Age 9 plus
Magicalia: Storm of Chaos
Jennifer Bell
IF it’s high-octane adventures you’re after this half-term, step inside the dazzling fantasy world created by outstanding author Jennifer Bell in Magicalia, her spectacular, science-packed fantasy series brimming with incredible Pokémon-style creatures, dramatic locations and amazing inventions. Storm of Chaos is the third book in this thrilling and theatrical series and features the escape of magical creatures across the globe when an invention is damaged. When her dad was kidnapped by a woman with a giant hamstoceros, Bitsy and best friend Kosh were swept into a secret world of ancient meteorites and strange beasts called magicores, each conjured using a different emotion.
Using a powerful bestiary called Magicalia, the friends can
now become conjurors themselves. But when an amazing new invention, which can
duplicate magicores, is sabotaged, rogue magicores escape across the globe.
Bitsy and Kosh must embark on a dangerous quest to hunt them down in an
adventure that takes them from the Galápagos islands to the rainforest of
Borneo. With the help of their Magicalia handbook, the friends must confront
their greatest fears… or watch chaos destroy everything. Bell launches another of her non-stop, breathtaking
adventures as Bitsy and Kosh face an epic quest to save their world. With the
energy levels ramped up to danger point, menacing monsters at every turn, and
colourful adventures that unfold amidst filmic wonders, Magicalia takes
fast-moving fantasy to a whole new level. And don't miss the first two
adventures in the series… Magicalia: Race of Wonders and Magicalia: Thief of
Shadows.
(Walker Books, paperback, £7.99)
The Shadow Pony
Olivia Wakeford
TAKE a boy struggling with big family changes, dark secrets from the past, and a grandad whose memories are fading too fast, and you have the hallmarks of a story that will touch the hearts of readers young and old. Family love through the generations speaks loud and clear in Olivia Wakeford’s emotionally-charged new novel which is set in South Wales where she grew up and explores the area’s mining heritage through the lens of family and animals. Eleven-year-old Evan hates change, which is a big problem because the last few years have brought a lot of it. He recently moved to Wales, his mum’s new partner has come to live with them, his family is now split down the middle, and lately Grandad hasn’t been himself. Fortunately for Evan, he can always depend on best friend Okie Dokie, his lovable dog. When a school trip takes Evan to an old mine where Grandad used to work, things go disastrously wrong. Grandad refuses to talk to Evan about the mine, and especially about the poor pit ponies that worked down there in the dark. But Evan is desperate to know more about Grandad’s past and if he can only find out what Grandad is hiding, the weird gulf between them will surely disappear. Can Evan uncover Grandad’s secrets before they are lost forever?
Wakeford imaginatively and sensitively explores topics like
family upheaval, bullying and mental health as well as introducing young
readers to the concept of dementia and its impact on families. But despite the
challenges that Evan faces, The Shadow Pony is also a story of hope,
emphasising the importance of friendship, empathy and community, and
celebrating the bonds between children and animals, and the memories shared
between generations of a family.
(HarperCollinsChildren’sBooks, paperback, £7.99)
The World's Worst Alien Fights Back
Alice Primmer and Fred Blunt
AN alien disguised as a schoolgirl trying to bring about
world peace comes out fighting in the second book of funny and quietly clever
illustrated series from Alice Primmer and Fred Blunt. Sky is the laziest alien
to ever visit Earth. Creating Planet Earth as a school project failed to get her
a pass so her task now is to figure out how to fix the messes that humans keep
making. If only humans would stop fighting wars all over the place! There’s
only one thing for it… she must return to Oak Lane Primary School as an
eleven-year-old girl and reunite with her human friends to stop all fighting using
Sky’s genius idea of winning. But it would be a whole lot easier if a
disastrous cricket match and a declaration of war painted on the school fence
hadn’t just kicked off a battle with a rival school... With Primmer’s stories
taking a salutary and satirical look at Earth and the behaviour of its humans
through the eyes of an extra-terrestrial, and the comical artwork of
award-winning illustrator Blunt putting words into pictures, these wonderfully
chaotic capers are in-and-out-of-this-world winners!
(Walker Books, paperback, £7.99)
The Lost Dragon of Roar
Jenny McLachlan and Alla Khatkevich
GET ready to roar with laughter as author Jenny McLachlan returns
with another epic adventure in her bestselling and spectacular children’s
fantasy series, The Land of Roar. These rip-roaring books have been billed as
stories that make you believe in magic and these funny, big-hearted and
thrilling adventures have certainly captured not just the best-loved
characteristics of classics like Cressida Cowell’s How to Train Your Dragon and
C.S. Lewis’ Chronicles of Narnia but also the hearts of young readers
everywhere. Irrepressible twins Rose and Arthur Trout, along with Win,
their wizard-ninja best friend, are going back to dragon school, and now they
are officially dragon riders, it’s time for their first mission… to find a
mysterious crew of witches. And it’s another momentous ride where they will
encounter an ancient lost city, a cursed island of witches, a ghostly mystery
and a legendary dragon rumoured to be the most fearsome dragon yet in Roar. But
an old enemy is on their trail… and there’s only danger ahead. McLachlan once more dives into the farthest reaches of her
imagination for this all-action new thriller in the exhilarating and exciting
Land of Roar while Alla Khatkevich works a special magic on a gallery of
extraordinary illustrations. Adventure and laughter on full throttle!
(Farshore, paperback, £7.99)
Amari and the Metalwork Menace
B.B. Alston
FEEL the magic and get lost in a super-sizzling supernatural
world as B.B. Alston returns with the fourth book in his fantastic Supernatural
Investigations trilogy which began with Amari and the Night Brothers. Featuring
the feisty, fearless Amari Peters – a heroic black girl with magic at her
fingertips – this epic new adventure packs in thrilling action and a deadly new
curse. In the wake of the Bureau of Supernatural Investigations’
war with Dylan Van Helsing and the magicians, Amari Peters has stepped back
from being a Junior Agent to spend the school year as a normal kid. But now
she’s faced with a decision… return to the Bureau and join an elite new agent
programme, or retire for good which would mean safety, but also losing her
memories of the supernatural world. Soon she finds that she may not have a
choice. A deadly new curse is threatening the supernatural and mortal worlds as
people are slowly becoming machines beneath their skin. Hundreds of cases have
been cropping up with no cure in sight. And when the curse hits someone close
to Amari, it’s up to her to get to the bottom of this deadly mystery… even if
it means trusting an old enemy. These mesmerising, magical and imaginative Amari adventures
possess everything young readers love… breathtaking action, surprises at every
turn of the page, humour, and a courageous heroine they love to take to their
hearts. Great stuff... bring on the next adventure!!
(Farshore, hardback, £14.99)
The Cheat Book (vol.3)
RAMZEE
CAN Kamal take down the robots? Welcome to third book in the
hilarious Cheat Book series from London-based author and illustrator RAMZEE.
When a new Smart School opens up, Kamal and his friends are part of the lucky
first test group. With robot teachers, vending machines full of free snacks,
and talking scooters that take you to your classes, what could possibly go
wrong? The answer… everything. With the trusty Cheat Book and its lifehacks by
his side, can Kamal find a way to fight back? Full of fun, crazy capers and
giggles galore, these fully illustrated books are perfect for young
mischief-makes and most definitely not for grown-ups!
(Hodder Children's Books, paperback, £8.99)
Finders of Silverthorn Forest:
The Faraway Adventure
Rachel Chivers Khoo and Laura Catalán
COSY up for more magical adventures in enchanting Silverthorn
Forest, home to lovable creatures, the joys of friendship and the rewards of courage.
Written by Belfast-born author Rachel Chivers Khoo and beautifully illustrated
throughout by Spanish children’s book illustrator Laura Catalán, this
delightfully imagined story is the sequel to Finders of Silverthorn Forest: The
Lost Treasures. Star of the show is once again Tuft, a young Finder of
Silverthorn Forest who wakes early from hibernation and decides to set out on
an adventure to find the legendary Faraway Forest. After an unexpected trip to
London via a postbox, Tuft is reunited with his human friend Max and secretly
signs him up for an adventure camp in the New Forest. Tuft is convinced that
they will uncover the homeland of the Finders here, but Max is sceptical. The
camp is the last place he wants to be spending his school holiday, especially
as he doesn’t have any of the right equipment and it won’t stop raining. But
with a severe storm approaching, things soon turn perilous, and Max must use
all of his new-found skills if he is to save Tuft and the new Finders they have
befriended. Written with a warm heart, a sprinkle of magic, and a genuine
love of the natural world, these touching tales of the Finders are definitely
keepers!
(Walker Books, paperback, £7.99)
Grimwood: Rock the Vote!
Nadia Shireen
YOU can never be too young, or too old, to enjoy a bit of
anarchy! Youngsters (and their parents!) will be grinning, guffawing, snorting
and sniggering when they get their hands on the fifth woodland caper in one of
the funniest children’s series currently on the market. Grimwood – a sort-of
Watership Down with foxes which evokes tears of laughter rather than of sorrow
– is the work of author and illustrator Nadia Shireen who has won awards for
her picture books and been shortlisted for the Roald Dahl Funny Prize, the
Waterstones Children’s Book Prize, the Week Junior Book Award and the Laugh Out
Loud Book Awards. Fully illustrated throughout, the books star two fox cub
siblings, Ted and Nancy, who love their life in Grimwood… the forest where
anything (riotous!) can happen. They have made a lot of new friends there but
now Grimwood needs a new mayor! Titus has finally decided he’s had enough,
leaving behind big antlers to fill. With characters new and old throwing their
hats into the ring, who has what it takes, who has a hidden agenda, and who is simply
in it for the parties? The only people who can decide the fate of Grimwood are…
the residents of Grimwood. Oh, no! Shireen serves up an irresistible blend of
glorious gags, hilarious comedy routines, boundless madcap escapades, and a
memorable cast of quirky characters who young readers will love following from
first page to last, and from book to book. With a side helping of zany,
high-energy black and white illustrations, which bring both the animals and the
action to life, the Grimwood series has the legs – and the laughs – to run and
run.
(Simon & Schuster Children’s Books, paperback, £7.99)
Little Miss Marple: Bump in the Library
Adam Hargreaves, Roger Hargreaves
and Agatha Christie
IT'S billed as a thoroughly mysterious and mischievous
partnership between two British institutions… and who could argue with that? Agatha
Christie’s most famous detectives, Miss Marple and Mr Poirot, receive the Mr.
Men Little Miss treatment in this super-sleuthing board book series in which Mr
Men and Little Miss creator Roger Hargreaves’ well-loved characters take
leading roles in mysteries loosely based on Christie classics. Written and
illustrated by Adam Hargreaves, son of the late Roger Hargreaves, these new
detective adventures have a charming and humorous twist for younger readers,
creating a perfectly fun-filled introduction to the concept of cosy crime.
(Farshore, hardback, £9.99 each)
Happy Hills: Cheesy Bob Strikes!
Sophy Henn
BRACE yourself, kids, because award-winning author and
illustrator Sophy Henn is back with another crazy, chaotic and totally crackpot
new adventure in her hilariously funny full-colour graphic novel series.
Guaranteed to leave young readers in stitches, the Happy Hills books feature
the friendly and not-so-friendly residents of Happy Hills, a place where
anything can happen and always does! And in their fourth outrageous outing, there’s
a surprise new arrival in Happy Hills, and he means trouble! Cheesy Bob is a
mischievous monkey magician, with plans for revenge… and only Ace knows the
truth about him! Can he warn the gang in time before he wreaks magical havoc on
the land? (Probably not, right?!) Jam-packed with hilarious stories, this
much-loved series is a classic blend of comedy and action with a big helping of
heart… and guaranteed to capture the imaginations of every mischief-loving
reader!
(Simon & Schuster Children’s Books, paperback, £9.99)
Tick Tock Around the Clock
Ruth Brown
CAT lovers of all ages will be purring with delight when
they get their paws on this beautiful, gold-foiled picture book which puts a
playful and fanciful feline at centre stage. Tick Tock Around the Clock is the
creation of Carnegie Illustration Award-nominated author and illustrator Ruth
Brown and follows an amusing, and not always restful, day in the life of an
adventurous cat. Follow Tick Tock from waking up and munching and crunching his
breakfast to slipping through the cat flap for adventures in the garden and the
final cuddle before bedtime. Along the way, youngsters will enjoy his
encounters with squirrels and mice which don’t end up quite as he hoped, and
some banging and crashing mischief in the garden shed, before returning home to
a tasty meal and a warm and welcoming human lap. With a simple rhyming text and
Brown’s humorously observed and richly detailed colour illustrations, this is
an adorable package from one of the greats of children’s illustration.
(Scallywag Press, hardback, £12.99)
The Birthday: A Big Hedgehog and
Little Hedgehog Adventure
Britta Teckentrup
PRICKLE and tickle your youngsters into a charming and heartfelt story about friends, birthdays, and dealing with your big expectations. The Birthday is the adorable new Big Hedgehog and Little Hedgehog adventure from award-winning illustrator Britta Teckentrup and – with its gentle story about the very intense feelings that children may have before and on their birthdays – it is guaranteed to tenderly guide your little ones into enjoying the magic of surprise. It’s Little Hedgehog’s birthday, and a day to wake up full of excitement. But as the day goes on and no guests appear, disappointment begins to take hold. Where did everyone go and have they all forgotten? Feeling sad, Little Hedgehog heads back home worried that there wasn’t going to be a party. When a secret plan is revealed and his friends are ready and waiting to party, Little Hedgehog learns that love and friendship can arrive when you least expect them.
The lovable and relatable Big Hedgehog and Little Hedgehog
are just two of German-born Teckentrup’s many marvellous characters who embody
human emotions which young readers can recognise and easily understand. In this new adventure, we follow Little Hedgehog through an
emotional rollercoaster in which feelings of sadness and loneliness are
validated before a final, joyful celebration of friendship, caring and
community. Teckentrup’s signature artwork beautifully conveys the pleasures of
the natural world from sunrise to a moonlit sky, the perfect backdrop for
reading at bedtime!
(Prestel, hardback, £11.99)
Little Explorers: Let’s Go! Museum
Collaborate Agency
LET'S Go! Children will be ready for the off when they get their hands on this Little Explorers first information series, perfect for curious youngsters eager to learn more about the familiar places they might visit. With sturdy flaps to lift on every page, little ones can have hands-on fun looking behind the scenes to discover intriguing facts. In Let's Go! Museum, youngsters discover what goes on at the museum as they open doors, walk through each familiar area, from the art and sculptures to the cafe and gift shop, and find out what all the different people at the museum do.
(Templar Books, board books, £10.99 each)
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