CHILDREN'S BOOKS: Sky-high success, celestial poems and summer loving

Enhance every aspect of your life alongside sporting role models, discover the vast and beautiful poetry of the universe, enjoy a sun-drenched romance in the spectacular city of Rome, and find out what happens when you wake a monster in a loch with a dazzling July selection 

Age 9 plus
Shoot for the Stars
Danielle Brown, Jayde Perkin and Filigrana de Ideas

SPORT isn’t just about winning medals… it’s also about using it to enhance every aspect of your life.  And nobody knows that better than disabled athlete and children’s author, Danielle Brown, who thought her enjoyment of sport was over when she was diagnosed, aged eleven, with a painful and debilitating neurological condition, but went on to become a double Paralympic gold medallist in archery and a five times World Champion. She also became the first disabled athlete to represent England – and win gold – in an able-bodied category at the 2010 Commonwealth Games. Harnessing her own personal experiences and those of other inspiring athletes, Brown has produced a big-hearted and empowering handbook about sport, confidence and self-belief, offering hesitant youngsters relatable role models and a fresh perfective on sport… and life.

Shoot for the Stars gives practical examples of how to overcome obstacles that sometimes keep girls from achieving sporting success, move past criticism, break through limiting stereotypes and find the courage to dig deep and discover sporting success on their own terms… whether you’re a seasoned pro, starting out or just want to have fun. Packed with quizzes, team talks, advice from sporting champions, and all kinds of tips and tricks, this interactive handbook – illustrated by Jayde Perkin and Filigrana de Ideas – will have budding young sports hopefuls covered for every sporting situation by offering reassurance and providing the confidence to strike out and live your best your life!
(Little Tiger Press, paperback, £12.99)

Age 9 plus
Space: Royal Observatory Greenwich Poetry Book
Gaby Morgan

‘Look at the stars! Look, look up at the skies!
O look at all the fire-folk sitting in the air!’

DISCOVER the vast poetry of the universe with this celestial collection of poems about space, published to celebrate the 350th anniversary of the Royal Observatory Greenwich, the world’s most renowned astronomical site. Illustrated throughout with photographs from the observatory collection, this beautiful, hardback anthology features poems about astronomy, astronomers, planets, stars, and our constantly evolving understanding of the universe and space phenomena. Space has been compiled by Gaby Morgan, an Associate Publisher at Macmillan Children’s Books who has run the children's poetry list for thirty years and put together many bestselling anthologies. Filled with classic poems from the likes of Homer, Shakespeare, William Wordsworth and Walt Whitman, right up to the present day, including specially commissioned poetry from Nikita Gill, Brian Patten, Nicola Davies, Dom Conlon and David Harmer, these are poems inspired by the cosmos and will delight stargazers young and old.
(Macmillan Children’s Books, hardback, £14.99)

Age 12 plus
Livia in Rome
Bruna De Luca

IF your tweens are ready for a little love this summer, then look no further than this sun-drenched, ‘clean tween’ romance in one of the world’s most beautiful, spectacular and truly romantic cities. Livia in Rome comes from Scottish-Italian author, Bruna De Luca, who draws on her own experiences of growing up as a third culture ‘Scotalian’ kid. Could Rome be where the heart is? Sixteen-year-old Scottish-Italian Livia feels like an outsider, spending the summer in her grandmother’s bar in Rome. Smug local boy Giulio works there too, and quickly becomes Livia’s nemesis. She is not going to be the cliché foreign girl who has a summer romance. But as Livia navigates family drama, new-found friendships… and Giulio, she starts to see the city – and herself – in a new light. Think ice cream dates, gorgeous Italian boys and sightseeing on a Vespa… summer romance doesn’t get better than this!
(Chicken House, paperback, £8.99)

Age 9 plus
Rayleigh Mann and the Quest of Misfits
Ciannon Smart

WELCOME back to a monstrously exciting fantasy world where the bad guys are really the good guys! Rayleigh Mann and the Quest of Misfits is the thrilling sequel to Ciannon Smart’s Rayleigh Mann in the Company of Monsters. Smart’s love of her Caribbean heritage and its myths, and growing up in London, inspire her action tales of magic, monsters and humour so head off to Below London where causing a ruckus is the best thing you can do! A lot has changed for Rayleigh Mann in the last few months. On the previous All Hallow’s Eve, Rayleigh was just a regular boy… or he thought he was. Now, Rayleigh has embraced his monster heritage, passed all the tests to stay in Below London with the rest of monster society, and even saved his father – the Bogey Mann – from the notorious Illustrious Society. But his adventures are far from over. With the return of the Imposter and the Illustrious Three, Below London is on edge, waiting for the other shoe to drop. Since Rayleigh’s own actions foiled the Illustrious Three’s sinister plot last time, he’s supposed to be staying far away from trouble. But as strange shadows start to reach out to him for help and clues begin to fall into place, Rayleigh and his new friends find themselves embroiled in a mysterious treasure hunt to prevent Below London from falling into chaos… and not the good kind this time. With good guys, some seriously scary bad guys, and a dark and thrilling fantasy world that will appeal to all young adventurers, the escapades of Rayleigh Mann and his monsters make for dangerously exciting reading!
(Piccadilly Press, paperback, £7.99)

Age 8 plus
Mission: Monster Mind
Philip Kavvadias and Euan Cook

WHAT happens when you wake a monster in a loch? The answer lies in the third book of a brilliantly funny series from exciting debut author Philip Kavvadias who is not just passionate about getting boys reading, but actually knows how to do it! Billed as Jurassic Park meets Wimpy Kid, these seemingly mission impossible adventures are packed full of humour, action and suspense – the perfect ingredients for reluctant readers – and feature two twelve-year-old boys and their ‘rescue pet,’ a tiny flying dinosaur. Good friends and RAPTOR junior agents Finn, Milo and Tasi are dispatched to Scotland, along with young hacker Ether and Arty the microraptor, to recover stolen technology that could plunge the world into chaos. It’s their most nail-biting mission yet… and that’s even before they wake the monster from the deep! There are lots of laugh-out-loud moments to enjoy from first page to last in this high-tech, fast-paced, and drama-filled adventure which has themes of environment, technology and villainous mind-control at its heart, and explores the joys of friendship and some real-life survival skills. A brilliant adventure reading package perfectly topped off by the atmospheric and inventive black-and-white illustrations of Euan Cook.
(Chicken House, paperback, £7.99)

Age 3 plus
Duck Delivers
Tom Tinn-Disbury

IF you’re looking for quacking good stories to entertain little ones who like vehicles that ‘go’ then author and Illustrator Tom Tinn-Disbury’s new picture book series will be a transport of delight! Star of the show is Delivery Duck who flies in for a high-stakes adventure packed with scooters, planes, rockets, hang gliders… and lots of laughs. Duck is a home bird. He likes splashing in the bath, eating bread in bed, and organising his sock collection. Yet, there comes a time when even the most unadventurous birds must fly the nest. And what better way to see the world than as a Delivery Duck for Feather Force?! Soon, with his uniform, parcel and STRICT instructions from Ostrich Bosstrich, Duck is scooting off on his very first adventure…what could go possibly wrong? Packed with Tinn-Disbury’s hilarious bird puns and fun-filled, vibrant illustrations, Duck Delivers speaks loudly about perseverance and positivity, and is the perfect fit for little ones obsessed with the ‘post-people’ and delivery drivers who knock on their doors!
(‎Hodder Children’s Books, paperback, £7.99)

Age 3 plus
Doodle and Dot: Squiggles on the Loose
Lily Murray and Bia Melo

TWO best friends are forced to line up for action when their drawings come to life and plunge them into a chaotic adventure! Sharpen your crayons and get ready to square up to a whole bunch of alien squiggles in a clever and comical picture book that teaches arts styles whilst taking little readers on a fun-packed journey of discovery. Squiggles on the Loose is part of author Lily Murray and illustrator Bia Melo’s Doodle and Dot series which explores different concepts of art and design including shape, pattern, line, and colour. Doodle and Dot are best friends. They love to draw together and experiment with art but their drawings have a frustrating habit of coming to life and causing mayhem. Doodle and Dot don’t always agree on everything, especially when it comes to playing with lines. Dot is a fan of nice, neat lines and Doodle much prefers silly squiggles. Doodle goes on a squiggle-drawing spree and not even Dot’s straight-edged cage can contain them! How will they ever get the squiggles back under control? Murray’s action-packed story about friendship, creativity, and teamwork, brought to life by the imaginative and eye-catching illustrations of Brazilian-born artist and designer Melo, inspires youngsters to get creative while promoting teamwork and problem-solving as Doodle and Dot work together to literally draw themselves out of their artistic scrapes. Perfectly designed for your pre-schoolers!
(Oxford University Press, paperback, £7.99)

Age 3 plus
Danny McGee Drinks the Sea
Andy Stanton and Neal Layton

EVERYONE'S stomachs will be churning with delight when they get a taste of the little boy who drinks the sea! You can take this story with a pinch of salt or you can laugh out loud as the prize-winning team of Andy Stanton, author of Mr Gum, and much-loved illustrator Neal Layton work their special brand of magic on the rhyming adventures of the delectable and immensely hungry Danny McGee. This spectacular reissue of the extraordinarily funny picture book that garnered rave reviews in 2017 is set to win the hearts and minds of a new generation of young readers when they discover that anarchy really does reign supreme when show-off Danny makes a bet with his sister Frannie that he can drink the sea... and then eat up everything from a man learning to ski and a cat drinking some tea to the weather girl on TV. Yes, from mountains, trees and jungles to flies, fleas and peas, Danny can devour them all. Soon everyone – even author Stanton – are inside Danny McGee. There’s just one person left… feisty Frannie. Can she finally stop the eating rampage? As knockabout fun goes, this is certainly a knockout! Children will be eating every word of this super surreal, read-aloud story as they follow the cheeky antics of Danny and his long-suffering sister Frannie. A hard act to swallow!
(Faber Children’s Books, paperback, £7.99)

Age 2 plus
The Boys Book of Feelings
Lauren Ace and Jenny Løvlie

YOUR feelings are important, whether they are big and wide like the ocean, or tiny and niggling like a grain of sand! Feelings are how you make sense of the world… and little ones can learn all about different feelings and expressing them in this moving and beautifully illustrated board book based on the beautiful picture book, The Boys, created by Lauren Ace, who has worked in publishing for ten years, and illustrator Jenny Løvlie. The Boys Books of Feelings follows four friends as they navigate the ups and downs of growing up together, enjoy the wonderful adventure of life, and forge close bonds that will last a lifetime. With its diverse cast of characters, Løvlie’s exquisite illustrations, and Ace’s warm and emotional words, this is the ideal book to inspire both children and adults.
(Little Tiger Press, board book, £7.99)

Age one plus
A is for Apple
Illustrated by Georgie Birkett

FINGERS at the ready for a fun new alphabet book! Young ones will love this unique, innovative trace-and-flip book which lets them trace each grooved letter to explore its shape and then lift flaps to see an object that begins with that letter. Brimming with words, pictures and gorgeous illustrations by Georgie Birkett, the book offers an engaging way for children to discover letters and first words. With advice on the back for parents about pointing to pictures while reading the words, asking youngsters to think of other words beginning with the same letter, and using the book as a guide to practise writing the letters, this is the perfect way to introduce the alphabet and guarantees hours of fun and learning.
(Little Tiger Press, board book, £7.99)

Kill Your Darlings

Peter Swanson

‘The first attempt at killing her husband
 was the night of the dinner party…’ 

WHEN it comes to wickedly seductive and outrageously clever crime mysteries, there is one name that always jumps out from the crowd.

Rightly labelled the grand master of misdirection, award-winning US author Peter Swanson’s awesome literary brain loves nothing better than to defy readers’ expectations and in this stunning and ingeniously plotted domestic thriller, he turns storytelling on its head with a dark murder mystery that starts at the end… and ends at the beginning.

Kill Your Darlings – soon to be a major film starring Julia Roberts – is one of Swanson’s (pictured below) most ambitious and breathtakingly accomplished novels yet and with brilliant bestsellers like The Kind Worth Killing, Rules for Perfect Murders and The Girl with a Clock for a Heart already under his belt, this dazzling new page-turner is most definitely something to shout about.

A murder mystery written in reverse chronology opens the door to some fascinating psychological insights into a marriage gone bad as readers follow a compulsive, wind-back trail through the dark foundations of a fragile and volatile relationship, and explore the corrosive effects of a shared secret that has festered for over forty years.

So buckle up, sit back and enjoy the ride as we meet middle-aged couple Thom and Wendy Graves who have been together for forty years. Their lives would appear to outsiders to be happy and more than just comfortable at their beautiful Victorian house at upmarket Goose Neck on the north shore of Massachusetts. Wendy is a published poet, Thom teaches English literature at a nearby university and their son, Jason, is grown up and has flown the nest.

But beneath the veneer, all is not well because what Wendy really wants is to murder her husband. Thom has become an incredible disappointment to her… he drinks too much, flirts with other women, and worst of all, he’s in danger of revealing their dark secret.

The clue came on the evening of a dinner party at their home when Thom announced to everyone present that he was writing a murder mystery, news which instantly alarmed Wendy who urgently needed to find out if Thom was ‘writing some version of their own story, a story they had agreed was never to be shared with anyone.’

But what happens next has everything to do with what happened before. And so begins the unwinding of Wendy and Thom’s marriage in reverse order, a story that moves backwards through time to witness key moments from the couple’s lives – their fiftieth birthday party, buying their home, Jason’s birth, career highs and lows – all painting a portrait of a marriage defined by a single terrible act which they plotted together many years ago. It’s a secret that has kept them bound together through the years of their marriage but its power over them is fraying, and now it’s not just Wendy who is beginning to wonder if they would be better off making sure that their spouse carries their secrets to the grave…

Written with Swanson’s signature stylish elegance, flashes of dark humour and awesome plotting skills, Kill Your Darlings works up a head of steam not so much from what is happening in the present but from disturbing events in the past which have poisoned Thom and Wendy’s marriage and which are exposed with each passing chapter. And it is the unpeeling of those layers of secrets in reverse order, the increasing dead weight of the couple’s shared guilt, and the claustrophobic imprisonment that their relationship has become, which gives the story a super-powered impetus, a growing sense of deadly threat, and a deep-seated understanding of how people change over time.

The result is a riveting journey through a minefield of youthful conceit, domestic discord and petty college politics, and at the heart of the action is an exquisitely imagined cast of very human characters, not least the brittle, callous Wendy and her hard-drinking, philandering husband Thom, both trapped in the hellish consequences of a marriage defined by a moment in time.

As much a contemporary moral fable as a gripping, twisting and ingeniously clever murder mystery, Kill Your Darlings is a masterpiece of literary form propelled through suspense, menace and a catalogue of toxic secrets by Swanson’s psychological prowess… and confirming his enthronement as one of the reigning kings of crime writing!
(Faber & Faber, hardback, £18.99)

Liars Island

T. Orr Munro 

STILL reeling from her teenage daughter’s narrow escape from a sadistic killer, experienced crime scene investigator Ally Dymond is plunged into a new case on an island that holds unhappy memories for the Devon-based murder expert.

And when she becomes trapped on the remote island during the investigation, Ally discovers that it’s not the notoriously dangerous coastline she should fear but the murderous intent of the people who live there.

Stiffen the sinews and summon up the blood because T. Orr Munro – who trained as a CSI and knows exactly what goes on behind the police crime scene tape – is back to thrill and chill us with the third book of her atmospheric and dazzlingly authentic debut crime series set in the dark corners of a windswept seaside town called Bidecombe. And Liars Island certainly lives up to both its name and readers’ expectations as Munro (pictured below) harnesses her forensic experiences, and work as a police and crime journalist, on this fast-moving, heart-pounding, ‘locked island’ thriller which sees the maverick CSI on an emotional rollercoaster as she battles to dig out the truth surrounding a young man’s death.

Situated off the North Devon coast, Drogan Island, known to the locals as Liars Island, is home to only a few inhabitants. The rugged coastline has a history of smuggling and shipwrecks, but there has never been a murder… until now.

When the body of Kieran Deveney – son of wealthy hotshot property developer Hilton Deveney – is found in a bay called the Devil’s Cauldron, it sends shockwaves through the close-knit community.  And when the hunt for the killer gets under way, two locals confess to the crime. Each claims they acted alone, and neither can be convicted while the other stands by their story… so which one of them is telling the truth?

CSI Ally Dymond arrives to uncover the evidence that could crack the case. It’s an uncomfortable assignment for Ally… for very personal and painful reasons, she long ago removed the name of the island from her vocabulary ‘as an act of self-preservation.’ And when she reluctantly returns to the island, what she finds is a place awash with secrets. As a fierce storm closes in, and with the identity of the murderer still in doubt, no one can leave the island. Ally and her fellow CSI Jake are now trapped but it’s not the treacherous weather that is Ally’s major concern, it’s the people she’s trapped with…

Munro sweeps readers into the fascinating world of crime forensics – and some revealing insider ‘tricks’ of the trade – as we witness Ally wading through a complex layer of lies, secrets and clues to track down the killer on an island that is shrouded in storm clouds, and dripping with menace.

And what a gripping journey it proves to be as the tension ratchets up to danger level and conscientious, resourceful Ally – with the help of sidekick Jake – juggles the pressures and perils of her job with unsettling events in her past and her ongoing struggle to keep her difficult relationship with daughter Megan on track.

Add on Munro’s top-class plotting, a claustrophobic sense of unease, an intriguing list of suspects, a nail-biting finale with a gut-punch twist, all set against the alluring backdrop of an island mired in secrets, and you have crime writing at its page-turning best!
(HQ, paperback, £9.99)

CHILDREN'S BOOKS: A secret school, a dangerous gift and incredible journeys

Enter a breathtaking alternate world where dark forces are at work, enjoy a spellbinding adventure featuring witchfinders and a young Isaac Newton, join a real-life explorer on a spectacular mission to discover history’s most daring pioneers, and climb aboard for a steam train romp full of spooks, spectres and thrills in a sparkling new selection

Age 10 plus
Shadow Thieves
Peter Burns

IF you’re looking for a truly ‘epic’ read this summer, your journey’s end has to be Shadow Thieves, a brilliant blockbuster of a novel and first of a thrilling new middle grade series from author of ten critically acclaimed non-fiction sports books Peter Burns… whose secret dream of also writing children’s books has finally come true! Shadow Thieves, billed as Oliver Twist meets Ocean’s Eleven, is a heart-pounding adventure set in a breathtakingly imagined alternate world and stars a young shoe shiner and street thief called Tom Morgan who is propelled into a perilous, all-action adventure far, far away from all he has ever known on the mean streets of London.

Thirteen-year-old Tom and his friends scrape a living by shining shoes and picking pockets… until one day Tom’s pals are caught and sent to a brutal workhouse. Frantic and without a way to save them, Tom bumps into the mysterious Corsair who offers him an opportunity to train at an elite international boarding school for thieves. Seeing a glimmer of hope, Tom lets himself be whisked away to the snowy Alps in a zeppelin. Swept into a thrilling world of danger and intrigue, the more secrets he learns about the Shadow League, the harder it becomes for Tom to leave. But there are dark forces at work and real danger is coming. Can Tom save his fellow pupils from disaster... and will he ever be able to get home again to rescue his friends? Inspired by a family holiday in Highland Perthshire, in a cottage surrounded by mountains and forests, Burns’ foray into the life of daring, brave and sometimes reckless Tom Morgan started to take shape. The result is rip-roaring debut which follows Tom’s journey from orphaned street kid to the heady, mysterious and privileged world of the Shadow League, and an adventure that explores class, community and the concept of identity, and plunges him into the dangers of a complex secret society. Destined to be every youngster’s must read!
(Farshore, paperback, £7.99)

Age 9 plus
The Elixir
Lindsay Galvin and Kristina Kister

A SPELLBINDING adventure featuring witchfinders, mystery and a young Isaac Newton take centre stage in a thrilling and magical new tale from Lindsay Galvin, a former science teacher who has become one of our most exciting middle grade authors. The Elixir – a history lesson of fascinating facts wrapped up in a high-stakes adventure – blends mystery with elements of real science and the terrors of the plague, all set against the gripping backdrop of the 17^th century witch trials. Published in Barrington Stoke’s trademark, dyslexia-friendly format and given life and atmosphere by Kristina Kister’s fabulous illustrations, The Elixir is brimming with action, danger and powerful emotions. With a witchfinder skulking about town, gifted healer Ann Storer and a young Isaac Newton must be careful not to draw too much attention. Ann has inherited her grandmother’s mysterious gift of healing, which she shares through the special tinctures she dispenses in her family’s apothecary shop. When she combines her talents with the genius of Newton, recently arrived to board above the shop, the two create an incredible elixir with seemingly unlimited powers. But 17^th century England is a dangerous place to display any special abilities, and Ann must hide all evidence when witchfinder Abel Geach arrives in town. So when the plague starts to run rife and those she loves are in danger, will Ann risk everything to help them? And will the discovery of the Elixir of Life lead to a death sentence for the talented young healer? Galvin’s richly descriptive writing, her vibrant imagination and her ability to deliver adventures full of peril, pathos and powerful messages has made her a go-to author and The Elixir has been perfectly blended for success both in homes and classrooms.
(Barrington Stoke, paperback, £7.99)

Age 9 plus
Incredible Journeys
Levison Wood and Sam Brewster

FROM our earliest ancestors in Africa to Neil Armstrong setting foot on the Moon, we humans have always been explorers. And now real-life explorer, adventurer and author Levison Wood has donned his trusty rucksack and is ready to take youngsters on a spectacular journey around the world to meet some of history's most daring pioneers. Wood specialises in documenting people and cultures in remote regions and post-conflict zones and his work has seen him leading expeditions on five continents so get ready to embark on twenty epic expeditions as he recounts true tales of exploration from the likes of Captain Cook, Charles Darwin, Christopher Columbus, the Vikings and Amelia Earhart. Incredible Journeys – brimming with Sam Brewster’s richly detailed colour illustrations – takes youngsters from the famous Silk Road and medieval pilgrimages to the Holy Land to fearless 19^th century American journalist and daring traveller Nellie Bly's trip around the world and recent missions to the Moon and the Mariana Trench. Along the way, Wood shares his own insights into adventuring, telling readers what it’s REALLY like to follow in the footsteps of Alexander the Great. Illustrated with maps showing the routes and filled with detail bringing the cultures of each region to life, this is a book to treasure from one of our greatest living explorers.
(Hodder Children’s Books, paperback, £10.99)

Age 9 plus
Nature Heroes
Lily Dyu and Jackie Lay

DIVE into this inspirational collection of short stories celebrating twenty pioneers working with nature to save the world… and discover how the smallest of actions can make a difference. The natural world is a rich web of animals, plants and other organisms but this delicate balance is at risk, facing challenges such as climate change, pollution and destruction caused by humans. While the threat of the biodiversity crisis may feel impossible to overcome, individuals from all over the world have dared to fight for nature, and their astonishing stories prove that change really is possible. From cleaning up the mighty Mississippi and protecting the wonders of the Amazon rainforest to farming coral and inventing plastic alternatives made from seaweed, it only takes one person to stand up for their beliefs and inspire others to join them. And the message is that when we stand together, we can start to change the world. Written by Welsh author Lily Dyu, and with artwork by American illustrator Jackie Lay, Nature Heroes has been produced in collaboration with the University of Cambridge, these positive stories take readers around the world and introduce planet-saving trailblazers like Jane Goodall, Titouan Bernicot, Txai Suruí, Hamza Yassin, Sylvia Earle, Quannah Chasinghorse, Pierre Paslier and Rodrigo Garcia Gonzalez. The perfect gift for all aspiring nature activists!
(Nosy Crow, hardback, £12.99)

Age 9 plus
The Scream of the Whistle
Emily Randall-Jones

CLIMB aboard, take a seat, and get ready for a steam train romp full of spooks, spectres and thrills galore as Emily Randall-Jones, the 2024 Branford Boase-longlisted author of The Witchstone Ghosts, takes youngsters on a time-travel adventure. Twelve-year-old Ruby (Ru) is miserable. Her parents have split up, she’s finding it hard to accept, her brother Sam hardly leaves his room, and now she’s stuck her in her grandmother’s cottage in Melbridge, a creepy and long-dead railway village. One night, she decides to escape and follow the ancient train track home. But her journey has barely begun when she hears the eerie scream of a whistle and an old steam train appears out of the darkness. She can’t resist stepping aboard but it’s May Day Eve, when the veil between the worlds is thin, and Ru soon realises that she is on the ghost ride of her life! Prepare to meet spooky ghosts, a spine-chilling train conductor, oodles of child-friendly horror, and an intriguing helping of ancient English mythology… and enjoy every minute of the ride!
(Chicken House, paperback, £7.99)

Age 8 plus
The Secret Lives of Women Spies
Charlotte Philby

ARE you ready to step into a secret world of espionage? The Secret Lives of Women Spies – a collection of incredible true stories of daring and bravery from the most amazing female spies – is the debut children’s book of Charlotte Philby whose grandfather, Kim Philby, was the most infamous British double agent in history, betraying both his country and his friends. Inspired to find out about his clandestine world, author and spy watcher Charlotte Philby discovered that there were plenty of extraordinary and untold stories of courage, secrets and daring… and many involved female spies. From daredevil skiers delivering top-secret information and clever codebreakers taking down the world’s biggest criminals to brave undercover agents fighting alongside the French Resistance, these brave women hid in the shadows but now deserve to be in the spotlight. Featuring Edith Cavell, Elizebeth Friedman, Noor Inayat Khan and many more, the stories in this book explore the hope, courage, fear, loves and lives of these remarkable women. This informative and fascinating account includes top-secret spying info and imagined newspaper articles covering some of the most incredible spy stories. The book is also linked to the school curriculum as it explores interesting periods of history including the Second World War and is a perfect non-fiction read for middle grade youngsters.
(Puffin, paperback, £8.99)

Age 7 plus
Elements of the Day
Samantha Lewis and Hao Hao

WHY is breakfast cereal magnetic? Could you turn wee into gold? How does sand help us see? The answers to all these questions have one thing in common – elements! Have fun, and discover amazing stories and fascinating facts with science writer and author Samantha Lewis as she takes readers on a learning journey through the periodic table. Lavishly illustrated by Chinese artist Hao Hao, Elements of the Day explores the science behind the elements that make every moment of the day possible. Elements are the building blocks that make up EVERYTHING we see, touch and taste. Youngsters will be amazed at how many there are to explore from the moment you wake up to the second you drift off to sleep (no matter how long past your bedtime it is!). Inside everything from cereal, cars and cakes to toilet paper, pencils and torches, Lewis introduces readers to the extraordinary elements that make their day. From the sunlight that wakens you in the morning to those wall decorations that glow in the dark at bedtime, every chapter of this brilliant book guarantees an ‘element’ of surprise!
(Red Shed, hardback, £12.99)

Age 5 plus
Astrid and the Space Cadets:
Danger at the Black Lagoon!
Alex T. Smith

BLAST off on the third thrilling adventure with the supersonic Space Cadets! It’s another mission seemingly impossible for Astrid Atomic and her pals, Beryl, Professor Quackers and Zoink, in a new space outing with much-loved author and illustrator Alex T. Smith. This fast-paced, out-of-this-world, early reader series, which takes youngsters on wild, fun-filled journeys through the Milky Way, is filled with Smith’s bold, funny and quirky illustrations. Astrid Atomic is a six-year-old human girl but unlike other six-year-olds who go to bed to sleep, Astrid gets up again when the lights are off, the coast is clear and she hears the Space Cadet siren, puts on her Astrid uniform and blasts off on board the spaceship Stardust. And in this new adventure, Astrid and the gang are excited to help two scientists track down a mysterious, never before seen fish rumoured to be living on an underwater planet. But it isn’t long before things take a shocking turn when Astrid and the Space Cadets discover that they have been tricked… the scientists are actually infamous Intergalactic Sea Bandits! Can the gang catch the Sea Bandits and rescue the treasure? It’s going to prove a difficult job especially when they find themselves swallowed whole by one of the Guard Sharks! Ideal for kids who love all-action adventures and are ready to read by themselves.
(Macmillan Children’s Books, paperback, £7.99)

Age 5 plus
Gordon Wins It All
Alex Latimer

GORDON the goose is back and he’s still honkingly funny! Gordon Wins It All is the third highly illustrated yarn in a hilarious debut chapter book series from bestselling author and illustrator Alex Latimer. Now Gordon, the meanest goose on earth, is trying to change his ways and be a good goose. The trouble is, it's really tricky to be kind and patient and good, especially when you’ve always been mean. But grumpy Gordon decides he wants to be good at EVERYTHING, so he arranges Grover Garden's first-ever grand tournament. He’s determined to win every event and prove he’s the best goose around, even if that means cheating with the help of his old friends at the Meanest Goose Society. But will Gordon’s selfish scheme be everything he dreamed of? Perfect for emerging readers, these funny tales of redemption and about finding the courage to change your ways are packed with laugh-out-loud edgy humour and brought to life by Latimer’s striking black and red illustrations on every page.
(Oxford University Press, paperback, £6.99)

Age 5 plus
My Magic Hamster: Cheeky Wishes
Leah Mohammed

WHAT little mischief-maker could resist a very naughty magic hamster? Children’s author Leah Mohammed has always loved stories with magic at their heart, and there’s lots of heart and magic to enjoy in this sparkling new series which includes two stories in each book and stars a mischievous hamster called Frank. Sana has always wanted a hamster but when she buys Frank, she gets a bit more than she'd bargained for. Because Frank is a special hamster… a magic hamster. In fact, he’s a very naughty magic hamster who keeps getting Sana into all kinds of trouble! Sana is thrilled when she discovers Frank can grant wishes. But she quickly learns magic isn’t as easy as it seems when Frank wishes her cool new bedroom into a hamster paradise. And in story number two, Animal Antics, Frank turns himself into a cat so he can play with the cats next door and gets into even more trouble! Can Sana find a way to get him back, or will Frank be stuck as a cat forever? Frank’s fun-filled adventures full of magic, mayhem and mischief look set to run and run!
(Welbeck Children’s Books, paperback, £7.99)

Age 3 plus
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, hardback, £12.99)

Age 3 plus
Robin Hood
Bethan Woollvin

THERE will be guaranteed smiles all round when big-hearted youngsters head off into the woods alongside a rebel with a cause! Multi-talented author and illustrator Bethan Woollvin – beloved for her uniquely humorous twist on classic fairy tales – performs more of her picture book magic in this fiercely funny adventure starring Robin Hood, a fabulous gender-flipped, fearless and feisty heroine. In the heart of the woods by the oldest oak tree, you might find a fierce little girl. Her name is Robin Hood, and she is about to go on a rollicking adventure full of mischief and mayhem. The Sheriff is taking something from everybody – from the farms, the village and the forest itself! Can Robin protect her people from the thieving Sheriff? With striking graphic artwork in a vibrant palette of black, grey, red, and two shades of green, Woollvin’s bold, daring and comical reimagining of the traditional English folktale conveys important messages about  being brave and standing up for what's right. The perfect book to empower your daughters!
(Two Hoots, hardback, £12.99)

Age 3 plus
I Hear The Trees
Zaro Weil and Junli Song

‘I love you says the sea to the Earth
As Earth says I love you to Everyone.’

JOURNEY into the wilds of Mother Earth with this enchanting collection of ‘untamed poems’ which celebrate nature and the beauty of the world around us. Written by France-based Zaro Weil – whose poems appear in many anthologies and magazines – and colourfully illustrated by Junli Song, who works across a range of media, I Hear The Trees is full of dazzling words and pictures.  Sigh as a mother wolf teaches her cub how to howl, laugh with bamboozled berries and a ruby-wonderful beet, feel the thrill of Tyranno’s terrifying tale and play with ten on-the-run haiku mice. Young imaginations will soar as a hullabaloo of creatures and plants, moon, sun and stars make their way word by word and picture by fantastical picture into readers’ hearts. Ideal as a teaching tool in schools, and guaranteed to encourage children of every age to explore the power, enchantment and sheer wonder of poetry and nature.
(Welbeck Children’s Books, paperback, £14.99)

Age one plus
Is Dot in the Tree?
Camilla Reid and Carly Gledhill

ENJOY watching little ones get hands-on with the latest in a gorgeous interactive hide-and-seek board books series starring the adorable animal character Dot. Written by Camilla Reid – a writer and deviser of award-winning books for early years children, including the much-loved Pip and Posy stories – this delightful Dot & You series features easy-to-use push and pull tabs, eye-catching neon colour detail by illustrator Carly Gledhill, and a surprise mirror ending which puts the young reader into the centre of the story. And there’s lots of fun and smiles to be had along the way as youngsters try to find out where Dot is hiding. Is Dot on the box, on the rug, in the shed maybe? These delightful Dot books are part of a range of joyful pre-school books by author Reid, and teamed with Gledhill’s distinctive and stylish illustrations, they are the perfect introduction to the joys of reading for your babies and toddlers.
(Macmillan Children’s Books, board book, £7.99)

Age one plus
First Stories: The Jungle Book
Illustrated by Miriam Bos

WATCH little faces light up as they enjoy a bright and colourful interactive introduction to Rudyard Kipling’s classic story The Jungle Book. Push, pull and slide the scenes to bring the wild adventures of Mowgli to life and meet his famous animal character friends like Shere Khan the tiger and Baloo the bear. This sturdy board book is the perfect introduction for toddlers who like to play as they read, with a gentle rhyming text, easy-to-handle mechanisms on every spread and the fun of spotting the bee that buzzes across every double-page spread. This much-loved classic, and its host of animal characters, has been beautifully imagined and brought to vivid life for a new generation by illustrator Miriam Bos. And as an added extra, youngsters can listen along to an audio recording of the story by scanning the QR code on the back cover.
(Campbell Books, board book, £7.99)

Age one plus
Banana, Banana, Banana!
Sarah Finan

HOW many ways can you eat a banana? Little ones will love mashing, mixing and munching their way through Banana, Banana, Banana!, the second title in Post Wave’s Food, Food, Food! pre-school board book series which introduces little ones to favourite foods and all the tasty ways they can be eaten. Star of the story is a baby who wants only one thing to eat… bananas, bananas, bananas! Mashed in a bowl, mixed with porridge, smothered in honey… always yummy. Written and illustrated by award-winning designer and illustrator Sarah Finan, this bright and bold book has a sweet rhyming text, vibrant artwork and clever peep-through pages. With rounded corners and sturdy pages, the book is ideal for little hands and is a joy to read aloud. A delicious treat that will be relished again and again and again!
(Post Wave Children’s Books, board book, £7.99)

The Tarot Reader of Versailles

Anya Bergman

WHEN two young women – both born with the extraordinary gift of ‘sight’ – become caught up in the terrors of the French Revolution, they discover that their fates could be forged or broken by the simple turn of a card.

Thrilling tales of rogue women practising their ‘dark arts’ in times of mortal danger are always destined to be a winner and Irish writer Anya Bergman (pictured below) – author of spellbinding bestseller The Witches of Vardø set in 17th century Norway – finds new and rich territory for her dazzling storytelling talents in the blood-soaked streets of Paris, and the untamed countryside of rural Ireland.

Encompassing both Revolutionary France and the Great Rebellion in Ireland, The Tarot Reader of Versailles is a sweeping, fantasy-fuelled tale of allegiances, betrayals, love and intrigue, and was inspired by the amazing true story of Marie Anne Adelaide Lenormand who famously set up her own secret – and illegal – tarot salon in Paris where she read the cards for both royalists and radical revolutionaries like Robespierre, Marat and Saint-Just.

Her story was one which Bergman – who has been reading tarot cards professionally for over thirty years – felt compelled to write as she has long been curious about Lenormand’s rise from a poor orphan girl raised in a Normandy convent to the most sought-after fortune teller not just in Paris but amongst the royal residents of the Palace of Versailles.

Add on the author’s fascination with the little-known Irish involvement in the French Revolution, and the growth of the United Irishmen in Paris which eventually led to French troops invading Ireland during the Great Rebellion of 1798, and you have a pulsating plot packed with peril, passion, magic and intrigue.

Raised in a Normandy convent, orphan girl Lenormand always knew that she had a special talent which would take her far from the oppression of her early life… by reading her tarot cards, she can see what the future holds and commune with the dead. Her mother’s spirit has assured her that her destiny lies in Paris and that her future is bright, and after bribing a coachman to take her to the glittering city, she soon establishes herself as a tarot card reader and although her trade is illegal, her growing list of privileged clients keep her out of jail because ‘who would risk disclosure of the secrets they have shared with her?’

With ardent revolutionaries and the aristocracy alike seeking her out to divine their fortunes, Lenormand is soon reading the cards at the Palace of Versailles where she is fiercely loyal to Queen Marie Antoinette and her young son Louis Charles, the dauphin of France. But Lenormand has seen the queen’s future in the cards and must take care that it doesn’t become her own. And then, one fateful day, she comes across Cait Molloy, a scullery maid from County Kerry who has travelled to Paris in search of her love, a young Irishman looking to garner French support for a rebellion back home in Ireland.

Cait has powers, too… she can read people’s pasts just as Lenormand can read their futures. The two women share an electrifying connection, drawn to each other’s abilities but Cait is hiding something. And when the Terror of the French Revolution takes hold, what will she do – and who will she betray – to bring revolution to the shores of her own beloved Ireland? And will the women’s supernatural ‘powers’ save them… or damn them?

Travelling back in time to the opulence and excesses of the glittering Palace of Versailles was always going to be a thrill ride but The Tarot Reader of Versailles is also a fantastical adventure full of simmering Sapphic romance and dangerous necromancy… all powered to perfection by Bergman’s evocative storytelling and breathtaking scene-setting.

Fate and fortune prove to be the most important drivers in this heady and compulsive exploration of violent uprisings in two countries which might be many miles apart but together face the ever-growing threat of explosive discontent and the compulsive, unstoppable desire for irrevocable change. Caught up in the epic struggle are two bold and brave women in possession of dangerous powers which could see them facing a death sentence if they make one false move. With their destinies linked, they must negotiate a path first through the salons of Versailles and then through the heady but deadly events of the French Revolution and the Great Rebellion in Ireland.

Plunged into the centre of palace politics, magic and mystery, Lenormand and Cait find themselves adrift in a world turned upside down, struggling with the tensions of an unspoken love for each other, torn apart by betrayal, and facing a future that even the tarot cards cannot foretell. With lashings of seductive mysticism, layers of rich and intoxicating historical detail, and set against the bone-chilling, blood-curdling terrors of the French Revolution, and the darkest of days in restless Ireland, this is a gripping tale of female empowerment you won’t want to miss!
(Manilla Press, hardback, £16.99)

Some of Us Are Liars

Fiona Cummins

TRAGEDY, betrayal and the simmering menace of long-held resentments are just some of the delicious ingredients that combine to make Essex-based writer Fiona Cummins’ gripping new thriller one of this summer’s best reads.

Some of Us Are Liars is the third book starring Cummins’ brooding, anti-hero detective Saul Anguish, a complex man whose deeply emotional and empathetic skills have won the hearts and minds of readers in his two previous outings, Into the Dark and All Of Us Are Broken.

Set against the backdrop of a terrible tragedy, and the slow unfurling of a family’s hidden history, deceptions and secrets, this tension-packed new case for young Detective Constable Anguish comes with Cummins’ now trademark ‘never saw it coming’ twist which will leave readers gasping for breath. When Jen Miller entrusts her youngest child – four-year-old Teddy – to the care of her beloved sisters for ‘the party to end all parties’ in celebration of Jen’s recent wedding, their parents’ golden wedding and her youngest sister’s fortieth birthday, she has no idea of the devastating tragedy that is about to unfold.

The lavish party is in the hands of Jen’s eldest sister, the renowned beauty and global superstar Winter Kellaway, who is pulling out all the stops at her luxurious beachside estate in Essex after filming a lucrative television series. Winter (real name Deborah) has always been generous to a fault to her two sisters, Jen and youngest sibling Alyssa, telling them, ‘All for one and one for all.’

And so the decorations are flawless, the champagne is on ice and the guests start arriving for what Winter promises will be ‘the greatest weekend of our lives.’ But one misstep will have heartbreaking consequences that will rock this close-knit family to their core. With her life in pieces, how can Jen ever begin to forgive?

Enter Saul, the brilliant but tormented Essex police detective who is called in to investigate and uncovers a long-buried and shocking family secret. As the trail to find the truth takes a dramatic turn, they must now all face the reality that you can never truly leave the past behind…

Cummins (pictured above) a former journalist and a graduate of the Faber Academy, delivers one of her most intriguing and heart-rending thrillers yet… a deep, dark, devastating and immaculately plotted tale full of powerful emotions, unique and compelling characters, and nail-biting suspense.

With a drip-feed of shocking revelations, a sense of dread that permeates every page, and a mystery that explores some of humanity’s shadowy corners, Some of Us Are Liars is an unforgettable whodunit and destined to be another winner for an exciting author.
(Macmillan, hardback, 18.99)

No Man’s Land

Simon Gaul

ONE heist, one ocean, two men… historical fact and fiction is always a heady mix and Simon Gaul – a writer, businessman and ocean traveller – puts his own dazzling spin on this compulsive conspiracy theory thriller which blends a real-life, unsolved art robbery with a white-knuckle survival adventure.

It’s 35 years since the notorious theft of thirteen priceless works of art – including a Vermeer, Rembrandts, Flinck and a Manet – from the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston during the early hours of the St Patrick’s Day revelries in March of 1990.

Security guards had admitted two men posing as policemen and claiming that they were responding to a disturbance call. The thieves then bound the guards and looted the museum over the next hour. The case remains unsolved, no arrests have been made, and no works of art have ever been recovered.

Harnessing this slice of intriguing crime history, Gaul (pictured below) brings readers No Man’s Land, an action-packed thriller – with a cast of brilliantly drawn characters – and a haunting portrait of a disappearing American frontier as he weaves together themes of survival, redemption and the brutal price of silence.

Stunned by the heist at the Boston museum, which has seen the theft of works of art valued at hundreds of millions of dollars by the FBI and art dealers, museum officials offer a $10million reward for information leading to the art’s recovery, the largest bounty ever offered by a private institution. But with no leads for the police to follow, it seems as though the priceless works have all but evaporated into a bleak New England night.

Meanwhile, on the South Fork of Long Island – one hundred and fifty miles away – Jake Dealer is amongst the last of a three-hundred-year tradition of America’s seafaring history. A fisherman born with an innate ability to read the Atlantic’s unforgiving waters, from which he ekes out a living, his horizons are defined only by his family and the ocean. But a plot has been set in motion in Boston – where money and power hold different meanings – and it is set to change the course of Jake’s life. And when, in the wake of a devastating tragedy, Jake is unwittingly ensnared in the greatest unsolved art theft in history, he’s left fighting to cling on to the only certainties he has ever known.

Gaul charts new territory in the American literary seascape, creating an unforgettable portrait of both a vanishing way of life and the depths of human resilience as he asks just how far will someone go to protect what matters most.

It’s the story of one of history’s most daring, and still unsolved, robberies brought to life through powerful and imaginative storytelling, an exploration of the dying days of America’s maritime traditions, and a brilliant intertwining of fact and fiction. Addictive reading from first to last!
(Whitefox Publishing, hardback, £20)

CHILDREN'S BOOKS: Words of comfort, a secret world and puzzles galore

Cuddle up close and discover comfort, warmth and reassurance with a stunning book of uplifting poems, discover the magical world that lies beneath your feet, enjoy a new graphic novel series which blends storytelling and puzzling, and meet the hidden heroes of science in a super summertime selection 

Age 7 plus
Words Can Fly
Donna Ashworth and
Eirinn McGuinness

‘No matter your fear, no matter your worry
Reading this book will calm your hurry
And remind you that magic’s around you right now
Settle down, get comfy, I’ll show you how…’ 

FIND comfort, warmth and reassurance with this glorious book of mindful and uplifting poems for children from bestselling author Donna Ashworth who wholeheartedly believes in the power of poetry to better everyone’s mental health and clear space within our minds. Words Can Fly – billed as a toolkit for the heart and mind – aims to serve as a compassionate guide through the journey of childhood and with the stunning illustrations of Eirinn McGuinness on every page, and a luxurious cloth cover adorned with gold foil, this dazzling book is the perfect gift for any parent to share with their child. Each poem explores what is most important in young lives – family, friendships, school and the world around us – and  encourages a growth mindset that fosters empathy and builds resilience. Through the heartfelt verses, children are inspired to celebrate their unique identities, embrace curiosity, connect and share ideas with their family, and discover the transformative power of kindness and compassion. As Ashworth herself notes, ‘poetry is permission to feel everything we as humans are absolutely supposed to, knowing we are not alone, never alone. Poetry is not folly for the fancy; it is using words to shift perspectives, heal wounds and let in light again.’ A timeless addition to any young reader's bookshelf, Words Can Fly is a treasure trove of verse that will be cherished, revisited and shared for years to come.
(Templar Books, hardback, £16.99) 

Age 12 plus 
Letters from Wonderland
Josie George and Becky Thorns 

‘I am a little strange, but warm like porridge and sunshine. I grow things and find treasures. I know the names of the birds and the trees. My body and my mind work differently to most. I am full of surprises. Will you join me?’ 

HERE'S a book that lets readers into a dazzling and delightful secret… in the cracks between the pavements, in overgrown gardens and down amongst the weeds, there’s a magical world just waiting to be discovered! Follow the trail, see the world with new eyes and find the confidence to forge your own path with Letters from Wonderland… a unique book that is part mystery, part guide, and part manifesto for hope. Written by Josie George – author of the acclaimed memoir A Still Life, a well-being influencer and a regular columnist for the Guardian Country Diary – this collection of sumptuously illustrated letters leads readers on a journey into the magical, mindful and mysterious places that exist in neglected urban spaces, upturned flower pots and the deepest, darkest corners of nature. Becky Thorns, an illustrator based in Cornwall, provides the beautifully detailed artwork as the collection of letters take us on a journey of discovery into witchy, wonderful Wonderland which exists outside of stories and which is waiting for you… and needs you. If where you live feels grey and boring, if you’ve ever felt different or alone, doubted yourself or wondered if you really matter, if you’ve found yourself feeling sad that magic isn’t ‘real’ or longed to feel like someone special in a real story, this book is the perfect breath of fresh air.
(Faber Children’s Books, hardback, £14.99) 

Age 7 plus
Pandora in Puzzlevale: The Secret Town
Paul Duffield, Siobhan McKenna and Poqu 

IF you have a yearning for an addictively intriguing and brain-bending comic book full of puzzles and adventure, look no further than this new graphic novel series which features an exciting interactive blend of storytelling and puzzling. The creation of Paul Duffield, Siobhan McKenna and Poqu, and straight from the pages of The Phoenix comic, the star of the series is mystery-mad Pandora who enters the strange and mysterious town of Puzzlevale after losing her parents at a petrol station and will need to solve riddles, puzzles and brain-bending clues to be reunited with them. With the help of the residents of Puzzlevale and Detective Crow, Pandora will unearth the truth. But to do this she needs YOU to become part of the story and assist her in discovering what is hidden. With its interactive storytelling, all the magic of a Studio Ghibli film, stunning artwork, and puzzles to keep eager eyes occupied, Pandora’s adventures are guaranteed to keep youngsters glued to every page!
(David Fickling Books, paperback, £10.99) 

Age 7 plus
The Hidden Heroes of Science 
Peter Gallivan, Robbie Cathro and The Royal Institution 

SCIENTIFIC knowledge is full of trailblazers who made some of the world’s most important discoveries… think Albert Einstein, Isaac Newton and Marie Curie. But now it’s time to meet the lesser-known, unnamed heroes who contributed to some of the miraculous things we find all around us but have been missing from the spotlight. If you ever find yourself curious about who created the science behind some of our most impressive structures or wonder who it was that invented the equipment you find in your classroom, you need wonder no more. This groundbreaking book covers all the lost names connected to the most important scientific discoveries and it’s thanks to the boffins at The Royal Institution – world leaders in science – who have partnered DK books on this fascinating project. Find out who created coding and how on earth the Egyptian Pyramids were built so long ago and yet still look brand new. With an exciting introduction to lesser-known scientific figures such as Maria Merian, Gregor Mendel and Percy Julian, inspirational stories from pioneering scientists who faced adversity, and background on the unsung innovators who paved the way for modern advancements, this is fun and learning all the way.
(DK Children, hardback, £14.99) 

Age 7 plus
Supa Nova
Chanté Timothy

PUT some colour, fun, dynamism and oh yes, whisper it, a bit of scientific knowledge, into your youngsters’ reading with this new graphic novel series from a rising star in children’s books. Chanté Timothy, an illustrator who loves experimenting with movement, vibrant colour, character design and storytelling, brings us Supa Nova, a young Black girl who is bold, got brains, and is soaring high with her fun-filled adventures. Meet Nova! She’s a scientist. Some people say she’s a genius. Some people even call her Supa Nova… get it? Like a supernova. Basically she’s a huge star, exploding right at you with her adventures. When Nova invents a plastic-eating monster, she thinks she has solved the world’s pollution problem. What she doesn’t expect is to see is Chomp, her monster, rampaging through the city and eating everything in sight. Can Nova find a way to save the day, will the world’s plastic problem ever be under control, and can she keep her big sister Cassi out of her secret lab? It will take a genius to figure it out! Zinging with colour, fizzing with energy, and full of invention and creativity, the adventures and antics of Super Nova are set to make for an explosive series!
 (Nosy Crow, paperback, £8.99) 

Age 4 plus
Punch! A Story about Kindness
Michael Hall 

WHEN Badger hurts his friends, do they hurt him back… or do they do something completely unexpected? Creator of numerous acclaimed picture books, American author and illustrator Michael Hall delivers a funny, clever and emotionally powerful lesson for little ones in this terrific tale of a troubled little Badger who turns to bullying. Badger, Frog, Moose, Elephant, and Bear are best friends. But when Badger experiences a personal loss and his emotions are too big to contain, he goes looking for trouble and takes his sadness out on his friends. He trips Frog, shoves Moose, kicks Elephant, and pokes Bear with a shovel. So Bear gathers the others, and they come up with a plan to teach Badger a lesson. Only that lesson is not what Badger – or readers – expect. In fact, Badger’s friends treat Badger with kindness, offering him what he needs the most to soothe his raw emotions… a surprising turn of events that Badger takes to heart when Bear needs a little comfort in return. In a world where it's easy to punch back, Badger's friends choose to patch things up and teach him an unforgettable lesson about empathy, kindness, and forgiveness. Illustrated in Hall’s signature cut-paper collages, Punch! is packed with inventive wordplay, rhythm, repetition, homonyms, suspense and action… and is ideal for little ones navigating their own big emotions!
(Greenwillow Books, hardback, £12.99) 

Age 4 plus
The Bear Out There
Jess Hannigan 

KNOCK, knock! Before you can even ask who’s there, you need to know that there’s a BEAR OUT THERE! Canadian illustrator and author Jess Hannigan has lots of scary fun with a brilliant picture book full of her bold graphic artwork and a story that is an absolute scream. Enjoy the tension, don’t scream, but be aware that there’s something scary out in the forest. Fortunately you’re in good hands in this delightful fairy tale twist from the multi-tasking Hannigan, author of the wryly silly debut picture book Spider in the Well. Just make sure you keep a cool head, and watch out for any intruders. You’re lucky to be safe in this cabin in the woods, with a host who is level-headed, trustworthy, and smart about bear safety. There’s certainly no need to worry about any dark shadows or sneaky schemes in this book…RIGHT? With a wildly wonderful and brazen tale that’s not too silly, not too scary, but just right, and a reassuring final discovery that will have little ones giggling, this is another picture book winner from an exciting new talent.
(Quill Tree Books, hardback, £12.99) 

Age 3 plus
Follow the Swallow
Julia Donaldson and Thomas Docherty 

THE seasons might change… but friendships stay strong and true! Multi-award-winning author Julia Donaldson’s classic picture book story about the friendship between a swallow and a blackbird makes a welcome return in this new edition with the stunning and brightly coloured illustrations of award-winning artist Thomas Docherty. Chack the blackbird and Apollo the swallow are friends. But when Apollo tells Chack that he will soon be flying to Africa, Chack doesn’t believe him. And when Chack tells Apollo that the blossom on his favourite tree will one day turn into orange berries, Apollo doesn't believe him either! But as the seasons change and autumn arrives, Chack and Apollo are both in for a big surprise! Little ones will love joining Chack and Apollo on a round-the-world adventure meeting a host of other creatures in this delightfully funny story. With a cast of birds, dolphins, camels and crocodiles, an adventure brimming with heat and humour, this beautiful book is destined to fly off the shelves!
(Farshore, paperback, £7.99) 

Age 2 plus
Kerfuffle Bird
Helen Docherty and Gwen Millward 

MEET the Hushling family... they’re quiet, ever so polite and prefer to keep their feelings tightly shut away. They all seem happy with this arrangement… well, all except Maeve who secretly longs to let some of her Big Feelings out! Will the arrival of a VERY noisy bird change everything for the Hushlings or will silence reign once more? Bestselling author and illustrator duo, Helen Docherty and Gwen Millward, raise the roof and the tempo with this joyful and fun-filled story about self-expression which will have youngsters giggling and guffawing at the frantic antics of the adorably chaotic Kerfuffle Bird. When the noisy Kerfuffle Bird hatches in Hushville, it shatters the peace of their quiet community, but Maeve is overjoyed to have someone to whoop and shriek with. And when Kerfuffle Bird’s squawking and flapping, warbling and wild jigs become too much for the Hushlings, they discover the importance of expressing their feelings. Millward’s wildly energetic illustrations are the perfect match for Docherty’s riotously funny, rhyming story about introversion and extroversion, and how to strike a healthy balance between expressing yourself and taking time out to rest and recharge. Guaranteed to win the hearts of readers young and old, quiet… and not so quiet!
(Oxford University Press, paperback, £7.99) 

Age 2 plus
The Rock Family Band
Robert Tregoning and Laura Brenlla

GET ready to rock with a family that likes to make a CRASH wherever they go… but spare a thought for youngest member Sam who much prefers to live a quiet life! Award-winning author Robert Tregoning teams up with star illustrator Laura Brenlla on this loud and lovely picture book story about accepting your family for who they are… despite your differences. Meet the Rocks... Dad is a rock guitarist, Pops is the singer, Liv is the drummer, and Bo is keyboardist and writes the lyrics. Oh, and Nan and the dog are in the band too. It’s a household of big shoes, big hair, and GLAM ROCK. Except for youngest child, Sam. Sam is a flautist who likes peace, quiet and classical music. He doesn't feel like he fits in and he’s dreading his end-of-year school recital. Can he trust his family to sit and listen? But when stage fright hits, maybe Sam’s rocking, grooving, clanging family might be just what he needs. Tregoning, winner of the Indie Book Awards 2024, celebrates individuality, the joys and comforts of family bonds and the importance of accepting difference in this exuberant story which springs to glorious life through Brenlla’s gallery of colourful, vibrant and high-octane illustrations. A musical masterpiece!
(Oxford University Press, paperback, £7.99) 

Age one plus
Weather Tots: Sunny Starts School & Breezy’s Beach Day
Caroline Crowe and Nia Gould 

RAIN or shine they’re here to play, what will the weather tots do today? Say hello to the Weather Tots, the lovable stars of a new series of picture books about a charismatic group of young weather characters who are discovering their incredible powers through fun-filled and informative adventures. Written by Caroline Crowe and illustrated by Nia Gould, this is the perfect series to intrigue young children to the different types of weather. 

First to shine is Sunny who has a rocky start to her first day at Weather School. She’s desperate to impress her classmates but – from melting Frosty’s frozen yoghurt to ruining Mizzle and Drizzle’s games by drying up the puddles in the playground – everything keeps going wrong. Will she get her chance to shine? And in Breezy’s Beach Day, the Weather Tots learn all about wind during their day at the beach! All the class are excited… except for Breezy. He accidentally blows over Sunny’s sandcastle and sprays sand into the sandwiches. But when it's time for a class trip on a sailing boat, can Breezy make it up to his friends? The Weather Tots don’t always realise the strength of their powers but their wise teacher, Professor Cloud, is always on hand to guide them. Set in a school environment, the stories and characters are highly relatable for young children and each, book includes a make-and-do activity at the end, linked with the story, and a weather fact from Professor Cloud. A series that’s forecast to be an all-weathers winner!
(Oxford University Press, paperback, £7.99 each)