Our Holiday

Louise Candlish

IF you’re looking for a truly scorching thriller to warm up a summer that hasn’t really stoked up its fire yet, then look no further than this brilliant beach read from master storyteller Louise Candlish.

Bestselling author of 16 novels, including Our House which was adapted into a major four-part ITV drama, Candlish (pictured below) hooks in readers from the first page with this sizzling psychological crime drama set in a Sandbanks-style second homes community where seething locals are on a warpath littered with threats and intimidation.

Bristling with menace, and exploring some dark and divisive topical issues, Our Holiday is a gripping, red-hot summertime thriller which comes tantalisingly layered with the kind of chills and thrills that have made Candlish one of the nation’s favourite authors. 

Charlotte and Perry long for summers at Cliff View, the gorgeous clifftop holiday home which they have owned for years and which overlooks the turquoise waters of Pine Ridge. They have worked hard for it so why shouldn’t they enjoy it, even if the locals can’t afford to live in the village these days.

And now city friends, Amy and Linus Shaw, have bought a second home nearby, so when the two families descend, they plan lazy weeks of sun, sea and beach, and evenings sipping rosé on Charlotte’s summerhouse veranda.

But this summer is different because there’s trouble in paradise. A group of locals – calling themselves Not Just for August and headed by the charismatic Robbie Jevons – will stop at nothing to make the second home owners pay for their holiday. And the rising tide of resentment is heading the way of the two holidaying families with small acts of criminal damage soon escalating into something more menacing. By the end of the summer, marriages will be torn apart, friendships shattered, crimes exposed and Pine Ridge will be known for more than its sun-drenched beaches... it will be known for murder.

Breaks in coastal paradises have never seemed less alluring than in this brilliantly entertaining and caustically clever social satire which homes in on some very real and corrosive social topics and turns up the temperature with a big dollop of menace, mystery... and murder.

With class divisions under close scrutiny, the distrust between city and seaside glaringly exposed, and a leavening serving of Candlish wit to lap up, don’t head for your holidays without this all-round winner tucked into your suitcase.
(HQ, paperback, £9.99)

Atlas: The Story of Pa Salt

Lucinda Riley
and Harry Whittaker

IT must have been with some trepidation – but also much pride – that Harry Whittaker took up the mantle and the metaphorical pen of his famous author mum Lucinda Riley to write the final chapter of her groundbreaking Seven Sisters series.

When Riley tragically died from cancer in 2021, she left behind a dazzling legacy of novels which culminated in the outstanding, but sadly unfinished, saga of a family of sisters, each separately adopted by a mysterious Swiss billionaire, and each with their own heritage story linked to remarkable people and events from the past.

The seven timeslip books – inspired by the star cluster, the Seven Sisters of the Pleiades – became a bestselling, international phenomenon, transporting readers from the pedestrian realities of everyday life to worlds past and present, and on wild adventures in locations as diverse and exciting as colourful Rio de Janeiro, icy Norway, the Red Centre of Australia, the gypsy caves of Granada, Spain, and Happy Valley in Kenya. The Missing Sister – published only weeks after the author died and which finally revealed the much-anticipated tale of the previously unknown sister, Merope – had always been planned as the series swansong but Riley (pictured below) had already decided that one last epic chapter was needed... the unveiling of the true identity of the girls’ father, known to them as Pa Salt.

And fortunately for avid fans of the series, Riley had also mapped out – and written – pivotal sections of the entire, incredible story of the Seven Sisters some years ago when a Hollywood TV studio optioned the books for a multi-season series.

It was a plot outline which she shared with her son, who had closely followed and absorbed the series, and during her final illness, she entrusted him to finish her work in case the unthinkable happened. And what an emotional, intensely personal and intellectual challenge that must have turned out to be for Whittaker (pictured below).

But the result is Atlas: The Story of Pa Salt, a stunning 764-page, time-travelling journey of revelations and surprises which weaves together the intricate web of story threads from the previous seven books and delivers a satisfying, unforgettable and often tearjerking closure to Riley’s epic odyssey.

It was a unique and ambitious storytelling feat which began ten years ago when Riley introduced us to the fascinating, adopted D’Aplièse sisters, based on the Seven Sisters of the Pleiades, with legend saying that the mythological siblings were all unique and strong females. The childhood home of the six girls (one of the sisters had always been missing) is Atlantis, a fabulous, secluded castle on the shores of Lake Geneva and when Pa Salt dies under strange circumstances and is clandestinely buried at sea, the girls are each handed a tantalising clue to their true heritage by the family lawyer... a clue which takes them across the world.

And after experiencing love and loss, crossing borders and oceans, and finally discovering the identity of their missing sister, the young women are now about to uncover the truth of the father they adored but about who, it seems, they know very little.

In Paris in 1928, Paris, a boy is found, moments from death, and taken in by the kindly Landowski family. Gentle, precocious, talented and musical, he flourishes in his new home, and the family show him a life he hadn’t dreamed possible.

But he refuses to speak a single word to them about who he really is... because by pretending to be mute, he can never betray where he came from. And as memories of his real father fade, he feels it is perhaps for the best because if he is tortured now, he will have nothing to tell.

As he grows into a young man, falling in love and taking classes at the prestigious Conservatoire de Paris, he can almost forget the terrors of his past and the promise he has vowed to keep. But

First Wife’s Shadow

Adele Parks

OBSESSION can be deadly! If spine-tingling, brain-twisting domestic thrillers float your boat then set sail with bestselling author Adele Parks (pictured below) in what is probably one of her best yet psychological dramas.

First Wife’s Shadow – a tale so full of plot twists that reading it is a dizzying experience – has jealousy, suspicion and obsession written right the way through its wickedly dark and fast-beating heart.

Meet 47-year-old Emma Westly... she’s the CEO of Britain’s biggest wind harvesting company and her greatest talent is ‘discipline.’ She’s also wealthy, independent, rational, and has long put behind her a chaotic childhood and, after a string of ‘shoddy encounters,’ all thoughts of dating and marriage.

But then sensible Emma meets freelance photographer and handsome widower Matthew Charlton at a conference. He’s over ten years younger than Emma, kind, gentle, interested in her work, admires her successful career and, against all odds, seems to be just what she needs.

Her close friends, Heidi and Gina, are initially delighted but as Emma’s relationship with Matthew moves fast and they get engaged after just three months, they start to panic, fearing that Emma might be exploited because she’s a rich woman after all.

Emma doesn’t care that Matthew has no money because she’s in love and that’s all that matters. Matthew says the death of his first wife means he wants to seize the day but the memory of the ‘perfect’ Becky hangs over them and Emma does have one tiny doubt.

The Happiest Ever After

Milly Johnson

WHEN you feel like you’ve lost all that you once held dear, is it still possible to find that elusive happy ever after? Life, as we all know, is a patchwork quilt of fortunes and misfortunes, and there is no writer better at unpicking the stitches of what makes us human than down-to-earth , Barnsley born-and-bred Milly Johnson, one of the best-loved and most successful women’s fiction writers in the UK.

Her heartwarming, funny and uplifting novels – which exquisitely nail the importance of female friendship, family, community and the magic that comes from kindness – never fail to strike a chord with her army of adoring readers.

But this seasoned and sensitive author – with her trademark no-nonsense northern humour and honesty, and ability to write about real people and real issues – is not afraid to peer into some dark corners and explore more than just life’s fuzzy feel-goods. A firm believer that there is too much ‘snobbery’ about romantic fiction, with some seeing it as ‘lesser’ than other genres, Johnson (pictured below) declares proudly that love-centred stories are as deftly plotted as crime novels, and as beautifully written as literary novels.

And to prove her very valid point, she casts her own special brand of stardust over this warm, witty and wonderfully woven tale of a young woman who – under the most unexpected circumstances – finds herself living the life she yearned for, even though it might not actually belong to her.

Polly Potter is only in her mid-thirties but she is merely surviving, and certainly not thriving. She used to love her job as a successful business consultant, helping struggling companies to pull back from the brink of closure, but then her mentor died and her new boss decided to steal and repackage her ideas... and make her life hell. Polly also used to love her partner Chris but now almost everything he says and does irks her, and she can’t forget that he cheated on her and has done very little since to repair the ever-growing chasm in their eight-year relationship.

The only place where her life is working is on the pages of the novel she is writing at the creative writing class she secretly attends every week. It’s there that she can invent a bolder, more

CHILDREN'S BOOKS: Buried secrets, a weird world and icy adventures

Enjoy a dazzling array of curious ‘discoveries,’ marvel at a wild world brought to life with amazing colour and imagination, follow a group of intrepid young Australians on a polar expedition to Antarctica over 100 years ago, and meet a young boy who must battle against the power of angry gods in a sparkling selection of July books

Age 8 plus
Secret FACTopia! Follow the Trail of 400 Hidden Facts
Paige Towler and Andy Smith

DID you know that police in Iran once arrested a group of squirrels because they thought that they were spies? If you think that sounds too bizarre to be true, then ‘steal’ your way through this amazing trail of 400 hidden facts which lie buried in the worlds of detectives, poisons, lost cities, spy gadgets and plenty more. Written by American author, poet and editor Paige Towler and the Britannica Group, and brought to life by amazing photographs and award-winning Andy Smith’s witty and wonderful illustrations,Secret FACTopia! is the seventh title in the dynamic and bestselling FACTopia! series created by the inventive boffins at Britannica Books. And as with the other titles in the series, Secret FACTopia! is verified by Encyclopaedia Britannica and doesn’t offer just one trail through a multitude of facts. Each of the 400 mysterious facts is connected in surprising and sneaky ways and an ingenious web of information lets you leapfrog from topic to topic.  

With entertainment guaranteed all the way, young readers discover everything from secret recipes and escape artists to hidden treasure and invisibility cloaks. Marvel at how in the first half of the 20^th century, women across Europe acted as spies by hiding codes in their knitting, meet an underwear-stealing cat, find out about sharks that glow, uncover a toilet in disguise and learn about the biggest ever game of hide-and-seek. And the facts aren’t the only secrets in this book because hidden among the illustrations are ten mice just waiting to be found! Filled with Smith’s lavish artwork, this enthralling and hilarious book is a joy ride from start to finish and youngsters will be eager to share their dazzling array of curious ‘discoveries’ with their friends and family. And that’s a fact!
(Britannica Books, hardback, £10.99)

Age 7 plus
Oddney’s Otherland
Sarah Matthews and Rodney Matthews

WHAT would you do if you found a tunnel beneath your shed and what if you knew it led to a whole other world? Get lost in a deliciously daffy ‘otherland’ and marvel at a world brought to life with dazzling colour and imagination in a spectacular fantasy adventure from talented husband and wife team, acclaimed fantasy album artist Rodney Matthews and debut children’s author Sarah Matthews. This beautifully created hardback book – with a foreword by writer and comedian John Cleese – is packed with thrills and comedy and features an explorer on an epic quest to find a two-headed firedrake dragon in the ‘Otherworld’ under his shed. Move over retirement, for naturalist Professor Oddney has discovered his Uncle Cuthbert’s old journal and a mysterious tunnel beneath his shed which he feels compelled to investigate. Joined by his trusty sidekick, Magnus the talking magpie, the pair soon find themselves on a daring quest and a wonderfully absurd journey to a weird and fiery hidden world called Otherland. And it’s there they must find the mighty beast known as The Two-Headed Firedrake. But it’s a place that is also inhabited by Grumpy Meadow Gnomes, Bloated Hobgoblins, the Rhubarbarian, Great Leaping Buttock-Biters and the despicable Dragoner. And as they navigate this strange new land, they must find out who to trust... and who might help them in their quest. With a wild and whimsical story – packed with soaraway imagination, madcap antics and buttock-snapping inhabitants, and exploring themes of kindness and friendship – all brought to life by Rodney Matthews’ lavish and atmospheric illustrations, this is a book to love and treasure.
(Rodney Matthews Studios, hardback, £16.99)

Age 10 plus
Mawson in Antarctica:
To the Ends of the Earth
Joanna Grochowicz

DISCOVER the incredible story of the young Australians who diced with death when they took part in a wind, ice and snow-lashed polar expedition on the freezing edges of Antarctica over 100 years ago. Polar historian and author Joanna Grochowicz digs out the true story of the famous expedition led by geologist Sir Douglas Mawson whose Australasian Antarctic Expedition of 1911-14 included mainly young men in their early to mid-20s and involved battling the elements in minus 17 degree temperatures. Hunkering down in the windiest place on Earth, eighteen young Australians eagerly await a chance to prove themselves as polar explorers and scientists. The spring sledging season will bring adventure, danger, and the discovery of new lands under the command of Douglas Mawson who had visited Antarctica once before and had declared he would never go back. But tragedy also lies in wait. Mawson’s tale is legendary, an epic struggle between one man’s self-belief and the worst conditions the hostile polar environment can throw at him. His journey represents not only a feat of physical endurance but also a triumph of the human spirit’s ability to conjure hope when luck has all but run out. With graphic descriptions of Antarctica, Grochowicz’s fast-paced and exquisitely written story reveals in fascinating detail the human aspirations and tragedies that have shaped our understanding of the polar regions. Drawing on diaries, letters and expedition narratives from archives and personal collections around the world, her portrayal of historical figures and the interplay of personalities lend her work a grittiness and authenticity that is not often present in historical writing for children and young adults.
(Allen & Unwin Children’s Books, paperback, £9.99)

Age 9 plus
The Boy to Beat the Gods
Ashley Thorpe

A YOUNG boy must battle against the power of angry gods in a thrilling debut novel from Ashley Thorpe, a Black British author who works as an editor for Storymix, helping other writers to create epic stories. And this action-packed, high-stakes, fantasy adventure is certainly epic as it harnesses the incredible pantheon of Orishas, the divine spirits which play a key role in the Yoruba mythology of West Africa and are part of Thorpe’s ancestry. Kayode dreams of eating the forbidden fruit of the Orishas in order to gain their power and stop these merciless beings who terrorise his people. So when a fruit mysteriously appears in his path after the Orishas snatch his sister, he leaps on it. Surging with new and difficult-to-control powers, he joins forces with a shapeshifting trickster god and a vengeful princess to save his sister and put an end to the mighty Orishas. But each has more fearful powers than the last... and Kayode's stolen half-god strength won’t last forever. Youngsters will be willing on plucky Kayode as he battles against the odds in a heart-thumping quest full of magical world-building, fast and furious adventures and spine-tingling danger. Epic fun from start to finish!
(Usborne, paperback, £7.99)

Age 7 plus
Bunny vs Monkey: The Impossible Pig
Jamie Smart

HOLD on to your hats and watch out for trouble… Bunny and Monkey are back in their exhilarating remastered series which delivers all the comedy and chaos of the daffy duo’s helter-skelter world! This outrageously funny eighth book in the super-popular series introduces youngsters to the hilarious, all-powerful pig, and features 230 pages of fast and furry-ous exuberant fun and a draw-it-yourself activity. Bunny and Monkey are part of the Phoenix Presents series, published by David Fickling Books in partnership with The Phoenix comic, which is going from strength to strength, and much of that success is due to the genius of the extraordinarily talented illustrator Jamie Smart whose comic-strip Bunny vs Monkey books are causing giant laughter waves. So welcome back to the Woods where chaos reigns supreme once more! There is uproar everywhere because Pig has vanished. What could have happened to him? And who is this familiar-looking bearded figure sitting on a cloud? Could they be connected? Laugh-out-loud comical and ingeniously addictive, these manic, high-energy stories were just made for fidgety readers who like their books to come with plenty of comic-strip pictures and loads of snorts and sniggers. Madcap antics for a new generation of action kids!
(David Fickling Books, paperback, £9.99)

Age 7 plus
Lola and Larch Save the Sunshine Spell
Sinéad O’Hart and Rachel Seago

IF you’re looking for an entertaining starter chapter-book series to keep new readers engaged then these delightful, illustrated adventures from Irish master storyteller Sinéad O’Hart and artist Rachel Seago are guaranteed to hit the mark. With family, friendship and naughty fairies taking centre stage, there’s fun guaranteed on every outing with long-suffering Lola and her feisty fairy Larch who disguises herself as a rabbit. In their second adventure, Granny’s garden is growing out of control and Larch is sure a bad fairy is behind this agricultural anarchy! Evil Euphorbia Spurge has sent bad magic across the forest and it’s turning all the plants wild! Lola’s granny is thrilled because her garden is looking lush, but Larch is sure she saw a courgette wave and smile at her... and they are not supposed to do that, are they? It’s time for Lola and Larch to head into the forest and grapple with a green-fingered fiend! With magic and mayhem at every turn of the page, a big serving of fun, the cosy warmth of friendship, and Seago’s action-packed illustrations, these enchanting stories are casting a spell over young readers.
(Nosy Crow, paperback, £6.99)

Age 7 plus
Wildsmith: The Hidden Sea
Liz Flanagan and Joe Todd-Stanton

FEEL the magic, get lost in a fantastical world, and enjoy turning the pages of the third book of the enchanting Wildsmith series from Yorkshire author and teacher Liz Flanagan who puts wildlife conservation at the heart of her stories. Best known for her popular Dragon Daughter books, Flanagan has teamed up with award-winning illustrator Joe Todd-Stanton to deliver thrilling and imaginative fantasy adventures that combine the favourite, child-friendly ingredients of magical creatures, family, friendship and fun. Rowan, whom we first met when she discovered the secret of her identity, has started to embrace her gifts as a magical wildsmith which enable her to heal and speak to animals. But when she finds herself alone and far from home, this time Rowan is the one who needs to be rescued! She travels deep into enemy territory and makes some surprising discoveries, coming face to face with great danger. With the help of new friends – and old ones – will she ever make it home again? Young readers cannot help but fall under the spell of these sparkling adventures which feature Todd-Stanton’s dream-like illustrations, the excitement and joy of fostering animals, and a magical cast of characters that includes baby dragons and white winged stallions known as pegasi. A totally wild all-round winner!
(UCLan Publishing, paperback, £7.99)

Age 5 plus
Tiny Dogs: The Lost School Pet
Rose Lihou

JUST because you’re a tiny dog doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy BIG adventures! Join a little girl as she starts a new school in the second book of an enchanting series which has been perfectly created by dog-lover Rose Lihou, a debut children’s author and illustrator. Tiny Dogs stars four delightfully tiny dogs who share fun and adventures with a little girl who is settling into her new life with her mum and grandparents in a small village, far away from the big town that she has always known. Now the big day has arrived and it’s Bea's first day at her new school. She's nervous about making new friends but with the help of Sorrel, Willow, Pepper and Clover, her tiny dog friends who cheer her on, Bea’s confidence blooms. She quickly learns how to make new friends and her first day at school is a breeze... until Bamboo the class hamster goes missing and Bea was the last person to play with him. Join the FIND BAMBOO club and earn your Animal Hero badge with Bea and the tiny dogs as they work together to find Bamboo! With Lihou’s emotive and colourful illustrations, reassuring messages about building confidence, finding your voice, and discovering the joys of friendship and nature, little ones will already be tugging on the lead for the next Tiny Dogs adventure!
(Puffin, paperback, £7.99)

Age 3 plus
Perla: The Mighty Dog
Isabel Allende and Sandy Rodriguez

MEET a very special dog called Perla! She has two superpowers... she can roar like a lion and she can make people love her! Perla: The Mighty Dog is the first title in a cute canine picture book series from internationally bestselling author Isabel Allende and award winning illustrator Sandy Rodriguez. Allende – the most-read author in the Spanish language throughout the world with 74 million books sold – was inspired to write her debut children’s book by her own much-loved rescue dog. So meet Perla, a small dog with a BIG personality and a very impressive roar. When she is adopted by the Ricos, a Mexican-American family in search of a guard dog, Perla quickly makes friends with seven-year-old Nico Rico – now her human brother – who needs someone to help him deal with the school bullies. Soon Perla has changed the lives of everyone in the Rico family… and found a place in their hearts forever. Children will love sharing magical adventures with feisty dog Perla and her new loving best friend and brother Nico. With messages about family love and fighting back against the bullies, this inspirational story – complete with Rodriguez’s heart-melting illustrations – will have young readers sitting up and begging for more!
(Bloomsbury Children’s Books, hardback, £12.99)

Age 3 plus
Where’s Gigantosaurus? 
Cyber Group Studios

JOIN four daring dino friends as they adventure across Cretacia in this bumper prehistoric search-and-find activity book which has over 100 things to spot! These dino darlings are based  on the Gigantosaurus TV series which is developed by Paris-based Cyber Group Studios from characters created by Scottish-born author and illustrator Jonny Duddle. Have you seen Rocky, Bill, Mazu and Tiny? Can you find where the MIGHTY Giganto is hiding? This dino-tastic activity book includes 12 renowned locations from the Gigantosaurus TV series, from the den and the jungle to the beach, the secret cave playground and lots more. Enjoy the fun-filled adventures with everyone’s favourite dinos and keep your eyes peeled because there is so much to look for!
(Templar Publishing, paperback, £6.99)

Age one plus
Adventure Babies
Rosamund Lloyd and Chris Dickason

BABIES just love having fun... and there are miles of smiles on every page of this delightful board book. Learn to count from one to ten and follow the antics of an adorable group of fearless babies who are hungry for adventure. From skydiving to surfing, and from circus tricks to deep-sea diving and big dipper-riding, these babies are on the move. But after all that fun, they can’t help but fall fast asleep in the clouds! This joyful, chunky board book – colourfully illustrated by Chris Dickason –helps babies to learn to count from one to ten in a lively and engaging way, and features a mix of photos and illustrations to bring the adorable babies to life in extraordinary adventure scenes. And with Rosamund Lloyd’s bouncy rhyme to read aloud, lots to spot on every page, a summary at the back to help little ones remember numbers, and a surprise mirror at the back, this is a book you can count on!
(Little Tiger Press, board book, £7.99)

Age one plus
Bear's Wash Day
Nicola Kent

CAN you help a little Bear do the washing? Follow Bear and his friend Croc around the house as they do the laundry and show your little one all the steps of household chores – loading the washing, pouring the soap and tumble drying – in a charming and engaging way. Full of flaps, wheels and even a slider, this hands-on introduction to busy chores for little paws is the work of award-winning author and illustrator Nicola Kent. So roll up your sleeves, turn on the fun and get your little ones in a spin with with this picture perfect exploration of grown-up tasks for tiny tots!
(Little Tiger Press, board book, £7.99)

Age one plus
Hide and Seek with
the Baby Animals
Molly Littleboy and Gareth Lucas

LITTLE ones will be in a flap when they get their hands on this enchanting board book which features a menagerie of noisy baby animals playing hide and seek! Will their chirps, barks and squeaks give them away? Written by Molly Littleboy and colourfully illustrated by Gareth Lucas, Hide and Seek with the Baby Animals is the latest book in a fun and educational lift-the-flap board book series for young toddlers. Full of fun and rich detail, the story encourages children to search for their favourite pets behind the illustrated felt flaps. With Littleboy’s delightful rhyming text and a host of cheeky baby animals to find, this seek-and-find book is perfect for hands-on entertainment!
(Little Tiger Press, board book, £7.99)

A Good Deliverance

Toby Clements

FOR anyone who has studied the Middle Ages, and particularly the literature of the particularly turbulent period of 15^th century history, one name will always stand out... Sir Thomas Malory.

An English knight during the Hundred Years War and the War of the Roses, Malory is best known for his highly influential work, Le Morte D’Arthur, regarded as the first novel in English, the first prose fiction in Western literature, and the most comprehensive treatment of the eternally popular Legend of King Arthur, transforming a story based on French romances into an adventure of knightly brotherhood and the conflicts of loyalty which eventually destroy the fellowship.

But the creator of one of literature’s greatest stories has also carried with him down the centuries a mysterious and, some claim, false reputation as not just a brave and courtly knight who took part in some of the famous battles of the Wars of the Roses, but also as a villain who had several spells of incarceration in London’s infamous Newgate Gaol. Between 1450 and 1451 a certain Thomas Malory of Newbold Revell in the parish of Monks Kirby, Warwickshire, was charged with several major crimes, including robbery, two cattle raids, several extortions, a rape, and an attempted murder. At one point, he was jailed but escaped by swimming a moat and resorted to what was for medieval men the darkest of depravities... robbing churches.

So was Malory a literary hero, a villain, or both? Enter stage left, the vivid imaginative power of Toby Clements (pictured left), the former literary editor at the Daily Telegraph and author of the magnificent Kingmaker series which featured four critically acclaimed novels and brought to life the epic Wars of the Roses with breathtaking and brutal detail.

Clements, a once ‘warlike child’ who was long ago inspired by both reading Le Morte D’Arthur and by the mysterious reputation of the man who wrote it, set his sights on a novel that would recreate Malory’s extraordinary world and tell his story using what we know of his life, his groundbreaking literary work, and the myths that have grown up around him.

The result is a suitably thrill-packed and flamboyant adventure, planted firmly in the real and brutal history of this action-packed corner of English history, and offering a thoroughly entertaining insight into an extraordinary man who wrote with flair, fought with valour, and might well have spent as much time incarcerated among the filthy rushes of Newgate as wading through the mud and gore of the battlefield.

In a delightful opening twist to the tale, we meet the politician, courtier, outlaw and renowned author Malory as an old man in the garden of his Warwick home one drowsy summer afternoon in 1468 just at the moment he is roughly snatched by royal agents and bundled away on the orders of King Edward IV.

Dragged off to Newgate Prison for reasons unknown, Malory is left shivering in the foul-smelling, filthy old cell which he has come to know well over the course of many years. Convinced that he

CHILDREN'S BOOKS: A summer of fun with Usborne

As the country gears up for a summer of holidays and travels, keep your youngsters busy and out of mischief with these super activity and reading books from leading independent children’s books publisher Usborne

Age 8 plus
100 Things to Know
About Sport
Jerome Martin, Alice James, Tom Mumbray and Micaela Tapsell

USBORNE knows a thing or two about making learning fun… and sport is full of fascinating facts and figures just waiting to be discovered. From equipment and engineering to amazing sporting achievements, this brilliant book is the latest in Usborne’s award-winning 100 Things to Know series and is packed with quirky and surprising sport-themed facts. Featuring bold, graphic illustrations, in a pictorial ‘infographics’ style, the snippets of information cover all aspects of sport. Find out how having a moustache could make swimmers lose by a hair, how Roman soldiers trained for war by doing gymnastics, how a Finnish architect accidentally invented skateboarding and why footballers wear logos on their kit? And for those hungry to learn more, there are internet links to specially selected websites and videos where children can watch world-class athletes break records and discover more about the facts in the book.
(Usborne, hardback, £9.99)

Age 6 plus
Lots of Travel Puzzles and Games
Kate Nolan, Simon Tudhope, Phillip Clarke and various illustrators

THERE'S fun all the way with Usborne’s super-colourful and boredom-busting book of puzzles and games! With over 100 pages of travel-themed activities, this bright and busy book is perfect for children to take on holidays and journeys. There are all kinds of fun puzzles, from wordsearches and mazes to spot the difference and Sudoku, as well as pencil-and-paper games for one or two players including bingo, boxes, and noughts and crosses. The book is easy to dip in and out of on short trips and there are plenty of puzzles to distract and entertain youngsters on longer journeys.  Don’t leave home without it!
(Usborne, paperback, £6.99)

Age 5 plus
Summer World Magic
Painting Book
Lizzie Cope and Marcella Grazzi

WHAT child can resist the magic of a magic painting book! All you need is water and the brush provided, and then abracadabra, marvel as the black and white pages turn into a rainbow of vibrant colours. Enjoy the look of amazement on the faces of your little ones when they use the brush to paint water over the illustrations and reveal an enchanted and colourful world full of relaxing summer scenes, from butterflies and seashells to surfboards and sunflowers which are transformed from black and white to colour in seconds. And with tear-out pages and a waterproof laminated flap to tuck behind your work to stop the water seeping through to the rest of the book, youngsters can be sure of a perfect result every time. Magic at a paintbrush stroke... and perfect for summertime getaways or staycations!
(Usborne, paperback, £6.99)

Age 3 plus
Summer Things to Make and Do
Kate Nolan, Manola Caprini and Claire Thomas

THERE won’t be a dull moment this summer with a brilliant activity book which offers lots of super craft ideas to keep little hands out of mischief! From craft activities to colouring pages and step-by-step drawing, this delightful book is packed full of activities to provide lots of creative fun and keep youngsters busy all summer long. Make pop-up sandcastles and sunflowers, daisy chains, rainbow fish, spinners and kites, and glue pieces of paper together to make a lazy boat collage. Each craft activity uses everyday and recycled materials from around the house, and has clear, illustrated step-by-step instructions, with helpful tips and photos of the finished crafts. The perfect companion for both rainy days and holidays!
(Usborne, paperback, £6.99)

Age 3 plus
First Sticker Book: Holiday
Alice Beecham and Marina Aizen

GET ready for fun with an adorable cast of excited animal characters as they pack their bags for a summer holiday! This enchanting first sticker book was just made for little hands. Help the animals as they spend a day at the beach, hit the snowy ski slopes, enjoy a nature walk and visit the travelling fair, enjoy the splish, splash, splosh at the water park, and camp beneath the stars. Little ones will love adding over 100 colourful and easy-to-use stickers to bring Marina Aizen’s beautifully illustrated scenes to life. Fun on every page!
(Usborne Publishing, paperback, £5.99)

A Talent for Murder

Peter Swanson

FAST approaching her forties, mild-mannered librarian Martha Ratliff had long believed that she was destined to never marry, but then she met travelling salesman Alan Peralta online and everything changed.

Following a whirlwind romance, the pair of book nerds have been wed for a year now and their life has settled into a routine that seems to suit them both... until Martha starts to suspect that not only is her husband still a stranger to her, but he might also be a serial killer.

If you like your psychopaths mad, bad, dangerous to know, or just wickedly seductive, then you won’t want to miss this summer’s most compulsive, edge-of-the-seat murder mystery from the grand master of misdirection Peter Swanson (pictured below). Award-winning US author Swanson’s awesome, literary brain loves to defy readers’ expectations and in this stunning and ingeniously plotted psychological thriller, he harnesses all the familiar crime tropes and then performs some spectacular, mind-bending twists and turns.

Written with his signature stylish assurance and awesome complexity, and steeped in breathtaking malevolence, mind play and murder, A Talent for Murder bewitches and bamboozles us from the first jaw-dropping chapter, through the return of two memorable stars from his bestselling books, The Kind Worth Killing and The Kind Worth Saving, and on to the spectacular dénouement.

So buckle up, sit back and enjoy the ride as we meet Martha who conceded long ago that she would most likely spend her life alone. Far from being unhappy at the prospect, she enjoyed her solo existence, finding stimulation from her work as a librarian in Maine. But then Martha hooked up online with fellow book lover Alan, a charming and sweet-natured salesman whose job selling novelty clothing items at teachers’ conferences took him on the road for half of the year.

When Alan proposed, she had been filled with ‘a surge of gratitude and love’ and although she wasn’t exactly ‘attracted’ to him, she felt propelled to say yes, telling herself that she wouldn’t be completely giving up her independent life because Alan travelled so much. A year later, Martha still believes she married a ‘nice man’ but also one that is ‘a complete and utter stranger to her’ who she doesn’t really know and whose presence possesses ‘something inexplicable... something that nagged at

CHILDREN'S BOOKS: A river spirit, animal anatomy and sporting women

Take a trip back in time to discover the perilous life of a Victorian chimney sweep, marvel at the extraordinary everyday superpowers of the animal kingdom, celebrate the amazing sporting achievements of women, and dive into the first ocean-lashed adventure in a thrilling eco-series as a whole host of new children’s books hit the shelves

Age 8 plus
The River Spirit
Lucy Strange and Júlia Moscardó

THE plight of young chimney sweeps in Victorian Britain springs to vivid life in a ghostly and stunningly ethereal historical tale from award-winning author Lucy Strange. Juxtaposing the heartbreaking cruelty of a boy sweep’s ordeals with all the fairy-tale magic of Charles Kingsley’s classic book, The Water-Babies, Strange brings us a dazzling, tear-jerking story that resonates long after the last page has turned. Based on the true story of George Brewster, who was just twelve when he died in 1875 after getting trapped in a flue in Fulbourn Hospital in Cambridgeshire, The River Spirit explores and exposes the perilous and often short lives of chimney sweeps in 19^th century Britain. George’s death led to a campaign to make chimney sweeping safer which resulted in a new law that meant all sweeps had to be authorised by the police, and served as the turning point for ending child labour in the UK.

Trapped within the oppressive warrens of the town’s chimneys, young sweeper Tom Waterman longs for fresh air and freedom. And now Tom has started seeing strange, supernatural things... fairies in the flowers by the river, a soot monster crouching in the darkness of a chimney, and then the mysterious river spirit Elle. Elle joins Tom and the other children apprenticed to cruel master sweep Mister Crow. Together, they shimmy up narrow, filthy chimneys but Tom has an ominous feeling in his bones, and when he faces his most dangerous job of all, the reason for Elle’s magical appearance becomes clear... Strange’s aim was to bring ‘a dark moment of our history to life in a new and magical way’ and her intrinsically tragic story succeeds in never losing sight of the shining light of hope, friendship and courage as Tom’s spirit finds eternal freedom in the waterways he loves. Brought to life by the beautiful worldly and other-worldly illustration of Júlia Moscardó, this is another stunning piece of storytelling from a gifted author.
(Barrington Stoke, paperback, £7.99)

Age 5 plus
The Animal Body Book
Jess French and Jonathan Woodward

ANIMAL superstars perform extraordinary feats every day, from breathing underwater to simply flying... but how do they do these amazing things? Join children's author, TV presenter and vet Dr Jess French as she reveals that the answers lie in the miraculous forms and features of animals’ bodies which have many different adaptations to help them survive, and are very different inside to a human body. Explore these intriguing facts about animals’ bodies and the way they work, in the pages of The Animal Body Book, a fabulously illustrated and friendly introduction to animal anatomy, perfect for vets of the future or any child fascinated by animals. With nine chapters, including first of its kind material and stunning photography combined with Jonathan Woodward’s child-friendly and richly detailed colour illustrations, every aspect of anatomy is covered and all clearly explained by animal expert Dr French. Each chapter breaks down a different aspect of anatomy, from skeletons, muscles, circulation and breathing to digestion, the senses, reproduction, skin, and invertebrates. From aphids to jaguars, and from a whale’s enormous heart and an owl’s sensitive ears, to a tortoise’s tough shell and an insect’s unusual eyes, youngsters can explore more than forty animal adaptations in close detail. The accompanying vivid photography, juxtaposed with annotated illustrations, reveals what each species looks like inside, and the colourful diagrams help support children’s understanding of animal anatomy. Animal superpowers as you’ve never before seen them!
(DK Children, hardback, £20)

Age 12 plus
Roar: A Celebration of Great Sporting Women
Sam Quek

WITH the Paris Olympic Games set to begin next month, 2016 British Olympic gold-medal winning hockey player and TV personality Sam Quek brings readers a timely celebration of women’s sporting history and the bold and fearless women who are empowering future generations to follow in their footsteps. Roar: A Celebration of Great Sporting Women charts the ascendance of female sport and digs deeper into the lives of Quek’s sporting heroines, from Paula Radcliffe and Dame Sarah Storey to teenage skateboarding world champion Sky Brown, but also serves as an inspirational look at how sport can change lives and challenge society. From the tennis court to the boxing ring, and from the athletics track to the football pitch, the visibility of women in sport has been gathering pace. Women’s competitions are increasingly popular and Quek takes a deep dive into the experiences of some of sport’s most high-profile female athletes. Some have overcome heartbreaking adversity to reach the top of their game and others have succeeded in the face of prejudice but like Quek, they have all have been propelled by sheer grit and determination to succeed. Many now campaign for women’s equality and acceptance in sport, knowing the confidence it can bring young girls and the message that they can achieve anything. Featuring a series of candid interviews from some of sport’s most successful women, Quek lifts the lid on what it takes to reach those heights, from coping with puberty to foregoing teenage fun to pursue a dream, from the punishing physical training schedule to the mental power needed to win or bounce back from defeat, and coping with the pressure of the media spotlight. But also what it feels like in that magical moment when you step up to the podium knowing every sacrifice has been worth it! Full of gritty real-life stories, and tales of personal triumphs and disasters, Roar is a must-read for both sports fans and aspiring sports stars.

(Allen & Unwin, paperback, £9.99)

Age 9 plus
The Wanderdays: Journey to Fantome Island
Clare Povey

DIVE into the first ocean-lashed adventure in a thrilling new eco-series from master storyteller Clare Povey and meet two superstar siblings. Author of the fabulous French-flavoured Bastien Bonlivre series, Povey’s ambitions to be a marine biologist never materialised but her love of the sea shines through as we meet the daring Wanderday siblings embarking on an edge-of-your-seat underwater quest to find their missing mum. Flo and Joseph Wanderday’s mum Nellie is one of the world’s greatest explorers but she’s gone missing on her latest expedition aboard The Ariel. But when a mysterious stranger appears, they discover the sinister reason for Mum’s trip. This was no ordinary expedition and Mum was trying to uncover crimes committed by Sir Frederick Titan, a much-loved TV presenter who claims to be a protector of the natural world. Flo, Joseph and their friends Funmi and Isaac find a map and follow clues taking them to the secret Fantome Island to save Mum and expose Titan’s fishy plans... Packed to the gills with fantastical creatures, breathtakingly audacious children and the most dastardly villains this side of the North Atlantis Ocean, the wonderful wanderings of the Wanderdays are guaranteed to have young readers on board for the next pulsating voyage through perilous plot twists and page-turning adventures. (Usborne Publishing, paperback, £7.99)

Age 9 plus
A Ship in the Dark
Yarrow Townsend

AFTER growing up in the New Forest where she was surrounded by nature in its raw beauty, Yarrow Townsend – the Branford Boase Award-shortlisted author of The Map of Leaves – has long been determined to give our threatened wildlife a voice. And this stunning new adventure takes readers on a thrilling voyage across the wilds of the ocean, connecting them with the awe-inspiring natural world that is at the centre of this exciting writer’s work. Anna lives on remote Windrose Island, caring for its birds. When her stepfather Caleb is arrested for smuggling, she must prove his innocence and the truth may lie on board the Albatross, a missing whaler. Anna and her friend Mina travel the high seas to find the lost ship before ruthless Society Man, Bartholomew Rime, does. But without a map, only migrating birds and the song of whales can show the way. Townsend truly pushes the boat out as the daring young girls – two friends whose close friendship is both warm and utterly dependable – risk everything to dig out the truth with the help of incredible seabirds whose extraordinarily long migration journeys are one of the wonders of nature. As much a love letter to humans’ relationship with nature as a wild, heart-pounding thrill ride, this beautifully written, literary voyage into the mysteries of the natural world is guaranteed to find safe harbour with a new generation of feisty females... and an army of ardent eco-warriors.
(Chicken House, paperback, £7.99)

Age 9 plus
Ettie and the Midnight Pool
Julia Green and Pam Smy

THE joys of nature in the wild sit at the beating heart of this lyrical and moving story from Julia Green, an author whose love of the great outdoors inspires her stunningly evocative novels. Ettie has lived blissfully at remote High Fell House with just her grandma – who is haunted by events in the past – for company and the wild woods as her playground. Ettie has never seen anyone else anywhere in all her wanderings but then she meets the mysterious Cora and she starts to crave more... now Ettie wants to explore further and to discover secrets of her own. So, when Cora leads her to the hidden quarry pool – deep, cold, beautiful and dangerously inviting – Ettie is ready to jump straight in. But the quarry has secrets too, and Ettie will have to dive deep into the darkness to uncover them. The natural world and the changing seasons – brought to vivid life by Pam Smy’s atmospheric illustrations – form the unforgettable backdrop to this haunting tale about growing up, exploring the secrets of the past, and facing the darkness that lies within. Green’s exploration of identity, taking risks, and what makes for a happy life cannot help but resonate with children in today’s world. Beautifully written and packed with bold ideas, this is a tale to inspire as well as entertain.
(David Fickling Books, paperback, £7.99)

Age 9 plus
Roswell Johnson Saves the World!
Chris Colfer

WHEN you’re on a mission to save the Earth, the adventures you encounter are guaranteed to be EPIC! Meet Roswell Johnson who loves everything about space but discovers that there are more dangers there than he could ever have dreamed of when he jets off to some thrilling corners of the galaxy. Bestselling author and Golden Globe-winning actor Chris Colfer turns on the magic in funny and heartfelt style in an edge-of-the-seat, race-against-time romp that is truly out of this world. Eleven-year-old Roswell Johnson is obsessed with space and life beyond our planet. So, when Roswell, and one of his grandparents’ chickens called Persephone, are accidentally abducted in a spaceship, it feels like his biggest dream has come true... aliens are real! But with the sinister General Xelic and his evil army of Reptoids planning to attack Earth, Roswell must team up with a quirky group of other-worldly beings... a Mantis with a fear of germs, a Cyborg programmed to take everything literally, a telepathic Pleiadean, two bickering Grays, and an overly confident Fungarian. Can Roswell and his eccentric gang of alien adventurers save Earth from invasion? Or is life as we know it doomed? Colfer fills his exciting adventure with fascinating space facts, perilous plot twists and a fine line in humour as Roswell and his bunch of eclectic alien pals face pitfalls and prejudices on their action-packed journey to save planet Earth. Get ready for blast off! 
(Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, hardback, £14.99)

Age 9 plus
Hannah Messenger and the Gods of Hockwold
Bryony Pearce

YOUNGSTERS will be looking high into the heavens when they meet the leading players in a delightful debut middle grade novel from award-winning YA and adult author Bryony Peace. Creator of a mixture of dark thrillers, paranormal adventures, dystopia and horror funny, this exciting writer brings younger readers a contemporary fantasy story starring the Greek gods which explores the real power that is found in friendships. The Gods of Olympus have finally retired... not to a Greek island but to a sleepy English village, Hockwold cum Wilton, complete with a parish council, a cricket pitch and a local pub. But the Gods of Olympus and their descendants have lost their memories. They think they are ordinary humans. Only Hannah Messenger, the great-granddaughter of Zeus, and her friends know who they really are. And that means, when the gods’ objects of power start to go missing, only Hannah and her friends can stop the thief. With its urban fantasy setting, a delightful layer of dark humour, high-octane action and Greek mythology twist, and all leavened by heartwarming friendships, this is a must-read for young adventurers.
(UCLan Publishing, paperback, £7.99)

Age 9 plus
Sar Wylda and the Legendary Goldbreaker
Jake R.Wilson and Kimberley Laura Walker

CAN a blind girl be fast enough to catch her dream to be the number one dinobeast racer in a thrilling prehistoric world? Archaeologist and author Jake R.Wilson – who has a passion for both the prehistoric and creative writing – lets his imagination loose on the first book of an action-packed series about a girl who refuses to let her sight loss get in the way of her ambitions. On the prehistoric continent of Pangeum one sport dominates all entertainment... dinobeast racing. To compete is to court certain death but for those daring few, nothing is more thrilling than seeing the chequered flag drop at Goldbreaker Superspeedway. Sar Wylda is a twelve-year-old girl whose dream is to become a racer. But after losing her eyesight she has had to pursue a different life... one on her family’s farm. Will she have the courage to follow in the footsteps of the greatest racers of all time? Brought to life by the rich and detailed artwork of illustrator Kimberley Laura Walker, Sar Wylda’s wild and wonderful adventures are set to delight and inspire dino fans and all young adventurers!
(New Frontier Publishing, paperback, £8.99)

Age 8 plus
Nora and the Map of Mayhem
Joseph Elliott and Nici Gregory

IF you think great-grandmothers are ‘cutesy-wutesy, scarf-knitting old biddies,’ you need to meet super-cool, casino queen Nora who is the shining star of an outrageously funny new children’s book from award-winning author Joseph Elliott, of CBeebies’ Swashbuckle and CBBC’s Big Fat Like, and German illustrator Nici Gregory. Featuring anarchy run wild, and a gran who would rather be soaking in a hot tub than caring for kids, this explosion of hilarity and hair-raising comedy is a sure-fire winner from start to finish. When Atticus and Autumn’s dads, Niko and Liam, leave them with their eccentric great-grandmother Nora for the weekend, they are hoping for a few days of scoffing biscuits and playing video games. But when leather jacket-wearing, piña colada sipping Nora’s around, nothing ever goes quite to plan. After a stranger from Nora’s past leaves a menacing note pinned to her front door, Atticus and Autumn are swept away on a hair-raising adventure dodging snot-flinging sea monsters, battling thunderous electrosquibs and trying to escape from a very flappy goose! Elliott lets loose a rollicking riot as naughty Nora masterminds a weekend of mayhem brought to joyful life by Gregory’s gallery of rip-roaring, fun-filled illustrations. Don’t miss the ride!
(Piccadilly Press, paperback, £7.99)

Age 7 plus
Toby and the Pixies: Worst King Ever!
James Turner and Andreas Schuster

BUCKLE up and get ready for the ride as illustrator, cartoonist and comic writer James Turner teams up with German-born cartoonist Andreas Schuster for an unstoppable ride into side-splitting silliness! Toby and the Pixies: Worst King Ever! is the first of a hilarious graphic comic book series full of chaotic energy and pixie mayhem that was originally published in the hugely popular The Phoenix comic. So head off to an ordinary town where shy and anxious Toby Cauldwell is an ordinary schoolboy who just wants to fit in. Little does he know that deep in the undergrowth of his garden lies a magical kingdom full of pixies who name him their king! Desperate to get back to his normal life, Toby’s school routine continues but the chaos-creating magical critters cause havoc for Toby both at home and at school with their ridiculously silly powers (despite them only trying to help!), much to Toby’s embarrassment and frustration. And, to make matters worse, it’s up to Toby to fix the havoc that the pixies cause. But when his extrovert friend Mo discovers Toby’s secret double life, Toby realises that there might be perks to his utterly ridiculous life and that maybe being king of the pixies isn’t so bad after all... 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 laugh-out-loud pixie-themed magic. Everything you could wish for when two superstar comedy creators let their imaginations run wild!
(David Fickling Books, paperback, £9.99)

Age 5 plus
Doodle with Duddle:
How to Draw Dinosaurs
Jonny Duddle

HOW do you fancy an epic dinosaur-doodling adventure with the dynamic Jonny Duddle, expert illustrator and creator of the dinosaur characters which star in the hit Gigantosaurus TV series? Grab your pens and pencils and get ready to doodle with Scottish-born Duddle as you learn how to draw your favourite real-life dinosaurs, and those daffy dinos from the original Gigantosaurus book. Featuring step-by-step guides on how to draw a range of dinosaurs and characters, a draw-your-own-story section, and the chance to create your own made-up dinosaur, this is the perfect activity book for young dino buffs. Each page comes packed with dinosaur facts and trivia, and the ever-resourceful Duddle lets readers in on his own drawing tips and tricks to really make your own dinosaurs shine. Add on a few trademark Duddle dinosaur jokes and you have an adventure bursting with dinos, drawing... and fun!
(Templar Publishing, paperback, £8.99)

Age 5 plus

Raining Strawberries at Wimbledon

Anthea Turner, Wendy Turner and Rufus Thomas

DID you know that there is a community of mice who live beneath London's bustling Tube stations? Get ready for fun, laughter and action as celebrity sisters Anthea and Wendy Turner join forces again for the second of their endearing Underneath the Underground series starring a group of lovable mice. The sisters, who have both enjoyed successful television and business careers, first introduced readers to the antics of the furry creatures nearly 30 years ago. And now they have updated the enchanting stories – with the help of illustrator Rufus Thomas – and created this sparkling series for a new generation of younger readers, starting with this hilarious and topical adventure. It's Wimbledon tennis fortnight and there’s much excitement as King Charles and Queen Camilla receive a special invite from Princess Kate... to watch her and Prince William play a charity match against Sir Andy Murray and Heather Watson on Centre Court. What a treat! 

Off go Charles and Camilla to brush up on their own tennis skills with their faithful aide, Jenkins, on hand to whip up some royal tennis whites. Meanwhile, beneath Marble Arch Station, daring mouse Elly Archer also has her sights set on a visit to Wimbledon and is soon hatching a plan to sneak over there with her friends Billy and Bunty Bell to watch the Ladies’ Final... without the grown-ups! What could possibly go wrong? And Harry the Hero Rat has a secret plan too… he’s heard that juicy red strawberries are eaten there by the tonne, a perfect opportunity to gather up the leftovers and make strawberry jam for all the mice on the London Underground! But things go messily wrong when Kate and William discover Harry’s stash of strawberries… and somehow, Charles and Camilla find themselves serving for the match on Centre Court. Thank heavens they practised! The question is, will they win?! It’s game, set and match for the daring little Underground mice in a story which is guaranteed to have young readers squealing with delight!
(Splendid Publications, paperback, £8.99)

Age 4 plus
Whisper to the Rescue
Rose Robbins

SAVING a little dragon’s mountain home is going to need something more subtle than fighting fire with fire! Rose Robbins – an acclaimed author and illustrator whose own subtle voice and individual artwork has brought extra power to her enchanting picture books – brings us a beautifully created tale about courage, co-operation and taking care of the environment.Whisper is the smallest, quietest dragon on the mountainside. He notices everything but his family doesn’t seem to notice him. But when he sees that his family’s fires are damaging their forest neighbourhood, he knows he must persuade them to change their ways. But nobody will listen to him. How will he get his message across? It will take all Whisper’s resourcefulness and courage, and some help from his friends, to save the mountainside in time. With the importance of looking after the environment at centre stage, and empowering messages to quiet children about making oneself heard, and the usefulness of creativity to help get a message across, this is the perfect story to set young imaginations on fire!
(Scallywag Press, hardback, £12.99)

Age 3 plus
The Crossodile
Rachel Morrisroe and Ella Okstad

NEVER cross a Crossodile when it’s being beastly! Amazing picture book talent Rachel Morrisroe and bestselling Norwegian illustrator Ella Okstad have fun with their latest laugh-out-loud picture book starring a boy who struggles to manage his anger. Beware the swirling, storming Crossodile! Though Hayden Hill likes lots of things – like eating ice-cream, playing chess, and looking after his pet lizard – some things make him a bit, well...cross. And when he can’t stop himself from getting crosser and crosser, a rather strange thing happens... his little pet lizard turns into a giant snapping whirlwind of a Crossodile! As his out-of-control Crossodile causes destruction everywhere it goes and terrifies his friends, Hayden realises that he can’t keep letting it take over. Can he figure out how to understand his anger and tame his Crossodile once and for all? Both heartwarming and hilarious, Morrisroe’s rollicking, rhyming, read-aloud story about understanding your anger and the importance of friendship, is brought to life by Okstad’s glorious gallery of colourfully chaotic illustrations and is guaranteed to capture the hearts of readers young and old.
(Puffin, paperback, £7.99)

Age 3 plus
Kodi and the mystery of
Komodo Island
Paul Deslandes and Rose Gerrard

DON'T poo, poo it but sparks fly when a little Komodo dragon meets a real, fire-breathing dragon in a fun-filled picture book from author Paul Deslandes and illustrator Rose Gerrard. On the Island of Komodo, there was an ancient mystery about a giant, gruesome, ghastly beast who ate lizards for its tea... and has claws as sharp as razor blades! Join Kodi, the detective Komodo dragon, on his adventure to solve this mystery, once and for all. Komodo dragons are one of the world’s largest lizards, with males growing to a maximum length of three metres and weighing up to 150kg, and Deslandes has fun with his own daring little Komodo dragon detective hero. With a romping, rhyming text that is perfect for reading aloud, Gerrard’s adorable illustrations, and a pile of poo that saves the day, this is set to be a favourite with all young mischief-makers!
(New Frontier Publishing, paperback, £8.99)

Age 3 plus
The Midnight Panther
Poonam Mistry 

INDULGE your senses in a stunning picture book brimming with intricate artwork and important messages about finding your place in the world. The Midnight Panther is a feast of visual beauty and verbal lyricism from Yoto Carnegie Medal-shortlisted author and illustrator Poonam Mistry who blends her love of nature with her Indian roots to explore the relationships between pattern, shapes and colour. Here we meet Panther who thinks he is not like the other cats. Leopard has beautiful spots, Tiger has impressive stripes and Lion has a magnificent mane while Panther is small, shy and dark. One night he decides to go and find out where in the jungle he really belongs. Finally summoning up the courage to scale the treetops, he answers the call of moonlight and ink-black night. Perhaps up among the stars he will find out something about his own strength and beauty. Mistry’s mesmerising and inspirational fable about courage and self-discovery resonates with colour, fabulous design and atmospheric illustration. The perfect gift for little ones seeking their own way in the world.
(Templar Publishing, paperback, £8.99)

Age 3 plus
Doggy Dance Off
Steve Smallman and Robert Starling

IT'S the big Doggy Dance Off and you’re invited to join in the boogie woogie antics! Once-upon-a-time illustrator (and now bestselling author) Steve Smallman joins artist Robert Starling, his ‘dancing’ partner, for a rhyming picture book packed with discos, divas... and wee! Head down to the Doggy Dance Off where all the cool dogs meet to wag their tails and stomp their feet. There’s Doug, a body-popping pug, Duke Doggy Doo, the punk rocker cockapoo, Eva the golden retriever and dancefloor diva, and... one mysterious masked dancer. Who is this body-popping, hand-jiving, back-flipping groovy mover? Smallman has fun with his much-loved, wizard wordplay and wicked sense of humour, Starling fills every page with his colourful, all-singing, all-dancing illustrations, the dazzling doggy dance off has a fabulous feline twist in its tail, and there’s a subtle lesson for youngsters about the rewards of inclusion. What’s not to love?
(Little Tiger Press, paperback, £7.99)

Age 2 plus
Maisie Jones and the Dinosaur Bones
Lily Murray and Jenny Løvlie

FOLLOW your dream and never give up because where there’s a will, there’s a way! The adventures of budding little palaeontologist Maisie Jones cannot help but inspire a new generation of fossil-hunters – and empower any frustrated young feminist – in a fun and feisty picture book from top team, author Lily Murray and illustrator Jenny Løvlie. Inspired by the real-life story of Dorset palaeontologist Mary Anning, and with a bonus page all about her discoveries 150 years ago, this is a story beautifully created to both entertain and educate. Maisie Jones lives by the sea, and can always be seen out searching the shore for treasures that she sells in her family's fossil shop. She wants to make a big discovery... to find her very own dinosaur bones. But when she does find something spectacular, a stuffy man in a top hat steals her discovery, and tries to claim it for himself! The race is on... Maisie must track down the pompous professor and make sure everyone knows that it was Maisie Jones who found the dinosaur bones! The perfect pick for treasure hunters and big dreamers!
(Macmillan Children’s Books, paperback, £7.99)

Age 2 plus
Who Ate Steve?
Susannah Lloyd and Kate Hindley

DIG into the simplest mystery story you’ll ever read... and prepare to laugh out loud when you come up for air! Children’s author Susannah Lloyd and award-winning artist Kate Hindley have a beak-load of fun with this delightfully quirky mini mystery which puts size at centre stage, and has all the vibes of Jon Klassen's classic I Want My Hat Back. Marcel is a bird. He is big. Steve is a worm, and he is... Wait a minute, Steve has disappeared! Does Marcel know something about it? And can he be persuaded to return that poor worm RIGHT NOW?! With a clever, witty story full of surprises and featuring a scattering of Lloyd’s irrepressible dark humour, and Hindley’s hilarious artwork providing colour, extra quirk and yet more laugh-out-loud comedy, Who Ate Steve? is guaranteed to have little mischief-makers (and their adults!) giggling and guffawing from first page to last!
(Nosy Crow, paperback, £7.99)

Age 2 plus
Don’t Disturb The Pirate!
Rhiannon Findlay and Siân Roberts

BEDTIME approaches... and it’s time to set off on another rhyming read-aloud, wind-down adventure with rising star children’s author Rhiannon Findlay, creator of the super-successful Ten Minutes to Bed series. Oh no, Patch the puppy has run away! Where could that naughty puppy be, and can YOU help a little girl find the missing puppy? Tiptoe over, under, round and through the book, just... don’t disturb the PIRATE! With a playful, perfectly rhymed adventure full of twists and turns, and Siân Roberts’ cute and colourful illustrations bringing the adorable story to life, youngsters will love joining in the immersive action and the quest to find the naughty puppy. Fun and giggles guaranteed all the way to lights out!  
(Puffin, paperback, £7.99)