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)
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)
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)
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)
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)
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)
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)
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)
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)
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.
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