Age 9 plus
The Last Bard
Maz Evans
ALL'S well that ends well as superstar children’s writer Maz
Evans – bestselling author of the Who Let the Gods Out and Oh Maya Gods! series
– is back to stage one of her most entertaining stories yet with Shakespeare’s last
living relative taking the lead role. The Last Bard is a brilliant standalone novel inspired by
the works of England’s greatest ever playwright and poet, and introducing children
to some of his most famous heroes in a veritable feast of adventure, comedy,
memorable Shakespearean quotes, and Evans’ signature heartfelt storytelling. Meet Will Davenant, a boy who has known more tragedy than
laughter. But in an unexpected twist, he inherits his grandfather’s copy of The
Complete Works of Shakespeare – and makes a surprising discovery. As the last
living relative of William Shakespeare himself, Will can summon the Bard’s
heroes from the pages… and that includes the murderous Lady Macbeth, Juliet
(without her Romeo), Yorick the mournful skull, and a mischievous Puck. And
now, with his late grandfather’s home under threat, Will, the new friends who
have turned his life around, and Ani from next door must fight for their future
in a comedy of errors. Can love’s labours win, or will it all be much ado about
nothing? Youngsters will love spending time and sharing adventures,
comedy and drama with the Bard’s immortal characters and a plucky boy fighting
for his family’s future as Evans works her own special storytelling genius on a
brilliantly imagined and heartwarming celebration of Shakespeare’s iconic
plays. An unmissable gift book that puts the Bard where he belongs… at centre
stage!
(Chicken House, hardback, £12.99)
Hansel and Gretel
Stephen King and Maurice Sendak
TAKE the dark and inventive imagination of legendary ‘King
of Horror’ author Stephen King, the stunning artwork of award-winning author
and illustrator Maurice Sendak, and the perennially popular story of Hansel and
Gretel, and what do you have? A thrilling rendition of what Sendak called ‘the
most profound of all Grimm fairy tales’ and a surefire classic for all
discerning collectors. Pairing the two titans of literature together for the first
time, this glorious picture book features King’s reimagining of the late
illustrator Sendak’s beautiful opera set and costume designs for the
Humperdinck opera based on Hansel and Gretel. The result is a thrilling book
brimming with the menace and haunting atmospherics of Sendak’s artwork and a
story which King sees as having ‘a sunny exterior’ but ‘a dark and terrible
centre’ with two brave and resourceful children taking centre stage. So open the pages, follow the children who are lost in an
eerie and dangerous forest then see if you can find your way out again. This daring
picture book package comes in a stunning, high-quality hardback with jacket, includes
a personal introduction from King, and has been created in close collaboration
with the Maurice Sendak Foundation. The perfect gift for fans of two literary
giants… and all lovers of nightmarish fairy tales!
(Hodder Children’s Books, hardback, £20)
Age 11 plus
The Night House Files: The Wintermoor Lights
Dan Smith and Luke Brookes
(Barrington Stoke, paperback, £7.99)
The Girl Who Raced the World
Nat Harrison
ROLL up, roll up, roll up… and collect a ticket to race
around the world by steamship, locomotive, and even an ice sled, on a non-stop,
heart-thumping adventure! The Girl Who Raced the World – a page-turning
retelling of Jules Verne’s classic Around the World in Eighty Days – is the
dazzling debut novel of the much-travelled Nat Harrison whose life began on the
tiny island of Ascension in the South Atlantic Ocean. Packed with high-stakes action, peril, intrigue and a big
helping of fun, Harrison’s thriller takes us back to 1872 where we meet
eleven-year-old Maggie Appleton whose beloved mother has died leaving her with
nothing but a letter for a mysterious stranger called Passepartout. With
nowhere else to turn, Maggie seeks out Passepartout and, in doing so, is drawn
into an adventure beyond her wildest dreams. Together with Passepartout’s
employer, the enigmatic Mr Phileas Fogg, Maggie journeys to Italy, India, Hong
Kong, Japan and America in a daring race against time to win the wager Mr Fogg
has accepted. But with a bank robber on the loose, an angry Inspector on their
tail, and unread secrets in her mother’s letter, Maggie soon discovers that
there is much more at stake than keeping on schedule to win the bet. Who can
she really trust… and will she ever find out where she truly belongs? With a cast of larger-than-life characters, some familiar
from the original and others giving the famous Mr Fogg a run for his money,
this timeless tale of travel, treachery and trust is a must-read for readers
young… and not-so-young!
(Piccadilly Press, hardback, £12.99)
The Big Bad Wolf Murder
P.G. Bell and George Ermos
YOU'RE never too young to enjoy cosy crime so join master storyteller P.G. Bell – the Welsh author who conjured up the award-winning The Train to Impossible Places series – as he blends fairytale magic with murder mystery in a wonderfully wild and wolfish adventure. The Big Bad Wolf Murder is Bell’s second standalone fairytale-inspired whodunit murder mystery starring a wonderfully quirky cast of characters and an all-action plot full of epic chases, gangsters, brawls… and sporting rivalry turned deadly. The Big Bad Wolf is dead… and what's worse is he was murdered! Alarick was a sporting superstar, top wolf in the Tooth & Claw games and when he drops dead in the middle of the championship game against the Reds, it’s a huge scandal. When his rival, Ruby of the Reds, realises she has been framed for the crime, she goes on the run, determined to clear her name. But with a dogged detective, a wolf assassin and a gangster granny on her tail, she’s going to need more than a little help from her new wolf-cub friend Fillan. Only her Tooth & Claw skills will help her evade capture and nail the real murderer. Bell lets his imagination take flight as he plunges us into a thrilling, atmospheric and world-building crime romp, illustrated by George Ermos and with all those favourite mystery ingredients… lashings of danger, oodles of intrigue, lots of laugh-out-loud fun, and unexpected twists and turns to keep YOU guessing and the pages turning!
(Usborne Publishing, paperback, £7.99)
The Incredible Pop-up Frog
Ben Hoare and Jasmine Floyd
DISCOVER a dazzling treasure trove of frogs and wetland
creatures in this spectacular, deluxe pop-up book written by award-winning
wildlife journalist and self-confessed nature nerd Ben Hoare and illustrated in
striking colour and texture by rising star Jasmine Floyd. Home to pond skaters and platypuses, and kingfishers and
crocodiles, wetlands are among the richest habitats on our planet and a crucial
home to some of the world's most endangered species. Bursting with frogs and
other amphibians, as well as a whole host of other wildlife, wetlands are
dazzling havens of activity and just waiting to be explored. Packed with
multi-layered pop-ups and flaps to lift, The Incredible Pop-up Frog takes a
close-up look at these fascinating creatures. The incredible feat of
paper-engineering allows young readers to look inside three wetland habitats,
revealing wonder after wonder, page after page. From the surface of the water,
where bugs skate, spiders hunt and flowers spread their petals, to the murky
depths, where myriad creatures fight for survival, this book takes readers on a
tour of some of the richest habitats on our planet and reveals the true beauty
of frogs, amphibians and the wildlife they live alongside. Readers aged from seven
to one hundred will love taking the plunge!
(Templar Books, hardback, £25)
Raising the Roof!
Jack Pepper and Michele Bruttomesso
MUSIC maestro, please! Twenty-six-year-old Jack Pepper, one
of the UK’s youngest commissioned composers and youngest-ever national radio
presenters, hits all the right notes in this cool, clever and captivating
introduction to classical music. Youngsters will love tuning in to the spectacular world of
classical music and its colourful characters when they turn the pages of this
brilliant interactive book which comes packed with learning, discovery and
marvellous music-making, and is brought to life by Italian artist Michele
Bruttomesso’s joyful and energetic illustrations. Take a tour of musical history, and learn your timbre from
your tempo, your tuba from your cello and your symphony from your concerto. Rub
shoulders with twenty great composers – including Bach, Beethoven and child
prodigy Mozart – meet American pioneer Florence Price, trailblazers like Barbara
Strozzi and Joseph Bologne, film score composer Hans Zimmer and video game
composer Nobuo Uematsu and find out what it really takes to write a timeless
classical hit. And you can listen as you read by using the playlist inside
which covers over 40 classical pieces spanning one thousand years of music. And
explore how the story doesn’t stop here as classical continues to influence
music today and future sounds. Informal, amusing and written with Pepper’s infectious
enthusiasm, this book is sure to inspire the budding composer in every reader
and open up the dazzling world of music to new fans.
(Templar Books, paperback, £10.99)
The Mubbles: When Berry Met Terry
Liz Pichon
BE warned… this book is seriously funny! Put some added
colour, fun and sheer unadulterated joy into your autumn with The Mubbles: When
Berry Met Terry, the second book in an outrageously entertaining graphic novel
series from the multi-talented Liz Pichon, bestselling creator of the global
phenomenon Tom Gates books. Youngsters – and their parents – will be laughing all the
way on a welcome return trip to the Isle of Smile, a beautiful island that runs
on sun, wind and flower power, and is home to the colourful, fun-loving Mubbles…
Berry, Dash, Cheery and the gang. The Mubbles love their island, especially the
mysterious Uncertain Curtain which always delivers an unexpected surprise. What
will it be today? Today the Uncertain Curtain delivers Terry, a very cute but
very naughty dog! Berry is delighted to finally have a friend to play with but
Terry soon causes a lot of chaos on the Isle of Smile. Will Terry have to leave
early or can Berry’s furry plan save the day? Packed full of colourful characters, boundless fun and lots
of adventures, this is the ideal series for youngsters who like their stories
to come with bags of eye-catching artwork. Add on a QR code that takes you to a
website packed with extra content, including arts and crafts and many fun songs
from The Mubbles world, and the result is a fabulous, all-singing, all-dancing
book of laughter!
(Macmillan Children’s Books, hardback, £9.99)
Jack-Jack, A Dog with a Job
Ben Garrod and Charli Vince
ENJOY a dog’s-eye-view of his amazing world in the fourth and final book of delightfully cute and funny fiction series written by Ben Garrod, Professor of Evolutionary Biology and Science Engagement at the University of East Anglia. Garrod was inspired to pen The Adventures of a Dog Called Jack-Jack books after filming the hit BBC2 series, Baby Chimp Rescue in Africa, falling in love with Jack, and bringing him back to the UK where the two are now inseparable. So meet Jack-Jack who is not just any old dog... he’s the world’s coolest dog and used to look after orphaned chimpanzees in Africa until his owner Ben flew him thousands of miles away to live in the ‘Yookay.’ Now every day is full of adventure although Jack-Jack is never just along for the ride. And after his pretty special job in Africa, super-clever Jack-Jack is now heading off for some varied work experience to try out the different jobs a dog can do. But is he barking up the wrong tree as he sets out to find the perfect job for him? He tries his paw at police dog training, herding runaway sheep, at search and rescue… until he finally finds a job that fits and it’s much closer to home than he had expected! With short chapters narrated by Jack-Jack himself, the richly detailed and fun-filled black and white illustrations of Charli Vince on every page, this very special dog’s adventures and misadventures cannot help but win the hearts of all young (and old!) animal lovers!
(Zephyr, paperback, £7.99)
Age 5 plus
A Wild Child’s Guide to Nature at Night
Dara McAnulty and Barry Falls
(Macmillan Children’s Books, hardback, £14.99)
Fold-Out + Play: Doll’s House
Ingela P Arrhenius
SOME books offer so much ingenious fun that you want to take
them with you wherever you go! Creative artist Ingela P Arrhenius, who lives in
Stockholm, has collaborated with several toy producers around the world and now
she has turned her talents to a fantastic fold-out book which effortlessly
transforms into a stylish 3D doll’s house that children can explore and play
with time and time again. Inside the enticing, child-friendly package are stand-up animal
characters to bring to life, pieces of press-out furniture to build, and
colourful stickers which youngsters can use to decorate the house. Children
will love making the kitchen, bathroom, living room and bedroom and then enjoying
hours of play with their own customised doll’s house. Designed with Arrhenius’ signature retro style, typography
and colour, this delightful Fold-out + Play Doll's House is perfect for
on-the-go playtime or for those with limited space as all the press-out pieces
can be stored away in the sturdy drawer attached so they are always ready for
play wherever travels take you. With its self-contained format, an instruction sheet and QR
code with assembly videos to help build the house, this is the perfect gift
book to inspire independent, imaginative play and provide hours of
entertainment.
(Nosy Crow, board book, £20)
Over the Rainbow Bridge
Noel Fitzpatrick and Alison Brown
LOVE is forever… Noel Fitzpatrick, best known to one and all
as the nation’s favourite TV Supervet, pulls on heartstrings with his debut
picture book, Over the Rainbow Bridge, a moving and beautiful exploration of a
friendship that last a lifetime. Fitzpatrick is a world leading
orthopaedic-neuro veterinary surgeon, admired for his compassionate and
innovative work treating companion animals and, in this heartfelt story about family
loss and the power of love, his words are paired with the emotionally powerful
illustrations of the talented Alison Brown. Sam loved Dog and Dog loved Sam.
They spoke without words and dreamed big dreams side by side in the sunbeams.
Sam thinks they will go on adventures together forever. Then the time comes for
Dog to go over the Rainbow Bridge. By remembering their happy times together,
Sam faces sadness but finds joy again… and understands that Dog’s love and
friendship are gifts that last forever. A simply stunning celebration of the
eternal dog and human bonds.
(Gallery Kids, paperback, £7.99)
The Wild Robot On The Island
Peter Brown
WHAT happens when the natural world collides with
technology? Bestselling author and illustrator Peter Brown’s heartfelt novel,
The Wild Robot, has become a modern classic since it was first published in
2016. Described by one critic as a ‘fable for our age,’ the story has been
adapted as a major DreamWorks animation film starring Lupita Nyong’o, Pedro Pascal
and Kit Connor. And now little ones can venture into robot Roz’s wild world in
this gorgeously illustrated picture book that brings to colourful life all the
adventures in Brown’s much-loved book. Roz is not where she's supposed to be,
she wasn’t designed to live in the wilderness. But when she washes up on a
remote island, Roz must learn from the animal inhabitants and adapt to her new,
natural surroundings. And before long, the seasons change and the island begins
to feel like home. Filled with Brown's stunning artwork, this moving picture
book – which gently explores important themes like caring for the environment,
motherhood and technology – is the perfect gift for readers new to the modern
classic or for long-time fans of the series that sparked a global phenomenon.
An unmissable tale of our times!
(Piccadilly Press, paperback, £7.99)
Glow
Nicola Edwards and Sophie Ledesma
LIGHT up the darkness with a little firefly who has lost his glow in a brilliant sound and light novelty board book from the clever creators at Little Tiger Press.‘Moon’s glow is so bold, she lights up the night! I'm supposed to shine too, but I don’t know how...’ Firefly wants to glow like the moon, shine bright like the lighthouse and shimmer like the jellyfish, but he just doesn't know how. Little ones will love joining him on his adventures across land, sky and sea as he travels the world… only to discover his shine was hiding in plain sight all along! With a heartwarming text by Nicola Edwards and illustrated with the bold and adorably atmospheric artwork of Sophie Ledesma, this quirky, light-up sound book delivers an empowering message about believing in yourself and is perfect reading to soothe and calm little ones at naptime or bedtime.
(Little Tiger Press, board book, £12.99)
Disney Stitch: Five Little Aliens
Sian Bowman
‘Five little aliens flew off one night, Across the galaxy of stars so bright. Cousin Stitch said, ‘Get back to base!’ How many aliens are left to chase?’
JOIN Stitch and his cousins as they blast through the galaxy on
a hide-and-seek mission in this colourful this lift-the-flap book from Disney.
There's so much to see and do, with planets to visit and spaceships to fly, as
well as familiar faces to spot. But wait… the aliens are disappearing one by
one until they reach a planet called Ee-arth. Based on the nursery rhyme Five
Little Ducks, this interactive book is perfect for sharing with Stitch’s
youngest fans. Simply lift the flaps to find the aliens and discover a
delicious surprise at the end.
(Studio Press, paperback, £7.99)
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