CHILDREN'S BOOKS: Hunting aliens, a spirit world and the best of friends

Test your sleuthing skills and learn to make your own decisions with an out-of-this-world, pick-your-own-path book, feel the force of the spirit and enjoy the magic of a fabulous fantasy world and meet the perfectly cooked stars of a laugh-out-loud graphic novel series in a super selection of new children’s books

Age 9 plus
Traitors in Space
Tim Collins and Steven Wood

CATCH the aliens before they catch you! Test your sleuthing skills and learn to make your own decisions with this out-of-this-world, pick-your-own-path book which immerses readers in a gripping alien adventure. You are a brilliant young scientist who has been chosen for a research mission to a distant planet. On your way back to Earth, you are woken early from cryosleep by the ship’s computer. It has detected an alien life form... but there doesn’t seem to be any sign of one. You look at your fellow crewmates and wonder if one of them has been taken over by an alien intelligence. Can you work out who can be trusted and who the aliens are before they take over your mind, too? Written by Manchester-born author Tim Collins and illustrated by Steven Wood, Traitors in Space features a fast-paced, branching structure with over 45 possible endings. At the end of each page there are two distinct options leading to different paths through the action... meaning that the reader controls the narrative (and their destiny!) throughout. Twenty illustrated puzzle missions are woven into the story at key turning points so readers are fully immersed in the action. Featuring brilliant plot twists and Wood’s atmospheric black and white illustrations, this is a sky-high adventure offering fun at every turn of the page!
(Buster Books, paperback, £6.99)

Age 9 plus
Anzu and the Realm of Darkness
Mai K. Nguyen

FEEL the force of the spirit, enjoy the magic, and escape to a fabulous fantasy world in the first of a thrilling graphic novel duology from Mai K. Nguyen, a Japanese-Vietnamese American comics creator. Packed with amazing artwork in a subtle palette of dark colours, Anzu and the Realm of Darkness stars a girl fighting to return home from the spirit world. Anzu has just moved to a new town during Obon, a time for families to remember and celebrate their ancestors. But ever since her grandmother Obaachan died, Obon has lost its magic for Anzu. She doesn’t feel like celebrating. Escaping the festivities, Anzu chases after a stray dog. She slips and falls down a ridge only to find herself in the Shinto underworld known as Yomi, a place she’s heard about in Obaachan's stories. The stray dog, she finds out, is actually the Gatekeeper of Yomi, and he warns her to return to the human realm before it’s too late. But getting home is not simple. Faced with the nefarious Queen Izanami and a realm of creatures, Anzu is in a race against the clock. Can she break a curse, free the spirits of other lost children and reach home before sunrise... or will she be stuck in Yomi for ever? Youngsters will love this rich, heartwarming and beautifully creative story which celebrates bravery, family and heritage, and sends out reassuring messages to those finding it hard to fit in.
(Piccadilly Press, paperback, £9.99)

Age 8 plus
Hi From Outer Space
Fiona Katauskas

YOUNGSTERS will be over the moon when they get their get hands on this wild and wacky fish-out-of-water story from Sydney-based cartoonist and illustrator Fiona Katauskas. A fantastically funny story about leaders, followers and friendships that are out of this world, Hi From Outer Space stars a schoolgirl with a talent for drawing and an alien with a tricky project to complete. ‘With a whispery hiss, the spaceship touched down on the grass. A door opened. A ramp extended. An alien slid forward. “Take. Me. To. Your. Leader”.' Alex wants to win the National Young Cartoonist Competition... she’s got the talent but what should she draw? Along comes Hi, an alien from the Planet Wendy. Hi is also working on a project... he has three days to learn about Earth’s leaders for his Earth Studies class. Maybe they could help each other? Soon, Hi's Earthly visit sets in motion a chain of extraordinary events, including a viral TikTok, a haunted shoe shop and an astronomically wild rock concert. Brimming with soaring imagination, scintillating sci-fi comedy, a cast of cosmically comic characters, and dazzling puns, this is an adventure that’s out of this world!
(A&U Children’s Books, paperback, £7.99)

Age 5 plus
Blue, Barry & Pancakes:
Beach Ball Bedlam
Dan Abdo and Jason Patterson

MEET Blue, Barry & Pancakes... their names might well blend perfectly into a tasty breakfast dish but they are actually the funniest trio in town! There’s Blue, the thoughtful bookworm, Barry, the brilliant inventor, and Pancakes, the happy-go-lucky adventurer. Despite their differences, they always have each other’s backs… in fact, Blue, Barry & Pancakes are best friends and the shining stars of a perfectly cooked, laugh-out-loud graphic novel series for early readers from creative duo Abdo and Patterson (aka Dan & Jason). The three pals live in a giant tree house, they are always there for each other, and they love all the usual stuff... games on the beach, birthday cake, alien pool parties and out-of-this-world adventures! But when they visit the beach, Barry and Pancakes lose Blue’s beloved beach ball. They come up with a plan to get it back, but things go hilariously wrong. The three friends must survive a giant whale’s stomach, an alien pool party and Duckzilla’s volcanic birthday bash if they ever hope to see Blue’s beach ball again! With fun-filled, high-octane adventures and action sequences bursting out of every page, a fine line in knockabout humour, and themes of friendship, teamwork and creative problem solving, there’s laughter every step of the way!
(Rock the Boat, paperback, £7.99)

Age 3 plus
The Circular Square
Simon Philip and Neil Clark

WE all want our children to grow into well-rounded people so let them start at square one with this clever and uplifting rhyming story about how our experiences shape us. The Circular Square is the work of creative team, author Simon Philip and illustrator Neil Clark, and provides a delightfully funny and accessible metaphor for life’s often tricky – and rarely straightforward – journey. Square used to have FOUR straight sides and FOUR pointy corners, and this made life pretty tough. His corners always got knocked and travelling was an awkward, bumpy ride. Until one day, Square realised that dwelling on those thoughts was far from smart or wise. Instead he pledged to see the positives... like the cooling breeze on summer days, a friend’s smile and the taste of home-made lemonade. And while Square still got bashed and bruised, he didn’t seem to mind so much. Then, unnoticed at first, Square slowly got rounder and rounder every day! Life’s ups and downs shape up perfectly in this colourful and joyful extravaganza from Philip and Clark as Square discovers that there is always good to be found in the round!
(Templar Publishing, paperback, £7.99)

Age one plus
First Friends:
Shapes & Numbers
Mk Smith Despres and Aya Watanabe

STARTING nursery and daycare is a big step for little ones so help them through those sometimes difficult early days with colourful board books in Barefoot Books’ First Friends series. Children are introduced to a repeating cast of characters in a daycare classroom with each rhyming book focusing on a different early learning concept. In Shapes, we join a class as they find shapes all around the classroom. 

There are triangles, squares, diamonds, and other shapes in the paintings, blocks, and dolls. What other shapes can you find, and then enjoy the seek-and-find shapes section on the last pages of the book. And in Numbers, we join the class as they count from 1 to 10 throughout the day! At drop-off there’s one kiss goodbye, one hug hello, and then ten waves goodbye when it’s time to go. Count through the day from playtime to naptime and enjoy the fun of seeking and finding items seen throughout the book. From simple addition to counting and geometry concepts, these delightful books – written by Mk Smith Despres and illustrated by Aya Watanabe – are perfect for both learning and entertaining.
(Barefoot Books, board books, £6.99 each)

Night Road

Kristin Hannah

JUDE Farraday has always put the lives of her beloved twins above her own, and now that Mia and Zach are growing up fast, the love and care they received in their early years has made them bright and happy teenagers.

But the arrival of Lexi Baill – a former foster girl with a dark past who has come to live with her elderly great aunt at a trailer park in their small, close-knit community – sets in motion a tragedy that will change them all forever.

First published in 2011, Night Road – a heart-wrenching story of family, love, grief and forgiveness – comes from the pen of lawyer turned author Kristin Hannah (pictured below) whose raft of more than twenty bestselling novels includes The Nightingale, The Great Alone, The Four Winds and, most recently, The Women, which is soon to be a major new film. With its searing exploration of some of our most emotive and important life issues, and how choices made on one hot summer night will reverberate painfully down through the years, this emotion-packed and multi-layered story is as powerful now as it was when it first won the hearts and minds of readers over a decade ago.

For eighteen years, Jude Farraday has lavished love on her beloved twins Mia and Zach, two smart, curious and loving kids, and when Lexi Baill moves into their neighbourhood, no one is more welcoming than Jude.

Lexi and Mia become close friends from the moment they start high school. They are different in so many ways... Lexi is an orphan and has only recently moved from Southern California to Washington State to live at the trailer park, while Mia is a golden girl blessed with a loving family and a beautiful home next to the sea.

Yet they both recognise something in each other which sets them apart from the crowd, and Mia comes to rely heavily on Lexi’s steadfast friendship. Much-loved and incredibly good-looking, Zach finds life far less complicated than his sister, but then he falls in love with Lexi and the three become inseparable.

Jude thought she’d never have to worry about Zach, that he’d always sail through life easily achieving whatever he, and his family, wanted and expected... until his love affair with Lexi. The summer they graduate is a time they will always remember, and one they could never forget. It’s a summer of love, best friends, shared confidences and promises.

But it’s also a dangerous, explosive season of drinking, driving, parties, and kids who want to let their hair down, and on a hot summer’s night, one bad decision is made. In the blink of an eye, the Farraday family will be torn apart and Lexi will lose everything. Hearts are broken, loyalties challenged, hopes dashed, and in the years that follow, each must face the consequences of that single night and find a way to forget… or the courage to forgive.

Hannah is undoubtedly a master storyteller... she writes with an elegiac elegance of places, landscapes, people and the many complex human emotions that can both enrich human lives and tear them apart. Personal dramas, relationships of every hue, and events that change lives in a blink of an eye lie at the heart of her unforgettable novels and Night Road – which explores how one reckless night destroys the lives of three teenagers and their families – illuminates the pain of loss and the redeeming power of love and forgiveness with searing insight.

Motherhood, identity and death all come under Hannah’s watchful eye, and the almost unbearable torments of grief, tragedy and guilt are laid bare as we witness the pitfalls of parenthood, the changes wrought by coming-of-age, and the inevitable repercussions of those all-important life choices. A masterclass in novel writing.
(Pan, paperback, £9.99)

The Three Deaths of Justice Godfrey

L.C. Tyler 

WHEN a respected London wood monger and Court Justice is found dead in a ditch six days after he mysteriously disappeared, it won’t be an easy case for John Grey, Justice of the Peace, former royal spy… and a man who finds his fuel in cynicism.

If he doesn’t solve what seems to be an increasingly inexplicable crime, it could mean innocent men being hanged purely as a regrettable political necessity.

If you haven’t yet enjoyed the black humour and dark deeds that make L.C. Tyler’s dazzling John Grey series such an original and unmissable treat, then dive in now and discover real history brought to glorious life with the perfect blend of wit, stand-out characterisation, and a fascinating mystery.

Also known for his superb Herring comedy series starring hilarious author and agent duo Ethelred Tressider and Elsie Thirkettle, Tyler (pictured below) is a former civil servant and a past chair of the Crime Writers Association.

His current speciality is the John Grey historical series featuring a clever, sardonic lawyer operating during the reign of the restored King Charles II, and frequently finding himself caught up in labyrinthine skulduggery and daring double dealing.

And what we get is Tyler at his entertaining best… a Restoration crime odyssey delivered with a wealth of research and verbal artistry, creating a delicious slice of history in all its dark, dank and deadly reality, and a veritable stage show of witty one-liners wrapped up in an enthralling mystery adventure.

In October of 1678 Sir Edmund Berry Godfrey sets out in his second-best coat from his house near Saint Martin-in-the Fields early one foggy morning. Then he vanishes and several days later, his body is discovered in a ditch near Primrose Hill. He has been severely beaten, strangled and stabbed through the chest... killed three times, in fact. There’s no doubt somebody wanted him dead. However, the cash in his pockets is still there and, in spite of the wet weather and muddy roads, his clothes are dry and his shoes are spotlessly clean.

People are quick to connect his killing with the role Godfrey has played in exposing a Catholic plot to kill King Charles II. His name is, after all, an anagram of ‘dy'd by Rome’s reveng’d fury.’ Parliament, whipped into a frenzy by the conspirator Titus Oates, demands a suitable perpetrator is found. But it soon becomes clear that Godfrey had not merely offended the Catholics. He had, some weeks before, predicted his own death with uncanny accuracy.

Magistrate John Grey is summoned from his Essex manor of Clavershall to investigate the murder, which has links to serious political unrest, and he must act with speed if he is to save the lives of innocent men who are now in serious danger of being used as political pawns...

Tyler certainly knows his stuff but, with a twinkle in his eye, he brings us history and mystery with the lightest – and most enjoyable – of touches as Grey is plunged into a dark web of conspiracy, espionage, greed and bribery in in his hunt for Godfrey’s killer.

With a fast-paced story bristling with suspense, drama, engaging characters, both real and fictional, and a thrilling plot peppered with devilish serpentine twists and caustic one-liners, The Three Deaths of Justice Godfrey is an excellent tenth adventure in this authentic, entertaining and much-loved series.
(Constable, hardback, £24.99)

CHILDREN'S BOOKS: Enjoy the magical countdown to Christmas with Usborne

Journey into Christmas on a sleigh full of festive fun as Santa’s top team at independent children’s book publisher Usborne Publishing flies in with a host of exciting activity books and a treasure chest of inventive gifts

Age 6 months plus
Twinkly, Twinkly Santa’s Sleigh Ride
Sam Taplin and
Róisín Hahessy

LIGHT UP Christmas for your little ones with this very special book and its spectacular twinkling surprises! There is so much to enjoy in this illuminated story which celebrates the magic of Santa’s sleigh ride and has a twinkly twinkly surprise at every turn of the page. Spectacular LED lights shed a special glow as we join Santa on Christmas Eve for a rooftop flight that will catch the eye and capture the hearts of the very youngest children. Beginning in Santa’s workshop, we see his elves wrapping the last presents and helping to finish loading the sleigh, then soaring into the sparkling sky with a great big swoooosh! It’s the busiest night of the year for Santa and he must make sure everyone gets their presents! Children – and adults! – will love the twinkly display that lights up as you turn the pages and follow the story in this beautifully designed and clever package. A gorgeous gift and a delightful book that will become a family favourite long after the Christmas season is over!
(Usborne, board book, £12.99)

Age 4 plus
Magic Painting Advent Calendar
Abigail Wheatley and Nilesh Mistry

USBORNE brings the magic of Christmas to life with the sweep of a brush in this luxury Magic Painting Advent Calendar just perfect for the run-up to the big day. All you need for Christmas is the quality, wood-handled brush provided and a jar of water, and hey presto, youngsters can transform 24 miniature story books – one behind each calendar window – into pictures bursting with colour. Count down the days to Christmas by painting enchanting images of elves, stars, Christmas trees, decorations and lots more. Each little book contains four beautifully detailed magic painting images, plus an insert card to stop water from seeping through to the pages below. And as Christmas Day approaches, watch out for images of reindeer, Christmas stockings and of course Santa himself! The perfect way to help children develop their brush control skills, and to keep little hands busy in the weeks before Christmas.
(Usborne, paperback, £19.99)

Age 6 months plus
Don’t Tickle the Penguin!
Sam Taplin and Ana Martin Larrañaga

LITTLE ones will be chirping with joy when they get their hands on this fantastically fluffy and fabulously ‘feely’ novelty gift book. There’s a whole host of adorable Antarctic animals just waiting to bark, squawk and snort when you give them a tickle. Tots and toddlers won’t be able to resist pressing the seductive touchy-feely patches to hear the different sounds in this delightful novelty book. And after the seal, albatross and whale have been tickled, there’s a surprise on the last page as they all join together for a hilarious animal and music finale guaranteed to get everyone dancing! With Sam Taplin’s fun narrative and the wonderfully vivid artwork of Ana Martin Larrañaga bringing the creatures to life, expect winter gales of giggles and tons of touchy-feely encores!
(Usborne, board book, £12.99)

Age 6 plus
Fingerprint activities:
Santa’s Workshop
Fiona Watt and Candice Whatmore

FINGERS at the ready! Join Santa’s elves in this amazing book that is bursting with fingerprinting ideas. There is lots of space for youngsters to fill so simply take the lid off the inkpad and have some festive fun. The book has seven brightly coloured washable inkpads and is full of Santa’s Workshop pictures to complete with fingerprints, including Santa’s elves busily making toys, gingerbread men and lots of wintry snow scenes. Simple instructions show how to use different fingers to make different shapes to print reindeer, elves, snowmen and lots more. No extra materials are needed to have fun with this brilliant, inspiring festive book… so turn the pages, let your imagination take flight and get creative!
(Usborne, spiral-bound hardback, £9.99)

Age 5 plus
Sticker Dolly Dressing:
Christmas Fairies
Fiona Watt, Antonia Miller and Johanna Furst

ENTER a magical world where the Christmas fairies flutter, skip and twirl across the pages in this gorgeous Sticker Dolly Dressing book, one of Usborne Publishing’s best and most popular series. Brimming with fairy fun, stunning costumes and winter scenes to decorate, many of the stickers have an added touch of sparkle and include fabulous accessories to dress and decorate the pages. Add the fairies’ outfits as they decorate and light up a Christmas tree, go skating on a moonlit pond, fly through a snowflake-filled storm, and gather branches covered with bright red holly berries. Children won’t be stuck for something to do with this beautiful fairy-themed activity book and with so many reusable stickers to choose from, this is a Christmas show no young fashionista will want to miss. Hours of hands-on fun guaranteed!
(Usborne Publishing, paperback, £7.99)

Age 3 plus
Poppy and Sam’s
Christmas Sticker Book
Kate Nolan, Lizzie Walkley
and Simon Taylor-Kielty

JOIN Poppy and Sam for a magical Christmas on Apple Tree Farm with this enchanting sticker book packed full of festive fun. Children will love choosing from over 250 stickers to finish the busy Christmas scenes, as well as spotting the little yellow duck on every page. The Poppy and Sam books, written by the late Stephen Cartwright, have been a family favourite for over 30 years and children’s publisher Usborne has been giving these evergreen stories a bright and colourful makeover. An enchanting, hands-on celebration of the magic of Christmas, and the perfect way for children to get stuck into the festive spirit!
(Usborne, paperback, £5.99)

Age 6 months plus
Slide and See Christmas
Fiona Watt and Stella Baggott

BABIES will love looking at the bright pictures in this delightful Christmas-themed board book and seeing what appears when they move the sliders. Specially designed for very young children, Slide and See Christmas is full of sliding panels, festive themes and Stella Baggott’s vivid artwork. Move the sliders to light up a Christmas tree, find out who’s hiding in a gingerbread house, and watch animals skating on ice. With so much to see, talk about and get hands-on with, this is ideal for sharing with babies and toddlers at Christmas time.
(Usborne board book, £7.99)

CHILDREN'S BOOKS: Mystery, magic and mishaps make a memorable Christmas

Cosy up for Christmas with a sparkling selection of children’s books that are guaranteed to put joy, fun and adventure into the season of giving

Age 9 plus
Murder at Wintertide
Fleur Hitchcock

MYSTERY fans will love cosying up with this wintertime tale from an author who knows how to perfectly juggle deliciously dark murder mysteries with fun and fascinating adventures. So if you love having your spine tingled and your nerves jangled, dive into this festive chiller-thriller from queen of middle grade crime Fleur Hitchcock. George and his dad are joining family members to celebrate Christmas by the sea at Lyme Regis on the stunning Jurassic coast. But when a body washes up on the beach, George can’t stop thinking about the strange lights he saw on the cliff top... Neither can his cousin, Isla. Together, they follow the clues, and as they draw nearer to the truth, they step further into danger. On land, or at sea, someone is desperate to stop them, whatever it takes. And that someone may be closer to home than they realise... There’s danger, murder and mayhem all the way in this gripping, snow-sprinkled, seaside mystery which stars two super-sleuthing cousins in a desperate battle to solve a murder that dishes up devilish twists and turns as well as heart-stopping chills, thrills and spills. There is always a dark thread running seductively through these Hitchcock thrillers but the menace is always tempered by a clever mix of youthful adventures and classic intrigue. Best enjoyed in an armchair in front of a blazing fire...
(Nosy Crow, paperback, £7.99)

Age 7 plus
Disney The Magic of Christmas
Walt Disney

DON'T miss out on all the festive fun packed inside this simply marvellous search-and-find activity book which celebrates the magic of Christmas with a host of family favourite Disney characters. Journey with Lilo and Stitch, Belle, Cinderella, Mickey and Friends, Woody and Buzz and Mike and Sully on an adventure through exciting, snow-covered kingdoms, explore iconic Disney locations from enchanted forests, majestic castle and dazzling party venues to cosy homes and snowy streets, and see if you can spot a range of festive objects like Christmas wreaths, lanterns, ornaments and gifts. With twelve scenes, packed with detail and covered in snow and decorated for the holidays, this beautifully created search-and-find book is ideal or Disney fans young, and old guarantees hours of entertainment!
(Studio Books, paperback, £7.99)

Age 5 plus
One Snowy Christmas Eve
Marc Bratcher and Korky Paul

THE ‘true’ story of Father Christmas is given a unique and entertaining twist in a magical picture book from debut author Marc Bratcher who was born with cerebral palsy but has never let it get in the way of his prodigious imagination. One Snowy Christmas Eve – given colourful life and an extra helping of humour by star illustrator Korky Paul’s artwork – stars a wheelchair-bound Santa whose ingenuity and zest for giving cannot help but snowball when he sets out to deliver presents. ‘I heard a tale some won’t believe, on one snowy Christmas Eve...’ Meet the man who is destined to become Father Christmas as he dashes through the snow on his wheelchair and gains unexpected help and momentum from a group of resourceful villagers. And it’s soon uphill and downhill all the way as he soon has a magnificent red suit, a team of reindeer and a super-fast sledge to send him high into the sky to deliver presents every Christmas Eve! Bratcher harnesses a catchy rhyming verse for this traditional, and yet enchantingly fun and original, slant on the tale of Santa and his reindeer.
(UCLan Publishing, paperback, £7.99)

Age 3 plus
Santa’s Journey
Patricia Hegarty and Wazza Pink

‘When Christmas Eve falls on a calm, moonlit night, Look up to the skies for a magical sight. A jingling of bells and the whoosh of a sleigh – Santa and his reindeer are off and away!’ 

JOIN Santa and his reindeer on their magical journey from the North Pole in this enchanting, layered pop-up gift book. Watch Christmas come alive in five gorgeous pop-up scenes as Santa flies across mountains and rooftops to deliver his precious cargo of presents. Patricia Hegarty’s lyrical rhyming text and vibrant illustrations by Vietnamese artist Wazza Pink bring the excitement of Christmas Eve to life in a rich and festive palette. From sleepily sparkling rooftops to a cosy hearth with cookies and milk, these inviting Christmas 3-D scenes are the perfect starter for the festive season!
(Little Tiger Press, board book, £14.99)

Age 3 plus
Penguin and Pup!
The Perfect Christmas
Hazel Gardner and Nikki Dyson

WHEN two best friends are VERY different personalities, preparing for their perfect Christmas together is bound to be tricky! Meet BFFs Penguin and Pup in this thoroughly heartwarming and laugh-out-loud Christmas picture book from Preston author Hazel Gardner and bestselling illustrator Nikki Dyson. Penguin is thoughtful, kind and loyal... he can be a bit cautious with new things, and he’s very sensible. Pup, on the other hand, is a fun-loving whirlwind! She always thinks big and sometimes gets a bit carried away... Like lots of friends, Penguin and Pup like very different things, especially when it comes to Christmas. Penguin is all about the simple things... most importantly, a perfectly-sized Christmas tree, and maybe a mince pie. Pup, on the other hand, wants a GIANT snow machine and a ten-course feast. Can they compromise and find the perfect Christmas for both of them? Gardner’s rhyming romp is packed with chaos and comedy, giant giggles and fabulous fun, while Dyson’s colourful and characterful illustrations provide the icing on this Christmas cracker. It’s an exuberant picture book for the whole family to enjoy and if you're not sure if you’re more Penguin or more Pup, you can find out with the quiz at the end. The perfect gift to get youngsters rocking around the Christmas tree!
(Macmillan Children’s Books, paperback, £7.99)

Age 3 plus
The Littlest Christmas Tree
Jane Chapman

BIG bear hugs all round in this gorgeous Christmas picture book from star author and illustrator Jane Chapman who works her special (and adorable!) magic on a cosy and cuddly tale with family love and subtle environmental messages at its warm heart. It’s almost Christmas, and all the animals are out in the wood to pick the perfect tree. ‘Ours is little, just like me!’ beams Cubby. Carefully, she and Daddy dig up the tree, put it in a pot and take it home. Cubby quickly grows very attached to Little Tree. She sings it songs and reads it stories, and on Christmas Day there’s one last present... a bright red ribbon to go round Little Tree’s pot. But when Christmas is over, and Little Tree has to go outside, Cubby is so sad! Luckily, Daddy has the perfect solution... Little Tree will live right outside in the garden until next winter, when the Christmas magic can start all over again. Chapman’s beautiful illustrations add extra charm and piquancy to her inspirational story which celebrates the joys that come from the natural world and the important lessons that can be found in everyday family life.
(Little Tiger Press, hardback, £12.99)

Age 3 plus
Elves on Strike
Nicola Edwards and Pauline Gregory

IT'S Christmas Eve but all is not well in Santa’s busy workshop! ‘We’re stressed! We all need to rest We keep getting tangled in tape. Oh it just isn’t fair! All toys should be square! But here comes another weird shape!’ Youngsters will love joining the Christmas chaos in this flap-filled festive adventure from author Nicola Edwards and illustrator Pauline Gregory. The toy-building elves are exhausted, the gift-wrappers are tangled in tape and the reindeer-wranglers are ready to strike! Will Christmas be cancelled, or can one elf’s quick thinking and festive spirit save the day? Lift the flaps to discover every corner of the workshop, from the reindeer stables to the wrapping room. There’s something for everybody in this charming and funny picture book... children will be excited to peer under the intriguing flaps and parents will empathise with the stressed, overworked elves! Capturing the essence of a chaotic Christmas, Elves on Strike is also an entertaining and heartwarming reminder of what Christmas is really all about!
(Little Tiger Press, paperback, £7.99)

Age 3 plus
Yetis Don’t Exist!
Kate Thompson and Loretta Schauer

IT must be totally discombobulating to discover that yetis don’t exist... particularly when you ARE a yeti! Author Kate Thompson and illustrator Loretta Schauer spread laughter and joy this Christmas with a very furry and funny rhyming adventure starring a herd of yetis on the hunt for some rather elusive humans. Have you heard the news? You’ve been BAMBOOZLED... YETIS DON'T EXIST! The news swirled over mountains, skipped through lakes and out to sea. Until who should hear it? Iggy the yeti and all his yeti friends... and they, understandably, were a little bit surprised. So, the yetis who absolutely DO exist, only had one option... to set off on a human search and help to change their minds! The yetis trekked down steep slopes and through snowy forests when suddenly they saw gleaming streetlights up ahead... but found a strangely empty town! The yetis searched high and low, yet the humans were nowhere to be seen. Surely that could only mean one thing! Thompson delivers the wonderfully winning and wintry rhyme which has a HUGE twist in its tail and is brought to life by Schauer’s colourful and comical illustrations. Laughter all the way!
(Templar Publishing, paperback, £7.99)

Age 3 plus
The Beaver Who Saved Christmas
Will Millard and Jo Lindley

WHEN a baby beaver gets trapped in a tangle of Christmas decorations, a group of villagers are determined to save not just the beaver but to keep the beavers’ home safe and rubbish-free. Written by BBC presenter and expedition leader Will Millard, and beautifully illustrated by Jo Lindley, this heartwarming picture book was inspired by a true story about a baby beaver and a dam made of decorations. In a beautiful village next to a creek, Elin and her Grandad are excited to decorate their home together for Christmas. But tinsel and broken lights cling to trees, wrapping paper and plastic decorations have rolled into gardens and blown away down the hill, and a baby beaver gets trapped in the lights. Once safely rescued, the baby beaver amazes the world in a viral video when it builds a dam out of... Christmas decorations! Inspired to keep the beavers’ home safe and rubbish-free, Elin’s village comes together to clean away the broken Christmas decorations, giving the beaver – and each other – the happiest Christmas ever. Millard’s story is based on a village’s real-life decision to consider their impact on the environment and to start making Christmas decorations that can be used over and over again. With fascinating facts about beavers, the real events behind the true story and instructions on how to make a beaver decoration out of card, a pine cone and a leaf, this is storytelling and creativity with an important environmental message.
(Hodder Children’s Books, paperback, £7.99)

Age 3 plus
Waiting for Santa
Lucy Cochran and Heidi McKinnon

HAVING your photo taken with Santa is surely one of the best things about Christmas... but what if the queue is long, you only have little legs... and you aren’t good at waiting? Children – and their parents – will laugh out loud at this joyful and relatable celebration of Christmas, and all its fun and frustrations. ‘Only 702 more elf-steps until Santa!’ says Ren. ‘I need a coffee,’ says Mum. ‘I need a phone charger,’ says Dad. ‘I need a toilet!’ says Harry. ‘Meoooowwwwww,’ says Moloko the cat. Ren and Harry are very excited to see Santa. Just around the next corner and they will be there, right? Wrong! The line is looooong, and it is possible that bringing their cat to a crowded department store wasn’t The Best Idea the kids have ever had?! But it’s Christmas time, and there is magic in the air... Written with wit and warmth by Melbourne-based author Lucy Cochran and colourfully illustrated by bestselling author and illustrator Heidi McKinnon, Waiting for Santa was inspired by a true adventure and is a magical reminder of the ups and downs of family life, and the unmissable magic of Christmastime.
(A&U Children’s Books, hardback, £12.99)

Age 3 plus
Clementine's Christmas
Annie White

A LOVABLE family dog creates comedy Christmas chaos in a high-octane picture book from Melbourne author and illustrator Annie White. The Clementine series has become a favourite with young readers and the dog’s frantic antics at the festive season are set to make everyone giggle. It’s Christmas Day at Clementine’s house. The tree is trimmed, the gifts are all wrapped, and the family is full of excitement. But when it’s time to open the presents, something isn’t right. What has Clementine been up to? This exuberant story – brought to life by White’s colourful and richly detailed illustrations – is packed full of child-appeal, laughter... and Christmas joy!
(Catch a Star, paperback, £8.99)

Age one plus
Night Night, Sleepy Elves
Selina Wood and Gareth Williams

FOLLOW five adorable elves as they help busy Santa prepare for Christmas... and then fall asleep, one by one! Featuring Gareth Williams’ bold and beautiful illustrations, and a bouncy rhyming text from Selina Wood, this imaginative new instalment in the Night Night series is ideal for toddlers’ bedtime in the run-up to the big day. It’s Christmas Eve and Santa’s elves have been working hard all day in the North Pole workshop preparing for Christmas. One by one, the elves finish making toys, wrapping gifts and polishing up the reindeers’ bells, then sleepily head to bed ready for tomorrow’s celebrations. Little ones will adore the chunky flaps, peek-through windows and the sleepy surprise at every turn of the page. Festive fun all the way to Christmas!  
(Little Tiger Press, board book, £7.99)

Age one plus
Tatty Mouse Christmas
Hilary Robinson and Mandy Stanley

HAVE festive fun with a mend it, make it mouse in this fabulous lift-the-flap festive adventure in the delightful Tatty Mouse board book series from the stable of Catch a Star, an imprint of New Frontier Publishing which was established in Australia in 2002 with the motto ‘to inspire, educate and uplift.’ The books feature a little mouse who is the ultimate recycler and introduce toddlers to the need to care for our environment and the exciting ways of doing it. 

So meet Tatty, she doesn’t like to see anything go to waste and thinks of inventive ways of reusing what others throw away. With her super-cool tool kit and craft box, find out how Tatty Mouse has a merry Christmas! 

And in Tatty Mouse Birthday, we discover how role model Tatty Mouse prepares for Rabbit Max’s surprise birthday party. With flaps to lift, Hilary Robinson’s joyful and rhythmic text, Mandy Stanley’s colourful and fun illustrations, and a can you find? element to the stories, little ones will love to learn from every Tatty Mouse adventure! (Catch a Star, board books, £7.99 each)

Murder at the Christmas Emporium

Andreina Cordani

SHOPPING can be deadly! Are you ready to rock with a not-so-merry Christmas murder extravaganza that will have you turning the pages long past the midnight hour?

Andreina Cordani (pictured below) – author of two dark thrillers for young adults as well as two Christmas murder mysteries for adults – brings us a fabulous, festive-flavoured crime odyssey with a rich coating of mystery and more layers to it than one of your grandma’s famous red velvet cakes.

Set against the backdrop of the delightfully named and ages-old Verity’s Emporium – the kind of traditional artisan gift shop that dates back even beyond the Victorian era – this magical mystery is the perfect gift for all cosy crime fans.

It’s Christmas Eve at the Emporium, a bespoke gift shop hidden in the depths of London’s winding streets where a select few, specially invited shoppers are browsing the handcrafted delights in its Grand Festive Display. 

But when they try to leave, they find the doors are locked and it isn’t long before they realise this is no innocent mix-up.

The shoppers have been trapped here by someone who knows their darkest secrets, someone who will stop at nothing until they have all been unwrapped... and there is a gruesome gift waiting in Santa’s grotto. For those that survive the night, it will be a Christmas to remember.

Be prepared to have your spine tingled by this atmospheric thriller which cleverly blends Victorian-flavoured macabre with all the jollity of the Christmas season in a seductive and thoroughly entertaining twist on classic whodunits. Featuring a cast of exquisitely drawn, eclectic characters – not least the Emporium’s sinister owner, Montagu Verity – all harbouring dark secrets, the tensions rise and the intricately crafted plot branches out to encompass the guests’ hidden stories and flashbacks to the past. A guaranteed sell-out success!
(Zaffre, hardback, £16.99)

The Christmas Eve Murders

Noelle Albright

A SCAVENGER hunt becomes a murder hunt when one of the regulars from the Merry Monarch pub in Yorkshire is murdered in a delightfully festive whodunit that proves to be as funny as it is gripping. 

The Christmas Eve Murders comes from the pen of Noelle Albright (pictured below), a Yorkshire-born author and poet based in the north-east of England who also writes poetry, romance novellas and the Kitt Hartley Yorkshire Mystery Series under the name of
Helen Cox. 

It’s Christmas Eve at the Merry Monarch. Nestled amongst the Yorkshire Dales, the pub is preparing to host its annual scavenger hunt for its rabble of regulars. 

There’s the landlord, Mickey, his wife Sofia and their wayward son James, local policeman Alex and his supernaturally minded deputy Don, along with Sita, Mrs Fazarkaley, the Kapoors, and Curtis who is never far from his beloved dog. Quite the crowd.

This year, they are interrupted by a knock at the door from Maddie Marlowe, a journalist who was homeward bound to Edinburgh for Christmas but has been left stranded by her car breaking down and by the snow storm that’s closing in on the village. But Maddie’s arrival won’t be the only surprise of the night. 

When the power is cut off and darkness descends, the hunt turns deadly. Maddie and her unexpected Christmas companions must try to find the murderer amongst them, as it seems one of the group would kill to win.

Enjoy dining out at the Merry Monarch with a veritable feast of tasty clues, fascinating characters, locked-room intrigue and Albright’s unbeatable brand of northern humour as the snow falls thick and fast and the suspense reaches boiling point. Cosy crime with a delectable Yorkshire flavour!
(Quercus, hardback, £14.99)

The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year

Ally Carter

IMAGINE the scene... the bridge is shut, the phones are down, and the most famous mystery writer in the world has just disappeared three days before Christmas. 

Finding the key to a locked room mystery proves to be a feast of festive fun in a cosy crime romp with a heart-fluttering rom-com twist! Ally Carter (pictured below) – whose claim to fame is writing books about people who fall in love (whilst trying to stay alive!) – conjures up a dazzling Christmas cracker with this wonderfully entertaining rivals-to-lovers mystery-romance.

Meet Maggie Chase – her friends tell her she needs to ‘get a life’ – and Ethan Wyatt, the man with ‘smooth perfection and effortless charm.’ She’s the new Queen of the Cosy Mystery, he’s Mr. Big-time Thriller Guy and they hate each other’s guts. When they both accept a cryptic invitation to attend a Christmas house party at the English estate of a reclusive fan, neither is expecting their host to be the most powerful author in the world... Eleanor Ashley, the Duchess of Death herself. 

Then, under the cover of night, the weather turns to thick snow... and in the morning Eleanor is gone. She vanished from a locked room which makes Maggie wonder whether Eleanor is in danger or if the whole thing is some kind of test with Ethan as her competition. 

But is Ethan now the only person in the snowbound mansion she can trust? 

As the snow gets deeper, the stakes get higher and the plot thickens, every clue will bring Maggie and Ethan closer to the truth... and to each other. This Christmas, the rivals will have to become allies (and maybe more) if they have any hope of saving Eleanor. That’s assuming they don’t kill each other first... The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year has all the perfect Christmas cosy crime reading ingredients... an intriguing mystery set in the ever-fascinating world of book publishing, two young writers who share a sparkling line in banter and a coruscating chemistry, and all the seductive trappings of a Golden Age whodunit. Sleuthing magic!
(Pan, paperback, £9.99)

Your Guide to Not Getting Murdered in a Quaint English Village

Maureen Johnson
and Jay Cooper

IF getting through Christmas feels like murder, dive into this entertaining illustrated guide and you’re guaranteed to come up smiling! 

Written by Maureen Johnson (pictured below), who lives in New York City (for safety’s sake!) and is the bestselling author of over a dozen novels, Your Guide to Not Getting Murdered in a Quaint English Village is just what you need to prevent getting murdered in classic English crime style.

Quaint English villages, as we all know, are places where danger lurks around each cobblestoned corner, and every bite of scone or sip of tea may be your last. 

If you absolutely insist on visiting, do yourself a favour and take along a copy of this guide book because it might just keep you alive. 

Taking a close look at all the traditional murder mystery characters and peering into every possible murder location – the garden, the bedrooms, the study and even the bathroom – the murderous people and places are brought to life by dozens of Jay Cooper’s Edward Gorey-esque drawings, and peppered with allusions to classic crime fiction. 

So if Christmas in a quaint little village is still on your festive agenda, pack this invaluable guide because it has the tools you need to stay alive. And whatever you do, don’t look in the pond, keep away from the maze and never trust the vicar. Good luck... you’re going to need it!
(Raven Books, hardback, £14.99)