Age 12 plus
Lila Mackay is Very Misunderstood
Gill Sims
HOT on the heels of the runaway success of Katie Kirby’s Lottie
Brooks books – which perfectly capture the cringe-inducing essence of the often
awkward pre-teen years – comes a wickedly funny novel cleverly aimed at
slightly older tween and early teen readers. Lila Mackay is Very Misunderstood is a hilarious diary-style,
clean teen romantic comedy and the first YA novel from Gill Sims, bestselling
author of the hugely successful Why Mummy series which has sold over a million
copies. Star player is fourteen-year-old Emily who is gloomily
spending the summer with her mum’s best friend Uncle Tom, helping him renovate
his house, instead of being at home hoping the gorgeous Toby will ask her out.
Worse, she’s broken her phone and left her iPad at her dad’s house. How is she
supposed to survive without her tech, her BFF and her social life? No one
understands her despair, least of all the boomers. Then she finds her mum’s old
diary. Massive cringe. But as Emily starts to read, she’s stunned to discover
that her mum was once a teenager too. A Nineties teenager called Lila Mackay,
who was very misunderstood. It’s a long-forgotten era of weird fashions, TV
shows and music Emily’s never heard of. There are boys too, notably cute Park
Boy Tom and her mum’s dorky neighbour Weird Nicky. And as she becomes more and
more invested in Lila’s teenage life, Emily begins to wonder if perhaps she and
her mother are not so different after all… You don’t have to be a teenager now, or even someone who was
a teenager in the Nineties, to enjoy this brilliantly relatable,
cross-generational, laugh-out-loud story which hopefully will be just the start
of a series, and which features a dual diary narrative, moments of revelation
and genuine emotional intensity, and oodles of the wonderful wit which has
become the hallmark of Sims’ writing.
(Electric Monkey, paperback, £9.99)
Great Escapes
David Long and Jamie Coe
MEET a slave who posted himself to freedom, a thief who
managed to break out of jail four times, and a daring wartime military nurse
who risked her life to help British soldiers escape the hell of Dunkirk, in a
thrilling new book from award-winning author David Long. Illustrated in full
colour throughout by comic-book illustrator and storyboard artist Jamie Coe,
Great Escapes captures the most astonishing and breathtaking great escapes of
all time. From slaves fleeing captivity to wartime heroes and heroines
being smuggled across occupied Europe, and from Second World War prisoners
escaping the Nazis in the infamous 1945 ‘Dead March’ to people simply caught in
the wrong place at the wrong time, this enthralling book brings to life over
thirty tales of adventure, inspiration and derring-do. As well as famous
stories like the PoW camp Great Escape and Harriet Tubman’s epic 500-mile trek from
slavery to freedom in 19th century America, this fascinating book also
includes lesser-known escapes like Yoshie Shiratori, the Japanese fisherman who
escaped jail four times, Henry ‘Box’ Brown, the slave who posted himself to
freedom in a wooden crate and Winston Churchill’s daredevil escape from a
Transvaal prison during the Boer War. Packed with mind-boggling adventures and escapes, this
moving and exhilarating tribute to the bravery of some extraordinary people is
the perfect gift, and a book of heroics to keep and treasure.
(Faber Children’s Books, hardback, £18.99)
Age 8 plus
What it was like to be an Ancient Greek
David Long and Stefano Tambellini
(Barrington Stoke, paperback, £7.99)
There are Amphibians Everywhere
Camilla de la Bedoyere and Britta Teckentrup
PULL on your wellies and get ready to track down some of the
world’s most amazing amphibians. There are Amphibians Everywhere is the sixth
title in a series of non-fiction books illustrated by bestselling artist Britta
Teckentrup and teaches where in the world different amphibians can be found,
and what makes each species unique. Written by Camilla de la Bedoyere, who has an academic
background in zoology, and sumptuously illustrated by Teckentrup, this big,
beautiful book explores the amazing world of amphibians, showcasing their
unique habitats, behaviours, and movements in a fun and accessible way. Some
amphibians live by the river, some of them in the savannah, and some might live
in your garden. And they come in lots of different colours, shapes, sizes and
habitats, from frogs to toads, newts to salamanders, and rare caecilians.
Amphibians live in water and on land and move in a variety of ways,
from swimming to hopping and even flying. Come face to face with the deadliest
frog in the world, peek underground into the burrow of a slimy caecilian, and
find out why a certain species of salamander never grows up. The combination of science and art provides an enchanting reading
experience for curious minds while the exciting search-and-find feature invites
youngsters to actively engage with the content, making learning about
amphibians an adventure. Drama, surprises and fascinating facts on every page!
(Big Picture Press, hardback, £12.99)
Star Cat: Unicorns in Space
James Turner and Yasmin Sheikh
FASTEN your seatbelts and travel through the universe with
the craziest spaceship crew this side of the moon! Illustrator, cartoonist and
comic writer James Turner, and Yasmin Sheikh, an artist from the Netherlands,
return with the latest book in their wild, wacky and wonderful graphic novel
series. The Star Cat comic strip adventures – packed full of full of high jinks
and hilarity – were originally published in The Phoenix comic and as a graphic
novel in 2014, but have now been completely redrawn in a new chunky,
easy-to-read format. In the deepest depths of space, there is only one crew
brave enough to take on the universe’s most dangerous villains...
unfortunately, they aren’t available for this book so you’ll have to make do
with the crew of the Star Cat! Join Captain Spaceington and his team as they
blunder across the universe getting into all sorts of madcap escapades. After
destroying a highly advanced civilisation by littering, Robot One is taken to
meet his match… space unicorns, bursting with unbearable loveliness! What will
Robot One’s selfishness do to the galaxy’s sweetest creatures? Will he see the
error of his ways, will either unscathed and will you ever stop laughing at
what happens?! Packed with non-stop action and a host of out-of-this-world characters,
life on board the SS Star Cat is never dull! Expect light years of laughter, a
galaxy of giggles and a cabin full of cosmic comedy as you enjoy a space
adventure like no other!
(David Fickling Books, paperback, £9.99)
Age 7 plus
Bravepaw and the Clawstone of Rotwood Mire
L.M. Wilkinson and Lavanya Naidu
(Allen & Unwin, paperback, £7.99)
The Notwitches: Prison Break!
Gary Panton and Dotty Sutton
GET ready to be bewitched and beguiled by the second book in
a sparkling illustrated adventure series from the spellbinding team of author,
editor and doodler Gary Panton and talented new illustrator Dotty Sutton.
Brimming with magical moments, loathsome villains, unexpected heroes, and an
almost-talking cat called Rolo, The Notwitches has a big heart and all the
spirit and effervescence of Roald Dahl. Witchy sisters Melanda and Mitch Notwitch
are planning to break their parents out of the Dark and Horrible and Disgusting
Prison for Witches. But first, she and Mitch will have to find a way in. All
they need is a spell that will get them arrested. What could possibly go wrong?
Brought to life by Sutton’s gorgeously offbeat illustrations and exploring the
bonds of family and friendship, action, fun, adventure and larger-than-life
characters are guaranteed at every turn of the page!
(Chicken House, paperback, £7.99)
A First Book of Bugs
Simon Mole and Adam Ming
CREEP, crawl, slither and buzz your way through a host of
incredible bugs in this big, bold and riotous large-format poetry book from Simon
Mole, an acclaimed children’s writer, performer and National Poetry Day
ambassador who has over ten years of experience using poetry with children and
families. Perfectly partnered with Malaysian artist Adam Ming’s high-energy and
colourful illustrations, Mole’s thirty entertaining poems about insects and
minibeasts turn fascinating facts into verse full of humour, rich detail and
heart. Some have wings that shimmer bright, some live deep in the
earth, hidden from sight, some have a venomous, deadly bite... it's time to
meet the BUGS! Discover a secret world thriving right underneath your feet.
From exploding beetles to butterflies, and spiders to dancing scorpions, meet
the most bizarre and awe-inspiring bugs ever to walk on our planet! Find out
which bug fires scalding, toxic juice at its predator, which bug is barely the
size of a full stop, and which has fangs as big as a cheetah’s claws. And
discover why these little creatures are so important to life on Earth. With exciting illustrations that make the insects jump off
the page, packed with information that has been checked by zoologist and author
Nick Crumpton, and brought brilliantly to life by Mole’s gift for
spinning facts into fun and accessible poems, this is the insect kingdom in all
its incredible glory.
(Walker Books, hardback, £16.99)
A First Book of Dinosaurs
Simon Mole and Matt Hunt
AND what child can resist a dinosaur? Little ones will be
smiling and stomping along with this celebration of all things dinosaur as
Simon Mole brings us another large-format book crammed full of his exuberant
poems… all lavishly illustrated by Matt Hunt’s dynamic and colourful artwork. Welcome
to a world where it’s eat or be eaten, depending on how ferocious you are! Dinosaurs
are jaw-dropping creatures… some had lines of terrible teeth, some had claws as
long as swords, some had feathery peacock tails. From T-Rex to Triceratops,
Stegosaurus to Velociraptor, meet the most awe-inspiring creatures ever to walk
the Earth! Mole turns fascinating facts into over thirty free verse poems and
fragments, all full of humour and heart while Hunt’s magnificent illustrations
bring these prehistoric beasts thundering off the page. With dinosaurs of every
shape, and featured in all their larger-than-life glory, this book of simply
roarsome prehistoric beasts is guaranteed to be a winner!
(Walker Books, paperback, £12.99)
The Coming of the Iron Man
Ted Hughes and Mini Grey
THE Iron Man isn’t scary… he’s just very, very hungry!
Fifty-seven years after former Poet Laureate Ted Hughes’ classic children’s
book was first published, his unforgettable and heartwarming tale of an
unlikely friendship is back to delight a new generation of young readers… in a
landmark picture book format. This gorgeous abridged edition – packed with the gorgeous
illustrations of Kate Greenaway Medal-winning artist Mini Grey – brings to
atmospheric and colourful life the visionary tale of a little boy who
unexpectedly befriends and helps a metal-eating giant. When the Iron Man appears at the top of a cliff in England,
nobody knows how far he has walked, where he had come from or how he was made,
and it’s not until he starts chomping on fence posts and tractors that he comes
to the attention of angry farmers who trap him in a hole with the help of a
little boy called Hogarth. But Hogarth soon feels guilty that it was him who
had lured the Iron Man into a pit. And
when the Iron Man eventually burrows his way out of the ground, Hogarth comes
up with a new plan to stop him eating up the farms. It turns out that the scrap
yard, with its metal bedsteads, broken down cars and old cookers, is the
perfect home for a hungry Iron Man. Hughes, who died in 1998 after fourteen years as Poet
Laureate, was widely recognised as the most magnetic and brilliant writer of
his generation, penning many volumes of poetry and prose for both adults and
children, and The Iron Man remains one of his best-loved and most widely read
stories for young people.
(Faber Children’s Books, paperback, £7.99)
One Cat, Two Cats
Jonathan Emmett and Rob Hodgson
ONE cat, two cats, three cats, four. Five cats, six cats… how
many more? Lifting flaps, enjoying pop-ups and learning to count… the twenty
colourful and cavorting cats in this big, beautiful board book will keep little
hands busy, eyes on the move, and provide fun on every page! With a romping,
rhyming text from children’s author and novelty book designer Jonathan Emmett
and Rob Hodgson’s gallery of cute and characterful cat illustrations, this
joyful, laugh-out-loud counting picture book has plenty of child-appeal and cat-itude!
Sturdy flaps, bold artwork and surprising pop-ups reveal the funny felines in
lots of silly scenarios! Cat lovers young and old will love getting their paws
on this purrfect gift book!
(Nosy Crow, board book, £12.99)
Hangry
Kathryn Wanless and Fred Blunt
DO you know that feeling… when you’re SO hungry that it
makes you angry and, yes, turns you into a little bit of a monster?! Little
ones with rumbling tummies will laugh out loud at this hilarious and hectic rhyming
romp from debut author Kathryn Wanless and Aberystwyth-based illustrator Fred
Blunt. When Evangeline’s alarm clock shrieks, her tummy is empty and the day is
NOT off to a good start because Evangeline has turned into an angry monster and
she’s HANGRY! After breakfast, Evangeline is back to feeling right and skips
happily down the street. But, at school, as lunchtime looms near… yes, you
guessed it, she’s HANGRY! The afternoons are always lots of fun until, as she
leaves the playground and spots her Mum waiting, uh oh, she’s HANGRY… AGAIN!
When at last they make it home, things go from bad to worse. It turns out that
it’s not only Evangeline who is HANGRY! Can Evangeline and Mum work together to
banish the monsters and find the perfect snack before it’s too late? This
brilliantly bouncy story – packed with Blunt’s trademark bold, characterful and
comical illustrations – explores a very real experience for both children AND
grown-ups… being hungry brings out some big, sometimes confusing, and sometimes
angry feelings. So make yourselves comfy, grab a snack, and share and read
together… but be warned, there may be a HANGRY monster lurking inside of you
too!
(Templar Publishing, paperback, £7.99)
Feed your Monster!
Anna Milbourne and Anna Süßbauer
PLEASE look after this monster… it’s very hungry so make
sure you feed it well! What could be better than a playful, giggle-inducing
board book perfectly designed to rival dreaded screen-time and encourage a love
of books? Feed your Monster is the first title in Usborne Publishing’s exciting
and inventive Turn the Wheel series which features an embedded, easy-to-turn
wheel which appears on every double page spread for lots of interactive fun. Turn
the wheel to feed your monster… as you rotate the wheel, different silly food
options will appear on the page and the monster’s reaction changes. Tiny tots
will love feeding the funny monster to see its reaction to the different (and
very strange!) foods on offer. Laughter guaranteed and no screens required!
(Usborne Publishing, board book, £7.99)
I Find My First Words
Yayo Kawamura
EVERY day is a day of learning for babies and toddlers
setting out on the journey of life so what better than a clever, colourful and
playful book that turns everyday moments into fun-filled learning adventures! I
Find My First Words is the work of author, illustrator and designer Yayo
Kawamura who grew up in Tokyo but has lived in Berlin since the fall of the
Berlin Wall in 1989. Perfectly created for curious little explorers, this
chunky board book is ideal for little ones discovering the world around them and learning first words.
What should I wear today, what animals do I know at the zoo, who will I meet at
the playground, and what is for dinner? Every day is an adventure, whether at
home, kindergarten, or out and about. The book invites children to explore
their world, discover familiar objects from daily life, and learn their names
through playful interaction. Vibrant scenes from a range of locations including
the supermarket, doctor’s surgery, park, playground, bathroom and bedroom spark
children’s imaginations, encouraging them to create their own stories. Fun and
learning on every page!
(Little Gestalten, board book, £9.95)
No comments:
Post a Comment