Age 3 plus
The Boy Who Grew Dragons:
A Christmas Delivery
Andy Shepherd
and Sarah Warburton
ANDY Shepherd, author of the best-selling The Boy Who Grew
Dragons series, works her special brand of magic on a fabulously festive
picture book starring her two much-loved characters, Tomas and Lolli. Perfectly
created for a younger audience, and with gorgeous colour illustrations by the
talented Sarah Warburton, A Christmas Delivery really does deliver on charm,
warmth, humour and heart. Tomas and Lolli love Christmas and they’re not the
only ones! Their dragons love Christmas too but they have a habit of getting
into trouble. When a brand-new snow dragon hatches on Christmas Eve, she
unleashes a flurry of snow that transforms their dragon-growing garden into a
winter wonderland. It's all fun and snowball fights to start with... but there’s
one BIG downside. There’s now SO much snow that they won’t be able to deliver
the Christmas presents in time! Can Tomas, Lolli, Grandad and the dragons work
together to save Christmas? Shepherd’s writing has a special Christmas sparkle
in this cosy, chaotic and winter-warming adventure which celebrates family,
friendship and the joys of togetherness.
(Piccadilly Press, paperback, £7.99)
Tashi: 30th Anniversary Edition
Anna Fienberg, Barbara Fienberg
and Kim Gamble
FOR thirty years, a little adventurer called Tashi has been
delighting young children all over the world. And now this special, bumper
anniversary edition of the classic series, written by Australian mother and
daughter team Barbara and Anna Fienberg, and illustrated by another Australian,
Kim Gamble, is once more spreading the magic of Tashi. Our little hero is as
brave as he is clever, and he tells fabulous stories. Tashi escaped from a war
lord in a faraway place and flew in on the back of a swan and wished he could
find a friend just like Jack. In this, the first book of his daring adventures,
Tashi tells Jack about the time he tricked the last dragon of all. There are two
bonus short stories and the out-of-print classic Tashi and the Wicked Magician
to enjoy in this beautiful gift book, plus never-before-seen illustrations from
Gamble’s sketchbooks. Ideal for reading aloud, or for early readers to tackle
themselves, and with themes of friendship, family, magic, dragons and courage, Tashi
is on a mission to win over a whole new generation of fans!
(Allen & Unwin,
hardback, £12.99)
Where’s Stitch? Limited Christmas Edition
CAN you spot Stitch? Don’t miss out on all the fun packed
inside Disney’s simply marvellous Limited Christmas Edition of the Lilo &
Stitch search-and-find activity book featuring a brand new Christmas-themed
scene! Brought to life by stunning, full-colour original illustrations, this updated
Where's Stitch? activity book is available for a limited time only. Look for
Lilo’s mischievous alien pet in jam-packed scenes from the beaches of Kaua’I to
the Galactic Federation and back. And can you spot Stitch, Lilo and their
'Ohana friends amongst the Christmas festivities? Ideal for Marvel and Disney
fans young and old, this beautifully created search-and-find book guarantees
hours of entertainment!
(Studio Press, paperback, £7.99)
Hotel Flamingo: Frosty Fiesta
Alex Milway
JOIN Anna and her lovable animal friends for the fantastic
fifth adventure in screenwriter and author Alex Milway’s heartwarming Hotel
Flamingo series which has captured the imaginations of scores of young
children. Welcome to the snowiest hotel in town! Winter has arrived at Hotel
Flamingo, the snow is falling heavily and while it’s usually a quiet time of
year for Anna and her animal hotel, this year is shaping up a little
differently. The hotel is full of guests taking part in the Winter White-out
Games, from penguins to polar bears to snowboarding rabbits. On top of this,
long-term hotel resident Mrs Turpington is preparing for her winter hibernation
along with her fellow hibernating animals, and is expecting a party to be held
for them. But can it go ahead when Hotel Flamingo is snowed in? Anna and her
team will have to pull out all the stops to host the most magical frosty fiesta
that Animal Boulevard has ever seen! Maybe less sun doesn’t mean less fun after
all! Ideal as a first chapter book for new readers and full of Milway’s vibrant
two-tone illustrations, this wild and wonderful, snow-sprinkled story is a
perfect ‘warm-up’ for the Christmas season!
(Piccadilly Press, paperback, £7.99)
Spin a Story
Written by Mara Alperin and various authors and illustrated by Mariona Cabassa
SPIN, choose and discover! This gorgeously illustrated
non-fiction adventure children’s gift book puts youngsters in charge of
storytime with the simple twirl of a spinner. Enjoy true tales told in
wonderful ways… and a new adventure each time you open the colourful Spin a
Story. Twirl the spinner on the cover to land on one of four categories… Explore,
Wonder, Laugh and Ooh! Pick a true tale within that category then read and relish
a real-life tale. Then spin again to choose your next adventure. Land on green
and choose from one of the Explore tales which includes red crab migration on
Christmas Island and the best place to holiday in space. Spin to yellow for Wonder
and be amazed by polar lights, coral reefs, and more. Twirl to orange for Laugh
and have a giggle over the dinosaur riddle, discover how to tell a funny joke
and find out about weird uses of wee. Then turn to blue for Ooh! And find surprising
tales about slime, robots, talking plants, rocks that play music, and the
reasons why kids are better than grown-ups. When you’re in charge, it’s double
the fun!
(Red Shed, hardback, £14.99)
Fairy Shopping
Sally Gardner
YOUNG hearts will be stolen by this timeless, enchanting and
heartwarming tale about shopping with the fairies in Silverbell Street, a
beautifully detailed and nostalgic world. Fairy Shopping is a classic picture
book from Costa and Carnegie-winning author and illustrator Sally Gardner and
has been updated and modernised for a new generation of young readers. In
Silverbell Street the shops are always open… if you believe in fairies. You can
buy a cloak of invisibility or magic lamp, an umbrella that will transport you
to the stars, eat flying fairy cakes at the Foxglove Restaurant, or join the
fairies as they try on sparkly new dancing shoes and ball gowns. Familiar
giants, fairies and witches will encourage children to find characters hidden
in the illustrations. The perfect gift book for all lovers of fairyland!
(Zephyr, paperback, £7.99)
To Activate Space Portal Lift Here
Antoinette Portis
BEWARE! This book is an interstellar portal… and the aliens
inside want to get to know you! Young imaginations will be taking flight when
they open the pages of author and illustrator Antoinette Portis’s delightfully
interactive picture book which lets children immerse themselves in all the
drama of an alien encounter. So before you lift the cover, be sure you’re ready
to meet Zrk and Blrg. They’re not so different from you… but to them, you’re
the alien! After their initial shock at seeing you through the portal, they are
eager to see what kind of teeth you have, compare home planets, and maybe team
up for a prank. You met as aliens but by the time the portal closes, maybe you’ll
be friends. Budding galactic explorers will love this fresh and playful book which
is packed with Portis’s bright lines and bold colours, all paired perfectly
with humour that also offers a subtle message about the concepts of
‘strangeness’ and acceptance. Whether for bedtime or circle time, this is a
portal you’ll want to open!
(Scallywag Press, hardback, £12.99)
Age 4 plus
Have Yourself a Cheesy Little Christmas
Jory John and Pete Oswald
(HarperCollins, hardback, £12.99)
The Humble Pie
Jory John and Pete Oswald
AND enjoy more food for thought as Jory John and Pete Oswald
dish up more of their clever and comical life lessons in The Humble Pie, another
of their tasty romps in the Food Group series. The Humble Pie likes to give
others the spotlight. Aw, shucks, they deserve it! But when he’s paired with
his best friend, Jake the Cake, for a school project, he soon realises that
staying in the shadows isn’t always as sweet as pie. Readers of all ages will
laugh along as their new pie pal discovers that letting your voice be heard
always takes the cake! Empowering, witty and packed full of wisdom, this super
slice of home truths shows youngsters that it’s possible to be humble… and
still show the world who you are and what you can do!
(HarperCollins, paperback, £7.99)
Can You Spot? Wintertime
Kirsteen Robson and Gareth Lucas
TEST your spotting skills with this interactive search book featuring winter scenes with snowboarding squirrels and ice skating penguins. Find a snowboarding squirrel, a fox on a gift box and a slipper-skating penguin then look for the little white mouse hiding in every scene.
The pages are packed
with all kinds of animals and objects to spot, match and count. A simple text
and picture prompts the searches and there are plenty more delightful details
to find and talk about. A wintertime fun book… and the perfect warm-up for
Christmas!
(Usborne Publishing, paperback, £5.99)
The Little Prince Jigsaw Book
Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, Louise Greig and Sarah Massini
FIRST published in France in 1943, Antoine de
Saint-Exupéry’s tender and magical fable about love, friendship and adventure
would become a classic across the world. The Little Prince was written by Saint-Exupéry
while he was exiled in the United States from occupied France and just a year
later, he disappeared over the Mediterranean while flying a reconnaissance
mission for his French air squadron. The charming story, which features an
extraordinary space-traveller on a journey through the stars, has been adapted
as both a picture book, and now an illustrated jigsaw book, for a new
generation of young readers by award-winning poet Louise Greig and critically
acclaimed illustrator Sarah Massini. The six 12-piece jigsaw puzzles – which
are embedded in the pages and can be played with time and time again – bring
iconic scenes from the story to life and will enchant and entertain young
readers.
(Farshore, board book, £14.99)
The Street Where Santa Lives
Harriet Howe and Julia Christians
EXCITING new writing talent Harriet Howe, and German
illustrator Julia Christians, celebrate the joy of community and the magic of
Christmas with a picture book that is guaranteed to touch the heart of every
reader. When an old man moves in next door, everyone is too busy to notice,
except one little girl. He’s got a white beard and a round tummy, and is very
handy at repairing toys in his workshop… he must be Santa Claus! When the old
man becomes unwell, the little girl hatches a plan to rally the whole street
together to look after Santa. But will he be better in time for Christmas Eve?
This playful, festive story sensitively explores the theme of looking out for
the elderly, especially during the holiday season. With Christians’ beautiful,
cosy illustrations and Howe’s gently humorous text, this heartwarming Christmas
tale of imagination, kindness and wonder has all the hallmarks of a
contemporary classic and will be treasured by all the family.
(Little Tiger Press, hardback, £12.99)
Sparkly Santa Sticker Book
Alice Beecham and Kathrin Fehrl
PUT sparkle into your children’s advent season with this super Santa sticker book. Join Santa as he prepares for the big night, checks his list, loads up his sleigh with the help of his elves, and flies all around the world with his trusty reindeer to deliver all the presents. And along the way, add a little magic to the enchanting scenes with over 160 sparkly stickers. Christmas magic at your fingertips! (Usborne Publishing, paperback, £6.99)
The Littlest Christmas Tree
Jane Chapman
BIG bear hugs all round in this gorgeous Christmas picture
book from star author and illustrator Jane Chapman who works her special (and
adorable!) magic on a cosy and cuddly tale with family love and subtle
environmental messages at its warm heart. It’s almost Christmas, and all the
animals are out in the wood to pick the perfect tree. ‘Ours is little, just
like me!’ beams Cubby. Carefully, she and Daddy dig up the tree, put it in a
pot and take it home. Cubby quickly grows very attached to Little Tree. She
sings it songs and reads it stories, and on Christmas Day there’s one last
present... a bright red ribbon to go round Little Tree’s pot. But when
Christmas is over, and Little Tree has to go outside, Cubby is so sad! Luckily,
Daddy has the perfect solution... Little Tree will live right outside in the
garden until next winter, when the Christmas magic can start all over again.
Chapman’s beautiful illustrations add extra charm and piquancy to her
inspirational story which celebrates the joys that come from the natural world
and the important lessons that can be found in everyday family life.
(Little Tiger Press, paperback, £7.99)
Santa Story Jigsaw Book
Sam Taplin and Violeta Dabija
BRING the magical story of Santa’s Christmas Eve to life with this inventive board book featuring three nine-piece jigsaws. Follow Santa and his exciting list of jobs as he gets ready for the most magical night of the year.
Packed with charming details to spot, each snowy double-page scene
also houses a jigsaw which can be taken out for little children to complete.
The finished puzzles can then be slotted snugly back into the book for
safekeeping. The perfect way to shape up for Christmas!
(Usborne Publishing, board book, £8.99)
The Gruffalo’s Child Activity Book
Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler
IF you go down to the deep dark wood… you’re in for some
Gruffalo fun! Little ones will love meeting up with all their favourite
characters, from the fearless Gruffalo’s Child to the mysterious Big Bad Mouse,
in this special festive sticker book with activities that are perfect for
pre-school children. This magical Christmas activity book contains over 100
stickers and for every copy purchased, 50p is donated by Macmillan Children’s
Books to the National Literacy Trust. Featuring games and puzzles, colouring, spot
the difference, and search-and-find, the activities have been carefully
designed for children aged three and over, making it the perfect Christmas gift
for all Gruffalo fans.
(Macmillan Children’s Books, paperback, £7.99)
I Did See a Yeti!
Alex Willmore
IF you enjoyed the delicious slapstick humour and gigglesome
twist in Alex Willmore’s I Did See a Mammoth! winner of the Laugh Out Loud Book
Awards 2024, this hilarious snow-sprinkled follow-up will have you giggling
from start to finish! Readers can expect the unexpected when a young Antarctic
explorer, who is supposed to be studying a family of (distinctly unextinct)
mammoths, discovers a group of… yetis?! There are tall yetis, short yetis, cool
yetis, yetis in sandals, and even a band of musical yetis. But will anyone
believe it? I mean, would YOU? If you thought the wonderful I Did See a Mammoth!
was off-the-scale funny, then you ain’t seen nothing yeti…
(Farshore, paperback, £7.99)
The Magical Orchestra
Lauren Crisp and Ella Hobbis
‘Shhh – listen! Can you hear something? Could it be…?’
‘Just
what is going on?’ ‘It’s the world-famous forest orchestra!’
EXPLORE the magic
of a classical orchestra with this beautiful picture book, which come complete
with twenty marvellous musical instrument sounds. Deep in the forest, magical
notes float on the air! A wise hare and a curious little rabbit are bounding
through the forest when they discover an orchestra... its players are an array
of magnificent woodland creatures. The musicians are warming up for a very
special performance, and it’s going to be a night to remember. Listen in on
rehearsals by pressing the sound buttons on every spread and discover the
wonders of a classical orchestra. This interactive first introduction to the
orchestra, beautifully illustrated by the talented Ella Hobbis, encourages both
interactive learning and musical development. Perfect for little musicians and
woodland animal lovers!
(Little Tiger Press, hardback, £16.99)
Noisy Christmas
My First Touch and Feel Sound Book
HERE'S a bold and colourful touch-and-feel sound book that
will bring all the joy of Christmas for babies, toddlers... and their parents!
Enjoy watching little faces light up when they press the sounds button on every
page in this interactive, chunky board book, packed with the exciting scenes
and symbols of Christmas. Ring the bell, press the star on the Christmas tree,
give Santa’s sleigh a push, and rub the teddy bear’s tummy to wish everyone a
merry Christmas! Perfectly created to improve hand-eye co-ordination, encourage
speech and inspire a love of reading, the book is ideal for sharing and helping
your child to explore the wonder of Christmas.
(Little Tiger Press, board book, £14.99)
The Twelve Days of Christmas
Brian Wildsmith
FIRST published in 1972, acclaimed illustrator Brian Wildmith’s classic picture book featuring the much-loved Christmas song, The Twelve Days of Christmas, has been republished in this beautiful paperback edition.
The festive favourite, with a stunning cover design, is made truly
magical in the masterful hands of the legendary Wildsmith. With gorgeous
artwork to accompany the words of one of our best-loved songs, this is a
wonderful festive treat to share with youngsters and deserves a spot under
every Christmas tree.
(Oxford University Press, paperback, £7.99)
Slide and Peek Santa
Hector Dexet
CAN you guess what Christmas gifts Santa has brought for the
animals? Pull the tabs to help unwrap the presents with this festive board book
which includes easy-to-use sliders, perfectly created for little hands to
reveal the surprises on every page. Santa has been busier than ever this year and
has loaded his sleigh with presents for all the animals. Reveal the perfect
gifts he has brought with a pull-tab on every page… cosy socks for the spider,
snug pyjamas for the crocodile, a speedy sled for the penguin and a charming
hat for the ladybird! But did he forget anyone? French author and illustrator
Hector Dexet’s captivating artwork is guaranteed to win the hearts of readers
young… and not so young!
(Post Wave, board book, £7.99)
Reindeer, Reindeer What Can You See?
Dee Costello and Pintachan
LITTLE ones will be flying high when they get their hands –
and eyes – on this lift-the-flap, mirror board book starring Santa’s trusty
reindeer. Reindeer! Reindeer! What can you see? Under the tree, who could it
be? Lift the chunky flaps to help the cute reindeer discover who and what is
hiding underneath and reveal a polar bear, a cheeky elf, a snowman and Santa
himself! With a mirror surprise under the final flap, and the colourful
illustrations of Spanish artist Pintachan, this super seek-and-find book is
perfect for sharing with the very youngest readers at Christmas.
(Little Tiger Press, board book, £7.99)
Jingle Bells Sound Book
Sam Taplin and Federica Iossa
LITTLE children will enjoy hearing all the different
Christmas sounds and tunes as they press the pages of this beautifully
illustrated book. From Jingle Bells and Ding Dong Merrily On High to Deck the
Halls and Happy New Year, there are joyful sounds on every page. Featuring
Santa, Christmas carols and lots of festive fun, Usborne’s magical sound book
invites young readers to step into a snowy landscape where all the animals are
getting ready for the big day. On each double-page spread there is a classic
carol or song to hear, as well as a festive sound effect. From Santa soaring
into the night sky to a brass band playing Christmas tunes, this book is a
perfect way for the family’s very youngest members to relish all the excitement
and magic of the season.
(Usborne Publishing, board book, £12.99)
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