Age 8 plus
Alex Abbott is Undead
Louise Austin and Katie Kear
IF you’re in search of a brilliant book hook for your far
from eager readers, look no further than this fang-tastically funny debut from
former lawyer, mother-of-three and now debut author Louise Austin whose diary of
a reluctant vampire aged 11½ is guaranteed to leave them ghoulishly giggly! Alex Abbott is Undead is the first of this monstrously
madcap adventure series which is illustrated throughout by joyful illustrator
Katie Kear and delivers a hilarious twist on the traditional vampire tales.
Star of the show is Alex Abbott whose diary reveals: ‘I was a completely ordinary kid until I
accidentally got turned into a vampire. I have cool powers but they’re
seriously not worth it because I have to: 1. Keep the powers secret, even from
my best friends Archie and Mia (nightmare) 2. Still go to school every day
(thanks, Mum and Dad) 3. Never eat chocolate, chips or ice-cream ever again
(the WORST) Actually, that’s not the worst. Trying to find a cure, I blundered
into the supernatural world, broke an ancient pact and extinguished 32 tiny
fire sprites (oops!). Now I’m on an epic quest to right those wrongs and make a
deal with an ancient Sicilian fire demon to get my life back. What could
possibly go wrong?’ Austin’s inventive, laugh-out-loud and high-octane story is
not just a feast of fiendish supernatural fun but also a clever cover for
heartwarming messages about the importance of family, friendship and teamwork,
and the perfect bait for reluctant readers!
(Macmillan Children’s Books, paperback, £7.99)
The Genie Game
Jordan Ifueko
ONE wish could change everything, but what if the game is
rigged? Bestselling US author Jordan Ifueko brings young readers a dazzling debut
middle-grade adventure set in a glitzy, dystopian Los Angeles where a young
girl on a mission to save her sister finds herself thrust into a world of
genies, magic and mystery! Thirteen-year-old Valentine Adesanya is desperate to
find her missing big sister, Mango, so when a mysterious text from her leads Valentine
to a boba shop, she follows. But when she arrives, instead of finding her
sister, Valentine is pulled into the Genie Realm, a magical world where kids
become ‘genies’ and grant wishes to power the Trio Trust, the mega-corporations
secretly running Gloss Angeles. To escape and rescue Mango, Valentine must
compete in the Genie Game… a wish-granting contest where only cleverness, grit
and a little chaos will get her to the top. But as she climbs the leaderboard,
Valentine uncovers a monstrous secret buried beneath the glittering surface.
Has the game been rigged against her since the start? How did the Trio Trust
get so powerful, and why do they seem so afraid of Valentine Adesanya? Youngsters
will love meeting Valentine who, armed only with her brain and her boldness,
takes on the bad guys in a thrilling, genre-bending world. With themes of
identity, political activism and resistance, The Genie Game is both
thought-provoking and exciting.
(Piccadilly Press, paperback, £7.99)
The World’s Last Mammoth
and Other Missing Marvels
Mike Barfield and Franziska Höllbacher
GET ready for a mammoth mystery tour through the world’s
most infamous missing marvels! From the missing pages of the Library of
Alexandria to the whereabouts of Bigfoot and the Loch Ness Monster, The World’s
Last Mammoth and other Missing Marvels – written by writer, performer and
cartoonist Mike Barfield and illustrated by Franziska Höllbacher – is a
treasure trove of mysterious and long-gone things… absent animals, bygone
buildings, missing monarchs, past palaces and more. But all is NOT lost because
along the way, readers will also find the survivors and modern marvels of
things gone by. Explore the lost splendour of the Hanging Gardens of
Babylon, ponder the fate of historical figures like Cleopatra or Genghis Khan
and unravel the mystery behind famous American pilot Amelia Earhart who
disappeared without trace on a groundbreaking flight around the world in 1937.
And while we may no longer have dinosaurs, we have fascinating fossils to study
instead. Discover how we can call the Nicobar Pigeon the extinct Dodo’s
closet-living relative, and that even though the dancing plague of 1518 is long
gone, dance trends like Gangnam style still spread like wildfire today. Packed
with fascinating facts and Barfield’s trademark sense of fun, and Höllbacher’s
comical and colourful illustrations, this is a thrilling exploration of things
long gone but be warned… you may find yourself getting lost in laughter along
the way!
(Templar Books, paperback, £10.99)
Mabel and Merryglow: The Spark
Anne Montel, Loïc Clément and Julien Arnal
HELP your littles ones to banish their fears of the dark
with this warm and comforting graphic novel-inspired picture book, the first of
a series of featuring the adventures of Mabel the tortoise and Merryglow, a
firefly. Written by Anne Montel and Loïc Clément, illustrated by Julien Arnal,
and translated from the French by Charis Ainslie, this cleverly imagined story
stars a turtle facing her fears and discovering the value of true friendship
when the darkness feels overwhelming. When night falls, Mabel the tortoise’s
fears come alive. She could hide in her shell like her family but she’s too
afraid of the dark! With nowhere to hide, she spends her days fearing the night
ahead. When she finally does fall asleep, she has terrible dreams of being
locked in the darkness. But when kind-hearted firefly Merryglow joins her for
tea, he brings with him a spark of hope. He teaches Mabel to be brave in the
night, to embrace the darkness and safety of her shell, and no longer be
ashamed of her fears. With empowering and inspirational messages about hope
when all feels lost, beautiful, atmospheric and panelled illustrations, the new
Mabel and Merryglow adventures look set to be a firm family favourite.
(Post Wave Children’s Books, hardback, £12.99)
Storm
Claire Saxby and Jess Racklyeft
‘A storm is rising. It begins with a puff. Then another.
A
flutter, a ripple, a shiver shows where the breeze blows.’
FROM the first puff
of wind to a howling gale, lightning cracks and thunder, this spectacular
picture book blends rigorous scientific research, lyrical language and stunning
illustrations for an evocative exploration of the birth of a thunderstorm.
Created by multi-award-winning duo, author Claire Saxby and illustrator Jess
Racklyeft, Storm take youngsters on a magical and mesmerising journey in which
they experience the effects of wind and weather on the natural environment.
Dive into the ocean and see how fish retreat as the storm takes hold, observe
sand flurries and clouds clustering, take a look inside the clouds as tiny
water drops join and grow, and see the full power of a storm in a dramatic,
centre fold-out. Words and pictures in perfect harmony!
(Allen & Unwin, paperback, £7.99)
The Littlest Elephant: A One and Only Ruby Story
Katherine Applegate and Lita Judge
RUBY may be the littlest elephant in the herd but she’s also
the luckiest! Growing up and seeing the world in a different way can be scary
for little ones so introduce them to adorable baby elephant Ruby, the star of a
new picture book in the modern classic One and Only series from Newbery
Award-winning author Katherine Applegate and nature-loving illustrator Lita
Judge. Ruby is the littlest elephant in the herd at the animal
sanctuary where she lives near her best friends Ivan the silverback gorilla and
Bob the lovable dog. Ruby loves all the things that make being an elephant fun,
like splashing in muddy puddles and spraying water through her trunk. But there
are parts of being an elephant that she doesn’t love so much, like her new
tusks. The herd is preparing for Ruby’s Tuskday, a day to celebrate the fact
that Ruby is growing up, and for remembering. Ruby has lots of happy memories
but she also has lots of sad ones, ones that are hard to think about.
Surrounded by the love of her herd and her friends, the littlest elephant will
see that growing up doesn’t have to be frightening and that remembering the
darkness can help us appreciate the light. Full of Applegate’s tender,
empathetic words and messages, and Judge’s exquisite artwork, this poignant
story emphasises the importance of honouring the past, cherishing the present,
and facing the future without fear.
(Storytide, hardback, £12.99)
Home is a Hug
Cindy Wume
PUT up your hands if you want a book hug! Taiwanese author
and illustrator Cindy Wume works her special magic on this heartfelt picture book
which explores the real meaning of home. Featuring peek-through pages and
lift-the-flap surprises, Home is a Hug is a playful ode to all the places we
find comfort. What does it take to build a home? Bricks and concrete, windows
and walls, glass and steel? Sometimes, home is something much more… With a spare
and gentle text, and Wume’s vibrant illustrations, this interactive picture
book imagines the many different shapes a home can take, from an apple to an
umbrella, a cardboard box, a cosy reading nook and finally a reassuring hug. The
clever peek-through pages invite young readers to uncover hidden surprises, creating
a deceptively simple story full of unexpected delights. Perfect for any child
navigating change, this beautiful story reminds little ones that there’s always
a home waiting for us at the end of the day.
(Post Wave Children’s Books, hardback, £12.99)
Boots and Cats
Hazel Gardner and Fred Blunt
HERE'S something new… all the joys of a toe-tapping,
read-aloud picture book with the added fun of an interactive audio in a riotous
introduction to beatboxing! Written by talented Preston author Hazel Gardner
and illustrated by Fred Blunt (loved for his humorous and prolific artwork!),
Boots and Cats comes with a free audio track from professional beatboxer Conrad
Murray… simply scan the QR code and join in the beatboxing (often described as
‘music with your mouth’). Using the well-known beatboxing starting point
pattern of Boots and Cats, the exhilarating book takes readers on a
fantastical, magical ride, down to a deep-sea nightclub full of bobbing
bunnies, dancing ducks, guinea pig wigs and a high-wire act from an elephant.
Bold, wacky and brilliantly funny, this innovative, imaginative and
entertaining book is bursting with wild, unexpected sounds inspired by the
rhythms of beatboxing. Hilariously satisfying, Boots and Cats reminds us all to
find the fun in reading aloud… and to enjoy it together!
(Macmillan Children’s Books, paperback, £7.99)
The Storm Cloud
Frances Stickley and Emily Hamilton
WHEN the going gets tough, it’s good to know that the
brightest rainbows always appear after a storm. Frances Stickley, a former
primary school teacher and trained literacy specialist, and artist and
illustrator Emily Hamilton team up for this beautiful, life-affirming and
hopeful picture book exploring feelings of sadness and the power of friendship
to comfort and heal. It’s a wonderfully sunny spring day but Bear has woken up
to find a storm cloud hanging above his head and he just can’t get rid of it.
Can his caring friends, Squirrel, Rabbit and Fox, help Bear to shake off his
sadness, leave his home and find his way through the lingering storm cloud
above his head? Brimming with love, the joys of friendship and cute
illustrations, this stunningly created picture book is ideal for conversations
with little ones about big feelings and sharing their troubles.
(Post Wave Children’s Books, hardback, £12.99)
Skipping to Sammy’s Beat
Coral Voss and Blithe Fielden
LEARNING to believe in yourself is all part of growing up so
introduce your youngsters to Sammy who discovers fun can fade when you don’t
follow your own beat. Created by award-winning Australian author Coral Voss and
Brisbane-based illustrator Blithe Fielden, Skipping to Sammy’s Beat is the
perfect picture book to open discussions about following your own path in life.
Sammy loves to splash in puddles, dangle from trees, look for ladybirds and
skip and dance down the path to her very own beat. Tap, da-dum, tap, tap,
da-dum! But when Sammy turns five, she feels silly wearing her tutu and wellingtons
and so she stops dancing altogether. But after missing out on all the fun,
Sammy can’t hear her beat any more… the very beat that makes her special. How will
Sammy find her beat again? With its cute and cautionary tale, and Fielden’s
adorable and colourable artwork, this delightful picture book will put a skip
in every reader’s step!
(New Frontier Publishing, paperback, £8.99)
Age 2 plus
Dragons and Other Creatures of the Sky
Celeste Cortright and Giulia Orecchia
CAN you guess the fantastical creature of the sky? See who’s
hiding as you turn the pages of this spectacular book and meet everything from
dragons to fairies as you learn about the amazing mythical creatures that fly
in the sky. This ingenious, interactive board book features mystical riddles
about each creature and as readers guess and turn the page, tiered layers
cleverly slide to reveal answers! Written in rhyming verse by Celeste Cortright
and illustrated by Giulia Orecchia, Dragons and Other Creatures of the Sky is part
of Barefoot Books’ super-inventive Slide-and-See Fantastical Creatures series
which boasts an interactive format which keeps kids engaged while learning and
includes fact-packed endnotes about each of the creatures featured in the book.
Also in the series is Mermaids and Other Creatures of the Sea which features
fantastical creatures that live beneath the waves, including mermaids, krakens,
monsters, sirens and sea witches. A magical, hands-on journey into the realms
of fantasy!
(Barefoot Books, board books, £14.99 each)
The Dad Book
Forest Xiao
‘You made me brave. You made me forgiving. You made me creative. You made me your DAD.’
BECOMING a dad is a journey like no other so
celebrate fatherhood with this warm and funny celebration of dads and
fatherhood… perfect for Father’s Day, as a gift from a child, or for an
expectant parent. The Dad Book comes from Forest Xiao, an author and
illustrator who aspires to create books that are life-giving, convey a sense of
wonder, and spark humour. From leaky nappies and early wake-ups to newborn
cuddles that are too joyful to share, this hilariously relatable and
brilliantly observed book reminds us of the everyday magic and sheer TIREDNESS
of fatherhood. Packed with love and humour, The Dad Book is a tribute to dads
everywhere… and captures all the weird and wonderful moments of being a new
parent!
(Orchard Books, hardback, £9.99)
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