CHILDREN'S BOOKS: Wild adventures, magical secrets and spellbinding plants

Follow a bunch of ragtag pets who must find their way in a dystopian land where humans have disappeared, return to the thrilling fantasy world of Rapunzel and Eugene in a teen sequel to Disney’s much-loved movie Tangled, and discover a spellbinding guide book to some of nature’s magical plants in a sizzling summer selection of children’s books

Age 8 plus
The Wild Ones
Steve Cole and Johanna Tarkela

WHEN the world changes and humans vanish, a scrappy pack of pets must find a way to survive in a land of vicious beasts… will they ever find a place to call home? Master storyteller Steve Cole – whose raft of successful books has included the hugely successful fun-filled Astrosaurs series – turns his skills to a subject dear to his heart… animals, and particularly dogs rescued from pet shelters. And so The Wild Ones, a tale of pets battling to survive in a dangerous, dystopian world, becomes an adventure with humour, fur-raising escapades… and a big heart.

The old familiar world has gone and out there in the cold and gusting dark, something new and unknown is waiting... Meet Scamp, a Jack Russell Terrier, who lives at a pet care centre. He has friends, food and a warm bed but one terrible night – the Night of the Great Growl – his world changes for ever. The people have vanished and all that’s left outside are the Things… vicious, starving beasts that roam the ruined city. Driven into the wilds – with Chandelier the cat whose loyalties are tested, Punzel the rabbit with a nervous disposition, old and wise Patticake the dachshund, Falstaff the macaw (maps the group’s journey all whilst quoting – or misquoting – Shakespeare) and cheeky hamsters Nudge and Wink – Scamp sets off in search of safety. On their epic journey, Scamp must discover his own wildness if he is to lead the pets to the one thing they so desperately need… a new home.

Young animal fans who will be captivated by this irresistible romp starring a charismatic group of pets – each with their own fears and foibles – as Cole lets loose both his imagination and his own lifelong love for rescue dogs on a thrilling, futuristic adventure. Heart-breaking and heartwarming in equal measures, and gorgeously illustrated by Johanna Tarkela, The Wild Ones is a journey you won’t want to miss!
(Scholastic, paperback, £7.99)

Age 12 plus
Disney: Rootbound
Margaret Owen

RETURN to the thrilling fantasy world of Rapunzel and Eugene in this original teen sequel to Disney’s much-loved movie Tangled! Written by bestselling author Margaret Owen, this twisting, turning adventure expands the Tangled adventures with new layers of intrigue, danger and drama as the charismatic couple race to protect a neighbouring kingdom… and save their own. Corona’s neighbouring kingdom, Astera, is a famously reclusive island, so when a suspicious invitation arrives welcoming Rapunzel to the Asteran princess’s coming of age ceremony, she accepts. Rapunzel only left her tower a month ago and little does she know that she is about to plunge herself and Eugene into a tangled knot of political intrigue and magical secrets. Thrust into a power struggle between Astera’s renegade princess Verette, its domineering king Enver, and a mysterious secret society, Rapunzel and Eugene fight to defend their home from an unsettlingly familiar magical threat and discover that their past can either hold them back or help them blossom. Rootbound is an enchanting and action-packed adventure as Rapunzel and Eugene battle enemy forces in Astera, fight to save their personal dreams, and, along the way, uncover truths about Eugene’s parentage. Fun and frights every step of the way
(Studio Press, paperback, £8.99, published on July 30)

Age 9 plus
And Now We Run
Nicola Penfold

‘We're running now, along the spine of the world, and behind us,
just below, half the land is sliding away to nowhere.’ 

TWO youngsters on a school trip must work together to outrun storm flooding and reach safety in a gripping novel from eco-warrior author Nicola Penfold who hails from Billinge in Merseyside. Packed with danger, dilemmas and nail-biting drama, And Now We Run blends a thrilling adventure with timely messages about the power of nature and the need to protect the planet. Jelly is NOT looking forward to the first outing at her new school, since her best friend ditched her and is determined to make Jelly miserable. Lincoln however can’t wait… he used to visit the hills with his brothers and he’s excited to be back. But what neither of them expected was for the extreme weather to cause the reservoirs to burst, for the area to be flooded… and to be left behind when the rest of their group is evacuated. As rain pours down and the water rises, Jelly and Lincoln have to put aside their fears to outrun the storm. Friendship, survival, courage and resonant reminders about the perilous impact of extreme weather all play their part in this thought-provoking adventure which gallops along as fast as the rising floodwater and blends heartfelt emotion with spectacular, fast-paced action. A true thriller-chiller!
(Little Tiger Press, paperback, £8.99)

Age 8 plus
A Guide to Plants for Little Witchlings
Jennifer Lane and Adelina Lirius

MAGIC is everywhere in nature… you just need to know where to look for it! Jennifer Lane, an award-winning children’s author and practising witch since she was 12, joins forces with Stockholm-born illustrator Adelina Lirius to take youngsters on a magical journey of discovery. Did you know that magic could be hiding under any leaf, behind any tree, or next to a tiny pebble? Every plant, we learn, has a special superpower and witchlings always know just where to look. Lavender can bring you deep sleep, sunflowers bring you happiness, roses say ‘I love you’ and honeysuckle can bring you good luck. All you have to do is ask the plants nicely and work with them to cast a spell. This beautifully illustrated book shares 15 common plants that are essential for little witchlings-to-be. Packed with fascinating flower facts, fun folklore, lessons on casting spells and making petal potions, all brought to vivid life by Lirius’ colourful and endearing illustrations, this magical guide book is guaranteed to cast its own spell!
(Post Wave Children’s Books, hardback, £12.99)

Age 7 plus
When I was a Wolf
Liz Flanagan and Nikola Aronova

PUTTING your feelings into words can be difficult for children, particularly at times of grief, worry, change or emotional turmoil. Determined to help youngsters through their troubled times, Yorkshire author and teacher Liz Flanagan sensitively explores the healing and help that can spring from creativity in this poignant and beautifully imagined novel. Jasmine loves wolves, her mum and her best friend, Ella. But Jasmine’s mum has fallen ill, and Ella is busy with Layla, the new girl at school. Everything has changed and Jasmine feels lost and alone. At a new art club, Jasmine learns to channel her worries and sadness into creativity, building a magnificent lantern in the shape of her favourite animal, a wolf, for the town parade. But when a moment of anger threatens to undo all her progress on the night of the lantern parade, can Jasmine find a way to control her emotions and repair her friendships? Published in Barrington Stoke’s dyslexia-friendly format, and brimming with warmth, wise words, and a deep understanding of Jasmine’s struggles to cope with life changes and her complex emotions, When I was a Wolf sees thoughtful and perceptive writer Flanagan at her very best.
(Barrington Stoke, paperback, £7.99)

Age 5 plus
Dory Fantasmagory: Dory Dory Black Sheep
Abby Hanlon

IF you need a book to hook in your reluctant readers, introduce them to the irrepressible Dory, laugh-out-loud star of a hilarious, highly-illustrated series which has sold millions of copies and won an army of worldwide fans. Dory is the creation of Abby Hanlon, a teacher who was inspired by her students’ storytelling and drawings, and began to write and illustrate her own stories for children. With their perfect-for-bedtime length chapters, and fully illustrated throughout, these books will have your mischief-makers longing to start a new chapter. Ever since Dory met Rosabelle, a real true friend whose imagination and high spirits match her own, school has been pretty good. But now the class is learning to read, and it’s proving to be a challenge for Dory. While Rosabelle can read chapter books in her head, Dory is stuck with baby books about a happy little farm. Dory's imagination whirrs into action and her wish for a potion to turn her into a reader doesn’t go as planned. Suddenly, a naughty little girl who looks an awful lot like Dory’s imaginary nemesis, Mrs Gobble Gracker, shows up. And a black sheep leaves the pages of the farm book to follow Dory to school. It really needs her help… this seems like a job for a superhero! And it would help if she knew how to read. Following the re-issue of books one and two in the series, Dory Dory Black Sheep is the third book and the first time it has been published in the UK. With chaos erupting whenever mischief-maker Dory’s real life blurs with her imagined life, laughter is guaranteed at the turn of every page!
(Faber Children’s Books, paperback, £7.99)

Age 5 plus
Mabel and Merryglow: The Journey
Anne Montel, Loïc Clément and Julien Arnal

HELP your littles ones to accept that even in the darkest times friendship can light your way, with this warm and comforting graphic novel-inspired picture book, the second in a series 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, these cleverly imagined stories star a turtle facing her fears and discovering the value of true friendship even when the darkness feels overwhelming. When Merryglow the firefly sets off on his travels, Mabel the tortoise must learn – through the help of two unexpected friends – that even in the darkest times, friendship can help her shine. Mabel and Merryglow are the best of friends, their days are filled with her laughter, and the nights shine with his light, but Merryglow has always been a wanderer at heart, and the time has come for his next adventure. With Mabel’s only friend gone, she returns to old habits, spending her days sulking. But when Mabel crosses paths with two unexpected new friends, Pip, a spirited little bunny, and Cara, a kind-hearted fox with a taste for vegetables, her days are once more filled with the laughter of friends! The outcasts learn to love themselves despite their differences, and teach Mabel to find comfort in their company with Merryglow gone. When Merryglow returns, will he recognise the once morose and miserable tortoise he called a friend? With empowering and inspirational messages about the importance of loving yourself and your differences, and standing on your own two feet even when you feel afraid, and brought to life by beautiful, atmospheric and panelled illustrations, these exquisitely written and illustrated Mabel and Merryglow adventures are on the fast track to becoming firm family favourites.
(Post Wave Children’s Books, hardback, £12.99)

Age 3 plus
The Sound of a Smile
Louise Greig and David Litchfield

SILENT is my LOUD! A young deaf girl explains why not being able to hear doesn’t mean her days are spent without sound in a moving and enlightening picture book from the award-winning duo of author and poet Louise Grieg and illustrator David Litchfield. Greig, who had to give up on plans to be an air stewardess because of her progressive deafness, draws on her own experiences to explore deafness, friendship and the universal ways in which we can all communicate. Meet a girl who can’t hear the noisy world around her. In her ears, those sounds are sleeping. But she has found sounds that are hiding… between the notes of a song, between the beats of a wing. And between those sounds are her sounds and she listens. What if someone in the noisy world listened to the beauty and magic of the silent things too? Perhaps they might discover the sound of a smile… or even better, the sound of a friend. Litchfield’s heartwarming and expressive illustrations put extra power and emotion into Greig’s lyrical and beautiful portrayal of a world where silence sings and where hidden sounds and small movements like a friend’s wave or a shrug can speak as loudly as a voice.
(Orchard Books, hardback, £14.99)

Age 3 plus
Pog and Pickle's Great Escape
Ross Montgomery and Sarah Warburton

HOME is where the hutch is! Double act – author Ross Montgomery and illustrator Sarah Warburton – find the winning touch a deliciously endearing summer holiday picture book romp starring two lovable guinea pigs. Pog and Pickle are a guinea pig couple who are never apart. Pickle loves life in their cosy hutch, but Pog dreams of exploring the world. Late one night, Pog seizes her chance to sneak into the family’s luggage for a holiday to Peru… leaving Pickle all alone! It’s time for Pickle to make an inventive escape plan of his own as he musters all his courage to embark on a hilariously chaotic and daring journey to reunite with his love. Montgomery’s trademark bouncy, rhyming text puts heart and humour into an adventure that contrasts the warmth and security of a cosy home with the exotic thrills and excitement of discovering a world far from home. Warburton puts the seal on this joyous picture book excursion with her brilliantly detailed and fun-filled colourful illustrations. Climb aboard and enjoy the ride!
(Walker Books, paperback, £7.99)

Age 2 plus
I’ll Love You Till
the Sloths Start School
Kathryn Cristaldi and Kristyna Litten

LET'S go back to school! Author Kathryn Cristaldi and illustrator Kristyna Litten, the top team behind the lyrical lullaby book, I’ll Love You Till the Cows Come Home, are back to ease those first day of school jitters with a reassuring and cosy board book. School is open…... but where are the sloths? Are these nocturnal sloths late for their lessons or right on time for their own school adventure? This delightfully quirky lullaby is the perfect read-aloud story to ease little ones’ worries and remind them just how much they are loved, even when they are away at school. Brimming with gentle humour, colourful illustrations, and a reminder that school is fun, this sturdy board book is perfect for little hands and comes with the trademark tenderness that will invite many bedtime repetitions!
(HarperCollins360, board book, £8.99)

Age one plus
Bugs (My First Pop-Up)
Nelly Edwards

GOOD morning butterfly, dancing in the sun… From jewelled beetles to dazzling butterflies, and enormous dragonflies to furry bees, this stylish and colourful pop-up book from debut illustrator Nelly Edwards is the perfect introduction to insects for young children. Simple and yet captivating, each intricately engineered page introduces a dynamic assortment of creatures through six brightly-coloured, collage-style pop-ups. Each sturdy, multi-layered pop-up insect almost leaps from the page while the small format makes the book ideal for little hands. Pop-up learning for tiny tots!
(Post Wave Children’s Books, board book, £12.99)