Age 7 plus
Open Wide! Jaw-dropping Mouths of the Animal World
Letizia Diamante and Ed J.Brown
CRUNCH! Snap! Slurp! Explore the most marvellous mouths of
the animal kingdom, from the awesome jaws of the great white shark to the tiny
teeth of the garden snail, and gobble up a feast of fascinating facts. Open Wide! – written by scientist and author Letizia
Diamante and fabulously illustrated by Ed J.Brown – is a tasty treat for all
those children who can’t get enough of sharks, big cats and other toothy
predators. From the most astonishing mouths and sharpest teeth to the stretchiest
cheeks and the stickiest tongues in the animal kingdom, youngsters will love chomping
through the pages as they learn about animal mouths, teeth, beaks, tongues and
lips, the important animal body parts that are often overlooked, even though
they are right under our noses! Some animals sport tongues that are longer than their
bodies, others have super-sticky spit that can speedily snare an insect snack.
And animals use their mouths for lots of things other than just eating... to
carry their food or their babies, to build their homes or even to climb
waterfalls! Children are especially aware of their own mouths as they
lose their milk teeth and watch adult teeth grow in their place, and Open Wide!
compares their teeth to those of their favourite animals (and some super weird
ones, too!). Diamante’s knack for sharing cutting-edge information in a
playful, awe-inspiring way is guaranteed to engage budding young scientists,
and with Brown’s stylish illustrations on every page, photographic zoom-ins to bring
the stories and facts to life, and a sneaky lesson in diversity, this is the
perfect way to get down and deep into the animal world!
(What on Earth Books, hardback, £14.99)
Age 9 plus
Circus Maximus: Return of the Champion
Annelise Gray
(Zephyr, paperback, £8.99)
The History of Information
Chris Haughton
TAKE an illustrated journey through the evolution of
knowledge, communication and information with best-selling author and designer Chris
Haughton. A graphic handbook of information – the biggest influence on human
history – this chunky book offers a unique exploration of the ways humans share
and store information, and how this has changed and shaped the world. Illustrated in Haughton’s signature style, The History of
Information travels through time and dives deep into the story of information,
from the first languages and cave paintings through to how we communicate and
record information today. History, as it is often taught, presents the what and when,
but it rarely asks why. Why did the world’s religions rise around the same time
and why is society dominated by men? The answers all come down to the same
thing... information. The striving to share information, and – at the same time
– the striving to undermine it, explains so much of today’s world and connects
so many seemingly unconnected things like the rise of religions, states,
science, democracy, the West, militarism, racism, fascism, consumerism, big
tech, polarisation, and AI. This history of information is closely connected to the
history of visual communication – and as these two are largely the same – it
makes sense to tell this story visually... a history of graphics told through
graphics. Through a mix of timelines, graphics, and illustrations, The History
of Information, clearly breaks down and explains each concept for children and
adults alike. Divided into ten beautifully designed chapters that are
cleverly illustrated in a way to make complex subjects accessible, and
exploring everything we know and how we know it, this is a dazzling one-of-a-kind
book that would sit comfortably on bookshelves at home, school, and in
libraries.
(DK Children, hardback, £20)
Podkin and the Tentacled Terror
Kieran Larwood and David Wyatt
THE race is on to find a magical anvil in the penultimate
book of master storyteller Kieran Larwood’s The World of Podkin One-Ear, a
spectacular rabbit world fantasy series which has readers longing for each new
book as it appears. And it’s pleasing to report that Podkin and the Tentacled
Terror once more delivers all those ingredients that children love...
adventure, magic, danger, thrills and friendship. After claiming the Singing
Spear, Podkin, son of a rabbit warrior chieftain, heads to the sea to search
out the last Gift of all – the anvil of Magmarok – a gift which will help save
rabbitkind and which is hidden inside a mysterious labyrinth. He must brave the
ancient sea monster Krakos and fearsome pirates with no scruples to arrive at
the city that houses the anvil before Scramashank and his Gorm. But what will
it take to defeat the labyrinth and win the anvil, and what will happen when
the Gifts finally gather in one place? In a restless world under threat, Podkin
will discover the importance of kinship, friends in funny places and a strength
he never knew he had! Written with Larwood’s unique storytelling magic, exquisitely
illustrated with full page artwork by leading fantasy illustrator David Wyatt,
and encompassing a breathtakingly imagined world full of memorable rabbit
characters, this is middle grade fiction at its very best.
(Faber Children’s Books, hardback, £14.99)
Meesh the Bad Demon:
The Secret of the Fang
Michelle Lam
DARING adventures aren’t just for those who think they’re
super-brave! In the second book of her magical and inspirational Meesh the Bad
Demon full-colour graphic novel series, Los Angeles-based story artist Michelle
Lam once again draws on her Chinese American childhood experiences to bring
youngsters stories brimming with fantasy and fun. The star of this epic series is a reluctant twelve-year-old bad
demon called Meesh who became leader of a band of outcasts tasked with saving
the underworld. And after accomplishing this amazing feat once, she never
thought she’d have to do it twice! Meesh has banded together with Fairy Princess Nouna to save
their world from the darkness and as she grows into her newly discovered
destiny as the Guardian of the world, Meesh knows there will be a few minor
rescues, and maybe even some crime-fighting here or there. But before long, her
new friend Chai’s family is forced out of their home by an evil force who
threatens to destroy all of wolf-kind if they dare stay. Meesh suspects the
same masked villain she faced before is behind all of this, but will she be
able to stop them before it's too late? Youngsters will love being reunited with Meesh in her marvellously
magical world and following her exciting adventures as she faces up to another
epic battle to defeat the darkness once and for all. With an eclectic cast of demons,
werewolves, fairy princesses and unicorns to enjoy, Lam’s gallery of adorable
characters and fantastical illustrations bringing the story to devilish life,
Meesh and her gang are undoubtedly everyone’s favourite good-bad guys!
(Faber Children’s Books, paperback, £9.99)
Age 9 plus
Knutz and Boltz and the Sorcerer of Science
Tim Collins and Louise Forshaw
(Buster Books, paperback, £7.99)
The Light Thieves
and the Terrifying Dawn
Helena Duggan
WHEN it comes to saving the world, it’s only kids you can
trust! Welcome back to third and final action-packed eco-techno-adventure in
The Light Thieves series from Irish author Helena Duggan, creator of the
much-loved and bestselling A Place Called Perfect series. Brimming with action,
mystery, and timely warnings about the dangers of placing too much reliance on
technology, The Light Thieves stars a group of plucky young friends, Grian,
Jeffrey and Shelli, whose mission is to stop the theft of invaluable sunlight. People
know that the sun is being stolen by tech-billionaire Howard Hansom who has
been spinning everyone a massive lie. The only person who can stop him from
plunging the world into darkness is the mysterious White Rose but she must keep
her identity a secret, so she has been sending out coded letters hoping good
people will find them and work out what’s going on. Grian, Shelli and Jeffrey
have been deciphering her letters and are close to solving all the puzzles...
but they need one more set of clues to help them in their quest. Can they find
the White Rose before it’s too late? Set against a superbly imagined dystopian
world, and full of Duggan’s now trademark humour, intrigue, quirkiness and
thrilling adventures, this is the last fantastic chapter of a thought-provoking
and excitingly imaginative series, full of challenging ideas, fantasy and
gripping twists and turns, and a timely reminder of the real-life fragility of
our planet.
(Usborne Publishing, paperback, £7.99)
Pizza Pete and the Missing Magic
Carrie Sellon and Sarah Horne
BRACE yourself for more laughs, tasty pizzas and words of
wisdom as author Carrie Sellon and illustrator Sarah Horne return with the
second laugh-out-loud adventure of a trilogy starring the irrepressible Pizza
Pete! We first met Pete last year in Sellon’s acclaimed debut Pizza Pete and
the Perilous Potions, a book currently listed for The Week Junior Book Awards.
After finding a mysterious briefcase full of magic potions under the
floorboards in the attic, Pete and his dad experimented with them to create
some crazy, crowd-pleasing pizza toppings to help save the family business. Now
Pete is back but he’s worried about seeing his friends – Anna, Archie and
Useless the dog – and starting a new school term after a long summer holiday
selling pizzas from his van with Dad. He’s also in great danger. Someone wants
the magical potions and will stop at nothing to get them. When they go missing,
Pete has to summon all his courage to save the day... and make use of some
magic! Pete is a true hero for young readers, a boy who is helping the battle
to save his family’s pizza business whilst struggling with his own anxiety
issues. And it’s the author’s distinctive brand of laugh-out-loud, slapstick
humour – perfectly complemented by Horne’s extravagant, fun-filled
illustrations – which provide the ideal wrapping for a story that gently, and
sensitively, tackles serious issues around mental health and anxiety. Don’t
miss a slice of the pizza action fun!
(Guppy Books, paperback, £7.99)
Bigg School: Secret Crush
Lisa Williamson and Jess Bradley
MOVING from primary to secondary school is a big leap for
youngsters and brings with it many fears and anxieties, and highs and lows.
It’s a topic that award-winning author Lisa Williamson tackles with warmth,
enthusiasm, humour and empathy in the third book of her Bigg School series
which follows a group of children starting life at the Henry Bigg Academy. Astrid
likes being different – she doesn't care that some of her classmates think
she's a bit odd. She’s happy being exactly who she is, she’s got amazing
friends and is the Scribble Society’s star writer. When new boy Teddy joins the
school, Astrid is super excited to discover they have loads in common. Soon she realises that she has a secret crush
on Teddy, but on Valentine’s Day Astrid’s world is turned upside down when she
discovers that Teddy likes someone more than her. Suddenly being different
doesn't feel so great after all. Maybe it’s time for Astrid to start to try fitting
in... but things don’t quite go as Astrid planned. With Jess Bradley’s emotive
illustrations expressing the conflicted inner world and worries of emotionally mixed-up
Astrid, this funny, relatable, tender and sometimes painfully honest story is a
moving reflection of an ordinary youngster navigating friendships, first love
and the ups and downs of growing up and secondary school. Entertainment and
reassurance in one perfectly created book.
(Guppy Books, paperback, £7.99)
Age 7 plus
Jack-Jack: How to Train Your Human
Ben Garrod and Charli Vince
(Zephyr, paperback, £7.99)
The Shop-Witch’s Quest
Aisha Bushby and Patri de Pedro
AWARD-WINNING children’s author Aisha Bushby casts a spell
over young readers with an enchanting new adventure starring a shop-witch and a
hero who must work together to fulfil an important quest. In a magical world
where heroes go on exciting quests while witches keep everything running behind
the scenes, Laurel works in her parents’ shop, supplying everything from
enchanted yarn to magical carpets and bright idea lamps. But the shop is
struggling after the opening of a big shopping centre nearby, so when a hero
waltzes in with a long list of expensive items, Laurel sees an opportunity to
help save the shop. However, there’s one item on the list that isn’t in stock,
and it’s going to be very tricky to find! Join Laurel and her wise cat familiar
as they take the reluctant hero on a quest to rescue her parents’ shop in this
super-fun fantasy adventure full of magical exploits and hilarious mishaps, all
brought to life by the charming artwork of Patri de Pedro and published in
Barrington Stoke’s trademark dyslexia-friendly format. Truly spellbinding!
(Barrington Stoke, paperback, £7.99)
Dave Pigeon (Zombies!)
Swapna Haddow and Sheena Dempsey
YOUNGSTERS (and their grown-ups!) will be all of a-flutter
when author Swapna Haddow and illustrator Sheena Dempsey’s sixth Dave Pigeon
comedy adventure wings its way into their eager hands. With a laugh guaranteed
on every page, this much-loved, award-winning chapter book series shows off the
outstanding queens of comedy at their very best and has received rave reviews
since first publishing in 2016. In their spooktastic new Halloween-flavoured
adventure, we find Dave Pigeon and his trusty sidekick, Skipper, in the garden
shed, discussing the possibility that there are zombie animals in the garden!
They think this is the work of some dreaded green cookies. (Eat them at your
peril.) But a cookie's a cookie, and Dave can't resist taking a peck. Now
Skipper is in quite the flap! Is Dave about to turn into a zombie... or are
those animals actually just in fancy dress? Packed with Haddow’s warmth, sense
of fun and wicked, laugh-out-loud wit, and Dempsey’s irresistibly hilarious black
and white illustrations, this funny, energetic and addictive series from one of
the most inspired partnerships in children’s comedy fiction is simply
irresistible!
(Faber Children’s Books, paperback, £7.99)
Busy Little Fingers: Music
Eva Wong Nava and Eleonora Marton
CAN you make a noise like a trumpet, and do you know how to
sing the blues? This bright and busy
book – bursting with fun, facts and bold illustrations – is perfect for a first,
entertaining look at music, and is
jam-packed with things for busy little fingers to try. Written by Eva Wong Nava,
an award-winning children’s author, and colourfully illustrated by Italian-born
artist Eleonora Marton, Busy Little Fingers has a delightful vibrancy and
energy and is ideal as an interactive introduction to music for younger
children. Featuring ten need-to-know movements from Jazz and Folk to Hip Hop
and Soul, children learn all about each genre and its defining characteristics
before trying their hand at creating their own funky beats. A hands-on music
lesson!
(Big Picture Press, paperback, £9.99)
Adventuremice: The Ghostly Galleon
Philip Reeve and Sarah McIntyre
YOUNGSTERS love these meeces to pieces! The dream team of
author Philip Reeve and illustrator Sarah McIntyre pool their talents for the
new book in a simply delightful early reader series which has all the fun of TV
hit Paw Patrol, and the charm and whimsy of classics like The Wind in the
Willows. With its focus on fun, friendship and kindness, Adventuremice features
Pedro, a timid little mouse who has proved himself to be brave enough to join
the heroic team who protect the Mouse Islands from danger. And here we find him
getting ready for the annual Autumn Festival at the spookiest time of the year,
and wondering if the ghost stories about the legendary Captain Cheesebeard and
his ancient treasure hoard aren’t just tales? Pedro will have to summon the
bravery needed to discover the secrets of the spooky galleon and the other ghostly
goings-on at sea, and get to the bottom of the mystery! Reeve’s lively,
heartwarming and fun-filled storytelling delivers all those ingredients that
children love – immersive adventures, lovable heroes, reassuring friendships, exciting
action and plenty of smiles – and all brought to vibrant, colourful life by
McIntyre’s exquisitely characterful illustrations. A warm and whiskery favourite
with mouse lovers of every age!
(David Fickling Books, paperback, £6.99)
Age 2 plus
Winnie and Wilbur: Winnie’s Witchy Bedtime
Valerie Thomas and Korky Paul
(Oxford University Press, hardback, £12.99)
Sleep Stories:
Little Panda & Little Elephant
Sarah Cordingley and Kamala Nair
JOIN a little panda as she follows a mysterious rumbling sound in the forest – and a little elephant searching for his lost rubber duck – in two new titles in an enchanting bedtime series from Oxford University Press. Drawing on their vast experience of children’s books for all ages, the book boffins have created these perfect calming reads to prepare little ones (and their carers!) for a good night’s sleep. In Little Panda, readers travel through the forest with the little creature as the sun sets behind the Snowy Mountains to find out just who is making the mysterious noise?
(Oxford University Press, paperback, £7.99 each)
Barefoot Baby-Proof Books
HERE'S something for every mum to chew over... chomp-proof, rip-proof, waterproof and bendable books just made for babies to get their teeth into! For over 30 years, Barefoot Books – a women-founded, independent publisher which started as a small home-based business in England in 1992 – have been creating visually captivating books which aim to celebrate diversity, spark curiosity and capture children’s imaginations. And one of their big success stories has been the Barefoot Baby-Proof Books range which was designed to meet early developmental needs, and is ideal for babies and toddlers who love to explore using ALL their senses. These delightful ‘chew-proof’ books are made from durable, non-toxic materials, fully washable, dishwasher-safe and are perfect for bath-time. Each title is bursting with new concepts and skills and includes a QR code to audio and video animation to bring the story to life.
(Barefoot Books, paperback, £5.99 each)
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