Call the Witness

Edna Sherry

By guest reviewer Nicholas Litchfield, editor of the Lowestoft Chronicle

A NEWLY minted partner at a prestigious law firm must fight for his reputation and freedom when he stands trial for his wife’s murder in Call the Witness, a taut 1960s crime novel steeped in small-town suspicion, legal intrigue, and simmering class tensions.

First published by Dodd, Mead and Company in January 1961, Edna Sherry’s evocative standalone legal drama returns to print this month as part of Stark House’s Black Gat mass market series, emerging from more than sixty years of obscurity.

The Cincinnati-born writer, renowned for her gift for suspense, is best remembered for the 1948 thriller Sudden Fear, adapted into a film noir starring Joan Crawford and now regarded as a genre classic. In Call the Witness, she displays her sharpest instincts, drawing inspiration from a notorious real-life case that unfolded across the Atlantic in Liverpool thirty years earlier. Whereas her post-war contemporaries often featured stock characters and familiar plots, Sherry’s work pulses with psychological edge, subtle social critique, and a relentless sense of tension.

Ashley Lawson, an Edgar Award-nominated author, notes in the book’s introduction that Sherry ‘writes about people rather than situations, and most of her characters are fully-fleshed, complex, and believable,’ singling out the novel as ‘key evidence in our case that this author deserves greater recognition.’

Set in the insular city of Ambria, the novel introduces us to Bartley ‘Bart’ French, a hardworking and ambitious lawyer from Montana. Newly appointed as partner at Newton and Newton, a firm where ‘status and lineage’ count for more than merit, Bart yearns to belong. His wife, Kay Whitlaw, is described as ‘lively and loving’ but their marriage is overshadowed by her patrician family’s disapproval and the compromises they have both made.

Bart’s mentor, Sam Ballard, with his ‘mobile, humorous actor’s face,’ faces risky brain surgery, leaving Bart anxious but determined as he inherits Sam’s workload and coveted black notebook of contacts, shouldering the firm’s most sensitive cases… and the secrets that come with them. Around him orbit Arthur Newton, ‘affable, sociable in a surface manner,’ Andrew Clayton, ‘reserved and competent,’ and Bill Peck, ‘a brash, well-connected charmer.’ In Ambria, the gates never truly open for outsiders.

The story takes a dark turn when Bart, sent on a wild goose chase to a fake client’s house, returns home with his neighbour Jerry Slater… and finds Kay brutally murdered. The town, hungry for scandal, turns on Bart with swift malice.

Police Captain Miles Eliot sizes up Bart as the likely suspect, while the local newspaper fans suspicion with a jab at Bart’s alibi, calling it ‘so suspiciously perfect that any modern author of whodunits might hesitate to use it.’ Supporters, like his colleague Lil Slater and employer Arthur Newton, defend him while Martha Whitlaw, Kay’s mother, furiously asserts that ‘He did it and he’s going to pay for it!’ The murder weapon – a poker found in the backyard – tightens the noose and whispers seem to speak loudly. ‘Ambria’s a beautiful town… but… a man could come here, live here the rest of his life and still be an oddball.’

Bart’s trial is pure theatre, a spectacle where old grudges and whispered judgements take centre stage. District Attorney Fuller paints Bart as a cold-blooded killer while the defence, led by sharp New Yorker Arnold Cass and steady Andrew Clayton, hunts for cracks in the prosecution’s story. Jerry Slater, whose testimony undermines the prosecution, and Agatha Willett, a secretary who injects personal bias, reveal a community as divided as its courtroom, while Cass’s cross-examinations turn the state’s case inside out.

Meanwhile, Bart sits frozen at the defence table, stripped of the buoyant energy that once set him apart. He’s a man watching his fate draw in, minute by minute…

Full of taut exchanges, dry wit, and an overwhelming sense of dread, Call the Witness is a hard-hitting tale of justice and belonging… where the real verdict is delivered not only in court, but in the hearts of a town that never quite lets a stranger in.
(Stark House Press, paperback, £10.95)

⬛Nicholas Litchfield is an English-born author and journalist who lives in Western New York. He established the Lowestoft Chronicle, a quarterly online magazine, in 2009. It  publishes short stories, flash fiction, poetry, creative nonfiction, interviews and artwork.(lowestoftchronicle.com)

CHILDREN'S BOOKS: A unique city, a chiller-thriller and a rabbit’s farewell

Dig deep into the past to discover the fascinating and tumultuous history of the unique city of Jerusalem, enjoy the final book in a spectacular rabbit world fantasy series, and join two plucky siblings as they battle to defeat forever a sinister dictatorship in a sparkling September selection

Age 11 plus
Jerusalem: The City That Changed the World
Simon Sebag Montefiore,
Rui Ricardo and Catherine Rowe

DISCOVER the fascinating and tumultuous history of the unique city of Jerusalem in this magnificent children’s book adaptation of international bestselling author Simon Sebag Montefiore’s seminal classic Jerusalem: A Biography. Brought to vibrant life by illustrators Rui Ricardo and Catherine Rowe, historian Montefiore’s account tells the story of an extraordinary city which is the capital of two peoples and the shrine of three faiths. A cast of extraordinary characters have played a part in the city’s history, including King David, Cyrus the Great, Cleopatra, the Maccabees, Julius Caesar, Herod the Great, Queen Melisende, Saladin, Suleiman the Magnificent, Catherine the Great, Napoleon, Winston Churchill, Ben-Gurion and Arafat. Some people have claimed that Jerusalem belongs only to them, but its stories show that it belongs to many. Montefiore tells thirty of the most remarkable stories in the city’s 3,000-year history and by explaining the Middle East’s political, religious and ethnic divisions, from 1000BC to 2000AD, the book acts an essential and timely guide to understanding today’s world.
(Hodder Children’s Books, hardback, £25)

Age 9 plus
The Fate of Podkin One-Ear
Kieran Larwood and David Wyatt

LITTLE rabbits can do great things… particularly when they band together! The final book in Kieran Larwood and David Wyatt’s spectacular rabbit world fantasy series, The World of Podkin One-Ear, sees our heroes launch one last epic battle to defeat the dreaded Gorm. And it’s pleasing to report that the nine-book series – which has had readers longing for each new book as it appears – once more delivers all those ingredients that children love... adventure, magic, danger, thrills and friendship. Podkin and his crew have brought together all the gifts which have helped on the mission to save rabbitkind. The gifts then melt and morph before their eyes, transforming into a suit of armour… one that will only fit a rabbit with one ear! And when Podkin puts it on, he is able to thwart any enemy. With every god and goddess from the spirit world rallying behind them, Podkin can now call together all the armies of the Five Realms… across every tribe and species, the forest wardens, packs of wolves, the warring rabbit tribes and the bone dancers are united in an attempt to vanquish the Gorm once and for all. Written with Larwood’s unique storytelling magic, exquisitely illustrated with full page artwork by leading fantasy illustrator Wyatt, and encompassing a breathtakingly imagined world full of memorable rabbit characters, this is a spectacular finale for a first class series.
(Faber Children’s Books, hardback, £14.99)

Age 9 plus
The Book of Stolen Dreams: The Final Battle
David Farr and Kristina Kister

INSPIRED by his own family history, which saw his Jewish great aunt and uncle courageously travel as unaccompanied children to escape Germany for London in the 1930s, David Farr, one of the UK’s leading screenwriters and a film and theatre director, plays a blinder with the stunning conclusion to his breathtaking trilogy set in Krasnia, a sinister dictatorship where children are banned from playing in public and only allowed outdoors for exercise and education. In this last dazzling adventure, we are whisked back into the lives of sister and brother Rachel and Robert Klein who have become the heroes of Krasnia. And after saving the world more times than she can count, things are finally starting to feel normal for Rachel. But life is never normal for a Keeper of the Key. When a famous movie-star returns alive and well to Krasnia after weeks lost in the desert, everyone is thrilled! Everyone, except Rachel. Something about the actor doesn’t feel quite right. Then Rachel realises the horrifying truth. With both their own lives and the fate of Krasnia at stake, Rachel and her brother Robert must return to the Hinterland, expose the truth and put an end to tyrant Charles Malstain’s evil plans once and for all. Once again, Farr brings us a fantastically imagined cast of characters, all set against a rich, gripping and timeless backdrop. With the beautiful illustrations of Kristina Kister, darkness, danger and mystery at every turn, and an exhilarating final chapter for our plucky siblings, this is a guaranteed thrill ride from first page to last.
(Usborne Publishing, paperback, £7.99)

Age 9 plus
A Day in the Life of Fossils, Fire and Other Fantastic Finds
Mike Barfield and Jess Bradley

WHEN were the first dinosaur fossils found, how were life-saving medicines discovered, and what happened on the first expeditions to the North and South Poles? Asking questions is all part of growing up and finding the answers can be fun… particularly when you dive into the fascinating facts inside this brilliant, illustrated, laugh-out-loud guide to amazing discoveries that changed the world. A Day in the Life of Fossils, Fire and Other Fantastic Finds is the fourth title in the A Day in the Life series, created by award-winning duo Mike Barfield and Jess Bradley and full of facts, laughs and amazing illustrations on every page. You can choose a subject and then dive in at your leisure.  And this time, they delve into some amazing and historic discoveries using a mix of graphic-style factual comics, as well as Secret Diaries, Bigger Picture pages, and Even Bigger Picture double-page spreads. From the treasures found in Tutankhamun’s tomb and Roald Amundsen’s ground-breaking expedition to the South Pole, to the uncovering of the first dinosaur, the accidental discovery of penicillin and the launch of the James Webb telescope, there are fascinating facts for every child to enjoy. Brought to life by the fun, friendly and informative style of award-winning cartoonist Barfield and Bradley’s awesome colour illustrations, this is the ideal gift for any child who likes to mix their learning with a big dollop of laughter!
(Buster Books, paperback, £10.99)

Age 7 plus
Werewolf Wood
Lan Cook and Jared MacPherson

IF your youngsters love spine-tingling stories and gamebooks where they are the hero and can choose how the story unfolds, then this spooky puzzle adventure is the perfect answer! Werewolf Wood – part of Usborne Publishing’s Mystery Gamebooks series – is the work of author Lan Cook and illustrator Jared MacPherson, and delivers heart-pounding chases beneath the full moon, mysterious figures lurking in the woods and fun picture puzzles to solve. All you need is two dice to get the game rolling… Everything seems normal when you arrive at your Grandma’s house deep in the woods... until night falls. The shadows start creeping closer, and eerie howls echo through the trees. Who – or what – is lurking in the woods? And why does Grandma’s dog keep barking? With exciting picture puzzles to solve, a story packed with spine-chilling scares and choices that lead to new twists and turns, this interactive adventure will keep you turning pages... if you dare!
(Usborne Publishing, paperback, £9.99)

Age 6 plus
Puzzle Slug and the Intergalactic Poop Robbery
Candice Whatmore

MEET Puzzle Slug… he needs your brain power to help him solve puzzles and save his planet! This clever and laugh-out-loud comic-style puzzle adventure is written and illustrated by Candice Whatmore who once stepped barefoot on a slug and has never quite recovered. The result is Puzzle Slug and the Intergalactic Poop Robbery, first of a new series full of riotous comedy, lovable characters and the occasional bottom-blast! Puzzle Slug’s Planet of Plopalot is under threat from the evil alien Dr Nox! Could the least likely hero in the galaxy save the day… and the planet? Only by solving every last one can Puzzle Slug avoid his planet being invaded... so he’s going to need plenty of help and brain power from readers. With interactive puzzles and intergalactic fun all the way, youngsters will be more than happy to return to Plopalot!
(Usborne Publishing, paperback, £7.99)

Age 7 plus
Toby and the Pixies: Pixie Pandemonium!
James Turner and Andreas Schuster

BUCKLE up and get ready to laugh out loud as illustrator, cartoonist and comic writer James Turner teams up with German-born cartoonist Andreas Schuster for another unstoppable ride into side-splitting silliness! Pixie Pandemonium! is third of their hilarious Toby and the Pixies graphic comic book series which is brimming with chaotic energy and pixie mayhem and was originally published in the hugely popular The Phoenix comic. So head off to an ordinary town and meet shy and anxious Toby Cauldwell who thought he was an ordinary schoolboy until a magical kingdom full of pixies in his garden named him their king! Now, whether it’s a trip to the dentist, going on holiday or wooing a school crush, the pixies are always on hand to assist their leader but end up causing complete and utter chaos in the process. In fact it’s total pandemonium with the pixies around! Brimming with all the zany slapstick fun that young readers expect from their comic book anti-heroes, this anarchic series delivers unlikely friendships, madcap antics and pixie-themed magic. And for readers who love to draw and want to create awesome characters just like Toby and the Pixies, the back of the book has a whole section of how-to-draw tutorials from illustrator Schuster plus links to The Phoenix comic club website where you can find draw-along videos, free printable material and top tips from tons of creators. Everything you could wish for when two superstar comedy creators let their imaginations run wild!
(David Fickling Books, paperback, £9.99)

Age 3 plus
Little Monsters Rule!
David Walliams and Adam Stower

‘One day I’m gonna SCARE the world!’ 

LITTLE ones will be chomping at the bit to get their claws into this fiendishly funny new picture book from the top team of bestselling author David Walliams and multi-talented illustrator Adam Stower. Little Monsters Rule! is the sequel to their number one hit picture book Little Monsters! and the new kid on the block is Furball, a lovable little yeti on his first day at Monster School. He can’t wait to learn how to be scary but it’s hard when you look like a cuddly toy. When the big monsters at the school make fun of Furball, Howler the little werewolf comes to the rescue. Together, can they prove that little monsters RULE? Packed with Walliams’ feel-good, funny vibes, and monsters big and small, this delightful adventure is ideal for encouraging imaginative play and emotional learning, and the perfect gift for your own lovable little monsters!
(HarperCollinsChildren’sBooks, paperback, £7.99)

Age 3 plus
How It Works: Tree
Isabel Otter and David Semple

BRANCH out with this super, chunky board book which has been specially designed for little hands and features interactive, peep-through pages to grasp and explore. Curious little readers will love learning all about our planet’s  TREE-mendous trees… how they grow from seed to seedling, then sapling, and change with the seasons. Written by Isabel Otter and beautifully illustrated by David Semple, this ingeniously simple but fascinating and entertaining first introduction to trees comes with layered board book pages and hours of fun!
(Little Tiger Press, board book, £7.99)

Age 2 plus
Clive Penguin
Huw Lewis Jones and Ben Sanders

THE brilliantly funny and quirky picture book tale of a penguin who doesn’t like the cold has now been adapted into a board book that is guaranteed to win the hearts of babies and toddlers. Surrounded by the same old snow day in, day out and always bloomin’ freezing, Clive Penguin wishes he was somewhere else. SOMEONE else. But, with an epic discovery just around the corner, the solution might be easier than he thinks… Real life polar-exploring adventurer Huw Lewis Jones and award-winning illustrator Ben Sanders work their special frost-filled magic on this story about getting what you need, rather than what you want. Readers will hoot with laughter at Clive Penguin’s unique voice that is perfectly matched with Sanders’ edgy illustrations complete with neon ink… and penguins!
(Little Tiger Press, board book, £7.99)

Age one plus
Lion's Cleaning Day
Nicola Kent

CAN YOU help Lion do the cleaning? Follow Lion around the house as he tidies up, does the hoovering and washes the dishes in this enchanting and interactive board book. Full of novelties for little hands, including flaps, sliders and wheels, this hands-on introduction to the grown-up tasks that fascinate toddlers is the latest title in an engaging and educational series from award-winning author and illustrator Nicola Kent. So roll up your sleeves, turn on the fun, and let your little ones get involved with what the grown-ups are doing!
(Little Tiger Press, board book, £7.99)

Evil in High Places

Rory Clements

WHEN a famous actress disappears from a Munich film set in the days before the opening of the 1936 Winter Olympics, the city’s captain of police is under pressure to find her fast.

But the stakes are dangerously high for Detective Sebastian Wolff, not just because Chancellor Adolf Hitler wants no hint of any crime with the world’s press watching like hawks… but because the missing star happens to be the mistress of leading Nazi minister Joseph Goebbels.

Novels and thrillers set amidst the drama of life in pre-war Berlin have long been a source of fascination but in the febrile atmosphere of the mid-1930s, it was Munich – Hitler’s spiritual home – where the real Nazi power-play was fast spreading its evil roots.

Munich, capital of the southern German state of Bavaria, was the city where the Führer first fomented revolution in the beer halls, where the National Socialist party had their headquarters, where he met his future wife Eva Braun, and where Hitler staked the reputation of his Nazi regime on the success of the snow-filled Winter Olympics at Garmish-Partenkirchen. Capturing all the menace, brutality and fevered hedonism of this pre-war period in Munich is master storyteller Rory Clements (pictured below) – twice winner of the Crime Writers’ Association Historical Dagger for his John Shakespeare books and Tom Wilde wartime spy thriller series – and now author of an outstanding historical series which began last year with the gripping opener, Munich Wolf.

At the heart of Evil in High Places, Clements’ second atmospheric page-turner, we meet up again with Sebastian (Seb) Wolff, a tough but principled murder squad police chief who hates the Nazis and whose life and work is dangerously constrained by the dark shadow of Munich’s ‘political police’ – better known as the Gestapo – and his son Jurgen, the Hitler Youth Nazi who lives in Seb’s own home.

In February of 1936, Munich is gearing up for the Winter Olympics in the Bavarian Alps and what the Nazis plan will be a spectacular showcase for their authoritarian regime. But as the athletes prepare to fight for gold and the Nazis fight for power, Captain of Detectives Seb faces a battle of his own.

At first, he can’t understand what all the fuss is about when a German film star called Elena Lang – who is currently starring in a movie called Evil in High Places being produced by a British crew in Munich – goes missing from the film set. Knowing her reputation, Seb is convinced she’s probably overslept ‘in someone else’s room’ but Elena Lang is no ordinary film-star… she is also the mistress of Goebbels, Hitler’s right-hand-propagandist, and the order is that she must be found without any delay. Hitler has decreed that nothing must detract from the Games and that means ‘no murders, no missing people, no scandals.’

But corruption runs deep in Munich and Elena is just the first to go missing. Along with his sidekick, Sergeant Hans Winter of the Bavarian Political Police, who works under the pressure of being outed for his recently discovered Jewish ancestry, Seb begins a search that will take them the from the highest and wealthiest echelons of society to the city’s darkest corners.

As a non-Nazi in a city full of Nazis, Seb has to ‘go along with their games, treat arrogance as a social disorder and get on with his job as best he could’ but he soon learns how easily the hunter becomes the hunted and just how fine the line is between justice and jeopardy. This is a city and a country on the brink of war, and some enemies are better left alone because the closer you get, the further you have to fall…

Clements has found a rich and endlessly fascinating terrain for these enthralling murder mysteries which take readers on a dark and disturbing journey into Munich society in the 1930s... a political powder keg where decadent aristocrats, naïve English acolytes, and increasingly empowered Nazis carve out a path towards the death and destruction of the Second World War. It’s a place where the infamous party vibe jostles with the sinister cruelties of a corrupt and evil regime, and where Wolff – a deeply humane man who lived, fought and killed in an earlier war – must battle his own sense of guilt and find a way to solve a perilous high stakes case while the eyes of the world – and the Nazis – are watching.

Using the raw edge of wartime history, a compelling cast of brilliantly drawn characters which includes real names like Hitler-obsessed rich girl Unity Mitford and British skier Peter Lunn – who famously refused to march in front of the Führer at the Olympics opening ceremony – and harnessing the city’s anger and fear, and the Nazis’ increasingly violent persecution of the Jews, Clements brings us a breathtaking, fast-paced and suspense-filled whodunit which thrills and chills from first page to last.

Packed with the author’s prodigious imaginative power, extensive research, and stunning empathy for this unique and riveting period of history, Evil in High Places is fact and fiction, history and mystery at its heart-thumping, page-turning best, and packed with all the electrifying authenticity that has become the hallmark of Clements’ work.
(Viking, hardback, £16.99)

Britannica All New Children's Encyclopedia

Age 8+
What We Know
& What We Don't
Christopher Lloyd and Mark Ruffle

IN the 21st century, every child deserves to have knowledge at their fingertips… and that doesn’t necessarily mean turning to the internet.

A book is a source of information that can be used, treasured and form an intrinsic role in any library collection, and no one knows that better than the team behind the famous Encyclopaedia Britannica, one of the world’s most trusted sources of knowledge.

So what better than an encyclopedia specially designed for children? Five years ago – in an exciting partnership between the ingenious book boffins at What on Earth Publishing and Encyclopaedia Britannica – the Britannica All New Children’s Encyclopedia was launched and became a global success, selling over 600,000 copies worldwide and setting a new standard for exploratory learning, with stunning illustrations, depth of information and engaging and accessible content.

The good news is that this dazzling compendium of knowledge, which is suitable for children aged eight and over and has expert knowledge behind every page, has now been updated with over 400 pages of the latest developments in space science, climate change, medicine, science, technology and much more.

It’s a fun and fact-filled journey that takes young readers from the birth of the universe to the latest advances in Artificial Intelligence. Browse topics as diverse as dinosaurs, deep sea exploration, glow-in-the-dark scorpions, genetics, mummification, volcanoes, electricity, samurai warriors and soaring skyscrapers.

Discover some of the unsolved puzzles in science, engineering, archaeology and history. Meet some of the expert consultants behind each chapter and find out what they are investigating today, and why they love their subjects. Packed with up-to-the-minute facts, figures and images, featuring everything from supernovas to Taylor Swift, and from ancient Egypt to AI, over 170 topics are covered and all have been verified by more than one hundred experts.

This landmark new edition has been edited by renowned author, lecturer and non-fiction storyteller Christopher Lloyd (above) and lavishly illustrated by Mark Ruffle and Jack Tite, and unlike old encyclopedias, which are structured from A to Z, this innovative book will take you on an exhilarating rollercoaster ride from the beginning of time to the present day… and even into the future!

With over a thousand stunning illustrations, photographs and maps, this is a magnificent and colourful tome guaranteed to spark curiosity and wonder in every reader. Home learning for all the family to enjoy!
(Britannica Books, hardback, £30)

The Cut

Richard Armitage

‘People don’t forget when children are murdered. It is seared into the heart of a place, etched into the very foundation of the community.’

WHEN a schoolgirl was murdered in the small village of Barton Mallet thirty years ago, a fellow pupil was tried and jailed, and the close-knit community tried to move on… but now the killer has been freed and festering wounds from the past are about to spectacularly reopen.

Richard Armitage (pictured below) – the multi-award winning stage, screen and voice actor best known for his roles in Peter Jackson’s The Hobbit trilogy, Captain America, Alice through the Looking Glass and Oceans 8 – took the reading world by storm two years ago with his bestselling, heart-pounding debut novel Geneva set in the murky world of biotech. And now he’s back with The Cut, another dark and atmospheric psychological crime thriller brimming with suspense, emotional intensity and Armitage’s trademark twists and turns which explode through the pages like a volley of small but mind-blowing time bombs.

In the summer of 1994, Barton Mallet is a sleepy village where the ruins of Victorian Blackstone Mill watch over the residents as they go about their lives. 

Ben Knot – the handsome boy with golden blond hair known as the class Top Dog – and his friends are looking forward to a summer of fun and freedom once their exams and the last year of school is over.

The class has been through a lot together, both good and bad, but teasing turns to bullying when the Knot gang target younger boy Mark Cherry who plays the cello so obsessively that he has earned the nickname Marcello. But as tensions rise in the hot July sun, so too does the violence and when the summer is over, one of the group will be murdered by someone they called a friend and who is now behind bars.

Thirty years on, Ben is an award-winning architect who has moved his family back to the village where he grew up. His Scouse girlfriend Dani – 15 years younger than him – acts as his

CHILDREN'S BOOKS: Curious questions, a murderous house and football facts

Discover the ideal gift book for your curious kids, enter (if you dare!) a spooky family house where grudges and glory are passed down as heirlooms, get ready to kick off a whole year of fascinating football facts, and hold on tight as you head off into a sci-fi universe for an out-of-this-world adventure with a super selection of children’s books

Age 7 plus
Everything Under the Sun: All Around the World
Molly Oldfield

QUESTIONS, questions, questions… being curious about everything under the sun is all part of growing up. So here’s the ideal gift book for every parent, teacher or carer who needs some help with providing answers… a coruscating collection of 366 curious questions (one for every day of the year!) asked by children from around the world and answered by experts. Based on the award-winning podcast by The Original QI Elf, Molly Oldfield, who spent 12 years researching and writing questions for the BBC quiz show, Everything Under the Sun: All Around the World is a brand new version of Everything Under the Sun which was published in 2021 and sold more than 38,000 copies.

Working alongside author and illustrator Lauren Child and magician Derren Brown, Oldfield conjures up a fantastic selection of quirky questions that will keep young minds busy all the year round. How were rollerskates invented? How do boats float? Do snails go upside down? Where is the happiest place in the world? Why do sea turtles cry? Can chickens get chickenpox? Learn about everything from wormholes in space time, to how frogs jump, ponder about why we daydream and find out if people can mind read. This brilliant book explores everything from science and nature to robots and rainforests, alongside some very knowledgeable experts, not least epidemiologist, doctor and science writer Tim Spector who reveals what is the healthiest food in the world. Fascinating facts are accompanied by gorgeous, full-colour illustrations from the likes of international artists Folasade Adeshida, Neil Badenhorst, Belinda Chen, Sophie Escavy Lim, Marta Antelo, Fernando Martin, Juliana Eigner, Andrés Landazabal, Henry Rancourt, Francesca Tiley, Daniel Gray-Barnett and Meg Rennie. Whether you read a question a day, or dip into it whenever you are feeling curious, this is a book to treasure and share all year round, and, without question, the perfect gift!
(Ladybird, hardback, £25)

Age 8 plus
Skulkmoor
Hana Tooke

WELCOME to Skulkmoor Manor… a house with a murderous history where grudges and glory are passed down as heirlooms! Dutch-born writer Hanna Tooke - bestselling author of The Unadoptables and The Midnighters – unleashes her imagination (and own personal experiences) on a gorgeously gothic and mysterious adventure brimming with dark family secrets, devilishly bad deeds, and just a touch of murder. Once, the great house of Skulkmoor stood proudly on its hillside, commanding the attention of anyone who came by. Now, it is a curious puzzle of a place – not least thanks to the giant wall which cuts it straight in half, separating the two warring families that live inside it. For you see, many years ago, the Fox family was torn apart by a question of murder – and of inheritance. With no clear heir, the vast family fortune – and the house – has been literally divided into two. But now, two young cousins, one from rival sides of Skulkmoor, must race to solve the crime… or face losing their home forever. Can Ted and Iris put their differences aside and save their family fortune, or will they play their part in destroying everything? Skulkmoor is a delicious mix of adventure, atmosphere and chilling gothic thrills as Tooke conjures up a brilliantly evocative backdrop and then uses her warm and witty storytelling to bring us an unforgettable cast of weird and wonderful characters and themes around finding your tribe. Add on the emotional heft from lead character Iris sharing the author’s own personal disability and you have a sensational page-turner with a very human and heartwarming twist.
(Puffin, hardback, £14.99)

Age 7 plus
Football School Facts: A Fact for Every Day of the Year
Alex Bellos, Ben Lyttleton and Spike Gerrell

THE dream team are back and they are ready to kick off a whole year of fascinating football facts! Football School Facts: A Fact for Every Day of the Year is the twelfth book in the bestselling Football School series from authors Alex Bellos and Ben Lyttleton, and illustrator Spike Gerrell, in which football and facts come together in a perfect, goal-scoring formation. Packed with over 365 incredible stories, stats, goals and birthdays, this brilliant addition to the series delivers an amazing new football fact every day of the year. This veritable bumper bundle of football bliss gives readers a fact for every day of the year. Each month is introduced by a birthday list of key players, followed by plenty of terrific time-based trivia. Bellos and Lyttleton blend the beautiful game with an addictive sense of fun and humour, perfectly complemented by Gerrell’s hilarious cartoon illustrations. Did you know that Erling Haaland is a record-breaking goal-scoring machine, that a player was once sent off for farting on the pitch, or that Diego Maradona has a religion named after him? Discover all this and much, much more about your favourite players, great goals, super stadiums and marvellous mascots. The ultimate football fan year book for all the family to enjoy!
(Walker Books, hardback, £14.99)

Age 7 plus
Cosmic Cadets and the Universal Uni-korn
Ryan Crawford and Rochelle Falconer

HOLD on tight because you’re heading into a sci-fi universe where you’ll meet one of the most dangerous and foul-tempered creatures in existence! Cosmic Cadets and the Universal Uni-korn is the first of a new all-action comedy series from writer, coach and game designer Ryan Crawford and illustrator Rochelle Falconer and stars a go-getting girl on her first cadet mission. Gloria is the first ever human to get into the Cosmic Cadet Academy and she’s determined to make a splash. But she quickly realises it might be harder than she was expecting... On her first day, Gloria goes to class with the headteacher stuck to her shoe (it turns out some aliens are small and squishy) and then learns that no one in the universe, except humans, eats with their mouth any more. Partnered up with Razz, a cat-like alien who is way too keen on following the rules, Gloria is desperate for real adventure. She decides they will ignore instructions and go off on their own mission... to find a uni-korn. Little does she know that uni-korns are some of the most dangerous and foul-tempered creatures in the universe, capable of swallowing galaxies whole. Gloria just might get her wish for adventure... if she doesn’t accidentally destroy the universe first. Set in a vividly imagined alternative space world – brought to colourful life by Falconer’s beautifully bold artwork – and with sensitively handled themes of difference, belonging and friendship, this is a fabulous out-of-this-world adventure you won’t want to miss!
(Oxford University Press, paperback, £7.99)

Age 6 plus
Astrosaurs: Mission to Infinity
Steve Cole, Tobey Cole and Alex Lopez

BLAST off with Teggs and the crew for three astronomical space adventures in the first of a new graphic novel format for bestselling author Steve Cole’s out-of-this-world and fun-filled Astrosaurs series. It’s 20 years since these deliciously daffy dinosaur adventures hit the shelves and now Cole has harnessed his son Tobey as co-author and the talents of Spanish illustrator Alex Lopez to bring the space romps to a new generation of children. Young stegosaurus Teggs is the new captain of the DSS Sauropod, a spaceship designed to defend the Jurassic Quadrant from evil, carnivorous dinosaurs looking for their next meal. With his crew, Ginni, Arx and Iggy, Teggs must defeat cunning raptors aiming to disrupt the Great Dinosaur Games, protect the last remaining plateosaurus eggs as they travel to their new home at the far end of the galaxy, and uncover the mystery lurking in the watery depths of Aqua Minor. From powerful pongs to egg-cellent explosions, missions never quite go to plan… but the Astrosaurs are always there to save the day! With three adventures, one fearless dino crew and all in an easy-to-read format, these are new missions impossible that simple explode with meteor mayhem, galactic giggles and over-the-moon mischief!
(Piccadilly Press, paperback, £8.99)

Age 5 plus
Where's Stitch? Halloween Edition
Marvel Entertainment International Ltd

CAN you spot Stitch? Don’t miss out on all the spooky fun packed inside Disney’s simply marvellous limited edition of the Lilo & Stitch search-and-find activity book featuring a brand-new Halloween scene and a glow-in-the-dark cover! Brought to life by stunning, full-colour original illustrations, the Where's Stitch? Halloween edition is available for a limited time only. Look for Lilo’s mischievous alien pet in jam-packed scenes from the beaches of Kaua’I to the Galactic Federation and back. Can you spot Stitch, Lilo and their 'Ohana friends hiding amongst the pumpkins? Perfect for Marvel and Disney fans young and old, this beautifully created search-and-find book guarantees hours of entertainment!
(Studio Press, paperback, £7.99)

Age 3 plus
Hank Meets Frank
Maudie Powell-Tuck and Duncan Beedie

IF you fell in love with an obnoxious goose called Hank – the one with a bad habit of honking – in talented author Maudie Powell-Tuck and bestselling illustrator and author Duncan Beedie’s hilarious picture book Hank Goes Honk, then prepare for more zany antics in their brilliant Hank Meets Frank… new title in a growing series of hilarious picture and board books. Hank’s adoring fans know that he can be a little pesky, a little pecky and a teensy bit objectionable. But not today! Not when his little cousin Frank is here to visit. You see, Frank is sweet as a daisy and cute as a button. Butter wouldn’t melt. So, Hank is going to be on his very best behaviour. In fact, they’re both going to be little angels. Isn't that right, Hank? Frank? Guys?! How great it is to see that Hank is still ruffling feathers as Powell-Tuck and Beedie work their magic on another comedy-filled story in which everyone’s favourite goose gets a cautionary lesson about the perils of one-upmanship. With an adorable anti-hero, a tale told with deadpan humour, and Beedie's brilliant illustrations, this new adventure will have all the family honking with laughter!
(Little Tiger Press, hardback, £12.99)

Age 3 plus
Bear’s Nap
Emily Gravett

MEET a sleepy bear who’s looking for nap time bliss only to be met with a cheep, a squeak, a croak and a cluck! Youngsters will revel in the colourful and endearing delights of a spectacular new rhyming picture book from talented author and CILIP Kate Greenaway award-winning artist Emily Gravett. Written and illustrated with her signature affection and a freewheeling sense of fun which tumbles out of every page, Bear’s Nap is a joy from bedtime to morning. All Bear wants is a quiet nap… but he can't work out who is keeping him awake with their cheep cheeping. An increasingly frustrated bear leaves his cosy cave to ask the other animals, but they say none of them cheep. Maybe the culprit is closer to home! All the family will love meeting the animals and joining in with their familiar noises in this funny, endearing and stunningly illustrated story. With a jaunty rhyming story and a comedy twist in the tail, this is the perfect gift book for your own little sleepy bear!
(Two Hoots, hardback, £12.99)

Age 3 plus
Clive Penguin Learns to Fly, Sort of
Huw Lewis Jones and Ben Sanders

WHO'S ever heard of a flying penguin? Yes, hat-loving Clive Penguin is back and he’s on a sky-high mission to take flight! You’ve got to hand it to Huw Lewis Jones and Ben Sanders... they certainly know how to create an adorable penguin. Lewis Jones, a real life polar-exploring adventurer, and award-winning illustrator Sanders combine their talents on their second ice-coated and quirky picture book adventure starring a penguin who wants to rise above the crowd. Affronted by the narrator’s praise for ‘majestic’ swooping seagulls, Clive is determined to take to the sky himself. He's going to fly and who says penguins can’t do it? Youngsters cannot help but fall in love with the hilariously deadpan Clive Penguin as he sets out to prove that reaching for your dreams and ignoring naysayers can sometimes help you to achieve the impossible (sort of!) With Lewis Jones providing Clive’s unique voice and Sanders delivering a perfectly matched gallery of illustrations using flashes of orange neon ink, this is the coolest picture book you will read this autumn!
(Little Tiger Press, hardback, £12.99)

Age 3 plus
Nibbles: The Very Hungry Book Monster
Emma Yarlett

HE'S back and he’s chomping his way through other people’s stories! Nibbles, the adorable yellow monster who has stolen hearts both young and old with his munching madness, is on the run again amid a feast of flaps, mishaps and fairy tale fun. Multi-talented author and illustrator Emma Yarlett touches the funny bone of readers aged from nought to ninety as she rolls out her irresistible, bestselling brand of clever, conceptual art and design work, and magical, laughter-packed storytelling with her mischievous little book monster. Nibbles: The Very Hungry Book Monster is the fifth Nibbles adventure and Yarlett delivers the same captivating mix of imaginative storytelling, innovative flaps to lift, and intriguing cut-out holes to peep through as youngsters embark on a journey of fun, mixed-up fairy tales, comedy, and crazy capers. Nibbles has gone nibbling in the library where there are shelves bulging with books. But despite books at every turn, cheeky Nibbles finds that this book is too slimy, that one is too sweet, and this one too smelly. Will Nibbles ever find a book that’s just right? Perhaps the perfect snack is a little closer to home... From slimy guides for ogres to farmyard fun, children will love peeking through holes and lifting flaps as they follow Nibbles on his search for his next meal. Innovative, cleverly interactive, and brimming with bright, lively illustrations, this is another joyful, exuberant Nibbles adventure full of the fairy tale-crunching antics and munching madness that we have all come to love!
(Little Tiger Press, paperback, £7.99)

Age 2 plus
Albert’s Bubble Bath
Mark McKinley

LEARNING to share is one of life’s toughest hurdles for toddlers so introduce them to this hilarious cautionary tale starring a grumpy bear called Albert! Albert’s Bubble Bath is the laugh-out-loud creation of author and illustrator Mark McKinley who has the gift of putting humour into his adorable picture books. Albert is a grumpy bear and he doesn't like a lot of things. He doesn't enjoy picnics, or fishing, and he especially loathes singing around the camp fire. But there is one thing he likes a lot… bubble baths. The only problem is that the other animals in the forest like bubble baths too and he can't seem to enjoy his in peace and quiet. Albert has some cunning plans. He puts up lots of signs, he hires the best security… he even buries his bath underground. But whatever he does, other animals keep finding their way into Albert’s lovely, relaxing bubble bath. In one last desperate bid for solitude, he takes his bath to the skies. Will one mishap too many mean that Albert might finally have to share? Little ones will love heading to the skies with grumpy Albert in this sparkling, bubble-filled picture book from a fresh and funny new talent.
(Oxford University Press, paperback, £7.99)

Age 2 plus
Winnie and Wilbur: Looking for Wilbur
Valerie Thomas and Korky Paul

THE adventures of Winnie the Witch and her black cat have provided spellbinding, bite-size stories for over three decades and the two madcap stars take centre stage again in this super new picture book. Written by the ever-inventive Valerie Thomas and brilliantly illustrated in Korky Paul’s distinctive and charismatic style, Winnie and Wilbur’s escapades are always mad, bad and dangerously hilarious, and in their latest outing there are laughs galore and a chaotic and multi-coloured adventure in which Winnie ends up painting the town red! When Winnie wakes up from an afternoon nap in her sun-filled garden, she discovers that her beloved black cat, Wilbur, has vanished. She can’t find him anywhere and her friends haven’t seen him either. Can Winnie use her magic to track down her missing pet? Thomas’ exuberant and warm-hearted story is tingling with magic, mischief and mayhem while Paul’s richly detailed and playful artwork brings all the antics to life. A chaotic caper that’s guaranteed to cast a spell!
(Oxford University Press, hardback, £12.99)

CHILDREN'S BOOKS: Fun, facts and hands-on learning with Nosy Crow

Nosy Crow is delivering books that offer both education and entertainment for young readers through its productive, creative and innovative collaboration with the National Trust and The British Museum, and as autumn and a new school term arrive, there is a sparkling selection of fun and fact books to choose from

Age 6 plus
Beneath the Waves
Lauren Fairgrieve
and Kate Read

GET creative… and discover amazing facts about your own very special shoal of fish! Published in collaboration with the National Trust, Beneath the Waves is a joyful, beautifully created and interactive gift book introduction to a variety of colourful European fish. Youngsters will love getting their hands busy, and their imaginations fired up, as they create their own 3D fish before discovering fascinating facts about each species in the back section of the book. Press out the pieces and slot them together to create twenty stunningly scaled fish and after finishing the 3D shoal, either hang up the gorgeous decorations or press them back into the sturdy board page. Youngsters will love poring over the 22 richly illustrated information pages full of dazzling full-colour nature scenes and fascinating facts. Covering everything from habitats and diets to myths and legends, this is a stylish introduction to the undersea world of fish and with its hardback binding, and press-out pieces, can to be used and enjoyed time and time again.
(Nosy Crow, board book, £12.99)

Age 7 plus
Ancient Greek Gods and Goddesses
Tegen Evans and Tom Froese

HAVE you ever wondered how Zeus became king of the gods? Find the answer and lots more exciting information about the fascinating world of the ancient Greek gods and goddesses in a beautifully illustrated book from Nosy Crow and the British Museum. This brilliant guide – written by Tegen Evans and lavishly illustrated by Tom Froese – is filled with exciting stories and surprising facts. Which goddess drew the Moon across the sky each night? Who had the strength to start earthquakes and whirlpools? And was there really a god of parties and theatre? Discover who gave Athens its name, meet Artemis, a protector of young girls, and find out why Hera turned a princess into a cow! With award-winning illustrator Froese’s vibrant, stylish artwork on every page and printed on high-quality paper, with gold foil on the cover, this is the perfect, easy-to-read first introduction to the Greek myths for any child.
(Nosy Crow, paperback, £8.99)

Age 4 plus
My Little Museum: Ancient Greece
Illustrated by Sophie Beer

CREATE your own little museum and discover the wonders of Ancient Greece with the new title in an exciting, hands-on sticker book series published by Nosy Crow in collaboration with the British Museum. Simply fold out the illustrated scenes illustrated by Sophie Beer and explore four different areas of ancient Greek history, from life at home to the Olympic Games. Then use real-life photographic object stickers to curate your own multi-room museum, filled with all sorts of amazing artefacts. The book includes a sturdy but flexible paperback binding with fold-out pages. Enjoy exploring the four illustrated scenes from ancient Greek history, presented alongside a friendly and fascinating non-fiction text. And the five colourful rooms in your very own museum are ready for youngsters to decorate and explore. The 100 stickers to play with are enclosed in a pocket at the end of the book and feature real historical objects. So travel back in time, get creative and learn all about Ancient Greece!
(Nosy Crow, paperback, £9.99)

Age 4 plus
Wonder World: Earth
Ben Lerwill and Xuan Le

YOUNGSTERS will never look at soil in the same way again when they dig into the first book of a gorgeously illustrated natural science series for children, produced in collaboration with the National Trust. So what’s the point of soil? What has it ever done for us? From hosting billions of wriggling worms to minibeasts and microbes, to being the home of fungi that could allow trees to talk and providing enough nutrients to feed a planet, soil is a muddy, magical, marvellous, life-giving miracle! This new National Trust: Wonder World series will cover different components of the wonderful, life-giving, miraculous stuff that everything on our planet needs to survive… earth, water, air and the sun. Written by Ben Lerwill and colourfully illustrated by Xuan Le, these books offer a gentle, accessible blend of science and nature writing aiming to inspire awe, wonder and curiosity about the natural world. Created in a picture book format, with clever, diagrammatic illustrations to help younger children visualise big concepts by breaking down the text into easy-to-follow, digestible information, there could be no better early introduction to natural science.
(Nosy Crow, paperback, £7.99)

Age 4 plus
Around the World Colouring Book: London Through the Ages
Illustrated by Andy Passchier

BRING London to life and explore the history of the city with twenty brilliantly busy scenes and patterns to colour in this super colouring and sticker book created in consultation with expert curators from the British Museum. There’s a whole world to explore, and with this beautiful book, readers can take a tour around London, colour the pages and then add fun photographic object stickers from the British Museum’s collection. Discover information about different London landmarks like London Bridge, Buckingham Palace, the Globe Theatre and Westminster Abbey, and get creative at the same time! Aspiring artists can pick up their colouring pencils and bring the scenes and objects to life, while learning about the iconic landmarks through different eras. The book includes more than 70 colourful stickers of objects from London’s history, from a Bronze Age shield and Roman mosaic to a Viking sword and Tudor toy horse.
(Nosy Crow, paperback, £6.99)

Age 2 plus
My Very First Spotter’s Guide: I Spot A Fish
Illustrated by Kay Vincent

LET little ones get in the swim with this colourful, clever and educational board book full of spotting fun and fascinating fish facts! I Spot A Fish is the latest title in Nosy Crow’s My Very First Spotter’s Guide series which is published in collaboration with the National Trust, an eye-catching nature novelty series. Discover how even babies can be wildlife explorers! We all know that babies love noticing all kinds of animals out and about, and this brilliant board book builds on that enjoyment with easy-to-lift flaps and a stimulating question-and-answer text. Where do crabs live? How many legs does an octopus have? What is a group of dolphins called? Little ones will love joining in with the answers while recognising five different sea creatures and lifting the flaps to find more hiding in the scenes. Featuring Kay Vincent’s playful artwork packed with personality and tactile embossed covers, this is a series perfectly created for little nature lovers and don’t forget to scan the Stories Aloud QR code on the back cover to read along with the story!
(Nosy Crow, board book, £7.99)

The Forest Hideaway

Sharon Gosling

ARCHITECT Saskia Tilbury-Martin is building the dream. She’s converting the crumbling ruins and fairytale tower of an old castle - tucked away in a spectacular forest on the wild edge of Cumbria - into what she hopes will be her forever home.

For troubled Saskia, this is the start of a ‘new chapter in a new place,’ but like the TV shows that are a perennial hit with TV viewers, her path to this daring and groundbreaking build is destined to be littered with trials and tribulations which will test both her resilience and her heart.

Well-known children’s author Sharon Gosling (pictured below), who harnessed her love for a historic village in Scotland for her spellbinding adult debut novel, The House Beneath the Cliffs, and found inspiration from the bookshop that she and her husband run in the Cumbrian market town of Penrith for her second heartwarming novel, The Lighthouse Bookshop, returns to home territory for this remote and romantic autumn escape. Set amidst an ancient, dense and tangled forest, surrounded by a patchwork of rising and falling fields, and with a mighty and magical oak tree standing proudly at the centre of the story, The Forest Hideaway explores not just one woman’s determination to create a new future for herself, but also a contemplation of mankind’s eternal relationship with the natural world.

Saskia is building a home that she has personally designed out of the ruins of an old castle at Gair Forest in a remote corner of Cumbria, close to the Scottish border. Although she lives in London, she  has always dreamt of building a home there. Surrounded by trees, hidden away from everyone and everything, Gair has ‘that peculiar kind of magic’ that few places possess and it is the only connection she has left to her father.

A large and ancient oak tree is growing in the centre of the crumbling building, adding to the mysterious atmosphere conjured up by this beautiful spot, and she has no plans to chop it down. She wants to preserve the castle ‘with all the decay intact, but made liveable,’ viewing the whole project as a hard-won chance to escape from her difficult past and create a new future.

But even through Saskia has spent her whole life trying to find a way to make this project work and despite having a large trust fund at her disposal, finding someone to help her realise her dream – with its inherent difficulties – has been almost impossible.

And when local builder Owen Elliot meets up with Saskia at Gair to discuss managing the construction, things get off to a very bad start. Living in a tiny flat with his wife Tasha and