Age 9 plus
Cleopatra’s Amulet
Lindsay Galvin
THE magic and mysteries of Ancient Egypt have long held a
fascination for readers young and old, and Lindsay Galvin, an author who revels
in harnessing British history for her thrilling novels, departs these shores to
sweep us back in time to meet the girl who would become the famous Queen
Cleopatra. And what an epic adventure it proves to be as we follow the daring
twelve-year-old Cleo on a perilous journey across Ancient Egypt to track down
her kidnapped father, the pharaoh Ptolemy.
Cleopatra has led a charmed life as a Princess of Egypt, the
greatest kingdom in the world and a land blessed by the gods. She is known as
the Princess of Cats and indeed, she loves her own cat, Bastet, who is named
after Egypt’s cat-headed goddess of the home, children, music and dance. But
when her father is kidnapped and she is forced into exile, Cleo must
investigate who wants the throne enough to kill for it. Armed with a precious
amulet and an enchanted board game called Senet, Cleo joins up with her bossy sister
Berenike, a Roman trainee scribe called Fabius and loyal cat Bastet to race through
a world of gods, monsters and pyramids to discover the truth. But a cruel
betrayal lies ahead… and Cleo will need both her magic and her determination to
stay alive.
This is Ancient Egypt as you’ve never before seen it! Packed
full of adventure, magic and danger, Cleopatra’s Amulet is an all-action romp
allowing young readers to experience the crocodile-infested River Nile, tag
along with a race up the pyramids, uncover the hidden secrets beneath the
mummies, and learn about the monstrous animal gods. As always, Galvin’s novel
is as much as lesson in some real history as well as a dazzling and daring
adventure… storytelling wizardry!
(Chicken House, paperback, £7.99)
Treasure Island
Written by Robert Louis Stevenson
and illustrated by MinaLima
IF you’re hunting for a truly spectacular gift book, look no
further than this stunning deluxe, full-colour illustrated edition of Robert
Louis Stevenson’s timeless swashbuckling tale! Originally published in 1883 and
considered to be one of the best adventure books of all time, Treasure Island is
the dazzling new instalment in the bestselling MinaLima Classics series from
the renowned design studio behind the graphics for the Harry Potter film
franchise, and features richly illustrated original artwork and extraordinary interactive
elements. The story follows young Jim Hawkins as he sets sail in
search of buried treasure. An adventure involving ‘buccaneers and buried gold,’
it introduced some of the most memorable characters in literary history,
including Billy Bones, who reveals the treasure map to Jim, loyal Alexander
Smollett, captain of the sailing vessel Hispaniola, and Long John Silver, the
treacherous villain intent on claiming the treasure for himself. An
action-packed expedition of a lifetime filled with riches, greed, excitement,
thrills, and bravery, this vibrant story has enthralled readers for
generations. And now youngsters can experience this much-loved classic through lush
artwork and eight paper-engineered 3D elements, including the black flag of
piracy ready to be hoisted up a ship’s flag pole, a map of Skeleton Island
unfurling to reveal the island’s secrets, and the skeleton of a bone-chilling
buccaneer pointing to treasure ahead. Beautifully designed, this keepsake
edition will captivate readers of all ages and is sure to be cherished as a
treasure in its own right!
(Harper360, hardback, £35)
The Last Bard
Maz Evans
ALL'S well that ends well as superstar children’s writer Maz
Evans – bestselling author of the Who Let the Gods Out and Oh Maya Gods! series
– is back to stage one of her most entertaining stories yet with Shakespeare’s
last living relative taking the lead role. The Last Bard is a brilliant standalone novel inspired by
the works of England’s greatest ever playwright and poet, and introducing
children to some of his most famous heroes in a veritable feast of adventure,
comedy, memorable Shakespearean quotes, and Evans’ signature heartfelt
storytelling. Meet Will Davenant, a boy who has known more tragedy than
laughter. But in an unexpected twist, he inherits his grandfather’s copy of The
Complete Works of Shakespeare – and makes a surprising discovery. As the last
living relative of William Shakespeare himself, Will can summon the Bard’s
heroes from the pages… and that includes the murderous Lady Macbeth, Juliet
(without her Romeo), Yorick the mournful skull, and a mischievous Puck. And
now, with his late grandfather’s home under threat, Will, the new friends who
have turned his life around, and Ani from next door must fight for their future
in a comedy of errors. Can love’s labours win, or will it all be much ado about
nothing? Youngsters will love spending time and sharing adventures,
comedy and drama with the Bard’s immortal characters and a plucky boy fighting
for his family’s future as Evans works her own special storytelling genius on a
brilliantly imagined and heartwarming celebration of Shakespeare’s iconic
plays. An unmissable gift book that puts the Bard where he belongs… at centre
stage!
(Chicken House, paperback, £8.99)
Age 9 plus
The Wildcat and the Gathering Storm
Lui Sit and David Dean
(Macmillan Children’s Books, paperback, £7.99)
The Blazing Book of Dragons
Melanie Reynard, Chris Coady, Lukas Thelin
and Thomas Girard
CALLING all dragon fans… don’t miss out on this exquisitely
illustrated guide to the marvellous and magical world of these awesome
fire-breathing beasts! Created by Melanie Reynard, Chris Coady, Lukas Thelin and
Thomas Girard, and packed with everything there is to know about mythology’s
most extraordinary creatures, The Blazing Book of Dragons explores their world
and uncovers their secrets. From their ancient origins and mysterious behaviours to
their fearsome fire-breathing abilities, there is so much for young dragon
enthusiasts to discover. Inspired by dragonology and mythology for children, the
guide features amazing dragon fact files which reveal their unique powers and
characteristics, along with tips on how to spot them on Earth. Eight short
fantasy stories bring to life thrilling encounters with dragons from around the
world. These action-packed adventures also take readers into the realm of
Dracka, the wondrous home of these formidable beasts. Accessed only by magical
portals, their hidden land is filled with powerful dragons, ancient treasures
and other exciting magical creatures. With an illustrated map of Dracka, the
wondrous home of all dragons, a quiz where the reader can find out which dragon
clan they belong to, and dragon fact files revealing their unique powers and
characteristics, this enchanting guide and its epic dragon tales is the perfect
gift for all of those who truly believe in dragons!
(Buster Books, hardback, £16.99)
Dracula & Daughters: School for Slayers
Emma Carroll
SHARPEN your fangs and let them sink
into the second book of a blood-curdling, inventive and world-building series
from master storyteller Emma Carroll whose historical fiction has proved a big
hit with young readers. In this gloriously gothic new adventure, Carroll ramps
up the spooks for another highly original – and high stakes – tale which
delivers a unique and fiendishly feminist spin on all those familiar vampire
stories. Packed full of atmosphere and gothic detail, these deliciously dark
adventures star three cousins, Mina, Buffy and Bella, who discovered they are
descendants of Dracula and have combined their covert female powers to form an
infamous vampire healing company called… Dracula & Daughters! And at last, Dracula & Daughters
are open for business. Their mission is to heal vampires and keep the streets
of Temstown safe. Trouble is… the new Guildmaster is insisting the city is now
vampire-free and wants Dracula & Daughters to close. But the undead are
still lurking. After a string of strange events at the prestigious Poisonwood
School for Boys, frightened pupils start holding vampire slaying lessons in
secret. It’s up to the three cousins to convince them that slaying isn’t the
answer. But when vampires are appearing by the classful, is it already too
late? The granddaughters of Dracula are about to have their healing skills
firmly put to the test… along with a reminder to never underestimate the undead!
With magic abounding, villainous vampires, three coruscating star players, and
a brilliantly inventive world that includes a talking raven, this thrilling and
spooktacular series is proving to be a ghouls’ paradise!
(Faber Children’s Books, paperback,
£7.99)
Grimwood: The Fast and the Furriest
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 sixth 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 award-winning author and illustrator Nadia Shireen. Fully
illustrated throughout, these much-loved 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 and now it’s time
for the Treebonk World Cup! Teams from all over the world are competing for the
trophy and fox cub Nancy is determined that her scrappy squirrels will be
victorious! But the Grimwood team are a bit rubbish, Twinklenuts’ stadium has
been destroyed and one of the teams has disappeared. It’s up to Nancy, Ted and
the rest of the crew to save the tournament and bring the trophy home to
Grimwood… may the best team win! 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)
Donut Squad: Destiny of the Donuts!
Neill Cameron
THE Donut Squad are back from the future, and guess what? In the future, no donuts are allowed! Whaaaaaaat! Comics genius Neill Cameron makes a welcome return with the crazy new caper in his delicious graphic novels series... and there’s a ‘hole’ lot of fun to enjoy! Any youngsters who like silliness and donuts are gobbling up these perfectly baked and addictively moreish stories starring the totally bonkers Donut Squad, which includes Sprinkles, the leader, Jammyboi who spreads stickiness everywhere, Dadnut and Lil’ Timmy who explain obscure facts, and Spronky who is bizarrely unconventional! But don’t mention the arch-nemeses of the donuts... the bagels who are constantly plotting the squad’s doom! In this new madcap adventure, The Donut Squad are on a mission… they must STOP this ‘no donuts’ futuristic nightmare coming to pass. Will Anxiety Donut keep his cool? Will Caramel Jack be any less salty? Will Godonut ever turn up? Are we destined for a future with no donuts… or can the Donut Squad save us all from this unthinkable horror? The answers to these questions can only be found in this book!
This jam-packed series is the brainchild of comic
powerhouse, The Phoenix, and features all the characters from the comic strip
that fans know and love. Full of crazy humour and mouthwatering full-colour
illustrations that will keep readers going back for seconds, the book also
helps budding artists to create awesome characters just like the Donut Squad
with a section of how-to-draw tutorials from Cameron. Add on links to The
Phoenix comic club website where you can find draw-along videos, free printable
material and top tips from tons of creators, and you have the perfect
oven-baked series for all donut-loving mischief-makers!
(David Fickling Books, paperback, £9.99)
Boss of the Underworld:
Shirley vs Seven Deadly Dangers
Tor Freeman
HOW did a kid end up being the boss of the Underworld? It’s
a kind of weird story and comes from the eclectic, electric imagination of
award-winning author and illustrator Tor Freeman who goes above, beyond and a
long way below in the third hilarious book in a fast-paced, funny, full-colour
and accessible graphic novel series. Discover the fun and laughter for yourself
when we meet up again with Shirley as she falls down a hole and ventures into the
Under-Under-Underworld. And this time, Shirley and her cockroach companion
George must track down George’s missing cockroach sisters. Their quest takes
them through seven deadly dangers, deeper and deeper into the Underworld. But
will they ever come out the other side? Fizzing with charm, energy and the
silliest comedy this side of the Under-Underworld, this is one Boss that
youngsters will be happy to obey!
(Starboard, paperback, £8.99)
The Far-Out Five: Portal Loo Panic
Olaf Falafel
WHAT do you get if you pair a group of madcap kids, lost and
far from home, and a grumpy amateur magician… the answer is The Far-Out Five!
Welcome to the second book of a funny, fast and furious graphic novel series from
author, illustrator and stand-up comedian Olaf Falafel… and another brilliantly
bonkers adventure. Starring a zany group of friends who found themselves
magically transformed into strange creatures, and whisked far away from home
when a funfair magic trick went wrong, laughter is guaranteed to ring out from
first page to last. If you haven’t already met the team of lost kids, here they
are… Spewnicorn, a punk unicorn who vomits rainbows, Wally, a pompous and
cowardly koala, Tubbs, a walking bathtub, Bloof, a blue-footed booby, and
Glossy Jeff, a really chilled-out seal. Together they must sail the oceans and
face bizarre creatures, weird islands and mysterious tasks on their quest to
find Wally’s missing wand which can make them normal again and get back home.
Now they face an island with a lot of Portal Loos – mobile toilets that are
gateways to different interconnected dimensions – obviously! With a rampaging
evil impala on the loose, they must hop from world to world with only the
navigational whelks to help them find the way out of this multi-dimensional
whirlwind. Will they ever escape? Will Wally ever manage to have a wee? Giggles
galore every step of the way!
(Puffin, paperback, £9.99)
The Chairs
Britta Teckentrup
THE mysterious appearance of a yellow chair in a sunlit
forest clearing sets in motion a story about the power of community from renowned
German author and illustrator Britta Teckentrup. Filled with visual and verbal
beauty, and timely meditations on the rewards of belonging, inclusion and
standing together, The Chairs is packed full of Teckentrup’s signature warmth,
wisdom and sensitivity. When the yellow chair appears in the forest clearing,
nobody knows how it got there. Then another arrives, and another. As the
clearing fills with creatures of every kind, a tender and joyful home takes
shape, built on the simple pleasure of sharing a space with others. But when
signs begin to appear overnight excluding different sorts of forest creatures,
that spirit is put to the test… and the animals must find the strength to
reclaim what they have built together. With her characteristic layered textures, the glowing light
of the forest, and richly detailed scenes that are perfect for close
observation, Teckentrup transforms a deceptively simple setting into a fully
realised world where each creature has a face, a feeling, and a place to call
its own. Funny, moving, and with one stand-out scene involving a very large
bear and a pair of woolly socks, The Chairs speaks directly to experiences that
children recognise from their own lives… the sting of being left out, the determination
and courage it takes to stand up for others, and the joy of a community that
welcomes everyone.
(Prestel, hardback, £18.99)
Our New Baby
Rachel Greener and Sandra de la Prada
A NEW baby is coming home! Welcoming a new baby might sound
exciting and wonderful, but going from being the baby of the family to becoming
an older brother or sister can sometimes be a little overwhelming. So reassure
your youngsters with author Rachel Greener and illustrator Sandra de la Prada’s
warm and friendly picture book which introduces bewildered young children to
the joys and challenges of having a new sibling. Life with a new baby might
feel a little bit different – dinner might be late because baby needs feeding
and baby’s crying might wake you at night – but, just like a baby, love only
grows! Our New Baby is the perfect, accessible picture book to help young
children prepare for the arrival of a new sibling with its gentle exploration
of the full spectrum of emotions ranging from suddenly having to share your
family to the joy that loving someone new can brings. And don’t forget the free
Nosy Crow Stories Aloud® audiobook! Simply scan the code and hear the story.
(Nosy Crow, paperback, £7.99)
Just Us Two
Emma Dodd
‘When we're together, just us two,
the world around us feels
brand new.’
READERS young and old will
fall in love with another beautiful story in a heartfelt picture book series
which celebrates the love between a parent and child from award-winning author
and illustrator Emma Dodd. Two adorable, fluffy parent and child squirrels go
on endless adventures amidst the splendours of autumn… collecting acorns,
sheltering from a storm, watching the sun go down, and discovering the simple
joys of spending quality time together. Dodd spreads an autumnal
copper-coloured glow over this charming book which works its magic through the
stunning foiled cover and pages, an inspirational rhyming story, and a gallery
of emotive illustrations which impart uplifting messages about the importance
of making treasured memories together. Exquisitely created and brimming with
love, Just Us Two is written with a large helping of warmth and wisdom, and
makes the perfect gift for any young child.
(Templar Publishing, hardback, £7.99)
Please Stay! & No Hugs!
Sumana Seeboruth and Maribel Castells
WE'VE all heard that familiar refrain at school and nursery time... ‘No! Please stay! Won’t let you go!’ If you need a little help with your troublesome toddlers, calm and reassure them with this clever (and amusing!) Feelings & Firsts board books series which comes armed with language that little ones can use to express their big feelings. In Please Stay! it’s time to go school and an anxious tot doesn’t want to leave his grandmother. It can be hard to be apart from the people you love. Tag along with them on their way to school as they find a way to navigate this tough transition with both gentleness and humour.
(Barefoot Books, board books, £7.99 each)
First Friends:
Feelings & Bodies
Mk Smith Despres and Xuan Le
STARTING nursery and day care is a big step for little ones so help them through those sometimes difficult early days with colourful board books in Barefoot Books’ First Friends series. Children are introduced to a repeating cast of characters in a nursery with each rhyming book focusing on a different early learning concept. In Feelings, we join a childcare classroom at lunchtime as they experience different emotions. It’s time to eat! Some friends are feeling cranky, frustrated, or downright hangry.
(Barefoot Books, board books, £7.99 each)
Hello There, Little Bear!
Nicola Edwards and Lindsey Sagar
SHAKE this delightfully interactive book and share the joy
of making faces move and change! This fun and fresh sliding-eye board book
series – written by Nicola Edwards and illustrated by Lindsey Sagar from Oswaldtwistle
– features an innovative rolling-eye novelty on every spread to engage and
amuse little ones. Babies and toddlers, who are always fascinated by new faces,
will enjoy the comforting rhythmic repetition as we greet the day with a cast
of fun-loving and friendly forest animals who are bursting with personality. An
ideal gift for little movers and shakers!
(Little Tiger Press, board book, £7.99)
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