CHILDREN'S BOOKS: Perfect gift books for curious youngsters

Whether it’s learning the astonishing workings of the world through pictures, diving into a brilliant, fact-packed book just bulging with answers to all your questions, or discovering how to chat like a chicken and gossip with a gorilla, the boffins at What on Earth Publishing have just the gift book you’re looking for

Age 10 plus
Britannica’s Encyclopedia Infographica: 1,000s of Facts and Figures about Earth, space, animals, the body, technology and more 
Valentina D’Efilippo, Andrew Pettie and Conrad Quilty-Harper

DID you know that people can identify a picture of a familiar object in just 13 thousandths of a second... eight times faster than the blink of an eye? Lure your children away from their screens and watch them enjoying pages full of exciting fun and learning as they journey through a magnificent and groundbreaking new encyclopedia which lets the pictures do the talking! Britannica’s Encyclopedia Infographica has been conjured up by the endlessly inventive magicians at Britannica Books, a reference imprint for young readers, published in an exciting partnership between What on Earth Publishing and Encyclopaedia Britannica. And this imaginative and authoritative encyclopedia is the perfect fit for children who are visual learners, revealing astonishing and awe-inspiring facts and figures about space, Earth, animals, humans and technology through 200 fantastic infographics, including maps, charts and timelines, and a host of topic experts.

Children (and adults!) can grasp facts at a glance as they turn every page... discover the size of our Sun in comparison to the largest star in the universe, find out how many planets would fit between Earth and the Moon, find out which animal can leap 200 times its body length, learn yucky facts like how many cups of snot your body makes a day, compare the sizes of the biggest beasts that have ever lived, and witness what happens in a single second across the world. With stunning infographics by internationally renowned data designer Valentina D’Efilippo, along with beautiful colour photography, as well as interviews with leading expert consultants for every chapter, there could be no more exhilarating and visually stunning way to understand and marvel at the world around us.
(Britannica Books, hardback, £25)

Age 10 plus
Absolutely Everything!
Revised and Expanded: A History of
Earth, Dinosaurs, Rulers, Robots and
Other Things too Numerous to Mention
Christopher Lloyd and Andy Forshaw

THEY say that reality is stranger than fiction and this brilliant, fact-packed book is just bulging with coruscating curiosities! After the huge success of What on Earth Books’ magnificent tome, Absolutely Everything!, which has seen global sales of forty thousand copies and been translated into five languages since it was first published in 2018, a revised and expanded second edition has now hit the shelves. What on Earth specialises in the art of telling stories through timelines and for every question the book answers, it sparks another one, helping to encourage young readers into a lifelong love of enquiring and discovering. 

And once again masterminding this mesmerising and fantastical journey into absolutely everything (well, almost!) is world history author, educator and lecturer Christopher Lloyd (pictured left) who guides us  through an additional 64 pages, more photography and extra eye-catching illustrations by Andy Forshaw, all enhanced by a refreshed design and cover. And five years after the first edition, there is now increased coverage of South America, Africa and Australia, and a shift from a European perspective to a global one. There is also a full update to take into account new discoveries, and an exploration of events that have taken place since the first edition was published, including the Covid pandemic and Ukraine war. The author’s aim is to make the story of world history as fun and accessible as possible for both children and adults. And always interested in finding ways to connect knowledge, he firmly believes that taking a step back to look at the big picture can be even more valuable than zooming in to look at the details. So embark on a journey across millennia and around the world, from the latest understanding of the origins of the universe, the birth of the Earth, the very first life, the age of dinosaurs, the rise of humans, ancient civilisations, colonialism, wars, technology, everyday life, global struggles for freedom and equality, pandemics... and much more. How was our universe made from a tiny speck of energy? Where did the first trees, plants, animals and humans come from? What happened to the dinosaurs? What was so miserable about medieval times? How were railroads and electricity invented? What are the perils of global warming? With a mini-timeline in each chapter highlighting key moments, Forshaw’s richly detailed and colourful illustrations, stunning photography and Lloyd’s lively and engaging account of some of the most remarkable true stories through time, this is is a 416-page treasure trove of learning, and the perfect gift book for all youngsters with a thirst for knowledge.
(What on Earth Publishing, hardback, £20)

Age 7 plus
How to Chat Chicken, Gossip Gorilla, Babble Bee, Gab Gecko
And Talk in 66 Other Animal Languages
Nick Crumpton and Adrienne Barman

DO you ever wish you could communicate with your cat, have discussions with a dolphin, or maybe just hob-nob with hippos? Well here’s your chance with this riotously funny and fact-filled book in which writer and zoologist Nick Crumpton reveals how 70 different animals communicate with each other. Discover what their calls sound like, what those mysterious flashes, pops, thumps, rattles and rumbles mean, and enjoy the fabulous artwork of Swiss illustrator Adrienne Barman which gives each creature a character all of their own. We live in a busy, bustling and noisy world in which almost eight billion people are saying hello across a wide range of six or seven thousand languages. But animals – wait for it! – have millions of languages. Insects, birds, reptiles, mammals and amphibians are all talking to each other, too, with a cacophony of grunts, squeaks and tweets that are all part of the natural orchestra that is life on Earth.

Some of those noises can sound scary while others are sweet… so wouldn’t it be good to be able to understand what they were all trying to say? Acting as a translator, Crumpton guides us through the animal kingdom, revealing what a dog’s bark means and how an orangutan says ‘hello!’ (It’s whuuu-whuuu-whuuu, just in case you ever need it!) Much fun is guaranteed as youngsters get their tongues round some key phrases ready for animal adventures that take them anywhere from their back garden to the shores of Antarctica, the African savanna and the bamboo forests of China. Each sound has been researched using recordings and information from scientists in the field. Simply warm up your vocal cords and get ready to click (and purr!) like a chicken, buzz like a bee, rumble like an alligator, chirp like a panda, mumble like a meerkat and warble like a whale. The perfect gift for all young adventurers... but be careful what you say when you meet that gorilla!
(What on Earth Publishing, hardback, £12.99)

The House of Whispers

Anna Mazzola

‘If you’re not with us, you’re against us.’ 

ROME in 1938 is a dangerous place... Benito Mussolini’s National Fascist Party is spreading suspicion and fear throughout Italy, and to be Jewish or an ‘outsider’ spells far more than just social ostracism.

But for talented young pianist Eva Valenti, love is in the air as she falls for the urbane and handsome widower father of one of her pupils. The problem for Eva is that she has a secret, and sometimes secrets from the past are more perilous than a world that is teetering on the brink of war.

Anna Mazzola (pictured below), author of the award-winning debut novel The Unseeing, and the highly acclaimed The Clockwork Girl, returns to thrill and chill us with The House of Whispers, a dark and gripping tale full of the gothic vibes that have become the hallmarks of this exciting and imaginative writer. Sweeping readers into the dark atmospherics of fascist leader Il Duce’s pre-war cauldron of authoritarianism, brutality and oppression, The House of Whispers blends history, mystery and spine-tingling frissons of the paranormal into a masterpiece of menace and manipulation.

Classically trained pianist Eva Valenti might appear to be an ‘all-Italian girl’ but born Iva Valentich to Slovene parents in Trieste, she can still remember when she was seven and heard the jeers of the mob on the day men in black shirts came to drive the Slovenes out of the city.

After her parents died, Eva decided to ‘make myself afresh’ and now has a new life in Rome, working as a music teacher since she left college and finding friendship with fellow students Mirella and Ettore. But there is an unwelcome cloud over the sparkling, sunlit

CHILDREN'S BOOKS: Amazing evolution, awesome galaxies and hidden history

Take an exhilarating tour through the story of evolution, enjoy a space travel adventure in which fantasy has no bounds, enter a world full of mind-blowing history facts, join young wartime spies for some dead funny sleuthing adventures, and explore the magic and mysteries of night-time in an autumn selection 

Age 8 plus
Evolution
Sarah Darwin, Eva-Maria Sadowski and Olga Baumert

WHAT is evolution, how does it work... and why is it so awesome? From bacteria to dinosaurs, and giant fungi to gingko trees, watch the story of Earth spring to vivid life in a spectacular, illustrated book which is just as much an exhilarating journey as it is a fascinating study of our planet’s origins. Evolution – produced in association with the Natural History Museum – has been written by real-life scientists Sarah Darwin, great, great granddaughter of Charles Darwin, and palaeontologist Eva-Maria Sadowski, and sumptuously illustrated by Olga Baumert. The Earth, they reveal, has come a very long way from the molten planet with oceans of magma that existed 4.5 billion years ago. Since then, the land has shifted, the climate has changed and life has flourished. But how exactly did living things come to be? Dive into this in-depth tour of life on Earth from a new generation of scientists and learn about the theory of natural selection that Charles Darwin and fellow naturalist Alfred Russel Wallace came up with together. Find out how plants, humans, pet dogs and everything else came to be and what this might mean for our future. A colourful range of feature spreads explain the important things that youngsters need to know and a timeline plots the history of life on Earth. Budding botanists will be delighted by this gloriously illustrated guide that leaves no stone unturned and will keep youngsters both enlightened and enthralled. With important messages about humans being part of nature, and their much-needed role in helping to protect the planet from climate change, this awe-inspiring book is the perfect gift for readers of any age.
(What on Earth Books, hardback, £16.99)

Age 8 plus
Which Way Round the Galaxy
Cressida Cowell 

FOR twenty-five years, former Waterstones Children’s Laureate and bestselling author of the How to Train Your Dragon series, Cressida Cowell, had a magical story idea lying quietly in her shed and waiting patiently for its time to shine. And last year Which Way to Anywhere, the first dazzling Which Way book, burst on to the shelves in a shower of out-of-this-world magic, marvellous mapmaking, a gallery of Cowell’s amazing, atmospheric artwork, and much-deserved critical acclaim. Once again featuring the charismatic, blended O’Hero-Smith family – with their magical secret and a child with a powerful gift – Which Way Round the Galaxy is a thrill ride through breathtaking worlds as a tiny and helpless magical creature, lost far from home, leads the youngsters through the Which Ways and across the galaxies. K2 O’Hero is a seemingly ordinary boy but he has a magic gift... he can draw maps and jump through Which Ways (shaped like an X) through space. And now he and his sister Izzabird, and step siblings Theo and Mabel Smith, have found Bug, a tiny, lost and helpless Magical Creature who is set to take them on another Starcrossing adventure through the Which Ways. The children have a plan to get little Bug back to the ice-encrusted planet where he belongs, and to prove to their parents that they can be trusted with Magic along the way.  But by setting off on this secret mission, they are heading straight into danger. A witch's curse, venomous snowsnakes and a gang of fighter robots are waiting for them. The fate of the galaxy is once again in their hands... they had better not mess it up, and they need more than K2’s magical gift to help them this time! Youngsters will be holding their breath as they join the siblings for more space travel, magic, maps, danger and suspense in a story in which fantasy has no bounds. Cowell’s gift for mesmerising world-building and her creation of characters you can see and hear is central to this action-packed story which comes with her trademark humour and rich imaginative powers. All galaxies lead to fun and adventure in this magical masterpiece!
(Hodder Children’s Books, hardback, £12.99)

Age 8 plus
History FACTopia! Follow Ye Olde Trail of 400 Facts
Paige Towler and Andy Smith

ENTER a world full of mind-blowing history facts! Every fascinating fact in this magnificent book is connected in funny and fantastic ways. Simply follow a trail that transports you from facts about pirates to facts about emus, and from facts about astronaut meals to facts about King Rut’s tomb. History FACTopia! – written by American author and editor Paige Towler and brought to life by amazing photographs and award-winning Andy Smith’s brilliant illustrations – comes from the endlessly inventive boffins at Britannica Books and is the fifth title in the dynamic and bestselling FACTopia! series. And as with the other titles in the series, History FACTopia! is verified by Encyclopaedia Britannica and doesn’t offer just one trail through a multitude of facts. Each of the 400 facts is connected to the next in a wild and weird web of information where you will leapfrog from topic to topic in surprising and hilarious ways. Discover hidden tombs, ghostly ships, boiled vipers, samurai warriors, snow machines, pet lions, hidden pyramids, secret codes, flaming fireballs, wooden swimsuits, sparkling jewels and many more jaw-dropping facts which are all woven together in an ingenious web of connected facts. And there isn’t just one trail through these facts. Sometimes your path branches, and you can choose to fast forward or rewind to a completely different (but still connected) part of history. History FACTopia! is a truly global adventure, taking in a broad spectrum of cultures, civilisations, peoples and places and there is a glossary at the back of the book to describe the civilisations and empires featured. So what are you waiting for… follow your curiosity and enjoy an enthralling and hilarious journey into the past.
(Britannica Books, hardback, £10.99)

Age 8 plus
The Body in the Blitz
Robin Stevens

WHO knew spying could be dead funny? Robin Stevens, multi-award-winning author of the Murder Most Unladylike series, gathers up her murder-mystery loving fans and sweeps them back to wartime and into the lives of a feisty group of children who are hell-bent on saving the world. The Body in the Blitz is the second sleuthing adventures in this action-packed series which delivers spills, thrills and laughter from first page to last, and is proving to be an all-round, hands-down, dead-cert winner. In March of 1941, Britain is at war, and a secret agency called the Ministry of Unladylike Activity is training up children as spies... because grown-ups always underestimate them. Enter May Wong, Eric and Nuala... they are courageous, smart, and the Ministry’s newest recruits. May’s big sister Hazel has arranged for them to stay on a quiet street close to the Ministry, home to an unlikely collection of people thrown together by the war. And it is in the basement of the bombed-out house at the end of that street that they discover something mysterious... something that was not there when the Blitz wreckage was first combed through. Something that has been placed there recently. It’s a body... could this be the missing Ministry spy that Daisy Wells is on a dangerous mission in France to find? Or could it be someone else... someone who a resident of the street wanted to be silenced? California-born Stevens is the best thing since Agatha Christie when it comes to murder mysteries for young readers. Packed with a dazzling cast of goodies and baddies, rich in seductive period detail and exciting backdrops, and with a plotline that includes bags of intrigue, some deft detective work and a gang of the canniest kids in town, this series is another Robin Stevens classic.
(Puffin, paperback, £7.99)

Age 9 plus
Bigg School: Best Friends Forever
Lisa Williamson and Jess Bradley

MOVING from primary to secondary school is a big leap for youngsters and brings with it many fears and anxieties. It’s a topic that award-winning author Lisa Williamson tackles with warmth, enthusiasm, humour and empathy in the first book of her new Bigg School series which follows a group of children starting life at the Henry Bigg Academy. Lola and Evie have been BFF since they were babies, just like peas in a pod, and even though they don’t end up in the same class, Lola expects everything to stay the same. Meanwhile, things are tough because Lola’s parents are divorcing and the family are having to move house. So when the annoying Cleo becomes friendly with Evie, stealing her from Lola, three most definitely becomes a crowd. Perhaps now is a good time for Lola to learn that not all change is bad. With Jess Bradley’s emotive illustrations expressing the often hilarious inner lives of the characters, this funny, relatable and sometimes painfully honest new series aims to tell the stories of ordinary youngsters navigating friendships, change and all those familiar ups and downs of growing up. Entertainment and reassurance in one beautifully imagined story!
(Guppy Books, paperback, £7.99)

Age 9 plus
When the Stars Come Out
Nicola Edwards and Lucy Cartwright

DISCOVER the history of human sleep and the habitats of nocturnal animals in a beautifully illustrated book from writer and editor Nicola Edwards and illustrator Lucy Cartwright. When the Stars Come Out delves into the magical realm that is our universe at night as we discover what makes it so extraordinary... from moonbows to shooting stars and from the polar night to the northern lights. Experience how different habitats from the city to the ocean come alive when the sun sets. Meet animals that make their own elaborate beds, others that sleep while swimming or flying, and toads that form a croaking chorus. This beautifully illustrated book takes readers on a journey through the wonders of night-time. Packed with fascinating facts and Cartwright’s mesmerising and atmospheric artwork, When the Stars Come Out is an enchanting dream read for both children and adults.
(Little Tiger Press, paperback, £14.99)

Age 9 plus
The Myth Keeper
Jasmine Richards

BE swept away to the thrilling world of myth and magic in an epic adventure which cleverly blends a contemporary cast of youngsters with classic tales of the Norse gods. The Myth Keeper is the fantastic sequel to The Unmorrow Curse and comes from Jasmine Richards, a former children’s publisher and founder of Storymix, a studio which creates children’s stories with diverse characters in an organic, joyful and authentic way, and works with emerging and established writers and illustrators from minority backgrounds. Ever since Buzz and his friend Mari returned from their quest to save the Runes of Valhalla, Buzz has been wishing something more exciting would happen in his sleepy town of Crowmarsh. Buzz's wish is about to come true. Strange people are arriving in Crowmarsh, and it turns out that these visitors aren’t people at all... they are mythological gods and they have come to kidnap Buzz’s best friend, Sam, whose newfound power makes him the key to granting the wishes of the gods. When the gods succeed in kidnapping Sam, Buzz and Mari must set off on a dangerous adventure to find a mysterious being known as the Keeper of the Myths. Only the Keeper is strong enough to help them save Sam, unlock their own powers, and banish the gods back to their realms... before it’s too late. Fun and fantasy abound once more in this imaginatively created world of adversity and adventure as the courageous youngsters face some fearsome foes. The race is on!
(UCLan Publishing, paperback, £7.99)

Age 8 plus
Around the World in 80 Inventions
Matt Ralphs and Robbie Cathro

CHOCKS away! Take off on an epic journey of discovery as you explore 80 incredible world-changing inventions that have expanded humankind’s knowledge and shaped our lives today. From the wheel to the space rocket, the bow and arrow to the atom bomb, chocolate to toothpaste, and the battery to the quantum computer, Around the World in 80 Inventions uncovers the fascinating, real stories behind amazing innovations from the ancient world right up to the 21^st century. Read the fascinating story about how each one was developed, through the medium of bite-sized labels, intriguing captions and eye-catching illustrations. And along the way, spot the adventurous aviator, complete with goggles and flailing scarf, on each page, as they guide readers through the book. With eighty incredible stories written by author and editor Matt Ralphs, and the brightly coloured and fun-filled artwork of illustrator Robbie Cathro, this inventive invention compendium is a delight to read and look at, and sure to captivate readers for hours.
(Templar Publishing, hardback, £16.99)

Age 7 plus
The Amazing Tale of Ali Pasha
Michael Foreman

THE illustrated moving true story of a First World War soldier’s unlikely friendship with a tortoise springs to life thanks to Michael Foreman, one of the nation’s best-known and most prolific creators of children’s books. On May 6 in 1915, Henry Friston, a 21-year-old seaman from Lowestoft in Suffolk rejoined his battleship after ten days in Hell. Hell was just 180 metres long and seven metres wide, and was otherwise known only as ‘X Beach’ where the bloody Battle of Gallipoli took place. Henry, ferrying the wounded from the battlefield, faced great danger and had not eaten or slept for three days. Then, somehow, in the midst of the enemy bombardments, he found an unexpected but welcome companion... a tortoise called Ali Pasha who became Henry’s lucky mascot during his time with the navy, and a lifelong friend. Foreman’s inspirational story of heroism and friendship explores the power of hope and how it can come from the most unlikely places. Retold through journal entries and Henry’s accounts to a young reporter, Ali’s story springs to vivid life with the help of a gallery of stunning black and white illustrations and evocative language. A poignant war story that reminds youngsters of the sacrifices and bravery of those who fought for their country.
(Templar Publishing, paperback, £7.99)

Age 6 plus
Enchanted Tales: Stories from Around the World
Laura Sampson, Phung Nguyen Quang
and Huynh Thi Kim Lien

IF you’re looking for the perfect gift to open up a world of magic to readers of all ages, then marvel at the contents of this gorgeous treasury which comes packed with spellbinding stories that sparkle and glitter. Retold by storyteller and vocal performer Laura Sampson, and with beautifully rich and detailed artwork of Taiwanese duo Phung Nguyen Quang and Huynh Thi Kim Lien, this stunning collection gathers together a selection of enchanting tales from all over the world. From North America, Siberia and West Africa to Peru, India, Japan, England and Australia, children and adults will love getting lost in tales of imaginary worlds, enchanted animals, fantastical creatures, wishes and wizards. The fabulous tales include Snow White (Germany), Bloddeuwed (Wales), Valissa the Beautiful (Russia), The Foolish Brothers (India), The Stone Cutter (Japan) and Tom Tit Tot (England). Stories of visual and verbal delight to enjoy and to treasure.
(Templar Publishing, hardback, £16.99)

Age 5 plus
Celebrate! Discover 50 Fantastic Festivals from Around the World
Laura Mucha and Hannah Tolson

ARE you ready to discover fascinating festivals from around the world? Grab your bag, pack your camel, canoe and cow bells, and let’s celebrate! This awe-inspiring gift book features fifty spectacular festivals from different countries, cultures and religions and was produced in collaboration with the British Museum. Celebrate! is written by Laura Mucha, an award-winning poet and author whose work with organisations such as UNICEF has involved travelling to every continent of the world, and lavishly illustrated by Hannah Tolson. In the pages of this spectacular and colourful book, youngsters can explore some of the most exciting festivals from different countries, cultures and religions around the globe. From the familiar to the unexpected, readers discover how and why festivals bring people together to enjoy all kinds of sensational celebrations. From the Bloemencorso Zundert in the Netherlands (the biggest flower parade in the world) to Crépissage De La Grande Mosquée in Mali (where locals come together to help re-plaster the biggest building made of mud), there is so much to discover. Learn the origins of familiar celebrations like Christmas and Halloween, marvel at the four-day Argunga Fishing Festival in Nigeria that celebrates peace between two communities, and shiver as you follow the freezing 1,500-kilometre Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race which takes place every year between the Alaskan cities of Anchorage and Nome. Packed with all the life, energy, colour and fascinating facts of the world’s greatest festivals, this is certainly a book to enjoy... and celebrate!
(Nosy Crow, hardback, £18.99)

Age 5 plus
Winnie-the-Pooh: Tales from the Forest
Jane Riordan and Mark Burgess

‘One morning, Winnie-the-Pooh woke up with a tingling feeling in his toes that told him Something Good was about to happen...’

WHO doesn’t love the eternally popular and timeless tales of Winnie-the-Pooh and his adventures in Hundred Acre Wood? Created by English author A.A. Milne, and brought to visual life by illustrator E.H. Shepard, Winnie was based on a teddy bear that Milne bought for his son Christopher Robin in London store Harrods, and first appeared in a story collection published in 1926. And now Winnie returns to enchant us again with a special new authorised sequel story, starring a brand new character, written by Jane Riordan in the style of Milne, and featuring the beautifully warm and funny illustrations of Mark Burgess who was inspired by Shepard’s original artwork. Riordan, who has penned an authorised prequel and written many other delightful Winnie-the-Pooh books for children, introduced the brave little female dog called Carmen after discovering that Milne took with him a toy dog mascot called Carmen when he fought in the trenches of the First World War. So meet adorable Carmen and the rest of the Hundred Acre Wood gang in the seven new stories which are set after the iconic tales in Winnie-the-Pooh and The House at Pooh Corner, and take us back to the much loved places that Milne’s stories and Shepard’s map introduced us to, like Eeyore’s Gloomy Place and the Poohsticks Bridge, as well as exciting trips to the British Museum and the Tower of London. Filled with the gentle humour, friendship and life lessons that echo through Milne’s original stories, Riordan’s collection captures the essence of Milne’s characters and the Hundred Acre Wood, while showing her genuine affection for Winnie-the-Pooh, one of the true stars of English literary heritage. A gift for the special people in your life whatever their age.
(Farshore, hardback, £16.99)

Age 5 plus
Call the Puffins: Tiny’s Brave Rescue
Cath Howe and Ella Okstad

WHEN a rescue is needed, call in team puffin! Author, teacher and self-confessed puffin enthusiast Cath Howe works her word magic on the second book of a sparkling series starring a stellar group of young puffins in training for a search and rescue team. So welcome back to the island of Egg where a brave and bold puffin rescue team are in training. The puffins must work together to rescue birds and eggs wherever they are in danger. One of the new recruits, Tiny, is worried about whether he is good enough to join the team, particularly as he can’t always see very well. Luckily Muffin and his other team mates are there to help. Together they can face anything... even a scary wild cat on the beach! Brought to life by the enchanting artwork of illustrator Ella Okstad, this gorgeous series celebrates teamwork, belonging and resilience as the new puffin team get in the swim for their exciting rescue roles. Add on an irresistible helping of fluttery fun and high-flying mischief, and youngsters are in for another perfect puffin fest!  
(Welbeck Flame, paperback, £6.99)

Age 4 plus
SuperQuesters: The Case of the Great Energy Robbery
Lisa Moss, Dr Thomas Bernard and Amy Willcox

DISCOVER your inner superhero in this unique interactive story, part of a brilliantly brainy series which aims to fire up imaginations and inspire scientists, engineers, mathematicians and technology experts of the future! The Case of the Great Energy Robbery is the third book in the SuperQuesters series from husband and wife team and STEM experts, Thomas Bernard and Lisa Moss, whose mission is to inspire and equip a new generation to pursue Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics education and careers, reduce the skills shortage, and close the ethnic diversity and gender gap in STEM studies. A young fiction adventure series with a fun educational twist, SuperQuesters blends exciting stories with hands-on activities, expertly designed to develop skills in creative new ways, and includes over 100 reusable stickers in each book. The stars are Lilli and her best friends Leo and Bea, three endlessly curious children with big imaginations. When they unite to solve a challenging science problem, they turn into superheroes Lillicorn, Leo Zoom and Bea Bumble and journey to a world full of magic, adventure and quests. And they want readers to join in the mission and the fun. When Leo’s mum challenges Leo, Lilli and Bea to figure out how to power a model aeroplane using a special biofuel that can be made from an ingredient in their very own garden, the friends start investigating and return to Questland in search of a solution. 

When they discover that the evil Lord Grumble is up to his dastardly tricks, stealing energy throughout Questland, adventure and excitement await as the friends work together to crack this latest case. Can you help them defeat evil Lord Grumble and return the stolen energy to Questland? Combining clever storytelling with interactive hands-on learning, the book’s stickers feature magical charm rewards and there is also a reward chart to mark progress and celebrate success, and a glossary and answer page. Skills covered include problem solving, coding, sequencing and algorithms and the book is carefully designed with cross-curricular learning opportunities in mind, linking with computing, maths and science in the national curriculum.  And it’s all brought to vivid life through the bright and colourful illustrations of Amy Willcox... so if you’re a superhero enthusiast and love learning through play then this is the perfect way to Read, Quest and Learn!
(QuestFriendz, paperback, £7.99)

Age 3 plus
The Wild
Yuval Zommer

BEAUTIFUL words, filled with meaning and heartfelt emotion, blend with evocative artwork in a stunning picture book from highly acclaimed author and illustrator Yuval Zommer. ‘Everything found a place in the wild and the wild welcomed all.’ Once upon a time, somewhere not far away, was the Wild. The Wild was huge and giving, and everything from insects, to birds, to humans made their home in it. At first, people lived lightly and took what they needed, but when they started to take more, the Wild suffered. For the Wild to be healthy, someone must be brave enough to raise their voice and make people notice... ‘Stop!’ said a young boy, ‘We are hurting the Wild’ and soon everyone was shouting for change. Once again, this talented writer and artist spreads his own special glow over the autumn and winter season with a lyrical and richly illustrated modern fable which sends our climate-hit world a hopeful and powerful message about how our environment needs us just as much as we need it. An exquisitely created and gold-foiled picture book which puts nature firmly – and spectacularly – at centre stage.
(Oxford University Press Children’s Books, hardback, £12.99)

Age 3 plus
The Tree Next Door
Charlie Moyler and Martin Stanev

THE sturdy branches of a magnificent apple tree reach far beyond the elderly owner’s garden in a moving tale from artist and designer Charlie Moyler in what is her first authored picture book. The Tree Next Door – beautifully illustrated by Bulgarian-born artist Martin Stanev – is a heart-warming tribute to community, nature and the special warmth that comes from an intergenerational friendship. When a little girl moves into her new home, the first thing she notices is the magnificent tree next door. By getting to know her neighbour, and helping her to tend to her garden through the changing seasons, the girl learns what an important place both the tree and the elderly lady hold in the hearts of their community. Moyler’s evocative and resonant story – brought to life by Stanev’s emotive artwork – is sure to inspire youngsters to find their own joy and adventures in the great outdoors, and to enjoy finding friendship in the most unexpected places.
(Little Tiger Press, hardback, £12.99)

Age 3 plus
Moon: Activity Book
Hettie Cox, Beth Hamilton
and Britta Teckentrup

JOURNEY through some of the planet’s most amazing places in this beautiful winter-themed sticker book based on award-winning illustrator Britta Teckentrup’s acclaimed picture book Moon. From the dusty desert and shimmering seas of mysterious oceans to the shadowy depths of the moonlit forest, this activity book takes little ones on a journey through the wild at night alongside busy night-time creatures. Filled with Teckentrup’s mesmerising illustrations of the nocturnal world and lots of puzzles, word searches, dot-to-dots, mazes and stickers to keep little hands busy, this is the perfect gift for wildlife lovers and a magical, interactive way to shine a light on our amazing moon!
(Little Tiger Press, paperback, £9.99)

Sisters under the Rising Sun

Heather Morris

WHEN Singapore fell to the Japanese Army in 1942, hundreds of men, women and children crammed on board departing ships to escape the death, destruction and chaos wreaking havoc across the island.

Many died when the ships left port and were bombed by enemy planes while those that survived were soon captured and held prisoner for three and a half years under appalling conditions. Women and children were separated from their menfolk and had to rely on their own courage and resilience to survive, and it is their story that has too often been forgotten.

New Zealand-born Heather Morris (pictured below), bestselling author of The Tattooist of Auschwitz, Cilka’s Journey and Three Sisters, is passionate about bringing us the true stories of often hidden wartime heroics through the medium of novels, and not since the hit 1980s BBC TV series Tenko, which memorably dramatised the wartime experiences of women in a Japanese prisoner-of-war camp, has their plight been so graphically brought to life. 

And to add extra poignancy to this gripping and emotional tale of sisterhood, bravery and friendship in the darkest of circumstances, the leading characters are given their authentic names, with their suffering and privations in the camp recalled by the women’s family members.

However, as Morris tells us in her author’s notes, the reason for writing Sisters under the Rising Sun was not to make sure that female internees in war camps in Indonesia are remembered, but ‘so that they will be known’ because ‘how can you be remembered if you’ve never been heard of?’

In February of 1942, an English musician, Norah Chambers, is desperate to keep her eight-year-old daughter Sally safe from the Japanese Army as they move down through the Pacific and reluctantly places her into the care of relatives who are on a ship leaving Singapore for Australia. Heartbroken Norah stays behind to care for her elderly parents and husband John, who is in hospital suffering from typhus, and fears she may never see her child again. But as Singapore finally falls to the Japanese, Norah and John, and her sister Ena Murray and husband Kenneth, join hundreds of others on the Vyner Brooke merchant ship to make their own escape. Also on board is Sister Nesta James, a pint-sized Welsh-Australian nurse and a fearless, born adventurer, who – along with a group of other Australian Army nurses – has been tending to injured Allied troops in the hospital in Singapore.

Only two days later, they are bombarded from the air off the coast of Indonesia and in a matter of hours, the Vyner Brooke lies broken on the seabed. After surviving a terrifying 24 hours in the sea, Nesta and Norah are among the survivors who reach the beaches of a remote island, only to be captured by the Japanese, separated from the men, and herded into one of their notorious PoW camps.

The women soon discover that the camps are places of starvation and unimaginable suffering where diseases are rampant and the guards are brutal. For the next three years and more, sisters in arms Norah and Nesta fight side by side every day, helping whoever they can, and discovering in themselves, and each other, extraordinary reserves of courage, resourcefulness and determination. And even here, joy can be found in music as Norah’s ‘voice orchestra’ transports the internees from squalor into light. The friendships they build with the dozens of other women in the camps will give them the hope, strength and camaraderie they need in order to stay alive.

The indescribable hardships of these tough, courageous women, and their relentless battle for survival in the notorious camps, is rendered viscerally real as we follow them through years of starvation, brutality, illness, torture and death. But far from being a tale of defeatism and despair, Sisters under the Rising Sun is a moving acknowledgement of the power of female friendships and shared adversity to soothe the soul, strengthen the will, inspire belief and ingenuity, and to find hope where many would believe there is none.

Brimming with emotional intensity and harrowing detail about the cruelties of camp life, the experiences of the women prisoners are not just a stark reminder of the wartime atrocities that took place in that corner of the world, but also a testament to the life-affirming and healing power of music and comradeship as the women find sanctuary in singing and organising concerts. Immaculately researched, and written with the heartfelt compassion and care that Morris puts into all her novels, this is a story with important messages that still resonate loudly in the 21st century.
(Zaffre, hardback, £20)

Quizzing fun for all the family

Take a colourful journey through the world of the British quiz show, and test your bookworm credentials, with two super quiz books from some of the nation’s best and brainiest quizzers

Fingers on Buzzers:
A Celebration of the Great British Quiz

Jenny Ryan and Lucy Porter

FROM Bullseye to Pointless, enjoy an interactive and kaleidoscopic journey through the history of the Great British Quiz with the two brainboxes who together host Fingers on Buzzers, the nation’s number one podcast about quizzing and quiz shows.

Lucy Porter – who has written sitcoms and stand-up specials for Radio 4, and appeared on TV quizcoms such as The News Quiz, Have I Got News For You and QI – and quizzing partner Jenny Ryan – best known as one of the resident elite quizzers on award-winning ITV teatime quiz show The Chase – confess to loving quizzing ‘truly, madly, deeply’ and promise readers that there ‘is something for everyone in these pages.’

Discover a range of quiz questions, brain teasers and game suggestions, tips on how to write fun and exciting quizzes for any audience, and enjoy a whistle-stop (and often nostalgic) tour through the history of quiz and game shows on TV.

And by looking back at some of the greatest (and not so great!) quiz shows of all time, and what made them so good or so bad, our quiz aficionados provide quiz fans with useful ideas about how to host their very own game show at home.

Ryan and Porter say they are big fans of basic quick-fire question quizzes but there are many options, depending on whether you’re running a quiz for family, friends, colleagues... or even those who are your arch-nemeses. From the early days of TV quiz shows to our more recent love of the pub quiz – and also incorporating a huge host of pop quizzes for the whole family to enjoy – Fingers on Buzzers is an entertaining and informative celebration of our great British obsession and the perfect gift book for all avid quizzers!
(John Blake, hardback, £14.99)

The Book Lover’s Quiz Book 2 More Quizzes for Book Whizzes

Gary Wigglesworth

SO you think you’re a bookworm whizz? Test your literary knowledge with this fun and knowledge-filled offering from book quiz ‘king’ Gary Wigglesworth who runs London’s only monthly book quiz at the Betsey Trotwood pub in Farringdon.

This delightfully witty, wise and wonderful literary quiz book ‘with a difference’ mirrors the format of Wigglesworth’s (pictured below) lively and popular quizzes both in London and at literary festivals across the country, and includes lot of multiple-choice questions, some amusing answers, clever red herrings, little-known facts about authors and some much-loved Say What You See picture rounds.

Book lovers can answer questions by themselves or host a quiz among friends with twenty-four quizzes to keep you guessing with a variety of question styles. The entertaining rounds include deciphering anagrams, Blankety Books where you must fill in the missing word in each title, Two of a Kind which involves identifying a character and author who share the same initials, guess the book with the Say What You See pictures and badly drawn covers, and Book Bingo.

The quizzes are carefully weighted so keen bookworms will get a work-out while more casual readers can still have lots of enjoyment just having a go. And all the questions are designed to aid guessing, with multiple-choice answers and hints (making the reader smile with amusing wrong answers!), clever red herrings, and little-known facts and footnotes. With questions ranging from ‘I know that!’ to ones that will make your brain attempt a desperate bid for freedom, this super quiz book is perfect for the home, the pub or waiting in a queue, and will remind you of your favourite books... and give you a list of new ones to search out. Books, humour and entertainment in one delightful package!
(Robinson, hardback, £16.99)

The Football School Encyclopedia

Alex Bellos, Ben Lyttleton
and Spike Gerrell

COULD football – the nation’s much-loved beautiful game – be the source of all knowledge, from history and geography to science and language?

Although aimed at youngsters aged over nine, both children and parents are guaranteed to get a kick out of this fun and fact-packed football school encyclopedia which boldly claims that there’s nothing in the world that you can’t explain through football – even if you aren’t sporty!

Written by the dream team of bestselling author Alex Bellos (pictured below) and journalist, broadcaster and football consultant Ben Lyttleton, and fabulously illustrated by the hilarious cartoons of Spike Gerrell, The Football School Encyclopedia is a colourful cornucopia of all things footie. So look no further if you want to discover everything you've ever wanted to know about football. Packed with amazing true stories, terrific trivia, brain-busting quizzes, eye popping colour and laugh-out-loud cartoons on every page, the encyclopedia enables youngsters to learn about all aspects of the game, including the positions, rules, mascots, nicknames, trophies and tournaments.

Find out about the history of the game by journeying through football’s past from ancient history to the present day, the anatomy of a player, the ball, and the kit... did you know Henry VIII had a pair of football boots made by his shoemaker in 1526?

Travel the globe with the clubs and learn the secrets behind club mascots from Wigan’s Crusty the Pie to Swansea’s Cyril the Swan, the structure of a football club, stadiums and inside the business world of transfers.

Discover the flags and national team shirts and shorts of all 211 members of FIFA (the sport’s governing body) and take a geographical trip across the world through football, with maps, national styles, trophies and titles right through to the most prestigious tournament of all... the World Cup! And if you’ve ever wondered what footballers do all day, all is revealed in The Football Family section which gives readers the lowdown on pre-match menus, nutrition, the mental game, tactics, superfans, and football jobs like travel manager, data scientist, sports physio, journalist, photographer, graphic designer and groundsman.

Billed as everything you want to know about football, and with a guarantee that there is something new and exciting to discover about football on every page, this essential guide is a must-have gift for all young-at-heart footie fans.
(Walker Books, hardback, £14.99)

CHILDREN'S BOOKS: Hauntings, horrors and hilarious romps for Halloween reading

As the spooky season looms like a dark and delicious shadow on the horizon, prepare to indulge your children’s Halloween dreams – and nightmares! – with this chilling, thrilling and fantastical selection
of super-scary and frighteningly funny books

Age 12 plus
Tales of the Damned:
A Collection of Classic Horror Stories
Matt Ralphs and Taylor Dolan

MONSTERS, ghosts, murder, lots of blood and gore, vampires, zombies, ghosts, demons, monsters, werewolves and witches... If you’re looking for a book that contains every type of horror trope, then here’s your chance to step into the darkness and face your deepest fears! Tales of ghosts, monsters and murderers have terrified and delighted readers for thousands of years, and this super-scary, spine-chilling collection features eight classic horror stories including retellings of gruesome folk tales and gothic classics. Digging up the bones of some of the most terrifying stories ever written is editor and author Matt Ralphs, with visual help from his accomplice in horror, American artist Taylor Dolan who specialises in re-illustrating classic tales. From the famously disturbing short stories of Edgar Allan Poe, to gothic favourites like Dracula and Frankenstein, chilling ghost stories, and dark fairy tales, like the early versions of Red Riding Hood and Snow White, this striking anthology is packed with horror of every kind. Discover The Masque of the Red Death, Bluebeard, The Monkey’s Paw, and shiver at the author’s take on the classic Pagan Horror film The Wicker Man. Each of the stories is broken up by a series of ‘theme’ spreads which add an element of fascinating non-fiction and cover everything from the rise of the horror genre to famous monsters and vampire mass hysteria. Brought to vivid, visceral life by Dolan’s nightmarish illustrations, Tales of the Damned is a great gift for Halloween... and the perfect introduction to the world of horror.
(Big Picture Press, hardback, £20)

Age 15 plus
Bad Magic: A Skulduggery Pleasant Graphic Novel
Derek Landy, P.J. Holden, Matt Soffe,
Rob Jones and Pye Parr

HORROR and mystery collide in the highly anticipated and first ever, full-colour graphic novel in Irish author Derek Landy’s award-winning fantasy detective series which has become a global phenomenon. Bad Magic is a totally new story, set in the universe of Skulduggery Pleasant, a place which has featured in a 15-book series, two World Book Day books, a novella, a short story collection, a prequel and The Skulduggery Pleasant Grimoire. Here we are swept away to a small town in the middle of Ireland, a string of unexplained deaths and a monster on the loose. Better call in the experts! When Skulduggery Pleasant and Valkyrie Cain drive into Termoncara, they discover a town with a dark past and a people haunted by their own secrets. There is a creature stalking the streets... a creature who delights in cruelty, who feeds off the little hatreds, and who grows stronger with every drop of blood spilled. An unmissable treat for Skulduggery Pleasant’s army of fans... and an ideal introduction to the cult series for new readers.
(HarperCollinsChildren’sBooks, paperback, £14.99)

Age 13 plus
Welcome to Camp Killer
Cynthia Murphy

WHEN an author confesses to having a long-standing love affair with all things scary, then readers beware... you’re in for a terrifying treat! And Welcome to Camp Killer – a gripping slasher-style whodunit featuring the deadly consequences of a series of unfortunate incidents at a summer camp gone wrong – certainly fits the bill for a truly haunting Halloween read. This cracking horror tale comes from the pen of TikTok sensation and North-West author Cynthia Murphy whose debut novel, The Last One to Die, won both the Redhill Trust Book Award and Lancashire Book of the Year 2022. When an American-style residential camp is set up in the grounds of an English stately home, the teenage camp counsellors are looking forward to a fun summer of activities. But right from the outset, things don’t feel quite right at Camp Miller. Rumours circulate of a tragedy that took place in the grounds and there are unexplained sightings of a ghostly presence. Then the incidents begin... a near-drowning out on the lake, a fatal fall from a cliff-face. Are these tragic accidents, or is there something more sinister going on at Camp Killer? With an addictive plotline that keeps the pages turning at a fast and furious pace, lots of devilish twists and turns, an impish sense of fun, and a cast of fascinating characters, this is a thriller-chiller to die for!
(Barrington Stoke, paperback, £7.99)

Age 12 plus
Disney Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas: The Official Novelisation
Megan Shepherd

WHAT could be better this spooky season than to celebrate the 30^th anniversary of the Halloween classic, Disney Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas, with this evocative novelisation. Harnessing all the creepy vibes and unforgettable atmospherics of the much-loved film, this super collectible book has been adapted by Carnegie Medal-nominated author Megan Shepherd. Uninitiated youngsters, and those familiar with the film, will love meeting up with Jack Skellington, the beloved Pumpkin King of Halloween Town, who has grown tired of his home’s annual scaring routines and longs for something new. So when he and his loyal dog, Zero, discover a series of doors in the Hinterlands leading to other holiday towns, he can’t help but explore... and quickly becomes enamoured with Christmas Town, a place filled with jolly laughs, merry elves, and plenty of presents. Jack shares all of his findings with the rest of Halloween Town and together they devise a plan to run Christmas themselves. But not all tricks can be turned into holiday treats, and Jack’s dream of organising the best Christmas ever may just turn into a nightmare with the mysterious Oogie Boogie hiding in the shadows. Alongside friends like the rag doll Sally, can Jack find his true purpose as a holiday king? With its creepy cast of Halloween Town characters, monsters, mischief and magic aplenty, there is so much to enjoy for a new generation of fantasy adventure lovers!
(Studio Press, paperback, £7.99)

Age 9 plus
The Witchstone Ghosts
Emily Randall-Jones

IF gothic vibes float your boat, then sail off to a storm-soaked island for a thrilling spin on the traditional ghost story genre. Debut author Emily Randall-Jones, winner of the Times/Chicken House Children’s Fiction Competition 2021, works her special brand of black magic on the super-spooky tale of The Witchstone Ghosts. Autumn Albert can see the dead... much to her annoyance. But when her dad dies in mysterious circumstances, he’s the one ghost who doesn’t appear. A curious instruction in his will sends Autumn to Imber, the storm-soaked island of his childhood and a place marked by tight-lipped locals, strange stacks of witchstones... and even fewer ghosts. Soon Autumn is ensnared in a dark and twisty mystery which must be unravelled before the sea rises up and history is doomed to repeat itself... Full of originality and imagination, but also with a cosy warmth and charm to temper all the chills and thrills, this breathtaking tale is guaranteed to delight young readers who enjoy both heart and hauntings.
(Chicken House Books, paperback, £7.99)

Age 9 plus
Shiver Point: It Came From The Woods
Gabriel Dylan

HALLOWEEN is the perfect time to enter (if you dare!) Shiver Point, a thrilling, chilling new horror series for all those who love having their spines tingled and their goosebumps raised! They’d have you believe that Shiver Point is boring, that nothing interesting ever happens there and there’s never anything fun to do. That’s what Alex had always thought until one night, in the dead dark, he spots what looks like a meteorite plummeting into Howlmoor Forest. Intrigued, Alex goes to investigate but little does he know, four other kids have also spotted the strange streak in the sky... ‘troublemaker’ Oli, studious Sophia, curious Mo and budding engineer Riley. What they discover is far beyond their wildest dreams... in fact it belongs in their nightmares. Can the gang work together to save the town from the bloodthirsty bodysnatcher that’s arrived with the meteorite, or is it too late? One thing’s for sure, Shiver Point will never be the same again. Expect spooks, screams and small-town horror... don’t say you weren’t warned!
(Piccadilly Press, paperback, £7.99)

Age 9 plus
The Double Trouble Society
and the Worst Curse
Carrie Hope Fletcher and Davide Ortu

WHAT'S your fancy for Halloween this year... witches, vampires, werewolves or ghosts? If all those spooky stars fit the bill, then join the Double Trouble Society who are ready to launch into a super-spooky new adventure! Following on from the first book of this magical mystery series, acclaimed performer and author Carrie Hope Fletcher returns to bewitch readers with another spellbinding mystery starring a bunch of doggedly determined young detectives. Stars of the show are Ivy and Maggie of the Double Trouble Society who have been best friends ever since they were born at exactly the same minute on Friday 13th twelve years ago. And after defeating the Crowood Witch and saving the day in their first outing, Ivy, Maggie and the rest of the sleuthing Double Trouble Society are on the look-out for their next big adventure. Fortunately, they won’t have to wait long because there are three new kids in town and they are all behaving very mysteriously .The Double Trouble Society know how to handle witches but can they manage vampires, werewolves and ghosts as well? With its eye-catching foiled cover, lashings of mystery, magic, mischief and mayhem, and the gorgeous chapter illustrations of Davide Ortu, this witchy and wonderfully entertaining romp is an ideal gift for all young Halloween fans!
(Puffin, hardback, £14.99)

Age 9 plus
The Spirit Snatcher
Cat Gray

ESCAPE into the fun and magic of a gorgeously ghostly adventure from Irish-born author Cat Gray whose writing is inspired by the magical moments of her own childhood. The Spirit Snatcher – an atmospheric and thrilling tale which explores the irresistible idea of secret pockets of magic hiding in the real world – sweeps us away to Elbow Alley, home of the most monstrous mystery. Here we find Pip who was not expecting his new neighbours to be vampires, banshees and ghosts. But worst of all for Pip is the mysterious spirit snatcher, which appears out of nowhere and sucks away people’s personalities. When it attacks Pip’s parents, the only way to save them is to find and destroy it. But, unfortunately, no one knows who it is. Along with his new friend Fliss and her dog Splodge, Pip sets out to investigate, facing murderous ghouls, werewolf attacks and a dangerously mouldy cheese. And if he and Fliss can’t stop the creature by their thirteenth birthdays, they will be spirit-snatched too. Written with all the fantasy, wonder and spooky ingredients that seduce young readers, Gray’s fast-paced, all-action, twisting and turning adventure is brimming with spine-tingling detail and colourful characters. A truly spellbinding read for all middle-graders!
(Usborne Publishing, paperback, £7.99)

Age 9 plus
The Midnight Switch
Samuel J. Halpin

SPOOKY chills and thrills are around every corner (and every page!) of a quirky adventure from Tasmania-born author Samuel J. Halpin who now lives in London and works in comedy TV production. Expect curses, magic, witches and danger as a boy sets out to discover why an unusually large bird has started perching on his bedroom windowsill at the stroke of midnight. When Lewis’s family moves to a spooky, faraway town called Barrow in the Snoring Broads, he can't quite put his finger on what feels so strange about his new home. Everyone is obsessed with superstition, and an old story about terrible floods and a curse by the infamous Barrow Bogwitch... and all the while, a mysterious bird watches his every move. When his family friend Moira arrives to stay, there’s something peculiar about Moira too. She doesn’t know where she’s from and strange things happen around her. Lewis and Moira are determined to figure out what’s going on in Barrow, but as they unravel secret symbols, riddles and stories of a midnight curse, they find that there might be some truth in the old town tales. The reality is that Bogwitch is stirring again and she has eyes everywhere... they are in grave danger and time is running out. Youngsters will love this addictive spook-fest story in which two intrepid youngsters must solve a perilous mystery in a race against the clock. Brimming with darkness, witchcraft and scary birds, this is an adventure that readers will love getting their claws into!
(Usborne Publishing, paperback, £7.99)

Age 9 plus
Rayleigh Mann in the Company of Monsters
Ciannon Smart

ENTER a monstrously exciting fantasy world where the bad guys are really the good guys! Rayleigh Mann in the Company of Monsters is the first of an exciting new series from Ciannon Smart whose love of her Caribbean heritage and its myths, and growing up in London, inspire her action tales of magic, monsters and humour. So welcome to the world of Below London where causing a ruckus is the best thing you can do! When notorious troublemaker Rayleigh Mann sneaks out to go trick-or-treating on Halloween, he gets more than he bargained for... in the form of a monster straight out of his nana’s stories. The weirdest thing though is that the monster tells Rayleigh that the father he never knew is actually the Bogey Mann, the most terrifying of all monsters and the Supreme Scarer himself. And there’s more... Bogey is missing and Rayleigh is the only one who can find him. But to do so, Rayleigh must travel to Bogey’s world in Below London. There Rayleigh’s penchant for tricks might just help him survive an adventure straight out of his wildest dreams... or perhaps his most terrifying nightmares! With good guys, some seriously scary bad guys, and a dark and thrilling fantasy world that will appeal to all young adventurers, the escapades of Rayleigh Mann and his monsters are set to be a big hit this Halloween!
(Piccadilly Press, paperback, £7.99)

Age 7 plus
Kevin the Vampire: A Most Mysterious Monster
Matt Brown and Flavia Sorrentino

IF you thought vampires only made an appearance at Halloween, then author Matt Brown and illustrator Flavia Sorrentino are here to prove you wrong with the first book in their frightfully funny new series! Youngsters will love getting their teeth into Kevin the Vampire, a reassuring new hero who brings with him important messages about not judging others and celebrating our differences. Kevin Aurelius is just like any other almost eleven-year-old. Well, apart from his fangs obviously, and that he’s immortal. Oh and he is also, of course, a vampire! Together with his vampire parents and annoying older siblings, Kevin is on his way to Monstros City when, due to dodgy batnav, they get stranded in a strange, quiet place called Lower Drudging, full of humans. With empty coffers in need of filling, their only choice is to put on an impromptu carnival to earn the gold they need to get back on their way. But Lower Drudging has a monstrous secret of its own... a secret that is old, very hungry and has just woken up! It’s up to Kevin and his new best friend Susie to save the town... or else! Packed to the fangs with fabulous fantasy and monstrous fun, and brought to life by Sorrentino’s hilarious illustrations, Kevin’s adventures ensure youngsters will have the last laugh.
(Nosy Crow, paperback, £7.99)

Age 6 plus
Ghost Scouts: Mayhem at Camp Croak!
Taylor Dolan 

IF you’re looking for some wicked Halloween fun, head off to Camp Croak and meet zombies, werewolves and a fierce skeleton! Mayhem at Camp Croak! is exciting American author and illustrator Taylor Dolan’s fourth hilarious and hair-raising book in her illustrated Ghost Scouts series which cleverly tackles difficult topics like difference, bullying and mental health. Lexie Wild is having a rollicking time at Camp Croak with her ghoulish pals... until the smarmy scouts from Happy Hollow issue a deadly ancient challenge. If the Ghost Scouts lose, their beloved camp will be destroyed. Lexie must summon up all her courage if the Ghost Scouts are to defeat the wicked Euphemia Vile and her crew. But watch out... the malicious whispering snakes are loose! Maybe working together is the answer. With its cast of ghoulish but gorgeous characters, a feisty feminist heroine, an inclusive cast of characters, a story steeped in friendship, fun, kindness and daring to be different, and Dolan’s all-action, two-tone illustrations throughout, this is the perfect read for all young mischief-makers.
(Guppy Books, paperback, £7.99)

Age 3 plus
I'm Not Scared, You Are!
Patricia Hegarty and Thomas Elliott

SPOOK yourself silly this Halloween with a rib-tickling, spine-tingling sounds book! ‘The wild wind is howling, there’s a creak on the stair. Are you feeling brave? Follow me if you dare!’ Join a cast of creepy creatures in this hair-raising journey through a night packed with ghosts and ghouls, toads and trolls, and bats and black cats. Listen out for a haunting wolf howl, the clinking of a ghoul’s chain, a witch’s scary cackle, the rattling of bones, and the clackety clack of the ghost train. There are twenty-four sensationally spooky sounds to make your hair stand on end... are you brave enough to listen to them all? With Patricia Hegarty’s fun rhyming text, Thomas Elliott’s ghostly gallery of illustrations, and ghoulish sounds galore, this is a spooktacular adventure for all young Halloween fans!
(Little Tiger Press, board book, £12.99)

Age 2 plus
Five Little Ghosts
Lily Murray and Holly Surplice

HALLOWEEN must be in the air if these little ghosts are causing a flap! Author Lily Murray and illustrator Holly Surplice team up for the third title in their enchanting and wonderfully colourful lift-the-flaps picture books based on the nursery rhyme Five Little Ducks. ‘Five little ghosts floated off one day Over the hills and far away. Mamma Ghost said, “Fly back to me!” How many ghostlings can you see?’ Join the adorable ghostlings on their lift-the-flap adventure through a spooky forest. There’s so much to see as Mamma Ghost and her ghostlings float through a pumpkin patch, play peek-a-boo in a misty wood and explore a haunted house. Along the way, they meet all kinds of friendly animals. But wait... the ghostlings are disappearing one by one. Whatever are they up to? Lift a host of intriguing flaps to find the ghostlings and discover a fantastic surprise ending. The picture perfect book to celebrate Halloween and all the fun of the autumn season!
(Templar Publishing, paperback, £7.99)

Age one plus
Flip Flap Halloween
Becky Davies and Mike Moran

IF it’s Halloween fun you’re after, dive into this spooky season special which stars a cast of pointy pokey, blinky winky, naughty warty, and howly yowly characters!  Flip Flap Halloween – written by Becky Davies and illustrated in bold colours by Mike Moran – is the perfect chunky board book to introduce little ones to all the famous names of Halloween. Flip flap, who is that? Let toddlers turn the shaped split pages to lift the lid of Dracula’s coffin, look behind the cobwebs, peek inside Witch’s cauldron and reveal well-known faces, feature by feature. Little ones will love to guess who is hiding as they uncover a howling yowling werewolf, a blinking winking monster, and other crafty creatures. Simply open the page segments in any order... and delight in the text that transforms for read-aloud, flip-flapping fun!
(Little Tiger Press, board book, £8.99)

Age one plus
What's Scarier than a Spider?
Becky Davies and Amelia Best

WHICH creature is the biggest and the baddest? The answers are not what they may seem to be in a quirky and clever lift-the-flap book from author Becky Davies and illustrator Amelia Best. Little ones will hoot with laughter as they transform seemingly sweet creatures into some truly terrific terrors. A lot of people think that spiders, scorpions, wasps and mosquitoes are scary but they may just have met their match in this entertaining game of peekaboo! Simply lift the transformative flaps to reveal a bunch of ever bigger and badder characters. With a series of comical showdowns, Best’s bold, offbeat artwork, and a giant fold-out flap for the finale, this is the perfect book to make little ones think again about being scared of the humble spider!
(Little Tiger Press, board book, £7.99)