Age 14 plus
Sweet Heartbreak
Alexandra Moody
FORGET Romeo and Juliet, and meet Noah and Isobel, another pair of star-crossed lovers whose worlds collide at the country’s most elite boarding school, reigniting an ‘ancient grudge’ and setting in motion a deliciously romantic and utterly dazzling new ‘mutiny.’ Sweet Heartbreak is the swoon-worthy and heart-stopping first book of Australian author Alexandra Moody’s sensational Weybridge Academy trilogy, featuring a school for the kids of billionaire parents, and a place where two youngsters from opposite sides of the tracks find themselves freewheeling into a tangled web of secrets, betrayals, dramas… and forbidden romance. Isobel – the new kid on the block at Weybridge Academy – recognises straightaway that Noah Hastings is everything she’s not. Their worlds should never have collided but when her long-lost father reappeared, her life was flipped upside down. It turned out that he’s ridiculously wealthy, and without warning he plucked her from her simple life and threw her into a world of excess. Isobel’s father has only sent her to the most elite boarding school in the country where money and status mean everything.
He gives her just one
rule while she’s there… stay away from Noah Hastings. It should be a simple
request. Noah is the king of Weybridge Academy, the heir to an empire and a
serial heartbreaker. She’s just the new girl who grew up waiting on tables… she
doesn’t fit into Noah’s world, and he could never be a part of hers. There’s
more to this boy than Isobel expected, though, and he seems just as drawn to her
as she is to him. But it’s not only their differences that stand between them…
it’s the secrets they keep. Think popular boy with filthy rich parents, and a girl more
used to serving up bacon in her mum’s beach café than riding round in luxury
sports cars, and you have the simmering, shimmering backdrop for an unmissable and
seductive romance. Tingling with teen angst and emotion, relatable characters,
fun friendships, and billionaire youngsters, this is a classroom drama with
more twists than a snakes and ladders board, and the perfect addictive series for
romantics to fall in love with!
(Electric Monkey, paperback, £9.99)
Tadpole Summer
Catherine Bruton
‘IN the midst of life we are in death’ says the Bible… it’s a concept hard for children to fully understand, let alone accept. But as spring bursts out all around, a moving and inspirational story from multi-award-winning author of No Ballet Shoes in Syria Catherine Bruton reminds us all of the power of nature to heal, comfort and bring hope, even in the face of a cruel loss. Both heartbreaking and heartwarming, Tadpole Summer explores sibling love, the wonders of nature and the pain of bereavement and grief as a young girl struggles to cope with her terminally ill brother’s last months and to face the reality that their days together are numbered. Frog has always known her younger brother Tad is unwell. He has Spinal Muscular Atrophy (called SMA-PME for short) but that has never been an obstacle for their unbreakable bond. They share a room and do everything together, Frog happy to do whatever Tad needs. But when Tad is taken into hospital, Frog finds it difficult to be in their bedroom alone and starts camping in the garden. She only plans to be there while Tad is away but she finds an unexpected calm amongst the sounds and smells of nature and a space of her own that she’s never had before.
When Tad comes home, their bedroom has to change to
accommodate all his hospital equipment and Frog isn’t sure where she fits in
their family any more. She retreats back into the garden, using the excuse of a
sponsored camp-out for charity. But as Tad’s condition worsens, Frog needs to
face the truth that she may not have much longer with him. Working to bring the
small wonders of the natural world to Tad, can Frog find a way to make this
last summer together unforgettable? Bruton excels in this exquisitely imagined tale of a girl
who faces her brother’s death by immersing herself in the sights, sounds and
smells of the natural world, finding solace and calm in summer breezes, the
scent of fresh green grass and the buzzing of the bees. With its rich gamut of
emotions, feast of sensual vibes, and the green shoots of nature providing
light in the darkness, this is an unforgettable story from a master
storyteller.
(Nosy Crow, paperback, £7.99)
Dragonborn: The Twilight Child
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 this electrifying fantasy adventure
series which stars a fiery girl striving to master her powers as a dragon and takes
world-building to dizzy new heights. The Twilight Child is the second Dragonborn book and returns
to the perilous life of Alex Evans who has discovered her true identity as a
dragon and is now embarking on a dangerous quest to stop Drak Midna, the
greatest dragon of all, who is waging a war against humanity. And when
tragedy strikes the legendary island of Skralla, Alex and her friends journey
north to the magical heart of Scotland where dark plots are in motion, and
humans and dragons fight side-by-side against a rising storm of ancient demons.
Sinister forces are growing stronger every day and as friendships fall apart
and enemies, old and new, strike from the shadows, Alex must master her own awesome
power and unravel a mystery that might just be the key to victory… the legend
of the Twilight Child. 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 a daring, dazzling and dizzying
delight!
(Puffin, hardback, £14.99)
Cute FACTopia!
Kate Olesin and Andy Smith
WHEN you are invited to follow an ingenious trail of 200 super-sweet
facts about extremely small teddy bears, teeny tiny ants, pygmy hippos and
chilled-out capybaras, it can only mean one thing... FACTopia! is back and this
time it’s adorably CUTE! Written by writer, editor and professional fun fact
finder Kate Olesin, and brought to life by amazing photographs and
award-winning Andy Smith’s fabulously witty collage artwork, Cute FACTopia! is the
newest and cutest title in the best-selling FACTopia! series which was featured
in this year’s official World Book Day book selection. Cute FACTopia! is published in What on Earth! publisher’s
irresistible new pocket-sized format, making it ideal to keep children
entertained during journeys and holidays. So choose your own path to meet the
pygmy hippo called Moo Dheng whose ears wiggle when she sleeps, and marvel at
the world’s tiniest teddy bear. Learn how elephants dance in the rain, and
babies hiccup inside the womb, and then jet off into space to discover a comet
shaped like a rubber duck and a dwarf planet with a huge, heart-shaped ice
field on its surface. Every fact in the book is linked to the next in funny and
surprising ways. And there isn’t just one trail through these pages… sometimes
your path branches and you can choose to jump to a totally different (but still
connected) part of the book. Where will your curiosity take you? Connecting topics as diverse as animals, plants, dinosaurs,
art, architecture and even space – all through the lens of cuteness – this is a
perfectly sweet treat for reluctant or struggling readers.
(What on Earth!, hardback, £9.99)
Nina Peanut: Major Drama Alert
Sarah Bowie
HANDS up if you want another Nina Peanut adventure with the
schoolgirl queen of friendships, frenemies and big dreams? Fans of the one and
only megastar mystery-solver Nina will be racing to get to grips with her
outrageous new antics as Irish writer and illustrator Sarah Bowie makes a
welcome return with her fabulous full-colour illustrated series. Nina Peanut:
Major Drama Alert is the fourth outing for everyone’s favourite naughty
schoolgirl who also happens to be a superstar frozen pizza chef, ghost hunter, mystery
solver, jet-setter, creative genius and now (drum roll!) drama queen. As Nina
tells us, I CANNOT believe Mum is making me show the new boy at school around
town. Ethan shoved an ice cream in my face when we were four years old,
annoying! But wait... he's older now and... quite cool. Wears a leather jacket,
into skating, the best looking boy who-is-not-in-a-boyband I’ve ever seen. Why
have I gone bright red? We’re putting on some random play… Romeo and Juliet? I
don't expect you've heard of it… it’s at the end of term and I want the
starring role opposite Ethan. But of course my arch-enemy Megan BUMFACE is also
set on the part… the race to be the ultimate drama queen is ON! With fun,
laughter, mega mishaps and drama all the way, there’s never a dull moment when
Nina is on the case!
(Scholastic, paperback, £9.99)
A Mermaid’s Rescue
Chris Riddell
MERMAIDS, Moondays, secrets and seahorses... the Costa Award-winning
and ever-inventive author and illustrator Chris Riddell makes a welcome return
with the second book of a sea-soaked series that sheds a ray of sunshine on
every youngster’s summer reading. Full of Riddell’s richly detailed and intricate black and
white illustrations, these utterly charming and comedy-infused fantasy
adventures deliver a seductive blend of friendship, underwater fun and
imagination as we follow a mermaid who loves to record the escapades of her
weird and wonderful friends in her diary. When timid Atalanta Scrimshaw notices strange footprints in
the sand at Sleepy Cove she knows something is wrong. Her best friend, Creech
(a creature from the Blue Lagoon), has vanished! Atalanta raises the alarm, and
she and her mermaid friends begin a thrilling chase through Mer City. Can
Atalanta and her friends pull off a daring rescue from the aquarium lair of a
wicked industrialist before it’s too late? With its cast of incredible characters, all the magic of a
dazzling underwater world, and Riddell’s trademark wit, inventiveness and
exciting storytelling, A Mermaid's Rescue is must reading for all fantasy
fans... and guarantees waves of fun all the way to Sleepy Cove!
(Macmillan Children’s Books, hardback, £12.99)
Pen, Pad, Play! Over 50 Amazing Ideas for Drawing and Designing
Elliot Ryan
OPEN your pad, pick up your pen… and let’s PLAY! It doesn’t
matter whether you’ve been drawing for years or you’re just getting started, here’s
the chance to set free your creative side and let your imagination run wild
with a brilliant new activity book series written and illustrated by experienced
art teacher Elliot Ryan. Pen, Pad, Play! is packed with over 50 surprising and
inspiring design-themed drawing activities to get brains buzzing with new ideas.
Packaged in an eye-catching, portable drawing pad with tear-out sheets and a
sturdy backboard for use on the go, every child can have fun feeling creative
without any pressure to come up with perfection. Written and illustrated
prompts help to build children’s confidence and artistic literacy, and spark
their imaginations, and as no previous drawing experience is required, anyone
of any skill level can enjoy feeling creative. Each book in this innovative
series focuses on a different drawing theme, features two different bright
pantone colours and is guaranteed to keep kids (as well as teens and adults!)
entertained for hours on end. So whether you’re a daring doodler, a budding
artist, or want to inspire your youngsters, simply pick up a pen, open the
first page of your pad and get creating!
(Nosy Crow, paperback, £9.99)
Buck & Ears Pirate Detectives
Jennifer Bell and Sarah Horne
CLIMB aboard for the funniest sea voyage you will take this
year… and while you’re giggling, spot the hidden clues to solve a pirate
mystery! Children’s author Jennifer Bell and award-winning illustrator Sarah
Horne blend their talents on the first fabulous book of a hilarious new series
that is crammed full of madcap adventures, and entertaining puzzles and clues
for readers to solve. Your ‘hosts’ on this laughter-filled seafaring odyssey are
Buck and Ears (a boy and his loyal rabbit!) who are officially the worst
pirates on the Seventy Seas but now angling to be the best ocean-going
super-sleuths. It all begins when Buck and Ears bump into the terrifying Captain
Bloodfang and she gives them an ultimatum… follow CLUES to find her missing
chef or else be turned into pirate stew! Along with their misfit crew, can Buck
and Ears solve the case and save themselves from a horrible fate? Join the fun
and spot the clues as you try to solve the mystery before the two pirate
detectives! Kids will love doing their own detective work in Bell’s
cleverly created and decidedly fishy world of Buck and Ears as they spot the
clues, follow the twisting, turning puzzle trail, and enjoy giant waves of
laughter with the cast of zany characters who spring to life through Horne’s
brilliant illustrations. Chaos ahoy!
(Scholastic, paperback, £7.99)
Salty Dog and Pals
Katie Chappell and Helen Stephens
THE fun, warmth and joys of friendship are explored in four
colourfully illustrated stories perfectly created to encourage youngsters
setting out on independent reading. The bright, happy and laugh-out-loud
seaside adventures of Salty Dog and Pals have been co-written and illustrated
by another pair of best pals, Katie Chappell and Helen Stephens. Join Salty Dog and his best friends Kitty (the cat) and
Bernard (the duck) who all live together in a little upside-down boat house by
the sea. It’s a windy day on the island and Kitty LOVES windy days! They’re
perfect for flying a kite. But what happens when an unsuspecting Bernard gets a
little caught up in the kite? And on bath night, Kitty is going to make it
extra special for her best pals… bubble bath, disco lights, bath bombs and –
shhh! – Bernard’s extra special shampoo. But it’s looking VERY bubbly, maybe Kitty
has used just a bit too much! It’s a stormy night on the island but Salty is on
hand to sing everyone some sea shanties. But then the lights go out and there’s
a mysterious knock on the door… Now it’s a foggy night on the island. Kitty has
knitted a jumper for Bernard but it’s MUCH too big. Bernard is upset, Kitty is
upset so it’s a good thing Salty has just the right solution. Filled with sea
shanties, Highland dancing, howling storms and extravagant bath time routines,
life on the island is certainly NEVER dull! With cosy stories to enjoy and Stephens’ stunning four-colour
illustrations, all set in a beautifully imagined and utterly charming seaside
world, this lovely book is ideal for bedtime sharing and building confidence in
early readers.
(Walker Books, paperback, £6.99)
Age 5 plus
Bravepaw and the Fangstone of Flintfall
L.M. Wilkinson and Lavanya Naidu
(Allen & Unwin, paperback, £7.99)
Magpie and the Sparkling Words
Lucy Rowland and Craig Shuttlewood
WORD power is at play on every page of this uplifting,
rhyming, vocabulary-rich picture book from award-winning author Lucy Rowland
and artist Craig Shuttlewood whose vibrant illustrations sparkle with colour,
character and joy. In a MYSTICAL wood stood a MAGICAL tree… the home of
BRILLIANT Magpie. From her nest, Magpie listens to the wonderful words of her
fellow woodland animals. Words with a sparkle, a shimmer, a shine, entwined in
her nest in the tree. She gathered them up and giggled, ‘They're mine – these
sparkling words just for me!’ But eventually, the other animals stay quiet so
their words aren’t being whisked away. Only then does Magpie realise that the
silent wood doesn’t glitter in the same way as before. After a storm destroys
Magpie’s nest, and sends her stash of sparkling words zooming back out into the
forest, she finally learns that it is unity, kindness and sharing language that
makes the words sparkle. And words certainly speak just as loud as actions in
this joint celebration of the natural world and the fun to be found in
literacy. Rowland’s lyrical story effortlessly weaves an exciting vocabulary
alongside important themes of sharing, kindness and teamwork, encouraging
readers to find enjoyment in literacy and share sparkling words with each
other. The perfect picture book for story time… and to give children’s language
development a helping hand.
(Templar Books, paperback, £7.99)
Nell and Beany: The Big Fish
Camilla Reid and Kate Hindley
GET ready to meet a lovable new board book duo destined to
be a favourite with toddlers and pre-schoolers! The Big Fish is the first
adventure for Nell and Beany, an enchanting and lovable cat and dog pairing
from the top team of author and specialist pre-school books creator Camilla
Reid and award-winning illustrator Kate Hindley. Friends Nell and Beany love to
go on adventures together and today they are going on a fishing trip. But what
will they catch? With Reid’s fun, read-aloud rhyming story, the cute cat and
dog duo’s antics to enjoy, tabs to pull and a wheel to push, slide and turn, plus
Hindley’s bright, charming and colourful illustrations, little ones will find
plenty to do and see along the way on this entertaining voyage of discovery!
(Macmillan Children’s Books, board book, £7.99)
The Waiting Room
Eleni Tassopoulos Wehner and Danamarie Hosler
SITTING in the waiting room is boring for Roscoe…
fortunately his sister Ivy knows just what to do to make waiting fun! Join the
siblings as Roscoe’s antics get noisy and disruptive in their latest adventure
in the delightful Roscoe & Ivy board book series. This clever and
accessible series focuses on the daily life of a neurodivergent family and is
the creation of neurodivergent author and illustrator team, Eleni Tassopoulos
Wehner and Danamarie Hosler, who draw on their own lived experiences. Roscoe
and Ivy have to wait for Mama. The only toy in the waiting room has beads that
go up…then down…then up…then down. It’s too boring for Roscoe would rather sing
a song or bang-bang-BANG on the fish tank. Can his patient big sister keep the
peace until Mama comes back? Helpful endnotes offer gentle guidance on tolerating
boredom and the strategies that can be used to distract an impatient child. The
perfect travelling companion for neurodivergent families!
(Barefoot Books, board book, £7.99 each)
Tomato, Tomato, Tomato!
Sarah Finan
THERE'S only one thing this baby loves to eat… tomatoes,
tomatoes, tomatoes! Little ones will love slurping their way through the juicy
slices, tangy pops and saucy spoonfuls of delicious tomatoes in the fourth
board book of Post Wave’s Yum, Yum, Yum! pre-school board book series which
introduces tots to favourite foods and all the delicious ways they can be
eaten. Written and illustrated by award-winning designer and illustrator Sarah
Finan, these bright and bold books about the joys of eating nutritional foods
feature 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 tasty treat that will be relished again and again and
again!
(Post Wave Children’s Books, board book, £7.99)
No comments:
Post a Comment