CHILDREN'S BOOKS: Weather magic, musical animals and a pirate princess

Enjoy a sky-high adventure in stunning Shetland, take to the stage with a cast of quirky animals, find out how you can help to save the planet, and gallop away on a hunt to find a stolen teddy bear in a sparkling springtime selection of children’s books

Age 8 plus
The Weather Weaver
Tamsin Mori 

IMAGINE having a cloud for a friend and being able to choose the weather… would it bring rays of sunshine-filled happiness, or storms of darkness and discontent?

Always at ease in the stunning scenery of her mother’s Shetland homeland, where she whispered spells into sea shells and sang to the selkies, debut author Tamsin Mori has harnessed the islands’ fabulous myths and legends for a mesmerising story filled with magic, danger… and weather of every kind!

The Weather Weaver is a thrilling and original first novel, an action-packed adventure which celebrates the rich, mysterious and unpredictable moods of the elements whilst gently exploring universal themes like gaining independence, the meaning of home, handling grief, and discovering the fallibility of grown-ups.

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Taking centre stage is eleven-year-old Stella who grew up on a tiny Shetland island but left five years ago and is now returning to spend the summer with her recently widowed Grandpa. Spending six weeks away from her parents is a big wrench but their research work leaves no room for children. Armed with the few clothes she needs and a book called Shetland Myths and Magic which her Gran gave to her before she died, Stella is looking forward to exploring the island again and revisiting the places she loved.

But it’s nothing like she remembered. Grandpa is grumpy, strict and lost in his grief for Gran, the island is bleak and Stella feels lonely and trapped. But one day she bumps headlong into an old woman named Tamar who, strangely, seems to be expecting Stella’s arrival and tells the girl she needs her to fetch a cloud! And Stella soon discovers that Tamar is a Weather Weaver who can spin rainbows and call hurricanes and, with the help of Nimbus, a feisty young storm cloud who is in need of a lot of training, she too begins to learn the craft of weather weaving.

But when Nimbus’s cloud brain-fogs Grandpa and The Haken, a local sea witch, starts to close in on the island, Stella realises that with magic comes with big responsibilities because the weather matches itself to her mood, whether she want it to or not. It will take all her heart and courage to face the coming storm...

Drawing on the elements, island myths, and the natural world, The Weather Weaver is an enchanting and inspirational tale which blends the thrills and spills of magic with a beautifully portrayed and authentic young girl whose hopes, fears and anxieties are firmly rooted in reality. Add on the wild beauty of Shetland and some fascinating insights into weather systems, and you have a wonderful, windblown reminder that looking for the end of the rainbow isn’t always an impossible dream!
(UCLan Publishing, paperback, £7.99)

Age 8 plus
The Animals of Madame Malone’s Music Hall
Laura Wood and Ellie Snowdon

DIM the lights, raise the curtain… and let the show begin! There’s an exciting theatrical fizz to this this bright and beautiful tale about self-belief and working together from the pen of Blue Peter Book Award shortlisted author Laura Wood whose books include the wonderful Poppy Pym series.

With the superbly distinctive illustrations of Ellie Snowdon, and published in Barrington Stoke’s trademark dyslexia-friendly format, The Animals of Madame Malone’s Music Hall is the perfect reading performance for any youngster with their sights set on the theatre. Summer by the seaside with Gran isn’t exactly what Callie expected. Instead of sunshine and ice cream, she’s stuck helping Gran’s drama group save their local theatre.

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Worst of all, they’ve asked her to star in their play. But when she goes exploring backstage, Callie stumbles into an altogether different world… another theatre, run by a wise fox and her troupe of talking animals. And the strangest part of all? Callie is set to play the lead in their show too. Forced to face her fears, will Callie be up to the challenge of saving Madame Malone’s Music Hall?

Finding yourself in the spotlight isn’t what every youngster longs for but Callie’s unexpected and uplifting stage appearance puts lots of important personal issues in the spotlight and will provide inspiration and empowerment to many youngsters. Imaginative and full of quirky characters, this is a show you won’t want to miss!
(Barrington Stoke, paperback, £6.99)

Age 10 plus
How To Change Everything
Naomi Klein with Rebecca Stefoff

AWARD-WINNING journalist and author of The Shock Doctrine, Naomi Klein makes an impassioned plea to youngsters to help save our endangered planet in an inspirational new book. How To Change Everything is the first book for younger readers by the international social activist, providing an authoritative, child-friendly summary of climate change for young people.

Feted by Greta Thunberg as ‘the great chronicler of our age of climate emergency, an inspirer of generations,’ Klein joins forces with award-winning children's science writer Rebecca Stefoff to give a powerful picture of why and how the planet is changing, and provide effective tools for action so that young people really can make a difference.

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Warming seas, superstorms, fires in the Amazon… the effects of climate change are all around us. But with reforestation and school-strikes for climate change, young people are saving the world and Klein urges more children to join them because they deserve a better future.

This fascinating book includes notes on the Covid-19 pandemic and how youngsters can get involved to make the world a safer place. From the Great Barrier Reef and Hurricane Katrina to school environmental policies and Greta Thunberg, climate change impacts every aspect of the world and Klein tells young people they have the power to lead the way by enacting change. So are you ready to change everything?
(Puffin, hardback, £12.99)

Age 9 plus
How You Can Save the Planet
Hendrikus van Hensbergen

AND if any youngster is looking for a practical, down-to-earth guide to saving our fragile planet, here is a book that fits the bill perfectly. Written by Hendrikus van Hensbergen, a passionate conservationist and CEO of youth environmental charity, Action for Conservation (AFC), How You Can Save the Planet aims to empower and inspire young environmental activists.

Van Hensbergen founded the charity in 2014 whilst working for the World Wide Fund for Nature after realising that no charities in the UK existed with the sole purpose of engaging young people in environmental action. In a short space of time the charity has become an influential force, driving greater action to engage and involve young people across the environmental sector.

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Combining step-by-step actions for making change and inspiring stories of children who stood up and said ‘no more,’ this book will break down exactly what you need to do to make a difference. From building a green wall and rewilding to making recycled bird feeders, setting up a swap shop, organising cycling groups at school, writing to politicians and using your voice as a powerful tool, Van Hensbergen uses years of experience and a wealth of knowledge to show children how they can make real change. With a foreword by Robert Macfarlane, bestselling author of The Lost Words, an easy-to-read format, and full of life-affirming ideas and inspirations, this is the definitive guide to creating a better world wherever you live.
(Puffin, paperback, £7.99)

Age 3 plus
Doctorsaurus
Emi-Lou May and Leire Martín

JUST what the doctor ordered… a laughter-filled tonic for poorly toddlers! If your little ones are feeling under the weather – or just love playing doctors and nurses – here’s the perfect rhyming picture book to inspire, cheer… and make them giggle.

With a cast of daffy dinosaurs, some medical conundrums, and a dynamic Doctorsaurus dispensing pills and potions to her patients, author Emi-Lou May and illustrator Leire Martín have created a hilarious cure-all comedy.

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Splinter in your finger, thumping head, tummy ache, nose all sore and sniffy? Call for Doctorsaurus on her super-fast ambulance and she’ll fix you in a jiffy! Doctorsaurus is on the case and she aims to make all the dinosaurs feel better. May’s delightful raucous rhymes and Martín’s gallery of funny, friendly dinos will have little ones quickly on the mend and with an explosive finale guaranteed to result in cheeky grins and grown-up groans, this cheery picture book is medicine for all the family!
(Little Tiger Press, hardback, £11.99)

Age 3 plus
Never Mess With a Pirate Princess
Holly Ryan and Siân Roberts

KNIGHTS in shining armour aren’t always what you think! Meet a sweet little princess who leads a very quiet life until pirates steal her royal teddy… and she turns into a fiery, feisty force to be reckoned with.

Author Holly Ryan and illustrator Siân Roberts perform a magical, mighty double act on this funny, fast and furious tale starring a mould-breaking heroine and a crew of cut-throat pirates who more than meet their match.

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Princess Prue takes her precious royal bear everywhere… to the supermarket, the zoo and even the loo! But when an unwanted palace guest – a cheeky pirate no less – steals him away, she leaps into action and prove that the knights in shining armour don’t always have boys inside! Youngsters will love Prue’s daring exploits as she gallops off to find her stolen teddy and outwits the pesky pirates. Ryan provides the romping, action-packed rhyme while Roberts fills the pages of this inspirational picture book with a gallery of villainous villains and a plucky little princess. Fun to read aloud and a feast of pictures to pore over!
(Little Tiger Press, hardback, £11.99)

Age 3 plus
Mini Rabbit Come Home
John Bond

A ZEST for life runs deep inside toddlers and nobody harnesses that endearing trait better than rising star author and illustrator John Bond. So if you haven’t already met Bond’s irrepressibly enthusiastic picture book star Mini Rabbit, then now would be a perfect time to join this single-minded, super-funny hero for another hilarious adventure.

Mini Rabbit is making a camp in the garden. There will be marshmallows and Mini Rabbit will stay up REALLY late. He can’t wait because it’s going to be the best day ever! But there are still a few last things he needs to get, and it looks like it might rain. Will Mini Rabbit ever manage to get everything home in time?

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Follow the trail of the keen-as-mustard but predictably distracted Mini Rabbit as his list of things-to-do becomes perilously lengthened by a series of madcap mishaps and miscalculations. With his trademark deadpan wit and warmth, a natural empathy with the very youngest readers, and extraordinarily appealing and colourful illustrations, Mini Rabbit’s adventures have the legs to run and run and run.
(Harper Collins Children’s Books, hardback, £12.99)

Age 2 plus
Chicken Come Home!
Polly Faber and Briony May Smith

YOU can’t be chicken when you’re a runaway chicken! Youngsters will be clucking and chuckling at a plucky chicken’s narrow escapes in a sparkling springtime picture book by author Polly Faber and illustrator Briony May Smith, the top team that created Grab that Rabbit.

Dolly likes to lay her egg in an unlikely place each day to test and tease the little boy who owns her. But today she has chosen a place to roost that will take her on an adventure far from home and put her in lots of danger. Dolly’s warm and cosy basket is attached to a hot air balloon and that’s just the start of her journey. With a roar and a lurch, she’s off. Will Dolly manage to get home in time to meet her owner from school?

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Faber lets her imagination take glorious flight in an action-packed but lyrical story packed with mishaps and near-misses as daring Dolly ruffles a few feathers on her perilous adventure which comes packed with witty one-liners to keep grown-ups entertained too. With Smith’s stunningly atmospheric and richly detailed illustrations adding extra wings to the story, Chicken Come Home! is the perfect, read-aloud countryside story for Easter!
(Pavilion Children’s Books, paperback, £6.99)

Age 2 plus
Where is the Dragon?
Leo Timmers 

THREE knights with just one candle… how will they ever find a dragon in the dark? Get ready to laugh at the lines and marvel at the stunning illustrations as New York Times Best Illustrated Book winner Leo Timmers works his special magic on another stellar picture book which encourages young readers to anticipate a brilliantly adventure story.

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Three knights must hunt for a dragon in the dark and the king won’t sleep until they find it. Luckily, the knights know everything about dragons and are armed to the teeth! But with only one candle between them, it’s not going to be easy. As they go out into the night, they find something that looks very much like a dragon. Attack… problem solved! Or is it? With a quirky story translated by James Brown, Timmers’ trademark richly detailed illustrations with their stunning use of colour, and atmospheric light and shade, and a humorous contrast between the illustrations and the words, Where is the Dragon? is the ideal book to inspire the imaginations of even the youngest children.
(Gecko Press, hardback, £11.99)

Age one plus
Zoom: Dinosaur Adventure
Susan Hayes and Sam Rennocks

TIME travel back to the age of the dinosaurs and join a trek into the Amazon rainforest with two exciting and innovative board books which were specially created for all young adventurers. Dinosaur Adventure and Rainforest Adventure are two new titles in an imaginative board book series from What on Earth Publishing which specialises in non-fiction books which engage children's natural curiosity and passion for learning.

These sturdy, informative books, with their intriguing peep-holes and a final, fabulous fold-out surprise, deliver fascinating facts about the world around us through exciting, colourful adventures and fun-filled, hands-on discoveries.

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In Zoom: Dinosaur Adventure, we  join Jasmine and Jamie on an epic journey back to the prehistoric era where they meet a long-necked Alamosaurus with a big appetite, take a trip on a flying pterosaur and come face to face with the fearsome T.rex. Intriguing die-cuts, Sam Rennocks’ bright and lively illustrations, and a spectacular pop-up make every page an interactive experience while Susan Hayes’ fun and informative writing explains fascinating facts about dinosaurs.

And in Zoom: Rainforest Adventure, written by Susan Hayes and illustrated by Susanna Rumiz, we head off to the jungle and share Lin’s journey into the Amazon rainforest to discover mischievous monkeys, slithery snakes, smiling sloths, hovering hummingbirds and delightful dolphins in one of the most exciting places on Earth. Once again, Hayes’ brings us a wealth of fascinating facts… this time about the amazing life inside the rainforests. With its bold interactive features, vibrant illustrations and fun story, this book is the ideal gift for young nature enthusiasts.
(What on Earth Publishing, board books, £10.99 each)

The World at My Feet

Catherine Isaac

CAN delving into the deeply buried past help to solve problems in the present? This emotive conundrum lies at the heart of a powerful and insightful novel from a Liverpool author who found fame under the pseudonym Jane Costello with a string of witty and wonderful rom-coms, but then changed both her nom-de-plume and her writing direction to win an army of new fans.

The World at My Feet – a meditative and moving tale which sweeps us from post-revolution Romania to the idyllic English countryside – is the third book for former journalist and editor of the Liverpool Daily Post, Catherine Isaac (pictured below), whose ‘new kind of novel’ has carried her straight back into the bestsellers list.

When she set out on this intriguing path, Isaac declared that her new genre would be ‘exploring some difficult themes but with compassion and humour,’ and, following on from the outstandingly successful You Me Everything and Messy Wonderful Us, this emotional, sometimes harrowing but ultimately uplifting rollercoaster ride through dark corners and sunlit uplands is a truly affecting reading experience.

Sometimes 34-year-old gardener Ellie Heathcote finds it hard to believe that she can earn ‘actual hard cash’ from her work as an Instagram influencer. Her garden is her sanctuary, her pride and joy, and it’s from there that she posts daily diaries and tips that have won her nearly 57,000 avid followers.

What they don’t see is the stack of rubbish behind Ellie’s shed and the sweat and mud on her body after a day of hard toil, and what they don’t know is that she hasn’t left the annexe and gardens of her parents’ home, high on the idyllic grassy hills of the Chilterns, for two years.

Ellie’s followers don’t want ‘ugly and messy’ and why should they when they live in a nasty enough world? Ellie’s life, too, isn’t all sweetness and light. She suffers from nightmares and agoraphobia, and despite a happy childhood with her loving parents and sister, dark shadows hang over her earliest years. Her peaceful annexe, with her rescue dog Gertie alongside her, is both her home and her ‘safety net,’ but then someone enters her life, someone who could finally be the reason she needs to overcome her fears.

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Nearly twenty years earlier, Harriet is a high-flying journalist who has won her first job in Fleet Street. She’s a top class reporter – fast, accurate, determined and able to report compassionately – but she also knows not to get too emotionally involved, and how to steer clear of danger. Soon Harriet’s expertise and professionalism are taking her to some of the world’s most dangerous places where she asks questions and tries to make a difference. But when she is sent to Romania, to see the shocking conditions inside the state orphanages that the world is only just learning about, she is forced to rethink her most important rule…

Packed with the acute psychological insight, natural warmth, wry comedy and the exquisitely drawn characters that we have come to expect from Isaac, The World at my Feet is a story about the transformative power of love in its many forms as one woman uncovers the past in the hope of reshaping her future. Using a wealth of research, her remarkable capacity for empathy and genuine compassion, Isaac tackles serious mental health issues – and the heartbreaking conditions found inside Romania’s state orphanages after the fall of dictator Nicolae Ceaușescu – with unflinching honesty.

But this rich and compelling journey of self-discovery, spanning the lives of two women and two very different worlds, never loses its sense of eternal optimism, rooted firmly as it is in love and family ties, and grounded by moments of pure comedy… thanks principally to a little boy called Oscar and a boisterous dog called Gertie. These are real, complex people facing conflicting emotions and life-changing decisions and events. Their individual stories are perfectly observed, and discovering how the journey ends is just one of the many rewards of this beautiful, thought-provoking novel.
(Simon & Schuster, paperback, £8.99)

Trust Me

T.M. Logan

WHEN Ellen Devlin is left holding an abandoned baby on a train heading into London, it’s just the start of a terrifying journey…

The baby’s flustered young mother said she needed to make an urgent telephone call but now Ellen has just seen the woman leave the train at the next stop, and walk away without looking back.

One of the most exciting authors currently writing for the ever-busy crime thriller market, T.M. Logan (pictured below) is back with another of his ingeniously imagined and perfectly executed plots, and this one is guaranteed to blow your mind! Trust Me – a compulsive, menacing, high-octane story full of authentic characters, gobsmacking twists and with Logan’s trademark this-could-happen-to-me premise – is an addictive thrill ride into a dangerous, deadly and definitely untrustworthy world.

Even the doctors don’t fully understand why 41-year-old Ellen can’t get pregnant but on her way home, after hearing their devastating verdict, she knows for certain that her infertility has ended her marriage and made her ‘a prisoner of my own biology.’ And that makes it even more painful for Ellen when young mother Kathryn and her unbearably and impossibly cute baby girl sit down opposite her on the train. She can’t help but notice the ‘pulse of unease’ just beneath the surface of the woman, and when her phone rings, Ellen agrees to hold three-month-old baby Mia for a few minutes while Kathryn moves down the train to take the call.

She is more than willing to help a stranger, even though the weight of the child in her arms is making Ellen’s heart ache for what she can never have. But then five and now ten minutes have passed and as the train pulls into the last stop before Marylebone, Ellen is stunned to look out at the platform and see the mother mouth the word ‘sorry’ to her before walking briskly out of the station.

Ellen is about to raise the alarm when she discovers a note in the baby’s bag… three desperate lines scrawled hastily on a piece of paper: ‘Please protect Mia, Don’t trust the police, Don’t trust anyone.’ Recalling the fear she had seen in her last glimpse of Kathryn, and asking herself why a mother would abandon her child to a stranger, Ellen makes a split second choice… but she is about to discover that the baby in her arms might hold the key to an unspeakable crime, and doing the right thing might just cost her everything.

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There won’t be a moment’s pause for readers when they are pulled mercilessly into Ellen’s perilous battle to protect baby Mia, and her intrepid search for the truth behind her mother’s abrupt departure on that fateful journey to Marylebone. But beware because Logan loves to confound his readers’ expectations and Trust Me – a tale teeming with those who would have Ellen put their trust in them – is a brilliantly played game of lies, cruelty and subterfuge.

Fortunately, our unexpectedly resolute and resourceful hero Ellen proves to be more than ready to put up a fierce fight against foes, both seen and unseen, for the baby that has been unexpectedly thrust into her care. Her emotional investment in Mia – fuelled by her own heartbreaking inability to bear a child – transforms Ellen into a long-dormant lioness defending her cub, and takes her to some of humankind’s darkest and most disturbing places. Fast-paced throughout and bristling with suspense, you won’t trust your own judgments until the final, explosive last act!
(Zaffre, hardback, £12.99)

The Locksmith

Linda Calvey

WHEN you have served eighteen years behind bars – earning the dubious title of Britain’s longest-serving female prisoner – researching a debut crime novel was never going to be top of Linda Calvey’s to-do list.

Now happily going straight and leading a quiet life, Calvey, who was convicted of murder and shared a prison with the likes of Rose West and Myra Hindley, is finding new fame as a writer, following her 2019 memoir, The Black Widow, which was a highly acclaimed bestseller.

As Calvey’s friend and undisputed Queen of Crime Fiction, Martina Cole, says in her foreword to The Locksmith, ‘Some writers write what they know. Linda writes about what she lived… and is the bravest and most authentic new voice in crime fiction.’

And having been at the heart of the criminal world herself, everything Calvey (pictured below) lived certainly shines through in this fast-paced, addictive thriller as we are swept into the life of Ruby Murphy, an East End teenager who is sucked into crime through poverty, and becomes the queen bee of a world of glamour, danger, gangsters, hitmen and villains.

In Canning Town in 1990, the Murphy family live in a close-knit community, a place divided sharply into those who stay on ‘the honest path,’ working hard and eking out their wages, and those who join the East End’s world of crime.

Ruby’s honest and hard-working mum and dad just about scrape by every month but have nothing left to buy a round at the pub or go up to the West End to visit ‘real’ shops like M&S to buy clothes for Ruby and her older brother Bobby.

Her dad Louie, ‘as straight as a die,’ works at a scrapyard and despite lucrative ‘job’ offers from local villains, everyone knows he doesn’t do ‘crooked work’ or take ‘dodgy money.’ If you do one job then they’ll all start coming to you to do the next one… and the next.

Bobby is apprenticed as a locksmith and has an almost instinctive way of unlocking even the most complex locks while Ruby, who will be starting an office job in the West End, tells herself she is happy with her ‘small, honest life’ but sometimes, just sometimes, wishes for more.

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And when tragedy strikes twice, Ruby and Bobby discover that all that honesty and all that hard work have left them with nothing but poverty, destitution and hunger. Ever resourceful Ruby decides to pull them from the ashes, swearing that for her now, ‘it’s family and only family.’

With Bobby’s gift for breaking locks and Ruby’s uncompromising skills for organisation, negotiation and bargaining, it starts as one job… just one step outside the law. And yet that one step sets Ruby on a path… straight to the top. But in the East End, where criminals rule the streets, you don’t build an empire without making a few enemies.

What a rollercoaster ride The Locksmith is… a twisting, turning journey into the underbelly of London and into the heart of a close-knit family whose mantra that ‘a straight pound is worth three crooked pounds’ becomes buried under the weight of tragedy, need and hopelessness. And in Ruby Murphy, Calvey brings us an exciting and fascinating anti-heroine who grows from happy teen, trusting in her own family’s honesty, to ruthless criminal empire-builder, by turns strong, loyal, loving and totally unforgiving.

At a time when men rule the streets of the often lawless East End, Ruby is a woman who settles into a life she had never once imagined and finds her own path to power, fuelled by a determination to protect those most important to her. But what impresses most is not just Calvey’s clever use of her fascinating inside knowledge of the world of crime, but her storytelling skills and her ability to create superbly drawn characters… good people and bad people who provide a unique insight into just how villains are made. Packed with drama, menace, some bone-crunching violence and heartbreaking emotions, The Locksmith is crime fiction real-deal and you wouldn’t want to miss it!
(Welbeck, hardback, £12.99)

CHILDREN'S BOOKS: Peeping between the pages of Usborne’s spring selection

Spring is springing all around and Usborne – Children’s Publisher of the Year 2020 – has a super sunshine selection of new novelty and activity books to keep your little ones out of mischief!

Age 3 plus
Peep Inside a Fairy Tale: Goldilocks and the
Three Bears
Anna Milbourne and
Mar Ferraro

LONG before a child learns to read between the lines, here’s the perfect way to let them peep between the pages. Usborne’s Peep Inside series has become a firm favourite with pre-schoolers and this classic story of Goldilocks and the Three Bears is brought to life in an enchanting kaleidoscope of vivid colours and cutaways.  

Children can lift the flaps, peer through tiny cutaways and mysterious holes as they follow Goldilocks to a neat little cottage deep inside the forest. It’s the home of the three bears but Goldilocks doesn’t know that and she cheekily eats the bears’ porridge, sits on their chairs and snuggles up in their beds. But what will happen when the three hungry bears come home?

The delicate cutaways and holes are cleverly layered to create a magical filigree effect which draws youngsters into the story and invites them to peep through the pages and follow Goldilocks’ stolen day in the forest. With lavish illustrations by Mar Ferraro and plenty to talk about and enjoy, this ingenious peep-inside fairy tale guarantees storytelling fun… and all the magic of Goldilocks’ mischievous adventure!
(Usborne, board book, £9.99)

Age six months plus
Don’t tickle the Pig!
Sam Taplin and Ana Martin Larranaga

LITTLE ones will be tickled pink when they get their hands on this super soft and fabulously ‘feely’ sound book. There’s a little pig just waiting to say oink when you give him a tickle… and that’s not all! Tots and toddlers won’t be able to resist pressing the fluffy touchy-feely patches to hear the different farm animals in this delightful novelty book.

And after the pig, cow, sheep and horse have been tickled to a chorus of oinks, moos, baas and neighs, they all join together at the end for a hilarious animal sounds chorus of the Old Macdonald Had a Farm tune. With Sam Taplin’s fun narrative and the wonderfully vivid artwork of Ana Martin Larranaga bringing the animals to life, expect gales of giggles and tons of touchy-feely, singalong encores! 
(Usborne, board book, £12.99)

Age 3 plus
Unicorns Play Pad
Kirsteen Robson and Christine Sheldon

KEEP little hands out of mischief with a high-flying unicorn play pad. With lots of enchanting puzzles to solve, and thirty fantastic pictures to colour, youngsters will have fun completing all the unicorn-themed activities in this practical and sturdy tear-off pad.

Guide a little lost unicorn through a maze to the stables, join the dots to draw a magical palace, and spot the differences between flying dragons. And on the back of each sheet, little ones can use their own imaginations to colour in simple black and white unicorn pictures. With a rainbow-coloured selection of flighty unicorns to enjoy, the Unicorns Play Pad provides hours of counting, spotting and drawing fun!
(Usborne, paperback, £6.99)

Age 4 plus
Poppy and Sam’s Step-by-Step Drawing Book
Kate Nolan and Kate Rimmer

JOIN Poppy and Sam of Apple Tree Farm for a very special drawing lesson. This bright, colourful and inviting drawing book comes packed with helpful tips and easy instructions for your budding young artists.

Enjoy learning to draw all kinds of animals with Poppy and Sam in this engaging book. Even little ones will be able to follow the simple, clear, step-by-step instructions showing exactly which shapes they need to complete their pictures of pigs, lambs, cows, rabbits and lots more. Draw a snowman and give him a hat, create a rabbit with long ears, draw a pig with two ears and a curly tail, and draw patterns on the wings of a butterfly. Ideal for developing pen control and observation skills, this charming book has learning fun on every page!
(Usborne, paperback, £5.99)

Age 3 plus
First Colouring Springtime
Matthew Oldham and Jenny Brown

AND watch your youngest family members spring into action when they open the pages of this bright and beautiful colouring book. From bunnies and chicks to trees and flowers, little children will love digging out their crayons and getting busy colouring in the springtime illustrations in this first colouring book.

Bold, simple outlines and large areas to colour make this charming and child-friendly book ideal for developing pencil control skills and is an exciting introduction to the joys of springtime.
(Usborne, paperback, £4.99)

CHILDREN'S BOOKS: Thrills in Ancient Rome, bug heroes and a sky-diving diva

Saddle up for some unforgettable chariot racing, check in at a germ hotel to meet some magnificent microbes, marvel at the power of engineering and disappear into a magical world in a thrilling round-up of new children’s books

Age 9 plus
Circus Maximus:
Race to the Death
Annelise Gray

DANGER, mystery, adventure, horses, and the greatest show on earth… where else but the fabulous Circus Maximus! If you’re in search of a truly extraordinary adventure – a classic in more ways than one – then head off to Rome and share the thrills and spills of a girl whose dream is to be the first female charioteer at the greatest sporting stage of the ancient world.

Classics scholar and Latin teacher Annelise Gray plays a blinder with her heart-pounding debut novel which brings the Roman world to life with a vibrancy and breathtaking brand of authenticity guaranteed to capture the hearts and minds of readers young and old. Circus Maximus: Race to the Death is a magical blend of real history and dazzling fiction which transports us back to the perilous reign of the brutal Emperor Caligula in the first century AD whilst delivering a terrific and inspirational adventure story.

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Everyone knows that the towering Circus Maximus is where the best horses and charioteers compete in a race to the death, and where men are the only competitors. But that doesn’t stop twelve-year-old Dido dreaming of becoming the first female charioteer… and she has lost her heart to Porcellus, a wild, tempestuous horse which she longs to train and race.

Putting her ambitions to one side for now, she must be content with helping her father Antonius, the trainer of Rome’s most popular racing team, The Greens, and teaching the rules of racing to Justus, the handsome young nephew of the Greens’ wealthy owner. When her father is brutally murdered, she is forced to seek refuge with an unlikely ally. But what of her dream of Circus triumphs and being reunited with the beloved horse she left behind in Rome? And the threat to her own life isn’t over as she faces a powerful and terrifying new enemy... the Emperor Caligula.

Ben Hur meets National Velvet as the brave, intelligent, loyal and passionate Dido battles to secure a foothold in a world dominated by men and must find hope, courage and redemption in the face of revenge, betrayal and cruelty. From the exciting cast of human and horse characters and a storyline that gallops along as fast as the prize stallions, to intriguing snippets of real Roman history and all the sights and sounds of the ancient city, Circus Maximus is a thrill ride from start to finish. Saddle up, climb aboard, and don’t miss the show!
(Zephyr, hardback, £12.99)

Age 6 plus
The Good Germ Hotel: Meet Your Marvellous Microbes
Written by Kim Sung-hwa and Kwon Soo-jin
and illustrated by Kim Ryung-eon,
with editorial consultant Chun Jong-sik

CHECK into the Good Germ Hotel and meet the bacteria superheroes that live inside your body! The germ of an idea turns into a brilliant book for kids as a top team of book boffins reveal through this entertaining and accessible illustrated guide that in a world of Covid-19, in which harmful germs and bacteria are all around us, not all germs are bad for us.

The Good Germ Hotel comes from What on Earth Publishing which specialises in telling stories through timelines. And for every question their informative books answer, they spark another one, helping to encourage young readers into a lifelong love of enquiring and discovering. Here, youngsters are plunged into the world of amazing microbes…. the army of good germs and bacteria inside your body which help to keep us all healthy and happy.

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The microbiome is one of the hottest topics in health today. After spending most of the modern era believing that microorganisms were our enemies, we now know that an entire ecosystem of microbiota not only live in our bodies but are also essential to its proper functioning. So travel through the body with this gut bacteria guide, stopping off to meet the other amazing microbe residents along the way! But you’ll have to keep up because human body bacteria are very busy and have lots of jobs to do – helping you to digest your food, protecting us from germs, viruses, and Covid-19. It’s all in a day’s work for our friendly, neighbourhood microbes. Time to call in at the Good Germ Hotel and dine out on a feast of facts and fun!
(What on Earth Books, hardback, £12.99)

Age 10 plus
Cool Engineering
Jenny Jacoby and Jem Venn

ENGINEERING is cool… and that’s official! Inside this mega-jam-packed book, youngsters can learn about the lives of people who used the power of engineering to change the world. Then they can try out all sorts of experiments to get their own brain matter moving.

From the building of the pyramids to spacecraft and solving global warming, Cool Engineering – written by Jenny Jacoby, who is passionate about making information fun, and packed with Jem Venn’s quirky illustrations – is the latest title in a popular and accessible series of fact books which take a playful and yet educational journey through subjects across the sciences, humanities and the arts.

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Aimed at both children and curious adults, each guide provides the perfect introduction to a subject, with information presented in neat bite-sized paragraphs, panels, bullet points and diagrams, along with experiments and ideas to try out at home. These handy guides are useful companions to school studies as well as absorbing reads to dip into any time, and include Cool Architecture, Cool Art, Cool Astronomy, Cool Maths, Cool Mythology, Cool Nature, Cool Philosophy, Cool Coding, Cool Physics and Cool Science Tricks.

As well as experiments, this new book has fascinating engineering timelines, drawing tips, and information, and also includes biographies of key engineers like Leonardo da Vinci, Isambard Kingdom Brunel, Hedy Lamarr and Elon Musk. Delve into the many branches of engineering and discover a whole world of clever inventions from the mechanical tools that allowed early civilisations to irrigate their land, and the steam engines that powered the industrial revolution, to modern-day computers, and biomedical inventions that are revolutionising how we deal with disease. A fund of facts, bags of big ideas and pages of ingenious fun all packed into one VERY clever book!
(Pavilion Books, hardback, £9.99)

Age 9 plus
The Magician’s Map
Mikki Lish and Kelly Ngai

DISAPPEAR into a magical world… and join a thrilling treasure hunt with an intrepid brother and sister duo. Australian co-authors Mikki Lish and Kelly Ngai – two writers who create worlds together although they now live on different continents – make a spectacular return with their fantastic sequel to the critically acclaimed The House on Hoarder Hill which has been optioned for film/TV development.

In this action-packed new adventure, we meet up again with siblings Hedy and Spencer van Beer who love exploring the mysterious tunnels under their former magician Grandpa John’s spooky house on Hoarder Hill, a place full of secrets, magic and wonder. And it’s there that they discover the Fantastikhana, an underground tournament of magic.

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They also find a group of powerful magicians called the Sleight and a mysterious living map which tattoos itself on to Hedy’s skin. Soon they are following its magical directions, navigating Slipways between worlds in search of three pieces of a dangerous artefact on the most extraordinary treasure hunt ever! Youngsters will be on the edge of their seats as Lish and Ngai ramp up the tension and their wildly imaginative powers in this dark and enchanting mystery which comes packed to its underground rafters with bold and exciting characters, fun, friendships, intrigue, danger… and a big helping of love.
(Chicken House, paperback, £6.99)

Age 8 plus
The Girl with her Head in the Clouds
Karen McCombie and Anneli Bray

THE pioneering Edwardian parachutist Dolly Shepherd springs into action in a spectacular reimagining of her extraordinary life from bestselling author Karen McCombie. The Girl with her Head in the Clouds – featuring the brilliant black-and-white illustrations of Anneli Bray – comes packed with the delightful Dolly’s gravity and death-defying stunts, and a fascinating portrait of her remarkable career. 

Dolly is a born thrill-seeker and in 1904, she’s at Alexandra Palace in London where a couple of showmen need a stand-in for a Wild West trick that involves shooting an apple off a human target’s head. Sixteen-year-old Dolly Shepherd volunteers on the spot but little does she know that this will be the first of many stunts!

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Impressed by Dolly’s fearlessness, the esteemed hot-air balloon pilot Captain Auguste Gaudron offers her an opportunity like no other… to plummet from an air balloon to earth on a parachute! For Dolly, it’s just the start of a sensational career but the life of an aeronaut and parachutist is as dangerous as it is daring, and there will be many close shaves along the way…

Packed with breathtaking, sky-high adventures, a largely forgotten female star, and published in Barrington Stoke’s trademark dyslexia-friendly format, this inspiring retelling of daring Dolly’s exhilarating exploits is sure to enchant your own young thrill-seekers!
(Barrington Stoke, paperback, £6.99)

Age 7 plus
Picklewitch & Jack and
the Sea Wizard’s Secret
Claire Barker and Teemu Juhani

GET ready for more wild witching and hilarious naughtiness as everybody’s favourite double act returns for their third outrageous adventure. Author Claire Barker and illustrator Teemu Juhani have discovered an award-winning formula for their knockabout Picklewitch and Jack illustrated series which stars two of the funniest stars in children’s comedy fiction. There are giggles and guffaws at every turn of the page as brainbox schoolboy Jack – winner of the Most Sensible Boy in School – shares madcap adventures with the roguish Picklewitch whose manic misbehaving has won the hearts of an army of young readers.

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Here we join the lovable duo as Dr Firenze Sharptooth cordially invites St Immaculate’s School for the Gifted to Draconis Hall for the Great Fossil Hunt. Naturally, sensible and well-behaved Jack is very excited when he learns that this year’s school trip is a visit to the Jurassic Coast seaside to hunt for fossils. And even better… there’s going to be a prize for the best find, which is he desperate to win. Unfortunately, his best friend Picklewitch, the wild girl who lives in a tree at the bottom of his garden and who never does as she is told, is not impressed… until she discovers the local Sea Wizard, whose secret lair is hiding the biggest treasure of all!

The blend of Barker’s wonderful wit and Juhani’s charismatic illustrations never fails to work its special magic and this new whiz-bang, fossil-filled adventure will have youngsters longing for the next instalment.
(Faber Children’s Books, paperback, £6.99)

Age 5 plus
Above and Below: Sea and Shore
Harriet Evans and Hannah Bailey

DISCOVER what wonders lie beneath the waves in a spectacular lift-the-flap book full of colour, learning and fun. Young imaginations will be rolling like the waves as they head to the ocean in the pages of an innovative and entertaining book from ever-inventive publisher 360 Degrees.

A non-fiction imprint of the Little Tiger Group, 360 Degrees offers a stimulating and creative approach to presenting facts and Above and Below: Sea and Shore is another colourful, interactive book full of split-page flaps to lift and amazing facts to discover. 

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Little ones will love diving in to see nature’s wonders unfold in this beautiful celebration of ocean habitats, from the sandy shallows to the darkest depths. Turn the page to discover the incredible creatures and plants that lie below the ocean blue and, with magnificent mangrove forests, colourful coral reefs and exciting estuaries, there are so many water worlds to explore.

Full of Harriet Evans’ bite-sized facts about flora and fauna, all brought to vivid life by the richly detailed illustrations of Hannah Bailey, and the child-friendly split-page format, this is an exciting way to let youngsters peep below the surface of the sea and enjoy a world of hidden gems.
(360 Degrees, hardback, £12.99)

Age 2 plus
The Perfect Fit
Naomi Jones and James Jones

WE can all fit in… no matter what shape or form we are! That is the resonant message that speaks loudly from the pages of a clever picture book from husband-and-wife team, author Naomi and illustrator James Jones, who say the inspiration for The Perfect Fit was inspired by their eldest son trying to fit in at nursery.

And this endearing celebration of difference is already destined to be a big success as it has been snapped up by publishers across the world. No matter how hard she tries, Triangle simply doesn’t roll like the circles, or stack like the squares... so she sets off to find friends that look exactly like her. 

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But when she finds the other triangles, there’s still something missing and playtime isn’t as much fun. She misses the shapes that roll and stack, she misses being different. So she starts a new quest… one that gets all of the different shapes playing and having fun together!

This joyful and appealing story is an entertaining and imaginative exploration of shapes as well as a warm-hearted affirmation of the many human rewards of individuality, inclusion and friendship.
(Oxford University Press, paperback, £6.99)

Age 2 plus
Nature’s Toy Box
Wenda Shurety and Harriet Hobday 

A GAME of hide-and-seek becomes the springboard for a little girl’s journey into the joys of nature in a beautiful, rainbow-coloured picture book from Wenda Shurety and Harriet Hobday. Nature’s Toy Box comes from Storyhouse Publishing, founded by Rachel Lawrence and dedicated to producing beautiful picture books to inspire positivity and care for a bright future, including ideas about friendship, collaborative play and conservation.

In this inspirational new book, Brisbane-based author Shurety – who loves to write stories about nature, diversity and the magical world of the imagination – aims to encourage children to turn off their screens and discover the magic of outdoor play. Tilly wonders what to do when the TV is turned off by her mum. Then she hears sweet singing through the window and a whole new world is opened up for her. 

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As she hunts for the little bird that sings, Tilly climbs a tree, looks under a bush, fishes in the pond and crouches in the vegetable patch, and discovers that the garden is one big toy box!

With Hobday’s brilliantly coloured and child-friendly illustrations to entice youngsters into the story, Nature's Toy Box is an uplifting and emotional journey from boredom to adventure, and the perfect inspiration to ditch the telly and find fun in the great outdoors!
(Storyhouse Publishing, paperback, £6.99)

Age 3 plus
Into the Wild
Robert Vescio and Mel Armstrong

ANOTHER child making discoveries in the great outdoors is Roman, a boy who loves learning about nature but needs somebody to share his adventures. Roman is a lone wanderer who seeks out the hidden mysteries and treasures of nature, and the wild is his to explore. Yet despite his fascinating finds, Roman is still searching for something. Is being alone in the vast and deep world really the only choice for a wanderer? Could sharing his adventures bring true happiness?

Written by award-winning children’s author Robert Vescio, who is dedicated to inspiring children with his passion for stories, and illustrated by New Zealand artist Mel Armstrong, Into the Wild is a stunning, inspirational picture book that encourages youngsters to explore and engage with nature.

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With its warm-hearted messages about the joys of friendship and the rewards of discovering the natural world, plus Armstrong’s gallery of charming, colourful and poignant illustrations, this is a story to pull at the heartstrings of readers both young and old.
(New Frontier Publishing, hardback, £11.99)

Age one plus
Little Nature: Hatch
Isabel Otter and Pau Morgan

WHICH came first… the chicken or the egg? The old conundrum might not be solved but there is so much to learn and enjoy in this fascinating board book which explores animals that come from eggs.

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Using clever peek-through holes to watch the creatures – chicks, tadpoles, caterpillars, and turtles – hatch into life, this charming book is an ideal and gentle introduction to different animal life cycles. Made from recycled board to help look after our planet, and beautifully illustrated by Pau Morgan, this is essential reading for all budding eco warriors and nature lovers!

(Little Tiger Press, board book, £6.99)

Age one plus
Where’s My Dinosaur?
Kate McLelland

WHERE is Dino hiding? He was here a moment ago. Can you find him? Help your curious little ones get interactive with this sturdy touch-and-feel board book which comes loaded with fun, discovery, word recognition development, and lots of visual and tactile appeal.

A tantalising trail of footprints will lead children past a touch-and-feel big blue shark with bright white teeth, a crocodile with bumpy skin, and a lobster with smooth claws in the search for the shiny dinosaur.

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With Kate McLelland’s bright, appealing illustrations, discoveries on each spread, and a surprise flap ending, this enchanting series is ideal for young children. The perfect sharing book for babies and toddlers finding their way in the big, wide world!
(Little Tiger Press, board book, £6.99)