Age 5 plus
The Very Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra
Tim Lihoreau, Philip Noyce
and Olga Baumert
TUNE up and take your seats because the orchestra is ready to play! Discover the main instruments of the orchestra and enjoy listening to ten sound clips of child-friendly famous pieces with a fabulous new picture book created in a partnership between the experts at DK and popular radio station Classic FM. Written and curated by Classic FM’s breakfast show presenter Tim Lihoreau, a church organist who runs three amateur choirs in his home village, and Philip Noyce, managing editor of Classic FM and a keen musician, this fascinating musical journey is the ideal introduction to classical music for young children and those beginning to learn an instrument.
Follow youngsters Ava and Jayden on a magical, musical odyssey as they discover the various instruments of the orchestra and explore beautiful scenes inspired by the music. And then press the ten sound buttons to hear the individual instruments played in 10-second clips of famous classical pieces performed by a live orchestra. Information panels reveal how each instrument – from trumpets and timpani, flute and oboe, cello and violin to piano and clarinet – is played, where each section is positioned in an orchestra, and information of famous composers and their most popular works. Then press the sound button to hear clips from wonderful compositions like The Lark Ascending, Flight of the Bumblebee, Carnival of the Animals, Swan Lake, Handel’s Hallelujah Chorus and Rhapsody in Blue.
Parents and carers – save the batteries, and your patience,
with an on/off switch for the musical sounds located on the left of the back
cover. Ideal for young fans of classical music and those beginning to learn an
instrument, The Very Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra is guaranteed to
amaze and inspire. Also featuring entry level music vocabulary, Olga Baumert’s
exciting and inspirational illustrations and added information about legendary
music performers and less well-known instruments like the bassoon and tuba,
this super gift book will be music to the ears of all budding maestros!
(DK, hardback, £20)
Gotcha!
Clotilde Perrin
QUICK, hide... three scary monsters are coming and they want to gobble you up! Youngsters will be in a flap when they turn the pages of this brilliantly inventive lift-the-flaps adventure which offers all the magic and surreal mayhem of traditional fairy tales but with a dark and delicious edge. Gotcha! – published in large format hardback – is the work of Clotilde Perrin, an illustrator living in Strasbourg, who has her own magic touch when it comes to creating fun and interactive books full of intriguing multi-layered flaps and fold-outs, and funny stories laced with dark deeds and dark humour. Translated from the French edition by Daniel Hahn, this dazzling and daring new adventure features a frantic fairy tale hide-and-seek with a child finding hiding places in three famous fairy tale houses before turning on the hide-and-seek pursuers. Chased by monsters – a hairball, a stinkwart and a creeper – each hairier and stinkier than the one before, the child needs to find shelter in the Three Little Pigs’ brick home, Sleeping Beauty’s palace and Hansel and Gretel’s gingerbread mansion.
Youngsters will love lifting the flaps, both big and small,
to discover curious places for the child’s best chance to hide. Knock on the
door of the Little Pigs’ bathroom, open up Hansel and Gretel’s oven (if you
dare!) or see who’s already inside Sleeping Beauty’s stopped clock. Fortunately,
the hero of our story has read the famous story books and knows how to vanquish
villains and make those monsters turn tail and flee! Intricately designed and stunningly illustrated by Perrin, this
fabulous fold-out book is both a celebration of fairy tales and a
child-empowering story full of humour and rich detail on every page, including
over 40 interactive elements to enjoy. Prepare for villainous villains and spine-tingling fun on an
adventure that children will want to experience time and time again!
(Gecko Press, hardback, £20)
Britannica’s Baby Encyclopedia
Sally Symes, Hanako Clulow and Dr Amanda Gummer
JUST because you’re a baby doesn’t mean you can’t – or don’t – want to learn! Very young children are constantly learning about the world. Their brain grows more in the first three years of life than at any other time, and they use their senses to perceive and understand things around them. So treat your curious babies and toddlers to some (enjoyable!) lessons about the world they live in with the first-ever Britannica Encyclopedia for children aged under three... a big, beautifully illustrated, large-format board book packed with an enthralling spectrum of topics from animals and machines to music and numbers.
Baby Encyclopedia – with its alluring cover featuring six holes to reveal colourful images beneath –explores big ideas through a little one’s eyes. The book uses lively, rhythmic words to introduce tots to common features whilst building their vocabulary and encouraging curiosity. All the facts have been specially tailored to babies and toddlers, and reviewed by early-years specialist and child development consultant Dr Amanda Gummer, as well as a host of Britannica subject experts.
The big themes covered are earth, animals, plants, food, machines,
art, music, numbers and shapes, with each explained in author Sally Symes’
simple, clear text which includes plenty of playful sound words for an
enjoyable reading-aloud experience Bringing the book to life is New Zealand-based Hanako Clulow’s
gallery of 200 colourful, eye-catching and child-friendly illustrations, each
paired to the relatable subject matter to prompt questions, and make reading
and understanding an enjoyable journey. The extra-sturdy Baby Britannica has been specially designed
to lie flat so that it is perfect for tummy time, shared reading on the floor,
or to be held on the lap. The perfect ‘foundation course’ for a lifelong love of
reading!
(Britannica Books, large-format board book, £20.99)
Ghostlight
Kenneth Oppel
WHEN the guide at a haunted lighthouse accidentally awakens
the ghost of a murdered girl, he and his friends are swept up into a dark
mystery that threatens not only them but the whole of mankind. Canadian-born Kenneth Oppel – award-winning author of an
astonishingly varied output of stunning novels – enthrals readers with this
heart-stopping, high-stakes and excitingly original ghost story which has all
the perfect vibes for the approach of Halloween. Rebecca Strand was just
sixteen when she and her father fell to their deaths from the top of the
Gibraltar Point Lighthouse in 1839. Whether they fell, or were maybe pushed, remains
a mystery but their ghosts haunt the lighthouse to this day. Gabe tells this
story every day when he gives the ghost tour on Toronto Island. He tries to
make it scary enough to satisfy the tourists, but he doesn’t actually believe
in ghosts... until he finds himself face to face with Rebecca Strand. The true
story of her death is far more terrifying than any ghost tale Gabe has told.
Rebecca reveals that her father was a member of the Order, a secret society
devoted to protecting the world from ‘the wakeful and wicked dead’...
malevolent spirits like Viker, the ghost responsible for their deaths. But the
Order has disappeared and Viker’s ghost is growing ever stronger. Now Gabe and
his friends must find a way to stop Viker before they all become lost souls. Oppel
is on fine storytelling form as he sweeps readers into a truly spectacular
adventure full of chills, thrills, spooks, stormy seas, and the stirrings of
first love. With a sense of time and place that you can almost reach out and
touch, this is mystery, murder and malign magic at its very best!
(Guppy Books, paperback, £7.99)
The Arctic Railway Assassin
M.G. Leonard, Sam Sedgman and Elisa Paganelli
AGATHA Christie meets Indiana Jones as schoolboy Harrison
Beck and his Uncle Nat climb aboard the night train to Narvik for a thrills,
chills and spills ride to the Arctic Circle. The Arctic Railway Assassin is the
sixth and final drama-packed railway romp in Adventures on Trains, the
exhilarating and prize-winning middle-grade series from bestselling author M.G.
Leonard, and Sam Sedgman, a writer, playwright and lifelong train fan. These
terrific tales of the rails are ideal for young train buffs and with Elisa
Paganelli’s vibrant black and white illustrations providing the extra bells and
whistles, the books have built up an unstoppable speed on the fast track to
reading heaven. In this new all-action adventure, we join budding young artist
Harrison (Hal) Beck and his travel writer Uncle Nat as they wrap up warm for a
special trip the Arctic Circle to see the northern lights for Christmas. But as
their train leaves Stockholm, Hal and Uncle Nat realise they are being followed
by a sinister figure, and Hal’s powers of observation are tested when Uncle
Nat’s past comes back to haunt him. Journeying into the never-ending night of
the Arctic winter, our railway detectives must outsmart an assassin in their
most chilling adventure yet, an adventure in which nothing is as it seems. With
a cast of dynamic characters, a train-load of fascinating facts, adventure at
every junction, and a baffling and dangerous mystery to solve, Leonard and
Sedgman pull out all the stops in a fitting finale to a witty, clever and
enthralling series that has captured readers’ hearts.
(Macmillan Children’s Books, paperback, £7.99)
The Book of Legends
Lenny Henry and Keenon Ferrell
WHAT if stories turned out to be real? That’s the conundrum
facing two very ordinary siblings embarking on an extraordinary journey in a
thrilling new novel from comedian, writer, philanthropist and award-winning
actor Sir Lenny Henry. The Book of Legends, fabulously illustrated throughout
by talented New York-based artist Keenon Ferrell, is full of the same brand of
magic and adventure that won the hearts of young readers in Sir Lenny’s
all-action and thought-provoking debut novel The Boy With Wings. In this new
funny and fast-moving tale, we meet Bran and Fran Harrison who love living with
their mum, the storyteller at the Once Upon a Wow bookstore in their small
Midlands town. Ever since Dad disappeared in a bolt of lightning, Mum and her big
book of stories filled with fantastical people and places have been the centre
of their world. But when Mum goes missing too, and her stories turn out to be a
portal to another world, Bran and Fran are going to have a huge, magical
adventure on their hands. Luckily, they have Wilma, the Wizard’s Wife, and
Zack, the wisecracking Zebracorn, to help them on their journey. And they’re
going to need help because there are evil princes, mud monsters and Viking
armies all standing in their way. Can they find their mum, and just maybe their
way home too? Filled with the intriguing concept of stories within the story,
Sir Lenny’s latest adventure gives free rein to his trademark wit, sense of fun
and soaring imagination but also his empathy and keen eye for the challenges of
youthful angst. With its wonderful evocation of a magical other-world and the
warm-hearted dynamics of family love and friendship, this high-octane adventure
will have youngsters giggling, gasping and guffawing from first page to last.
(Macmillan Children’s Books, hardback, £12.99)
S.T.E.A.L.T.H. Ice Breaker
Jason Rohan
THEY look like just an ordinary bunch of school kids... but,
in truth, they are anything but ordinary! Welcome back to the perilous world of
S.T.E.A.L.T.H., a crack team of young agents in charge of the most cutting-edge
piece of tech the world doesn’t even know exists... MANDROID. Always flying
under the radar, they solve crimes, prevent disasters and rescue the innocent but
STILL have to get their homework in on time. Ice Breaker is the second
thrilling book in a breathless, all-action adventure espionage series from
exciting London author Jason Rohan, the man who talked his way into an
internship at Marvel Comics in New York when he was only 16. And this new witty
and wonderful spy caper – packed with intrigue, danger, secret agents and truly
villainous villains – certainly delivers a gripping, white-knuckle ride. So
join Arun Lal and his friends and team-mates –computer geek Sam and sassy, tough-talking
Donna – when they are called up for their latest assignment. An armoured train
with a top secret cargo has been hijacked by terrorists in the Austrian Alps
and an avalanche has cut off all help. British Intelligence is forced to call
on its youngest recruits to mount a dangerous rescue mission with the clock
ticking down. Can Arun, Donna and Sam save the world and get back to school
before they are missed? From ordinary kids to a fearless team of agents, this
is Mission Impossible for a new generation. Don’t miss the fun but stay out of
the firing line!
(Nosy Crow, paperback, £7.99)
Around the World in 80 Festivals
Nancy Dickmann and Lucy Banaji
TAKE a fast-track trip across the world and see the
different ways that people celebrate! This fact-packed book – brought to life
by the dazzling illustrations of Lucy Banaji – covers a huge range of
festivals, with an emphasis on the planet’s vibrant and varied cultures. As youngsters
journey around the world, they can explore celebrations of food and drink,
nature, culture, religion and history, plus ways to mark the passing of the
year. Discover where and when people eat the strangely named ‘bread of the dead,’
find out why people walk barefoot across red-hot coals, where you might dress
up as a demon in a hairy suit and huge horned headdress, and just what you are
celebrating if you climb an 18-metre high tower made out of buns. All these
strange festivals and more are explored in music teacher Nancy Dickmann’s
armchair voyage of discovery which includes a stunning central gatefold that
opens out to reveal a calendar of all the festivals featured in the book. From
the Junkanoo festival in the Bahamas and Juneteenth in the United States to
Matariki in New Zealand and Poland's Great Dragon Parade, this visual
celebration of eighty amazing festivals from across the globe is full of colour
and wonder. From camel racing to reed
dancing and naming baby gorillas, there is something here for everyone!
(Welbeck Editions, hardback, £15.99)
Magic Keepers: Crystal Chaos
Linda Chapman and Hoang Giang
MAGIC needs protecting... who’s up for the job? Meet the
Magic Keepers, the charismatic young stars of a spellbinding new series from Linda
Chapman, author of the much-loved Star Friends books. Packed with the power of
magic and friendship, these books – full of Hoang Giang’s vibrant black and
white illustrations – are set to deliver excitement and adventure at every
turn. Hidden away in a bustling old market town, Curio House and its mysterious
collection of artefacts and crystals have been undisturbed for years... until
now! When her mum inherits the creaky Victorian villa, Ava is nervous about
moving in there, especially when she discovers a room filled with unusual
objects and a box of ‘magic’ crystals. Ava knows they can’t really be magic,
but when her mischievous Tibetan terrier Pepper tries to eat one of the
artefacts, a series of strange and definitely magical events unfold... and soon
the whole town is in trouble! Luckily her new friends Sarah and Lily are on
hand to help, but can three ordinary girls (and Pepper) learn to control the
crystals and protect the world around them? Newly independent readers will love
this beautifully created first chapter book with its alluring mix of magic and
mystery, and all the fun of shared adventures and friendship.
(Stripes, paperback, £6.99)
Pizazz vs Everyone
Sophy Henn
ENJOY more super-awesome laughs in the fifth book of
award-winning author and illustrator Sophy Henn’s hilarious comic-book strip
style series starring scintillating superhero schoolgirl Pizazz. Classroom
politics, friendship fails and laugh-out-loud humour are the hallmarks of this
perfectly pitched series which has all the ‘powers and stuff’ that you expect
from a superhero story but with the added delight of some very human characters
and some very human dilemmas. Being a superhero is the best thing ever, right?
Wrong! Pizazz is everyone’s favourite 9¾-year-old (reluctant) superhero. You
probably think being a superhero is really awesome and while it can be, it’s
also REEEEEAAALLLY annoying. Always having to zoom off to save the universe
can be tricky at the best of times, but at the worst of times it’s practically
impossible! It’s making Pizzaz wonder if being good is the problem because she
is currently facing her biggest challenge yet...EVERYONE (and EVERYTHING)! Will it all prove too much? Will Pizazz manage
to keep using her powers for good, or will this push her over the edge to...
the dark side? Expect lots of wicked humour and some unexpected ‘badding’ as
Henn serves up a ferocious and fast-paced feast of super-powered, caped
crusader fun!
(Simon & Schuster, paperback, £6.99)
Luma and the Hiccuping Dragon
Leah Mohammed and Loretta Schauer
THERE'S a special kind of ‘puppy’ love in this adorable
debut series from Leah Mohammed who was inspired by her British-Pakistani
heritage and the kind of warm, family orientated story she would have loved to
read as a girl. Starring schoolgirl Luma Dewan, who has discovered that there
is always mischief and magic when you have a lovable baby dragon as a pet, the
book features two warm and funny stories packed with Loretta Schauer’s lovely,
cuddly illustrations. Luma’s best friend in the world is her pet Timir, who
looks like a puppy most of the time... except when he turns into a talking baby
dragon! Luma loves looking after cheeky Timir, but when he gets the hiccups,
neither of them knows quite what to do. Nothing they try seems to help and it’s
not long before purple flame begins bursting from his nostrils! And that's not
the only adventure ahead. In the second story, The Prickly Tickle, there's a
dog show to get ready for, an important decision to be made about their fancy
dress costume and a strange tickly itch on Timir’s wings that might be more
than it seems. Expect lots of laughs and family fun, flame-loads of mischief,
and a truly magical friendship as Luma and her cheeky dragon steal the show!
(Welbeck Flame, paperback, £6.99)
Carnival of the Clocks
Nick Sharratt
AN unusual celebration of the winter solstice takes centre
stage in a charming and colourful story from award-winning author and superstar
illustrator Nick Sharratt. The Burning of the Clocks, the brainchild of charity
Same Sky, takes place in Brighton every year on December 21 to mark the
shortest day when members of the local community make paper lanterns and parade
them through the streets before burning them in a bonfire. Filled with colour
and the spirit of togetherness, Carnival of the Clocks is the latest book in
the super-readable Little Gems series which brings together leading authors and
illustrators, and a host of clever design and finishing techniques, like
dyslexia-friendly fonts, to create easy-to-read, first chapter books in a
format ideal for little hands, and with some extra activity fun inside the
cover. On a dark winter’s evening at the end of December, something strange is
happening in the school playground. Lessons finished long ago, but there are
lots of children still at school and they are all carrying... clocks! Clocks of
every shape and size... big, small, round and square, heart-shaped,
star-shaped. What’s going on? Join the children as they celebrate the Carnival
of the Clocks! Sharratt, who has created illustrations for over 250 books, fills his story with fun, magic and colour as the school mystery
starts to take shape and the lantern lights puncture the darkness. The perfect
book for youngsters taking the first steps on the path to reading independence.
(Barrington Stoke, paperback, £6.99)
Who Will Kiss the Crocodile?
Suzy Senior and Claire Powell
THEY'RE having a ball... and you won’t want to miss it!
Author Suzy Senior and illustrator Claire Powell – the dynamic duo behind the
incredibly successful Octopants series – turn their talents to this hilarious,
rhyming retelling of Sleeping Beauty... which comes with added bite! Baby Princess
Liss’s first birthday is celebrated with a fancy royal ball. But as guests
arrive in their smartest clothes, ONE fairy has not been invited and she isn’t at
all pleased. And as the dancing, fun, laughter and partying gets under way, she
casts a spell and now the sleeping princess has turned into a snoring crocodile
with very sharp teeth! Will anyone be brave enough to wake her with a kiss and
turn her back into a girl? And who needs a prince? Expect heroic handy-grans
armed with mops and drills, a sharp-toothed crocodile and an amazing Eighties
party in this hilarious, feminist twist on a favourite fairy tale. Packed with
Senior’s super snappy and playful rhymes and Powell’s trademark richly
detailed, bright, bold illustrations, Who Will Kiss the Crocodile? is a
rip-roaring romp that youngsters will love sinking their teeth into!
(Little Tiger Press, hardback, £11.99)
My Rhinoceros
Jon Agee
IF you should ever choose a rhinoceros for a pet, you’re in
for a BIG surprise! It’s eleven years since master of the absurd Jon Agee’s
gloriously mischievous picture book, My Rhinoceros, was published in America
and now youngsters in the UK can enjoy an outing with the talented author and
illustrator’s zany, zingy humour. Featuring a boy who discovers that his
giant-size pet can do more than he bargained for, this offbeat tale of the
(totally!) unexpected is a walk in the park when it comes to capturing readers’
hearts. When the boy bought his pet rhinoceros, he really didn’t know what he
was getting into. It won’t chase a ball, or a stick, or a frisbee. In fact,
according to the experts, a rhinoceros does only two things... pop balloons and
poke holes in kites. So a walk to the park, where there’s a man selling,
balloons might be just what’s needed to spark the rhinoceros into action. But the
boy soon finds out rhinoceroses can do more – so much more – than that! This
veritable feast of visual and verbal wit is a joy as Agee takes the concept of
absurdism and raises it to (literally!) new heights. In the author’s trademark
style, My Rhinoceros is a perfectly understated picture story, brimming with
humour, imagination, surprises and wonderfully expressive illustrations. Fun,
playful and perfect to read aloud or alone, this is Agee at his entertaining
best.
(Scallywag Press, hardback, £12.99)
Night-Night Animals
Patricia Hegarty and Thomas Elliott
SHHH... it’s time for the forest animals to go to sleep!
Encourage your little ones to head into the land of dreams with a super,
slider, slumbersome board book that was just made for bedtime. Toddlers will
love pulling the sliders to help some favourite animals to wake up or go to sleep...
from the depths of the sea and the snoozy savannah to the restful rainforest,
there are so many habitats to explore. And then turn the final page to find out
who else should be in bed, fast asleep! With its bedtime message, this adorable
board book is a gentle read to help your little one drift off to sleep and
ideal for little hands. Chunky pages and the clever sliding mechanisms
encourage a hands-on reading experience. With Patricia Hegarty’s simple,
soothing words, a funny twist in the tail, and Thomas Elliott’s colourful
illustrations, this is the perfect, wind-down book for tired babies and
toddlers. Bedtime bliss... well, almost!
(Caterpillar Books, board book, £6.99)
