Age 10 plus
Galápagos Islands: The World’s Living Laboratory
Karen Romano Young
and Amy Grimes
WELCOME to the Galápagos Islands, the pristine archipelago in the Pacific Ocean which inspired the groundbreaking work of English naturalist and biologist Charles Darwin, and which have become the new focal point for scientists seeking a more sustainable future for our planet. Discovering the right balance between humans and nature has become an imperative and now What on Earth publishers, which specialises in the art of telling stories through timelines and aims to encourage readers into a lifelong love of enquiring and discovering, brings youngsters an exciting exploration of how these volcanic islands off the coast of Ecuador can show us how to live in harmony with Earth.
Written by Karen Romano Young, author of Antarctica: The
Melting Continent, and lavishly illustrated by Amy Grimes, this beautiful,
fact-packed book allows young readers to experience the unique Galápagos
Islands in vivid and colourful detail, and learn what they – and the fascinating
creatures that live there – can teach us about nature and our planet. Home to species as diverse as giant tortoises, salt-snorting
marine iguanas, and the birds that made Darwin famous, the Galápagos are a
living laboratory for scientists working on the most urgent problem of our
times. Author, science communicator and polar explorer Young takes to the
field, visiting the archipelago to observe its environments first-hand, and interviewing
the scientists and the locals who are lighting the way for the rest of the
world. Blending Young’s first-hand experience with
easy-to-understand background and context, and all brought to life by Grimes’
artwork which includes fabulous illustrations and maps, this is the perfect
introduction to the wonderful world of these exotic islands.
(What on Earth Books, hardback, £15.99)
The Secret of the Blood-Red Key
David Farr and Kristina Kister
INSPIRED by his own family history which saw his Jewish grandparents escape Germany for England, David Farr, one of the UK’s leading screenwriters and a film and theatre director, plays a blinder with his second breathtaking children’s book set in Krasnia, a sinister dictatorship where children are banned from playing in public and only allowed outdoors for exercise and education. In this dazzling follow-up to the phenomenal The Book of Stolen Dreams, this master storyteller whisks us back into the lives of sister and brother Rachel and Robert Klein who have defeated the tyrant Malstain and become the heroes of Krasnia, but all is not how it should be. Robert is swept away with his new friends, leaving Rachel alone to take care of her ailing father who is lost without their beloved mother. From nowhere, a boy appears knowing the secrets of the hidden blood-red key that Rachel received in the public library of Brava at the end of their last adventure.
She soon discovers
that the key is a way into the Hinterland – the land of the dead – and Rachel
must promise that, as a new key keeper, she will answer when it calls. And when
a young girl, Elsa Spiegel, is illegally smuggled into the Hinterland, Rachel
has no choice but to use her key to save Elsa. But her fate is linked to
Krasnia, and Rachel must battle to save her home as she knows it. Once again, Farr brings us a fantastically imagined cast of
characters – including two brave lead players, an eccentric family of artist
ghosts and a pair of sinister siblings – and all set against a rich, gripping
and timeless backdrop. With the beautiful illustrations of Kristina Kister, and
darkness, danger and mystery at every turn, this exhilarating, page-turning
story is guaranteed to send a thrill down the spine of all adventure-loving
youngsters.
(Usborne Publishing, paperback, £8.99)
Age 9 plus
Cluedle: The Case of the Golden Pomegranate
Hartigan Browne
(Macmillan Children’s Books, paperback, £9.99)
Cowgirls and Dinosaurs: Big Trouble in Little Spittle
Lucie Ebrey
SADDLE UP and gallop over to a town called Little Spittle
for some Wild West fun, fighting and friendships! Author and illustrator Lucie
Ebrey sets loose her imagination, and her talents, on a new graphic novel
series which puts magic and mayhem into all-action, rip-roaring adventures with
a deliciously feminist twist. In the town of Little Spittle, there are
cowgirls, dinosaurs and crime-busting adventures! Abigail, who has always
dreamed of becoming a sheriff’s deputy, lives on the outskirts of town with her
pet dinosaur, Rootbeer. Meanwhile, Clementine, daughter of the sheriff, was
born into the life of fighting crime. But when the Bandit Queen gets hold of
some strange, dark magic, it’s up to Clem, Abigail and Rootbeer to team up and
save their beloved town from bandits, dinomagik and undercover attacks. With
comedy capers and fabulous illustrations at every turn, this hilarious tale of
two unlikely friends shows how bravery comes in many forms, and how working
together makes an unstoppable team. So if your youngsters love crime fighting,
cowgirls and lots of fast and furious antics, then this breathless feast of fun
– set in a wonderfully wacky Wild West world – is going to be the start of a
reading love affair.
(Piccadilly Press, paperback, £9.99)
The Super Sunny Murder Club
Edited by Serena Patel and Robin Stevens
and illustrated by Harry Woodgate AS the school summer holidays draw tantalisingly closer, here’s the perfect book to tuck into your suitcase! After the 2021 success of The Very Merry Murder Club – a wintertime collection of mystery fiction for children edited by Serena Patel and Robin Stevens – the two writers have teamed up again to edit this sizzling sunshine selection of summer-themed crime and mystery short stories. The Super Sunny Murder Club features the work of thirteen of the most popular, exciting and diverse children’s books authors, including Abiola Bello, Annabelle Sami, Benjamin Dean, E.L. Norry, Elle McNicoll, Dominique Valente, Maisie Chan, Nizrana Farook, Patrice Lawrence, Robin Stevens, Roopa Farooki, Serena Patel and Sharna Jackson. With stunning illustrations by Harry Woodgate, these sensational short stories lead you on a journey of foul play and murderously magnificent mysteries featuring sun-thieves, fantastical creatures of the deep, airport mayhem, weddings gone wrong, tropical resort travesties, and a very sticky situation at a berry picking farm. So what are you waiting for... grab your sunnies and your magnifying glass, and get ready for murder and mayhem!
(Farshore, paperback, £8.99)
An Invitation to the Botanic Gardens
Charlotte Guillain and Helen Shoesmith
GRAB your very own VIP access pass and explore the
incredible Botanic Gardens in all their fascinating colour and detail. Written by Charlotte Guillain, and produced in consultation
with Kew Botanic Gardens, this fascinating behind-the-scenes look at the
gardens is the ideal and welcoming doorway to learning about the importance of
insects, the impact of climate change, and how plants grow. Have you ever wondered what goes on at the Botanic Gardens?
It's not all planting and pruning. In fact, the team have a planet-saving
mission on their hands... and you can help! Step off the path and follow the
Garden crew who will show you behind the scenes with your very own
access-all-areas invitation. Find out how scientists research plants that can
cure diseases, watch workers wading in the waterlily pond, and discover the
secrets of seeds. Learn why samples of rare and endangered plants are stored in
the Herbarium and leave no leaf unturned in the tropical glasshouse. Discover
insect-eating plants, zombie fungus, plants pretending to be pebbles, and so
much more. Packed with Helen Shoesmith’s lush, vibrant and beautiful
illustrations, An Invitation to the Botanic Gardens lets children discover more
wonderful details each time they return to the gardens. And with three large fold-outs
which reveal even more botanical information, this is an invitation that simply
can’t be turned down!
(Welbeck Children’s Books, hardback, £16.99)
Dungeon Runners: Hero Trial
Kieran Larwood and Joe Todd-Stanton
HEROES come in all shapes and sizes... and everyone deserves
the chance to prove it! Blue Peter Award-winning author Kieran Larwood and
Waterstones Children’s Book Prize winner Joe Todd-Stanton pool their
considerable talents on Dungeon Runners, a fully illustrated and action-packed
fantasy quest adventure series which is perfect for newly confident readers. Kit has dreamed of being a Dungeon Runner all his life,
although being a gnorf (part gnome, part dwarf) means he’s much smaller than
the other competitors. But when a space opens up for a new team in the Dungeon
Running League, Kit doesn’t want to miss this chance to try it out! With his
new friends Sandy and Thorn, they’re ready to take on anything... mazes,
puzzles, monsters, treasure and most of all adventure! Are you ready for the
games to begin? Welcome to the Dungeon! Young readers and action fans will love discovering the
world of the Dungeon Runners, a magical land of heroes where bullies are
challenged by an unlikely but plucky trio of friends willing to enter a
once-in-a-lifetime competition and fight their way to the top. An uplifting tale of backing the underdog, this super new
series is ideal inspiration for children finding their feet in the big, wide
world, so what are you waiting for... there’s always space for a new team of
heroes at the Dungeon!
(Nosy Crow, paperback, £7.99)
Grimwood: Party Animals
Nadia Shireen
YOU can never be too young, or too old, to enjoy a bit of
anarchy! Youngsters (and their parents!) will be grinning, guffawing, snorting
and sniggering when they get their hands on the fourth woodland caper in one of
the funniest children’s series currently on the market. Grimwood – a sort-of
Watership Down with foxes which evokes tears of laughter rather than of sorrow
– is the work of author and illustrator Nadia Shireen who has won awards for
her picture books and been shortlisted for the Roald Dahl Funny Prize and the
Waterstones Children’s Book Prize. Fully illustrated throughout, the books star
two fox cub siblings, Ted and Nancy, who love their new life in Grimwood… the
forest where anything (riotous!) can happen. They have made a lot of new
friends there but now Sharon the Party Crow has lost her mojo! Three parties in
one day have proved too much for Grimwood’s favourite raving resident, and it’s
up to Ted, Nancy, Willow, and the rest of the gang to help Sharon get her
groove back. Teamwork, friendship and, most importantly, dance skills, will all
be put to the test as the gang try to get the party started again! Shireen
serves up an irresistible blend of glorious gags, hilarious comedy routines,
boundless madcap escapades, and a memorable cast of quirky characters which
young readers will love following from first page to last, and from book to
book. With a side helping of zany black and white illustrations,
which bring both the animals and the action to life, the Grimwood series has the
legs – and the laughs – to run and run.
(Simon & Schuster Children’s Books, hardback, £12.99)
How to be a Genius Kid
Waldo Pancake (aka Jim Smith)
GET super-brainy with zero effort thanks to Waldo Pancake
(better known to comedy fans as Jim Smith, author and illustrator of all the ‘mega
keel’ Barry Loser books). Smith has his finger firmly on the pulse of what makes kids
(and grown-ups!) laugh… the pages of his books positively buzz with energy,
madcap antics, and a joyful sense of managed mayhem that is as addictive as it
is entertaining. And he is on top form in this zany and laugh out loud
bonkers graphic novel packed with large and small facts, and Smith’s wild and
wonderful wit. Why is misspelling stuff a sign of grate intelly-genz? What have
the hours in the day got to do with FINGER BONES? Why does rain on a pavement
smell so delish? And while you’re in the groove, discover the reason smells
help you remember stuff, why numbers are to do with fingers, and how the
universe began. Full of super clever facts, really stupid jokes and free
drawing tips, How to be a Genius will make you want to quote from it, repeat
the gags, and re-read it again and again. Plus Waldo Pancake shows you how to
draw stuff, as well as ‘learning you’ to be the biggest genius ever. Organised chaos for your fun-lovers and mischief-makers!
(Faber Children’s Books, paperback, £9.99)
Age 5 plus
Bertha & Blink: Rumble in the Jungle
Nicola Colton
FRIENDSHIP, science and nature prove to be the perfect blend
in a fun and informative new series from Irish author and illustrator Nicola
Colton. Stars of the show are super-star inventor Bertha the bear and her robot
bird Blink whose fun-filled adventures introduce young readers to a sprinkling
of science and a nod to nature. When a rumble in the jungle disturbs Bertha’s
work, she has to leave her peaceful home and investigate. Bertha doesn’t really
want to leave her treehouse as she’s scared of the dark and mysterious
wilderness. To help her, she creates Blink... an excitable robo-bird sidekick
who can’t wait to explore! How will the unlikely pair cope in the wilderness? Can
Blink help her overcome her fear and will they be able to discover the secret
behind the strange noises? With bright and lively colour artwork putting all
the fun and fascinating bite-size facts into focus, this is the perfect,
accessible chapter book series to help build confidence in new readers, and to
introduce them to various concepts of science, nature and ingenious inventions!
(Little Tiger Press, paperback, £6.99)
Age 5 plus
Call the Puffins! Muffin and the Shipwreck
Cath Howe and Ella Okstad
(Welbeck Children’s Books, paperback, £6.99)
What If My Snot Glowed in the Dark?
John Bottomley and Lee Cosgrove
WHO says snot is snot funny? Youngsters will love picking
their way through this brilliant over-the-top guide to bodily functions for
kids who love to grin (and maybe gag?!) while they’re learning. Written by the
top team of John Bottomley – a fan of all things gross who loves to make
children laugh – and illustrated by Lee Cosgrove from Merseyside, What If My
Snot Glowed in the Dark? is packed full of hilarious and yucky facts about the
stuff that comes out of the human body. Everybody pees, poos and pukes, and
everyone has icky skin and smells horrible. But have you ever wondered what
would happen if your burps could power a hot air balloon? You could burp your
way across the country! Or what if your farts smelled like roses? Well, you
could grow a fart garden, or start a range of perfumes inspired by your farts.
Or what if you never, EVER showered again? (Perish the thought!) Budding young
scientists – and fun-lovers – can learn all about why their bodies do icky
things as they snort and snigger their way through a veritable vat of blood,
earwax, scabs, vomit and sweat. Guaranteed to either blow you away... or make
you burp with laughing!
(Hodder Children’s Books, paperback, £7.99)
Natterjack Toad Can't Believe It!
Sean Taylor and Kathryn Durst
A CRUNCH moment awaits a hungry natterjack toad in a tasty
new picture book from the dynamic duo of award-winning author Sean Taylor and
Toronto-based illustrator Kathryn Durst. Will Natterjack Toad EVER get to eat
his cookies, or will he become a SNACK himself? Do you have a favourite snack?
One you’ve been thinking about all day and just can’t wait to tuck into? Well,
our friend Natterjack Toad has a packet of delicious chocolate-chunk
crunchy-munch cookies and he can’t wait to tuck in. So, he gets himself all
nice and comfortable, ready to savour every last chocolately bite – he reaches
into the packet, he opens his mouth, and then... Natterjack Toad can’t believe
it! Every time he tries to eat his cookies, there’s something in the way... a
lanky heron, a frisky-whiskered weasel, a scurrying vole – all on the lookout
for a (toady) snack themselves. Will he ever be able to eat his cookies in
peace? Youngsters will love getting their teeth into Taylor’s riotous
read-aloud romp which comes packed with the addictive sense of fun and
delightful repetitions that are guaranteed to tickle every child’s funny bone.
Add on Durst’s bold, beautiful and busy illustrations, and you have a treat for
readers both young and old!
(Walker Books, paperback, £7.99)
Gloria Goes for Gold
Marina Firth and Annabel Tempest
GET into the swim with a hippo going for gold in a
delightful picture book from the top team of author Marina Firth and
illustrator Annabel Tempest. As the build-up for the Paris Olympics gains
momentum, remind your own budding Olympians about ambition, teamwork, and what
it really means to be a winner, with this funny and heartwarming cautionary
tale. Gloria the hippo is from a family of synchronised swimmers. They are
gifted, graceful, and even groovy, and together they ALWAYS win gold at the
Artistic Swimming Championships. But Gloria dreams of a prize she doesn’t have
to share so, when the Savannah Games come to town, she decides to find a sport
she can win all by herself! After dabbling in sprinting, gymnastics, and
swimming, it dawns on Gloria that competing solo is rather lonely. She misses
her family, but is it too late for her to fill the Gloria-sized hole in their
team? Get ready for Gloria to make a splash as this ambitious hippo learns that
winning gold might not be the best prize at all! Brought to life by Tempest’s
joyful, energetic and expressive artwork, Gloria Goes for Gold is guaranteed to
win top prize with readers young and not-so-young!
(Oxford University Press, paperback, £7.99)
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