Age 9 plus
Rosa By Starlight
Hilary McKay and Keith Robinson
CAN a family of cats save a young girl still struggling to cope with life eight years after her parents died in an accident? Hilary McKay, the Costa award-winning author of The Skylarks' War, spreads love and stardust over a magical story of adventure, friendship and courage which will break your heart and put it back together again.Brought to glorious life by the emotive illustrations of Keith Robinson, Rosa By Starlight has an unforgettable heroine at its core... a lost soul convinced that somewhere in her bleak world is the magic and hope she craves, and discovering it in the most unexpectedly ‘feline’ place.
After years of being cared for by kind neighbours, eleven-year-old
Rosa Mundi has abruptly been left in the care of a mysterious aunt and uncle and
when her school closes down suddenly, she is forced to join them on a work trip
to Italy. Left to fend for herself at the rundown Hotel Mancini in Venice, Rosa
feels completely abandoned and it takes all her courage to stay hopeful and
adventurous in the ancient city. Help arrives just when she needs it most in
the shape of her neighbour’s large black cat Balthazar. But can the mysterious
winding streets of the city, its feline inhabitants and an alignment of stars
spark the magic Rosa longs for, and plant seeds of hope for the future?
Cat lovers will be purring with delight as McKay delivers a
beautiful, Italian-themed odyssey filled with all the atmospherics you would
expect from the serpentine streets of Venice, a large serving of magic and
melancholy, and a wistful, waif-like heroine kept safe by a cannily clever cast
of felines. An adventure that’s guaranteed to cast a spell!
(Macmillan Children’s
Books, hardback, £12.99)
Shipwrecked
Jenny Pearson and Nick East
SCHOOL trips aren’t always plain sailing as three youngsters
discover when they find themselves alone and stranded on a desert island! Shipwrecks,
survival and pirates take centre stage in the latest adventure from
award-winning author and primary school teacher Jenny Pearson whose much-loved
books are based on a wonderful mix of all the children she has ever taught. Packed with Pearson’s trademark humour and heart, plus the
brilliant illustrations of Nick East, Shipwrecked is the perfect summer read...
a classic castaway tale with a contemporary modern twist which shines a light
on resilience, finding the good in a bad situation, and protecting wildlife. Sebastian Sunrise and his two best friends, Lina and
Étienne, are in a bit of trouble. They are stranded on a desert island in the
middle of the Pacific Ocean after a rowing race organised by Sebastian went
very, very wrong. The friends have no idea how long they might have to stay on
the island so they make a plan. They will try to survive, look after the island’s
baby turtles, and have fun... if they
can. But Sebastian’s life has never gone to plan and they quickly face
jellyfish stings, burnt bums and an out-of-control goat. And when a boat
arrives, bringing pirates who want to hunt the island’s baby turtles, the
friends face their greatest danger yet... Shipwrecked – a feast of summer sun, amazing adventures,
laugh-out-loud comedy, and East’s captivating artwork – is the sixth unmissable
outing with this talented author. So, whatever you do, don’t miss the boat!
(Usborne Publishing, paperback, £7.99)
The Beanstalk Murder
P.G. Bell
YOU'RE never too young to enjoy cosy crime so join master
storyteller P.G. Bell – the Welsh author who conjured up the award-winning The
Train to Impossible Places series – as he blends fairytale magic with murder
mystery in a glorious giant-sized adventure. The Beanstalk Murder is a dazzling standalone tale which
stars a wonderfully quirky cast of characters, originally planned for an
earlier book but now planted into a makeshift house on the banks of a stream,
tucked away in the shade of a mighty oak tree and crammed full of magical
paraphernalia. It’s the home of reluctant, trainee meadow witch Anwen and
her grandmother witch Eira Sedge who are forced to turn detective when a dead
giant falls from the sky and destroys their village. But when she examines the
body, she discovers something interesting. This giant was murdered which means
a killer is on the loose! Tasked with sending a message to the giant kingdom
via beanstalk, Anwen and her nemesis, trainee sorceress Cerys Powell,
accidentally find themselves whipped up into the sky and deposited in the
giants’ royal palace... where the king is missing. Using their perfect spy-size
and witchy skills, the girls must track down his killer. But how can you
investigate a murder mystery when you risk being stepped on by your suspects? Bell lets his imagination fly high as he takes us to the top
of the beanstalk for a thrilling, atmospheric and world-building adventure in
which a murder brings the worlds of humans and giants crashing together. Enjoy
lashings of danger, intrigue and fun, twists and turns to keep you guessing,
and watch out for some giant pigeons! A truly spellbinding mystery...
(Usborne Publishing, paperback, £7.99)
Hero Wanted!
Mark Powers and Coralie Muce
HAVE you ever met a vegan T. rex? If that sounds extremely
unlikely, you need to dive into this romping, stomping adventure from
Manchester-based author Mark Powers who admits he has been making up ridiculous
stories since primary school. There are giggles galore on every page of this madcap, funny
and fast-paced tale, filled with the hilarious illustrations of French concept
artist Coralie Muce, and starring twelve-year-old Grace who must venture to the
world of Brokenshire (where magic is real, dinosaurs are alive and animals can
talk) to lead the fight against the People of the Night and win the Worthy War. Grace is woken in the middle of the night to the sound of an
armoured horse in her back garden. The next thing she knows, a dying Grace
doppelganger bursts through her bedroom door and insists that she is the
fifteenth and final Grace, and it is her destiny to win the Worthy War. Grace’s
quest takes her to the county of Brokenshire where she must work with her
trusty steed (who has a sharp tongue and a habit of reminding Grace of all the
ghastly ends her predecessors have met!) to battle magical creatures and save
the world. A vegan T. rex, mind control slugs, a distinguished dodo,
bomber geese and the fearsome trigger wolf are just some of the memorable
characters Grace meets on her way in this brilliantly imaginative and dazzling
adventure which will have youngsters laughing all the way to the twist in the
tail!
(Bloomsbury Children’s Books, paperback, £7.99)
Tangletree Mysteries: Peggy & Stu Play The Wrong Notes
Steve Roberts and Joel Stewart
IF you haven’t already met dynamic detective duo, Peggy and
Stu, then you’d be barking mad to miss their anarchic antics in Tangletree
Wood! Peggy & Stu Play The Wrong Notes is the second full-colour graphic
novel in this fantastic collaboration between that other dynamic duo, Steve
Roberts and Joel Stewart, joint creators of TV animations like Abney & Teal
and BOT and the Beasties. And after their first book, Peggy & Stu Investigate!, we
meet up again with Peggy the dog who has a secret... every day, during her walk
in the park, she scampers into Tangletree Wood and becomes a brilliant
detective! In fact, no mystery is too tricky to solve for Peggy and her
faithful sidekick, Stu the shrew. So join them for two new twisty adventures. In
Case 1, Trumpet Trouble, it’s the day of the Tangletree Spring Dance and the
town band is desperate to play. But the trumpet-player’s instrument has developed a life of its own and has run
off into the forest! Can Peggy and Stu catch it, discover why it’s moving and
save the Spring Dance? In Case 2, Cake Crimes, Tangletree has a visitor... a
pop-up bakery with the most delicious cakes... so delicious that the townsfolk
can’t stop eating them. And so sweet that they are giving everyone terrible
toothache! Can it be a coincidence that a pop-up dentist has opened up as well? Prepare to giggle from start to finish as our fearless
sleuths head into the shady corners of Tangletree Woods to get to the bottom of
some extraordinary – and hilarious – woodland mysteries. Packed with exhilarating fun, non-stop action,
and a cast of brilliant comedy characters, this is graphic novel entertainment
pitched perfectly for young readers.
(Welbeck Children’s Books, paperback, £7.99)
Paper Adventures: A Rip-and-Glue Activity Book
Aya Watanabe
IT'S going to be a ripping summer for art and fun-loving youngsters when they get their hands on the first two books of a brilliantly creative new series from up-and-coming Japanese illustrator Aya Watanabe. This delightful series encourages children to cut, or simply rip, and stick to practise and improve their fine motor control skills and is the work of an artist who loves to explore imaginary worlds and express her inner child through art. In Paper Adventures: A Rip-and-Glue Activity Book, we join two brave explorers as they journey through the jungle, meeting wild animals along the way, before diving to the bottom of the ocean for sunken treasure. But something is very strange... a tiger has lost its stripes, an elephant needs a trunk, and the flowers are missing their petals!
(Templar Publishing, paperback, £7.99 each)
One Day at a Time
Rachel Ip and Natelle Quek
WHEN parents of young children separate or divorce, it’s
often hard for young children to fully understand the changes in their lives.
Taking this emotive theme, award-winning picture book author and author
ambassador Rachel Ip and Malaysian-born illustrator Natelle Quek combine their
talents and their hearts on a beautifully illustrated story which offers
comfort, understanding and reassurance to bewildered youngsters. When Poppy and
Robin’s parents separate, everything starts to change around them. They soon
have two homes, different routines and big mixed-up feelings. But as family
life begins to take new shape, the siblings discover that even the biggest
changes in life get easier, and happiness can grow again, if you take it one
day at a time. Ip’s gentle, heartfelt story – full of child appeal and the
familiar settings of home and garden – is given extra poignancy by Quek’s
enchanting artwork. Ideal for home, nurseries and in schools.
(Hodder Children’s Books, paperback, £7.99)
Be Normal!
Ged Adamson
SHARE laughter, larks and life lessons in a funning and
moving picture book from Liverpool-born author and illustrator Ged Adamson.
Combining a whimsical story with appealing artwork, Adamson lets loose his
imagination on a delightful story celebrating friendship, individuality and
staying true to yourself. Theo can't wait to get his very own dog. But when
Geoff (Geoff Thorndike to be precise!) arrives, Theo is confused... Geoff
doesn't play fetch, chase squirrels or do any normal doggy things. He likes
painting and making smoothies! When Theo has to introduce Geoff to his friends,
he’s SO embarrassed. Why can't Geoff be like other dogs? But maybe, just maybe,
Theo will discover that accepting your friends just as they are is much more
important than being normal. After all, why be normal... when you can be
yourself? Adamson’s quirky adventure reminds young readers that being ‘normal’
is not important but enjoying time with your friends and having fun definitely
is! And like all Nosy Crow paperback picture books, Be Normal! comes with a
free ‘Stories Aloud’ audio recording. Just scan the QR code and listen along!
(Nosy Crow, paperback, £7.99)
Griselda Snook’s Spectacular Books
Barry Timms and Laura Borio
MANY youngsters would claim that it’s never too early to
prepare for the spills and spooks of Halloween so indulge them with a
spooktacular adventure that gives a ghostly book shop top billing! Griselda
Snook’s Spectacular Books has been conjured up by the creative team of
award-winning storyteller Barry Timms and rising picture book star Laura Borio.
Books are magic! Bookshops are spectacular! Don’t believe us? Join Henry as he
helps Griselda Snook on the opening day of her spooky bookshop. From hunting down
runaway jack-o’-lanterns to banishing dragons, Henry loves his day spent in
Griselda’s bookshop, and he especially likes helping book lovers to find their
next read. But can Henry find the perfect book for himself? Timms’ delightful
tale of a truly extraordinary bookshop – and its celebration of the sheer magic
of books – is brought to life by Borio’s stunningly detailed artwork which
features an eye-catching orange fluoro pantone ink on every page.
The ideal gift for book (and Halloween) fans!
(Little Tiger Press, paperback, ££7.99)
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