CHILDREN'S BOOKS: Dinosaur hunting, lost umbrellas and superstar magic

Meet a trailblazing palaeontologist who was the first woman to lead a dinosaur expedition, take to the skies with witches who use umbrellas to fly, learn how to become a superstar entertainer and enjoy an epic world tour with a megastar mystery-solver with a sizzling summer selection 

Age 7 plus
Dinosaur Desert
Dr Nick Crumpton
and Ola Plocinska

MEET Zofia Kielan-Jaworowska, a simply dino-mite, trailblazing palaeontologist who was the first woman to lead a dinosaur excavation expedition and whose work expanded and turned on its head what was known about the earliest mammals. Inspired by the life and achievements of this remarkable Polish woman, children's writer and zoologist Dr Nick Crumpton and illustrator Ola Plocinska bring young readers a thrilling adventure based on Zofia’s groundbreaking discoveries on dinosaur expeditions in the Mongolian Gobi Desert which captivated the world. From the massive claws of the mysterious Deinocheirus to the delicate bones of the earliest mammals, Zofia’s discoveries helped rewrite the history of life on Earth but her journey wasn’t easy. Growing up amid the devastation of Nazi-occupied Poland during the Second World War, Zofia was forced to study in secret and refused to let the conflict silence her dreams. With unstoppable courage, and through the uncertainties of post-War Europe, she became a world-renowned palaeontologist and travelled all the way to the Gobi Desert – one of the windiest, wildest places on Earth – where she uncovered fossils hidden for millions of years.

Created in collaboration with the family of Zofia, who died in 2015 aged 89, Dinosaur Desert celebrates the one hundredth anniversary of her birth, and her incredible life and work. Extensive archive material combines with graphic novel-style spreads and vivid portrayals of the Gobi Desert to immerse children in not just the world of dinosaurs and prehistoric mammals, but in unsung heroine Zofia’s early years surviving the devastation of wartime. Captivating, inspirational and packed with fascinating facts, Dinosaur Desert is the perfect gift for the next generation of palaeontologists.
(Templar Books, hardback, £14.99)

Age 9 plus
The Museum of Lost Umbrellas
Marie-Louise Fitzpatrick

IMAGINE an island, a museum, secret passages and talking birds, a large dog, a child in need of a family, a creaky house, swimming, flying, and lots and lots of magic! If you think a story could never pack in all that, then you haven’t yet dived into the first book of award-winning Dublin author Marie-Louise Fitzpatrick’s show-stopping debut fantasy middle-grade series, The Cloud Witch Chronicles. Fitzpatrick, whose debut YA novel, On Midnight Beach, was shortlisted for the Carnegie Medal, sets free her prodigious imagination on a soaring and spectacular adventure set on a magical island where the houses grant you wishes, the alleyways are secret portals… and a girl called Dilly Kyteler is eager for a new home after the death of her mum. When Dilly arrives on the godforsaken island of Ollipest, in the middle of the Celtic Sea, to live with a cantankerous old great-aunt she is unsure what to expect from her new life. What she certainly doesn’t expect is to find magic! Until now, the magic of Ollipest Island has been a well-kept secret. But then the island’s Museum of Lost Umbrellas opens after many years of closure… and when the museum attracts some unsavoury anti-magic outsiders, Dilly finally discovers the true nature of the family she was born into. It’s time to unlock her ancestral powers and help keep the magical island safe. Youngsters will fall in love with The Museum of Lost Umbrellas, a dazzling, epic adventure where witches fly with umbrellas, magical dogs walk out of the sea, and pet parrots suddenly become humans. Filled with Fitzpatrick’s immersive storytelling, an irresistible brand of magic and excitement on every page, this is just the start of what promises to be a totally bewitching series.
(Faber Children’s Books, paperback, £7.99)

Age 9 plus
The Magic in You
Mat Ricardo

JOIN one of the world’s greatest showmen, Mat Ricardo, and learn how to become a superstar entertainer… and boost your confidence at the same time. Ricardo, who learned his craft as a street performer in London’s famous Covent Garden before travelling the world’s theatres, cabaret clubs and festivals, shares his knowledge, experience and expertise to teach youngsters not just how to levitate, juggle and perform magic tricks, but also how to uncover the magic inside themselves. A star of America’s Got Talent, Ricardo reveals he was once ‘a socially awkward, undiagnosed autistic loner with a bad stutter’ who was happiest in his own company and found the outside world confusing and overwhelming. Alongside his performing work, Ricardo is a TEDx speaker and an ambassador for the mental health non-profit Mental Ideas, and now he’s ready to teach children to do the impossible, from picking a lock and an astonishing range of circus tricks to comedy sets, magic, spy manoeuvres and science tricks. Like Ricardo, youngsters are encouraged – through humour, dedication and practical steps – to cast off their shyness and discover the magic that’s just waiting to be freed!
(Faber Children’s Books, paperback, £8.99)

Age 8 plus
Nina Peanut: Epic World Tour Era
Sarah Bowie

HANDS up if you want another Nina Peanut adventure? Fans of the one and only megastar mystery-solver Nina will be racing to get to grips with her outrageous new antics as Irish writer and illustrator Sarah Bowie makes a welcome return with her fabulous full-colour illustrated series. Nina Peanut: Epic World Tour Era is the third outing for everyone’s favourite naughty schoolgirl who also happens to be a superstar frozen pizza chef, ghost hunter, detective extraordinaire and creative genius. As Nina tells us, she is currently in her world tour era… ok, so she’s actually just going on an all-inclusive family holiday to Sunshiney Island, but STILL. And who's that she’s just spotted on the next sun lounger? Only her mortal enemy Megan Dunne who had told everyone at school she was off to the Maldives... Pack your sunglasses and flip flops and join Nina for a sandcastle competition, extremely elaborate ice creams, fun in the sun and the best holiday ever! With fun, laughter, mega mishaps and sunshine all the way, plus themes of friendship/frenemies, big dreams, and brilliant pets, there’s never a dull moment when Nina is on the case!
(Scholastic, paperback, £8.99)

Age 7 plus
Grimwood: Rock the Vote!
Nadia Shireen

YOU can never be too young, or too old, to enjoy a bit of anarchy! Youngsters (and their parents!) will be grinning, guffawing, snorting and sniggering when they get their hands on the fifth woodland caper in one of the funniest children’s series currently on the market. Grimwood – a sort-of Watership Down with foxes which evokes tears of laughter rather than of sorrow – is the work of author and illustrator Nadia Shireen who has won awards for her picture books and been shortlisted for the Roald Dahl Funny Prize, the Waterstones Children’s Book Prize, the Week Junior Book Award and the Laugh Out Loud Book Awards. Fully illustrated throughout, the books star two fox cub siblings, Ted and Nancy, who love their life in Grimwood… the forest where anything (riotous!) can happen. They have made a lot of new friends there but now Grimwood needs a new mayor! Titus has finally decided he’s had enough, leaving behind big antlers to fill. With characters new and old throwing their hats into the ring, who has what it takes, who has a hidden agenda, and who is simply in it for the parties? The only people who can decide the fate of Grimwood are… the residents of Grimwood. Oh, no! Shireen serves up an irresistible blend of glorious gags, hilarious comedy routines, boundless madcap escapades, and a memorable cast of quirky characters who young readers will love following from first page to last, and from book to book. With a side helping of zany, high-energy black and white illustrations, which bring both the animals and the action to life, the Grimwood series has the legs – and the laughs – to run and run.
(Simon & Schuster Children’s Books, hardback, £12.99)

Age 6 plus
Dream Keepers: Map to Starlight Hollow
Rebecca Lewis-Oakes and Anastasiya Kanavaliuk

IF you long for adventures full of friendship, fantasy and sweet dreams then head off to Moon Wood, a magical world beyond even your wildest dreams! Youngsters’ dreams are coming true with this adorable Dream Keepers series from former editor and now author Rebecca Lewis-Oakes, and Belarusian illustrator Anastasiya Kanavaliuk who is based in Poland. In the second book of the series, we meet Paisley and her friends who love being Dream Keepers and making sure everyone in their sleepy, happy town of Sunny Wood has sweet dreams. Even though Paisley's family has lived all over, Moon Wood is definitely her favourite place in the world. So when she discovers her family might be moving away, Paisley doesn't know what to do! Then Joya asks the Dream Keepers to update a beautiful, old map of Moon Wood. Paisley hopes the task will distract her from her dilemma. But as Paisley's worries grow, the Queen of Nightmare's shadows may find their way into Moon Wood once more… Can Paisley and her friends find strength in their friendship to shine a light in the darkness? Filled with exciting adventures, fantastical characters and creatures, and magical moments, this is a winner with all fantasy fans!
(Piccadilly Press, paperback, £7.99, published on August 7)

Age 5 plus
Emerald and the New Arrival
Harriet Muncaster

THE most rebellious princess under the sea is making a splash again in the gorgeous new adventure in talented author and illustrator Harriet Muncaster’s cute and colourful series. The shining star is Emerald, mermaid friend of Isadora Moon, the adorably funny half-vampire, half-fairy whose sparkly world has been thrilling young readers for several years. Emerald is learning how to be a mermaid princess, but there are just so many rules. She loves having fun with her friends and exploring her underwater world with her pet octopus, Inkibelle… she doesn’t want to be stuck in the palace with everyone looking at her and checking that she’s doing things the proper, royal way. And now Emerald’s mum is expecting a baby and there’s so much to do before the big day! Everyone is excited but Emerald can’t help feeling a little… unsure. What if she gets woken up at night by all the crying? And what if Mum and her step-dad Auster are too busy with the new baby to think about her? But family life is full of surprises and Emerald is about to find out that being a BIG sister is a very special thing. Full to its sparkly cover with fun, friendship, excitement and enchanting green and black illustrations, this magical chapter book carries resonant messages about families, friendships and siblings, and is perfect for early readers who like their glitter with a splash of wildness and wonder!
(Oxford University Press, paperback, £6.99, published on August 7)

Age 3 plus
The One and Only You
Shane Hegarty and Ben Mantle

TOP author and illustrator team, Shane Hegarty and Ben Mantle, push the boat out for a heartfelt picture book that takes little ones on an incredible trip across space and time to discover just how unique and special they are. Jump aboard and set sail with a child who voyages far and wide to meet people and animals, plants and flowers, oceans and lakes, and so, so many other things to finally ‘land’ the truth that there is only one YOU.  With the prize of individuality lying at the heart of Hegarty’s delightful and playful story, and a gallery of Mantle’s trademark rich, vibrant and colourful illustrations giving extra life and meaning, this is a joyful journey for readers young and old.
(Hodder Children’s Books, paperback, £7.99)

Age 2 plus
Dress-up Jobs: Glasses
Dress-up Jobs: Bags
Fernando Martin

THE intriguing world of work springs to colourful life in a brilliant ‘dress-up’ series of picture books from the boffins at Oxford University Press. This fun, imaginative and informative series introduces a wide range of jobs through the hats, shoes, eyewear and bags used for each one. Structured across the course of a week, the child in each book chooses a different item from the dressing up box each day. Children can try guessing what job the different items are needed for before turning the page to enter the world of that job. 

A double page spread reveals what each job involves, what equipment is needed, and provides key vocabulary. At the end of the week, it’s time to try out some extra special jobs like being a racing driver or an astronaut, and each book ends with a fun activity... match the dressing-up item to the job. In Dress-up Jobs: Glasses, we meet Seren who spends her week days being a carpenter, research scientist, ski instructor, welder and reserve warden, and then at the weekend she tries being a spy in disguise and a rock star! And in Bags, we meet Anwar who discovers the world of a plumber, vet, postman, hairdresser and accountant, and at the weekend he tries the extra-special jobs of photographing stars on the red carpet and heading into the snowy peaks as a mountain guide! Perfect for pre-schoolers, the books introduce a wide range of familiar and unusual jobs, including urban, rural, daytime and night-time jobs, all vibrantly illustrated by Fernando Martin.
(Oxford University Press, paperback, £7.99 each, both published on August 7)

Age 2 plus
A Million Chameleons
Rachel Morrisroe and Aysha Awwad

TODDLERS will love watching their grown-ups trying to get their tongue round a fun-filled, laugh-out-loud picture book featuring a coruscating chameleon word-play explosion! Perfectly created for reading aloud together, bestselling author Rachel Morrisroe and illustrator Aysha Awwad’s A Million Chameleons brings us a zany, rhyming giggle-fest and a cast of incredible chameleon illustrations simply bursting with comedy and colour. So, if you didn’t already know, the world is home to millions of colourful chameleons. What do you think they get up when no one is watching? From cheeky flicking-pea-leons to cute-as-cute-can-be-leons and even always-needs-a-wee-leons, there’s SO much more to these creatures than meets the eye! Spot the cheeky little chameleon hiding on every page spread, and have fun from start to finish!
(Hodder Children’s Books, paperback, £7.99)

The Secrets of Dragonfly Lodge

Rachel Hore

DARK secrets dating back to the years after the Second World War still haunt an elderly academic woman who is now living a quiet and secluded life in a rural corner of Norfolk.

It will be an ambitious young journalist, facing challenges in her own life, who will finally seize the chance to lift the veil from the past and reveal a devastating truth which is set to have far-reaching consequences for both women.

Rachel Hore (pictured below) – a writer who has found a rich territory for her beautifully emotive storytelling in the the towns and rural charms of her home turf in Norfolk – returns with a moving and powerful mystery inspired by her own family history and an interest in exploring the obstacles that have too often been thrown in the path of aspiring women scientists.

Weaving seamlessly between two different time frames – London in the 1940s and ‘50s and the lush, captivating landscape of the stunning Norfolk Broads sixty years later – The Secrets of Dragonfly Lodge is a fascinating and compelling story brimming with the authenticity and genuine warmth that are the hallmark of Hore’s novels.

In 2010, 30-year-old Stef Lansdown is at a low point after being made redundant from her high-flying job as a journalist on a national broadsheet newspaper in London and going through an acrimonious split from her lawyer boyfriend.

Now working freelance, Stef is researching the experiences of women in science for a new book she has won a commission to write. When her mother – who recently moved to a village close to one of Norfolk’s beautiful Broads – suggests that she interviews Dr Nancy Foster, a naturalist who studied zoology in the 1940s and now lives in Dragonfly Lodge on the nearby wildlife reserve, Stef decides it could be ideal for her research.

But Nancy is reluctant to be interviewed because she doesn’t want her ‘past, her secret pain, the injustice done to her’ to become fodder for some sensationalist account in a book.  She wants to be left alone to enjoy her last years, and her grandson Aaron agrees, arguing that journalist ‘dig around too much.’

However, when Nancy meets Stef and learns that she is simply eager to find out how scientific research has been hampered over the years by being entrenched in ‘a man’s world,’ she finally opens up and winds back the clock to 1947 and a world where marriage and children were considered a woman’s most likely occupation.

Nancy’s ambitions lay far beyond that and after reading Zoology at London University, she relished the challenges of lectures and laboratory work even while constantly negotiating the ensuing conflicts. Her story is exactly what Stef had hoped for but as Nancy becomes more trusting, Stef senses that there is fear and unhappiness buried deep within her. Determined to gain Nancy’s trust, discover the source of her distress, heal old wounds, and to use her power to restore Nancy’s reputation, Stef comes up against Aaron who is very protective of his grandmother. And as she starts to pull together the strands of Nancy’s story, it soon becomes clear that someone doesn’t want the truth to be told…

The Secrets of Dragonfly Lodge is an immaculately researched and intriguing mystery, a tale of gender, ambition, male prejudice and female determination, with Nancy’s story standing as a reminder that discrimination is just one of the factors that has historically made the lives of women scientists much harder than men’s. Through descriptive scene setting, and an exquisitely created sense of mid-20^th century time and place, which allows the unfolding of secrets to gather momentum as the past catches up with the present, we witness the truth of Nancy’s life emerging from decades of withdrawal and silence.

With powerful emotions pulsing through the lives of both women, a plot full of mystery and intrigue, a thoughtful and intelligent reflection on the challenges faced by women in the working world, a beautiful slow-burn romance, and a dénouement that will touch your heart, this is the perfect companion for summer holiday reading.
(Simon & Schuster, hardback, £16.99)

Truck It!

The Drive Around the World That Saved My Life

Bobby Bolton

WHEN a Wigan-born man’s love life fell apart, his hard-earned construction company went bust, and he discovered he had hardly enough money to buy a 70p coffee at a petrol station, he knew he had hit rock bottom.

But as he drowned his sorrows with friends in a pub on a weekend visit to his home town, Bobby Bolton had a light bulb moment; he saw a Land Rover with a ‘Family Expedition’ on its bumper, owned by an outdoorsy couple with ‘adventure in their eyes,’ and made an instant decision to pack up all his troubles in a truck, head off to Australia… and hopefully fall in love with life again.

His pals thought it was the beer talking but Bobby was serious, declaring that ‘we only have one life and I want to go and live mine.’ It was just the start of an epic but crazy adventure for Bobby and his trusted dog Red as they set off from the north-west of England, travelled all the way across the world and, along the way, became a @one.life.truck.it social media sensation.

Bobby’s rollercoaster story began years earlier when he was an ambitious boy growing up in Wigan and then moving to London to start his career. By twenty-five, he had stepped off the nine-to-five work ladder to pursue a dream he had nurtured since a teenager… run his own business as a self-employed builder. With a passion for building, a degree from Loughborough University, and a few years’ experience with a property developer, Bobby was still very young but felt ready to take on the world and the challenges that might lie ahead.

Little did he know that before he was thirty, his heart would be broken, and that he would be homeless and near bankrupt. In quick succession, his eleven-year relationship with his fiancée broke down, a bad economic turn and a run of unlucky business deals drove his hard-earned construction company into the ground, his long-held passion for rugby dissipated, and Bobby discovered what it was to lose all purpose in life.

But galvanized by the sight of the Land Rover couple who had a vehicle full of outdoor gear and ‘eyes that seemed so alive,’ Bobby set his own sights on turning his life around. The next day, he sold all his possessions and what was left of his business, and spent every penny converting a truck that he would drive and live in with his labrador, Red.  

His final ‘step to freedom’ was starting his first social media adventure… an Instagram page on which he announced his daring plan to drive to Australia, and then drew a map of the world and his route on some old cardboard. The two videos went viral and over time, garnered Bobby hundreds of thousands of followers. And only a couple of weeks in to his travels, fate struck when Bobby met a beautiful and ‘very smiley’ French woman named Marie while hiking in the South of France and fell head over heels in love. After just two dates she (and her dog, Rubia) joined him in his truck to see what might happen next. But this was only the start of the adventure…

Paying corrupt Russian policemen bribes, digging out mountain passes in Albania with an old spade, getting punched at the Kazakhstan border, surviving a mountain track collapse in Italy, being interrogated by the Taliban at a dangerous checkpoint, and sliding down a snow-covered ridge, ice axe in hand, to rescue his new girlfriend as she fell two-hundred metres, narrowly avoiding a cliff face, are just some of Bobby’s  adventures… and definitely a memorable way to reconnect with the world around you and to fall in love with life again.

Action-packed, and an inspiration to those looking to turn their own lives around, Bobby’s amazing worldwide adventure delivers heart, plenty of drama, and an irresistible sprinkling of good old northern charm and humour. Don’t miss the ride!
(Macmillan, hardback, £20)

CHILDREN'S BOOKS: Summer holiday fun and reading with Usborne

As the country moves into top gear for a summer of holidays and travels, keep boredom at bay and your youngsters out of mischief with these super activity and reading books from leading independent children’s books publisher Usborne

Age 6 plus
Things to Spot in Summer
Lara Bryan, Kate Nolan
and Di Brookes

SUMMER is here and the natural world is buzzing with life! So head off into the great outdoors and learn to spot and identify plants, trees and animals with this brilliant new pocket-sized book in the educational Usborne Minis series. Long, sunny summer days are perfect for exploring nature and this beautiful book – illustrated by Di Brookes – will help children find out more about the wildlife they spot when they’re out and about. With 60 animals, insects, birds, flowers and trees to look out for, it’s packed full of fascinating facts, and there is a handy chart with stickers at the back of the book to help you keep track of what you’ve seen.
(Usborne Publishing, paperback, £3.99)

Age 5 plus
Sticker Dolly Dressing: Summer Camp
Fiona Watt, Non Taylor and Antonia Miller

SCHOOL'S out, the sun is shining and it’s time to pick a selection of outfits for an exciting trip to summer camp! Hours of hands-on fun are guaranteed with the new Sticker Dolly Dressing book, one of Usborne Publishing’s best and most popular series. And this dazzling new book is bulging with gorgeous sticker clothes and accessories to dress the dolls and decorate the pages as they enjoy all the different activities. Have fun choosing the stickers to create outfits for the dolls as they go paddle boarding, follow a forest trail, cook tasty treats on a campfire, build dens, complete an obstacle course and learn about team-building.  There are over 200 stickers and twelve scenes to choose from, and the fun accessories include rucksacks, water bottles, boots, outdoor equipment and camp kitchen tools. Children won’t be stuck for something to do with this beautiful activity book full of dolls to dress and scenes to decorate. And with so many easy-to-use and reusable stickers to choose from, this is a summertime camp no young fashionista will want to miss!
(Usborne Publishing, paperback, £7.99)

Age 5 plus
Seashore Magic Painting Book
Lizzie Cope and Felicity French

WHAT child can resist the enchantment of a magic painting book! All you need is water and the brush provided, and then abracadabra, marvel as the black and white pages turn into a rainbow of vibrant colours. Enjoy the look of amazement on the faces of your little ones when they use the brush to paint water over the illustrations and reveal an exciting and colourful world full of seashore life, from sandcastles, crabs and shells to sea birds, pebbles and driftwood… all transformed from black and white to colour in seconds. And with tear-out pages and a waterproof laminated flap to tuck behind your work to stop the water seeping through to the rest of the book, youngsters can be sure of a perfect result every time. Magic at a paintbrush stroke... and perfect for summertime getaways or staycations!
(Usborne, paperback, £6.99)

Age 3 plus
First Sticker Book: Summer
Felicity Brooks and Zoe Waring

GET ready for fun with an adorable cast of excited animal characters as they head off into the great outdoors to make the most of the summer sunshine! This enchanting first sticker book was just made for little hands. Join the animals as they spend a day at the beach, cool off with a swim in the lake, whizz down the swirly slide at the playground, play mini-golf, camp beneath the stars and lots more. Little ones will love adding over 140 colourful and easy-to-use stickers to the summery scenes and bring Zoe Waring’s beautifully illustrated scenes to life. Friendship, fun and sun on every page!
(Usborne Publishing, paperback, £5.99)

Age 9 plus
Spirit Warriors
Ashley Thorpe

ESCAPE into an adventure full of ancient magic, young heroes, and a battle between the living and the dead in a thrilling story of chaos, myth and danger from Ashley Thorpe, a Black British author who works as an editor for Storymix, helping other writers to create epic stories. And this action-packed, high-stakes, fantasy adventure is certainly epic as we meet Evie who is saved only by the powerful gemstone her parents entrusted to her when her island home is overrun by evil spirits. Her best friend Arthur is not so lucky… caught in the magical crossfire, he finds himself in the body of a cat. On a mission to return him to his body and defeat the ghouls, Evie and Arthur team up with Cai, a trainee shaman, who helps them discover the truth. The terrifying Blackheart Man is plotting to steal the island’s four magical gemstones and use their power to destroy the barrier between the worlds of the living and the dead. It will take all of Evie’s magic, Cai’s bravery and Arthur’s talent for thievery to stop him. Youngsters will be willing on this plucky trio as they battle against the odds in a heart-thumping danger mission full of magical world-building, fast and furious adventures and spine-tingling danger. Epic fun from start to finish!
(Usborne, paperback, £7.99, published on August 14)

Age 9 plus
How to Get Magically Popular
Radhika Sanghani

NO schoolgirl wants to be unpopular… can the unexpected discovery of a magic power change everything for Sabina Patel? Fresh from the success of her middle grade novel, The Girl Who Couldn’t Lie, author, screenwriter and award-winning journalist Radhika Sanghani weaves her own special brand of magic over another story with important messages for young readers. Sabina Patel has never been popular and in her new school, in a new town where she doesn’t know anyone, she feels more out of place than ever. When she accidentally unlocks magic powers and starts to see visions of the future, Sabina worries that she will be even more unpopular than before. But she quickly becomes one of the most popular girls in school, with everyone desperate for her to predict their test answers, prom dates and class election results. But then she starts seeing futures she would rather not know about and Sabina is not sure if she has unlocked a gift or a curse. It seems learning to be happy in the present is far more productive than letting the future take over your life. This fresh, fun, relatable and wise story – starring a girl who just wants to fit in but finds her magic powers make her stand out more than she might want – speaks loudly about the value of friendship, honesty and simply enjoying the ‘now’ and not the ‘what’s next.’
(Usborne Publishing, £7.99, published on August 14)

The Hidden Girl

Lucinda Riley
and Harry Whittaker

FAMILY secrets from the past explode into a nightmare of forbidden love, thwarted desire, revenge and murder in a sweeping and deliciously dark saga from superstar storyteller Lucinda Riley whose untimely death in 2021 has – thankfully for her many global fans – not ended the joy of discovering her dazzling array of novels.

Long before the Me Too movement sparked the conviction and jailing of high-profile sex offenders like American film producer Harvey Weinstein in 2022, Riley (pictured below) was hatching a story about the menacing side of fame, toxic masculinity, and the ability of ruthless, powerful men to destroy the lives of vulnerable women.

The Hidden Girl – originally published as Hidden Beauty in 1993 under the name Lucinda Edmonds – was Riley’s second novel and written at the age of twenty-six, many years before she became the acclaimed author of her groundbreaking eight-book Seven Sisters series which gripped readers across the world. It had always been her intention to reintroduce Hidden Beauty to the world but she never had the opportunity so her (heroic!) son Harry Whittaker (pictured below) – co-author of the last Seven Sisters book, Atlas: The Story of Pa Salt – has once more stepped into the breach and reworked and reimagined this heartbreaking and hard-hitting lost treasure which transports us from the wilds of Yorkshire’s Bronte country in the 1970s and the glamorous catwalks of Milan to the horrors of the Treblinka extermination camp in wartime Poland.

And what a fine job he has made of it, ensuring that readers can enjoy and admire his mother’s story of stunning prescience and disturbing truths... a breathtaking, time-weaving standalone tale which is based on Riley’s own early life experiences as an actress and model, and shines a light on the dangerously controlling and sexually abusive behaviour of men in positions of immense power or wealth.

Born and raised in a small village on the Yorkshire moors, Leah Thompson looks more beautiful with each passing day. Her mother Doreen is housekeeper to 46-year-old Rose Delancey, a famous artist from a troubled family, now living far from the spotlight and keeping her past securely locked away.

Leah has grown up alongside Rose’s darkly mysterious and unsettling older son Miles, and her prematurely worldly and wayward adopted daughter Miranda, and by the time she is sixteen, Leah’s ethereal beauty has caught the attention of Rose’s long-lost nephew Brett Cooper, and friends from London’s high-profile modelling agencies.

Whisked off to the big city, where she finds comfort in new-found friendships and being able to send money home to her parents , Leah is soon taking the 1980s modelling world by storm, travelling from Milan to London and New York, and living life in the lap of luxury. But Leah can’t escape the past which follows her like a dark shadow, a past that is mysteriously intertwined with the tragic tale of two young siblings in Poland caught up in the Holocaust during the Second World War.

As two generations of secrets threaten to erupt, Leah is also haunted by a fatal, forgotten prophecy... one that she had hoped would die away but which she must now fight if she is to challenge the destiny that was mapped out for her in the stars.

The Hidden Girl is an exciting posthumous gift from a writer who never ceases to amaze her readers as she once more transports us from the pedestrian realities of everyday life into a two-generational epic where good battles evil, friendships are formed, love awakens, and festering secrets have deadly consequences.

At its heart is Yorkshire lass Leah Thompson, an ordinary girl with an extraordinary beauty who discovers that her fateful association with the Delancey family might be the catalyst for her fame and fortune, but that it comes with a heavy personal price. Leah’s rise from humble beginnings in rural Yorkshire to modelling super stardom and life in New York’s Fifth Avenue and other exclusive foreign enclaves is overshadowed by tragedy, thwarted love affairs, the deadly fall-out from vaulting ambition, and a fatal, forgotten prophecy that refuses to be banished. Juxtaposed with Leah’s trials and tribulations in the vibrant post-war age are the privations and perils of staying alive in the ghettoes of wartime Warsaw and surviving the daily terrors of the notorious Treblinka camp where death was only ever a heartbeat away.

Brimming from start to finish with emotional intensity, and fizzing with menace and intrigue, The Hidden Girl explores the eternal themes of love, loss and redemption in a journey that is littered with twists and turns and revelations, and springs a wickedly unexpected sting in its tail.

And in her trademark style, Riley seamlessly weaves together the two timelines, investing readers’ interest in both past and present, delivering a plot of incredible intricacy and imagination, and thrilling us with a cast of unforgettable characters on a spectrum from the terrifyingly evil to the exquisitely vulnerable. A treat for Lucinda’s army of fans... and a reminder of her exceptional talent.
(Pan, paperback, £9.99)

CHILDREN'S BOOKS: Bonkers science, soul stories and a magical island

Discover how you might (just!) save your granny from a runaway train, meet a girl struggling to come to terms with both the death of her father and a house move, head off to a small island that is home to a big green secret and celebrate love in all its forms with a picture book exploding with colour and beauty in a sizzling, summertime selection 

Age 8 plus
How To Save Your Granny From a Runaway Train
Swapna Haddow
and Jess Bradley

WITH the best will in the world, and using science as a guide, could anyone save their granny from a runaway train? The answer lies in the covers of this fun and infinitely fascinating book… and it might not be what you were expecting! Swapna Haddow – award-winning author of over thirty books for young readers including the Dave Pigeon and Bad Panda series – explores a bunch of ridiculous (and not-so-ridiculous) dilemmas and comes up with solutions from the astonishing world of physics that will have youngsters gasping and giggling. So brace yourself and discover how to trick a shark, lift a jumbo jet, escape from a deserted island, rescue grandad from a volcano, scare off an alien invasion and even get a fart machine out of your classroom as Haddow and award-winning illustrator Jess Bradley work their child-friendly magic on topics such as friction, electromagnets, gravity, fulcrum, reflection and air resistance. With consultancy from teacher and science specialist Jules Pottle, Bradley’s funny and engaging illustrations adding extra humour and vibrancy to the graphic novel style presentation, and easy-to-follow experiments which let children test out the science themselves, How To Save Your Granny From a Runaway Train is the perfect way to make learning a hands-on adventure... and to keep holiday boredom at bay. And rest assured that no grannies were harmed in the making of this book!
(Red Shed, paperback, £10.99, published on July 31)

Age 12 plus
Crow Children
James Dixon

‘Our souls are in our stories, little fragments in every one,
and the crows keep them for us when we’re gone.’

THE death of a loved one is one of the hardest trials every human must face in their lifetime, a theme that is explored with empathy, power and beauty in a moving novel from Glasgow-based novelist, poet and playwright James Dixon. Harnessing both the natural world and a seductive thread of dark fantasy, Dixon brings us an atmospheric and memorable story starring a 13-year-old girl struggling to come to terms with both the death of her father and a move away to her mother’s childhood town. Following the sudden and unexpected death of Ava’s father, her mother decides they need a complete reset and a return to her roots in the town of Crawford on the edge of the woods where Ava’s Pop and Nana still live. Ava is far from thrilled at starting again though she is happy to be  united with her grandparents, particularly her Nana whose stories are legendary. But Nana’s memories are fading quickly and Ava is devastated to once again be faced with loss. Dustin Marr is a troubled, older student at Ava’s new school and he seems to have a strange connection with the woods, particularly the crows who circle the edge of town. Dustin thinks he knows how to bring back Nana’s memories. The crows wield power, he says, the messengers between the world of the living and the dead, but when the crows offer to return her beloved Nana’s memories, Ava must decide whether she will pay their price and exchange a soul for a soul. Though-provoking and inspirational, Dixon’s tale of a teen searching for meaning in a time of emotional turmoil is beautifully written and full of wise reflection, clever symbolism and warm reassurance for any youngster facing their own pains of loss and grief.
(Guppy Books, paperback, £7.99)

Age 3 plus
The Great Green Island
Becky Colvin

DISCOVER a small island with a BIG secret in an enchanting and inspiring debut picture book from Becky Colvin, winner of the prestigious Macmillan Prize for Illustration in 2023. Combining stunning, richly detailed and atmospheric illustration with magical storytelling, The Great Green Island is a modern fable full of verbal and visual delights. Star of the show is adventurous Ali, a nature-loving girl with a mystery to solve on an island that is much more than it seems. Because this small island holds a big secret… a magical secret in the shape of a Great Green Crocodile! Ali lives with her Dad on a beautiful island with a busy fishing village. So busy in fact that, no matter how hard she tries, Ali can never persuade anyone to stop what they are doing and come exploring with her. That is until the morning everyone wakes to find ALL the fish have disappeared. Every. Last. One. Who – or what – could have taken them? Weaving together mystery, adventure and a resonant celebration of the wonders of the wild world, Colvin’s mini-masterpiece reminds us all to stop and experience the amazing world around us… and to admire it together!
(Macmillan Children’s Books, paperback, £7.99)

Age 3 plus
Crocodile, Crocodile, What Sharp Teeth You Have!
Illustrated by Malgorzata Detner

MEET a crocodile that crawls, swims and snaps in a playful pop-up board book that will leave little ones open-mouthed with amazement! Crocodile, Crocodile, What Sharp Teeth You Have! is the new title in Campbell Books’ entertaining Peep & Pop series which lets toddlers get up close with some well-known creatures from the natural world. Play along with the scaly crocodile as she makes a star appearance in five pop-ups, brought to life by the vibrant illustrations of Polish artist Malgorzata Detner. Perfect for encouraging pretend play with your young child while providing some fascinating and fun animal facts. Also in the series are Tiger, Tiger, What Stripy Fur You Have!, Monkey, Monkey, What A Curly Tail You Have! and Elephant, Elephant, What Big Ears You Have!
(Campbell Books, board book, £7.99)

Age 2 plus
I Love You Every Colour
Caryl Lewis and Jill Calder

CELEBRATE love in all its forms – from personal and family relationships to the natural world and planet Earth, with the explosion of colour and beauty in a stunning picture book from award-winning duo, author Caryl Lewis and illustrator Jill Calder. The perfect gift for everyone you love, I Love You Every Colour is brimming with love for every season and every mood. From bright, blood-red sunrises to jewel-studded purples and lush, rich greens, this book encourages young readers to expand their imaginations. Each stunning painting packs an emotional punch and is filled with details that little ones will want to explore. Lewis, a multi-award-winning Welsh novelist, children’s writer, playwright and screenwriter, was inspired to write the lyrical narrative by the ‘Poets of Nobility’ in Wales who were hired as court poets between 1284 and 1600 and in particular, a breathtaking poem written in the 15^th century by Lewis Glyn Cothi after the death of his son. Perfectly paired with Calder’s bold, painterly artwork, this special book is one you will want to give to anyone and everyone that you hold dear.
(Two Hoots, hardback, £12.99)

Age from birth
Hello Sun! & Hello Fish!
Sharon King-Chai

COLOUR, reflection, fun and learning! This gorgeous Mirror Magic board book series for babies and toddlers – from talented designer and illustrator Sharon King-Chai – comes complete with a unique illustrated mirror landscape format. Babies and toddlers will love finding the high-contrast colourful creatures and bold shapes on every reflective page of two new titles, Hello Sun! and Hello Fish!, which have the signature printed mirror right through to a high quality mirror on the final spread in which little readers can see themselves. 

The shiny mirror and bright colours are perfect for baby brain development, tummy time and sensory play, catching the eye, teaching new words and keeping little ones engaged as they say hello and bye-bye and then spot themselves in the mirror at the end! Mirrors on every page extend the lush and immersive landscape... simply hold or prop the book upright to create a magical mirror world to explore.  Every Mirror Magic book also includes a free audio download via the QR code on the back. Listen along and learn new words as the book is read out loud, then read again to enjoy a bonus audio spotting game!
(Two Hoots, board books, £8.99 each, published July 31)

The Secrets of Harbour House

Liz Fenwick

A NEGLECTED Georgian house overlooking turquoise seas holds not just an array of magnificent art treasures but heartbreaking memories of a powerful but forbidden love… and it will take a lost and grieving young woman to unlock its hidden secrets.

Summer always springs to vibrant life when Liz Fenwick – the queen of Cornish fiction – sweeps us away to the bejewelled corner of the country that this Massachusetts-born expat has made her own, and her brand new story is brimming with all the mystery, drama and romance that are the hallmarks of her enthralling books. Fenwick (pictured below) fell in love with an Englishman and now enjoys family life in beautiful Cornwall whilst channelling her writing talents and energies into atmospheric and beautifully crafted novels which connect with both the landscape she adores, and the human condition that she writes about with such startling insight and veracity. 

And The Secrets of Harbour House is a visual and verbal triumph… an emotionally-charged and sensual tale of love, loss, passion and redemption weaving seamlessly between past and present, and steeped in the sea vistas and sparkling sunlight of Cornwall, and the lush elegance and dazzling glories of a long-ago summer in Venice.

Thirty-year-old Kerensa (Ren) Barton is struggling to cope with the recent death of her beloved father in a road accident. Her mother’s health is frail after a stroke and the family’s well-established auctioneering firm in Penzance is now being run solely by her uncle, Stephen Barton, who chucked Ren out of the business eight years ago after she made a catastrophic pricing error.

It knocked Ren’s confidence and left her with a breakdown and symptoms of anxiety and obsessive-compulsive disorder, making her more and more dependent on her controlling boyfriend Paul who says he is ‘always looking out for her’ and makes constant checks on where she is and what she’s doing.

Three days after her father’s funeral, Ren is unexpectedly sent by her uncle, now running the auction company alone, to catalogue Harbour House, a neglected home overlooking the sea in Newlyn, and it’s a welcome escape for her. Until just a few years ago, it was the home of two very elderly women, artist Bathsheba Kernow and sculptor Vivian Sykes who died in what may have been a suicide pact. It would appear that they left no will and Ren – who is an amateur artist herself and has a passion for putting women back into the history of art – is determined to discover more about the two women and the treasure trove of artworks inside their house.

And there’s one painting in particular which catches Ren’s eye… a hypnotically sensual portrait of a beautiful young woman which dominates the hallway, exudes a beguiling combination of sexual

A Deadly Inheritance

Charlotte Vassell

A DOUBLE murder, an ever-deepening mystery, and skeletons dropping out of the closets of the rich and influential means just one thing... the irrepressible Met Detective Inspector Caius Beauchamp is back on duty and this time he’s pursuing a case uncomfortably close to home.

If you like your crime mysteries to have all the complex detective work and exquisitely drawn characters of Agatha Christie but with an original and insightful voice, an acidly satirical edge, and a decidedly 21^st century vibe, then treat yourself to the third book of Charlotte Vassell’s fun, original and entertaining whodunit series.

After the runaway success of The Other Half and The In Crowd, Vassell (pictured below) delivers another gripping, high-energy police procedural mystery set within a London super-rich and powerful milieu, in which only a chosen few born into staggering wealth can comfortably exist, and exploring contemporary issues like extremism, political intrigue, online influencers and racism. It’s a tale of upper class excesses and attitudes, full of wickedly incisive social commentary, plenty of twists and turns, and a cast of goodies and baddies that could only have been conjured up by a writer who also trained to tread the boards.

When DI Caius Beauchamp is dispatched to a double murder in a smart South London townhouse, it looks at first like a simple botched burglary.  

The bodies of the home’s elderly owner, Mona Frogmorton, and an unknown attacker wearing a balaclava, thought to be the thief, were found by Mona’s granddaughter Rosie Krige who had woken at 3am feeling the twinges of a brutal hangover after an afternoon spent drinking with her university pals. She crept downstairs for a glass of water only to stumble across a shocking and bloody scene in the kitchen.

But then Caius gets a tip-off about the matriarch Mona’s will and it turns out this well-heeled family has a nefarious past. Not only that, Caius saw Mona and her granddaughter on a very recent luxury train ride between London and Bath with his high society milliner girlfriend Callie Foster, and now the case is bordering on the personal. Caius’s own family circumstances have changed dramatically recently due to a complicated inheritance clause which means he is now (albeit reluctantly) in line to inherit Frithsden Old Hall, his family’s Jacobean manor house in Hertfordshire.

As Caius – along with his chirpy fellow officers, DS Matt Cheung and DC Amy Noakes – investigate the two murders, they discover a family full of disturbing secrets. With his reputation

A Good Deliverance

Toby Clements

FOR anyone who has studied the Middle Ages, and particularly the literature of the turbulent period of 15^th century history, one name will always stand out... Sir Thomas Malory.

An English knight during the Hundred Years War and the War of the Roses, Malory is best known for his highly influential work, Le Morte D’Arthur, regarded as the first novel in English, the first prose fiction in Western literature, and the most comprehensive treatment of the eternally popular Legend of King Arthur, transforming a story based on French romances into an adventure of knightly brotherhood and the conflicts of loyalty which eventually destroy the fellowship.

But the creator of one of literature’s greatest stories has also carried with him down the centuries a mysterious and, some claim, false reputation as not just a brave and courtly knight who took part in some of the famous battles of the Wars of the Roses, but also as a villain who had several spells of incarceration in London’s infamous Newgate Gaol. Between 1450 and 1451 a certain Thomas Malory of Newbold Revell in the parish of Monks Kirby, Warwickshire, was charged with several major crimes, including robbery, two cattle raids, several extortions, a rape, and an attempted murder. At one point, he was jailed but escaped by swimming a moat and resorted to what was for medieval men the darkest of depravities... robbing churches.

So was Malory a literary hero, a villain, or both? Enter stage left, the vivid imaginative power of Toby Clements (pictured left), the former Literary Editor at the Daily Telegraph and author of the magnificent Kingmaker series which featured four critically acclaimed novels and brought to life the epic Wars of the Roses with breathtaking and brutal detail.

Clements, a once ‘warlike child’ who was long ago inspired by both reading Le Morte D’Arthur and by the mysterious reputation of the man who wrote it, set his sights on a novel that would recreate Malory’s extraordinary world and tell his story using what we know of his life, his groundbreaking literary work, and the myths that have grown up around him.

The result is a suitably thrill-packed and flamboyant adventure, planted firmly in the real and brutal history of this action-packed corner of English history, and offering a thoroughly entertaining insight into an extraordinary man who wrote with flair, fought with valour, and might well have spent as much time incarcerated among the filthy rushes of Newgate as wading through the mud and gore of the battlefield.

In a delightful opening twist to the tale, we meet the politician, courtier, outlaw and renowned author Malory as an old man in the garden of his Warwick home one drowsy summer afternoon in 1468 just at the moment he is roughly snatched by royal agents and bundled away on the orders of King Edward IV.

Dragged off to Newgate Prison for reasons unknown, Malory is left shivering in the foul-smelling, filthy old cell which he has come to know well over the course of many years. Convinced that he

The Face of Evil

John McPartland

By guest reviewer Nicholas Litchfield

A RUGGED Chicago fixer wrestles with his moral compass as he attempts to tarnish the reputation of a local attorney in The Face of Evil, a gritty 1950s pulp fiction tale, steeped in extortion, corruption, and counter-blackmail.

Originally published as a Gold Medal Books paperback original in 1954, John McPartland's hard-hitting standalone novel of redemption has resurfaced this month as part of Stark House’s Black Gat mass market editions, having been long out of print.

McPartland, a former staff writer for Life magazine who died at the age of 47 in 1958, carved out a niche for himself in the realm of pulp fiction crime, writing four screenplays and a dozen gangster-style thrillers. But he is perhaps best remembered for his dramatic novel No Down Payment, which was adapted into a film featuring Joanne Woodward and Tony Randall, garnering two BAFTA nominations. Set during a sultry summer in Newport Beach, California, The Face of Evil introduces us to hard-nosed Bill Oxford, depicted as ‘a smart, tough fixer whose soul has rotted away.’ Employed by his brutish boss, Roger Mooney, vice president of the advertising

CHILDREN'S BOOKS: Talking animals, a girl with gills and a mystical realm

Marvel at a stunning environmental adventure set in a threatened land filled with fantastical forests, icy landscapes and animals that talk, dive into the dark depths of a river for a thrilling, chilling tale inspired by the centuries-old tradition of mudlarking, meet a boy and his dog in a mystical realm where everything is possible and prepare to laugh until it hurts in the company of an alien called Grimstink in a sparkling summer collection 

Age 12 plus
Skrimsli
Nicola Davies

‘Who are you if you’ve never seen another face like yours? Where do you belong if you don’t know where your home is? What do you call
yourself when others call you ‘freak'...? How can you be brave when you are full of fear?
Why would you choose purpose over love?’

WHEN you care about the wild world with the passion of award-winning author, TV presenter and zoologist Nicola Davies, then putting pen to paper is always going to result in powerful words and far-reaching ideas. So get ready to be knocked for six by Skrimsli, an epic fantasy story that traces the early life of the tiger sea captain who stole readers’ hearts in Davies’ double Carnegie-nominated The Song That Sings Us, a stunning environmental adventure set in a threatened land filled with fantastical forests, icy landscapes, wild beauty, danger, and animals that can communicate with humans.

And it’s no surprise that Skrimsli is Wales Children’s Book of the Year as readers are plunged head first into a story full of excitement and danger and Davies explores themes of friendship, loyalty, identity and love against a backdrop featuring some of humanity’s toughest problems. Abandoned at birth, Skrimsli is rescued from an icy death by a little boy who looks like an owl. Owl raises the cub in secret for as long as possible, hidden in the travelling circus of which he is a part. But before long, Skrimsli and his friends, Owl and Kal, must first escape the clutches of a tyrannical circus owner Kobret Majek, and then stop a war and save an ancient forest! As they journey to find out where they truly belong, they are helped by a desert princess and her eagle, a chihuahua who thinks she’s a wolf, a horse with heart of gold and the crew of a very unusual ship.

This is an author who pushes her imagination into overdrive to speak loudly, clearly and lyrically to readers not just about the magic to be found in the natural world but the imperative need for its protection. With a cast of beautifully drawn characters and visionary storytelling, Davies’ magnificent new environmental novel is adventure on a grand scale as readers are treated to a thrilling, chilling tale full of action, suspense, danger, and animals with a timely and resonant warning for our own planet. Exhilarating, gripping and ultimately uplifting…
(Firefly Press, paperback, £9.99)

Age 9 plus
The Girl with Gills
Becca Rogers

AS far back as 1862 and the runaway success of Charles Kingsley’s novel The Water Babies, the wonders of underwater worlds have always caught the imaginations of young readers. And now debut children’s novelist, Becca Rogers, dives into the dark depths of a river for a thrilling, chilling tale inspired by the centuries-old tradition of mudlarking. The Girl with Gills is a river-soaked story, awash with adventure and exceptional world-building, and features a determined girl called Effra and a truly sinister villain called the Rat Queen… when the two go head-to-head, their clash exposes ancient river lore, a host of fantastical creatures and colossal challenges.  

In a time and place which might be now, people with gills, outcast larkers, live in secret communities. They have houseboats along the river. Concealing their gills from landlubbers, they scour the mudbanks, trade their finds and live off their wits. Thirteen-year-old Effra has been supporting her brother, Fleet, alone since their beloved grandfather died six months ago. When merciless Rivermun, a larker gone bad, threatens Fleet, Effra’s quest begins. Rivermun asks for the impossible… he wants to overpower Mother River, to possess the river serpent’s pearl and for age-old debts to be settled. Effra must bargain with the imposing Mother River, dive into the underwater parts of the city, venture deep into the Rat Queen’s lair and confront the terrible river serpent to save not only Fleet, but everything the larkers stand for. Luckily, she is not alone. She befriends a sentient sewer rat called Clay and a landlubber, book-loving girl called Bow who will help her in her quest. Rogers’ evocation of a mysterious underwater world is rich in river myth and legend, and includes fascinating snippets of real history. Star of the show is undoubtedly the heroic Effra whose underwater battles explore friendship, belonging and not being afraid to show your vulnerabilities. Fast-paced, filled with magic, jeopardy and joy, The Girl with Gills is guaranteed to dive into every reader’s heart.
(Zephyr, paperback, £7.99)

Age 9 plus
RSPB Bird of the Week:
The TikTok thing but, like, a book?

TAKE flight with a host of giggles and gaggles, facts and stats as the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds – better known as the RSPB – set feathers flying with their official and utterly unhinged bird guide based on the viral #rspb TikTok series. When the RSPB started a TikTok account, their goal was to inspire a love of birds in people on the internet through a mix of ‘tomfoolery, malarky and bird memes.’ What they didn’t expect was that Bird of the Week would become a viral video sensation in which one lucky bird would be chosen through the spin of a (totally-not-rigged) wheel of fortune and viewers would learn amazing (and occasionally true) facts about it. And now, this TikTok phenomenon has crash-landed into the world of books to create a mish-mash bird guide to keep and cherish. Featuring 52 brilliant British birds – that’s one to learn about every week of the year – each spread is packed with quirky illustrations, incredible photography, unbelievable facts and stats (some of which are real!), and lots of gags written by ‘silly gooses for silly gooses.’ With a spotter’s guide like you’ve never seen before, and quizzes to test newly acquired bird skills, this is the silliest, most utterly chaotic and most entertaining bird guide you’ll ever read!
(Bloomsbury Children’s Books, hardback, £8.99)

Age 8 plus
Will Wolfheart
Teresa Heapy and Adam Beer

MEET a boy, his dog and a mystical realm… and discover a wonderful adventure where EVERYTHING is possible and EVERYTHING is magical! The feelgood factor flows from every page of this love-filled, enchanting and action-packed adventure which has been written straight from the heart of award-winning children’s writer Teresa Heapy and stunningly illustrated by Adam Beer. Featuring the incredible bond between a boy and his dog, Will Wolfheart explores what it would be like if you could understand what your dog was thinking. Ten-year-old Will has moved with his family to a flat in the city and has had to leave his beloved dog Whisker in the countryside with his grandma. So Will now stays with his gran every weekend but is always sad when he has to go home. Until one day, Will and Whisker are wondrously summoned to enchanted Wolf World… a mystical, moonlit forest where Whisker becomes a majestic wolf and he and Will can speak to each other! And now incredible adventures abound in this amazing land where wolfy friendships are formed with the incredible Maple Pack, excitement is everywhere and danger could be just around the corner! Perfectly created for any young dog lover who wishes they could talk to their own canine best friend, this a beautifully told and illustrated tale of friendship, family love… and learning to be heroes.
(David Fickling Books, paperback, £7.99)

Age 8 plus
Grimstink
Daniel Peak

IF you’re ready for a summer of sci-fi, satellites, a strange planet and a sackload of laughs, this comedy caper from Emmy Award winning TV scriptwriter Daniel Peak could be just what you need! Manchester-based Peak, who co-wrote BBC1’s hit series Not Going Out, dishes up fun at every turn as he brings young readers two planets… one that we all know, Planet Earth, and an alien planet that has seven moons and killer deathbots. At the heart of all the madcap antics is alien Grimstink who has travelled ninety thousand light years to annihilate all life on Earth while 13-year-old Layla Tenby has travelled half a mile to deliver leaflets for affordable fence panels. But, when they swap places, Grimstink finds himself battling traffic wardens and the Subway sandwich ordering system, while Layla is zapped to a strange planet and left fighting for the future of the galaxy whether she wants to or not (spoiler: she does not want to). Is Reece, Layla’s annoying younger brother, key to the galaxy’s survival, or will his friendship with new bestie Grimstink lead them all to impending doom? From black holes to shopping precincts, mining satellites to old people’s homes, and from quantum spaceships to the middle aisle of Aldi, is this the end of all life on planet Earth… or the beginning of a beautiful friendship? Prepare to suffer tummy hurt from laughing as you join this motley crew for an adventure so out-of-this-world that you’ll need help to find your way back to Earth! 
(Firefly Press, paperback, £7.99)

Age 7 plus
My Big Fat Smelly Poo Diary: Plop of the Class
Jim Smith

BRACE yourselves for the ‘number two’ outing with the Poopies, aka best friends Pedro, Olga and Ozzy... their initials just happen to spell the word POO and they are the stars of a smelly (but hilariously funny!) graphic novel series from the master of mischief himself, Jim Smith. Smith – creator of the bestselling Barry Loser books – has his finger firmly on the pulse of what makes kids (and grown-ups!) laugh… and the pages of his books buzz with energy, madcap antics, and a joyful sense of managed mayhem that is as addictive as it is entertaining. And he is on top form in this crazy, laugh-out-loud series which is packed full of friendship, fun and toilet jokes galore... all expertly delivered in witty bite-sized stories brought to life by Smith’s vibrant artwork. So hold your noses, tag along with our terrible threesome, and help Pedro to keep his title as the king of poo when he and meets another kid obsessed with STINK, navigate an obstacle course like no other at school, escape a set of portaloos on the move, and choose a brand new state-of-the-art toilet at the Toilet World megastore. Sounds FUN, right? Positively fizzing with Smith’s wild and wonderful wit, and perfectly pitched toilet jokes, My Big Fat Smelly Poo Diary: Plop of the Class is organised chaos for your fun-lovers and mischief-makers!
(Scholastic, paperback, £8.99)

Age 7 plus
Pets Tell Tales: Ancient Egypt
Rik Worth and Jordan Collver

IF you thought Ancient Egypt was all about pyramids, mummies and pharaohs, this laugh-out-loud graphic novel guide from northern writer Rik Worth and Canadian illustrator Jordan Collver is guaranteed to come up with more than a few surprises! So what REALLY happened in Ancient Egypt? Meet the animals of Ancient Egypt who are poised and ready to spring to life and give readers the REAL history of the world they inhabited. It seems that animals were a big deal to the Ancient Egyptians and through them, we can learn a thing or two, starting with the Pharoahs. Did you know there were seven Cleopatras and eleven Ramesses? This is a book that talks about the really good stuff, like baboon bodyguards, a crocodile king, mummified cats, and sacred poop-pushing beetles.  Prepare to giggle and gape as Worth – who is fascinated with why people believe in unusual things and the odder side of history – has fun digging out some of Ancient Greece’s most bizarre secrets. Brilliantly illustrated by Collver, Pets Tell Tales: Ancient Egypt is the perfect teaching tool to inspire reluctant readers!
(Wren & Rook, paperback, £9.99)

Age one plus
The Hug Button
Naomi Jones and Rebecca Ashdown

MATILDA misses her Mummy on her first day at play school… but a little button could be all she needs! Separation anxiety is a natural emotion when youngsters go to school or nursery for the first time so introduce them to The Hug Button, a beautiful, inspiring and reassuring picture book that offers a practical way to manage a child missing a loved one. It's Matilda’s first day at The Meadows and she’s very excited. But when Mummy goes to say goodbye, Matilda isn’t happy. She doesn’t want Mummy to go. The next day, Mummy has a helpful suggestion. She draws two hug buttons… one on Matilda’s wrist and one on her own. Then, when Matilda wants a hug, or wants to give one, she can press the hug button and know that Mummy is thinking about her too. Written by award-winning duo, author Naomi Jones and illustrator Rebecca Ashdown, this heartwarming and exquisitely illustrated story is filled with comfort and love, offering practical solutions for children missing loved ones, and movingly depicting the trials and triumphs of early childhood. The perfect starter book for schools and nurseries!
(Oxford University Press, paperback, £7.99)