Age 9 plus
Dragonborn
Struan Murray
SOMETIMES children are born to be dragons… and sometimes an epic fantasy series is born to set imaginations on fire! Scottish author Struan Murray – whose debut novel, Orphans of the Tide, won the prestigious Branford Boase Award – plays his best card yet with the first electrifying adventure in a series that takes world-building to dizzy new heights. Life is no fun for Alex Evans. Ever since her dad’s death, her overprotective mother has smothered her with unbreakable rules and unspoken fears. When the frustration inside Alex finally gets too big to bear, it rushes to the surface. And flames spill from her mouth. Because Alex is a dragon… one of the many who live among us, unless something awakens their true nature. Led by the mighty Oliphos to the legendary island of Skralla, Alex must now train alongside fierce, frightening dragon children if she is to unlock the power of her birthright. But other dragons are rising, too. Drak Midna, the greatest dragon of all, seeks to free himself from the curse that has trapped him for three thousand years… the curse that has kept the world safe. Now he is preparing a war against the human world, and Alex has to be strong enough for this fight, or all of us will be caught in the flames…
Murray has given us a true, inspirational hero… a thrilling young
girl on a journey of self-discovery who is ready to sideline her fears and emotions
and take on dragon skulls, ferocious battles and a fiery, fearsome enemy in
order to save the world. Littered with fire-breathing danger, an endless layer
of mind-blowing secrets, and an emotional intensity that will burn its way into
young hearts, Dragonborn is simply unputdownable.
(Puffin, paperback, £8.99)
The Blitz Sisters
Judith Eagle
THREE sisters, two devastating bomb blasts, one life-changing war… they can survive anything if they have each other. Billed as Little Women for younger readers, and set during World War Two and beyond, this heartwarming, poignant and page-turning tale from critically acclaimed author Judith Eagle brings real history to life with dazzling mastery and authenticity. Focusing on the fears, friendships and fortunes of one London family, Eagle thrusts readers into the lives of three sisters, Lydia, Peggy and Teddy Linden, just after war is declared and at the point where their world is about to be turned upside down. In 1939, the girls have been evacuated to the countryside and Lydia, the oldest and always the sensible sister, is finding a way to make everyone feel safe… with her cooking! But the weight of responsibility begins to feel unbearably heavy and Lydia decides to take drastic, dangerous action. In 1943, we find the girls back in London and crammed into a house in Peckham Rye with numerous friends and relatives. Peggy, the arty one, is at school and hating it. Inspired by her new friend Arno, a refugee from Germany, Peggy is determined to go to art school, whatever the cost. By 1946, the girls are living through the war’s aftermath. Teddy, the clever one, is excelling at school. So when a school trip to Paris is on the cards, the family are keen to find the money for Teddy to go. Little do they know that, instead of learning French, Teddy plans to try to find one of the family’s very dearest lost loved ones…
A new generation of children will marvel at the danger and
disruption that many youngsters faced during the long war years including bombs
raining down on cities like London, and losing their homes, their things, their
loved ones. But Eagle also reminds us that there were always comforting bright
spots like finding you have the strength and love to carry on, enjoying a
greater sense of family, and discovering the essence of who you truly are.
(Faber Children’s Books, paperback, £7.99)
Pets Tell Tales: Ancient Rome
Rik Worth and Jordan Collver
IF you thought Ancient Rome was all about the colosseum,
gladiators and toga-wearers, this laugh-out-loud graphic novel guide from
northern writer Rik Worth and Canadian illustrator Jordan Collver is guaranteed
to come up with more than a few surprises! So what REALLY happened in Ancient
Rome? Meet the animals of this long-ago civilisation as they prepare to spring
to life and give readers the REAL history of the world they inhabited. They’re
going to talk about the really good stuff and introduce you to the coolest
Romans, including elephant soldiers, lion gladiators, celebrity horses and even
superstitious chickens. Did you know that you could also find bears and tigers
in the ancient city of Rome or that at the height of the Roman Empire, their
power (and pets) spread from Scotland all the way through Europe, to North
Africa and the Middle East? Prepare to giggle and gape as Worth – who is
fascinated with why people believe in unusual things and the odder side of
history – has fun digging out some of Ancient Rome’s most bizarre secrets.
Brilliantly illustrated by Collver, the Pets Tell Tales guides are the perfect
teaching tool to inspire reluctant readers!
(Wren & Rook, paperback, £10.99)
On The Streets of New York
Sarah Kay and Ryan Johnson
TAKE a poetic tour through New York, ‘the city that never sleeps,’
and discover some of its hidden corners as well as its major landmarks. On The
Streets of New York is filled with the verse of Sarah Kay, a writer, performer
and educator from New York City, and the artwork of Brooklyn-based illustrator Ryan
Johnson, and is part of the On the Streets series from Big Picture Press.
Through vibrant illustrated poetry – written by a poet from the city – readers
can enjoy an armchair stroll through busy city streets and visit some of its
familiar and not-so-familiar sights. Whether you are gazing up at the
shimmering skyscrapers, walking through sprawling Central Park, grabbing a
slice of pizza, visiting a bagel stand, or being overawed by the Statue of
Liberty, every block of New York has a story to tell and each landmark holds
special memories. Blending Kay’s lyrical text with non-fiction and Johnson’s
beautifully detailed illustrations, this bold and bright book captures the
heart and soul of the Big Apple.
(Big Picture Press, hardback, £14.99)
The Gumdrops: Quest for Bravery
Elissa Elwick
YOUNG imaginations are propelled into overdrive in this fun
and interactive graphic novel from Elissa Elwick, an award-winning children’s
books illustrator and author who loves helping children to find their voice,
get creative, and discover the power of their unique and special imagination.
So meet Hope, Bubbles, Sparky and Rainbow, they’re the Gumdrops… guardians of a
magical land, full of magical beings! You might meet imaginary friends, your
favourite characters from a story, or creations from your dreams. The Gumdrops
are always up for a challenge… and when they get a letter from a child in need
of an imaginary friend, they have their work cut out. Can YOU help them search
for the ingredients to make the perfect companion? But you’ll have to keep an
eye out for the mischievous, but adorable, Evilee along the way! Brought to
vibrant life by Elwick’s gallery of gorgeous, colourful illustrations, and with
an enchanting cast of quirky characters, this is the perfect package for
youngsters setting out on the road to independent reading.
(Little Tiger Press, paperback, £7.99)
Ocean (Sticker by Numbers)
Jonny Marx and Christiane Engel
DIVE into the deep ocean and make your own wild and watery wonders
with a fun and fact-filled sticker-by-numbers book which lets little explorers
learn as they create. With ten pictures, over 130 stickers and perforated
pull-out pages, this sparkling numbers book is the perfect gift for animal
lovers and budding explorers. Youngsters will love searching the ocean depths
and meeting a whole array of animals along the way, from splashing sea turtles,
playful penguins and astonishing orcas to eerie anglerfish and stunning
starfish. Vibrant and beautifully detailed artwork from Christiane Engel brings
the mysterious underwater world to life, and the fun facts which accompanying
the sticker projects encourage an interest in all sorts of sea creatures.
(Little Tiger Press, paperback, £6.99)
Nature Pop-ups: World of Birds
Patricia Hegarty, Xuan Le
and Yoojin Kim
DISCOVER nature in all its incredible colour, glory and life in a
spectacular pop-up book showcasing a menagerie of magnificent birds. World of
Birds is the second book of a dazzling pop-up board book series from Little
Tiger Press. Feast your eyes on a tiny hovering hummingbird as she noiselessly
beats her wings and flits from flower to flower! Each spread in this stunning
book is brought to life by a pop-up scene featuring birds ranging from preening
peacocks to parakeets, and majestic flamingos to diving ducks. Little ones will
love watching birds pop up from the ingeniously engineered pages of this
stylish board book. With Xuan Le’s gorgeous illustrations, Patricia Hegarty’s
simple rhyming text, lots of fascinating facts, and the jaw-dropping paper
engineering of Yoojin Kim, this beautiful book is a perfect introduction to the
amazing world of birds and an exciting way for children to watch nature spring
to life!
(Little Tiger Press, board book, £14.99)
Pass the Parcel
Carly Gledhill
HANDS up if you’re ready for a first class adventure! Young
readers will be raring to join all the fun and frolics as Parcel gears up to
travel to somewhere far, far away on a rollicking journey by sea, sky and snail
mail. Pass the Parcel – a vibrant picture book bursting with energy,
imagination and humour – comes from Manchester-based illustrator Carly Gledhill
who channels her love of colour, character design and hand-drawn lettering into
everything she creates. So can you guess where Parcel is going and would you
like to come along, too? You would? Well, let’s GO! Follow Parcel as he gets
passed all around the world, finding joy in the most unexpected places and
celebrating all the fun you can have with a cardboard box. Expect delightfully
whacky detours as you follow Parcel’s epic journey and discover where he really
belongs in a super fold-out reveal that is guaranteed to give everyone a
surprise!
(Post Wave Children’s Books, hardback, £12.99)
Mr Norton’s New Truck
Huw Lewis Jones and Corey Egbert
HOW on earth is Mr Norton going to get to work on time?! Author
Huw Lewis Jones – whose own work has led to him voyaging in Antarctica – and
Virginia-based illustrator Corey Egbert have fun with the second of their
addictive picture book romps which offer a captivating reading experience and
are perfect for sharing together… again and again and again! One Monday
morning, Horace Norton finds that a bear has been on his bicycle and left both
of his wheels rather wonky! How ever will he get to work? On Tuesday the bus is
too busy for him to squeeze on to it, on Wednesday he picks up a scooter but
it’s too small, and when he tries a pair of roller skates on Thursday it
doesn't end at all well. Will Mr Norton find the perfect vehicle and finally
get to work on time? With a text that repeats and builds with each new day and
a story that ends with a peace offering from his animal friends, this
celebration of kindness, brought to life by Egbert’s stylish and timeless
illustrations, is set to be another much-loved classic!
(Little Tiger Press, hardback, £12.99)
Follow the Leader
Harriet Howe and Ariel Landy
TAKE three hot animals and one cool lake… all we need now is
someone to lead the way! Author Harriet Howe and illustrator Ariel Landy have
fun with a playful, rhyming picture book caper which gently explores concepts
of leadership and teamwork. Monkey, Bear and Armadillo are melting in the
jungle heat so off they go on a wild journey to the cool, sparkling lake. But
wait! How should they get there, who gets to hold the map and who should lead
the way? Youngsters will love tagging along with three big personalities on
this sun-soaked jungle adventure which is packed with map-reading mishaps,
flying fruit and swamp splats! Landy’s gloriously expressive and high-energy
illustrations are the perfect match for Howe's anarchic story. A hilarious take
on bossiness, bickering and just being silly!
(Little Tiger Press, paperback, £7.99)
Mo’s Stick
Fiona Lumbers
THE power of a child’s imagination is celebrated in simple words
and expressive pictures in this exceptionally creative and beautifully
illustrated book from Fiona Lumbers. Mo is sad… the little mouse’s favourite
stick is gone! It could take Mo up to the stars and across the sea, and no
other stick will ever be as good. But was it the stick that was special… or
could it have been Mo’s wild and wonderful imagination? Lumbers’ charming and
lovable little mouse character captures the determination and creativity of
young children through cleverly rendered illustrations, complete with
eye-catching collage elements and intriguing die-cut pages. The perfect book to
inspire imaginative play!
(Little Tiger Press, hardback, £12.99)
My Busy Noisy Farm
Sophie Aggett and Malgorzata Detner
TODAY it's YOU who is the farmer! Get ready for fun as little ones become
busy farmers for the day, carrying out the NOISY tasks in the farmyard, with
this brilliant pretend and play board book full of bright illustrations and 26
real-life farm sounds. ‘Over fields, turn giant wheels. Press buttons, bright
and BIG! Chug-beep-beep and sprinkle! Vroom! There's so much soil to dig.’ From
grooming the neighing horses, to driving the chugging tractor, children will
love immersing themselves into a busy day at work with the farm sounds, Sophie
Aggett’s vibrant rhyming text and Malgorzata Detner’s adorable illustrations.
Nurture your child’s imagination with the questions and tasks at the bottom of
the page… name your favourite horse, count the number of piglets and scatter
seeds into the field. This chunky book is perfect to engage little ones in an
interactive play experience, helping to develop their social, emotional,
language and thinking skills!
(Little Tiger, board book, £12.99)
Busy Vehicles: Dino Rescue
Danielle McLean and Damien Barlow
MEET the busy rescue dinos and then watch them transform into
emergency vehicles! All little fans of ‘things that go’ will be slipping and
sliding through the pages of this fun and interactive board book from author
Danielle McLean and illustrator Damien Barlow. ‘A dino tumbles from a tree with
an almighty CRASH. We need an ambulance right now… to bring help in a flash!’
The dinos are in trouble and need rescue vehicles to zoom along to save them!
By pulling the sliding tabs on each page, youngsters can watch the dinosaurs
transform into busy vehicles and carry out some ROAR-some rescues. With magic
transformations and sliding pictures on every page, fun dino facts, a
read-aloud rhyming text and Barlow’s clever, colourful illustrations, this
chunky board book has heroes and high-stakes adventures on every page!
(Little Tiger, board book, £7.99)
