The Note

Alafair Burke

A STAY-OVER in the upmarket Hamptons at Long Island should have been a time for three friends to enjoy sun, fun and a relaxing catch-up but when a harmless prank turns into something much more sinister, the consequences prove to be deadly.

American thriller writer Alafair Burke (pictured below) – whose gripping novels have grown out of her experience as a former prosecutor and now professor of criminal law – dishes up a summer sizzler in this complex and multi-layered mystery loaded with the kind of dark secrets, tantalising clues and wickedly clever red herrings that have made her the queen of psychological page-turners.

With a twisting, turning and utterly addictive plotline, The Note sweeps readers into the lives of three women whose complicated friendship history unravels in spectacular fashion when one drunken move becomes the catalyst for dangerous outbursts of temper, blame games, and long-hidden resentments. As lies and betrayals are exposed, the temperature rises both in and out of the sun, and the women find themselves at the centre of a police investigation which will put their friendship – past and present – under the closest scrutiny.

Growing up, May Hanover was always the good girl. Well-behaved, top of her class, a compulsive rule-follower, May was raised by a first-generation Chinese single mother with high expectations for her daughter. May didn’t have room to slip up, let alone fail, and her friends didn’t call her the Little Sheriff for nothing.

But even good girls have secrets... and regrets. When it comes to her friendship with Lauren Berry, a Black professional classical musician, and Kelsey Ellis, the blue-eyed, blonde-haired daughter of a wealthy real estate boss, she’s had her fair share of both.

But their bond – forged when May was just twelve years old – has withstood a tragic accident, heartbreak, loss, and their own individual scandals which went viral on social media and led to all three of them being ‘cancelled.’

Now May – an assistant district attorney on the way to becoming a tenured law professor – and her friends have reunited for the first time in years at an expensive apartment (courtesy of Kelsey’s dad) in the Hamptons. For May, who is now engaged to Josh, she feels the same ‘excitement’ of being with Lauren and Kelsey but also the same ‘insecurities.’

When a drink-fuelled joke goes horribly wrong and the trio find themselves embroiled in a missing persons police investigation, the case takes a deadly turn, long buried secrets are uncovered, and the friends are suddenly unsure who they can trust... least of all each other.

Burke is on top form in this deliciously deep, dark and suspense-packed thriller which explores the many fascinating facets of a female friendship by focusing on three very different women from equally disparate backgrounds, each harbouring their own secrets and scandals, and each undergoing the lingering effects of trauma.

One reckless revenge act in the present raises questions about loyalty, trust and betrayal... questions that can only be answered by looking back down the years through a web of deceptions and shocking revelations which shine a light on the women’s early years, their families, and their corrosive experiences with social media.

Burke’s plotting is, as always, meticulous in its concept, complexity and delivery, while each character is fully explored and realised, and then perfectly portrayed through the author’s empathy and exquisite detail. Add on one final, satisfying twist and this is a master storyteller at her thriller writing best!
(Faber & Faber, paperback, £9.99)

The Golden Hour

Kate Lord Brown

‘Don’t cry for the past,
be grateful for the memory.’ 

IF ever a story spoke loudly and exquisitely about the power of love and friendship to overcome life’s trials and tribulations, it’s this beautiful novel from the talented Kate Lord Brown.

A finalist in ITV’s The People’s Author, Brown’s (pictured below) luscious debut, The Perfume Garden, was shortlisted for The Romantic Novel of the Year in 2014 and swept readers into an epic time-slip tale centred on the brutal Spanish Civil War.

Harnessing the same dual timeline format, The Golden Hour takes us on a sensual and emotion-packed journey from Cairo on the cusp of the Second World War in 1939 to Beirut in the unsettled Seventies as Lebanon teetered on the precipice of a devastating conflict. And at the heart of the story is the unforgettable bond of friendship between two women – part of a lost generation – whose lives and loves are transformed by war and the pain and sacrifices it brings. Interweaving ruthless, glory-seeking desert archaeologists, priceless treasures, the tireless hunt for Queen Nefertiti’s tomb and the decadent cabarets of wartime Cairo with the restless lives of expats in bohemian Beirut, Brown’s atmospheric thriller is packed with dazzling landscapes, heart-melting romance and extraordinary characters who remain with you long after the last page has turned. 

In the spring of 1975, Egyptologist Dr Lucie Fitzgerald has been working for the season in Luxor but has heard that her mother Polly is dying at her home, Bellevue, in the ‘Paris of the East,’ Beirut, a city which is beset by tensions and teetering on the brink of civil war.

What London-based Lucie – a woman who feels she belongs ‘everywhere and nowhere’ – doesn’t yet know is that Polly has been lying to her for many years and has one last story to tell from her deathbed... the story of her best friend from childhood, Juno, and their life in Cairo in the 1930s.

Thirty-six years earlier, in 1939, newlyweds Polly and her husband Fitz, who works in military intelligence, arrive in Cairo where they are met by Juno and her airmail pilot husband Alec Munro, a self-centred, controlling and moody man who resents Juno’s archaeological work and her search for the greatest undiscovered tomb of all... Nefertiti's.

What Alec doesn’t know is that Juno, who is an expert in hieroglyphics, has applied to join a Swiss team heading to the Valley of the Kings to hunt for the elusive tomb and as Alec is away when she learns she has been given the job, Polly – along with Juno’s servant Raif – step in to look after Alec and Juno’s young son Billy. Juno’s decision to leave for the desert sets in motion a train of events that will echo down the years... until Polly decides that, with her death imminent, she must return to the past and reveal decades-old secrets to Lucie.

But ‘memory is a slippery creature – the past shifts and rearranges like the glass beads of a kaleidoscope’ and going back in time means revisiting all the painful ‘what ifs,’ ‘maybes’ and ‘almosts’ that are lying in wait... 

Brown imbues her gloriously romantic odyssey with the exotic allure of decadent pre-war Cairo in the days when it was ‘plentiful and bright’ and expats were seduced by skies of rose pink, hills of ‘storybook lavender,’ and the celestial blue of the palm-fringed Nile... and then perfectly juxtaposes it with the growing tensions of Beirut in 1975. Slipping seamlessly between wars and time zones, and across generations, cities and deserts, Brown’s lyrical and evocative scene-setting and narrative transports us into the world of ‘blood sisters’ Polly and Juno, and a friendship that must hold firm through love, loss, hidden truths, and terrible sadness.

Down-to-earth Lucie – who yearns to ‘belong’ – becomes the lynchpin for the captivating back stories of her quietly strong and resilient mother Polly and the determined, go-getting Juno whose life is driven by her ambition to discover the tomb of lost queen Nefertiti, and who leaves behind a trail of mystery and secrets. Gifting readers breathtaking descriptions of Cairo in its gaudy pre-war splendour, fascinating insights into the heat, dust and excitement of an archaeological dig in the Valley of the Kings, and the beauty and turmoil of war-torn Lebanon, Brown works a special kind of storytelling magic on this historical showstopper. It’s a heady experience not to be missed!
(Simon & Schuster, hardback, £18.99)

CHILDREN'S BOOKS: Wacky world of work, wild dreams and an extinct tiger

Marvel at a whirlwind tour through history’s weirdest and wackiest jobs, enjoy being swept away to an adventure in which dragons and phoenixes roam the skies, discover what it’s like to grow up disabled, and step into a time machine to meet the extraordinary, but sadly extinct, Tasmanian tiger in a dazzling line-up 

Age 7 plus
The World's First Human Cannonball: and Other Incredible Jobs
Mike Barfield and
Franziska Höllbacher

ROLL up, roll up... and marvel at a whirlwind tour through history’s weirdest and wackiest jobs! If you’ve ever wondered what it would be like to be an Incan runner, carrying messages across the ancient Andes at lightning speed, the answer lies inside this super, all-action, comic-strip format book from the top team of Blue Peter Award-winning author Mike Barfield and Munich-based illustrator Franziska Höllbacher. So what WOULD it be like to be a jester, keeping the royal courts in stitches with your hilarious antics... and what about a stage farter, a poo collector or a body double? All these jobs are yours for the taking in history’s line-up of the world’s oddest jobs. In the pages of this brilliant book, you will encounter a colourful cast of characters who embraced the quirkiest of professions, including the legendary Harry Houdini who defied the laws of nature with his mind-bending magic tricks and Bessie Coleman, the first African-American stunt-pilot. And then there’s Marie Tussaud who fled the French Revolution and moved to London to create wax sculptures, Zazel, a Victorian daredevil who became the first human cannonball, and the amazing story of Samuel Sorensen Adams, inventor of many of the most famous joke shop gags such as sneezing powder, the handshake buzzer and the stink bomb.This colourful, fact-packed, and endlessly fascinating treasure trove of history’s most peculiar jobs will leave you laughing, gasping, and wondering what job you’d have chosen in days gone by... and what jobs you might even encounter in the future. Just the job for your curious kids!
(Templar Publishing, paperback, £10.99)

Age 9 plus
Dreamslinger
Graci Kim

IMAGINE being stuck between two different versions of the truth... that is exactly what Korean Kiwi diplomat turned bestselling author Graci Kim does in the first book of her thrilling new fantasy series that is international in scope but inspired by Korean mythology and culture. Kim, who lives in New Zealand, writes about the magic she wants to see in the world so enjoy being swept away to an adventure in which dragons and phoenixes roam the skies of Seoul, meals magically appear based on your mood, and your wildest dreams – or your darkest nightmares – come to life before your eyes! Fourteen-year-old Aria Loveridge lives at the Resthaven Home for Dreamslingers, a refuge for children born with genetic mutations that transport them to a powerfully magical realm while they sleep. But this magic can be unpredictable... even deadly. After all, it was only ten years ago when members of the Royal League of Dreamslingers caused the Great Outburst, a tragedy that killed hundreds of people, including Aria’s mum. 

Since then, Aria’s dad has become the leading expert on dreamslinger welfare, which means Aria knows exactly what it takes to keep society (and slingers) safe... separation, identification, and most importantly, power suppression. So when the Kingdom of Royal Hanguk – home of the Royal League – open their dreamslinger trials to teenage slingers from around the world, Aria knows what she must do... join the Trials and take down the League from the inside. But the Trials introduce Aria to a world of wondrous magic and friendship, a world where she finally feels like she belongs. And as dark secrets from the past are revealed – ones that make Aria question her very identity – she becomes even more determined to discover the truth for herself. She just has to survive the Trials first...

Kim delivers a blistering start to this magical new adventure series with its original premise, a heroine to adore and admire, and a gripping story which explores the different ways of looking at truth, and the courage it takes to embrace complexity in a world in which our dreams affect our reality in ways you could never have imagined.
(Piccadilly Press, paperback, £7.99)

Age 9 plus
Owning It: Our disabled
childhoods in our own words
Jen Campbell, and James and Lucy Catchpole,
illustrated by Sophie Kamlish

FOR every child (and adult) who has wondered what it’s like to grow up disabled, this anthology of twenty-two autobiographical stories from the very best disabled writers has all the answers. Growing up can be an isolating experience and as much as you might be surrounded by loving and well-meaning family and friends, chances are that no one close to you is going through this alongside you... until now! Edited by Jen Campbell, and James and Lucy Catchpole, and beautifully illustrated by Sophie Kamlish, the book includes contributions from, among others, Ali Abbas, Polly Atkin, Jen Campbell, Christa Couture, Carly Findlay, M. Leona Godin, Eugene Grant, Jan Grue, Ilya Kaminsky, Sora J. Kasuga, Elle McNicoll, Daniel Sluman, Nina Tame, Steven Verdile, Alex Wegman, Ashley Harris Whaley and Kendra Winchester.

From birthday parties to navigating the sports field, to being given random free stuff to juggling hospital visits alongside social lives, these true stories capture the highs and lows, the tears and laughter, the friendships and fall-outs of growing up with a disability and will act as a welcome companion for disabled children. For non-disabled youngsters, the stories provide a welcome own-voice perspective and will help to build empathy and understanding. So whether you’re disabled yourself, know someone who is, or want to better understand the experience, this book is a window into the young lives of these disabled writers... their stories in their own words.
(Faber Children’s Books, paperback, £12.99)

Age 8 plus
The Thylacine and the Time Machine
Renée Treml

BUCKLE up because a time-machine awaits you! Young readers will love diving into the past, present and future of the most enigmatic, but also sadly extinct, Australian native animals in this funny and fascinating graphic novel from author and illustrator Renée Treml. The journey begins as you join twelve-year-old Violet, her dog Tassie and her new friend Thyla – the ghost of the last living Tasmanian tiger – as they go on an incredible journey into the past to discover the real story of thylacines in Australia. This fun-packed book unearths their important role in environmental balance, and the sorry tale of their path to extinction. But maybe all hope is not lost if science holds the key to the possible de-extinction of the amazing Tasmanian tiger. With an appealing time-travel element and the eternal mystery that surrounds extinct animals, this is a thrilling and informative wild ride through the past, and possible future, of one of Australia’s most missed (and misunderstood) creatures.
(A&U Children’s Books, paperback, £8.99)

Age 5 plus
Higher Ground
Tull Suwannakit

BEAUTY is never banished even in the darkest of times... that’s the message that speaks loudly and clearly in a resonant coming-of-age tale created by combining elements of a graphic novel with an illustrated picture book and diary. Higher Ground is written and illustrated by Tull Suwannakit, an author and artist who lives in a rural town nestled outside Melbourne, Australia, and created this modern classic-in-the-making using a combination of watercolour, graphite powder, gouache and acrylic paints. After a great flood, a grandmother, her two grandchildren and their pet rabbit must learn to survive living on their rooftop garden, relying on scarce resources and limited space. Days turn into weeks, and weeks into months, but through life lessons and words of wisdom, hope emerges. Both inspiring and deeply moving, one family’s tale of resilience, courage and spirit illuminates in imaginative and innovative fashion how life can shine brightly even in the darkness of a terrible climate disaster. The book also introduces young readers to themes of sustainable living practices and strength in the face of adversity, offering important life lessons for a generation of children growing up in an increasingly precarious environment.  A book for all the family to read and cherish...
(New Frontier Publishing, hardback, £19.99)

Age 5 plus
Volcano
Claire Saxby and Jess Racklyeft

EXPLORE amazing underwater volcanoes – a largely unknown part of the natural world – with the award-winning and creative Australian picture book team of author Claire Saxby and illustrator Jess Racklyeft who brought us Iceberg and Tree. Deep in the ocean, far beyond the reach of even the brightest sun, the earth quakes. Hagfish scatter and snailfish flutter, lava pillows flash and fade, rumpling the seabed as a new volcano births a mountain. Where hot meets cold, a chimney forms... and here begins a colony of unexpected creatures. Other chimneys grow and cool, grow and cool, while the mountain stretches ever upwards. A rumble becomes a roar and the sea boils, lava fireworks the sky and a new island is born. Children will love learning about underwater volcanoes, and discovering that more volcanoes erupt under water than exist on land. Blending rigorous scientific research, lyrical language and stunning illustrations, Volcano includes fascinating facts on the environment, hydrothermal vents, life underwater and ecosystems. Simply explosive!
(A&U Children’s Books, paperback, £7.99)

Age 5 plus
Watts & Whiskerton:
Sabotage at the Fete Cake Bake
Meg McLaren

THE best things come in threes... and this adorable cat-and-dog detective duo are the shining stars of a mystery and mischief-filled series from Waterstones Children’s Book Prize-shortlisted author and illustrator Meg McLaren. Highly illustrated throughout in child-friendly, two-tone colours, the adventures of Watts & Whiskerton are doggedly delightful and purr-fectly fun for emerging young readers. In their second outing, budding detective Watts is back in Little Gossip to visit the Whiskertons and attend the village fete bake off. He’s looking forward to a fun weekend, but then disaster strikes when the ovens flood with batter and accusations of sabotage begin to fly! Who’s responsible for the cake catastrophe and why would they want to ruin the competition? It’s up to Watts and Pearl to solve the curious case. But can this dog and cat detective duo find the proof in the pudding? With comic-style illustrations and a story bursting with sleuthing, skulduggery and sugar, Watts and Whiskerton’s adventures are guaranteed to steal every reader’s heart!
(Piccadilly Press, paperback, £6.99)

Age 3
The Colour Monster: Mindfulness
Anna Llenas

WHEN your emotions overwhelm you and you don’t know how to control them, or when you feel upset but can’t figure out why, there’s one person who can teach us all a lesson… the Colour Monster! Spanish-born author and illustrator Anna Llenas is winning hearts and minds with her beautiful, feel-good picture book series, The Colour Monster, which explains, in the most delightful and imaginative way, the many human emotions that we all experience.  In this new adventure, we join the Colour Monster in a mindfulness activity book packed with 45 mandalas to colour in... and discover how to express our emotions through art. On the journey towards calm, these mandalas, full of shapes and colour, will help youngsters to connect with themselves and find their inner peace again. Using art therapist Llenas’ distinctive and accessible artwork in black and white form, children can dive into the book on any page and find beautiful and calming mandalas to colour. This cleverly and carefully created activity book is the perfect way to de-stress, and help regulate emotions in both children and adults. Once completed, the mandalas can be removed from the book by the perforated edge and displayed for everyone to enjoy!
(Templar Publishing, paperback, £7.99)

Age 3 plus
The Tractor Has a Wobbly Wheel
Tim Saunders and Carla Martell

LITTLE ones will be going ‘flat out’ to read and re-read this delightful picture book story from New Zealand duo, author Tim Saunders and illustrator Carla Martell. Saunders, who farms sheep and beef near Palmerston North, serves up lots of wordplay fun with this amusing and clever tale of a tractor with a wobbly wheel on a farm run by animals. When their tractor keeps breaking down, the animals need to find a whole host of inventive solutions. Youngsters will love the joyful, rhyming story with its repetition, energetic bounce, madcap contraptions... and the tractor of course! Martell’s bold, colourful and comical illustrations are a perfect match for the story, taking the humour to another level and adding unexpected extras to ignite young imaginations!
(A&U Children’s Books, paperback, £7.99)

Age 3 plus
Our World: Brazil
Ana Siqueira and Ana Matsusaki

BOM dia! Let's spend a day in Brazil, take the ônibus to the beach, drink sugar cane juice at the feira and play capoeira. Brazilian author Ana Siqueira and illustrator Ana Matsusaki, who was born in São Paulo, draw on their personal experiences of living in Brazil to create this charming picture book which features educational endnotes and is part of Barefoot Books’ Our World series for very young readers. 

Also in the series is Our World: Kenya, written by Maïmouna Jallow and illustrated by Lulu Kitololo, in which little ones spend a day in Kenya savouring fluffy mandazis, counting the colourful mabati roofs, and playing a game of kati kati. And why not spend a day in Ukraine with Ukrainian author and illustrator team Kateryna Yehorushkina and Olga Shtonda and enjoy seeing children painting eggs, picnicking in the park surrounded by paper angels, and taking a trip to the river. 

These One World books avoid stereotypes and concentrate on daily life rather than landmarks. Bold artwork and an engaging text make global learning accessible to young children while the back-of the-book notes offer simple explanations of the objects and actions found in the book. A whole world of knowledge!

(Barefoot Books, paperback, £7.99 each)

Best Summer Ever

Heidi Swain

AT the age of twenty-eight, Daisy Patterson still doesn’t know where or what her place in the world is... her latest boyfriend has proved to be unfaithful, she has packed in a job that meant little to her, and she’s fed up with being a disappointment to her parents.

Left with few other options, Daisy returns home to the picturesque village of Wynmouth on the beautiful Norfolk coast in the hope that she can find a job she likes, bring structure to her somewhat disordered life, make her parents proud... and maybe, just maybe, enjoy a much-needed holiday fling.

Pour a glass of your favourite tipple and escape into the warmth and wonder of summer with the queen of feel-good Heidi Swain (pictured below) in a sizzling novel which explores what happens when the lives of two people – both of them harbouring secrets – collide against a kaleidoscope of sea, sand and sunshine.

Swain, who lives with her family in picturesque south Norfolk, has won thousands of adoring readers with her enchanting stories set in three very different fictional locations... the Fenland town of Wynbridge, cosy Nightingale Square in Norwich, and alluring little Wynmouth.

But whatever the setting, Swain’s stories always have a strong sense of community, family and friendship and this sparkling summer standalone – her remarkable twentieth novel – sweeps us into the troubled world of the delightful Daisy.

It’s July and summer is in full swing when Daisy drives back into Wynmouth in her almost-clapped-out car, having left both her most recent job and the man her parents thought (and hoped!) she was going to marry. 

Coming home and staying at her parents’ cottage on the Wynbrook Manor estate for a few months could be just what she needs to move her life on. But things are in disarray at the manor, owned by elderly Algernon (Algy) Alford. Algy isn’t getting any younger and has recently had a fall which has left him lethargic and lacking in enthusiasm. Daisy’s mum Janet,

CHILDREN'S BOOKS: A chance meeting, a power girl and a new school

Discover how amazing things can happen when you give people a chance, meet a girl with a murder to solve, revenge on her mind and more questions than answers, and find out how a schoolboy tackles one of life’s big changes in a super selection of April children’s books

Age 9 plus
The Last House in the Row
Lesley Parr and Richard Johnson

AMAZING things can happen when you give people a chance! The unlikely friendship between a young girl and her eccentric neighbour takes centre stage in a moving and thought-provoking novella from former primary school teacher and bestselling author Lesley Parr. The Last House in the Row – brought to vivid life by Richard Johnson’s emotive and atmospheric artwork, and published in Barrington Stoke’s trademark dyslexia-friendly format – is packed with important message about the value of intergenerational relationships, as well as showcasing snippets of Welsh language in a setting inspired by the author’s childhood in Wales.

Hayley is annoyed that her beloved cat keeps sneaking off to the garden of the eccentric old lady across the street. Lillian, or Boo as Hayley calls her, lives in the last house in the row after the rest were knocked down years ago. Lillian hasn’t stepped outside her front door since. But thanks to an unexpected act of kindness, a surprising friendship develops between them, and Hayley learns the real reason behind the old lady’s reluctance to move. So when a misunderstanding threatens their friendship, can Hayley repair what has been damaged and help Lillian find her way out into the world again?

Inspired by two old ladies who lived near Parr when she was growing up, The Last House in the Row speaks loudly about how unexpectedly surprising people can prove to be, and how important it is to foster connections with your local community. Beautifully written and conceived, this is a book to savour long after the last page has turned.
(Barrington Stoke, paperback, £7.99)

Age 10 plus
Rosie Frost: Ice on Fire
Geri Halliwell-Horner

DIVE back into the extraordinary life of a heroic girl with a murder to solve, revenge on her mind, and more questions than she has answers for! Enjoy the thrilling mix of mystery, history, nature and girl power as former Spice Girl, songwriter and author Geri Halliwell-Horner returns to work her magic on the second hidden island adventure in her thrilling Rosie Frost series. Suddenly orphaned and alone, Rosie was sent to the mysterious Bloodstone Island, home not only to the Heverbridge School for extraordinary teens but also a sanctuary for endangered species. And it was there that Rosie discovered that history can come to life in ways she never could have imagined. On the brink of discovering who, or what, lies behind her mother’s death, Rosie is now beginning a new term at Heverbridge and Bloodstone is in turmoil. Mutant animals are on the loose, jealous classmates want to bring Rosie down, and, even worse, there is a black hole to deal with. Below the island’s surface, an everlasting star is growing in strength and it just may end them all. Then Rosie discovers the north side of the island, home to the alluring Imperium Palace... but is the palace one of scientific genius or deadly menace? While she fights to know the truth about her past – and her family’s ancient ties to Bloodstone – Rosie begins to wonder if the price for the truth may be too high. She must discover what she’s really made of as a fresh danger puts her new home – and all that she loves – at risk. Youngsters will love returning to the dark and dangerous world of determined and big-hearted Rosie as she tackles life and her enemies head-on in an exhilarating adventure full of mystery, history, nature and girl power, and all set in a world where heroes are found in the most unexpected places!
(Scholastic, paperback, £7.99)

Age 9 plus
Zak Monroe is (Not) My Friend
Simon Packham

WHEN life brings big changes, it isn’t always something that children can relish. Nobody knows this better than author Simon Packham whose novels like Silenced and Worrybot have been highly acclaimed by critics. Packham uses his own experiences of being bullied at school, and his daughter’s problems with anxiety, to pen resonant stories which explore feelings, friendships, and transition, whether that is a move to a new area or to secondary school. In Zak Monroe is (Not) My Friend, we meet Sam who has been best friends with Cal, Fin and Jay for EVER. They are all about to move up to a new school together... it’s scary but exciting. But then he overhears them saying that they are not going to put him on their Friends Lists so Sam will be stuck in a different tutor group with a lot of kids he doesn’t know. Help! How can Sam convince them to change their minds? Can he keep on hiding his friendship with ‘weird’ new boy Zak Monroe? And what will happen when these two sides of Sam’s life collide? Packham delivers a perfectly pitched, heartfelt and inspirational story for any child feeling a little bit lost in the face of a big change. With its exploration of friendship and self-confidence through the transition into secondary school, this book is ideal for young people dealing with self-doubt or next-step nerves, and is an entertaining and warmly wise addition to school and home bookshelves.
(UCLan Publishing, paperback, £7.99)

Age 3 plus
Taking The Long Way Home
Jake Hope and Brian Fitzgerald

THE power of the imagination takes two siblings on an extraordinary journey in a warm, witty and wonderfully inspiring picture book from author Jake Hope and illustrator Brian Fitzgerald. Young readers will love observing how using all of our five senses can transform an ordinary walk back from school into a super-sized adventure. Normally Zarah and her brother are collected from school by their dad who rushes them home taking every shortcut. But today, Uncle Jerome is collecting them, and he takes them on ‘the long way home.’ Reluctant to go further than necessary, the children complain at first but are soon caught up in amazing adventures, as their uncle gets them to use their senses to conjure up a world of fun and imagination. Birds become pterodactyls, ripples in the water become crocodiles... and they soon realise that the best adventures only happen on the long way home! Hope, a reading development and children’s book consultant, demonstrates to readers how entering into the spirit of play and adventure empowers the children, while each spread conveys the sense of an ongoing journey full of unexpected discoveries. Fun to read aloud and given life and energy by Fitzgerald’s colourful illustrations, this is the perfect story to inspire a love of the great outdoors.
(Scallywag Press, hardback, £12.99)

Age 3 plus
I Am Strong Just Being Me
Laura Dockrill and Kip Alizadeh

THERE are so many different ways to show how strong you are... and many of them are not what you might expect! Award-winning writer Laura Dockrill and illustrator and visual artists Kip Alizadeh touch readers’ hearts with this lyrical picture book exploring strength and its many guises. Is strong brave and fearless? Does it always win a fight? Does strong have a shouty voice? Is it always right? These are some of the questions that an inquisitive child called Bean asks Nanna one day while in the garden. From the power of silence to the strength of an embrace, the uplifting story offers an alternative to the stereotypes around strength, and encourages all children to believe that they can be strong in their own way. Add on Alizadeh’s beautifully evocative illustrations which celebrate the natural world and you have the perfect book to teach little ones to love themselves just as they are!
(Little Tiger Press, hardback, £12.99)

Age 2 plus
Moon Girl
Thomas Docherty

SOMETIMES Leila is a little bit scared of the dark... but then she meets Moon Girl and discovers how wonderful the world is after the sun sets! If your little ones are wary of darkness and shadows, take them on a thrilling night-time adventure with award-winning author and illustrator Thomas Docherty. Leila loves bright colours but she isn’t so keen on the dark. That is until she meets Moon Girl who carries a brush and a paint-pot full of moonlight and together they go on a night-time adventure, painting moonlight in the darkness and discovering bats, cats, foxes and moths, and a town full of surprises. In this creative celebration of the night world, Docherty takes an imaginative approach and offers a reassuring exploration of life after dark, making it perfect for children who are afraid of the night. His beautifully illuminated illustrations have a wealth of detail to hold young readers’ attention as the hours of darkness become a thing of beauty, curiosity, and wonder.
(Oxford University Press, paperback, £7.99)

Crucified

Lynda La Plante

STILL haunted by a harrowing case involving a sadistic serial killer who butchered and decapitated young girls, London Met Detective Sergeant Jack Warr is fast reaching breaking point.

With his home life at high pressure point after the birth of a new baby, his doctor wife Maggie on maternity leave, and the family finances struggling to cope with house renovations, the last thing Jack needs is another grisly murder.

Liverpool-born screenwriter and author Lynda La Plante (pictured below), one of the nation’s favourite police procedural writers, is back to dazzle and delight readers with the fifth book in her latest coruscating crime-cracking series which has its seeds planted in Widows, the runaway hit story starring a group of robbers’ widows who attempt a daring heist after the demise of their crooked husbands.

Harnessing the same gripping cocktail of crooks, cops and cunning plot twists, the DS Jack Warr novels have fast forwarded over 25 years to discover not just what happened to those nefarious gangsters’ molls but to meet intriguing new star Jack, a thirty-something detective finding his feet in the Met after a move from rural Devon, and discovering links to the past that, even in his wildest dreams, he could never have imagined. In Crucified, we find Jack struggling to cope with life at a time when he should be resting on his laurels. He’s just put brutal, unrepentant murderer Rodney Middleton behind bars and he’s ready to enjoy some time at home with his GP wife Maggie, young daughter Hannah, their new (as yet unnamed) baby boy and Jack’s adoptive mum Penny who lives with them.

Instead, Middleton’s gruesome legacy has left Jack with violent nightmares in which he punches, shouts and kicks out, terrifying Maggie. The torment he feels over the killer’s refusal to reveal the whereabouts of his other victims, plus a series of other events and dark secrets, make him feel like there is ‘a hurricane raging inside his head.’

Refusing the Met-offered counselling service, Jack instead finds solace in renewing a dangerous friendship with charismatic art forger Adam Border. But when a man is found horrifically murdered and nailed to a giant cross in a framer’s shop, Jack cannot help becoming fascinated by the elaborately staged killing and senses a connection to the case even though it is not in his jurisdiction.

Could Adam be the victim, or even the murderer, and is Jack’s involvement that of a detective or witness? Finding the truth will unveil a shocking portrait of a corrupt art world... but it could also expose the secrets Jack is so desperately trying to keep hidden.

Jack, who still struggles to walk a straight line between the right and wrong sides of the law, has now firmly embedded himself in readers’ hearts. With a new baby in the house, and domestic duties competing with hidden allegiances, our maverick detective is increasingly being forced to re-evaluate just where his priorities lie. Still emotionally drained from his dealings with the sadistic Middleton, and the resultant night terrors, Jack seems to have problems and secrets in all corners of his life... not least the crisis in their finances which he has so far refused to reveal to his wife and his long-suffering mother.

Packed with suspense, authentic police and forensic detail, La Plante’s dark, satirical humour and a brilliantly imagined cast of characters, including the restless, unpredictable Jack Warr, Crucified is another masterclass in crime writing.
(Zaffre, hardback, £22)

CHILDREN'S BOOKS: Celebrate Easter with some sparkling Usborne titles

Easter is almost here and Usborne children’s books have put some spring sunshine into their bright new line-up

Age 12 plus
Under a Fire-Red Sky
Geraldine McCaughrean

JOIN four young people who would rather stay and help London’s war effort than be whisked away with other evacuees to the safety of the English countryside in a blistering new novel from Geraldine McCaughrean, twice winner of the CILIP Carnegie Medal and one of today’s most highly esteemed children’s authors. Under a Fire-Red Sky – an emotion-packed tale of survival, heartbreak and hope – is set during the London Blitz and was inspired by the author’s firefighter father, Lesley Jones, who was a young fireman both before and during the German bombing offensive which brought devastation to the capital city. With the Second World War looming, four young people sit on a train waiting to be evacuated to a safer place... but they don’t want to go. They climb out of the carriage window and head back to Greenwich, forming an unlikely friendship. They spend their days trying to be useful. Laurence is building a secret machine. Gemmy searches bombed-out homes for things of value... only to find an adorable mutt she can’t even give away. Franklin wants to join the Fire Service, although it means lying about his age. Olive looks after her father, who is broken by the deaths of his fellow firefighters. And together, the four roam the streets of London, discovering their resilience amongst the secrets of the city. But as the Blitz unleashes a barrage of bombs on London, turning the sky ragged with flames, can the friends keep each other safe and survive?

McCaughrean is a master storyteller and she fills her beautifully imagined and compelling coming-of-age story with both the raw realities of a firefighter’s experiences in the horrors of the Blitz and the impact of the bombings on the ordinary city folk living through what seemed like a never-ending nightmare. Published in the 80^th anniversary year of the end of the Second World War, Under a Fire-Red Sky is a reminder to young readers of the terrible consequences of war and the lessons that can be learned from past conflicts. But the book is also a celebration of those who fought the war in many different ways, harnessing the spirit of endurance, courage and friendship to see them through the darkest of days.
(Usborne Publishing, paperback, £8.99)

Age 5 plus
Billy and the Mini Monsters:
Monsters at Easter
Zanna Davidson and Melanie Williamson

JOIN Billy and the hairy but not-so-scary mini-monsters for another madcap adventure as they get ready for Easter celebrations. Author Zanna Davidson and illustrator Melanie Williamson provide lots of fun and laughter with this hilarious chapter book series which cleverly navigates crucial first experiences and everyday fears. Here we find Billy feeling nervous about the village Easter Hat Parade. The Mini Monsters have made him an ENORMOUS hat and he wants to wear it to make them happy, but he doesn’t want everyone looking at him. Then something happens to make Billy realise there are even more important things to think about... like a tiny, mysterious creature in Ash’s garden. Could it be... an Easter mini-monster? With the gentle focus on first experiences and packed with colour illustrations, comic strips and speech bubbles, plus an action-packed plot, these stories have an instant appeal for reluctant readers and are perfect for newly independent readers.
(Usborne Publishing, paperback, £5.99)

Age 5 plus
Sticker Dolly Dressing Easter Egg Hunt
Fiona Watt and Daniela Dogliani

EASTER week is here and it’s time to dress the fairies and explore Fairyland on an Easter Egg Hunt! 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 magical new book is bulging with gorgeous sticker clothes and accessories to dress the dolls and decorate the pages as the fairies skip, flutter and fly through the colourful pages. Join the fairies as they hide Easter eggs, go on an Easter egg hunt, follow the Easter bunny’s muddy footprints and have lots of fairy fun! Use the vast array of stickers to dress the fairies and decorate the enchanting scenes. Children won’t be stuck for something to do with this beautiful activity book and with so many reusable stickers to choose from, this is a Fairyland adventure no young fashionista will want to miss!
(Usborne Publishing, paperback, £7.99)

Age six months plus
There There Little Bunny
Anna Milbourne and Rotem Teplow

MEET a little bunny who needs your tender loving care! Little ones will love getting their hands on this adorable new book in Usborne’s award-winning Touchy-Feely Books series, a much-loved favourite with both parents and children. In this new Easter-themed book, the fluffy bunny wants you to stroke its ears when it’s scared, rub its nose better after an encounter with a tickly bug, and stroke its back when it’s feeling sleepy. Each page has different snuggly, touchy-feely patches and characters to interact with, and the text encourages kindness and provides a calming activity in very little children as they gently rub the bunny better from minor mishaps. Touchy-feely genius at a stroke and ideal for quiet time with your little ones!
(Usborne Publishing, cased board book, £7.99)

CHILDREN'S BOOKS: Big decisions, a seaside sleepover and an epic rescue

Meet a schoolboy who needs help with some big decisions, join a group of friends on a trip to the seaside, head off in stormy seas with a brave girl on a daring rescue mission, and share adventures in a dystopian world packed with spine-tingling danger in a fantastic springtime selection 

Age 8 plus
The Boy with Big Decisions
Helen Rutter

SCHOOLBOY Fred is on the cusp of moving to a new school and he’s going to face some big decisions... decisions that YOU are going to have to make not just with him, but for him! Youngsters will love teaming up with indecisive Fred in award-winning author Helen Rutter’s brilliant interactive story book which puts readers in the driving seat on a multitude of possible pathways, offering choices that aim to encourage empathy and kindness whilst also delivering big-hearted, exciting adventures shaped by YOUR decisions.

Fred can't make a decision about anything... his parents always tell him what to do, from what to eat every day to which secondary school to choose. That’s how Fred has found himself a pupil at the high-pressure, strict Gains School when he’d much rather be going to Browtree with its brilliant art department and kind teachers. As Fred waits for the bus to his new school, he sees the bus for Browtree pull up and a wild, thrilling, thought strikes him. Should he jump on this bus and pretend he’s a new student at Browtree? Will he be brave enough to follow a different path for once?

Standing in Fred’s shoes and making decisions alongside him throughout this story provides youngsters with lots of fascinating choices. Can you help him to stand up for what he believes in, learn what he truly loves to do, make good friends and face choices about whether to swerve or walk into drama. Don’t miss the bus because YOU are in charge!
(Scholastic, paperback, £7.99)

Age 7 plus
The Seaside Sleepover
Jacqueline Wilson and Rachael Dean

WHEN bestselling author Jacqueline Wilson’s funny and moving book, Sleepovers, was first published in 2001, many of her (now grown-up!) readers told her that it was their favourite of the over one hundred stories Wilson has written. The much-loved tale introduced us to school friends Amy, Bella, Chloe, Daisy and Emily who were looking forward to planning sleepovers for their birthdays. Perfect for newly confident readers who are navigating primary school friendship issues, each story is full of relatable details and gentle confidence-building messages. And those all-too-familiar worries about bullying, disabilities, siblings and friendships are explored again in this heartwarming sequel – the third book in the Sleepovers series – starring the same friendship circle. The summer holidays have finally arrived and Daisy is bored. She is glad she won’t have to see her worst enemy Chloe for a while but she longs for a proper holiday at the seaside, building sandcastles, eating lots of ice-cream and maybe even spotting a mermaid in the sea. 

Daisy’s non-verbal sister, Lily, wants to come too but, she uses a wheelchair which can make trips to the seaside tricky... especially with all that sand! Daisy’s summer improves when she starts looking after her neighbours’ dog, Scruff. Daisy has always wanted a dog of her own to walk and cuddle and she knows Scruff would love a trip to the seaside just as much as her. Will Daisy, Lily and Scruff get their ice-cream-filled dream holiday... and maybe even have a Seaside Sleepover? Rachael Dean’s beautifully emotive illustrations bring Wilson’s sensitively written and inspirational story to life as readers enjoy following the girls through another rollercoaster chapter of family and friendship dramas, and the triumphs and disasters of the new summer sleepover plans. With her gift for understanding and acknowledging the fears that so often affect children, and the subtle messages of help and guidance that flow from the pages, this is Wilson on her very best – and most entertaining – storytelling form.
(Puffin, hardback, £12.99)

Age 9 plus
Becoming Grace
Hilary McKay and Keith Robinson

A YOUNG girl who overcame her own fear of drowning to help rescue survivors of a shipwreck off the Northumberland coast in 1838 takes centre stage in an epic tale of endurance and bravery from Costa award-winning author Hilary McKay. Becoming Grace – gloriously illustrated by Keith Robinson – reimagines the incredible true story of Grace Darling, daughter of the lighthouse keeper on the rugged Farne Islands, who rowed out in a fierce storm to help with a dangerous mission to rescue stranded survivors on board the Forfarshire, a vessel travelling from Hull to Dundee. Grace Darling nearly drowned when she was eight but despite her fear of boats and the sea, she loves her life as the daughter of a lighthouse keeper and spends fun-filled childhood days with her three sisters, four brothers, numerous goats, chickens, cats and her beloved dog Happy. The only shadows come from the many shipwrecks caused by the poor location of their lighthouse, a problem that seems to be fixed when a new one is built further out on the remote Longstone Rock. But in September 1838, the steamship Forfarshire is wrecked on the perilous Harcar Rock. Grace alerts her father to survivors, but can she find the courage to help him row out through the mountainous waves to rescue them? Master storyteller McKay adds her special touch of heart and soul to this moving real-life story which has captured the imagination of both children and adults over almost two centuries. Through the simple joys and hardships of Grace’s family life, youngsters learn about society’s expectations of young women in the Victorian era. Full of drama, rich descriptive detail and Robinson’s emotive artwork, this is another winner from a dynamic writing and illustration duo.
(Barrington Stoke, paperback, £7.99)

Age 9 plus
I Am Raven
Alastair Chisholm

RETURN to a thrillingly imagined dystopian world packed with big ideas, spine-tingling danger and jaw-dropping surprises as highly-acclaimed author and puzzle creator Alastair Chisholm unleashes the second book of his dazzling middle grade trilogy. With a bold, ingeniously detailed and highly original ‘other world’ at the heart of the stories, a cast of unforgettable characters, plenty of thought-provoking concepts, and page-turning adventures to get lost in, youngsters are hooked from first page to last.  Once, Brann belonged to Raven. She flew high above the world on the incredible mechanical Construct... and she was fearless. But that changed when Raven was destroyed by Dragon. Now Brann has lost the life she once knew, her home is gone and she is desperate to find Raven’s missing crew. Determined to find the truth, Brann heads north with her friends Coll, Rieke and Finn. But secrets start to unravel and what they learn will change everything they know about their world, and themselves. Where did Dragon come from? What happened to Raven's crew? And what is the secret Brann is hiding? Expect to be bewitched and bedazzled by Chisholm’s imaginative power as Brann’s fascinating, fearsome world rolls out across 218 pages of action, intrigue, peril and unlikely alliances. Packed full of menace and suspense, featuring world-building at its mesmerising best, and with hidden perils waiting round every corner, the final book in the series can’t come too soon!
(Nosy Crow, paperback, £7.99)

Age 9 plus
Peregrine Quinn and the Mask of Chaos
Ash Bond

IF gods, monsters, oracles and a thrilling quest tickle your reading taste buds, then treat yourself to the second book of an electrifying debut series which imagines a cosmic realm tingling with mythology, mind-blowing fantasy and mesmerising magic. Peregrine Quinn is the brainchild of former bookseller Ash Bond who sprinkles her classics-based stories with a special brand of fairy dust, and sweeps away readers to edge-of-the-seat adventures and worlds full of mayhem and malevolence. Using a bold and inventive new spin on classical myths, Bond brings us the traditional Greek heroes but with their fantastical lives cleverly melded into a contemporary and inventive technology known as CosTech. The result is a spectacular collision between ancient and modern, and rip-roaring escapades starring old heroes and a feisty and fearless young girl who must race between worlds. In this enthralling new adventure, it's just another week in the Cosmic Realm. The city of Cosmopolis is buzzing with excitement. The Cosmic Games are fast approaching, and eight champions are about to compete for a magical golden apple and a lifetime of glory. 

It’s the event of a generation! But behind the scenes tensions within Olympus Inc. are running high as they struggle to hide signs of a rebellion, and the fact that a mysterious figure is trying to sabotage the Games. Who are they, and what do they want? In Oxford, Peregrine is desperate to return to the Cosmic Realm but her mum Penelope is not keen. Surely, Peregrine’s life is adventurous enough? The decision is taken out of Penelope’s hands when Peregrine receives a letter from Athene herself, asking for Peregrine to compete in the Cosmic Games. How can Peregrine possibly compete against the other Academy-trained champions, especially when someone is making it very clear that she should not be allowed to win... Bond says plucky Peregrine was forged from ‘a lifetime of curiosity for the ancient world’ and our daring adventurer certainly delivers a coruscating, cosmic package of breathless action, witty dialogue, other-worldly fun, and a marvellous makeover of some familiar myths and characters. And with maps and chapter-head illustrations by Patrick Knowles, and the brilliant character illustrations of Brie Schmida putting Peregrine and her people into focus, this is an adventure to thrill and a book to treasure.

(Piccadilly Press, hardback, £12.99)

Age 7 plus
Dino Knights: Extinction
Jeff Norton and Jeff Crosby

PICK two favourite themes – dangerous dinosaurs and daring knights – blend them together, and what do you have? Dino Knights, of course! In the third book of his fabulous, action-packed chapter book series, Jeff Norton transports youngsters back to his thrilling and imaginative medieval land where dinosaurs still roam and brave knights ride into adventures on the back of roaring dinosaurs. Norton, loved for his stories which create compelling characters, awesome escapades and immersive worlds, is on his best form in this new tale starring the now established Dino Knight, Henry Fairchild, defender of Brecklan, his beloved homeland, who sets off on the back of his trusty T-rex to find his lost parents. But there’s trouble ahead and Henry is soon caught up in a battle to save the environment of the dinosaurs and to uphold the duty of conservation. With Jeff Crosby’s exciting and atmospheric black and white illustrations bringing Norton’s world-building to vivid life, a gallery of amazing characters, a map, playful heraldic chapter headings and a dinosaur field guide, this all-action story of bravery, loyalty, family, conservation and duty is perfect for all fearless young adventurers.
(Scallywag Press, paperback, £7.99)

Age 7 plus
Meg and Merlin: Having Fun
Tanya Landman and Sònia Albert

SADDLE up for the fourth action-packed instalment of Carnegie Medal-winning author Tanya Landman’s captivating Meg and Merlin series which is proving a dream read for pony lovers. Packed with action, fun and friendships, these warmhearted stories celebrate the close bond between horse and rider, and this entertaining new adventure will have youngsters (who dream of owning their own horse!) cantering through the pages. Here we join Meg and Merlin braving a ‘fun day’ at the nearby stables and learning some exciting new tricks. Meg and her friend Sam Houseman take their ponies Merlin and Alfred to the fun day but with Sam’s bossy mum as one of the instructors, the day isn’t anything like as much fun as they’d hoped. But when Sam’s mum tries to force Merlin over a water jump, he refuses and she ends up getting very wet and soon there are plenty of laughs all round! Brought to life by the lively illustrations of Sònia Albert, and published in Barrington Stoke’s trademark dyslexia-friendly format, this new drama-filled adventure is a sure-fire winner for all young horse riding fans.
(Barrington Stoke, paperback, £7.99)

Age 6 plus
Where’s the Spy?
Alex Frith, Laura Cowan and Colin King

JOIN Usborne’s classic espionage hero Si the Spy on his mission to save the world! He’s an expert at blending in with a crowd but be warned... you’ll have to find him, and his spy enemies, and solve all sorts of puzzles along the way. Authors Alex Frith and Laura Cowan combine their talents with illustrator Colin King on this brilliant spot-and-find story which is packed with codes to crack and twelve intricate ‘can you spot puzzles’ to fathom as you embark on a thrilling tale of espionage.  Who are the Twindicate? What do they want? And can Si the Spy stop their dastardly plans in time? Look out for him in a crowded train station, a thronging carnival, a shopping mall, a science lab and of course a secret underground villain lair. As well as spotting our hero on every page, he'll need your help with codes, puzzles and unravelling fiendish conundrums to get to the bottom of an international crime conspiracy. Are you ready for the fun?
(Usborne Publishing, hardback, £6.99)

Age 5 plus
Where Did They Go?
A Search and Find Book
Emily Bornoff

SPOTTING books are always fun and here’s one that packs in important messages about conservation as well as all those much-loved search challenges. Where has the polar bear gone, where did the lemur go... can you find them? Writer and illustrator Emily Bornoff’s lush, painterly artwork creates beautiful patterns and lots of playful hide-and-seek elements as youngsters search for endangered animals in jungles, deserts and on the ice. Where Did They Go? enhances children’s observational skills but as every animal featured is becoming increasingly rare, there are also fascinating facts to absorb along the way. Learn where in the world they come from, what is being done to save them, and enjoy finding them all as you turn the pages!
(Big Picture Press, paperback, £8.99)

Age 5 plus
Mirabelle and the Baby Dragons
Harriet Muncaster

BEING different is fun… especially when it comes to making mischief! From the magical world of author and illustrator Harriet Muncaster’s much-loved half-vampire, half-fairy Isadora Moon comes her impish, lovable cousin Mirabelle Starspell who puts the nice into being naughty. Mirabelle's mum is a witch, her dad is a fairy, and she is a bit of both. She likes casting spells with her fairy wand and flying around on her witchy broomstick, but most of all the thing she really, really likes to do is cause mischief. When Mirabelle and her family are invited to spend some time at a dragon sanctuary, Mirabelle cannot wait to get stuck in and show off everything she knows. But she’s about to find out that she's not quite the dragon expert she believes herself to be! Full to its sparkly covers with crazy capers and enchanting purple and black illustrations, this enchanting series of first chapter books is perfect for early readers who like their glitter with a bit of knockabout, naughty fun. Mirabelle and her madcap family are perfectly created for youngsters getting bored with run-of-the-mill fairies and princesses, and are eager to get their teeth into something excitingly different. Clever, imaginative, funny and positively fizzing with potions and broomsticks, Mirabelle’s misadventures always leave youngsters eager for more!
(Oxford University Press Children’s Books, paperback, £6.99)

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

TAKE an amazing trip across space and time to discover just how special YOU are! Bestselling author Shane Hegarty and award-winning illustrator Ben Mantle combine their talents on this big, beautiful picture book which puts every young reader firmly in the frame. Written with Hegarty’s sparkling sense of fun and brimming with Mantle’s bold and colourful artwork, The One and Only You is a glorious celebration of individuality. In this whole wide world of people and animals, and plants and flowers, and oceans and lakes, and so, so many things, there is still only one you. With lessons for little ones about cherishing just who they are, and illustrations full of depth and rich detail, this is a joyful reading journey for all the family to share!
(Hodder Children’s Books, hardback, £12.99)

Age 3 plus
Our World: England
Sumana Seeboruth and Ella Hobbis

HELLO! Let’s spend a day in England, eat a full English breakfast, watch the horses grazing from the train, enjoy a picnic and playing cricket on the heath, and relax with the birds, bees, and butterflies. Author Sumana Seeboruth and illustrator Ella Hobbis have drawn on their personal experiences of growing up in England to create this charming board book which features educational endnotes and is part of Barefoot Books’ Our World series for young readers. Also in the series is Our World: USA written by American author Joëlle Retener and American illustrator Sarah Walsh in which readers enjoy a hearty Southern breakfast, play a pickup game of hoops in Chicago, and fall asleep under the estrellas in New Mexico with eight different characters from a wide variety of backgrounds across the country. And why not spend a day in Türkiye with Turkish author Emrah Güler and illustrator Deniz Üçbaşaran and eat fresh simit and plums, play yakantop, and search for stories inside coffee cups. These One World books avoid stereotypes and concentrate on daily life rather than landmarks. Bold artwork and an engaging text make global learning accessible to young children while back-of the-book notes offer simple explanations of the objects and actions found in the book. A whole world of knowledge!
(Barefoot Books, board books, £7.99 each)

Age 2 plus
Frog Can Float!
Tony Neal

IF science concepts are giving your youngsters that sinking feeling, here’s a brilliant book that puts comedy into learning. Frog Can Float! is another fabulously fun and cunningly clever book in perennially popular author and illustrator Tony Neal’s Animal Academy series. Stars of the show here are Frog and friends who are desperate for ice-cream, but the truck is across the river and they need to find a way across. Laughter is guaranteed as Frog gets caught up in a series of funny mishaps in this introduction to the science of floating and sinking. And in Dig Monkey Dig! Monkey has discovered a jar of seeds, but what are they for? Children will love this introduction to the science of plant lifecycles and the fun activities which provide little ones with hands-on learning. Children will be so busy laughing along with the animals’ hilarious mishaps and exploring Neal’s comical artwork that they won't even realise they are learning, and with entertaining activities to help youngsters explore more about the science concepts, and tips for adults on how to get the most out of the book, these ingenious science lessons are the perfect teaching tool for home, school and nursery.
(Oxford University Press, paperback, £7.99 each)