Age 12 plus
Skrimsli
Nicola Davies
‘Who are you if you’ve never seen another face like yours?
Where do you belong if you don’t know where your home is? What do you call
yourself when others call you ‘freak'...? How can you be brave when you are
full of fear?
Why would you choose purpose over love?’
WHEN you care about the wild world with the passion of
award-winning author, TV presenter and zoologist Nicola Davies, then putting
pen to paper is always going to result in powerful words and far-reaching
ideas. So get ready to be knocked for six by Skrimsli, an epic fantasy story
that traces the early life of the tiger sea captain who stole readers’ hearts
in Davies’ double Carnegie-nominated The Song That Sings Us, a stunning
environmental adventure set in a threatened land filled with fantastical
forests, icy landscapes, wild beauty, danger, and animals that can communicate
with humans.
And it’s no surprise that Skrimsli is Wales Children’s Book
of the Year as readers are plunged head first into a story full of excitement
and danger and Davies explores themes of friendship, loyalty, identity and love
against a backdrop featuring some of humanity’s toughest problems. Abandoned at
birth, Skrimsli is rescued from an icy death by a little boy who looks like an
owl. Owl raises the cub in secret for as long as possible, hidden in the travelling
circus of which he is a part. But before long, Skrimsli and his friends, Owl and
Kal, must first escape the clutches of a tyrannical circus owner Kobret Majek, and
then stop a war and save an ancient forest! As they journey to find out where
they truly belong, they are helped by a desert princess and her eagle, a
chihuahua who thinks she’s a wolf, a horse with heart of gold and the crew of a
very unusual ship.
This is an author who pushes her imagination into overdrive
to speak loudly, clearly and lyrically to readers not just about the magic to
be found in the natural world but the imperative need for its protection. With a
cast of beautifully drawn characters and visionary storytelling, Davies’
magnificent new environmental novel is adventure on a grand scale as readers
are treated to a thrilling, chilling tale full of action, suspense, danger, and
animals with a timely and resonant warning for our own planet. Exhilarating,
gripping and ultimately uplifting…
(Firefly Press, paperback, £9.99)
The Girl with Gills
Becca Rogers
AS far back as 1862 and the runaway success of Charles Kingsley’s novel The Water Babies, the wonders of underwater worlds have always caught the imaginations of young readers. And now debut children’s novelist, Becca Rogers, dives into the dark depths of a river for a thrilling, chilling tale inspired by the centuries-old tradition of mudlarking. The Girl with Gills is a river-soaked story, awash with adventure and exceptional world-building, and features a determined girl called Effra and a truly sinister villain called the Rat Queen… when the two go head-to-head, their clash exposes ancient river lore, a host of fantastical creatures and colossal challenges.
In a time and place which might be now, people with gills,
outcast larkers, live in secret communities. They have houseboats along the
river. Concealing their gills from landlubbers, they scour the mudbanks, trade
their finds and live off their wits. Thirteen-year-old Effra has been
supporting her brother, Fleet, alone since their beloved grandfather died six
months ago. When merciless Rivermun, a larker gone bad, threatens Fleet, Effra’s
quest begins. Rivermun asks for the impossible… he wants to overpower Mother
River, to possess the river serpent’s pearl and for age-old debts to be
settled. Effra must bargain with the imposing Mother River, dive into the underwater
parts of the city, venture deep into the Rat Queen’s lair and confront the
terrible river serpent to save not only Fleet, but everything the larkers stand
for. Luckily, she is not alone. She befriends a sentient sewer rat called Clay and
a landlubber, book-loving girl called Bow who will help her in her quest. Rogers’ evocation of a mysterious underwater world is rich
in river myth and legend, and includes fascinating snippets of real history.
Star of the show is undoubtedly the heroic Effra whose underwater battles
explore friendship, belonging and not being afraid to show your
vulnerabilities. Fast-paced, filled with magic, jeopardy and joy, The Girl with
Gills is guaranteed to dive into every reader’s heart.
(Zephyr, paperback, £7.99)
RSPB Bird of the Week:
The TikTok thing but, like, a book?
TAKE flight with a host of giggles and gaggles, facts and
stats as the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds – better known as the RSPB
– set feathers flying with their official and utterly unhinged bird guide based
on the viral #rspb TikTok series. When the RSPB started a TikTok account, their
goal was to inspire a love of birds in people on the internet through a mix of
‘tomfoolery, malarky and bird memes.’ What they didn’t expect was that Bird of
the Week would become a viral video sensation in which one lucky bird would be
chosen through the spin of a (totally-not-rigged) wheel of fortune and viewers
would learn amazing (and occasionally true) facts about it. And now, this
TikTok phenomenon has crash-landed into the world of books to create a
mish-mash bird guide to keep and cherish. Featuring 52 brilliant British birds
– that’s one to learn about every week of the year – each spread is packed with
quirky illustrations, incredible photography, unbelievable facts and stats
(some of which are real!), and lots of gags written by ‘silly gooses for silly
gooses.’ With a spotter’s guide like you’ve never seen before, and quizzes to
test newly acquired bird skills, this is the silliest, most utterly chaotic and
most entertaining bird guide you’ll ever read!
(Bloomsbury Children’s Books, hardback, £8.99)
Will Wolfheart
Teresa Heapy and Adam Beer
MEET a boy, his dog and a mystical realm… and discover a
wonderful adventure where EVERYTHING is possible and EVERYTHING is magical! The
feelgood factor flows from every page of this love-filled, enchanting and
action-packed adventure which has been written straight from the heart of award-winning
children’s writer Teresa Heapy and stunningly illustrated by Adam Beer. Featuring the incredible bond between a boy and his dog,
Will Wolfheart explores what it would be like if you could understand what your
dog was thinking. Ten-year-old Will has moved with his family to a flat in the
city and has had to leave his beloved dog Whisker in the countryside with his
grandma. So Will now stays with his gran every weekend but is always sad when
he has to go home. Until one day, Will and Whisker are wondrously summoned to
enchanted Wolf World… a mystical, moonlit forest where Whisker becomes a majestic
wolf and he and Will can speak to each other! And now incredible adventures
abound in this amazing land where wolfy friendships are formed with the
incredible Maple Pack, excitement is everywhere and danger could be just around
the corner! Perfectly created for any young dog lover who wishes they
could talk to their own canine best friend, this a beautifully told and
illustrated tale of friendship, family love… and learning to be heroes.
(David Fickling Books, paperback, £7.99)
Grimstink
Daniel Peak
IF you’re ready for a summer of sci-fi, satellites, a
strange planet and a sackload of laughs, this comedy caper from Emmy Award
winning TV scriptwriter Daniel Peak could be just what you need! Manchester-based
Peak, who co-wrote BBC1’s hit series Not Going Out, dishes up fun at every turn
as he brings young readers two planets… one that we all know, Planet Earth, and
an alien planet that has seven moons and killer deathbots. At the heart of all
the madcap antics is alien Grimstink who has travelled ninety thousand light
years to annihilate all life on Earth while 13-year-old Layla Tenby has
travelled half a mile to deliver leaflets for affordable fence panels. But,
when they swap places, Grimstink finds himself battling traffic wardens and the
Subway sandwich ordering system, while Layla is zapped to a strange planet and
left fighting for the future of the galaxy whether she wants to or not
(spoiler: she does not want to). Is Reece, Layla’s annoying younger brother,
key to the galaxy’s survival, or will his friendship with new bestie Grimstink
lead them all to impending doom? From black holes to shopping precincts, mining
satellites to old people’s homes, and from quantum spaceships to the middle
aisle of Aldi, is this the end of all life on planet Earth… or the beginning of
a beautiful friendship? Prepare to suffer tummy hurt from laughing as you join
this motley crew for an adventure so out-of-this-world
that you’ll need help to find your way back to Earth!
(Firefly Press, paperback, £7.99)
Age 7 plus
My Big Fat Smelly Poo Diary: Plop of the Class
Jim Smith
(Scholastic, paperback, £8.99)
Pets Tell Tales: Ancient Egypt
Rik Worth and Jordan Collver
IF you thought Ancient Egypt was all about pyramids, mummies
and pharaohs, this laugh-out-loud graphic novel guide from northern writer Rik
Worth and Canadian illustrator Jordan Collver is guaranteed to come up with
more than a few surprises! So what REALLY happened in Ancient Egypt? Meet the
animals of Ancient Egypt who are poised and ready to spring to life and give
readers the REAL history of the world they inhabited. It seems that animals
were a big deal to the Ancient Egyptians and through them, we can learn a thing
or two, starting with the Pharoahs. Did you know there were seven Cleopatras
and eleven Ramesses? This is a book that talks about the really good stuff,
like baboon bodyguards, a crocodile king, mummified cats, and sacred poop-pushing
beetles. Prepare to giggle and gape as
Worth – who is fascinated with why people believe in unusual things and the
odder side of history – has fun digging out some of Ancient Greece’s most
bizarre secrets. Brilliantly illustrated by Collver, Pets Tell Tales: Ancient
Egypt is the perfect teaching tool to inspire reluctant readers!
(Wren & Rook, paperback, £9.99)
The Hug Button
Naomi Jones and Rebecca Ashdown
MATILDA misses her Mummy on her first day at play school…
but a little button could be all she needs! Separation anxiety is a natural emotion
when youngsters go to school or nursery for the first time so introduce them to
The Hug Button, a beautiful, inspiring and reassuring picture book that offers
a practical way to manage a child missing a loved one. It's Matilda’s first day
at The Meadows and she’s very excited. But when Mummy goes to say goodbye,
Matilda isn’t happy. She doesn’t want Mummy to go. The next day, Mummy has a
helpful suggestion. She draws two hug buttons… one on Matilda’s wrist and one
on her own. Then, when Matilda wants a hug, or wants to give one, she can press
the hug button and know that Mummy is thinking about her too. Written by
award-winning duo, author Naomi Jones and illustrator Rebecca Ashdown, this
heartwarming and exquisitely illustrated story is filled with comfort and love,
offering practical solutions for children missing loved ones, and movingly
depicting the trials and triumphs of early childhood. The perfect starter book
for schools and nurseries!
(Oxford University Press, paperback, £7.99)
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