Age 9 plus
Maisie vs Antarctica
Jack Jackman
WHEN you’ve travelled round the Antarctic peninsula in an ice-breaker, visited remote penguin colonies and walked in never-before-trodden places, it’s seems an obvious next step to write an adventure story like no other! So meet Jack Jackman – a teacher, father-of-three and now debut author – and embark on an epic, worldwide father-daughter expedition filled with thrills, spills (and a few supernatural chills!) in the first book of a dazzling, globe-trotting series. Maisie thinks her dad is the most boring person in the world. For fun, he likes to do origami (but only basic triangles) or jigsaw puzzles of a cloudless sky (yep, every piece is blue). He writes cool-sounding books like How To Wrestle A Crocodile and How To Defuse A Bomb, but he’s never actually done any of the awesome things he writes about. But Maisie has to admit weird things happen around Dad... unexplainable things.
When childcare
falls through and Dad has to take Maisie to Antarctica to research his next
book, How To Survive In Antarctica, Maisie realises that there is definitely
something unusual about Dad and she is determined to find out the truth. What
she doesn’t realise is that she will discover some things about herself and
what it really means to be a hero along the way. One thing is for sure... it’s
going to be the adventure of a lifetime! Featuring plane crashes, near misses with leopard seals, and
a massive family secret that will change Maisie’s life forever, Jackman throws
readers straight into the action with Maisie providing a delightfully authentic
first person narration. Blending laugh-out-loud humour, dynamic storytelling and nail-biting
action, and starring a plucky girl who discovers that there is a whole lot more
to being a hero than she could ever have imagined, this is an electrifying
opener to what promises to be a global adventure series of truly epic
proportions!
(Nosy Crow, paperback, £7.99)
42 Artists Everyone Should Know
Brad Finger, Alison Baverstock, Florian Heine, Doris Kutschbach, Bettina Schümann and Angela Wenzel
DISCOVER some of the world’s most famous artwork, and get to
know the artists whose creations have been both groundbreaking and awesome in a
beautifully produced and accessible new book. From Bosch and Picasso to Basquiat and Banksy, this richly
illustrated introduction to art through the centuries introduces young readers
to a hugely diverse collection of works, genres, and genius. Brimming with colour,
information, and inspiration, the imaginatively designed volume spans five centuries,
highlighting forty-two of the most influential and important artists of all
time. Arranged chronologically – beginning with Renaissance
artists like Leonardo da Vinci and Albrecht Dürer and ending with present
day pioneers such as ‘polka dots’ painter Yayoi Kusama and graffiti artist Banksy
– this magnificent book features multi-page spreads that include brief
biographies, career highlights, and luminous reproductions of major works of
each artist. In addition to widely known figures such as Titian,
Rembrandt, Vermeer, Vincent van Gogh and Picasso, young readers will learn
about women artists such as 16th century Italian painter Sofonisba
Anguissola, American modernist artist Georgia O’Keeffe, and Mexican portrait
painter Frida Kahlo, as well as artists of colour such as African-American Jacob
Lawrence, and Neo-expressionist Jean- Michel Basquiat. The wide-ranging selection also includes a variety of genres
such as photographer Cindy Sherman, Op-artist Bridget Riley, scientific
illustrator Maria Sibylla Merian and sculptor Louise Bourgeois. And running
across the bottom of each page, a timeline highlights world-shaping events
which help contextualise the artists’ achievements on a global scale. With its picture perfect introduction to great art, this
fascinating, fact-filled books invites youngsters to explore the rich tapestry
of history’s greatest artists, and to find inspiration in their amazing life
stories.
(Prestel, hardback, £19.99)
Witchspark
Dominique Valente and Eleonora Asparuhova
WHEN the stars of the show are a girl born with only one
hand, and a magical house with a character all of its own, you know you’re in
for a treat! Dominique Valente – author of the bewitching Starfell series – unleashes
her own special brand of magic in the first book of a delightful new fantasy
series full of magic and wonder, and two spirited aspiring witches. Using her own
experiences of living with one hand, Valente channels some of her own challenges
and frustrations into this quirky adventure. Eglantine Bury, who was born with just one hand, can’t find
her Witchspark but if her magic doesn’t appear, her family and their magical
house will fall into the clutches of the terrifyingly powerful Whistlewitch and
her villainous Uncle Lichen who wants Eglantine’s sentient family home,
Huswyvern, for himself. Across the land, Princess Victoria faces her own danger
as her secret magical powers start to spiral out of control and cause chaos in
the Royal Palace. Eglantine and Victoria both turn to the disgraced witch Miss
Hegotty for help. Her witch lessons are difficult and powerful, but can this
secret magic match up to the dangers these two hopeful witches face? In a spellbinding adventure, illustrated by Eleonora
Asparuhova, youngsters are swept away to a world which includes an unusual
teacher, a magical house, and a talking dragon-butler, and a story that is filled
with rebellious hope, wondrous adventures, offbeat fantasy, and characters to
love. Add on themes of ‘embracing one’s unique self’ and believing in your own
abilities, and this promises to be a high-flying series with lashings of
warmth, humour and witch magic.
(Usborne Publishing, paperback, £8.99)
Stellar
Chris Bradford and Charlotte Grange
WHEN disaster strikes on the International Space Station, a
daring young girl needs a whole galaxy of luck to return safely to Earth.
Star-struck young readers will be over the moon when they get their hands on
the second book of a heart-thumping, outer-space trilogy from top-selling
children’s author, Chris Bradford, and illustrator Charlotte Grange. Stella is
astounded by the stars but her brother Ryan is bored with space already. Less
than a week into their family holiday on the Space Hotel orbiting Earth, he’s
moaning that there’s nothing to do. Their parents suggest the two of them go on
an excursion to the International Space Station Museum but during the space
walk, disaster strikes. A massive solar flare sends a deadly wave of
electromagnetic radiation hurtling towards the Earth. In the panic to return to the Space Hotel,
Ryan’s jet-pack malfunctions and Stella has to rescue him before he spirals off
into deep space. With only minutes before the solar flare hits, they’re forced
to shield themselves inside the ISS. The solar flare short-circuits its systems
and causes the ISS to drift out of orbit. With all radio communications dead,
Stella will need her knowledge of the stars to try to get back to Earth.
Gravity may help… but will they burn up on re-entry? Bradford, creator of the
hugely popular Young Samurai and Bodyguard series, is a master of authentic and
thrilling adventures and Stellar delivers not just his familiar nail-biting
action drama but a standalone story threaded through with fascinating facts
about space travel. Brought to life by Grange’s atmospheric black-and-white
illustrations, and published in Barrington Stoke’s trademark dyslexia-friendly
format, this is a gripping outer-space mission you won’t want to miss!
(Barrington Stoke, paperback, £7.99)
The Magical Unicorn Society:
The Dark Heart Unicorns
Melanie Reynard, Indira Jenkins, Chris Coady,
Jazlyn Alcaide, Mariano Epelbaum
and José R Ibáñez
GOOD news for unicorn fans! The Magical Unicorn Society is opening its doors once again to reveal an exciting and previously undiscovered family of unicorns called Dark Hearts. For those not yet in the know, The Magical Unicorn Society has existed for centuries and is dedicated to studying and protecting the incredible magical creatures known as unicorns. The society also unites people across the globe who love unicorns, so if you want to find out everything there is to know about unicorns, you’ve come to the right place. The Dark Heart Unicorns is the fifth book in a marvellously magical series which has included The Magical Unicorn Society, The Magical Unicorn Society: The Golden Unicorn – Secrets and Legends, The Magical Unicorn Society: Unicorns, Myths and Monsters, and The Magical Unicorn Society: Baby Unicorns.
And youngsters will love feasting their eyes on the
exquisitely colourful new compendium which reveals that long ago, there was a
conflict among the unicorn families and a ninth blessing was banished from our
world to a dreadful place full of terrifying beasts called the Shadow Realm.
Here, they were forced to live in exile alongside the creator of these
malevolent creatures... the Demon King. This beautifully illustrated book brings together the untold
stories of the Dark Hearts, including rare encounters with them from all over
the world, and culminates in an epic battle between the nine unicorn families
and the Demon King in an effort to protect all life on Earth. Featuring fact files which examine what the Dark Hearts look
like and what their powers are, the book is stunningly designed, written and
illustrated, and delivers everything readers want to know about these amazing
and elusive creatures. The perfect gift for all those enraptured by the beauty
of unicorns!
(Michael O'Mara Books, hardback, £14.99)
Age 7 plus
Bunny vs Monkey: The Great Big Glitch!
Jamie Smart
(David Fickling Books, hardback, £12.99)
Age 7 plus
Bunny vs Monkey: The Gigantic Joke Fight!
Jamie Smart
(David Fickling Books, paperback, £6.99)
Lola and Larch Make a Winter Wish
Sinéad O’Hart and Rachel Seago
IF you’re looking for an entertaining starter chapter-book
series to keep new readers engaged then these delightful, illustrated
adventures from Irish master storyteller Sinéad O’Hart and artist Rachel Seago
are guaranteed to hit the mark. With family, friendship and naughty fairies
taking centre stage, there’s fun guaranteed on every outing with long-suffering
Lola and her feisty fairy Larch who disguises herself as a rabbit. In their
third adventure, we find Larch wishing her human best friend Lola could
understand what it’s like to be a fairy when something amazing happens. The
friends swap bodies! Now Lola has to learn how to fly and Larch has to act ‘normal’
in a school concert. And a very bad fairy called Euphorbia Spurge can’t wait to
make the most of this magical mix-up! With magic and mayhem at every turn, a
big serving of fun, the cosy warmth of friendship, very naughty rabbits and Seago’s
action-packed illustrations, these enchanting stories are certainly casting a
spell over young readers!
(Nosy Crow, paperback, £6.99)
Colours of the World
Moira Butterfield and Jonathan Woodward
A WHOLE spectrum of beauty awaits on every page of Colours
of the World, a gloriously illustrated introduction to our planet’s wildlife
and habitats... some of them only found in the most extreme places on Earth. Written
by Moira Butterfield and lavishly illustrated by award-winning wildlife artist
Jonathan Woodward, this accessible and child-friendly introduction to the
natural world is ideal for youngsters of all ages. Every creature in the world
– from the tiny beetle to the enormous blue whale – depends on its environment
to survive. From lush forests and teeming oceans to deserts and hot spots,
young readers discover which animals call these wild and wonderful places home,
and how animals and humans have adapted to live in them in. With Woodward’s
stunning illustrations bringing all the amazing creatures and their habitats to
colourful life, and Butterfield’s rich array of fascinating and fun facts,
there could be no better way to introduce youngsters to the world’s truly
wildest places.
(Little Tiger Press, hardback, £19.99)
Agent Harrier: You Only Spy Twice
Ben Sanders
WATCH out! Agent Harrier needs to catch a double-crossing
crook... in double quick time! Youngsters will be doubling over laughing when
they get their hands on this fun and freewheeling graphic novel, second in a
brilliant comedy series from the award-winning author and illustrator Ben
Sanders. Agent Harrier must discover the identity of a top-secret file-stealing
traitor in the BARK intelligence agency. But something’s happening to the book
itself... whole pages are repeating, and there’s an ink-deleting weapon
threatening to wipe everything out! What’s going on, and will Agent Harrier sniff
out the rat before he’s totally and permanently erased? With oodles of canine
comedy chaos and a pun-filled twist on traditional spy capers, this
super-stylish series is the perfect fit for early readers transitioning from
picture books.
(Little Tiger Press, paperback, £7.99)
What is Drama?
What is Technology?
Sarah Walden and Katie Rewse
IF you want to encourage your little ones to start engaging with big ideas, this perfectly pitched Little Book, Big Idea series has some resonant questions and answers. Helping to build foundations for life-long learning by explaining big ideas to little people, the carefully created, illustrated series uses simple language to explain complicated ideas, with each book taking the core questions that relate to each subject and providing answers that make sense to young children. In What is Drama? author Sarah Walden explores why drama is important, explaining that it helps us understand the world around us. Children discover what drama is, where it started, where it’s performed, what plays, films and TV programmes are, the different genres, the roles of directors and actors, why costumes and sound and lighting effects are important, how special effects and props work, what you can do with drama, and how drama helps people.
(Noodle Juice, hardback, £9.99 each)
Dino Dad: Ice Age
Andy Day and Steven Lenton
YOUNG readers will be shivering with excitement when they
get their hands on Dino Dad: Ice Age, second book of a magical dino-tastic
adventure series from dinosaur expert and children’s TV presenter Andy Day and
illustration superstar Steven Lenton! What if your dad could change into a
dinosaur? Ruby Thumb and her dad are famous POOPAs – Protectors Of Our Dinosaur
Allies – and they have loads of amazing adventures in Dinotropolis, an
incredible island, full of dinosaurs who live just like us humans do. And when they
go there using their special magic Ammonite shell, they turn into dinosaurs
too! And now they’re on an amazing frozen adventure in which they have to
rescue a baby woolly mammoth and make sure it gets back safely to its mummy, as
well as un-freezing Dinotropolis! Day and Lenton deliver another roarsome adventure
in an easy-to-read format, peppered with real dino facts, and brimming with hilarious
illustrations. Perfect for all young dinosaur fans!
(Puffin, paperback, £7.99)
The Verts: A Story of
Introverts and Extroverts
Ann Patchett and Robin Preiss Glasser
SIBLINGS Estie and Ivan couldn’t be more different... Estie
is a party girl and Ivan... well, Ivan likes nothing better than quietly
reading a book behind the sofa. Can they learn to honour and celebrate their
very different characters, and fill the gap between them? Award-winning
American novelist Ann Patchett and gifted illustrator Robin Preiss Glasser
blend their talents on a beautifully imagined and empathetic picture book
exploring introverts and extroverts. The Vert family is celebrating a very
special occasion. It’s Ivan’s birthday and despite her brother’s wish that
there’s no party, Estie knows that every birthday needs a great party! Soon the
Vert family’s apartment is full of neighbours and friends, party hats, platefuls
of food, singing and twinkling tin foil stars. That’s what everyone wants on
their birthday, right? But did Estie ever ask Ivan if that’s what HE wants?
With Patchett’s resonant messages about being yourself, and accepting that
everybody is different – some people are outgoing and some just like a quiet
life – and Glasser’s rich detailed and expressive artwork, The Verts is the
picture (and word) perfect way to say to young children... we are what we are!
(HarperCollins360, hardback, £12.99)
Not Now, Goldilocks!
Holly Ryan and Navya Raju
LITTLE ones will be leaping into action when they dive into
the fairy-tale fun of a bright and beautiful picture book full of all those
characters they know and love. Not Now, Goldilocks! is the creation of
imaginative author Holly Ryan and illustrator and designer Navya Raju, and is
the perfect match for adventure-loving children. Goldilocks wants to play and
wants someone to join her adventure. But Mum, Fairy Godmother, the three bears
and a whole family of familiar fairy-tale friends are too busy with their
chores to play. Her marvellous plans are met by ‘Not Now, Goldilocks!’ but
everyone promises to play with her later. Join little Goldilocks and her big
imagination as she discovers that even when loved ones are too busy to play,
adventures for one can be just as much fun. And when she really needs them, her
family and friends will be there for her to play and help save the day! With
its theme of creative play and Raju’s bold, energetic and colourful
illustrations, Ryan’s riotous rhyming romp stars a magical cast as Goldilocks
sets off on a rollercoaster journey of discovery through fairy-tale land. And with
the fun of spotting familiar characters, as well as reassuring messages of love
and support even when grown-ups are busy, this is adventure above and beyond...
(Buster Books, paperback, £7.99)
Bothered by Bugs
Emily Gravett
LITTLE ones love a story that is ripe for reading aloud and
this glorious picture book – full of bugs, berries and badger antics – is the
stuff of storytelling dreams! Bothered by Bugs is the work of illustrator extraordinaire Emily
Gravett who has twice won the Kate Greenaway Medal and has a true talent for
creating exceptional books for children. In this delightful celebration of
diversity in the insect world, we meet up again with Pete the Badger, star of
Gravett’s picture books Tidy and Too Much Stuff!, and share the fun as he
learns valuable lessons about the importance of all creatures, big and small,
in maintaining the harmony of nature. Pete is choosing a delicious recipe from his new fruit
cookbook when his peace is interrupted by a teeny tiny fly. The fly becomes a
swarm and soon all the animals are being bothered by bugs and insects of all
kinds... so they help Pete rid the forest of bugs by capturing every single one
of them in jam jars. But... disaster! Now nobody is around to clean up the poo
and come autumn, there’s not a berry or a cherry to be found. Will Pete and the
other animals learn their lesson and restore order to the forest? Buzzing with Gravett’s richly detailed, witty and wonderful
illustrations, a delightfully addictive rhyming story, and some (surprise!)
yummy fruit recipes to cook up with adults, Bothered by Bugs is a colourful
celebration of nature’s equilibrium... and a flight of imagination that will
leave all the family smiling!
(Two Hoots, hardback, £12.99)
Bunny's Most Fabulous Holiday Ever!
Brian Fitzgerald
A BUNNY'S plans for a holiday of peace and solitude get a
rude awakening when a noisy purple monster parks up next to her camper van...
can the two unlikely neighbours ever be friends? Irish illustrator Brian Fitzgerald works his
brand of riotous, but heartwarming, magic on his first outing as both
illustrator and author. Every year, Bunny looks forward to parking her camper
van in a peaceful spot, and enjoying her usual routine of relaxing amongst
nature... on her own. To her horror, she wakes up to find a noisy purple
monster camped right next door! At first she is delighted when a storm blows
away his tent, but then she sees how sad and miserable he is and can’t help but
take pity on his plight. And when she gradually realises that being nice to him
makes him happier and that doing things together can be more fun than solitude,
Bunny – and monster – make plans to do it all again next year! Little ones will
love watching as the purple monster changes Bunny’s life in the most colourful
ways whilst reminding us that first impressions can often be wrong, and that we
all have mean feelings sometimes... but being kind makes us happier.
Fitzgerald’s words and illustrations bring humour and wisdom to a very human
dilemma and underline – in a most entertaining way! –the importance of
tolerance, harmony and understanding.
(Scallywag Press, hardback, £12.99)
Family
Patricia Hegarty and Britta Teckentrup
‘On the savannah, whatever the weather, The animals must stick together. A herd of elephants cross the trail, Steadily walking, trunk to tail.’
WATCH in wonder as the sun slowly goes down – and learn the different ways
in which animals protect and support each other – in a gorgeous new picture
book by children’s books editor Patricia Hegarty and award-winning illustrator
Britta Teckentrup. Family – the latest addition to Teckentrup’s bestselling
series of nature-themed books – invites youngsters to discover the incredible
habits of animals and their families, from diving dolphins to marvellous
manatees, and explore what family and parenthood means to all kinds of
creatures. Teckentrup’s stunning artwork – complete with peek-through pages revealing
an ever-sinking sun and different horizons all across the world – brings to life
nature’s incredible stories about the ways in which animals protect and support
each other while caring for and raising their young. Add on Hegarty’s lyrical
rhyming text, which creates a wonderfully calming tone, and you have the
perfect book to share at bedtime.
(Little Tiger Press, hardback, £12.99)
Whatever Comes Tomorrow
Rebecca Gardyn Levington
and Mariona Cabassa
WORRYING is an unavoidable part of being human and as children grow so too does the potential for feelings of anxiety and insecurity. 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, capture children’s imaginations, and meet early developmental needs. And now their bestselling stories and singalongs are available as large format board books, with Whatever Comes Tomorrow first to hit the shelves.
(Barefoot Books, board books, £10.99 each)
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