some youngsters, it can be terrifying. But making choices and
decisions is an inevitable part of life so make it fun – and not too easy! –
with this sparkling interactive children’s illustrated picture book series
where YOU choose the story. Author Sarah Coyle and illustrator Adam
Walker-Parker have fun and challenge little ones to start making decisions and
enjoy the bigger picture with these super ‘pick your own’ whirlwind adventures.
And in this fourth empowering and laugh-out-loud interactive story, youngsters
discover not one, but three completely different, fun-filled worlds featuring
three childhood favourites... monsters, princesses and sharks. Zara is enjoying
a day at the beach, when she realises – horror! – that Old Ted has disappeared.
He may be old and worn but Zara needs him back, and she needs YOUR help to find
him! Has Old Ted been taken by a monster? Or pinched by a princess? Or snapped
up by a shark? It’s up to YOU to decide! Each page includes an activity, such
as search-and-find, odd-one-out, mazes and more, all woven seamlessly into the stories.
And with a different story guaranteed every time the book is read, plus lots of
twists and turns, hilarious characters and decisions to make on every page,
this is the ideal book to inspire a lifelong love of reading. So what are you
waiting for? Come on in and join the fun!
(Farshore, paperback, £7.99)
Old MacDonald had a Farm
and Five Little Ducks
Camilla Reid and Jill Howarth
ENJOY watching little ones get hands-on with a gorgeous new interactive counting book series based on favourite nursery rhymes. Written by Camilla Reid – a writer and deviser of award-winning books for early years children including the much-loved Pip and Posy stories – this delightful new Slide and Count board book series features buttons which slide along special tracks.
(Macmillan Children’s Books, board books, £7.99 each)
Wowzers!
Lou Carter and Magda Brol
IF you’re looking for the ‘wheel deal’ when it comes to
picture book fun, then enjoy a ride with Lou Carter and Magda Brol’s supercharged
adventure! This top team are the bestselling creators of The Great Hamster
Getaway and Wowzers! is filled with laugh-out-loud antics, Carter’s romping
rhymes, and Brol’s high-energy illustrations whilst delivering entertaining reminders about the rewards that
come from friendship and helping others. Rabbit is desperate to buy a new car...
until one fine day, he finally saves up enough to buy his heart’s desire – a
flashy blue motor! And VROOM, he’s off to show his friends. But when Rabbit
sees his pals showing off their cool diggers, flashing fire-engines and amazing
sailboats, it’s hard to resist trying to outdo them all... even when they need
help to rescue poor Cat who’s stuck on a high bridge. Once again, Carter and
Brol bring youngsters their own special brand of picture book magic as lovable,
revved-up Rabbit looks set to capture the heart of every reader. Perfect for
reading aloud, this four-wheeled adventure is destined to be a sure-fire family
favourite!
(Bloomsbury Children’s Books, paperback, £7.99)
Does a Bear Wash its Hair?
Moira Butterfield and Adam Ming
DON'T poo poo it, but here’s a picture book that explores
some of the incredible daily routines (and toilet habits!) of an amazing
menagerie animals! Does a Bear Wash its Hair? is a dazzling new picture book
from author Moira Butterfield and illustrator Adam Ming, the perfect
partnership that created Does a Monkey Get Grumpy? which helped youngsters
understand their emotions. And in this fun and fact-packed sequel – with its
bouncy, rhyming text and Ming’s bold, colourful and playful illustrations – the
team encourage children to identify their own self-care activities and routines
whilst learning about the importance of caring for Earth’s remarkable creatures.
So did you know that some crabs get dressed, that young meerkats have to go to ‘school,’
or that sloths have very particular pooping habits? From brave plover birds who
clean crocodile teeth, to orangutans who make cosy treetop beds, animals have
the most fascinating routines... just like us! Whether they are keeping clean
or using tools to catch their dinner, the daily habitats of 15 animals across
the planet – including sloths, meerkats, alpacas, wolves, foxes and crabs –
spring to vibrant life. Ideal for relating human behaviour to animals whilst
delivering a host of humorous facts, lovable animal characters, and helping
youngsters to recognise ideas of empathy and animal welfare, this is the
perfect, wind-down book for children’s own bedtime routine!
(Bloomsbury Children’s Books, paperback, £7.99)
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