Age 8 plus
Dexter Procter the
10-Year-Old Doctor
Adam Kay and Henry Paker
IF reading this book makes you giggle so much that it hurts, you’d better book an appointment with the author! Former doctor Adam Kay, and his partner in all things yucky, aka illustrator Henry Paker, take youngsters on a pooey, frequently disgusting but entertaining and quietly educational adventure through medical marvels and mishaps in their outrageously funny new book. Dexter Procter the 10-Year-Old Doctor is the first middle grade fiction title from the winning author/illustrator team which created the bestselling non-fiction titles, Kay’s Anatomy and Kay’s Marvellous Medicine, and brilliant picture book Amy Gets Eaten which followed a piece of sweetcorn on a fascinating but squelchy journey through the human digestive system. And it’s pleasing to report that Kay and award-winning comedian, writer and illustrator Paker are on their best writing and illustrating form in this laughter-filled romp which blends riotous humour with some fascinating facts.
It was clear from an early age that Dexter Procter was
different. He started speaking at four seconds old. By the age of three, he had
87 A-levels, from Afrikaans to Zoology, and by ten, he was working as a
paediatrician at Lilydale General Hospital. Despite a loving but annoying
family, and a couple of good friends (Rupi and Otto), Dexter has always
struggled to fit in. But now he’s got a mortal enemy (Dr Drake) and there’s a
major problem at his old school (all the teachers have been struck down with
awful diarrhoea!) Will Dexter be able to save his job, save the school and find
his place in the world? (Spoiler alert: yes!) All the family will be laughing (painfully!) as the world's
youngest doctor peppers his madcap adventures with some eye-opening medical truths
and proves that the functions of the human body can be intriguing as well as
rather gruesome. Ideal as a teaching tool, great fun to read... and perfect to
share with parents who might learn a little bit too!
(Puffin, hardback, £14.99)
Flight
David Long and Terri Po
TAKE flight and enjoy the dizzy heights of raw courage and success
with this collection of astonishing true stories charting the advances in
aviation. Written by award-winning author David Long and fabulously illustrated
by Hong Kong-born Terri Po, Flight takes readers from a hot air balloon to
holidays on the Moon through 190 pages of sky-high achievements and derring-do. For hundreds of years people have been reaching for the
stars and, in less than a lifetime, technology has enabled us to progress from
the Wright Brothers’ first, brief twelve-second flight to actually walking on
the Moon. From a medieval monk with
home-made wings to the first real aeroplanes, and from barnstormers performing
in flying circuses to astronauts in space, this book tells the stories of the
people who made it happen. But Flight is also about the courage and ingenuity of the
men and women who made such rapid progress possible, about the romance of
soaring above the clouds, and perhaps most of all about the exciting and
exhilarating realisation of a dream which is literally centuries old. Success involved breathtaking feats of engineering, some
truly astonishing machines and raw courage on the part of the men and women
(and one ten-year-old boy) who risked everything to turn those dreams of flying
into reality. A truly uplifting account which is guaranteed to intrigue,
enchant and inspire!
(Faber Children’s Books, hardback, £18.99)
Percy Jackson and the Olympians: Wrath of the Triple Goddess
Rick Riordan
FANS of outstanding US author and global bestseller Rick
Riordan’s Percy Jackson and the Olympians fantasy series – which brings Greek
mythology alive for contemporary readers – will be sky high with joy when they land
on this brand new epic adventure. For those yet to be initiated into this bestselling
phenomenon, the novels are set in a world with the Greek gods in the 21st
century, and follow the protagonist Percy Jackson, a young demigod who has
saved the world not once but multiple times. And in this new epic adventure, we meet up again with Percy
who – after battling monsters, Titans, even death himself – should now find
graduating high school a breeze... right? Wrong. Percy needs three
recommendation letters from the gods before his final year in high school comes
to an end. And one thing Percy knows, the gods on Mount Olympus don’t do
anything for free. To secure his second letter, Percy and his friends Annabeth
and Grover agree to a new quest – pet-sitting for the goddess Hecate while
she’s away over Halloween. They just need to follow her simple rules: 1. Look after
the pets like their lives depend on it (because they do) 2. Don’t touch
anything – especially Hecate’s magic potions! 3. See points 1 and 2. But when
Grover’s curiosity gets the better of him, the trio find themselves with a
giant goat, a destroyed house, and Hecate’s (terrifying and potentially deadly)
pets on the loose in New York City. Now the trio have twenty-four hours to find
the pets and restore the mansion to order... or face the full fury of Hecate
and her horrifying three heads. This gripping new adventure sees Percy on another
enthralling, high-octane and thrilling adventure, full of legendary heroes,
mythical creatures, ancient Greek gods and enduring friendships... a truly
Titanic outing that is guaranteed to keep young readers hooked from first page
to last.
(Puffin, hardback, £16.99)
Why Your Parents Are Hung-Up on Your Phone and What To Do About It
Dean Burnett
‘Can you get off your phone/ PS5/ Xbox!? NOW!’
NEUROSCIENTIST and bestselling author Dean Burnett puts his wit and wisdom to excellent use in
this invaluable book exploring the good, the bad and the ugly when it comes to
youngsters and their mobile phones. ‘I bet that you and your parents argue
about phones,’ Burnett counters as he helps answer some burning questions like
should phones be banned in schools, what is ‘too much’ screentime, and how old
do you need to be before you can have a phone? Burnett shows youngsters why
parents are sometimes wrong about phones (and why, annoyingly, they can be a bit
right), how you can understand them a bit better, and (even better!) how you
can stop arguing about them. Using an informal and accessible style, he also
explains why turning off TikTok can be so hard, how video games can change your
brain for the better, and how Snapchat can make us sad (and lots of other
complicated feelings). Screens, he says, can be a good thing, and a bad thing,
but they’re definitely not worth getting hung up about. Packed with expert and
engaging guidance, this straight-talking book helps youngsters understand their
phones, why their parents are so ‘strange’ about them, and what they can do to
make things better. The perfect book to unpack the science and tell you what
REALLY matters!
(Penguin, paperback, £9.99)
Planet Earth: My Life So Far
Mike Barfield and Jess Bradley
DISCOVER the amazing story of our planet... as told by Earth
itself! This quirky, comic-style, first-person ‘autobiography,’ featuring Earth
telling its own life story, is the work of creative and award-winning duo,
author Mike Barfield and illustrator Jess Bradley. So welcome to the planet we
call home and enjoy the ultimate world tour through Earth’s history, habitats
and unique line-up of life forms past and present. From its very earliest
beginnings 4.5 billion years ago to the birth of life, rise of biodiversity and
the myriad creatures and lush landscapes that cover its surface... it’s ALL
here! Planet Earth: My Life So Far comes with fact-packed pages, terrific
timelines, earth-shattering shocks and some gigantic ‘guest stars,’ as well as
explorations of the formation of Earth and the Moon, Earth’s geographical and
geological features, and the challenges it faces today. Written in Barfield’s trademark
comedy style and accompanied by Bradley’s engaging and colourful comic-strip
illustrations, this is a global adventure you won’t want to miss!
(Buster Books, paperback, £10.99)
Chefs Wanted!
Allegra McEvedy and Alice Bowsher
IF the kitchen is your kids’ happy place, then help them
cook up a storm with this brilliant, inspirational book from Allegra McEvedy, chef,
writer, cookery teacher and co-founder of LEON, the popular, healthy, fast-food
restaurant group. McEvedy is aiming to inspire children to be passionate about
cooking by presenting children’s TV programmes, such as Junior Bake Off and
Step Up To The Plate, and now she has carefully prepared this tasty blend of
top techniques and tips and delicious recipes for 45 restaurant-grade dishes,
with the added bonus of lashings of full-on fun. Chefs Wanted! covers all areas of the kitchen and includes
specialised techniques pages to help young chefs become more professional. With
simple, step-by-step instructions, mouthwatering photographs of every dish, and
Alice Bowsher’s quirky, colourful illustrations, this magnificent cookbook
takes youngsters’ skills to the next level. From family favourites like cannelloni and chilli, street
food like spring rolls, and sweet treats like profiteroles, to exciting and
sometimes challenging food from around the globe like maki rolls, sunshine
scones, gyozas, and paneer masala, McEvedy helps children bring new flavours to
their cookery. So what are you waiting for? Wash your hands, put on your
apron... and get cooking!
(DK Children, hardback, £16.99)
The Wild Robot
Peter Brown
WHAT happens when the natural world collides with
technology? Bestselling author and illustrator Peter Brown’s heartfelt novel,
The Wild Robot, has become a modern classic since it was first published in
2016. Described by one critic as a ‘fable for our age,’ the story has been
adapted as a major DreamWorks animation film due to be released this month and
to celebrate the big day, this new edition of Brown’s book includes eight pages
of fantastic full-colour art from the movie. When robot Roz opens her eyes for the first time, she
discovers that she is alone on a remote, wild island. She has no idea how she
got there or what her purpose is... but she knows she needs to survive. After
battling a fierce storm and escaping a vicious bear attack, she realises that
her only hope for survival is to adapt to her surroundings and learn from the
island’s unwelcoming animal inhabitants. As Roz slowly befriends the animals,
the island starts to feel like home... until, one day, her mysterious past
comes back to haunt her. Packed with action, drama and heartwarming messages about
friendship, family, love, and the importance of balancing technological advance
with the need to protect nature, this is a tale of our times you won’t want to
miss!
(Piccadilly Press, paperback, £7.99)
The Safari: An Alphabet Story from A to Z!
Joanna McInerney and Jana Glatt
JOIN a little frog as he travels the world and meets new
friends in a bright and busy alphabet book from editor and writer Joanna
McInerney and exciting talent Jana Glatt who was born in Rio de Janeiro and has
been described as Richard Scarry for a new generation. Youngsters are
guaranteed fun on every page as they search for animals from A to Z in scenes
full of colour, rich detail and vivid characters. Our friendly frog is on a
quest to say hello to as many animals around the world as possible! From the wildest
savannahs to the depths of the ocean, each spread is jam-packed with animals to
find. But, there’s a catch! Can you find the animals which begin with the
correct letter? The Safari is a picture perfect alphabet book designed to spark
the imagination and with an adorable rhyming story that is perfect for early
learning. Who will you meet along the way... don’t miss the fun of finding out!
(Big Picture Press, hardback, £14.99)
Patrick and Flippa
Wendy Meddour and Merle Goll
MEET Patrick the polar bear and Flippa the seal... Flippa is
Patrick’s best friend but something’s not quite RIGHT and it’s going to test
their friendship! Award-winning children’s writer Wendy Meddour and German-born
illustrator Merle Goll have fun with a heart-melting picture book about
friendships and setting boundaries. Patrick and Flippa love watching clouds
together. Every day, Flippa dives for their dinner and makes sure that Patrick’s
tummy is full of fish... so why does he always have that empty bear feeling? Is
it because Flippa is always in charge or is because he’s hungry and needs to
start catching his own fish? Meddour’s gently educational story delivers
important messages at the same time as making us smile, while Goll’s artwork
brings the adorable creatures to vibrant
life. Perfect to dive in and enjoy with your little ones... the water might be icy
but a warm hug awaits!
(Oxford University Press, paperback, ££7.99)
CLANG!
Sam Usher
‘When I woke up this morning, Penguin was missing!’
WELCOME to a wild and wonderful adventure with a little boy and his grandad as they
head off on a voyage around the world on an old steamship. CLANG! is the second
title in author and illustrator Sam Usher’s Adventures with Grandad (Transport
Quartet), starring his much-loved Boy and Grandad double act. Boy has lost his
beloved toy penguin. He and grandad have looked all over the place but she’s
nowhere to be seen. Boy thinks he might know where she’s gone but if they’re
going to find her, they need to build a big boat! Little ones will love seeing Boy
and Grandad use their ingenuity to turn an old bath into a seaworthy vessel and
navigate all the way to the South Pole. Along the way, they encounter a variety
of ships, submarines... and even pirates! Usher’s warm-hearted, original and
inspirational stories celebrate the special bond between children and their
grandparents, and are must-reading for pre-schoolers. With themes of
creativity, resourcefulness and shared adventures, and some subtle science
facts, Usher’s quirky and charming story is complemented by a palette of
gloriously funny watercolour illustrations which add extra character and
texture to an enchanting and life-affirming adventure. Don’t miss the boat!
(Templar Publishing, paperback, £7.99)
Bird Bath
Steve Antony
BATHTIME is splashing good fun in the second book of award-winning
writer and illustrator Steve Antony’s lively and lovely pre-school picture book
series that puts the focus on familiar childhood moments, emotions and
milestones. Simple, playful stories blend with gorgeous illustrations in a
style that is full of visual and verbal appeal for babies and toddlers. In Bird
Bath, Antony explores the joys and frustrations of bath time... a source of
hilarity, mischief – and stress for parents! Stars of the show are four mucky
birds, all desperately in need of a bath! They’ve got soap, shampoo and a BIG
bottle of bubble bath, but can they be trusted not to use it all? Will they
keep the water inside the bath? And how many birds can you fit in the tub?
Because when bath time is this much fun, EVERYONE wants to get in. A squeaky
clean pleasure to share with your own little bathtime mischief-makers!
(Macmillan Children’s Books, paperback, £7.99)
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