Age 11 plus
The Zombie Project
Alice Nuttall
WHOEVER would have thought that zombies could be the good guys? Daring debut novelist Alice Nuttall turns the stars of age-old horror stories into modern-day heroes in an action-packed adventure about bees, big business and the future of the planet that will have readers buzzing with excitement. The Zombie Project – which imagines a world in which the bees have died out – packs a real punch with its topical themes of saving the environment, the power of youth activism and fake news vs Science... plus a wickedly clever twist on the ever-fascinating concept of zombies.
When the world’s bees die out, a new pollinator arrives.
Death-flies help grow crops but there’s a nasty side-effect... zombies. Death-flies
need bodies... lots of them. And bodies mean zombies. Laying their eggs in
people, death-flies turn them into dangerous zombies when they die. The world
must adapt or there won’t be enough to eat. Merian understands this, but others
are afraid. Can Merian and her scientist mum convince others to save the
zombies because they are the future... or will the big corporations succeed in
convincing people to kill them? And just what does it mean when a docile zombie
shows up? Nuttall, who writes children’s stories and webcomics, has
fun with this terrific tale which delivers age-appropriate chills and thrills
whilst presenting zombies in a new and very different light, and giving them a vitally important role in a world that is struggling to survive. The powerful and resonant messages threaded through this gripping
and original adventure speak loudly to a planet in peril... and make for a
story that is enlightening, educational and thoroughly entertaining!
(Chicken House Books, paperback, £7.99)
The Party
Natasha Preston
IF your new year has fallen flat so far, book in at a spooky
castle and prepare for a killer weekend party! With bestselling, gritty
thrillers like The Lake, The Fear, The Twin, The Haunting, The Island and The
Dare already under her belt, Natasha Preston springs more dark and deadly
surprises in a heart-racing, twisting and turning murder mystery that will
leave readers gasping at every turn of
the page. In the heart of the English countryside, sixth former Bessie
and her closest friends from boarding school gather at a remote castle for a
secret party destined to make this the best spring break ever. They have all
told ‘a little lie’ to their parents about where they are spending the long
weekend because an abandoned castle – in a village miles from anywhere – would
never have passed muster. But when one of the friends dies, the party takes a
lethal turn. Trapped inside as a deadly storm rages, and with nobody knowing
their whereabouts, it soon becomes clear that Bessie and her friends are being
stalked by a killer. As the body count rises, and secrets about the past
unravel, Bessie begins to suspect that she doesn’t know her friends quite as
well as she thought. And as the party turns into a hunt, the question now is
whether Bessie can make it out alive? Preston throws in all those favourite ‘locked room’ murder mystery tropes as the list of victims grows apace, the sense of suspicion and distrust
becomes electrifying, and
a killer runs amok. With its nod to
the Golden Age classics, a cast of soon-to-be wickedly warring schoolfriends,
and an ending that will take your breath away, there could be no better start
to your crime reading year!
(Hot Key Books, paperback, £8.99)
The Sad Ghost Club: A Hopeful Guide to Getting Through Bad Days
Lize Meddings
EVERYBODY has to ask for help sometimes! Welcome to the Sad
Ghost Club... a club for anyone who has ever felt sad or lost. We can all feel
anxious and alone sometimes... like you’re almost invisible. But at the Sad
Ghost Club, you can find your kindred spirits and know you’re not alone. In
this fully accessible graphic novel – written by Lize Meddings, creator of the online
Sad Ghost Club – readers discover the club’s rules for taking things one day at
a time. The helpful guide is based on the Sad Ghost Club community, which has
over 600,000 followers on Instagram, and is a place where everyone is accepted
and everyone belongs. With
the help of heartwarming and very relatable comic illustrations,
learn how to make it through the day, grow through ‘the hard stuff,’ and look
out for your fellow ghosties. And if you like what you read here, you can join
the community of ghosties on Instagram @theofficialsadghostclub
(Wren & Rook, paperback, 12.99)
Bigfoot and the Wild Boys
Jenny Pearson and Aleksei Bitskoff
YOU can always rely on award-winning author Jenny Pearson to
create giant waves of giggles and guffaws, and young readers are guaranteed to
go wild when they get their paws on this brilliant Bigfoot adventure! The great outdoors beckon as Pearson – whose debut novel,
The Super Miraculous Journey of Freddie Yates, was shortlisted for the Costa
Children’s Book of the Year in 2020 – brings us this thoroughly heartwarming
tale of friendship and adventure starring schoolboy Joe who is tired of being
called average. Joe hates other kids at school calling him Average Joe,
being middle of the class in most subjects and feeling completely forgettable.
So when he hears that a Bigfoot-like beast has been spotted in some nearby
woods, he senses an opportunity. Surely capturing Bigfoot will make him stand
out from the crowd and bring him the popularity he longs for? With no real plan
or survival skills, Joe and his best friend Tiago set off on what turns out to
be an unforgettably hilarious quest with some very unexpected results! Joe’s journey from feeling left behind to school legend is
both inspirational and laugh-out-loud funny as Pearson delivers important
messages about friendship, honesty, and the rewards that come from believing in
your own self-worth. Brimming with the author’s special brand of imaginative
storytelling and brought to life by Aleksei Bitskoff’s richly detailed and
comical illustrations, Bigfoot and the Wild is published in Barrington Stoke’s
trademark dyslexia-friendly format and is sure to delight readers looking for a
truly wild adventure!
(Barrington Stoke, paperback, £7.99)
Mission: Manta Ray
Philip Kavvadias and Euan Cook
WHAT happens when your mission ship is torpedoed in the
middle of the Pacific Ocean? The answer lies in the second book of a
brilliantly funny series from exciting debut author Philip Kavvadias who is not
just passionate about getting boys reading, but actually knows how to do it! Billed as Jurassic Park meets Wimpy Kid, these seemingly
mission impossible adventures are packed full of humour, action and suspense –
the perfect ingredients for reluctant readers – and feature two twelve-year-old
boys and their ‘rescue pet,’ a tiny flying dinosaur. Good friends Finn and Milo, and new RAPTOR junior agent
Tasi, have been sent to investigate reports of deep-sea disturbances in the
Pacific Ocean. Along with 65million-year-old microraptor Artemis – a small,
winged dinosaur rescued from evil hands by Finn and Milo on their first outing
in Mission: Microraptor – the team head off on their new mission. But soon
after their arrival, their mission ship Nausicaa is torpedoed... by a giant
submersible shaped like a manta ray. Action stations! It’s time for the daring
trio to paddle for their lives... There
are lots of laugh-out-loud moments to enjoy from first
page to last in this high-tech, fast-paced, and drama-filled adventure which
has important environmental themes at its heart, explores the joys of friendship
and some real-life survival skills, and is brought to life by the atmospheric
and inventive black-and-white illustrations of Euan Cook.
(Chicken House, paperback, £7.99)
Betty Steady and the Queen’s Orb
Nicky Smith-Dale and Sarah Horne
BETTY Steady, the Guardian of Wobbly Rock, is back and the
fun factor is off the scale! As the daughter of two knights, Betty is blessed
with unmatched strength and speed but due to a horrid shrinking spell by a
wicked Toad Witch she’s now really, really tiny. Fortunately she is still the
shining star (well, most of the time!) of a funny illustrated fiction series
from the top team of author Nicky Smith-Dale and talented illustrator Sarah
Horne. And in her second adventure, Betty and her Wobbly Rock pals are
off to celebrate the famous Turnip Festival in the neighbouring kingdom of
Upper Crust. What could possibly go wrong THIS time? The Wobbly Rock VIPs can’t
wait to attend Queen McNiff’s legendary festival but when Betty meets a
fashionable forest sprite called Misty Jamjar, it dawns on her that perhaps her
old pals aren’t as sophisticated as she once thought. Misty convinces Betty
that being small isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. If Betty can help Misty break
into the Queen’s heavily guarded vault, they might just be able to gain access
to the Orb of Ogg. This legendary Orb has the potential to change Betty back to
her original stunning height. Golly Gherkins! It’s not as if Misty Jamjar is a
secret baddy or anything and Betty isn’t going to accidentally become as tall
as a massive giant. That would be ridiculous... With madcap humour at every turn of the page, a cast of the
weirdest characters this side of Wobbly Rock, and a lead player who is just a
teensy bit too big for her boots, this rollicking romp is joyful, big-hearted
and serves up extra dollops of youthful exuberance for readers new to chapter
books.
(Farshore, paperback, £6.99)
Myths, Mummies and Magic in Ancient Egypt
Stephen Davies and Núria Tamarit
DISCOVER the thrilling myths and magic of Ancient Egypt in a
spectacular comic-strip style retelling by children’s author Stephen Davies and
illustrator and comic artist Núria Tamarit who is based in Spain. The ancient Egyptian myths are some of the oldest and most
famous stories ever told and this vivid and contemporary comic book collection
is the perfect introduction to them. Myths, Mummies and Magic in Ancient Egypt features six
striking tales full of mythical creatures, gods, pharaohs and adventure, and
explores traditional themes like love, loss, greed, envy and bravery. Set sail
with Prince Naneferkaptah on his quest to find the magical book of Thoth, join
Seth and Horus as they battle for the throne of Egypt, and meet a pharaoh
called Khufu who wanted to have the most magnificent tomb ever. Bursting with detail and humour, and Tamarit’s funny and
fascinating comic-strip illustrations, this fully accessible and entertaining
retelling of ancient myths is a delight for readers both young and old.
(Big Picture Press, paperback, £10.99)
Where’s Loki?
Marvel Entertainment International Ltd
DON'T miss out on all the fun packed inside this simply
marvellous search-and-find activity book... the latest in a fantastic Marvel
and Disney series which is brought to life by stunning, full-colour original
illustrations! And if super-heroes are top of your favourites list, then you
need to get your hands on the all-action Where’s Loki? which finds Loki, the
Asgardian God of mischief, on the loose and up to his old tricks! He’s
searching through time and space for an ancient artefact that will let him hide
from his brother Thor... but can he hide from you? Track the tricky villain
through intricately detailed landscapes from New York to Wakanda, and Jotunheim
to Asgard... and be sure to look out for a host of familiar heroes and villains
along the way, including Spider-Man, Hulk, Kang and many more! Perfect for
Marvel and Disney fans young and old, these beautifully created search-and-find
books guarantee hours of entertainment!
(Studio Press, paperback, £7.99)
Guardians of the New Moon: Ming and Miaow’s Great Race
Eric Huang and Phùng Nguyên Quang
THERE will be no outfoxing the adorable stars of a fun and full-throttle new illustrated series from London-based podcaster, writer and lecturer Eric Huang and Vietnamese illustrator Phùng Nguyên Quang. Huang – who says his mother’s ancestral home in Shanghai was haunted – has always been fascinated by legends, lore and magical creatures, and promises that every book in this Guardians of the New Moon series will feature an epic adventure about friendship, celebrating differences, and loving your authentic self. In the first book of the series, we meet black-and-white cat Miaow who only wants is to enjoy his peaceful, solitary life as a temple guardian catching mice. But when the Jade Emperor invites all creatures on Earth to compete in a Great Race, the reserved cat finds himself reluctantly entering... and worse, socialising! Nine-tailed fox Ming is a spirited and fiery shapeshifter and Miaow’s polar opposite, and she’s determined to make him her new best friend. But she hadn’t counted on Miaow making other friends too. As the race heats up, things start to unravel… Can the pair (and their friendship) make it to the finish line?
(Little Tiger Press, paperback, £6.99 each)
Tractors Have Wings!
Becky Davies and Gareth Lucas
TRACTORS have wings, don’t they? And trains sail through the
sea? Surely that can’t be right! Turn the peep-through pages of this ingenious
board book and see how vehicles transform back to how they should look. Little
ones will hoot and toot with laughter at the mixed-up pairings... from lorries
that have just ONE wheel to cars that zoom through outer space! With a dry,
humorous text by Becky Davies, Gareth Lucas’s bold and colourful illustrations,
lots of intriguing cut-outs, and a surprise flap on the final page, this is a
delightfully entertaining and interactive introduction to first concepts.
(Little Tiger Press, board book, £7.99)
The Story of Taylor Swift
Nicola Edwards and Lindsey Sagar
FROM country pop princess to fearless feminist megastar,
Taylor Swift has become a record-breaking global phenomenon... and now even the
youngest Swiftie fans can get in on the act! This fun board book – the latest
in Little Tiger Press’s bestselling The Story of... series – introduces little ones
to Taylor’s squad and her greatest love story – the one with her fans. Author Nicola
Edwards charts Swift’s musical evolution and how she has taken on the industry
in groundbreaking ways while Lindsey Sagar’s vibrant illustrations bring extra
colour the music icon’s life. This unofficial fan guide is the perfect book for
all the family’s Swifties!
(Little Tiger Press, board book, £7.99)
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