Age 9 plus
Hunt for the Golden Scarab
M.G. Leonard and Manuel Sumberac
WITH a trip to Egypt, a cruise down the Nile, and a pilgrimage to the tomb of Tutankhamun in the Valley of the Kings all playing leading roles in her research schedule, it’s little wonder that the first book of bestselling author M.G. Leonard’s epic new Time Keys series is a time-travelling wonder! Leonard – loved and admired for her prodigious imagination which has inspired stories about fantastical beetles, beautiful birds and thrilling train rides – was inspired to write this breathtaking series from her own lifelong passion for music and she certainly hits all the right notes with this all-action opener, fabulously illustrated by Croatian artist Manuel Sumberac. So buckle up and enjoy an utterly spellbinding journey back in time with a band of young musicians who discover they have the ‘keys’ to open time doors and travel through epochs and age in a bid to search for treasure and solve mysteries.
Twelve-year-old musician Sim Lockier and his mum Callidora never
live anywhere for long and when dangerous strangers appear one night, Sim
discovers why. His mum has been keeping secrets... he comes from a family that
has the power to open doors in time. But these time doors are controlled by the
sinister Council of Keys who outlaw and hunt down all who disobey them. Running
for their lives, Sim and his friends are determined to outwit the Council and
be the first to find Nefertiti’s lost tomb and a powerful door to Ancient
Egypt. They must piece together long-hidden clues if they are to solve the
mystery of her golden heart scarab. Can they find it before the Council finds
them? With more thrilling adventures to come in Viking Norway,
Ancient Rome and medieval England, and Sumberac’s richly detailed and
atmospheric illustrations bringing the action life, the Time Keys series is history
made fun... and with that all-important guaranteed pulling power for your
reluctant readers!
(Macmillan Children’s Books, paperback, £7.99)
Grimwood: Party Animals
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 fourth 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 and the Waterstones Children’s Book Prize. Fully illustrated throughout, the books star two fox cub
siblings, Ted and Nancy, who love their new life in Grimwood… the forest where
anything (riotous!) can happen. They have made a lot of new friends there but
now Sharon the Party Crow has lost her mojo! Three parties in one day have
proved too much for Grimwood’s favourite raving resident, and it’s up to Ted,
Nancy, Willow, and the rest of the gang to help Sharon get her groove back.
Teamwork, friendship and, most importantly, dance skills, will all be put to
the test as the gang try to get the party started again! Shireen serves up an irresistible blend of glorious gags,
hilarious comedy routines, boundless madcap escapades, and a memorable cast of
quirky characters which 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, paperback, £7.99)
Little Experts: Superhero Plants
Chris Packham
WHAT links seaweed, forests and bananas? They’re all superhero
plants! Get up close to nature with naturalist and TV presenter Chris
Packham... and encounter the amazing plants that will help us to save the world! Packham is the latest in a line-up of well-known
personalities who are bringing their experience and knowledge to Little Experts,
an inspirational non-fiction series for younger readers. These experts are
famous for their incredible know-how and passion for their subjects, and now
they have made it their mission to share that knowledge in these beautifully
illustrated books which come packed with fascinating facts and colourful
pictures, and include a helpful glossary to explain words and phrases. So here’s your chance to learn all about plants, the
environment and protecting our planet. Discover some incredible plants and the
amazing jobs they do... from supporting wildlife and providing food, materials
for clothing or for building, to inspiring inventions and new technology. Packham provides lots of intriguing facts and offers an
invaluable guide to helping plants be superheroes while Plymouth-based
illustrator Jake Williams brings all the amazing plants and their uses to life.
Packed with fun, facts and challenges, Little Experts: Superhero Plants is a
timely reminder to us all of the need to care for the Earth at a time when it’s
in most urgent need of our protection, and is an entertaining and educational addition
to a series that aims to empower and inspire a new generation of experts.
(Red Shed, hardback, £9.99)
I Really, Really Love
My Noisy Bum
Karl Newson and Duncan Beedie
THE bottom line is... this is the perfect book for kids who
love bottoms! Dynamic picture book duo – award-winning children’s author Karl Newson
and creative illustrator Duncan Beedie – are back with another loud (and very
loud!) tale starring everyone’s favourite Bush Baby. This is the talented
pair’s fourth collaboration in a hilarious and heartwarming series that has
included I Really, Really Need a Wee, I Really, Really Love You So, and I
Really Really Need a Poo. The star performer once again is the cute Bush Baby
who is on a mission to find out who’s behind some extraordinary bottom blasts,
and solve the rumble in the jungle. Could it be capybara? Tortoise? Bear? No!
Who could that mega-tooter be? Packed with parps, toots and trumps galore, this
clever, comical book delivers laughs on every page and is packed with humour
that will appeal to all those young toilet humour enthusiasts. With Newson’s fun-filled
rhymes, Beedie’s bold, vibrant illustrations, and an itsy-bitsy twist in its
tail that will tickle young readers, I Really, Really Love My Noisy Bum is
simply overflowing with gasps and giggles!
This book is published on February 6.
(Little Tiger Press, paperback, £7.99)
Measuring Me!
Nicola Kent
OUR bodies are amazing... and getting
the measure of them is fascinating! Award-winning author and illustrator Nicola
Kent works her magic on a clever new picture book which presents the topic of
measuring in an exciting and personal way. From finding out how tall you are in
food tins and weighing yourself in terms of your toys, to discovering how much
electricity your body can generate, Measuring Me! includes plenty of relatable
and intriguing methods to explore the concepts of measuring. Kent’s bright and
lively artwork – created by using watercolour, ink and kitchen table
printmaking techniques which she collages digitally – gives visual life and
interest to the topics and encourages little learners to engage in this
important concept. And with a pull-out height chart, which enables children to
measure their own height, this enjoyable lesson on the human body puts young
readers firmly in the picture and at the centre of the action!
This book is published on February 6.
(Little Tiger Press, paperback, £7.99)
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