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| Book Reviews - Children's Fiction |
Current book reviews for this category are shown below.
You may add your own review if you wish. |
| Dinosaur Cove 12: Assault of the Friendly Fiends |
Rex Stone
£4.99, Oxford
Jamie and Tom are off on another adventure in Dino World and with their little dinosaur friend, Wanna, they set off for Misty Mountains. They spot a group of turkey-sized dinosaurs on the mountainside - they look really cute. But when the dinos chase after a passing lizard the boys realize they're not so sweet after all. They're carnivores and they want Jamie and Tom for their next meal! As they race to get away the boys and Wanna climb further up the mountain but a sudden tremor stops them in their tracks. It's not a mountain at all - it's a volcano . . . and it's about to blow! |
| The Wild Man - A Joe Rat Adventure |
Mark Barratt
£5.99, Harper Collins
Having escaped the clutches of Mother in Poundsfield, Joe Rat is back, now working as a sweeper in the more upmarket Lomesbury Square. Having foiled a burglary at one of the 'posh' houses on the square, the owner, Mr Harvey - a rich philanthropist - determines to help Joe. Harvey manages to track down Joe's father, a British army deserter now living wild in Canada. Joe has never met his father, but Harvey brings the wild man back to England and helps set them both up in better jobs. However, Alec Harvey has other ideas - he's jealous of the kindness his father shows Joe and the relationship Joe seems to have with this exciting man from Canada. He determines to show his father once and for all that he's just as good, but in so doing risks the lives of those around him. |
| TV Time Travellers, The |
Pete Johnson
£4.99, Harper Collins
Zac and Izzy win a place on a new reality TV show, but they have no idea where they're going or what to expect ...They must live as if it's 1939, the start of World War Two. One by on they will be voted out by the viewing public. It's a hard life and, since each contestant is desperate to be the final winner, problems occur. When the live final arrives, the contestants and the audience will all be stunned by what occurs.
An exciting new story from award-winning author Pete Johnson for readers aged nine years and over. |
| Bare Bum Gang and The Holy Grail |
Anthony McGowan
£4.99, Harper Collins
Ludo, Noah, Jamie, Phillip and Jennifer are The Bare Bum Gang! They have an embarrassing name but a cool Gang Den, so things could be worse. Join the gang in a new adventure as they battle the forces of the evil Dockery Gang, guard with their lives the secrets of their underground sweet stash, and still get home in time for tea. Ludo and Noah go to the aid of an old tramp who has collapsed after being hassled by the Dockery gang. Everyone thinks he's a little bit crazy as he dresses in home made armour - his nickname is King Arthur. King Arthur asks Ludo to retrieve his 'treasure' and so the gang have to sneak past security guards and overcome various obstacles to help the old man. But can they get to the treasure before anyone else?
Another hilarious title in the series for seven years plus. |
| Bug Buddies: The Big Game |
Joe Miller
£3.99, Harper Collins
Even bugs can be heroes! Join the Bug Buddies on bug-tastic adventures, as they pit their wits against the dreaded spider Spinner, creepiest of all creepy crawlies! Spinner's Wood is full of sticky mud, tall trees and long grass. But most of all, it's full of bugs! Meet the Bug Buddies -- four best friends called Zap, Buzz, Lurch and Crunch. Their life would be perfect if it weren't for Spinner, who has eight legs and one mission: to trap the whole wood in his evil web. But even bugs can be heroes! It's the Beetle Ball final and the Bug Buddies face the mighty Centipede United. But who's lurking on the sidelines? Could it be Spinner?
New series for five years and over. Other titles include:
Enemy Attack!
Ant Invasion!
Tunnel Trouble! |
| Silver Dolphins 1: The Magic Charm |
Summer Waters
£4.99, Harper Collins
Exciting new magical adventure series for seven years and over - will you answer the call of the Silver Dolphins? Antonia is thrilled to win first prize in the Sea Watch poster competition -- a dolphin charm necklace. But when she is presented with it, she is mysteriously told to 'always answer the call'. Soon she discovers that her necklace has magical powers that draw her to the sea where she meets a pod of dolphins and learns she has been chosen for a very special role. But Antonia's new responsibilities not only conflict with her friendships; they also bring her into danger. Is she brave enough to face her fears? And can she be a Silver Dolphin without losing her best friend? |
| Iggy & Me |
Jenny Valentine
£5.99, Harper Collins
Iggy & Me is a My Naughty Little Sister for a modern audience, following the natics of the irrepressible Iggy as seen through the eyes of her older sister Flo.
Funny and endearing, each chapter is a satisfying story of family life, perfect for reading aloud at bedtime, or for newly-confident readers to enjoy alone.
Illustrated throughout with black-and-white line drawings by Joe Berger, who was nominated for the Booktrust Early Years Award for his first picture book Bridget Fidget. |
| Outlaw: The Legend of Robin Hood - A Graphic Novel |
Tony Lee & Sam Hart
£9.99, Walker Books
A stunning, full-colour, action-packed tale of the heroic legend for readers aged 10 years and over.
When Robin of Loxley gets news of his father’s death, he abandons the bloody Crusade in Jerusalem and rides back to Sherwood Forest. With the king away from England, the Sheriff of Nottingham rules the land with an iron fist. But in the haunted depths of the forest, Robin soon raises an army to challenge the evil Sheriff. Wearing a dark hood for disguise and with his unparalleled gift for the bow, Robin quickly becomes an outlaw – fighting the forces of evil for the good of the poor – with a hefty price on his head...
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| It's A Secret! |
John Burningham
£11.99, Walker Books
Join Marie Elaine on a thrilling rooftop journey that takes her to a most unusual party!
One night Marie Elaine finds her cat Malcolm dressed to go to a party. On condition she keep his secret, Malcolm agrees to let her come with him, and they set off through the streets – a dangerous journey, for Marie Elaine is now as small as her cat! At the party there are cats and more cats, and they are all very excited … the Queen of the Cats is on her way! It is a night that Marie Elaine will never forget – and she won’t forget to keep the secret either!
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| Poppy Love Steps Out |
Natasha May
£3.99, Walker Books
Samba, quickstep, tango and waltz - Poppy Love loves to dance them all!
Poppy Love loves to dance! She and her dance partner, Zack, study with Sarah Johnson at the Blue Horizon Dance School in Brighton and are about to enter the South East Juvenile Ballroom Dancing Competition. In this first book of the series they cha-cha-cha, jive, waltz, tango and quickstep, as well as dance the samba at the Southern Counties Festival of Dance. Four action-packed stories filled with dance, music, make-up and dresses - something for every young dancer!
Suitable for readers aged seven years and over. Other titles include:
Poppy Love Faces The Music
Poppy Love Rock 'n' Roll
Poppy Love Star Turn |
| Monday's Are Murder |
Tanya Landman
£4.99, Walker Books
First in a brand-new series of murder mysteries. Miss Marple for the younger reader - suitable for nine years plus.
When Poppy Fields goes on an activity holiday to a remote Scottish island, she is looking forward to a week of climbing, hill-walking and horse riding. But things take a bad turn when their instructor has what appears to be a fatal abseiling accident. When Poppy discovers that his rope was cut, and more of the instructors start to have "accidents", she and best friend Graham suspect foul play and decide to investigate.
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| Hank Zipzer 7: Help! Somebody Get Me Out of Fourth Grade! |
Henry Winkler and Lin Oliver
£4.99, Walker Books
Hank Zipzer wants to be number one, not the one who always gets it wrong. A likeable, struggling hero that readers will adore.
It's the end of the year parent-teacher conference and Hank Zipzer is in trouble, again. Worried that he will have to repeat fourth grade, he comes up with a plan – he will fix it so his parents are on holiday for the whole conference. Of course, being Hank, the plan backfires. Will he have to stay in fourth grade for ever?
Seventh in the hit series from Henry 'The Fonz' Winkler - for readers aged eight and over. |
| Toby and the Secrets of the Tree |
Timothee de Fombelle
£9.99, Walker Books
The second and final part of the thrilling adventure of heroism and friendship in an unforgettable miniature world.
Toby’s world is under greater threat than ever before. A giant crater has been dug right into the centre of the Tree, moss and lichen invade the branches, and one tyrant controls it all. Leo Blue, once Toby’s best friend, now his worst enemy, is holding Elisha prisoner, hunting the Grass People with merciless force, capturing all who stand in his way, inflicting a life of poverty and fear. But returning after several years among the Grass People, Toby will fight back. And this time he’s not alone. A resistance is forming…
This eagerly anticipated sequel to the award-winning Toby Alone is a gripping conclusion to a new classic adventure story for readers aged nine years and over.
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| Benny and Omar |
Eoin Colfer
£5.99, Puffin Books
n my old school, we had fighting, no pool and there'd be vicious matches against the other schools . . . I miss all that stuff!
Moving to Africa is the worst thing that has ever happened to Benny Shaw. No one plays hurling (the best game on the planet) and the local school is run by hippies who like to talk about feelings. As if.
But when Benny meets wisecracking Omar (the name's Bond, James Bond Omar) who only speaks English in TV catchphrases, he decides that maybe life in this new country can be fun after all.
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| Percy Jackson and the Last Olympian |
Rick Riordan
£12.99, Puffin Books
The greatest monster of all, the storm giant Typhon, is on the loose, wreaking havoc and destruction across the U.S. - while Kronos's army lays siege to Manhattan. Soon Percy Jackson must make the hardest choice of his life - a choice that will save or destroy the world.
Can Percy stop the rampage of the Titans, to save Olympus - and himself? Clever mixture of myth and modern tales for 12 years and over. |
| Faerie Heart |
Livi Michael
£6.99, Puffin Books
'If you light a fire on Mabb's hill, she will come for you…'
All Keri has ever wanted is to be part of the Magic. Now her brother Lu is dying. To save him she must bargain with the dangerous Faerie Queen Mabb, who exacts a terrible price.
Will the Magic help Keri to save her brother - and herself?
By the author of The Whispering Road, winner of the Bronze Nestle Children's Book Prize.
Suitable for eight to 12 year olds. |
| Magic Puppy - Spellbound at School |
Sue Bentley
£4.99, Puffin Books
Never in Lola's wildest dreams had she imagined having a magic puppy for a friend!
So when Storm, a fluffy black and white shih-tzu puppy, suddenly appears, Lola's lonely school days come into a whole magical class of their own!
Suitable for five to eight year olds.
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| Young Bond: By Royal Command |
Charlie Higson
£6.99, Puffin Books
Following a treacherous rescue mission high in the freezing Alps, James Bond is preparing for life back at Eton. But James is under surveillance; his every move is being watched. He alone holds the clue to a sinister plot that will bring bloodshed and carnage to his school - and his country.
Life for James Bond will never be the same again.
Suitable for eight to 12 year olds.
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| Story of Cirrus Flux, The |
Matthew Skelton
£6.99, Puffin Books
'You shall help me find him still . . . there is nowhere for the boy to hide.'
Orphan boy Cirrus Flux is being watched. Merciless rogues are conniving to steal the world's most divine power, which they believe Cirrus has inherited.
Now he faces a perilous journey through the dirty backstreets of London as a sinister mesmerist, a tiny man with an all-seeing eye, and a skull-collecting scoundrel pursue him. Cirrus must escape them. It really is not safe to give such evil people such incredible power . . .
Suitable for eight to 12 years. |
| Love, Aubrey |
Suzanne LaFleur
£9.99, Puffin Books
Something terrible has happened. Eleven-year-old Aubrey is on her own.
'It was fun at first, playing house. Nothing to think about but T.V and cheese. A perfect world.'
She's determined to hide away and take care of herself, because facing the truth is too much to bear.
'I couldn't let anyoneknow that I was alone. I was staying right here.'
But with the love of her grandmother and the letters she writes, can Aubrey begin to see that even though she's lost everything - all is not lost?
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| The Littlest Dinosaur's Big Adventure |
Michael Foreman
£10.99, Bloomsbury
The littlest dinosaur gets lost one day when he goes out on his own. While at first it is all a lot of fun, soon he starts to get concerned, particularly when he starts to hear some crying from behind a tree! When he finds out who is crying, the littlest dinosaur has to be much braver than he thought he could be. |
| Charie & Lola: I really wonder what plant I'm growing |
Lauren Child
£6.99, Puffin
Lola plants a seed and hopes that it will sprout into something amazing - like a cookie plant! As Charlie and Lola wait for the mysterious seed to grow, big brother Charlie teaches Lola how to care for her seed. Based on an episode, this perfect "take-along" book has it all! There's a handle made just for little hands, a simple story, a puzzle, and even a coloring page behind the puzzle pieces!
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| What does Daddy do? |
Rachel Bright
£, Puffin
Dexter's daddy is a fireman, Rosie's daddy is a doctor, but Daisy's just not sure what her daddy does all day while she is at nursery She knows he has 'mountains of paperwork to climb', and he always has to 'fly' and his boss is a dragon - but can he really be an explorersuperknight? This charming and funny picture book comes from exciting new author/illustrator, Rachel Bright.
Brilliantly observed, she perfectly captures the imaginative world of preschoolers in this clever but simple paperback original - the perfect gift for Father's Day from five to eight year olds! |
| Animal Farm |
George Orwell
£7.99, Penguin
Mr Jones of Manor Farm is so lazy and drunken that one day he forgets to feed his livestock. The ensuing rebellion under the leadership of the pigs Napoleon and Wellington leads to the animals taking over the farm. Vowing to eliminate the terrible inequities of the farmyard, the renamed Animal Farm is organised to benefit all who walk on four legs. But as time passes, the ideals of the rebellion are corrupted, then forgotten, and something new and unexpected emerges.
Animal Farm, the history of a revolution that went wrong is George Orwell's brilliant satire on the corrupting influence of power. New edition from Penguin.
Suitable for eight years to adult.
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| Elephant |
Petr Horacek
£9.99, Walker Books
A young boy spends his day playing games with his imaginary friend, Elephant. Real or not, when Grandma and Grandpa are busy, Elephant proves to be the perfect playmate! Illustrated with Petr Horacek's distinctive and beautiful style.
Imaginative young minds will love this bold, contemporary picture book about a boy and his rather unusual best friend. |
| Milo Armadillo |
Jan Fearnley
£10.99, Walker Books
All Tallulah wants for her birthday is a pink fluffy rabbit, but Gran knits her something very different: a pink, fluffy armadillo!
An enchanting picture book about learning to love things for what they are - for children aged two years and over.
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| Where's Tumpty? |
Polly Dunbar
£9.99, Walker Books
Tumpty is trying his hardest to hide ... will he ever succeed?
“I’m hiding,” said Tumpty. “You can’t see me!” But everyone can see Tumpty, upside down under a large cardboard box, behind a pot plant. It’s very funny. But later when they really can't find Tumpty – not in the cupboard or behind the curtain or in the biscuit tin – suddenly it isn’t funny at all…
A Tilly and Friends book for readers aged two years and over.
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| Pretty Pru |
Polly Dunbar
£9.99, Walker Books
A handbag thief is on the prowl ... and Pru's the victim! But who could have taken it? Surely not her friends?
Someone has taken Pru’s handbag. The green handbag with red spots, with blusher and nail varnish inside. Where is it? And who took it? No one is prepared to own up – but it can’t remain a secret for long when her friends are wearing the evidence!
A Tilly and Friends book for readers aged two years and over. |
| Seymour and Henry |
Kim Lewis
£10.99, Walker Books
A delightful tale of a ducks at play from the creator of Goodnight, Harry.
The ducklings, Seymour and Henry, don’t want to stop playing at the end of the day. It’s far more fun to run away and hide. But they wait and they wait, and still Mummy doesn’t come. Then, plip plop, the rain starts to fall, and hiding doesn’t seem nearly as much fun. So back run Seymour and Henry, as fast as they can, to Mummy, who is waiting to take them home to bed…
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| Little Chick |
Amy Hest
£10.99, Walker Books
Spend a wonderful day with Little Chick in these three enchanting stories from master storyteller Amy Hest and award-winning illustrator Anita Jeram.
How Little Chick longs for her carrot to grow tall, for her kite to fly high, to be able to reach up and take her star from the sky. But her carrot is small, her kite bobs along on the ground and she can't stretch up far enough to touch her star. Sometimes things just don't turn out quite the way you want them to. But, as Old-Auntie shows Little Chick, there is just as much wonder in things that are small and far away – if you only look!
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| Damsel |
Susan E. Connolly
€8.99, Mercier Press
The dragon roared and the clearing filled with shining whiteness. The flames burned with the pure deadly brightness that can only come from dragon fire. Annie closed her eyes but the scene imprinted on her vision; The knight tall and proud with his sword raised high and the dragon on her haunches, wings spread wide above them. When she opened her eyes all that was left of him was red hot armor glowing on the ground and a skittish grey mare neighing in panic. Can a damsel ever be the one to do the rescuing? Annie Brave thinks so. Her father, one of the most famous heroes of them all, is missing, presumed eaten. With no heroes available to rescue him from the clutches of the evil wizard, Greenlott, Annie takes his book "How to Slay Dragons - and Other Advice for the Hero in Training" and sets off on a rescue mission.Teaming up with Roger of Rockfield, an honorable liar, she embarks on a series of adventures which are far from traditional. Whether these adventures involve Annie saving Roger from giant spiders or Annie and Roger dealing with the amorous advances of a prince frog (not to be confused with a frog prince) every incident leads them further on a voyage of self-discovery they never intended to make.
The newest must-read children's book by Ireland's freshest children's author for eight to 12 year olds. |
| Monkey Lou and The Storm Baby |
Gil Johnson
£5.35, Matador
The launch of 'Monkey Lou and The Storm Baby' sees the return of the loveable superhero in a tale of courage and teamwork which highlights the dangers of deforestation and the consequences for endangered species in the wild.
Children will be enthralled by the chilling threat to the little Storm Baby and cheered by his daring rescue. But the story does not end there. Why has the Storm Baby undertaken such a dangerous journey? Who is following him through the jungle? These questions and more are answered when our cheeky little hero, Monkey Lou, arrives bringing excitement, fun and a whole heap of bravery to this hair raising adventure. Underlying all the Monkey Lou adventures are the environmental issues which are all around us. The stories help children to understand and care about these issues in a fun and exciting context.
The books have been vibrantly illustrated by Vicky Fieldhouse to explore both beautiful views of the African plains and well perceived characterisations of the key animals in the story. The careful combination of text and illustration is designed to promote specific aspects of early literacy development, as well as essential speaking and listening skills in 4-8 year olds.
‘Monkey Lou and The Storm Baby’ is priced at £5.99 and is available online at www.monkeylou.co.uk, direct from the publisher at www.troubador.co.uk or from Waterstone’s stores and other leading bookshops. Visit Monkey Lou on his website and you can download the colouring-in page, view Monkey Lou’s Interesting Facts Page, check for upcoming events or order the books, t-shirts or poster. |
| Amazing adventures of Starr. Book 1 |
Jacky rom
£6.99, Jax Publishing UK
Starr Fox is 11 yrs old and. along with her headstrong backstage mother, she enters the fascinating world of entertainment. When things don't go quite to plan, Starr is swept along on a mysterious journey, full of intrigue and suspense.
From the audition to the red carpet, this is set to be the most exciting aventure of her life.
Join her as she becomes our very own, youngest ever, Secret Super Sleuth. |
| Flyboy of Underwhere |
Bruce Hale
£, Harper Collins
Here's the thing: Zeke's busy being the so-called Prince of Underwhere. His prissy sister, Stephanie, is some sort of pirate queen. But Hector? Everyone treats him like a joker and a sidekick. Well, those days are over. Now only Hector can save the day—if he can survive the swarms of sharp-beaked midget flying dinos, smart-aleck flying horses, angry armies in their undies, a really, really bad hypnotist, and a duel with deadly toilet plungers. . . all the ordinary wedgie weirdness of the tighty-whitie world under our own.
Suitable for eight to 12 year olds. |
| Raising Dragons |
Bryan Davis
£8.99, Candle Books
Contemporary fantasy series for young adults aged 11 years and over, delivering action, danger and inspiration through the adventures of teenagers Billy Bannister and Bonnie Silver. An epic adventures in a world of dragons, knights and fair maidens, as Billy and Bonnie learn about their dragon past, drawing strength from their friendship and discovering the power they carry within.
Other titles in the Dragons in our Midst series:
The Candlestone
Circles of Seven
Tears of a Dragon |
| Judy Moody Goes to College |
Megan McDonald
£4.99, Walker Books
Judy Moody doesn't want a private maths tutor, until a cool college student changes her mind - and her attitude. Crucial!
Judy Moody was in a mood. Not a good mood. And definitely NOT a maths mood. The substitute teacher thinks Judy’s maths skills need improving (not to mention her attitude!). So Judy has to see a private tutor. Does this mean flash cards? Does this mean baby games? Does this mean school on Saturday? But when Judy meets her tutor – a crucial college student with an uber-funky sense of style – and gets a glimpse of college life, Judy’s bad math-i-tude turns into a radical glad-i-tude. Pretty soon, Judy’s not only acing her maths class, she’s owning it. Say goodbye to Judy Moody, old skool third-grader, and say hello to Ms College.
For readers aged seven years plus. To find out about this and other Judy Moody titles, visit www.judymoody.co.uk |
| Wind in the Willows, The |
Kenneth Grahame
£9.99, Walker Books
Kenneth Grahame's classic children's story tells the adventures of the amiable Mole, the dapper Water Rat and the marvellous Badger as they endeavour to keep the wayward Toad out of trouble. Sensitively abridged and beautifully illustrated with great charm and detail by Inga Moore.
Walker Illustrated Classics is a new series which brings together some of the best-loved stories ever told, illustrated by some of today's finest artists. These exquisitely designed books, with their magnificent words and glorious pictures, are a pleasure to read – and re-read. The classics have never looked so good! Other titles include:
Classic Poetry
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland
The Secret Garden |
| Irish Folk Tales |
Gill & Macmillan
€12.99, Gill & Macmillan
A book of 6 magical tales of leprechauns and Irish fairy folk told in a lively and engaging manner:
- Lazy Annie and her Magical Aunts
- Paddy and the Phouka
- Soul Cages
- The Doctor and the Fairy Princess
- Paying the Rent
- Seeing is Believing
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| Coraline – Film Tie-In Edition |
Neil Gaiman
£6.99, Bloomsbury Publishing
Tie-in edition of the animated feature directed by Henry Selick, director of Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas, with a cast including Teri Hatcher, Ian McShane, Dawn French, Jennifer Saunders and Dakota Fanning
When a young girl ventures through a hidden door, she finds another life with shocking similarities to her own.
Coraline has moved to a new house with her parents and she is fascinated by the fact that their ‘house’ is in fact only half a house! Divided into flats years before, there is a brick wall behind a door where once there was a corridor. One day it is a corridor again and the intrepid Coraline wanders down it. And so a nightmare-ish mystery begins that takes Coraline into the arms of counterfeit parents and a life that isn’t quite right.
Can Coraline get out? Can she find her real parents? Will life ever be the same again?
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| Zac Zoltan's Mad Monster Agency: Return of the Chocolate Vampires |
Knife & Packer
£4.99, Bloomsbury Publishing
Captain Underpants meets Batman and Robin!
Schoolboys Josh and Spencer must save the world from disgusting monsters and scary slimy things everywhere in their most fantastic alter egos of Zac Zoltan and Dr Brains
Josh Flunk and Spencer Topps are just two normal schoolboys until the ivory skull on the old walking stick in Josh’s bedroom flashes. Using a secret trapdoor under Josh’s bed, they pass through the ancient Egyptian sarcophagus discovered by Josh's Great-great-great-Grandfather to become their alter egos, Zac Zoltan and his assistant Dr Brains, Masters of Zac Zotlan's Detective Agency – ready to save the world from marauding monsters.
Book 1: Return of the Chocoholic Vampires: between the Stone Age and the Iron Age was the Chocolate Age, an age which came to an abrupt and mysterious end. When the remains of an ancient chocolate settlement are discovered, a precious chocolate amulet is unearthed and with it come the evil CHOCOLATE VAMPIRES.
Book 2: Night of the Living Bed: more gruesome adventures to follow in July. |
| Kreeps 1: Meet the Kreeps |
Kiki Thorpe
£4.99, Scholastic
A weird new family has moved into the deserted old mansion on Polly's street, and she doesn't like it one bit. But no one else seems to notice just how strange Veronica Kreep and her kids are. Even worse, Polly's dad is starting to fall under Veronica's spell! Can Polly save her family from those freaky Kreeps?
Also available in the Kreeps series:
KREEPS 2: THE NEW STEP-MUMMY
Polly can't believe that her dad is marrying Veronica Kreep! She's convinced that Veronica is a witch, but no one will listen to her. When she meets the Kreeps' even weirder relatives, she knows she has to act fast. Can Polly stop the wedding before she gets stuck with the Kreeps for ever? |
| Dragon Tamer's Castle, The |
Ben Cort
£18.99, Scholastic
When a little orphan boy named Sprout stumbles upon an enormous dragon's egg, his incredible adventure has only just begun... Create your own dragon tamer's castle with the first title in the amazing Build-a-Story range. Complete with twelve castle pieces with red foam edges, fourteen stand-up characters, a storybook and a fold-out play board, this brilliant set has enormous play value. |
| Madeleine: 70th Anniversary Edition |
Ludwig Bemelmans
£7.99, Scholastic
'In an old house in Paris that was covered in vines lived twelve little girls in two straight lines...' Something is not right with little Madeline. Her friends are sad when she goes to hospital to have her appendix removed. But they cheer up when see her impressive scar! The small but feisty heroine, Madeline, and her charming Parisian world have been loved by children and adults alike for seventy years.
Other titles in the Madeleine series:
Madeleine and the Bad Hat
Madeleine and the Gypsies
Madeleine in London
Madeleine's Rescue
Madeleine's Christmas |
| Treasure Fever! |
Andy Griffiths
£4.99, Scholastic
When a new teacher arrives in Henry McThrottle's classroom, spelling tests and maths books go out of the window - literally! For the first time ever, Henry and his friends actually look forward to the end of breaktime. Lessons include How to Skid on a Banana Skin, How to Hang Out of a Window, and How to Conduct an Archaeological Dig. Amidst all the excitement, Henry discovers a map that could lead his class to hidden treasure! What's more, it's buried in the school grounds. Suddenly, a race to find the booty begins... |
| Twinkle Twinkle Chocolate Bar |
John Foster
£9.99, Oxford
'Twinkle twinkle chocolate bar
Your dad drives a rusty car
Press the starter
Pull the choke
Off he goes in a cloud of smoke.' Anon
Here is a collection of poems and rhymes for very young children. With themes ranging from pets, magic and weather to favourite foods, families and toys, there are poems for every occasion. And the mix of cautionary verse, nonsense rhymes, lullabies, lyrical poems and comic verse adds up to an anthology to suit all moods and moments. There are contributions from Michael Rosen, Wendy Cope, Charles Causley, Valerie Bloom, Brian Moses, Spike Milligan, Jack Prelutsky and many, many more. Each poem is accompanied by full colour artwork - from a diverse range of illustrators including Tony Ross, Nick Sharratt, Ian Beck, Brian Wildsmith and Korky Paul.
A delectable assortment of light, melt-in-the-mouth poems for the very young to dip into again and again - the poetic equivalent of good mood food!
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| The World's Best Karlson |
Astrid Lindgren
£4.99, Oxford
Fun-filled stories starring an ordinary boy called Smidge and the extraordinary Karlson, the flying man who lives on the roof!
Smidge is used to Karlson, the funny little man with a propeller on his back, living on the roof. They are firm friends. Now, anytime Karlson pops in, Smidge knows that there's fun and adventure in store. In this collection of stories, they flood the bathroom, celebrate Karlson's birthday, and prompt a newspaper to offer a reward when Karlson is mistaken for a spy!
Suitable for boys and girls of seven to nine years. Fans of Astrid Lindgren's Pippi Longstocking books, of the 'Horrid Henry' and Judy Moody' series |
| Dinosaur Cove 9: Tracking the Gigantic Beast |
Rex Stone
£4.99, Oxford
Jamie and Tom are back in Jurassic dinosaur world doing a spot of prehistoric bird watching. Suddenly a large face appears among the treetops - it's a huge diplodocus! The boys enjoy watching the enormous beast chewing on the branches, but when a big twig gets lodged in its mouth, the diplodocus starts going crazy. Jamie and Tom must find their way across the treetops, swinging on vines, in order to catch up with the dinosaur and try to help him. |
| Dinosaur Cove 10: Escape from the Fierce Predator |
Rex Stone
£5.99, Oxford
When Jamie and Tom spot the fierce Allosaurus in their secret dino world, they decide to observe it from a distance. But when the dinosaur spots them, the chase is on. The boys and Wanna run for their lives and find a secret cave to hide in, but the Allosaurus soon sniffs them out. What can they use to mask their scent and escape from the fierce predator once and for all? |
| A Small Surprise |
Louise Yates
£10.99, Jonathan Cape
Roll up! Roll up! Discover the most marvellous collection of colossal creatures known to man: among them the Beastly Bear, the Gargantuan Gorilla … and the smallest new addition to their troupe!
Meet the courageous Rabbit, who is - admittedly - rather small, but isn't prepared to let this hold him back...
Prepare to be captivated by this magical character and his somewhat larger circus friends. |
| Winnie's Flying Carpet |
Valerie Thomas and Korky Paul
£10.99, Oxford
Winnie's sisters have given her a flying carpet but Winnie is struggling to find something nice to say about it in her thank-you letter as the carpet has been more than a little wayward. Winnie decides to give the carpet one last chance but then disaster strikes. The carpet swoops off with poor Wilbur as its unwilling passenger. Winnie tries to catch it but the carpet is too fast for her and it heads straight for a funfair where it subjects Wilbur to a string of crazy rides. Winnie has to resort to magic to stop the carpet in its tracks and rescue her beloved moggy. Then she takes Wilbur home and, ever the resourceful witch, she has an idea for a wonderful way to enjoy the carpet in the safety of her own garden.
Suitable for three to seven year olds. |
| Ferocious Wild Beasts! |
Chris Wormell
£10.99, Jonathan Cape
Jack is lost in the forest - a forest that his mum has told him is full of ferocious wild beasts! But the creatures that Jack meets there: a bear, a lion, an elephant, a crocodile, a wolf and a python, all seem perfectly friendly to him, even if they are a bit worried about these ferocious wild beasts he's been telling them about ...
But then they hear a terrible roar...
Who or what can it be?
Comic picture book for five to seven year olds from teh author of George and the Dragon. |
| Sebastian Darke: Prince of Explorers |
Philip Caveney
£9.99, Random House
Sebastian, Max and Cornelius are off on their most hazardous adventure yet. Deep in the dense jungles of the south they are searching for the legendary lost city of Mendip when their quest is rudely interrupted by a savage attack by a band of Gograth – armoured apelike beasts.
Rescued by jungle girl Keera, they are taken to the village of the Jilith, a primitive tribe of warriors, who are themselves locked in a grim struggle for survival with the Gograth. Sebastian's arrival has been foretold in an ancient prophesy which states that the elf-Lord and his two companions will rid the Jilith of the curse of the Gograth forever. And if Sebastian, Max and Cornelius can achieve this Keera herself will guide them to the Lost City.
But first our heroic trio must brave savage battles, hazardous journeys, attacks by fierce beasts and some of the worst jokes in history. And what's more when they finally reach their destination, they have to contend with The Night Runners - the most terrifying foe they have ever encountered; a foe that simply cannot be killed . . . because they are already dead.
|
| Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules |
Jeff Kinney
£5.99, Puffin Books
It's a brand-new year and a brand-new journal and Greg is keen to put the humiliating (and secret!) events of last summer firmly behind him. But someone knows everything - someone whose job it is to most definitely not keep anything embarrassing of Greg's private - his big brother, Rodrick. How can Greg make it through this new school year with his cool(ish) reputation intact?
Second in the Wimpy Kid series for seven to 12 year olds, with another hilarious mix of text and comic book style presentation, perfect for those reluctant readers... Fans of the first book won't be disappointed!! |
| Ctrl-Z |
Andrew Norriss
£4.99, Puffin Books
Alex is used to getting unusual birthday presents from his Godfather John - a pair of ferrets, or a Make Your Own Explosions Kit. But this year's present is something really different - a computer that takes you back to an earlier part of the day when you hit Ctrl-Z . . . Join Alex and his friend Callum as they discover the true results of making mistakes, with plenty of laughs and mayhem along the way!
Suitable for eight to 12 year olds - from the winner of the Whitbread Award. |
| Dot Robot |
Jason Bradbury
£5.99, Puffin Books
‘Congratulations, Jackson. Welcome to MeX.’ Dot.com billionaire Devlin Lear, founder of the top-secret defence force MeX, has been watching Jackson Farley. He knows he has found a digital genius. Along with three other brilliant gamers from different corners of the world, Lear needs Jackson to join him and stop the criminal heist of the century. And all by the power of the most highly advanced, state-of-the-art robots ever invented. Are Jackson and the MeX recruits as good as Lear thinks? And how does Jackson know quite who to trust when they can never meet face-to-face?
For readers aged 11 years and over, from the presenter of TV's 'Gross' and 'The Gadget Show'. |
| Spy Dog: Rocket Rider |
Andrew Cope
£4.99, Puffin Books
Lara may have retired from the secret service but she can still sniff out danger . . . On the trail of her long-lost dad, Lara discovers a team of rocket-building scientists – evil ones. Their leader is a nasty criminal who wants to cause trouble in space and only Lara can stop him!
Cracking spy stuff for readers aged seven and over.
Other titles in the Spy Dog series include:
Spy Dog: Unleashed
Spy Dog: Superbrain
Spy Dog: 1
Spy Dog: 2 |
| Goal! 3 |
Robert Rigby
£5.99, Corgi Childrens
Santiago Munez is back in England and playing in the Premiership once again. He's also been selected for the 2010 World Cup and is playing on the form of his life. But things in his personal life are more complicated - his troublesome brother has moved from Spain to England to learn to play football like his brother, his wife Ros has a new job, and they have a three-year-old daughter to take care of.
When disaster strikes during an international warm-up match and Santi is injured, it looks like his dream of playing in the greatest competition of them all is over. Can he proove himself physically and mentally match-fit in time for the finals . . . ?
Sporting stories for readers aged 12 years and over. |
| Buried Alive! |
Jacqueline Wilson
£5.99, Yearling
Tim’s quiet holiday in Wales, with his parents and his best friend Biscuits, unexpectedly becomes truly terribly adventurous. An encounter with two local bully-boys threatens to disrupt Tim and Biscuits’s fun but their friendship is also threatened by the arrival of Tim’s ebullient friend, Kelly. Tim tells the story in snappy prose punctuated with revealing, illustrated extracts from his and Biscuits’s holiday diaries.
Fictional book dealing with family issues for nine to 11 year olds. |
| Glubbslyme |
Jacqueline Wilson
£5.99, Yearling
'Glubbslyme. You're magic!'
When Rebecca wades into the witch's pond after a row with her best friend Sarah, she meets a very unusual new friend - a huge, warty toad! And Glubbslyme is no ordinary toad. Hundreds of years old, he can talk and - best of all - he can work magic. Maybe, just maybe, he can help Rebecca be best friends with Sarah again…?
Suitable for nine to 11 year olds. |
| Follow That String |
Deborah Brown and Kathy Bacovitch
£6.99, Red Fox
Follow the adventures of Ning and Keppy!
Ning is a boy and Keppy is his teddy and together their wild imaginations take them on wonderful adventures throughout the house.
One day, as they are sitting together day dreaming, a post card with the words 'Follow that string' on it lands on the mat. Baffled but intrigued Ning and Keppy set off on the trail of the seemingly endless piece of string. Join them on their surreal journey and find out what happens at the end of that string - if indeed there is an end!
A story about the power of the imagination and the wonder of books! |
| Alfie and the Big Boys |
Shirley Hughes
£5.99, Red Fox
Alfie's Nursery School is right next door to the Big School. Alfie wishes that he could be friends with the most popular big boy, Ian Barger, but Ian never takes any notice of the little kids.
One morning, Mum takes Alfie to a Plant Pot Sale. Alfie hasn't been there long when he spots Ian Barger screaming and yelling, 'I want my mummy!'. Ian grabs Alfie's hand and holds onto him very tightly until his mum returns. Alfie realizes that big boys don't always act so big after all! |
| Rosie's Walk |
Pat Hutchins
£5.99, Red Fox
Rosie's walk around the farmyard, pursued by the hungry but clumsy fox, has become a beacon in the world of children's picture books, an ever-popular classic which generations have enjoyed. Children love the humour of this near-wordless story. One disaster after another befalls the poor fox while Rosie goes on her way, supremely unaware of the danger behind her.
Now at a wonderful larger size, this re-issue wil bring the joy of Rosie's tale and Pat's bold artwork to a new generation of fans. |
| Dougal the Digger |
Benedict Blathwayt
£5.99, Red Fox
Oh no! There’s trouble amongst the rubble when, Patch, the foreman’s dog goes missing! But luckily, Dougal is there to save the day . . .
Readers will love lifting the flaps to help find Patch but there's only one digger brave enough for the job, and that's Dougal! With bold and bright illustrations and a hidden bunny for little ones to spot on every page, this is guaranteed to be a much-loved story that will be read again and again.
|
| Have You Ever Seen A Sneep? |
Tasha Pym
£10.99, Doubleday Childrens
Have you ever set out a picnic
in a truly splendid spot,
turned your back for just one second . . .
. . . to find a Sneep has pinched the lot?
Oscar is looking forward to the perfect day out. He’ll have a picnic, read his book and build a den. But things don’t go entirely according to plan . . . Mischievous creatures keep sneaking up on him and spoiling his fun! A Sneep pinches his lunch, a Grullock almost swallows him whole and a Loon chases him all the way home! After a series of nasty surprises and narrow escapes, poor Oscar is exhausted. What he needs, is a place that’s creature-free . . .
Wonderfully whimsical picture book for five to seven year olds. |
| Princess Poppy: Pony Club Princess |
Janey Louise Jones
£3.99, Young Corgi
Poppy is taking part in a Pony Club Competition with her cousin Daisy.
They’ve both been practising like mad on their ponies
Twinkletoes and Parsley and they absolutely can’t wait.
But before long a whole series of things start to go wrong
and it looks like they might not be able to compete after all . . .
Will the Pony Club let Poppy enter the competition?
Will Twinkletoes be well enough to jump and most importantly,
will Poppy ever get to be a Pony Princess?
Find out in this brilliant new adventure for five to seven year olds. |
| Bare Bum Gang and the Valley of Doom |
Anthony McGowan
£4.99, Red Fox
Ludo, Noah, Jamie, Phillip and Jennifer are THE BARE BUM GANG! They have an embarrassing name but a cool Gang Den, so things could be worse.
Ludo leads the Bare Bum Gang on a raid through the Valley of Doom, deep in enemy territory. But as they are approaching their target, the BBG are ambushed by the Dockery gang. It looks like they are about to be annihilated (or pelted with mud really hard), but then they are rescued by a strange boy called Alfie. When they get back to their den, they find that their sweet stash has been plundered. The wrappers turn up in Ludo’s binocular case. Added to the military fiasco in the Valley of Doom, the sweet theft is the final straw. Can Ludo keep his position as leader of the Bare Bum Gang? Or will he have to resort to desperate measures?
More super school stories for seven to nine year olds. |
| Secret Agent Jack Stalwart: The Fight for the Frozen Land: Arctic |
Elizabeth Singer Hunt
£3.99, Red Fox
A group of scientists have gone missing in the Arctic - could this be linked to their research into global warming? Jack must face the harsh weather and a very hungry polar bear to find out...
Cracking adventure series for five to seven year old boys, with geography and environment themes - for more, log onto www.jackstalwart.com
Other titles in the Jack Stalwart series include:
Jack Stalwart: The Deadly Race to Space - Russia
Jack Stalwart: The Quest for Aztec Gold - Mexico
Jack Stalwart: The Theft of the Samurai Sword - Japan
Jack Stalwart: The Pursuit of the Ivory Poachers: Kenya |
| Astrosaurs Academy: Jungle Horror! |
Steve Cole
£4.99, Kids at Random House
Teggs and the gang are shocked when all the teachers at Astrosaurs Academy disappear suddenly. Apparently they're on an emergency conference in a safari park and have left the fiercesome Commodore Kallos and her team in charge. Lessons with them are really odd - the new teachers are super-strict and the cadets are being taught different facts to the ones they've learned before. The Daring Dinos are suspicious so they decide to sneak off to the safari park, find Colonel Gruff and the rest of the staff and discover the truth behind their disappearance.
Suitable for seven to nine year olds. |
| Cat Mummy, The |
Jacqueline Wilson
£4.99, Kids at Random House
Verity adores her cat, Mabel, and is desperately sad when she dies. Remembering her recent school lessons about the Ancient Egyptians, Verity decides to mummify Mabel and keep her hidden. Verity's dad and grandparents can't bear to talk about death, having lost Verity's mum in childbirth, but when they eventually discover what Verity has done with Mabel, the whole family learns that it's time to talk.
A superb handling of bereavement in Wilson's uniquely accessible and enjoyable style, for readers of 7+. |
| Jumpy Jack & Googily |
Meg Rosoff & Sophie Blackall
£5.99, Puffin Books
Meet Jumpy Jack, a very nervous snail who is afraid of monsters, and Googily who is a very good friend indeed. Wherever they go, Googily kindly checks high and low just to make sure there are no scary monsters about. But, as every child knows, monsters come in many shapes and sizes. Some are even blue with hairy eyebrows and pointy teeth. Suitable for three to six year olds. |
| Bottoms Up! |
Jeanne Willis & Adam Stower
£5.99, Puffin Books
So funny that it will have children wetting their pants (IF they're wearing anyway!), Bottoms Up! is a book guaranteed to cause giggles. Our toddler hero is not happy and wants to protest - if animals don't wear pants, then why should we?! After all . . .Do piglets wear panties? Or puppies or bears? Do fox cubs wear boxers? No, nobody cares! Packed with hilarious animal characters and rollicking, rumbustious rhyme, this is another hit from award-winning author Jeanne Willis. |
| Very Hungry Caterpillar, The - Pop-Up Book |
Eric Carle
£14.99, Puffin Books
In this brand new pop-up edition of The Very Hungry Caterpillar, fans will experience the classic story in a completely new and interactive way as the intrepid caterpillar literally pops off the page, crawling along branches, munching through food and, finally, turning into an extraordinary butterfly. The classic story is told across seven beautifully engineered pop-up spreads with tabs to pull, dials to turn and flaps to lift. This new version will be treasured by bookworms of all ages, but is especially suitable for two to five year olds.
|
| Chick |
Ed Vere
£7.99, Puffin Books
t's time for Chick to meet the world! Join in the fun as he emerges from his egg and meets his mummy. Follow him through his very first day - right up until he snuggles down under his mum's wing at bedtime. In a clever parallel to the daily routine and anxieties of a toddler, this funny and delightful novelty combines Ed's signature bold colours, lovable characters and graphic simplicity. Seven kinetic pop-ups move from the spine of the book as the pages are turned making this clever novelty strong and sturdy for the very young. |
| Ginger Snaps |
Cathy Cassidy
£5.99, Puffin Books
Gone are the days when Ginger was an outsider, always on the fringes of friendship. She’s swapped puppy fat and pigtails for make-up and hair straighteners and never looked back – until now. Ginger and Shannon are best mates, but when they befriend lonely Emily, everything changes. Even the saxophone-playing boy in the trilby hat can’t help – he's part of the problem . . . Are Ginger and Shannon drifting apart or can they stay best friends for ever? A gorgeously tender-hearted story about secrets, friends and fitting in from the new queen of tween, Cathy Cassidy. For readers aged nine years and over.
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| Skulduggery Pleasant: The Faceless Ones |
Derek Landy
£10.99, Harper Collins
If you’ve read the previous Skulduggery books then you know what the Faceless Ones are – and if you know what the Faceless Ones are, then you can probably take a wild guess that things in this book are going to get AWFULLY sticky for our skeletal hero and his young sidekick. If you haven’t read the previous Skulduggery books then what are you doing reading this? Go and read them right now, so that you know what all that stuff in the previous paragraph was about. Done? Good. So now you’re on tenterhooks too, desperately awaiting the answers to all your questions, and instead you’re going to have to wait till April to get hold of the book. Sorry about that...
Third bone-breaking, belly-busting adventure in the series that puts the “funny” back in... um... funny series. Hardback version released April 2009 - for more, visit www.skulduggerypleasant.co.uk |
| Demon from the Deep End |
James Allison
€6.99, O'Brien
When Liam Brodie, his sister Sophie and horror-movie fan Evan are offered a free trip to Spain they jump at
the chance. They’re not expecting to star in their own real-life horror story . . .
From the moment they arrive there’s something amiss – the weird hotel manager, the zombie-like guests and
the insects everywhere – not what they expected from a sun holiday! And when the boys discover the Blobster
– a monster made of slime and sludge that oozes from the pool to devour guests, things really start to get
creepy…
For readers aged eight years and over. |
| See If I Care |
Judi Curtin & Roisin Meaney
€7.95, O'Brien
STYLISH NEW REPRINT FOR THIS BEST-SELLING TITLE, PREVIOUSLY A PART OF THE JOURNALS SERIES.
Two schools, one in Ireland and one in England, have decided to set up a pen-pal programme between their
pupils. Luke is hoping to get an English boy to write to, but instead he gets stuck with Elma, who would prefer
an Irish girl as her penpal. Reluctantly, the two begin their correspondence.
Life is not going well for either Luke or Elma, and the two invent new, more glamorous lives for themselves in
their letters, little realising how similar their real lives actually are.
Judi Curtin grew up in Cork and now lives in Limerick where she is married with three children. A
former teacher, she has penned all six best-selling ‘Alice & Megan’ books. Roisin Meaney is a
primary teacher from Kerry, currently living in Limerick. Roisin has already written Don’t Even Think
About It, in the JOURNALS series for readers aged 11 years + |
| All About Alice |
Judi Curtin
€9.95, O'Brien
Alice Next Door and Alice Again, together in a single volume!
ALICE NEXT DOOR
Best friends NEED to be together. Don't they?
Poor Megan! Not alone is she stuck with totally uncool parents, and a little sister who is too cute for words, but now her very best friend, Alice, has moved away. Now Megan has to go to school and face the dreaded Melissa all on her own.
The two friends hatch a risky plot to get back together. But can their secret plan work?
ALICE AGAIN
It's spring mid-term, and Alice has invited Megan to visit her in Dublin. Megan is hoping for a nice trouble-free few days with her best friend. No such luck! She soon discovers that Alice is once again plotting and scheming. It seems that Alice's Mum Veronica has a new boyfriend. The plan is to discover who he is, and to get rid of him. Alice, (with poor Megan in tow), becomes totally horrible in an effort to scare the poor man away.
Can this possibly work?
Just how horrible can she be?
And how can Megan stand by and watch while her best friend turns into a total monster?
|
| Gnomes are Forever |
CECI JENKINSON
£4.99, FF
Oli and Skipjack want to punish cranky Mr Grumble for getting them into trouble so they liberate his gnomes ready to set them free — and they don’t stop there. They set out to free all gnomes which makes newspaper headlines, but not as big as those for a cat burglar who is pinching extremely valuable jewellery. The two stories get mixed up leading the boys into yet more hilarious, madcap trouble. Second in the ‘Oli and Skipjack’s Tales of Trouble’ series with a third on the way. Fair sized print with some pictures encourage newly confident readers. |
| Special Powers |
MARY HOFFMAN
£5.99, Barn Owl
Hating her own, boring life, Emily prefers being in her other imaginary world where things are much more exotic. Her real life takes a turn for the better when she meets the inspiring and unusual Power family. With their help she leads a campaign to stop the closure of the local library and starts to feel more confident about herself. Slowly she realises the Power family is even more unusual than they seem and live up to their name. Emily’s life will never be the
same … or will it? This is a gripping read from beginning to end full of excitement and plot twists. You aren’t sure where it will go, but really enjoy finding out. Fair size print, medium length novel. |
| Shrapnel |
ROBERT SWINDELLS
£5.99, Corgi
A very different view of life during WWII. 13 year old Gordon wishes he was old enough to join in. He is taunted
at school because his father is in a reserved occupation which meant he hasn’t fought and his elder brother, Raymond, isn’t fighting either. He has left home and no one knows what he is doing. After finding a gun in his room, Gordon tracks Raymond down and is ‘enlisted’ in his secret
government business. Gordon is thrilled to be involved at first, but it could be very dangerous for him and is Raymond telling the truth? Gordon is about to learn the true meaning of the term ‘hero’. This is an exciting, atmospheric story which really draws you in — you can almost hear the bombs
dropping. Fair sized print and short chapters encourage older readers ready for full length novels. |
| Then |
MORRIS GLEITZMAN
£5.99, Puffin
It is wartime and Felix and Zelda have escaped from a train taking them to a Nazi death camp. Their crime is being Jewish… at least Felix is. Being the nearest thing to family he has left, Zelda is by association. They escape from Nazi soldiers but realise they can’t stay safe on their own — they need shelter and someone to look after them, but how do they know who to trust? With a reward being offered for all Jews, death and betrayal is all around them and anyone who helps them is putting themselves in great danger. Thankfully there are remarkable people around willing to risk everything to help others. This is an incredibly powerful and moving story with a few shocks that will make the hairs on the back of your neck stand up. Not for the feint heated, it can be read alone but if you want to know how the hildren got in this position read ‘Once’ the book that came before it. Medium length novel for capable, mature readers. |
| This Morning I Met a Whale |
MICHAEL MORPURGO
£7.99, Walker Hb
On one of his early morning trips to the River Thames, Michael is amazed to find a whale. What is even more amazing is he can read the whale’s thoughts. He discovers the whale has deliberately come with a message to warn people about the damage pollution is causing. The whale leaves after making Michael promise to pass his message on. But back at school no one believes his story until news reaches them of a whale beached by the Thames. A life or death rescue attempt is launched and Michael is determined to play his part. This is a thought provoking,
touching story with beautiful photographic type illustrations on every page. |
| Witch Baby and Me At School |
DEBI GLIORI
£4.99, Corgi
Being the only person in her family to realise her sister, Daisy, is in fact a witch baby has put a big strain on Lily.
This is only going to get worse as she starts her new school and Lily goes to nursery. Goodness knows what Daisy will get up to without Lily keeping an eye on her. She would be even more worried if she know that Daisy was being closely watched — by witches who are determined she shouldn’t get too human. They are all going to be surprised by the developing strength of Daisy’s powers. This is the second book in this very enjoyable, comical series full of interesting characters. Large print and some pictures encourage readers onto longer novels. |
| Blue Fire and Ice |
ALAN SKINNER
£12.99, Sibling Press Hb
The Land is divided into three distinct areas inhabited by very different types of people. One of them, Beadledom, is in serious trouble: they have recently been hit by a series of blue fires that are resistant to any attempt to put them out. The very organised Beadles are desperate and ask their Muddle neighbours for help, not really thinking they will be of any use. There are plenty of surprises all round as eventually all peoples of The Land draw together to try and save it. Secrets from the past are discovered as the three peoples get to really know each other. There is plenty of action and adventure in this first book in a new series with lots of plot twists and unusual characters to keep you interested. Full length novel with small print for competent readers. |
| Frozen in Time |
ALI SPARKES
£5.99, Oxford
Ben and Rachel are having a boring Summer holiday until they discover an underground vault in their garden. Nothing
can prepare them for the discovery of two frozen children. Freddy and Polly are used to helping their father with his
experiments, including being frozen for a couple of hours, but how did that turn into 53 years? As well as having to come to terms with all the changes a new century has brought, they long to find out what happened to their father. The funny thing is, they find coping with changes in things less daunting than changes in people; the way they dress and even more so their behaviour. To further complicate matters there are spies and foreign agents involved. When Ben and Rachel’s uncle goes missing the children are left in fear of their lives, not knowing who they can trust. This is a fantastic, action packed story with many surprises and breathtaking moments. You won’t be able to put it down. Full length novel for competent readers. |
| Lizzie Ribbon’s Hat Shop |
VIVIAN FRENCH/JOANNE PARTIS
£5.99, Macmillan
One of the Sparkle Street series. While Ellie and Emma’s mums chatted in a cafe, the girls rushed to a room at the back where they could get into Sparkle Street. They were just in time to help Lizzie who was rushed off her feet in her hat shop trying to get everyone’s hat ready for the Summer Festival parade. See how they get on in this pretty sparkly picture book for young readers with a pop up shop for you to start to make your own street. |
| Mole’s in Love |
DAVID BEDFORD/ ROSALIND BEARDSHAW
£5.99, Egmont
Waking up in Spring, Mole decided it was time to find love. BUT being very short sighted meant he looked in some very strange places with surprising mistakes — until someone kindly gave him a present that made everything clear. Find out what it was in this lovely, funny picture book. With just a few sentences on each page it’s great for new readers. |
| Lost Island of Tamarind, The |
Nadia Aguiar
£5.99, Puffin Books
Three children. Alone on the ocean waves, after a fierce storm throws their parents from the Pamela Jane into the icy waters below. Maya, Simon and Penny now face a wild rescue adventure that will lead them to a truly magical place . . .
Imagine an island with green mountains looming over pink sandy beaches and tide pools lit by the moon. An island with the darkest of secrets, where pirates lurk and jaguars roam – and a precious stone holds a power that is both wondrous and terrifying. This is where the children must go.
No one from the Outside has escaped the island before. Danger is everywhere. But they can’t turn back now. Could you
|
| My Brother's Hot Cross Bottom |
Jeremy Strong
£4.99, Puffin Books
Nicholas and his family are hatching eggs for his school's Easter Fair. But the eggs keep going missing and their new rabbits, Saucepan and Nibblewibble, are causing havoc in the garden. Perhaps Cilla, their nosy new neighbour, is even more trouble than she seems?
(Warning! Side effects include split sides, aching cheeks and tears of laughter).
If you're craving more silliness and love Jeremy Strong books, joing Jeremy's Krazy Klub at www.jeremystrong.co.uk |
| Monsterbook: Pongdollop and the School Stink |
Michael Broad
£4.99, Puffin Books
Pongdollop wants his fellow monsters to join him in an uprising – and his secret weapon is a real stinker! Urk and Will have sniffed him out, but can they stop this smelly scoundrel from taking over the world?
This book has lots of very disgusting monsters in it (And some seriously stinky smells...)! |
| Operation Storm City |
Joshua Mowll
£12.99, Walker Books
Book Three of The Guild Trilogy: the adventure continues and the stakes are higher than ever.
Book Three of The Guild Trilogy finds Becca and Doug back at their old family home in Lucknow, India, where they discover research papers containing clues to their missing parents’ expedition route and to the location of Ur-Can – the fabled Storm City. Soon they are on a perilous journey to the Takla Makan desert, racing against the enemy by steam train, riverboat, and airship across the Himalayas. But the race is on to take control of Ur-Can – ancient source of power and threat to the security of the planet. Can Becca, Doug and the Guild get there in time? And has their quest taught them enough to solve the final mystery of Storm City, or will they find their parents only to lose them again for ever? Suitable for readers aged nine years plus.
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| Lump Of Coal, The |
Lemony Snicket
£9.99, Harper Collins
There is an old Christmas tradition that good boys and girls get presents and terrible children get lumps of coal. Can you imagine how terrible this makes a lump of coal feel? Lemony Snicket, the author of many other depressing books, would like to share the tale of one such lump of coal in his new book. If you would like Mr Snicket to dampen your holiday spirit, be sure to read this latest charming tale from the author of the wildly popular Series of Unfortunate Events book and film series. |
| The Birthday Book |
Various
£16.90, Kids at Random House
In this special birthday book, we have collected new and previously published pieces by today's most acclaimed children's writers, and extracts from well-loved children's literature, all accompanied by stunning artwork from leading illustrators. This collection includes stories, poems, fiction and non-fiction extracts - all specially chosen around the theme of birthdays and all with introductions by authors and celebrities.
Royalties will go to the Prince's Foundation for Children and the Arts, which works closely with local and national arts providers (like theatres, orchestras, museums and galleries) and schools to provide high quality and sustained access to the arts for children who would otherwise not have this access.
This anthology gathers together some of the best-known authors and illustrators writing and illustrating for children, including:
Philip Ardagh * Peter Bailey * Nicola Bayley * Ian Beck * Patrick Benson * Anna Bhushan * Malorie Blackman * Quentin Blake * Valerie Bloom * Lewis Carroll * Emma Chichester Clark * Eoin Colfer * Susan Cooper * Frank Cottrell-Boyce * Kevin Crossley-Holland * Roald Dahl * Alexis Deacon * Maura Dooley * Sara Fanelli * Anne Fine * Hannah Firmin * Catherine Fisher * Michael Foreman * John Foster * Jamila Gavin * David Gentleman * Emily Gravett * Anthony Horowitz * Norman Hunter * Eva Ibbotson * Bruce Ingman * John Lawrence * Mick Manning & Brita Granström * Geraldine McCaughrean * Roger McGough * Michael Morpurgo * Andrew Motion * E. Nesbit * Philip Pullman * Arthur Ransome * Chris Riddell * David Roberts * J. K. Rowling * Axel Scheffler * Nick Sharratt * Posy Simmonds * Joel Stewart * Noel Streatfeild * Eleanor Updale * Charlotte Voake * Jacqueline Wilson * Chris Wormell * Kit Wright |
| Grimble at Christmas |
Clement Freud
£7.99, Kids at Random House
Ten-year-old Grimble is worried. His parents are not very organized and they seem to have completely forgotten Christmas. Grimble tries his hardest to make the old Grimbles remember - dropping lots of hints, humming Christmas carols round the house and pointing out turkeys and Christmas puddings in the shops. But, with only nine days to go, Grimble decides there is only one thing to do . . . Arrange Christmas himself . . . |
| Cinderella Files |
Alan Durant
£7.99, Walker Books
Rumpelstiltskin, a private investigator employed by the king and queen, is looking into allegations that Cinderella is a gold-digger and fraud, only after Prince Charming's money. Open the evidence in the envelopes and discover the real Cinderella!
A retelling of the traditional Cinderella story with a novelty twist, for children six years and older. |
| I Will Surprise My Friend! An Elephant & Piggie Book |
Mo Willems
£4.99, Walker Books
One of a series of delightfully humorous tales for beginner readers from the award-winning creator of Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus!
Gerald is careful. Piggie is not. Piggie cannot help smiling. Gerald can. Gerald worries so that Piggie does not have to. Gerald and Piggie are best friends. In I Will Surprise My Friend!, Gerald and Piggie want to play a game and surprise each other, but the best surprise is the one they least expect.
The Elephant & Piggie books are original funny tales for ages seven years plus, told entirely in speech bubbles to help even the earliest readers gain confidence.
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| Hooray For Anna Hibiscus |
Atinuke
£3.99, Walker Books
Anna Hibiscus lives in amazing Africa with her family in a wonderful house in a beautiful garden in a big city. Join Anna as she sings for the president, gets in a terrible tangle with her hair and visits the other side of the city.
A collection of four linked stories about family life set in modern west Africa from a fresh, new storytelling voice, for children aged seven years and over. |
| Tale Of Two Mice |
Ruth Brown
£9.99, Walker Books
Meet Billy - a timid little mouse who just knows there’s a big, scary monster following him about…
A big old house can be a frightening place when you're only a small mouse. And whilst big brother Bo fearlessly searches the rooms for their supper, little brother Billy can't help feeling something is lying in wait. "Don't be so STUPID!" cries Bo in frustration after the fourth false alarm. But is Billy really being silly? Or is Bo in for a BIG surprise?
Peep behind the flaps to discover what lurks in the dark corners of the old house - and be surprised by the pop-up cat finale. |
| Ten Little Fingers and Ten Little Toes |
Helen Oxenbury
£10.99, Walker Books
Nothing is sweeter or brings more joy than tiny baby fingers and chubby baby toes!
All over the world, babies are different. Yet in some ways they are very much the same: each one has ten little fingers and ten little toes – to play with, to tickle, to wave. And each child is very, very special to its parents… From Helen Oxenbury, best loved as the illustrator of the classic nursery join-in picture book We’re Going on a Bear Hunt, Ten Little Fingers and Ten Little Toes will fast become the essential book for baby playtime – and the perfect gift for a new arrival!
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| Happy Hector |
Polly Dunbar
£9.99, Walker Books
Hector is so happy sitting on Tilly’s lap – until the others all join in and spoil it. But Tilly knows just how to show Hector how special he is to her … she has painted a picture just for him!
From inspired picture-book creator Polly Dunbar comes a colourful and charming new series, following the escapades of Tilly and her friends, for children aged two years plus. |
| Hello Tilly |
Polly Dunbar
£9.99, Walker Books
Tilly lives in a little yellow house with her best friends. In this first book of the series, meet Tiptoe and Hector, Doodle, Pru and Tumpty as they play the trumpet, bang the drum, eat a feast and dance the Wiggle Wiggle Woo! Whump! Bump! Whoops!
From inspired picture-book creator Polly Dunbar comes a colourful and charming new series following the escapades of Tilly and her friends, for children aged two years plus. |
| Peanut: with Mini Peanut Toy |
David Lucas
£10.99, Walker Books
The story of a little monkey as big as a nut, alone in the wide, wide world!
Peanut is a very tiny monkey who's afraid of everything. When the wind blows, he thinks his tree is falling down; when the sun sets, he thinks the whole sky is on fire; and when everything goes dark, all Peanut can do is close his eyes and wait for The End. He's so busy waiting that when Beetle tries to squeeze past him, the pair of them fall from their branch. Luckily, Peanut's tail comes to the rescue and as they sit together to recover from their fright, a new day dawns. Watching the sunrise, Peanut realizes his new world isn't really frightening at all, and he and his new friend set out to explore their tree together.
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| Maisy's House and Garden |
Lucy Cousins
£14.99, Walker Books
Exciting, impressive; the perfect gift! This stand-up, fold-out, carousel now has a second floor, more toys, a bath, Maisy's friends, plus a colourful garden.
There’s so much for Maisy and her friends to do – dressing, dancing, cooking, having a picnic, riding a trike, gardening, watering, playing hide and seek, tidying up, having a bath … and finally going to bed, with Panda. This book offers endless scope for imaginative play with press-out figures of Maisy, Tallulah, Cyril and Charlie and over 40 press-out toys, plus more than fifteen flaps for little hands to explore … perfect for curious toddlers. A pull-out booklet full of suggested activities for children and parents is also included.
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| Encyclopedia Mythologica: Fairies and Magical Creatures |
Matthew Reinhart and Robert Sabuda
£19.99, Walker Books
The kings of pop-up return with the magical new Encyclopedia Mythologica series!
In the first of a thrilling new pop-up trilogy, the masterminds behind the phenomenal Encyclopedia Prehistorica explore the characters of magic and myth with glittering special effects. Fairies take to the air on fluttering wings, while pixies, gnomes, goblins and trolls career across the pages. Peer through the windows of the Elven Castle to see the magical interior and marvel at the enchanted tree and transforming flowers. Unicorns, griffins, merfolk and other fantastical beasts from all around the world are also covered in this breath-taking start to the series.
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| The Monster Who Ate Darkness |
Joyce Dunbar
£10.99, Walker Books
When a monster's appetite for darkness prevents Jo-Jo from sleeping he discovers that there's more to life than eating...
There is a tiny monster under Jo-Jo's bed, who discovers he likes to eat darkness; and the more darkness he eats, the bigger and hungrier he grows. What will happen if the monster eats all the darkness in the world?
An extraordinary hardback picture book for four years plus.
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| Bag of Bones, The |
Vivian French
£5.99, Walker Books
The good witches of Wadingburn are worried – there's a new witch in town with a bag of magic bones, and she's so evil she makes their toes ache... Another fun-filled fantasty in the Tales from the Five Kingdoms stories that started with The Robe of Skulls.
Truda Hangnail is a very wicked witch, banned from the Five Kingdoms because of her use of deep magic. Then she comes up with a fiendish plan to restore evil to the Five Kingdoms, transforming the good witches of Waddingburn into shrivelled, wicked old witches who will help her take over King Frank’s kingdom on his fiftieth birthday. Luckily, a sweet-natured half-human, half-elf named Loobly is witness to Truda’s evil spell and sets off to fetch help. As the birthday party looms and Truda’s evil gathers strength, Loobly enlists the help of Prince Marcus of Gorebreath and Gracie Gillypot, as well as old friends Gubble the troll and Marlon and Alf the bats, to stop Truda and send her packing to the house of the Ancient Crones to face her just deserts.
Suitable for readers aged nine years plus. |
| The Most Stupendous Atlas of the Whole Wide World |
by The Brainwaves
£12.99, Dorling Kindersley
Meet the Brainwaves, hilarious little mischief-makers who are about to take your child on an amazing journey around the world to discover everything about our planet.
These pint-sized pals will show children all about what the planet is made of, where the highest football stadium is and why Brazil is called Brazil. They’ll join the teeny travellers as they take a camel trek to the pyramids, have a ball at a bonzer Australian beach party, and play the maddest game of crazy golf across North America.
Packed with fantastic fold-out pages with mad maps, perfect pull-outs and fabulous facts on places and people, your child will learn loads of stuff about climate, oceans and Earth in space. It’s a terrific tour of our world!
A funny and fascinating look at the countries of the world with the unstoppable Brainwaves, for 10 - 14 year olds.
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| Alfie Green and the Snowdrop Queen |
Joe O'Brien
€7.99, O'Brien Press
It’s Christmas Eve in Budsville and Alfie Green wishes it would snow. There is one person who can help his wish come true – the Snowdrop Queen. But she lives near the top of the Perilous Peaks in Arcania. This is a place too dangerous for his friends, the tools, who often help him on his adventures in Arcania. So how can Alfie get there? Maybe Santa will help…
Eighth in the hugely popular Alfie Green series for readers aged six years and over.
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| Her Mother's Face |
Roddy Doyle
£10.99, Scholastic
Siobhán missed her mother dearly. She spent her days reminiscing about the time they spent together. She remembered her mother's voice singing and her mother's hands combing her hair, but no matter how hard Siobhán tried she could never see her mother's face...
Roddy Doyle’s touching and uplifiting story about love and loss.
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| Mothstorm |
Philip Reeve
£9.74, Bloomsbury Publishing
When an evil demigod and its army of moth-riding blue lizards threatens civilisation (i.e. Queen Victoria), Art, Myrtle and Jack must step into the breach in this singularly brilliant, hilarious fantasy
When the festive season arrives at Larklight, so does some unsettling news. A sinister-looking cloud is fast approaching the outskirts of the Known Universe. The closest planet, Georgium Sidus, has but two human inhabitants: the missionary Rev. Cruet and his daughter Charity. Their most recent communication read: ‘Great danger – imperative that-’
And so, aboard a Naval gunship, Art, Myrtle and family bravely go where only one man and his daughter have gone before, to determine the nature of the menacing cloud and rescue the Cruets.
But the evil which awaits them is far beyond their imagining, and it looks as though Mother may have finally Met Her Match. Lucky, then, that Jack Havock is hot on their heels to help in the battle to save the Universe (again) from an evil demigod and army of blue lizards, intent on deposing none other than Queen Victoria, to this gain control of the Universe.
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| Battle Fleet - The Adventures of Sam Witchall |
Paul Dowswell
£5.24, Bloomsbury Publishing
A swashbuckling and action-packed finale to Sam Witchall’s epic naval adventures. Escaping pirates and a violent storm, Sam returns to England to sail into battle at Trafalgar on none other than the HMS Victory. Patrick O'Brien for kids.
Sam escapes death in Australia when the truth about his false conviction is finally revealed. But on the journey back to England he faces pirates and a terrible storm, before making the longed-for trip back up the River Thames. Finally reunited with his family in Norfolk, Sam realises how much life at sea has become part of him. So when he hears that Napoleon plans to attack England, he is tempted to join the Navy once more, and finds himself Midshipman on none other than the Victory, preparing for one of the most epic battles in history: Trafalgar. |
| Hate That Cat |
Sharon Creech
£9.99, Bloomsbury Publishing
A celebration of language, poetry, cats and dogs
Jack is back at school and still enjoying lessons with Miss Stretchberry. But he doesn't agree with everything about her, for example Miss Stretchberry likes cats, and Jack hates them. Or does he ...
A delicious book perfect for reading alone, or aloud, that displays once again Sharon Creech's incredible skill as a writer of fiction for young readers.
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| GLITTERWINGS ACADEMY: Christmas Fairy |
Titania Woods
£4.49, Bloomsbury Publishing
A fabulous Christmas Glitterwings story that captures all the magic of the Christmas season, building on the publication of the 8 Glitterwings books already published
It is the Christmas holidays and fairy Twink has her friend Bimi to stay. To their horror they see a human walk into the forest where Twink's parents live and start to cut a tree down! Twink is horrified and as she desperately tries to stop the man cutting the down the tree she gets entangled in the branches and is taken away with the tree in the man's car. Twink is desperately afraid. Where is she being taken to? How will she get home? Twink evenutally makes friends with the man's daughter, Lindsay, who does all she can to help Twink get home. And in the meantime both Twink and Lindsay learn much from each other about the spirit of Christmas...
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| Rapunzel's Revenge |
Shannon and Nathan Hale
£9.99, Bloomsbury Publishing
Rapunzel's Revenge is a graphic novel with a difference. It is a Wild West retelling of the classic Grimm Brothers' fairytale. Bestselling and award-winning author Shannon Hale teams up with first-time author and husband Dean Hale, and with Nathan Hale (no relation to either) to create a stunning comic book.
Escaping from the enchanted tree where Mother Gothel imprisoned her, Rapunzel sets off alone through the ghost towns and Badlands of Gothel’s Reach. She is determined to find Gothel’s Villa and teach Mother Gothel a long-overdue lesson for her years of treachery and lies, and help her real mother get out of the mine camps where Mother Gothel has kept her enslaved.
Rapunzel’s adventures take her across a country much akin to the Wild Wild West, where she is soon wanted – dead or alive – for horse thieving, kidnapping, jail breaking and using her hair in a manner other than nature intended!
In this highly original take on the familiar story of Rapunzel, Shannon and Dean Hale introduce us to a feisty and dynamic heroine and Nathan Hale’s illustrations offer a striking visual feast, ensuring this is a truly unforgettable reading experience.
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| The Tales of Beedle the Bard |
J.K. Rowling
£6.99, Bloomsbury Publishing
A richly magical collection of tales from J. K. Rowling that will satisfy fans and new readers alike.
'You've never heard of The Tales of Beedle the Bard?' said Ron incredulously. 'You're kidding, right?' (From Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows)
Published by the Children's High Level Group in association with Bloomsbury Publishing Plc, The Tales of Beedle the Bard is the first new book from J. K. Rowling since the publication of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. The Tales of Beedle the Bard played a crucial role in assisting Harry, with his friends Ron and Hermione, to finally defeat Lord Voldemort. Fans will be thrilled to have this opportunity to read the tales in full. An exciting addition to the canon of Harry Potter, the tales reveal the wonderful versatility of the author, as she tackles with relish the structure and varying tones of a classic fairy tale. There are five tales: 'The Tale of the Three Brothers', recounted in Deathly Hallows, plus 'The Fountain of Fair Fortune', 'The Warlock's Hairy Heart', 'The Wizard and the Hopping Pot', and 'Babbitty Rabbitty and her Cackling Stump'. Each has its own magical character and will bring delight, laughter and the thrill of mortal peril. Translated from the original runes by Hermione Granger, the tales are introduced and illustrated by J. K. Rowling. Also included are notes by Professor Albus Dumbledore, which appear by kind permission of the Hogwarts Headmasters' Archive.
CHLG is a charity co-founded by J. K. Rowling and Emma Nicholson MEP and campaigns to protect and promote children's rights and make life better for vulnerable young people. £1.61 from every sale of Bloomsbury's edition of The Tales of Beedle the Bard will be donated to the Children's High Level Group
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| Killer Spiders |
SUSAN GATES
£5.99, Usborne
Third in the Animal Investigators series. Living with scientist
Professor Tolltrees, Effie and Meriel both have special skills that help with animal investigations. They have different feelings towards TV explorer Jack Nelson and the experimental space dome he has built on wasteland near them as a trial for a mission to Mars.There are strange rumours about the wasteland, one of which is that there are caves underneath. An email from Jack saying he’s under attack by giant spiders must mean he is hallucinating, but why? it all needs investigating, but at what cost? A very old, skilled predator is at loose and no one is safe. This is
a dramatic, pacey adventure with more than one hair-raising moment. Not recommended for arachnophobes — it made my skin crawl, and I like spiders! Fair sized print, edium length novel. |
| Peter Pan |
Robert Sabuda
£19.99, Simon and Schuster Hb
A glorious pop-up, theatrical version of the story of the boy who wouldn’t grow up. We see how he meets Wendy and her brothers; their lives in Neverland; their Indian friends and their encounters with enemies, Captain Hook and his pirates. Each double page has a breathtaking pop-up scene with a booklet telling the part of the story relating to it. This too is full of pop-ups of the characters as they appear. A great way to get really involved in the story. |
| Nutcracker |
JAN PIENKOWSKI
£17.99, Puffin Hb
I am always excited to get a new book by this fabulous illustrator and this more than lives up to my expectations. It is the magical story of Clara and her Christmas present of a Nutcracker who comes to life and fights the Mouse King. Full of curses and bravery we learn the background to their feud and how it is resolved. The story is retold by David Walser in a gorgeous gold and red glittered covered sumptuous edition with silver bordered pages illustrated with white silhouettes on glittering coloured backgrounds. It climaxes in a fantastic 3D scene. This really is a book to keep and treasure. |
| Hey Diddle Diddle |
Sam Foster
£7.99, (Summersdale Publishers hb
Most of us love to listen to Nursery Rhymes and join in when we are young. They sound good and are fun to recite, and you probably think they are just nonsense verse written for children. In fact most are commenting on serious
events or customs and are hundreds of years old, some going back to the thirteenth century, as this book explains. From having a ‘dig’ at unfair taxes to commenting on punishments and secret attempts to hide refuges from the law the real stories behind the rhymes are fascinating and
often far from the innocent chants they seem! |
| The Bumper Book of Betsey Biggalow |
MALORIE BLACKMAN
£6.99, Barn Owl
Ten short stories in one book about effervescent Betsey. She has strong ideas and fancies, doesn’t always get what she wants, but always bounces back! See what happens
when she puts on a show, tries magic trainers, battles a monster burger, finds her animal side and gets on the telly. Lots of fun with this engaging character. Large print and
some pictures to encourage new young readers onto novels. New fans will be pleased to know there are more
stories available. |
| Bambert’s Book of Missing Stories |
REINHARDT JUNG
£9.99, Egmont Hb
Being very short and unable to get around easily, Bambert
prefers living in the world of his imagination, making up stories. When he has written ten of the eleven stories for his ‘Book of Wishes’ he decides to put each in an envelope and send it out into the world to find its own setting. He puts a letter in with the story asking whoever finds it to return it to him and then waits. He even sends the last story of blank pages believing it will write itself. As they return he adapts them to the place they were sent from. They are an interesting and unusual mixture of stories which he realises reflect parts of his own life. Bambert waits
anxiously until only the unwritten one is left. Will his book ever be finished? The answer is in this curious, very entertaining book with a few twists. Don’t expect lots of happy endings, some of the stories are quite dark. With quite a few pictures, fair sized print and full of short stories it could encourage reluctant, older readers. |
| The Battle For Christmas |
JEREMY STRONG
£4.99, Puffin
Ellie’s present comes with a warning — they are cosmic pyjamas and the top and bottoms should never be worn together. Of course she has to try them on and ends up shrunk in a magical Christmas shop with her brother. They
are in the middle of a serious battle between a fed up Christmas Fairy who wants to stop Christmas and a bunch of toys who don’t want her to. Ellie and Max are drawn in — can they save Christmas? Read this very funny, and ever so slightly silly story to find out. Fair size print and some pictures to encourage developing readers. |
| Tail-End Charlie |
MICK MANNING/BRITA GRANSTROM
£11.99, Frances Lincoln Hb
The true story of the authors’s father’s life during the war before and after he joined the RAF. It is presented as a scrap book with the story told in pages from a diary pinned to pictures with comic strip illustrations, postcards, photos and cuttings. This all gives a very personal view drawing the reader in and making it accessible to even the most reluctant reader. We live through Charlie’s home life, recruitment, training and battle experiences including the
Battle of the Bulge. It all paints a vivid picture, you almost feel you are experiencing it |
| Olivia Helps with Christmas |
IAN FALCONER
£6.99, (Simon & Schuster
As Christmas approaches, Olivia is eager to help as usual —
decorating the tree (and herself), making two trees out of one and ensuring all is ready for Santa’s visit. Christmas Day finally arrives with presents and plenty of fun for Olivia’s family and the reader. There is something so endearing about this piggy family, especially Olivia herself. Her enthusiasm is catching. A lovely story with more details in the expressive pictures, with a few sentences on each
page it is perfect for new readers. |
| Cookie |
JACQUELINE WILSON
£12.99, Doubleday Hb
Beauty doesn’t like her new posh school. She finds it impossible to live up to her hated name which has promoted many unkind nicknames from her classmates. It was her dad’s idea, one of many that cause her sorrow, but
he isn’t approachable or the type of man you tell he’s made a mistake. He is very domineering and both Beauty and her mum live in fear of upsetting him, which is easily done. One day he goes too far and they leave him, but where can they go and can Beauty’s mum manage on her own? All is revealed in this unputdownable story told with great sensitivity in Beauty’s own words making the reader feel involved. Fair size print, full length novel. |
| The Spy Manual |
Andrew Parkinson
£12.99, Haynes Publishing
Is your bedroom bugged? Are you being watched? Do you need a disguise?
All boys and girls aged 7 to 11 need to be good spies. They need to know about surveillance, be able to make cunning gadgets and send messages in code. How else will they outwit the baddies and survive without being caught?
The Spy Manual from Haynes reveals the hush-hush world of espionage and explains how to be a brilliant secret agent. To train to be a spy, youngsters must get someone they trust to buy them this book and then guard it with their life – it must not fall into enemy hands. Then, by reading it covertly, they can learn about codes, disguises and invisible inks. Budding undercover agents will be able to send messages in code, find special hiding places and secretly observe unusual goings on. Importantly, they will protect their bedroom, make their own spy toolkit and arrange special parties for secret agents.
Never before has the undercover world of international espionage been revealed in this way. The Spy Manual has loads of tricks to impress friends and family plus many games and challenges. It has masses of photographs and everything is explained clearly. Equipped with the knowledge in The Spy Manual, agents will be able to exchange messages with fellow spies in Morse code, use special handshakes and passwords and build a tin telephone.
It's no secret that Haynes is famous around the world for publishing manuals which explain about everything from cars and washing machines to babies and caravans. They are now branching in to new fun manuals for children (where the ‘how to’ content is made by the children themselves), keeping with the accuracy and detail that Haynes manuals have built their reputation on.
About the author
Andrew Parkinson was awarded a coveted silver Blue Peter badge when he was only 12. Later, he travelled all over Europe as something to do with the music business, he says, and dealt with undercover operations in marketing and advertising. These days he claims to be a copywriter. He refuses to disclose where he got the knowledge to write The Spy Manual, but is thought to live somewhere in Devon.
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| Pirate Manual |
Andrew Parkinson
£12.99, Haynes Publishing
Does you want to be a lily-livered landlubber all your life? Of course you doesn't! You wants to be a pirate. Pirates is bold and brave. Pirates explores the world and finds treasure. Pirates sails the seas, fights battles and makes their enemies walks the plank. Pirates talks pirates language.
The Pirate Manual, published by Haynes, is a treasure chest for all budding pirates between 7 and 11 years. It explains how to make pirate things such as cutlasses and telescopes. It shows what pirates must wear – from arm hooks, eye patches and earrings to three-cornered hats and make-up. It looks at pirate ships, weapons, facts and legends. It explains parts of a pirate ship – flags, knots and nautical expressions. It shows how to make pirate's pudden' as well as maggots on tack, tiddlers' scramble and pirate punch.
The Pirate Manual has clear instructions for all pirates-to-be and many photographs of everything to do with piracy. There are suggestions for pirate parties, treasure hunts for pirates and most importantly, ways to make enemies walk the plank.
Don't be a landlubber merely watching your pirate heroes on television or on film – be a pirate like them. Demand The Pirate Manual, learn how to be a pirate, then begin plunderin' and lootin' for treasure.
Haynes is famous around the world for publishing manuals which explain about everything from cars and washing machines to babies and caravans! They are now branching in to new fun manuals for children (where the ‘how to’ content is made by the children themselves), keeping with the accuracy and detail that Haynes manuals have built their reputation on.
About the author
Andrew Parkinson served on the Blue Peter when he was 12 (he has a badge of silver to prove it). Later, he looked for treasure while working as a landlubber for the British Museum. These days, his piracy is directed towards copywriting and when not sailing the high seas he lives in the well-known pirate county of Devon.
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| Tim the Tiny Horse At Large |
Harry Hi
£12.99, Faber Hb
I am delighted to see the return of Tim who is still as tiny as ever. While preparing to be Best Man at his friend Fly’s wedding, Tim decides to find love for himself. Trying to get his first girlfriend, babysitting and caring for a pet are just some of the new experiences he tackles with his usual enthusiasm. This is another somewhat mad but hilarious look at Tim’s life, with a touch of pathos mixed in. With just a few sentences on each page and loaded with expressive illustrations, it is great to encourage new or reluctant readers, but really enjoyable for all ages and abilities. I love it! |
| Artemis Fowl and the Time Paradox |
EOIN COLFER
£12.99, Puffin Hb
When his mother becomes ill, Artemis attempts to make her better backfire leaving her close to death.Worse still, he realises he killed the only cure years ago. The only thing to do is to go back in time with Holly’s help and stop the destructive action of his younger self. Things don’t go according to plan and soon the older Artemis is facing his greatest challenge: to outwit his younger self. An old
adversary is also causing problems in both time periods. Confused? Everyone is, but all hopefully becomes clear in this latest dramatic adventure ripe with precarious, unpredictable situations laced with droll moments. Full length novel for competent older readers. |
| Escape Velocity |
MARK WALDEN
£6.99, Bloomsbury
I am glad to say this third book in the H.I.V.E. series contains all the energy, thrills and exhilarating escapades of its predecessors. When Dr Nero, H.I.V.E’s leader, is kidnapped and replaced by someone who had previously betrayed them, Otto and friends know they are in danger and have to escape from the school. Easier said than done, but they face even greater, almost impossible challenges when the full scale of the threat against the whole GLOVE organisation is revealed. There are surprises in store and a very big shock for at least one of them in this unputdownable story. Fair size print, full length novel for older readers. |
| Charlie Bone and the Shadow of Badlock |
JENNY NIMMO
£12.99, Egmont Hb
When Charlie investigates his grandmother’s picture he ends up in Badlock, a horrible place, and meets his ancestor, Otis who is in terrible trouble. Charlie manages to escape, leaving someone behind. Who is the intended ‘victim’ of the picture and how will it help release the Shadow? Back at school two of the endowed fight each other with disastrous consequences while Charlie is
determined to go back and rescue Otis despite the dangers involved. There is loads of excitement in this action-packed
adventure — the seventh in one of my favourite series. Fair sized print encourages readers onto full length novels |
| Kaspar Prince of Cats |
MICHAEL MORP
£12.99, Harper Collins Hb
It is 1912 and 14 year old orphan, Johnny Trott, works as bell-boy at the Savoy Hotel in London. When he carries Kaspar, the cat of a famous Russian opera singer, into the hotel one day he has no idea this is the first in a string of events that will change his life forever. Surprisingly fate takes a hand as Johnny and Kaspar seem destined to stay together in a life that involves making unexpected friends; more than one daring rescue and a trip on the ill-fated ship
Titanic. This beautifully presented, well written, story, full of glamourous illustrations, is captivating throughout. Michael cleverly blends emotion and drama without becoming sentimental. The moving pictures and arge clear print make it perfect for newly fluent readers and great for all ages and abilities. |
| Princess Eloise of Toulouse |
HARRIET OSBORNE/ NATALIE TURNER
£5.99, Zidane Press
Princess Eloise was the very clever youngest of seven sisters. Unlike the rest she was too busy learning to think about marriage. Unfortunately there was an unwritten law in her country which said all princesses had to marry at
the same time. When a king with seven sons heard about
them a party was arranged for them to meet. Six of the princes and princesses were getting on well, which left Eloise and Kevin. His rather traditional ideas of the place of a princess didn’t exactly meet those of Eloise. See her reactions and the consequences in this very funny picture book. Quite a few sentences on each page for those beginning to gain confidence in their reading. |
| The Parliament of Blood |
Justin Richards
£9.99, FF Hb
It is 1886 and George and Sir William work in an unofficial
part of the British Museum containing strange and unidentified, even dangerous artefacts. They are not happy when one, an Egyptian mummy, is taken off to be
unwrapped and runs off. They slowly realise vampires aren’t a myth. Many are living in disguise in society and believe their time to take over has come. As no one believes George and friends it falls to them to stop the
vampires, but they can’t trust anyone and are targeted to become undead themselves. See if they survive in this thrilling, action packed full length story for older readers, which is full of surprises. |
| Competition’s a Witch |
Kelly McClymer
£5.99, Simon & Schuster
Being half witch and half mortal Pru has difficulty settling into a witch school after spending 16 years living as a mortal. It is hard getting accepted, but her cheerleading
skills get her into the squad which she hopes will help.
She just has to try getting the rest up to championship standard while hiding how weak her magical skills are.
Life gets very complicated in this amusing full length story for older readers, first in a new series. |
| The Graveyard Hounds |
Vi Hughes
£8.50, Tradewind Books’
As Hallowe’en approaches, violent storms occur over the town where Mike and Annie live. Lightening strikes their playground and their dogs lose their bark. Noticing the new
school custodian is around whenever something strange happens, they decide to investigate and become caught up in a terrible secret which requires brave actions — are they
up to it? Find out in this spine-tingling story with large print and some pictures. |
| Ghostsitters |
Angie Sage
£6.99, Bloomsbury Hb,
In this latest Araminta Spook story her initial joy at being looked after by cousin Matilda while the adults are away soon fades. Matilda doesn't know much about looking after
anyone and comes with two very troublesome boy ghosts.
Things are all going horribly wrong when Minty tries one of her plans. See if it helps in this spookily funny story with large print and some pictures. |
| Whizz-Bang Winnie |
Laura Owen / Korky Paul
£3.99, Oxford
Winnie the Witch leaves picture books to star
in her own large print short novels with four
stories in each. Learn more about her chaotic
life as, eager to please, she tries to make a
birthday party surprise, win Wilbur back and
learns books can be magic. Her mad antics
make hilarious reading. |
| Vunce Upon a Time |
J. Otto Seibold / Siobhan Vivian
£9.99, (Chronicle Books Hb
Dagmar isn’t like other vampires. He’s shy, gentle, afraid of humans and a vegetarian with a weakness for candy. When he hears humans give out candy at Hallowe’en he plucks up the courage to venture out and soon makes friends with what he thinks is a ghost. There are surprises for everyone when true identities are revealed in this comical, warm-hearted story. Lovely picture book with vivid illustrations. |
| Highway Robbery |
Kate Thompson
£7.99, Bodley Head Children's Books
'Hold the mare for me, lad. And when I come back I'll give you a golden guinea.'
It's more money than the street urchin has ever dreamt of. But who is the rider, and why is there so much interest in his big black horse? And will the boy ever see the money he has been promised?
There's highway robbery in the air, but it isn't always entirely clear just who is trying to rob who.
A wonderful beautifully illustrated short story by award-winning author Kate Thompson, her first book for a younger audience, featuring the most famous highwaymen of them all and his wonderful horse, Black Bess.
Praise for Kate Thompson’s books:
“If you buy nothing else for your children (or yourself) this summer, buy Kate Thompson's The New Policeman...witty, entrancingly romantic and rooted in an ancient Celtic myth, this is a parable about not having enough time which hits hard - and perfectly suits our hectic age.” The Independent
“Whilst numerous children's novelists have drawn on the richness of Irish myth, legend and folklore...few have managed to do so with the skill, wit and mischief which characterise Kate Thompson's The New Policeman...elegantly paced and cleverly structured.” Irish Times
“[Creature of the Night] is something teenagers shouldn’t miss...an Irish children’s writer of dazzling talent and inventiveness.” The Times
“She has woven a truly modern tale with a timeless theme. Books such as [Creature of the Night] don't come around very often.” The Guardian
Kate Thompson is the only author to have won the Irish Children's Book of the Year Bisto Award four times - in 2002 for The Beguilers, in 2003 for The Alchemist's Apprentice, in 2005 for Annan Water and in 2006 for The New Policeman.
The New Policeman, won four major literary prizes in 2005/2006: the Whitbread Children's Book Award 2005, the Guardian Children's Fiction Prize 2005, the inaugural Irish BA Award for Children's Books 2006 and the CBI Bisto Book of the Year Award 2006, as well as being long-listed for the Carnegie Medal. Kate’s new teen novel Creature of the Night has just been long-listed for the 2008 Teenage Booktrust Prize.
Kate was born in Halifax, Yorkshire and grew up in Leamington Spa and Worcester. She spent most of her childhood at the local riding stables and racing yards and after she left school she worked with racehorses for several years in England and the U.S. Kate has travelled widely in the USA and India and studied law in London. After living in County Clare, she moved to Kinvara in County Galway and there she discovered her passion for playing the fiddle. She is now an accomplished player and also has a great interest in restoring instruments.
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| Christine Kringle |
Lynn Brittney
£6.99, BookSurge Publishing
The popular myth, that most people choose to believe, is that there is only one Santa Claus - an immortal being who brings presents to all the children in the world in one night, The realist, as anyone who is a member of the Yule Dynasty knows, is that there are, actually, many, many Santa's - all with different names, all servicing their own countries or regions - and they are not immortal at all.
Granted the average male life expectancy of a Yule is around 270 years but these Santa's operate family business and the job is handed down from father to son.
This, in essence, was the problem that was facing the Kringle family, the UIKS branch of the Yule Dynasty, as they flew towards the final approval of Korvatunturi Reindeerport in Finland for the annual Yule Conference. Kris Cringle, one of the busiest and most hardworking members of the Yule Dynasty, due to the large population of the United Stats, had no male heir. He and Mrs Kringle had been blessed only with a daughter, Christine, who was now fourteen years old.
It was time, as Ma Kringle had said, before they left home, "to bit the bullet". This year, Kriss was going to propose a motion that females be allowed to inherit the mantle of Christmas Gift Bringer.
Illustrated by award-winning artist Brita Granstrom, and aimed at anyone over the age of 10, Christine Kringle is going to be the most talked-about book this Christmas.
For a quick delivery, buy the book from YPD Books on the Web - http://www.ypd-books.com/acatalog/Lynn_Brittney.html. York Publishing Services Ltd, 64 Hallfield Road Layerthorpe YORK Y031 7ZQ United Kingdom, Phone: 01904 431213, Fax: 01904 430868
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| Dinosaur Cove 5: Catching the Speedy Thief |
Rex Stone
£4.99, Oxford Children's Books
Jamie and Tom are off for another adventure in Dino World, through their secret smuggler's cave. This time they decide to try crabbing - and they manage to catch a real prehistoric crab! Jamie looks it up in the Fossil Finder, and then the boys settle down to have a really good look at their Dino Crab. But then disaster strikes! A sneaky Velociraptor runs up and grabs the Fossil Finder! The boys have to get it back - if they don't, then in the future scientists might find their computer buried with a dinosaur fossil - and that could mess up the whole of dinosaur science!
So the chase is on. But the Velociraptor is fast and cunning and leads the boys into a valley full of geysers spouting hot water! Can they find their way through and get their Fossil Finder back - or is the sneaky Velociraptor just too speedy?
The fifth book in this exciting new series about two boys and their adventures in a secret world of dinosaurs with free stickers, a fact file about featured characters, maps, and much more. Each book in the Dinosaur Cove series features a different dinosaur, is illustrated throughout in black and white and is perfect for a parent to read to a child, or for a child to read for him/herself.
For more information log onto www.dinosaurcove.co.uk
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| Stink and the Great Guinea Pig Express |
Megan McDonald
£3.99, Walker Books
FUR-eaky! Stink and his friends are off on a hairy new mission: finding homes for 101 rescued guinea pigs aboard the Squeals on Wheels Express.
When three guinea pigs from the local pet shop make a great escape, Stink and his friends, Webster and Sophie, fly into action. Ta da! The Fantastic Three round up the loose furballs and bring them safely back to Mrs Birdwistle’s shop, where they discover guinea pig pandemonium! But the rescuing is far from over, so Stink and company hit the road in a crazy quest to find good homes for 101 squealing, whistling, chirping, wiggly pigglies. Let the Great Guinea Pig Giveaway begin!
Suitable for children aged five years plus. Other crazy Stink adventures include:
The Incredible Shrinking Kid
The Incredible Super-Galactic Jawbreaker
The World's Worst Super-Stinky Sneakers
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| Cinderella |
Retold by Max Eilenberg
£9.99, Walker Books
A modern retelling of a classic fairy tale - magic!
Not one ball but three. The tiniest, most magical slippers you could imagine. Two thoroughly nasty sisters … and a stepmother who is, ooh, HORRID! Fall for this sparkling retelling in which a dreamy prince captures Cinderella’s heart on the dance floor! Niamh Sharkey creates a flamboyant fairy tale cast, and Max Eilenberg’s text conjures magic and delight, with a lacing of wicked humour!
Suitable for children aged four years plus. |
| Kaimira: The Sky Village |
Monk and Nigel Ashland
£6.99, Walker Books
From a village made of hot-air balloons to a subterranean battle arena, two young people struggle to discover who and what they are – and how to use the astonishing powers they share.
High over China, the Sky Village – an intricate web of interconnected hot-air balloons – floats over a troubled landscape where animals and machines battle for control. Twelve-year-old Mei has been left in this strange place by her father, who insists on going alone to try and rescue her kidnapped mother. Meanwhile, half a world away, thirteen-year-old Rom struggles to survive in the ruins of Las Vegas. Mei and Rom have never met, but they share a common journal, a book that mysteriously allows them to communicate with each other. It also reveals that they carry the strange and frightening Kaimira gene.
Suitable for readers aged 10 years and over.
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| Riding Icarus |
Lily Hyde
£4.99, Walker Books
Endorsed by Amnesty International, this is a magical modern fairytale set in Kiev, featuring a girl called Masha who lives in a flying trolleybus called Icarus.
When rich Uncle Igor sends her mother abroad to work, Masha stays in Kiev and moves into an old, disused trolleybus called Icarus. But one night there is a terrible storm and Icarus takes off! Masha is transported to an enchanted place where she discovers that, on midsummer eve, she will be able to wish for whatever her heart desires. But will Masha be able to find the enchanted place again and work out her heart’s desire in time? And will she make the right wish to bring her mother back home so they can escape Igor’s clutches for ever?
Suitable for readers aged nine years and over.
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| The Singing |
Alison Croggon
£7.99, Walker Books
The stunning conclusion to the epic Pellinor series – four books telling an extraordinary tale of another world - for readers aged 14 years and over.
The Singing follows the separate journeys of Maerad and Cadvan, and their brother Hem, as they desperately seek each other in an increasingly battle-torn land. The Black Army is moving north and Maerad has a mighty confrontation with the Landrost to save Innail. All the Seven Kingdoms are being threatened with defeat. Yet Maerad and Hem hold the key to the mysterious Singing and only in releasing the music of the Elidhu together may the Nameless One be defeated. Can brother and sister find each other in time to fight the Nameless One, and are they strong enough to defeat him?
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| Dream Land |
Lily Hyde
£5.99, Walker Books
One girl’s struggle to find her true home, for readers aged 12 years and over.
It was meant to be like coming home... All her life, Safi’s parents have dreamed of returning to Grandpa’s native village in Crimea. But exchanging their sunny Uzbekistan house for a squalid camp is more like a nightmare. Will the return to a country where no one welcomes them tear Safi’s family apart, or can this strange land ever become home? A compelling story about the Crimean Tatars’ struggle to reclaim the land from which they were exiled in the Second World War.
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| Zal and Zara and the Great Race of Azamed |
Kit Downes
£5.99, Walker Books
Join the fantastical flying carpet race in this magical adventure novel from a debut author for readers aged eight years and over.
The Great Annual Carpet Race is fast approaching, and in the ancient, bustling city of Azamed there’s talk of little else. The competition is strong, and twelve-year-old Zal Thesa and Zara Aura know that to win, their carpet will have to be the best. If only they could compete on a rainbow carpet! But as everyone knows, they only exist in legend ... don't they? When Zal and Zara find the beginnings of a trail to discover the magical truth behind the stories, so begins a fast-paced contest of their own. With the Great Race only a day away and the sinister Shadow Society on their backs, time is not on their side...
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| Super Freak, The |
Brian Falkner
£4.99, Walker Books
A mind-bending adventure with strong boy-appeal from a major, new antipodean talent.
Jacob John Smith is always getting into trouble. Most of the time, it isn’t even his fault – just a case of being in the wrong place at the wrong time. When he accidentally discovers he has the power to control people’s minds he thinks all his troubles are over. Little does he realize, they are only just beginning… Suitable for nine years plus.
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| Riding High |
June Crebbin
£4.99, Walker Books
Can Amber save the day and the pony trekking expedition?
Amber is excited to be going on Merryfield Hall’s pony trekking expedition in Wales. Three days of trail riding across hills and along beaches – even wild camping! But Donna isn’t happy and just wants to cause trouble. And when the expedition faces disaster, Amber has to do some quick-thinking to save them! Suitable for nine years plus.
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| You're All My Favourites |
Sam McBratney
£5.99, Walker Books
From the creators of Guess How Much I Love You for children three years and over, this enchanting story tells of the unconditional love between a family of bears.
Mummy and Daddy Bear reassure their three little bears that each is equally special. But the little bears start to wonder: do their differences mean one is loved less? After some love and affection, the bears are satisfied that they really are all their parents' favourites!
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| The Kick Off |
Dan Freedman
£4.99, Scholastic
Jamie Johnson’s desperate to become his school’s star football player (and in his dreams, a top professional, too). He’s got so much to prove, and not just on the pitch – so why aren’t his mum, teachers and best mate on his side? The pressure’s on – has Jamie got what it takes?
Other titles in the Jamie Johnson series include:
Shoot to Win
Visit www.jamiejohnson.info for lots more information |
| Gormy Ruckles: Monster Mischief |
Guy Bass
£3.99, Scholastic
Gormy is fed up with everyone telling him he isn't monstrous enough yet. Why won't anyone give him a chance? And with a mysterious creature wreaking havoc all through the house, Gormy is going to need to be more than scary!
A hilarious and loveable character from a fantasic new talent!
Other titles in the Gormy Ruckles series includes:
Monster Boy
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| Stick Man |
Julia Donaldson & Axel Scheffler
£10.99, Scholastic
"Stick Man lives in the family tree with his Stick Lady Love and their stick children three." But it's dangerous being a Stick Man. A dog wants to play with him, a swan builds her nest with him. He even ends up on a fire! Join Stick Man on his troublesome journey back to the family tree.
Suitable for two to six year olds from the superstar creators of The Guffalo and Tiddler. |
| Cleopatra: Escape Down The Nile |
Caroline Corby
£5.99, Walker Books
Before they were famous ... meet Cleopatra, who will one day be the Queen of Egypt, in this new series about the early lives of some of history's most charismatic figures.
A young girl flees the city, fearing for her life. Living in hiding, uncertain of her future, she finally receives news from home. The time has come to face her enemies – and take her place as Princess Cleopatra, future Queen of Egypt.
Suitable for readers aged nine years and over.
Other titles in the Before They Were Famous series:
Boudica: The Secrets of The Druids |
| The Pencil |
Allan Ahlberg
£10.99, Walker Books
When a pencil draws a rubber, a battle of wits ensues!
A pencil draws a boy, a dog, a cat and a whole world for them to play in. Then the pencil draws a brush, and the brush adds colour to everything. Everyone is very happy, until the pencil draws a rubber … which begins rubbing everything out!
Suitable for children aged three years and over.
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| The Baby In The Hat |
Allan Ahlberg
£10.99, Walker Books
A sweeping, old-fashioned romance, in which a boy becomes a man … and the baby he saves, his bride!
An epic journey begins when a young boy rescues a falling baby by catching her in his hat. He uses his reward money to sail off round the world, making his fortune along the way. When he returns home, he finds that the baby has grown up into a beautiful woman. They fall in love, marry – and have a baby of their own!
Suitable for children aged three years and over.
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| Trouble With Dragons, The |
Debi Gliori
£10.99, Bloomsbury Publishing
The world is populated by some beastly dragons who care nothing for how much they mess up the oceans, chop down the trees, gobble up all the food and use everything up without stopping to think.
Those dragons need to wake up to what they are doing to their world before it is too late ...
A delightful and energy-filled picture book that addresses concerns about the environment in the most child-centric and delightful way possible.
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| Araminta Spook: Ghostsitters |
Angie Sage
£6.99, Bloomsbury Publishing
Araminta’s Aunt Tabby has won a Transylvanian holiday for four so she and all the adults of Spook House are going for a much-needed break… but it just so happens to be Araminta’s birthday, too. So who will keep an eye on Araminta and her friend Wanda? Mathilda, Araminta’s ‘grown up’ cousin, arrives to babysit, along with two rowdy teenage ghosts. At first, Araminta and Wanda are in heaven – staying up late, playing loud music, and ordering take aways – no more of Aunt Tabby’s rules! But they soon find themselves cleaning up after everyone else; being home alone isn’t turning out as they’d hoped.
So Araminta and Wanda come up with a plan. They have to find a way to move their unreliable ghost-sitters to another house. Maybe then Araminta can start to have a proper birthday…
The fifth book in a witty, spooky, younger series for seven to nine year olds who are keen to find quality fiction and who are not attracted to pink, glittery books!
Other Araminta Spook titles include:
My Haunted House
The Sword in the Grotto
Frognapped
Vampire Brat |
| Honesty Wart: Witch Hunter! |
Alan MacDonald
£4.99, Bloomsbury Publishing
Life for Honesty and his sisters Mercy and Patience is not a bundle of laughs. His family are strict Puritans and singing, dancing and anything that sounds like fun is forbidden. Life, Honesty thinks, can't get much worse when Christmas is cancelled by order of the government.
But he is wrong - the real problem is Gran who has one tooth, a hooked nose, a very hairy chin and a pet toad called Merlin. Honesty suspects she may be a witch, especially since she's been helping the neighbours with love potions and cures for sick pigs. When the WitchFinder General - Ezekial Bones visits the village, Honesty is convinced his family's terrible secret will be discovered. Can he save Gran from the terrible Three Tests for Witches (eg pond ducking - if she swims she's a witch, if she drowns she's innocent.) For a boy who has never told a lie in his whole life - it's asking a lot.
From the creator of Dirty Bertie and Trolls, the new History of Warts series also includes:
Sir Bigwart: Knight of the Wonky Table
Custardly Wart: Pirate (Third Class)
Dithererus Wart: (Accidental) Gladiator |
| Foggy, Foggy Forest, The |
Nick Sharatt
£8.99, Walker Books
Who's lurking in the foggy forest? Look through the transparent pages to find out!
What can that be in the foggy, foggy forest? Whether it’s a fairy queen on a trampoline, three brown bears on picnic chairs, or an ogre doing yoga, children will love trying to guess what each foggy silhouette will be. This unusual novelty book uses opaque paper to create the mysterious misty landscape, and hilarious fairytale fun lies around every corner. Suitable for three years and over.
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| Alice & Megan Forever |
Judi Curtin
€7.95, O'Brien Press
Secondary school’s a whole new world!
Megan and Alice are starting secondary school; with new subjects, new teachers and new friends, it’s going to take a bit of getting used to. And when Megan meets Marcus, the class bad-boy who’s always in trouble, but doesn’t seem to care, things really start to get complicated.
At least she has Home Ec class with Alice – the worst cook in the school – to look forward to, so school’s not all bad!
Alice’s ill-fated Home Economics adventures will have readers aged 10 years and over, in stitches!
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| Diabolic Downloads |
Jim Halligan
€6.95, O'Brien Press
We all like to get something for free ... right?
Free downloads of ringtones and pictures for your phone? Brilliant! Everybody is thrilled when Nicky Nixxon from Nixxter Express starts giving away free ringtones.
Everybody except Jack Keely, that is. His phone is a wreck and couldn't download so much as a cold.
But then, some gifts can come with strings attached. Jack soon finds out just how diabolic a free download can really be ...
An up-to-the-minute story with an original take on the alien invasion theme, with chapters for independent readers who don't want 'baby' books and is a 'real' book for the eight years plus age group. Edgy and a bit scary (but not too scary!) with lots of dialogue, snappy narrative and entertaining illustrations that are funny as well as creepy.
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| Move |
Cnoor Kostick
€9.99, O'Brien Press
Everything comes with a price …
What if you could live in a universe where you were always the winner?
Pushed to his limits by a horrific accident, Liam discovers he has an amazing ability: he can ‘move’ to parallel universes where things always turn out just the way he wants. But every time he moves the fabric of the metaverse begins to tear. And something evil begins to find its way in ...
A gripping fantasy adventure story of the battle between a teenage boy and a terrible demon.
It is also the deeper tale of how Liam changes, emerging from the final crisis a much wiser person than the boy for whom the ability to swap universes made the world his toy.
A thrilling roller-coaster ride from the award-winning author of 'Epic' and 'Saga'. Green Flag - for readers aged 13 years and over.
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| Swap |
Malachy Doyle
€7.99, O'Brien Press
What’s it like, being someone else for a change?
Huw, from Wales, and Marcus, from Dublin, meet up on holiday in County Cork.
It turns out they’re identical to each other - ‘the perfect spit’! Even their own mothers can’t tell them apart.
So they hatch a plan to do a swap. Only things start to go very wrong ... very quickly!
A fast-paced and funny tale of mistaken identity for readers aged 10 years and over.
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| Witch in the Woods, The |
Marian Broderick
€6.99, O'Brien Press
A book of mischief and magic …
Anna Kelly is a witch who’s more interested in sleepovers, school friends and soccer than practising her magic.
Then she meets Verbena Vile, a mad, bad and dangerous witch – and wishes she’d worked a bit harder on her spells!
When Verbena kidnaps Anna’s best friend Mary it’s up to Anna and her cat Charlie to rescue her … with a little help from the powerful Mrs Winkle, of course.
Will Anna’s magic be strong enough to save Mary? Can she and Charlie defeat the vile Verbena?
An entertaining and mischievous sequel to The Witch Apprentice, for readers aged eight years and over.
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| Poison Throne, The |
Celine Kiernan
€12.99, O'Brien
A Friend. A Father. A Kingdom. Which one would you sacrifice?
This compelling trilogy of court intrigue, adventure and romance is a winning combination of imagination, powerful storytelling and magnificent characters.
Fifteen-year-old Wynter Moorehawke returns home after a five-year sojourn in the bleak Northlands. All has changed in her absence. Wynter is forced to make a terrible choice: stay and bow to the King’s will, or abandon her ailing father and join her friend Razi and the mysterious Christopher Garron in their efforts to restore the fragile kingdom to its former stability. But this changed kingdom is a dangerous place, where all resistance is brutally suppressed and the trio constantly risk assassination, torture or imprisonment.
Atmospheric and intriguing, evokes an enchanting and convincing other world – love, treachery, jealousy, tenderness, war, wisdom and court life are all vividly depicted.
Set in a fantastical medieval Europe, The Poison Throne is a gothic tale of intrigue, adventure and romance which draws the reader in from the very first sentence and doesn't loosen its grip until the last.
‘This is marvellous, vivid writing, and storytelling at its absolute best. It reminded me of the first time I read Philip Pullman - I was utterly engrossed’ - Roddy Doyle
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| Star Wars |
Clone Wars The Visual Guide
£14.99, Dorling Kindersley
Get up close and personal with the Clone Wars universe as revealed in the 2008 cinema release and TV series plus learn more about this crucial time in the history of the galaxy.
Pick up cool facts on the Republic and Jedi order, behind-the-scenes information on your favourite characters including Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker and discover more about Clone Wars locations, wars and vehicles. Plus mind-blowing pictures from the TV series will make you feel like you’re there.
It’s a thrill a minute, larger-than-life journey into the Clone Wars universe!
An exciting addition to any Star Wars fans collection - and there's a galaxy-full of DK Star Wars books to collect.
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| Peter Pan in Scarlet |
Geraldine McCaughrean
£14.99, OUP Oxford; Illustrated Ed edition
Something is wrong in Neverland. Dreams are leaking out – strangely real dreams, of pirates and mermaids, of warpaint and crocodiles. For Wendy and the Lost Boys it is a clear signal – Peter Pan needs their help, and so it is time to do the unthinkable and fly to Neverland again. But back in Neverland, everything has changed – and the dangers they find there are far beyond their dreams…
For anyone who loves the story of Peter Pan, this is a great chance to renew their acquaintance with all their favourite characters. You may have read the full version of Peter Pan in Scarlet, the sequel to Peter Pan, which was published a couple of years ago and may know that this is a slightly darker and more complex tale than the original. This lavish new edition of Peter Pan in Scarlet has a reduced and simplified text, retold for a younger audience. To go with the story are absolutely wonderful illustrations by David Wyatt.
David Wyatt produced the dramatic cover for the 2006 edition Peter Pan in Scarlet which made such an impact and the new illustrations create a dreamlike Neverland world as well as a complete look for Peter Pan and all the other characters. The pictures really make the book and are likely to go down in children’s illustration history.
This is a great way to introduce your younger children to Peter Pan. Even in its simplified form it’s still a substantial book and will need a pretty confident reader; however it would also be a great story to read aloud. For older children it’s also a great read and the illustrations only add to its attractiveness. This is likely to be a major attraction in the run up to Christmas. Expect to see it up towards the top of the best seller lists.
Peter Pan in Scarlet builds on the famous Peter Pan copyright bequest from JM Barrie and every copy bought will help raise funds for the Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity and their current appeal to raise funds to build the hospital’s New Clinical Building. So go out and buy this great book for yourselves, your children and future generations.
Peter Pan in Scarlet is published on Thursday 2 October 2008 with a cover price of £14.99. |
| The Trouble with Dragons |
Debi Gliori
£5.99, Walker & Company
“Dragons eat up all the food and drink up all the drink
And use everything up without stopping to think.
They also throw parties and make lots of noise
And leave a huge mess after playing with their toys.”
This is an absolutely charming book with lovely illustrations. The world is populated by thoughtless, wasteful dragons that care nothing for how much they pollute the seas, chop down the trees and eat up all the food. Only when they realise that they are destroying the world they were born into and face an existence without wildlife do they start to have a care.
This cautionary tale is a great way to introduce young children to the ways in which the planet is being mistreated and the possible consequences. It takes complex issues and makes them easy to understand in a fun and accessible way. But don’t be put off if that sounds a bit serious because it’s so much more than that, it’s a fun and funny book to read with your child. The charming rhyming text and witty illustrations will make children and parents alike smile and then laugh out loud.
Every now and then, as a book reviewer, you see a book which you think you would rush out and buy if you hadn’t just been sent a review copy. his is one of those and I’m already working on a list of nephews and nieces to buy a copy for birthdays and Christmas.
The Trouble with Dragons is published on 6 October. Go and buy a copy and treat yourself.
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| Captain Underpants and the Invasion of the Incredibly Naughty Cafeteria Ladies Collector's Edition |
Dav Pilkey
£7.99, Scholastic
Is Captain Underpants ready to take on three massive, tentacled space aliens (in disguise)? Join George and Harold on an adventure that's WEDGIER than ever! This very special collectors' edition comes with an exclusive CD, packed with hilarious songs, games, Underpants facts and much, much more!
Other titles in the Captain Underpants series include:
Captain Underpants and the Preposterous Plight of the Purple Potty People
The Adventures of Captain Underpants (Mini Edition)
The Extra Big 'N' Extra-Crunchy Captain Underpants Book O' Fun
The Tra-la-laa-rific Captain Underpants Collection
Captain Underpants and the Attack of the Talking Toilets Collector’s Edition plus CD
The Adventures of Captain Underpants: Collectors -Edition
Captain Underpants: Three More Wedgie-Powered Adventures in One
Captain Underpants and the Big, Bad Battle of the Bionic Booger Boy Part Two
Captain Underpants and the Big, Bad Battle of the Bionic Booger Boy Part One
Captain Underpants and the Wrath of the Wicked Wedgie Woman
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| Butterfly Meadow: Twinkle and the Busy Bee |
Olivia Moss
£3.99, Scholastic
Twinkle and the other butterflies are playing in the meadow when they bump into a lost bumble bee. While searching for the sweetest pollen, he’s flown too far from his hive and now he can’t remember his way back! How will they get him back to his hive?
Other titles in the Butterfly Meadow series include:
Dazzle's Prickly Problem
Skipper to the Rescue
Mallow's Top Team
Twinkle Dives In
Dazzle's First Day |
| Charlie & The Haunted Tent |
Hilary McKay
£3.99, Scholastic
Charlie’s big brother Max isn’t scared of anything … Except Aunt Emma’s spooky house. At last it’s Charlie’s chance to be the hero. Those ghosts had better watch out!
Other titles in the Charlie series include:
Charlie & The Cheese and Onion Crisps
Charlie & The Big Snow
Charlie & The Cat Flap
Charlie & The Great Escape
Charlie & The Rocket Boy
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| A Finder's Magic |
Philippa Pearce
£9.99, Walker books
A mysterious stranger called Mr Finder offers to help Till find his dog, and they interview various witnesses including a heron, a mole, a riddling cat - and Miss Mousey, whose sketch of a peaceful riverbank offers a vital clue. The quest to find Bess is full of magic but Till begins to mistrust his supposed ally Mr Finder - until at last he realizes the truth, and they track down the real culprit,a finder who likes to keep what he finds. At the end of this enchanting story Till is reunited with his beloved Bess and a new book - of the story - will be born.
A beautifully crafted fantastical mystery about a little boy called Till who loses his dog Bess, for eight years and over, from the author of Tom's Midnight Garden.
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| Young Samurai: The Way of the Warrior |
Chris Bradford
£5.99, Puffin
August 1611. Jack Fletcher is shipwrecked off the coast of Japan – his beloved father and the crew lie slaughtered by ninja pirates.
Rescued by the legendary sword master Masamoto Takeshi, Jack's only hope is to become a samurai warrior. And so his training begins.
But life at the samurai school is a constant fight for survival. Even with his friend Akiko by his side, Jack is singled out by bullies and treated as an outcast.
With courage in his heart and his sword held high, can Jack prove himself and face his deadliest rival yet?
‘A fantastic adventure that floors the reader on page one and keeps them there until the end’
Eoin Colfer
Suitable for eight to 12 year old readers.
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| Slapstick |
Roger McGough
£8.99, Puffin
If Philosophy is the Why?
And Science is the How?
Then Poetry is the Wow!
In this stunning, brand-new volume, you'll discover poems about poems, poems about life, poems about kangaroos and chameleons and caterpillars (though not in the same verse) and many more. This touching and thought-provoking collection will make you laugh, cry, or simply say 'Wow!'
Suitable for five to eight year olds. |
| Jeremy Strong's Laugh-Your-Socks-Off Joke Book |
Jeremy Strong
£4.99, Puffin
Is it time to pause for breath? No because there’s also Streaker the dog, indoor pirates, trolls and superheroes AND karate kicking and time-travelling AND mad grannies and so much more.
Featuring a brand new short-story by Jeremy, the Laugh-Your-Socks-Off Joke Book is jam-packed with jokes, quizzes,puzzles and games, plus extracts from all your favourite stories.
Warning! No Knock-knock’s were used in the making of this book.
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| Diary of a Wimpy Kid |
Jeff Kinney
£4.99, Puffin
Greg Heffley finds himself thrust into a new year and a new school where undersize weaklings share the corridors with kids who are taller, meaner and already shaving.
Desperate to prove his new found maturity, which only going up a grade can bring, Greg is happy to have his not-quite-so-cool sidekick, Rowley, along for the ride. But when Rowley's star starts to rise, Greg tries to use his best friend's popularity to his own advantage. Recorded in his diary with comic pictures and his very own words, this test of Greg and Rowley's friendship unfolds with hilarious results.
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| Kitty Kitty |
Michele Jaffe
£5.99, Puffin
Life in Italy. It's all gondolas, gorgeous guys and 142 types of pizza. Right?
Oh. So. Wrong.
Meet Jasmine Callihan, supersleuth extraordinaire.
What happens in the story is:
32% Thrilling mystery
51% Gut-churning yearning
17% Clothes CRISIS slash hair HORROR
100% NOT HER FAULT
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| Artemis Fowl and the Time Paradox |
Eoin Colfer
£12.99, Puffin
Teenage criminal mastermind Artemis Fowl has a new mission – and this time, it's personal. Artemis's mother is dangerously ill, and the only way to find a cure is for Artemis – with Holly Short by his side – to go back in time to battle his younger, more evil self...
'Artemis is as calculating as ever but it's Colfer's deftness of touch and attention to the minutest detail that makes these books such a joyous romp. His dialogue is crisp as a wafer, fine-tuned by a lifelong appreciation of classic American cop series, and the images he conjures are as colourful as any graphic novel you'd care to name'
Waterstones Books Quarterly |
| Mungo and the Dinosaur Island! |
Timothy Knapman
£5.99, Puffin
LOOK OUT! It's a... DINOSAUR STAMPEDE!! Mungo's latest book is the wildest adventure of all. Horrible hunter Scarface Sam and his men think the secret of the Lost Island will make them rich... But when the dinosaurs get out of CONTROL and OUT of the book, it's up to MUNGO to put things right! A hilarious action-packed adventure for brave heroes everywhere!
Suitable for five to eight year olds. |
| Yo Ho Ho! A-Pirating We'll Go |
Kaye Umansky
£5.99, Puffin
I want to be a pirate.
It's a pirate's life for me!
I'll wear a skull-and-crossbones hat
And sail the salty sea!
Sail away with five little pirates in search of treasure and adventure... Dance a jig on a brig, decide how to wear your hat, discover that pirate food's disgusting, find that treasure chest and lots more – before coming safely home for tea! A rollicking and colourful collection to delight little pirates everywhere!
Suitable for five to eight year olds. |
| Charlie and Lola: I will be especially VERY careful |
Lauren Child
£7.99, Puffin
Lola's best friend Lotta has an extremely special new coat, and Lola really wants to borrow it. Lotta isn't so sure... 'I will be especially very careful,' says Lola. But will she be able to keep it all fluffy and white and new?
Suitable for three to seven year olds. |
| Weird |
Jeremy Strong
£5.99, Puffin
Josh thinks Fizz is dentally challenged and fluent in gibberish. Fizz thinks Josh is the Prince of Handsomeness.
Being fourteen has never been so weird...
They're destined to work together at Marigolds Old People's Home – can Cupid's arrow strike among the Zimmer frames? Throw in Josh's wacky mother with her goats on the sofa and Fizz's goddess-like big sis and one thing is certain. Things will get a LOT weirder before they start making sense – and can the oldies really make their great escape... using tablespoons?
Suitable for 11 to 14 year olds. |
| Give Peas a Chance |
Morris Gleitzman
£4.99, Puffin
Give fun a chance! Surprise your mum with a chainsaw, be a bigger star than Tom Cruise, save the world with a plate of vegetables, start your new life in a taxi, rescue your family with a tomato, send your dad into a panic with a tractor, do a good deed with a paper bag on your head, pack your suitcase for a trip to the spleen, upset your auntie with ten kilos of chocolate, swap a bomb for three ice creams on a steam train... and lots more.
Other hilarious stories from this author include:-
Two weeks with the Queen
Doubting Thomas
Bumface
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| Glitterwings Academy 5: Fledge Star |
Titania Woods
£5.99, Bloomsbury
Twink can't wait to start her second year in Bluebell Branch at Glitterwings Academy. And even more excitingly she finds out that she is to be substitute for the Glitterwings Fledge team – a fairy flying sport that is high speed and takes skill and daring to play well. But when Twink is unexpectedly called upon to play she fluffs her chance. Twink is so disappointed. How can she get back on the team? And why is Mariella being so nice to her when the rest of the team is being rather horrible to her? Both Twink and Mariella have much to learn about the nature of team spirit ... |
| Comings and Goings at Parrot Park |
Mary Murphy
£3.99, Walker Books
It’s summertime and 53 Parrot Park is a busy place to be. All the Murphys are there, and so are their Canadian cousins, who talk funny but are just like their Irish cousins in every other way. Daddy has borrowed some tents to make room for everyone – the place is full of Murphys! Then the summer ends and it’s back to school. All is quiet again at Parrot Park ... for now. For readers aged five years plus. |
| Hero and the Sinking Ships |
Richard Hamilton
£5.99, Bloomsbury
Forced to leave their beloved nest by a cook, a cat and the freezing cold, the Morgan Street Rats set sail for the delectable promise of peace and quiet, hot grime and stench in the Tropics. (Or so they think).
But, before too long, it becomes startlingly clear that the young family of rodents are far from headed for their dream destination! And that is not the only surprise on the horizon. Little Hero is showing signs of rather unusual behaviour - he prefers the sweet taste of raisins to old fish bones, and wants to explore the more refined side of life. If he doesn't see the error of his ways soon, Hero could land himself in extremely deep water.
A wonderfully entertaining novel full of jeopardy, humour and wit as well as lots of rats, a Russian sea captain, his pig, sinking ships and much much more...!
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| Hocus Pocus |
Paul Kieve
£6.99, Bloomsbury
Ever since the author Paul Kieve was given a magic set at the age of ten, he has been buying magic books, props and posters and honing his skills as a magician. He keeps all his magical paraphenalia in his house in Hackney, right around the corner from the magnificent Hackney Empire, a venue played at by all the great illusionists of the golden era of magic, some hundred years ago.
One day, as Paul is on the phone to his friend, sitting in his ‘Poster Room’, chatting to a friend about how well his magic show went from the night before, he gets a strange sensation . . . Suddenly, the huge figure of Alexander steps out of the poster and starts telling Paul off for getting too big-headed! Alexander and the other brilliant magicians in the posters are going to show Paul what magic is really about!
Packed with fascinating true stories and unbelievable shows of wizardry, not to mention step-by-step instructions in how to become a master of magic yourself, Hocus Pocus is a unique magical mystery tour written by the magic consultant to Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban film and personal magic teacher to Daniel Radcliffe.
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| Goldilocks and the Three Bears |
Lauren Child
£12.99, Puffin
Once upon a time, on the edge of a big dark forest there lived a little girl called Goldilocks. You have probably heard of her? If so, you will know three things: she was small, she had lots of golden curls and she had far too much curiosity for her own good. So when Goldilocks discovers an intriguing wooden cottage deep in the forest, she just can’t resist peeking inside. Now why would there be one, two, three of everything . . .?
Lauren Child brings her trademark innovative approach to this wonderfully warm and witty retelling of the classic cautionary tale, and adds her own clever twist.
Following the success of The Princess and the Pea, she once again joins forces with award-winning portrait photographer Polly Borland, whose stunning photography brings this truly original picture book startlingly to life. They are joined by a talented theatre designer, Emily Jenkins, who has designed and created an enchanting hand-crafted miniature world.
The sets for the book took over a year to make. The doll-sized cottage, complete with winding staircase, stands about a metre tall. Real turf was grown for the roof. Special wallpaper and fabrics were designed and printed, featuring woodland motifs. Exquisite miniature furniture, including the three bears' beds, chairs and porridge bowls, were carved, crafted and painted by Emily and her team of designers. Tiny slippers were sewn, cushions stuffed and bed linen edged and folded. The tiny spoons were carved specially – even the porridge is real!The cast of characters were made by world-famous doll maker, R. John Wright, whose dolls and bears sell to collectors all over the world.
Goldilocks is 30 centimetres tall and made of soft felt with hand-painted features; her golden locks are made of the softest mohair. She arrived from America complete with a tiny hand-woven basket of felt daisies, which you can see her carrying in the book. Mother, Father and Baby Bear are all made from the softest fur and have tiny resin claws. Father Bear arrived with a hand-carved wooden pipe, which, if you look very closely, you can spot in the pictures, warming by the fire.
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| Bridget Fidget |
Joe Berger
£5.99, Puffin
One morning, a giant surprise box arrives. Quick as a flash, Bridget Fidget is out of bed and downstairs. It must be - a unicorn! Just what Bridget has always wanted. But the big box seems to be full of smaller boxes. Could it be a penguin? Or maybe just . . . a mouse?
A story about the girl in a whirl who can't stay still, for three to five year olds. |
| Adventures of Dotty and Bluebell, The |
Jools Oliver
£9.99, Puffin
This delightful collection of stories tells the adventures of three best friends through the seasons. There's Bluebell, Jake and Dotty – the youngest and the naughtiest by far! In spring, there's mischief and mayhem when she visits a farm, while in summer a day at the beach becomes a hilarious adventure. Autumn sees Dotty create her very own Halloween party, and in winter things nearly go very wrong when she decides to go for a ride in Santa's sleigh!
Four Delightful Stories of an Ever-so-naughty Little Girl and Her Big Sister that five to eight year old fans of Enid Blyton will adore. |
| Fright Night: The Howling Castle |
Steve Rogers
£4.99, Puffin
The cast and crew of the Fright Night TV show are filming at the spookiest castle they’ve ever seen! The owner looks eerily like Count Dracula, growling wolves bare their fangs in the forest below and there’s even talk of vampires. Twins Adam and Lana suspect the count has something sinister to hide – can they uncover the mystery of the creepy castle before it’s too late?
Perfect for readers of 8+ who love to be seriously spooked!
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| Magic Puppy - School of Mischief |
Sue Bentley
£3.99, Puffin
Freya and her family have moved to be nearer her grandma and Freya is really missing her friends. Even new neighbour Isaac and his naughty puppy, Teddy, can't cheer her up. But when Old English sheepdog puppy Storm arrives, Freya's world becomes filled with magical fun...
The latest installment of Magic Puppy adventures for five to eight year olds that's definitely worth barking about! |
| Charlie and Lola: I'm just NOT keen on spiders |
Lauren Child
£7.99, Puffin
Lola's really extremely not very keen on spiders. Lola says, 'They're always dangling and running about, Charlie.' So Charlie shows Lola all the things spiders can do, like walking upside down and making amazing spider webs, and then Lola finds that she is quite keen on spiders after all! The chunky format of this six-page jigsaw book makes it perfect for small hands! |
| Silverfin: The Graphic Novel |
Charlie Higson
£9.99, Puffin
It's James Bond's first day at Eton, and already he's met his first enemy. This is the start of an adventure that will take him from the school playing fields to the remote shores of Loch Silverfin and a terrifying discovery that threatens to unleash a new breed of warfare.
See young Bond in action for the very first time in this superb graphic novel version for eight to 12 year olds. |
| Mermaid Curse: The Golden Circlet |
Louise Cooper
£4.99, Puffin
Lizzy Baxter's life is turned upside down when she moves to Cornwall and discovers that she has a long-lost brother and that their mother is a mermaid. Lizzy soon learns that the tranquil underwater world is ruled by an evil mermaid queen, Taran, who will stop at nothing to complete her power. After a terrifying battle, Taran is one step nearer to her goal. But then she disappears. Lizzy is suspicious. She knows Taran needs the black pearl – the key to ultimate power – but how is she planning to get it?
A thrilling final episode by Louise Cooper, the renowned fantasy writer, for eight to 12 year olds.
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| Little Leap Forward, A Boy in Beijing |
Guo Yue & Clare Farrow
£9.49, Barefoot Books
In the summer of 1966 a little boy called Little Leap Forward is growing up in Beijing, the capital city of China.
Little Leap Forward’s friend, Little-Little, catches a yellow bird and puts it in a bamboo cage so that Little Leap Forward can study the notes it sings and teach it songs. But the bird never sings. So Little Leap Forward buys a flute and plays to the bird to try and get it to sing, but this doesn’t work. Suddenly the Red Guards arrive in the city and everyone’s lives change. They’re not allowed to have any music or fly kites anymore and one of Little Leap Forward’s friends moves away from the city completely because her family are in danger. In the end Little Leap Forward decides it will be better to release his bird back into the wild and give her back her freedom.
I really enjoyed reading this story and the illustrations are also lovely.
Lucy Blower
Aged 11 yrs
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| Percy Jackson And The Lightning Thief |
Rick Riordan
£5.99, Puffin Books
This book is really good. It is a mix of Greek Mytholagy and The Present. It follows the story of three children who are demigods (part god) on a quest to hades to receive Zeus's lightning bolt by the end of the summer solstice, will they retreave it? Read and find out. |
| The Mum Shop |
CECI JENKINSON
£4.99, Faber
First in a new series, ‘Oli and Skipjack’s Tales of Trouble’. Ever wish you could swap your mum for one who would let you do whatever you liked? Oli is delighted to find a mum shop that lets him do just that — or rather it lets him swap his mum for another one, but it doesn’t work out quite as expected. After his first attempt goes wrong, his second seems too good to be true. She drives a tank and will train him to be a secret agent, but she has ulterior motives and plans to use him in her anti-children plot. Will Oli realise the truth in time to stop her? Will he regret swapping his mum? All is revealed in this very funny, action packed story. |
| Witch Baby and Me |
DEBI GLIORI
£4.99, Corgi
Lily discovers it can be hard getting used to a new baby sister especially when she shows signs of being a witch baby and you are the only one who seems to notice. She not only has to contend with her sister’s magic, but her magical, smelly dog, which is invisible to everyone else — all while adjusting to living in a new house hundreds of miles from her old one. When she meets a girl her own age she hopes to be able to make friends without her strange family secrets being revealed, unaware magical forces with their
own agenda are watching closely determined to stop her. Find out if they succeed in this very funny story, first in a new series with plenty of magic and surprises. |
| Mr Big |
ED VERE
£5.99, Puffin
Mr Big lived up to his name. Sadly everyone took one look at
him and kept away — no one tried to get to know him. This made him very sad and lonely so when he saw a piano all alone in a shop window he bought it. At home he thought of all the things that made him sad and played beautiful music. Everyone who heard it loved it and wanted to know who was playing. Mr Big received his first letter asking if he wanted to join a local band, but what would happen when he met them? Find out in this lovely, moving story with gorgeous illustrations. |
| Willy and Hugh |
ANTHONY BROWNE
£5.99, Picture Corgi
Poor Willy was lonely, no one wanted to be his friend. He
thought he was in real trouble when he bumped into big Hugh, but to his surprise instead of bullying him they got on. Hugh helped Willy and, like a true friend, he found a way to return the favour. This is a touching story aided by very expressive pictures. |
| Singing to the Sun |
VIVIAN FRENCH/ JACKIE MORRIS
£10.99, Egmont Hb
Brought up by a father who valued power and a mother who valued gold, poor Thorfinn didn’t know much about love. When he grew up his parents told him he was to marry a daughter of the King of the Golden Mountains.
One of them would inherit the King’s power, one his wealth, the other happiness and love. Needless to say his parents argued over which of the first two he should choose, but it didn’t matter unless he completed the very difficult task the King set. Find out how he gets on and what choice he makes in this tender story with a few unexpected twists. A picture book with striking illustrations, fairly small print and lots of sentences on each page which could encourage reluctant readers. |
| The Demon Assassin |
ALAN GIBBONS
£6.99, Orion HB,
Having stopped the evil King Lud once, Paul realises his fight is far from over and takes Hell’s underground back to London in the Blitz. His task is to stop another of his ancestors assasinating the Prime Minister, and bringing Lud back. Missing his mother and girlfriend he makes new friends and feels guilty over his feelings for them. He faces
an emotional journey putting them and himself in great danger while learning more about his family curse. Although Paul’s powers are getting stronger he is up against a far greater force — and his own insecurities. This is another gripping, action packed story full of mystery and excitement. The second book in the series, it can be enjoyed without having read the first, but if you haven’t already read it you will probably want to! Full length novel for mature, competent readers. |
| Percy Jackson and the Battle of the Labyrinth |
RICK RIORDAN
£9.99, Puffin Hb
It looks like Percy is about to break his own record by etting
‘kicked out’ of a new school before he has even started. He can hardly explain he was fighting vampire type demons, but it means his summer break at Camp Half Blood starts earlier than expected. He arrives as another disaster threatens — it seems Luke is on the brink of finding a way into the heart of the camp via a labyrinth. The only way to stop him is to go into the labyrinth with its many hidden dangers. This fourth story in the series is another exciting, action-packed adventure with the usual clever mix of good verses evil, magic and humour. Fair size print, full length novel. |
| Dino Egg |
CHARLIE JAMES
£5.99, Bloomsbury
Having survived their adventures in ‘Fish’ the Finn family face an even weirder problem — the hatching of a dinosaur egg. When this happens to Ned and Bill they naturally decide to hide the pink spotted creature and keep it as a pet. Easily done for a short while, but as ‘Lucky’, as they later call him, grows he proves to be very intelligent with a mind of his own and a huge appetite. As if this didn’t cause enough chaos in their lives, Ned is chosen to be a mascot in a swimming competition and he hates water! Chaos ensues in this hilarious story as the basically kind Finn family face greedy, bullying, tormenting opponents — and that’s just the humans! |
| Werewolf Versus Dragon |
BEASTLY BOYS
£6.99, Simon & Schuster Hb
First in a new series ‘An Awfully Beastly
Business’. Ulf looks like a normal boy and
for most of the time he is, but each full
moon he turns into a werewolf. He lives with
Dr Fielding in Faraway Hall, the headquarters
of RSPCB (Royal Society for the Prevention
of Cruelty to Beasts) — a rescue centre for
rare and endangered beasts of every kind.
When a baby dragon is found shot dead it
becomes apparent something is very wrong. Could someone
be trying to undo the good work of the society? With a little
ghostly help Ulf discovers a terrible secret and it falls to him
to try and stop a massacre. |
| Stadium School - Long Show |
Jefferies & Goffe
£4.99, A & C Black Publishers Ltd
Roddy Jones has just started Stadium School and has made some equally passionate and determined friends, none more so than Jimmy. He is a gifted player and easily outshines his rival, Jack. And with first team selection round the corner, Jimmy is sure to be chosen. Nothing can hold him back from realising his footballing dream... except his lucky socks. But when one sock goes missing, Jimmy’s superstitions leave him in doubt. Then a note appears telling Jimmy he will get his sock back, but only if he walks the forbidden and haunted old stadium grounds at midnight. Desperate for his lucky sock, will Jimmy risk breaking school rules, or can Roddy help lay his ghosts
before they consume him, or worse, expel him…
Before becoming a full-time writer Cindy Jefferies had a varied career that had nothing to do with writing, including being a Venetian-mask maker and a video DJ. Cindy's first
novel, Sebastian's Quest, was published by Barry Cunningham at Chicken House. Now she is best known for her popular series Fame School (Usborne) set at a school
for the performing arts. Stadium School is Cindy's first book co-written with her son Seb, who is perhaps even more football-mad than the books' characters. When not thinking about football, Seb plays in an indie band. |
| Stadium School - Hot Prospects |
Jefferies & Goffe
£4.99, A & C Black Publishers Ltd
Stadium School is more than just a special summer course, it's a really cool school that teaches its students everything
about football. With its state-of-the-art facilities, top coaches and location in the grounds of a former football stadium, the school is the place for aspiring footballers. And better still it's a co-ed boarding school, so the kids can live and breathe football from morning to night.
Roddy Jones is the star of his school five-a-side team, in which he plays alongside his best friend Bryn. However, Roddy has bigger dreams. So when he is spotted by a scout for Stadium School and invited to a trial he is determined to win a place, whatever it takes. But even if he does get in, will his parents be able to afford the fees and how will Roddy feel about leaving Bryn behind?
Before becoming a full-time writer Cindy Jefferies had a varied career that had nothing to do with writing, including being a Venetian-mask maker and a video DJ. Cindy's first
novel, Sebastian's Quest, was published by Barry Cunningham at Chicken House. Now she is best known for her popular series Fame School (Usborne) set at a school
for the performing arts. Stadium School is Cindy's first book co-written with her son Seb, who is perhaps even more football-mad than the books' characters. When not thinking about football, Seb plays in an indie band. |
| Wow! The Visual Encyclopedia of Everything |
Dorling Kindersley Publishers Ltd
£19.99, Dorling Kindersley Publishers Ltd
This is the traditional encyclopedia reinvented for the 21st century internet generation. It features a fascinating and lively encyclopedic look at a million things guaranteed to keep your child's curious mind engaged. You can find everything you ever wanted to know about traditional topics from Science and Industry to Arts and Entertainment. Only this book's different. Discover it all through visually amazing, stunning graphics. From a map of Spain made entirely out of pictures of its people and products to space exploration, you can pour over stunning images with your child and pick up fascinating facts and figures in bite-sized chunks. Read it together, can you count them all? This is a great example of what DK does best: treating non-fiction subjects differently and encouraging visual learning.
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| Show Me The Money |
Alvin D. Hall
£9.99, Dorling Kindersley Publishers Ltd
Show Me The Money is a treasure trove of advice from financial expert and star of BBC’s Your Money or Your Life, Alvin Hall.
Money might make the world go around, but only if you know how to use it, and who better to teach your child all about finance than BBC’s Your Money or Your Life presenter, Alvin Hall. They’ll enter the world of business and economics learning about how money works, from its history to how it grows.
An indispensable investment to get your child to understand money and finances – read it together and watch their money grow.
The Author
Alvin Hall is President of Cooperhall Press and runs seminars about the investment markets for financial companies around the world. He's written several training manuals and books including the best-selling Getting Started In Stocks, Getting Started In Mutual Funds and Money for life: Everyone's guide to Financial Freedom. Alvin is the presenter of BBC's Your Money or Your Life.
|
| SHAPE LAND Silly Samuel Square |
Helen Wendy Cooper
£4.99, Trafford Publishing
Fantastic pre-school book for children up to the age of 5 years!
Samuel Square is Shape Land's rudest shape!
He always sticks his tongue out at the other shapes and says "Pthhhhhhh!"
He buys some roller blades and whizzes around Shape Land causing mischief, ending up stuck in a dustbin.
Will his shaped friends be able to pull him out? Or will Samuel Square finally have to learn some manners?
Find out in this fun, exciting story which helps educate children on shapes, and can be told time and time again.
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| Star Crazy Me |
Jean Ure
£5.99, Harper Collins
Carmen is in Year 9 and has serious ambitions to be a rock star. She has a great voice, has taught herself to play the guitar, and with one of her best friends, Josh, actually writes her own songs. The school is having a Top Spot contest for would-be pop stars, and Carmen eagerly puts her name on the list. But when Carmen hears a spiteful girl at her school make comments about her weight, she bunks off school and swears she is never going back..
A brilliant new comedy drama from Jean Ure, all about the ups and downs of seeking fame. |
| Born to Run |
Michael Morpurgo
£5.99, Harper Collins
“The sack wasn't just drifting gently along like everything else, it was turning of its own accord. There was definitely something inside it, struggling against the side of the plastic bag, kicking at it, squeaking and squealing in terror. He had no idea what it might be, only that it was alive and in danger of drowning.”
When Patrick saves a litter of greyhound puppies from the canal, he can’t bear to hand them all over to the RSPCA. He pleads with his parents: couldn’t he just keep one of them? But nothing will convince them and Patrick cries himself to sleep – only to be woken by a greyhound puppy licking his face!
Patrick christens his puppy Best Mate, and that’s what he becomes. Patrick’s favourite thing is to watch Best Mate running at full stretch on the heath, a speeding bullet, a cheetah-dog. Until one day Best Mate is kidnapped by a greyhound trainer, and begins a new life as a champion race dog. Suzie, the greyhound trainer’s step-daughter, loves Best Mate on first sight and gives him a new name, Bright Eyes. But what will happen when he can’t run any more?
Joy and heartbreak combine in this bittersweet tale of a champion greyhound’s journey through life – and from owner to owner… |
| Paddington - Here and Now |
Michael Bond
£9.99, Harper Collins
'I'm not a foreigner,' exclaimed Paddington hotly. 'I'm from Darkest Peru.'
Paddington – the beloved, classic bear from Darkest Peru – is back in this fantastically funny, long-awaited, brand new illustrated novel from master storyteller Michael Bond!
Paddington Bear always manages to find himself in tricky situations, sometimes extraordinary situations. Like the time he had a difficult encounter with a policeman or when he found himself in deep water with a newspaper reporter. But since arriving from his native Peru after an earthquake Paddington has always felt at home with the Brown family who found him on Paddington station. Then one day, a surprise visitor arrives at thirty-two Windsor Gardens. Is it time for Paddington to decide where 'home' really is?
In 2008 Michael Bond's first novel featuring the adventures of Paddington Bear will celebrate its fiftieth anniversary. Paddington's amazing ability to get into and out of trouble is at the heart of the countless stories that have been loved the world over ever since. However, it is many years since a new novel has been published, and in celebration of this landmark, Michael Bond has written the funniest and the most moving Paddington novel ever. |
| What! |
Kate Lum & Adrian Johnson
£5.99, Bloomsbury Publishing
Patrick does not want to go to bed. So he finds lots of reasons to explain his sleeplessness. And each reason sets Patrick’s very resourceful Granny on a monumental task! Just as everything seems to be getting resolved, Patrick finds himself saved from having to go to bed.
An unusual and anarchic bedtime story for young children. |
| Collected Poems |
Allan Ahlberg
£14.99, Puffin Books
Allan Ahlberg's five poetry books, written over a period of twenty-five years – Please Mrs Butler, Heard it in the Playground, Friendly Matches, The Mighty Slide and The Mysteries of Zigomar – have delighted generations of children and received many accolades and prizes.
Allan has sifted through them and chosen a collection to delight and entrance a new generation of readers and their parents. Here are all the trials and tribulations of childhood, embracing school, quarrels, friendships, football and storytelling from a much-loved author and poet.
Charlotte Voake's black-and-white illustrations enchance the charm of this handsome and definitive collection.
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| My Dad, the Hero |
Stella Gurney
£3.99, Walker Books - Walker Stories
A touching yet amusing story about a boy's admiration for his dad – and his acceptance of his limitations.
T is part of a happy family, and he loves everything about them – especially his clever dad, who drives a taxi and can make anything you like out of wood. When T’s teacher arranges for his dad to come into school to talk about what he does for a job, T should be as proud as proud. But there’s one problem: his dad doesn’t speak English. T worries and worries about what to do – does his teacher realize? Will everyone laugh at him because his dad can only speak Bengali? But T’s dad is cleverer than T thinks. When he comes in to school anyway and does an amazing puppet show, T realizes that being the same as other people is not everything. His dad really is a hero!
For ages five years plus - the Walker Stories series supports beginner readers who are making the transition from picture books in an engaging, entertaining and accessible way.
|
| Toffee and Pie |
Pippa Goodhart
£3.99, Walker Books - Walker Stories
John and his horse each make a new friend when they travel to a new place...
John and his family are always on the move: they live in a trailer that is drawn by their cob, Pie, and they never stay in one place for very long. When they arrive at the next new town, John isn’t looking forward to starting another new school. But there he meets a boy called Tom – who loves horses as much as he does! John can draw fantastic horses and Tom thinks he’s great, and suddenly it doesn’t matter so much that John can’t read or write very well. When the two friends meet up after school to ride their horses together – John on Pie and Tom on Toffee – John wishes he could stay here for ever. But soon it’s time to move on again … maybe they will be back next year.
For ages five years plus - the Walker Stories series supports beginner readers who are making the transition from picture books in an engaging, entertaining and accessible way.
|
| Where's Wally? The Great Picture Hunt |
Martin Handford
£5.99, Walker Books
Wally's stupendous new adventure is nothing short of a masterpiece. A Where's Wally? for the Tate Modern generation, the book is filled with a host of extra puzzles, activities and special stickers to complete the game. This is a triumphant return for the speccy, bobble-hatted one.
Get ready for Wally's most bamboozling book yet - and collect all six Where's Wally? books with: Where's Wally?; Where's Wally Now?; Where's Wally? The Fantastic Journey; Where's Wally? in Hollywood; and Where's Wally? The Wonder Book. |
| Martha in the Middle |
Jan Fearnley
£10.99, Walker Books
Martha discovers it's not so bad being in the middle - with a little help from Frog...
Squashed in the middle, invisible in the middle, Martha thinks nobody really notices her ... so she runs away to the bottom of the garden. Here she meets Frog who, by showing her round the garden, persuades her that the middle really is the very best place to be.
|
| How to Heal a Broken Wing |
Bob Graham
£10.99, Walker Books
When Will helps an injured bird, he learns that a little kindness can go a long way...
No one in the busy city sees the bird lying on the pavement, its wing broken. No one but a small boy called Will. He and his mum carry it home and, with time, rest, and a little bit of hope, the wing mends … and they set the bird free to soar over the city once more.
|
| Danny's Drawing Book |
Sue Heap
£5.99, Walker Books
Danny loves drawing pictures in his yellow drawing book. One snowy day, when he and his friend Ettie go to the zoo, Danny draws an elephant and an aardvark. Danny and Ettie watch in amazement as the animals come to life in the pages – and then they join them to embark on a wildly exciting journey to somewhere very different!
Every picture tells a story in this charming adventure of the imagination from an award-winning illustrator - with free drawing book inside. |
| Maisy Goes to the Museum |
Lucy Cousins
£7.99, Walker Books
There’s so much for Maisy and her friends to discover in the museum: collections of old toys, dinosaurs, cars, costumes … even a large mammoth – a favourite of Eddie’s. “Now for the food collection!” says Charlie, as he leads them to his favourite room … the café.
This is the most recent Maisy First Experiences title, aimed at three to five year olds. Other books in the series include Maisy; Charley and the Wobbly Tooth; Maisy's Christmas Eve; Maisy Goes Camping; Maisy Goes to Hospital; and Maisy Goes to the Library.
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| The Woppapotamus from Titan |
Helen Bonney
£5.99, www.penpress.net
Woppapotami are gentle, thick-skinned, mostly without a care in the world like kind-hearted Wally Woppapotamus. But the arrival of an alien space probe turns Wally's comfortable existence upside down when he is given an awesome task by his leader - it's up to him to save his own planet from invaders and...disaster!
Hurled into space, Wally goes on the most amazing journey, and discovers that his is not the only planet that needs saving...
As Wally Woppapotamus would say - Enjoy the music and songs on the CD, enjoy the story. Most important of all - enjoy and look after the world you live in!
A delightfully funny and gently tale with an environmental message that's all wrapped up in a cute and cuddly little purple Woppapotamus package - a great gift for under 10's. |
| Alfie's Adventures - Book 1 |
Gerald Howe
£5.99, www.penpress.net
Swashbuckling pirates, highway robbers, maps to find hidden treasure - the stuff of every little boy's dreams… But were they really dreams?
For Alfie the explorer, climbing Everest, discovering lost cities in South America, fighting off bandits, being whisked aboard UFOs - it was all in a day's work if you were a member of the Royal Explorers Society, even if you were only eight years old!
Together with Eddie, his faithful tracker dog, Alfie had the most amazing adventures - his secret hoard of treasures proved that he wasn't dreaming. And when he became a day time hero as well, then life simply couldn't be more exciting!
Alfie's magical adventures are a sheer delight to read for children aged four years plus.
There are five Alfie's Adventures books in total and the Alfie books have now sold over 600,000 copies! |
| Moi & Marie Antoinette |
Lynn Cullen
£5.99, Bloomsbury
As a little girl in Austria, Marie Antoinette had nothing more stressful to think about than what to eat next. When she was just a little older she was taken to France to marry the future king, and life became a lot more serious!
Marie Antoinette's pug dog, Sebatien, narrates this charming tale of the young princess's journey to her life as Queen of France.
Relishing the details of courtly life and relating the pressures of becoming one of the world’s most famous — and infamous — queens, this delightful and beautiful book brings a real historical figure to life.
Accessible and entertaining, this book is a great first look at French history for youngsters.
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| Penny the Athlete |
Elieen O'Hely
€8.99, Mercier Press
It is Health Awareness Month in Ralph’s school. The new arrival in the pencil case, Baron de Couberpen, is
whipping the pencils into shape for the inaugural Pencilympics. But even before the Pencilympic flame is lit, the competition takes a terrible turn when Cheetah the Cheater almost drowns during training for the rowing race.
Penny has her suspicions of who is behind the sinister sabotage, and once things start to go wrong in the
classroom she must sacrifice her dreams of Pencilympic glory to defeat her old enemy...Black Texta!
Look out for the Penny the Pencil colouring competition in bookshops around the country - and each copy of Penny the Athlete has a super gold Faber-Castell pencil attached to the spine of the book!
|
| Noisy Town |
Felicity Brooks
£9.99, Usborne
Always popular with small children, this type of book has sound buttons to press, to bring alive the everyday cacophony of urban life. With its colourful computer images of people, this could become a period piece – so when used, store for the Antiques Roadshow programme of the future. |
| The Animal Boogie |
Debbie Harter
£6.99, Barefoot Books
Includes a music CD. Singalong books give an added dimension to stories and allow musically-minded children to express themselves through the narrative. Plus, we learn our left from our right and capture something of the rhythm of the jungle’s occupants.
|
| Off We Go To Mexico! |
Laurie Krebs and illustrated by Christopher Corr
£5.99, Barefoot Books
A large-paged slim volume absolutely bursting with the colour and vibrancy of Mexico. Christopher Corr’s illustrations are vivid and accessible. With easy to read text, this is an excellent first book about the fascinating Spanish and native American nation. |
| Indian Tales |
Shenaaz Nanji Illustrated by Christopher Corr
£14.99, Barefoot Books
Such a wealth of stories and information, this is book every adult should read – let alone their children. Corr’s illustrations take the presentation to another level. A book to be read aloud and dramatised – such is its richness |
| Born to Dance |
Katherine Reynolds
£7.95, i4w2
When the animals take over their own circus after the humans run away, they create a unique form of entertainment. The narrative follows Dylan, the horse, and his faithful friend, Red Tabby, an intelligent cat. Suspend your disbelief and enjoy a well-written tale in the tradition of Dodie Smith’s The Hundred and One Dalmatians. |
| A Dangerous Game Of Football |
Barbara Spencer
£7.99, Ryelands
Somerset writer Barbara Spencer-Jones brings to life the adventures of Jack, who is on the trail of a lost friend. She spins a lively narrative where football-mad boys come out on top in a fantasy world of evil baddies and giant crows. Just the book for boys who should read more widely.
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| Wilderness |
Roddy Doyle
£12.99, Scholastic Children’s Books
A work that tells the stories of brothers Tom and Johnny, on an adventure-holiday in Finland, their half-sister Gráinne, at home in Ireland, and their respective mothers. Poetically weaving together alternating but parallel narratives, this is a work that concerns itself with both physical and psychological journeys into wildernesses: those places and situations where one confronts desolation and truth. Categories of adult and children’s fiction aside, this is a rarity in publishing: a novel in the true sense of the word, a work that transcends itself.
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| The Way Back Home |
Oliver Jeffers
£5.99, Harper Collins Children’s Books
A picture book that tells the story of the relationship between a boy and a friendly Martian, who meet after the boy crash-lands on the moon while flying his aeroplane. The stylish quality of the illustration is the principal characteristic that defines this aesthetically pleasing literary artefact. Told from a child’s perspective, and developed through the structural dualism of strangeness and familiarity, the work’s deceptively simple verbal and visual texts are an enchanting celebration of the transformative power of the imagination.
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| Titanic 2020 |
Colin Bateman
£5.99, Hodder Children’s Books
A futuristic tale that chronicles the adventures and discoveries of stowaway Jimmy Armstrong, aboard a new, and supposedly unsinkable, Titanic. Though it convincingly develops relationships between its central characters through episodes of humour and sadness, this well-conceived narrative is characterized, chiefly, by the adventurousness of the twists and turns in its plot, the subtlety of its cultural and literary references, and the innovative nature of its storytelling.
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| The Thing with Finn |
Tom Kelly
£5.99, Macmillan Children’s Books
The story of a young boy named Danny and his journey of self-discovery in the aftermath of the death of his twin-brother Finn. Cathartic and redemptive, this incredibly courageous narrative is told with such sensitivity that it manages to poignantly sustain pathos through moments of great humour. To journey through this layered narrative – in the company of a character who is sure to haunt the imagination long after the book has been read – is to recognise this unique publication as a modern classic. |
| The Last of The High Kings |
Kate Thompson
£12.99, The Bodley Head
A work of fantasy that centres on the choice Jenny, daughter of JJ Liddy, must make between a life in the world of humans and a life in the world of Tír na nÓg. Distinguished by the psychological depth of its characterization, its impressive use of dialogue, and – above all – the ease of its storytelling, this is fiction that not only explores the complexities of family life in an unsentimental and honest manner but also emphasizes the fact that fantasy, at its most accomplished, exists in a symbiotic relationship with reality. |
| Gaiscíoch na Beilte Uaine |
Caitríona Nic Sheáin
€19.00, An Snathaid Mhor
A retelling of an old Irish story about a warrior who, to prove himself a worthy suitor, must complete a number of trials. Although it enchantingly tells its story through a verbal text that poetically imbues the narrative with a magical atmosphere, it is the distinctive and quintessential character of the visual text that makes this picture book a beautiful work of art. This is a story that will continue to be retold as it is read and reread by both children and adults like. |
| The Black Book of Secrets |
F E Higgins
£5.99, Macmillan Children’s Books
A work that contains the dark secrets of the inhabitants of the remote village of Pagus Parvus. Subtly reminiscent and worthy of a writer like Dickens, this strikingly original and superbly plotted tale introduces readers to two of the most memorable literary protagonists of recent times, apprentice Ludlow Fitch and pawnbroker Joe Zabbidou. Grim but not pessimistic, this is uncommon storytelling, offering a liberating but hopeful exploration of the complexities of human nature.
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| The Alchemyst |
Michael Scott
£12.99, Doubleday Children’s Books
A fantasy adventure narrative that follows the destiny of 15-year-old twins, Josh and Sophie Newman, who are the subjects of an ancient prophesy. Of its kind but different, this flamboyantly stylish work succeeds in weaving a mesmerizing and energetic plot around a structurally impressive mythological framework. Although intertextually complex, it is a story whose vivid descriptions of worlds and events enable the fantasy and the realism to connect.
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| Genie Us! |
STEVE COLE & LINDA CHAPMAN
£5.99, Red Fox
When Milly and Michael’s mum and Jason and Jess’s dad marry and move them all to a new town the children all have one wish – to return to their old lives in London.
Imagine their amazement when they find a very old magic book with a talking bookworm who tells them they can learn to be a genie and fulfil their wish in six easy steps. These turn out to be not so easy — magic can be confusing and cause trouble when it goes wrong — and is the
bookworm keeping something from them? Things get really
scary when two mysterious strangers keep turning up — will the children have enough magic to save themselves? This is a pacy adventure story with plenty of laughs and magic. Large print and a few pictures to encourage readers on to longer novels. |
| Make It! |
JANE BULL
£7.99, DK Hb
Some things we throw away take a long time to degrade and cause a problem to the environment. Instead of being a nuisance, this book shows you how you can turn your waste into something amazing and have lots of fun at the same time. Turn paper into pots, boxes or wonderful papier mache objects; plastic into cushions, metal into works of art and fabric into bags and mats. There are loads more beautifully illustrated ideas as well as information about the waste itself. Be creative and help the planet at the same time! |
| Scarper Jack & the Bloodstained Room |
CHRISTOPHER RUSSELL
£5.99, Puffin
Having found a comfortable home with a chimney sweep and employed as his assistant, Jack is shocked when his
father, who had abandoned him, suddenly turns up to take him back. But this is only the first in a series of ever more disturbing events. He overhears two men plotting a murder he tries to prevent, then discovers a connection between
his father and the murdered man. Forging an unusual
friendship with a street urchin girl and a wealthy boy,
the three set out to solve the murder, having the advantage of knowing who one of the men behind it is
and a wide mix of skills and knowledge between them.
But things aren’t as straight forward as they thought.
Jack becomes a suspect and their investigation leads them into danger. This is an atmospheric story full of action and excitement with some really good plot twists that will keep you gripped to the end. Medium length novel for older readers. |
| The Fangs of the Dragon & other case files |
SIMON CHESHIRE
£5.99, Piccadilly
The return of Saxby Smart, schoolboy Private Detective with three more cases to solve. Following the clues to find treasure in the Horror House leads to some startling discoveries. He is also asked to find out how a valuable comic can go missing from a locked safe and why six members of the same class have seemingly had intruders in their houses with practically nothing being taken. Once again there is plenty of opportunity for you to get involved by finding and solving the clues as you go along. An enjoyable read with fair sized print and short chapters for
those gaining confidence in their reading and should encourage reluctant readers. |
| Jacky Daydream |
JACQUELINE WILSON
£5.99, Corgi Yearling
Everyone has heard of Jacqueline Wilson and most of us have read her books, but have you ever wondered
where she gets her ideas from and what made her become a writer? You can find out a lot more about her in this fascinating book as she recounts incidents from her childhood. It shows how different life was in the 1940s and 50s compared to today and how she has used events
and ideas from her childhood in many of her books. All told in her easy to read style with fairly large print and plenty of photos and illustrations. |
| My Sister Jodie |
JACQUELINE WILSON
£12.99, Doubleday Hb
Pearl adores her older sister, Jodie, but they aren’t very alike. While Jodie is outgoing, popular and rebellious, Pearl is shy and studious and relies heavily on her sister. Jodie is horrified when their parents get jobs at posh Melchester College meaning the family would live there and the girls
go to school there, but Pearl secretly likes the idea. They arrive during the summer holidays when only a few children are there. Surprisingly it is Pearl who feels most at ease and settles in quickly, even making new friends when term starts. Jodie doesn’t even try to get on with her peers seeming to go out of her way to antagonise people. The
tables are turning — could Jodie be the needy one and will Pearl realise how things have changed in time to avert a tragedy? This is another absorbing story that pulls the reader into the life and minds of the characters so you almost feel you are living it with them. An unputdownable read. Fair sized print to encourage readers onto full length novels. |
| Even Stevens |
MICHAEL ROSEN
£4.99, Barn Owl
Football mad Wayne’s dad plays for a pretty useless Saturday morning football team whose players were chosen because they all lived in even numbered houses of one street. For some unfathomable reason they become eligible to play in the FA Cup, and being short of players enlist Wayne to play for them. The long ball bouncing passes he has just mastered prove to be a decisive factor in the team’s win. With an astounding run of luck, which needs to be seen to be believed (and even then you may have trouble!) they keep winning through. Could they go all
the way? Anything is possible in this hilariously funny, mad story. Told in comic book style full of expressive illustrations it will encourage even the most reluctant of readers. |
| The Jammy Spider |
DAVID GALL (ILLUS. DOUGLAS STRACHAN)
£6.99, GW Publishing Hb,
Sam is not the sort of spider you would like to find in your
home. He is very cheeky and likes to have fun making
people jump, but one day his antics backfire and he lands
himself in a very sticky situation — literally! Covered in
strawberry jam he is in a dangerous predicament — is the
end in sight? You’ll have to read this very funny picture book
to find out! Written in large print in rhyme with just a couple
of sentences on each page it is great for beginner readers,
and will appeal to more capable ones as well. The striking,
gloriously colourful illustrations add so much. I just love the
faces Sam pulls! |
| Chips, Beans and Limousines |
LEILA RASHEED
£5.99, Usborne
Bathsheba Clarice de Trop lives a glamourous life which is hardly surprising as her mum is a famous author who has written a series of books about her. Bathsheba’s had some fantastic adventures saving the world 15 times and has two amazing friends and an even more amazing boyfriend — at least the girl in the books has, but who is the real Bathsheba? We begin to find out as we read her diary, which is what this book is, and realise she doesn’t know the answer herself. She mixes up the book girl with the real one because her real life is far from the perfect picture she likes to present. This is an absorbing, insightful read with a lot of ‘inbetween the lines’ information showing more of the the real girl than she knows herself. Meeting her dad and a possible real friend could start her on journey of self discovery if she lets it. First in a new series with
large print encourages newly confident readers onto medium length novels. |
| The Island |
ARMIN GREDER
£11.99, Allen & Unwin Hb
One morning the people on the island found a man who had washed ashore on a flimsy raft. He wasn’t like them. They didn’t know what to do, thought he wouldn’t fit in and wondered about sending him back to sea, but the fisherman said that would mean certain death. So they put him in a goat pen in the uninhabited part of the island, gave
him straw to sleep on and got on with their lives. They were soon made to realise that wasn’t enough — he had needs and couldn’t just be ignored, which caused them all sorts of worry and problems… of their own making… and changed their lives in a negativeway. This is a very powerful, thought-provoking picture book with emotive illustrations. The story is told in a deceptively simple way with an underlaying sense of fear of immigration, terrorism and being different and what it can lead to showing the dark side of human nature. It is not at all heavy handed and is so well written that all ages can get something from it and is a brilliant discussion starter. An amazingly well crafted book, I found it very moving. |
| The Lost Children of the Namuh and the Chamber of Souls |
David A Lindon
£6.99, Grosvenor House Publishing Ltd
It is a story about four children who’s parents die during the London blitz and are evacuated to Bournemouth to live with their Uncle Percy. Their Uncle is a headmaster who is not used to having children at home. He loved his brother dearly and he struggles to come to terms with his death. On the first evening in Bournemouth a stray German Aircraft drops a single bomb which destroys the headmasters home. Percy is thrown clear fearing the children are dead. Amazingly the four children are not dead but asleep! They have been transported by strange powers into a mysterious world of magic. An extraordinary world inhabited with extraordinary creatures. Four children fall asleep in their warm safe bed and wake in the mysterious land of Sunaru! A land inhabited with regal Navarra, colourful Nuahcerpels and even fluttering Yriafs. They soon discover they have a secret destiny, to defeat Lord Deogol and the evil Nilbogs. First they must venture into the underground labyrinth and search for the Chamber of Lost Souls. Will they have the courage to succeed? Can they complete the prophecy and return home or are they destined to be trapped in this strange world forever?
The once ordinary children have the future of this ancient world cradled in their young hands. With the help of some special friends and their own magical powers, the young children become the leaders of the rebellion and battle to be the guardians of Sunaru.
If you are interested in ordering contact
www.davidalindon.co.uk or Amazon |
| GLITTERWINGS ACADEMY 4: Fairy Dust |
Titania Woods
£5.99, Bloomsbury
Twink has completely settled in to the wonderful, great, oak tree that is Glitterwings Academy. She has two great friends — Bimi and Sooze. Bimi is quiet, thoughtful and supportive, and Sooze is full of energy, a little thoughtless and great fun! It is Sooze who persuades Twink to take some Fairy Dust to perform a prank on some of the other students, but it all goes horribly wrong ...
Glitterwings Academy is a lovingly created series by acclaimed author Lee Weatherly, writing as Titania Woods. Readers of the series can be assured of accomplished narrative, as well as stylish and exciting illustration.
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| GLITTERWINGS ACADEMY 3: Friends Forever |
Titania Woods
£5.99, Bloomsbury
Twink can't wait to get back for her Autumn Term at Glitterwings Academy. She loves the lessons — especially the lessons where they learn how to look after other creatures. One day Twink hears a cry for help and discovers that it is a baby wasp. She wants to help it, but is told that wasps and fairies have been enemies for centuries and that she must leave it to its fate. What will Twink do?
Glitterwings Academy is a lovingly created series by acclaimed author Lee Weatherly, writing as Titania Woods. Readers of the series can be assured of accomplished narrative, as well as stylish and exciting illustration.
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| GLITTERWINGS ACADEMY 2: Midnight Feast |
Titania Woods
£5.99, Bloomsbury
Twink can't wait to start her second term, the Summer term, at the fairy school, Glitterwings Academy. She loves the wonderful, huge oak tree that is Glitterwings Academy, and all the exciting new lessons. Best of all, she has made some new friends, Sooze and Bimi. But friendships can sometimes run into difficulty, as Twink is about to find out.
Glitterwings Academy is a lovingly created series by acclaimed author Lee Weatherly, writing as Titania Woods. Readers of the series can be assured of accomplished narrative, as well as stylish and exciting illustration.
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| GLITTERWINGS ACADEMY 1: Flying High |
Titania Woods
£5.99, Bloomsbury
Glitterwings Academy is the fairy school to go to, and Twink is so excited to be starting her first term. But she is also a little nervous. Will she make friends? Will she be able to find her way round the dizzying, huge oak tree that is Glitterwings Academy? And will she be able to pass the all-important test for new students — that of learning to fly?
Glitterwings Academy is a lovingly created series by acclaimed author Lee Weatherly, writing as Titania Woods. Readers of the series can be assured of accomplished narrative, as well as stylish and exciting illustration.
|
| Bonjour Alice |
Judi Curtin
€7.95, O'Brien Press
Ancient castles, yummy French food and deep, dark forests – sounds like the perfect holiday!
Megan’s really looking forward to the summer holidays – her whole family is going to France, and best of all Alice is coming too! But when Alice tries to make friends with a local French boy things begin to get very interesting …
Another adventure with Alice and Megan – the fifth book in the bestselling series popular with young girls everywhere - from the Irish Jacqueline Wilson.
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| Once Upon a Time in the North |
Philip Pullman
£9.99, David Fickling Books
When Lyra is studying at Oxford University, she comes across the story of Lee Scoresby and Iorek Byrnisson's first meeting, many years ago, along with much evidence of the adventure that brought them together.
When a young Texan balloonist, Lee Scoresby, comes down to earth in the harbour of an Arctic town in the North, little does he realise that he is about to be embroiled in an out-and-out political brawl.
Lee and his daemon, Hester, find themselves the target of political factions trying to take over the running (and oil) of the town. And also resident in the town are huge arctic bears, ignored and patronised by the people and treated like second-class citizens. When Lee and Iorek first meet, they cement a friendship that will continue throughout their lives, as the tensions and pressure in town lead to a deadly conclusion...
Another wonderful tale from a master story-teller, giving us more extraordinary insight into the world of His Dark Materials. |
| The Spook's Battle |
Joseph Delaney
£5.99, Random House
The fourth instalment of the Wardstone Chronicles. In Pendle the witches are rising and the three most powerful witch clans are rumoured to be uniting in order to conjure an unimaginable evil. Together they will be capable of raising the dark made flesh – the Devil himself.
Tom and the Spook need to set off for Pendle to avert the unthinkable. But before they go, the Spook tells Tom to journey home and collect the trunks Mam left behind for him. But what dark family secrets are contained in the trunks? And will they place Tom’s family in even greater danger or provide the help Tom and his master will need in Pendle?
For all you fans out there, this fourth instalment is a real treat. There are some truly dark and terrifying moments in it – as well as the hilarious fact that Tom’s got two witches fighting over him and he doesn’t even seem to realise. Yes, set in Pendle, that infamous witch district, this novel takes us into the dark world of the covens and clans. But as ever there are more revelations about the past to come out and in this book we learn a lot more about Mam!
Joe got the idea of the mirrors from a school visit he once did. One little girl told him that her family turn all their mirrors to the wall at night to stop evil spirits looking out. Joe loved the idea and has used brilliantly in this book. |
| Maximum Ride: The Final Warning |
James Patterson
£6.99, Random House Children's Books
Max, Fang, Iggy, Nudge, Gazzy and Angel are six extraordinary kids created by the crazed Uber Director in a twisted laboratory experiment that left them with the ability to fly. They are back for another wild adventure as they try to save the world . . . and themselves.
The Uber-Director sees the group of friends as his opportunity to become a billionaire: he seizes his chance to cash in that lucrative price tag by planning a worldwide auction with the children being offered to the highest bidder. But first his mutant army must track them down and capture them – which won’t be easy.
Meanwhile, in hiding from their predators, all six of them wake one evening to find they are being given an important mission - to save the world from global warming. Led by heroine Max, their task takes them in a fast-paced, high-speed chase across the world to the South Pole but, as ever, danger is never far away . . .
www.jamespatterson.com
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| Bindi Babes |
Narinder Dhami
£4.99, Kids at Random House
Three feisty, fun-loving Anglo-Asian sisters rule the roost over their dad since their mum died. They've got a reputation at school for being the coolest, most sorted babes in town - and what they certainly DON'T need is an interfering Auntie-ji from India inviting herself over to England and cramping their style.
Which is exactly what their dad organises. The girls decide the only way out of this nagging-adult dilemma is an arranged marriage - for their auntie! Enter Mr Arora, the dream boat teacher who just might whisk Auntie off in his arms and into the sunset. (They hope!)
From the author of Bend It Like Beckham...
'A fresh voice and fun characters that girls will love' - Jacqueline Wilson |
| Princess Poppy: Ballet Dreams |
Janey Louise Jones
£3.99, Kids at Random House
Poppy and Honey are thrilled when Madam Angelwing starts advanced ballet classes. At first, Poppy loves the extra lessons, but soon gives them up when she begins to feel that ballet is taking over her life. Honey decides to stick with the classes as Madam has told her she's good enough to be a professional ballerina when she grows up.
Now, when Honey isn't at dance class she's either practicing ballet or reading about it – she just doesn't have any time for Poppy anymore.
Will Honey's ballet dreams come true? And will things ever be the same between Poppy and Honey?
The perfect story for ballet-mad girls - other titles include:
A True Princess
The Rescue Princess
The Fashion Princess
Pop Star Princess
Princess Poppy fans can also logo onto: www.princesspoppy.com |
| Revenge Files of Alistair Fury: The Kiss of Death |
James Rix
£4.99, Kids at Random House
Alistair Fury is out for revenge. No more running errands. No more being called 'Alice'! It's payback time for his embarrassing mum, his bone-idle dad, and his constantly teasing older brother and sister.
Only Alistair's two best friends - and this, his private diary - share his secrets. Culminating in a scene involving a snake, a toupee and a live TV broadcast, Alistair tries to wreak spectacular revenge but it doesn't exactly go according to plan . . .
In lively and accessible diary form, this is a story of family life at its funniest, packed with schoolboy humour. |
| Bare Bum Gang and the Football Face-Off |
Anthony McGowan
£4.99, Kids at Random House
It all started when Jennifer Eccles said she wanted to be in our gang. Until then we were just called the gang. The people in the gang were:
·Ludo, that’s me,
·Noah, my best friend, who we sometimes call Doc,
·Jamie,
·Phillip, usually known The Moan, because he was always moaning, and who has the bad luck to be the brother of Jennifer.
As well as names, we all have jobs in the gang. Of course I am the Gang Leader, which means they all have to do what I tell them, except quite often they don’t.
Join Ludo, Noah, Jamie and Phillip - the Bare Bum Gang - as they defend their gang headquarters with Smarties tube fart bombs and other ingenious traps. The gang’s new name is bad enough, but things are about to get much worse. Their number 1 enemies have challenged them to a football match, and the prize at stake is the gang den. And guess what – they’re all completely rubbish at football!
How can they save the den? How can they get back their pride?
Anthony McGowan is an author who is an absolute natural when it comes to humour. This is the first book in what promises to be an entertaining and very funny series for younger readers.
www.barebumgang.com |
| A Nest of Vipers |
Catherine Johnson
£5.99, Kids at Random House
Cato Hopkins is the youngest member of Mother Hopkins's 'family' - a group of skilled fraudsters and pickpockets. There's Addy, who can become a very convincing boy when she needs to; the beautiful Bella, who can charm any rich young man out of his fortune; Sam, an escaped slave and Cato himself, a young boy, who Mother Hopkins has taught everything she knows.
But old age is slowing Mother Hopkins down, and she wants to carry out one last con, a con to outdo all the cons that have gone before. And so the gang set about bringing ruin upon Captain Walker, a proud and cruel slave captain, who deserves to be taught a lesson or two . . .
This is a brilliant book set in a fascinating period of history. Start reading and be drawn into the sights, sounds and smells of street-life in eighteenth-century London. Catherine Johnson is a fantastic storyteller and co-screenwriter of the acclaimed 2004 film, Bullet Boy.
www.catherinejohnson.co.uk |
| Magic Tree House 4: Pirates' Treasure! |
Mary Pope Osborne
£3.99, Red Fox
Eight-year-old Jack and his little sister, Annie, are playing in the woods during their summer holiday, when they find a mysterious tree house full of books. But these are no ordinary books . . . And this is no ordinary tree house . . .
Jack and Annie are in a treasure trove full of trouble!
Stuck on a desert island, captured by the evil Captain Bones and his gang and a huge storm at sea . . . For a while, it looks like they might not get home safely after all. And they discover that their adventures are even more magical than they had first thought . . .
www.magictreehouse.co.uk
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| Magic Tree House 3: Secret of the Pyramid |
Mary Pope Osborne
£3.99, Red Fox
Eight-year-old Jack and his little sister, Annie, are playing in the woods during their summer holiday, when they find a mysterious tree house full of books. But these are no ordinary books . . . And this is no ordinary tree house . . .
When they're whisked away to ancient Egypt in the tree house, Jack and Annie learn how to read hieroglyphics with the help the ghostly Queen of the Nile.
But secret codes aren't the only puzzle they have to solve. How do they get out of the pyramid full of mummies? And there's still the problem of who all these magical books belong to. Who is this mysterious M?
www.magictreehouse.co.uk
|
| Magic Tree House 2: Castle of Mystery |
Mary Pope Osborne
£3.99, Red Fox
Eight-year-old Jack and his little sister, Annie, are playing in the woods during their summer holiday, when they find a mysterious tree house full of books. But these are no ordinary books . . . And this is no ordinary tree house . . .
Jack and Annie find themselves on another adventure - this time they're in medieval England. It's exactly the same as the story book - there's a castle and a banquet and knights on horseback. But when they find themselves locked in a dungeon, Jack starts to wonder if they'll ever get home again . . .
www.magictreehouse.co.uk
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| Magic Tree House 5: Night of the Ninjas |
Mary Pope Osborne
£3.99, Red Fox
Eight-year-old Jack and his little sister, Annie, are playing in the woods during their summer holiday, when they find a mysterious tree house full of books. But these are no ordinary books . . . And this is no ordinary tree house . . .
Morgan le Fay - the owner of the Magic Tree House and all its mysterious books is missing and needs Jack and Annie's help! They follow her clues to Japan where they find themselves in the middle of a feud between Japanese ninja warriors and Samurai warlords. Will Jack and Annie find the tree house again? Or will they be caught up in a terrifying battle?
www.magictreehouse.co.uk
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| Magic Tree House 6: Adventure on the Amazon |
Mary Pope Osborne
£3.99, Red Fox
Eight-year-old Jack and his little sister, Annie, are playing in the woods when they find a mysterious tree house full of books. But these are no ordinary books . . . And this is no ordinary tree house . . .
Jack and Annie might be on their scariest adventure yet - on the Amazon river! There are army ants, jaguars and piranas, as well as vampire bats, snakes and even crocodiles! And they've still got to find another clue to help rescue Morgan, the owner of the Magic Tree House. For a while, Jack and Annie are worried that they might be stuck in the rain forest for ever . . . But the over-active monkey they meet turns out to be friendlier than they first thought!
www.magictreehouse.co.uk
|
| Evil Weasel |
Hannah Shaw
£10.99, Random House Books
Weasel is evil. His mean schemes and cunning tricks have made him richer than you can possibly imagine. But they have also upset his friends. So when Weasel throws a big party to show off his amazing castle, fast car and money-filled swimming pool, none of his guests turn up!
Weasel is horrified to discover that he's bad at being a friend and sets out to put things right. But can he convince his friends that he’s truly sorry? And will he really learn the error of his ways and stop being evil altogether?
This brilliant debut picture book about Evil (but very appealing) Weasel is filled with witty visual details that will entertain children and grown-ups alike.
With her scratchy line, interesting perspectives and quirky characters, Hannah is definitely one to watch! |
| Dewdrop Babies: Sweetpea's Surprise |
Patricia MacCarthy
£4.99, Random House Books
One day, when looking after her flower, Rose discovers a caterpillar munching on one of the leaves. She’s very worried for her flower so she decides to go to Sweetpea for help. By the time she goes back to her flower, the caterpillar is gone and instead there's a hard shiny thing hanging from the leaf. Rose goes back to check on her flower every day for two weeks and on the 14th day she finds something magical . . .
Join her and find out what Sweetpea’s surprise is . . .
www.dewdropbabies.com
|
| Littlest Dinosaur, The |
Michael Foreman
£5.99, Bloomsbury
A tiny Dinosaur is born to a family of rather huge dinosaurs and everyone is mystified about why it is so different. As the littlest Dinosaur grows, it feels left out and at odds with the world of its huge family, until one day its very size is the thing that rescues them all.
A charming tale featuring every toddlers favourite, dinosaurs with a sweetly told message about being happy being yourself.
March 2009: available in paperback
|
| Bear In The Cave, The |
Michael Rosen
£6.99, Bloomsbury
A very happy bear hears the sounds of the city from his quiet home by the sea and decides to find out what city life is like. Buying the ticket and travelling on the train is all very exciting. And so is the city! But after a while the bear finds the city a little too noisy and a little too busy — and people are beginning to laugh at him. He feels very sad and alone, until four children find him and show him the way home, with much fun along the way.
A perfect book for reading aloud, with just the right amount of excitement before a wonderfully calming ending — just right for reading before bedtime!
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| Custardly Wart: Pirate (third class) |
Alan MacDonald
£4.99, Bloomsbury
Based on the dubious members of the Wart family tree, each History of Warts book focuses on the adventurous life and turbulent times of a different ‘Wart’ from pirate to gladiator as he (or she) experiences the peculiar misfortunes which befall all Warts throughout the centuries.
At the Dankmarsh School for poor orphans, the childen sleep four to a bed and exist on watery porridge. Teachers don’t last long, and so when a new one arrives they are intrigued, especially since he has an eyepatch a huge moustach and calls himself the Captain. Miss Scrubshaw interviews him for the post, though he and his cousin ‘Mr Mate’ seem most interested in the ancient map on her wall.
The Captain introduces new lessons: compass use, swordcraft and biscuit identification. On a school trip to visit the Black Barnacle, a ship owned by an 'old pal', the Captain gives Miss Scrubshaw the slip and it dawns on the children that the ship has cast off, and they are the new crew! Bound, they discover, for Doom Island and a perilous quest for hidden treasure, at the mercy of the Captain and his dastardly plan... |
| Ditherus Wart: (accidental) Gladiator |
Alan MacDonald
£4.99, Bloomsbury
Based on the dubious members of the Wart family tree, each History of Warts book focuses on the adventurous life and turbulent times of a different ‘Wart’ from pirate to gladiator as he (or she) experiences the peculiar misfortunes which befall all Warts throughout the centuries.
Book 1 is set in Roman times. Emperor Porcus Maximus is coming for dinner and so Ditherus and his faithful slave Punio are sent (by Ditherus’s mother) to market for supplies. But Ditherus is tempted into buying a sword from a mysterious peddler. Searched by centurion Marcus Furius when he gets home, Ditherus is thrown into prison when the sword is discovered and sentenced to death as a traitorous thief (with Punio). At the last minute Gutsus the gladiator arrives, looking to buy new recruits. Ditherus and Punio are taken to Gladiator School where the motto is ‘Death or Glory — but most likely Death’. If ever Ditherus needed a cunning plan, it’s now… |
| Katie: The Revolting Holiday |
Mary Hooper
£4.99, Bloomsbury
The fourth in a hilarious series of KATIE capers, from highly-acclaimed author Mary Hooper
Holidays are supposed to be fun, but a week in a holiday camp with Mrs Bayleaf? Torture! Out of desperation, Katie seeks refuge in the Kids’ Klub, where she meets a particularly irritating little madam called Antonia who can’t stop bragging about how her family win all the competitions.
Katie would love to wipe the smile off Antonia’s face. Perhaps Katie’s family, and even Mrs Bayleaf, might come in useful after all . . . Well, there’s nothing wrong with a bit of healthy competition, is there?
Suitable for seven to nine year olds. |
| Katie: The Revolting Baby |
Mary Hooper
£4.99, Bloomsbury
The third in a hilarious series of KATIE capers, from highly-acclaimed author Mary Hooper
Crumbs,’ Flicka said as soon as I opened the door. ‘Is that the baby?’ She stood back, aghast. ‘What’ve you done to her?’
Katie thought looking after her sister’s baby would be easy. But one tin of golden syrup, some scrambled egg, newspaper print, a hold load of boot polish, an earwig, half a caterpillar and a dirty log later, things look very different indeed. Baby Emily is not the only one in a bit of a mess . . .
Suitable for seven to nine year olds. |
| Skuduggery Pleasant: Playing with Fire |
Derek Landy
£12.99, Harper Collins
"You will kill her?" the Torment asked. Skulduggery sagged. "Yes." He hesitated, then took his gun from his jacket. "I'm sorry, Valkyrie," he said softly. "Don't talk to me," Valkyrie said. "Just do what you have to do." Valkyrie parted her tunic, and Skulduggery pointed the gun at the vest beneath. "Please forgive me," Skulduggery said, then aimed the gun at the girl and pulled the trigger.
With Serpine dead, the world is safe once more. At least, that’s what Valkyrie and Skulduggery think, until the notorious Baron Vengeous makes a bloody escape from prison, and dead bodies and vampires start showing up all over Ireland. With Baron Vengeous after the deadly armour of Lord Vile, and pretty much everyone out to kill Valkyrie, the daring detective duo face their biggest challenge yet. But what if the greatest threat to Valkyrie is just a little closer to home?
If you loved the first book, you will be able to put down this second instalment in the fantastic Skulduggery Pleasant series...
|
| Roary the Racing Car |
Pocket Library
£4.99, Harper Collins
All your friends are here in this fun collection of six mini board books. Roary, Cici, Maxi, Big Chris, Flash and all the rest of the Silverhatch gang.
This mini library makes the perfect gift for any Roary fan and is little to hide in even Roary’s glove compartment!
Also available in the mini library slipcase range:
Paddington Pocket Library
Kung Fu Panda Pocket Library
Fifi and the Flowertots Pocket Library |
| Pony Club Secrets - Stardust and the Daredevil Ponies |
Stacy Gregg
£5.99, Harper Collins
Issie has landed her dream job – handling horses on a real film set! And with a group of frisky palominos to deal with, Issie asks her friends at pony club to help out too.
But it’s not just the horses who play up on set – what is spoilt actress Angelique’s problem? Could this be Issie’s chance for stardom...?
Join talented young rider, Issie, on another action-packed adventure from the Chevalier Point Pony Club.
The fourth gripping adventure in this exciting new pony-club series. With gymkhanas to win, rivals to defeat, mysteries to solve and ponies in danger to save – these books are perfect for all girls who love ponies. |
| Jimmy Coates: Survival |
Joe Craig
£5.99, Harper Collins
Jimmy Coates seems like an ordinary boy, but he's not. He's genetically engineered to grow into the perfect government assassin. Speed, strength and deadly instinct - it's all in his blood. He has to fight not to kill... while his government fights to kill him.
Can Jimmy save his family AND prevent a war? The choice is simple. The decision is deadly.
Fifth title and a stunning new look for Jimmy Coates - part boy, part weapon, totally deadly! |
| Mo's Mischief - Four Troublemakers |
Hongying Yang
£4.99, Harper Collins
Chinese boys can be Horrid too! Join in the fun as Mo-Shen Ma and his mischievous father run riot through school and home. There’s no trouble they can’t get into – or out of…
Meet Mo-Shen Ma and his three best friends! There’s Hippo, who’s grumpy and slow. Monkey, who never stops talking and is thin as a rake. And Penguin, who waddles just like a fat bird. In other words, this is the sorriest crew of naughty boys you’re ever likely to meet! But all the friends have special skills, and when disaster strikes, they become unlikely heroes…
Every book in the Mo’s Mischief series is packed with hilarious adventures – and a unique insight into modern Chinese life. |
| Happy Birthday, Blue Kangaroo! |
Emma Chichester Clark
£5.99, Harper Collins
It is Lily’s birthday and she decides to celebrate with a themed party, based on her favourite colour – pink. There will be pink balloons, pink presents, a pink cake, and even the guests will be asked to wear pink party outfits! Poor Blue Kangaroo worries that he is the wrong colour for Lily’s party…but what should he do? Would Lily really prefer him if he were a pink kangaroo? |
| Fancy Nancy and the Posh Puppy |
Jane O'Connor
£5.99, Harper Collins
Nancy is over the moon when her family decide to get a dog. She dreams of having a papillon - a small, delicate, fluffy dog - by her side. This will be the ultimate accessory!
But her family have other ideas. They want a plain dog. How unglamorous!
With Fancy Nancy’s trademark humour and warmth, Nancy discovers that true fanciness does not depend simply on appearance but more on a genuine joie de vivre, which is a very fancy phrase for having lots of fun!
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| Albert Le Blanc To The Rescue! |
Nick Butterworth
£5.99, Harper Collins
Albert le Blanc’s friend, Sally the toy hippo, has been bought by a little girl. Every day, they walk past the shop and Sally gives Albert a wink, as he sits in the window. Albert waves back and wonders if he will ever be chosen as a child’s best friend.
The, one day – disaster – Sally tumbles out of the girl’s rucksack and is snatched away by a stranger before anyone can stop them. Stuck inside the toy shop, not daring to move, it seems there is nothing Albert can do to help his friend…
Will there be a happy ending for Sally? And, will there ever be a happy new home for Albert?
The wonderful sequel to Albert le Blanc, from the highly-regarded creator of the Percy the Park Keeper books. |
| What I Was |
Meg Rossoff
£6.99, Penguin
I was at boarding school in East Anglia, my third.
I didn't want to be there. But if there had been no school, there would be no Finn. He lived in a hut on the coast. He was like the hut, in fact — it took a while for both of them to warm up. But that is all I longed for. Finn, warming to me. A nod. Half a smile. Asking me to help on the boat. Not asking me to leave. I didn't want it to end. Now I am waiting for the end, and looking back to the beginning.
Haunting, intense and with a surprising twist in the tale — this is unlike anything you will have read before . . .
Dark, brooding and mysterious,
this is the third utterly unique book from award-winning Meg Rosoff, author of How I Live Now and Just in Case.
Teenage fiction for readers over 12 years of age. |
| Captain Flinn and the Pirate Dinosaurs: Missing Treasure! |
Giles Andreae and Russell Ayto
£5.99, Puffin
When Flinn first met the Pirate Dinosaurs, he thought that he had taught them a lesson. But the real lesson is this – never trust a pirate, but never ever trust a pirate dinosaur. This time, Flinn is hot on the trail of some stolen treasure and he knows exactly who's to blame. With the help of his friends and Captain Gurgleguts, fearless Flinn tracks the rotten crew to the Lost Island. So far, so good, but Flinn and his pals hadn't reckoned on the dinosaur's secret weapon – the Giganotosaurus, T-Rex's cousin and the biggest dino the world has ever known! Will our hero be able to sail out of trouble this time? And what about all that stolen treasure? Luckily, every baddie has a weak spot and it's not long before the swashbuckling Flinn fights his way to victory!
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| Magic Puppy - Party Dreams |
Sue Bentley
£3.99, Puffin Books
Storm is the only young wolf left from his family in the magic Moon-claw pack after the evil wolf, Shadow, wounds his mother and destroys everyone else. With the rest of the pack now scattered, Storm's mother is too weak to protect Storm so she sends him to our world as a magic puppy where his magical powers can grow. But Storm must find a friend here to help him hide from the evil Shadow.
Will Storm be able to hide long enough to eventually return and save his mother and the magical Moon-claw pack?
The fifth title in this brilliant new series that will leave eight to 12 year olds howling for more!
Other Magic Puppy titles include:
Muddy Paws
A New Beginning
Cloud Capers
Star of the Show
A Forest Charm
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| See How They Grow: Mouse |
Eye Openers
£2.99, Dorling Kindersley
Watch the mouse get bigger in fantastic photographs bursting with colour, and share easy-to-follow words ideal for reading out loud to the very young.
Plus, there are special mouse stickers for lots of interactive, furry fun! Read this together with your toddler and find out how a tiny pink baby grows into an adventurous young mouse.
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| Invasion |
June Crebbin
£3.99, Walker
It's 1066 and William, Duke of Normandy, has set sail for England to fight King Harold and claim the crown. Rollo must look after the Duke's horses in the biggest adventure of his life as they cross the Channel, fight in the Battle of Hastings and crown William the Conqueror King of England!
Take an exciting journey into history with this illustrated story for newly confident readers over seven years. |
| The Disgusting Adventures of Fleabag Monkeyface: King Pong |
Knife & Packer
£4.99, Walker
Fleabag Monkeyface is back – and he’s grosser than ever – in his second zany, comic adventure.
WARNING: GAS MASKS AT THE READY!
In his second hilarious cartoon adventure, Fleabag Monkeyface and his creators Gene and Gerald must save the world from filth, and their arch-rivals, the Smugleys.
When a toxic explosion turns super-clean Mr Smugley and his family into dirt-loving villains intent on ruling the world, the terrific trio are the only ones who can stop them. But is Fleabag’s Gross Out power enough to defeat the First Family of Filth and their ruler, King Pong?
• Cartoon illustrations and an anarchic plot – full of toxic tapeworms and Gross Out Power – give this inventive story a strong boy appeal.
• The foul-smelling sequel to The Disgusting Adventures
of Fleabag Monkeyface:When Earwax Attacks
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| Edwina: The Dinosaur Who Didn't Know She Was Extinct |
Mo Willems
£5.99, Walker
Everyone knows Edwina. She's the dinosaur who plays with the children and helps little old ladies across the road. She's the dinosaur who bakes chocolate-chip cookies! Everyone loves her ... except the class know-it-all Reginald Von Hoobie-Doobie. Reginald knows dinosaurs are extinct, and he is ready to prove it. But will anyone listen? And if they do, what will happen to Edwina?
Find out in this comical cartoon-style picture book for young children aged three years and over. |
| Knuffle Bunny Too |
Mo Willems
£6.99, Walker
Trixie can't wait to show off her one-of-a-kind Knuffle Bunny at school. But a dreadful surprise awaits E Trixie's bunny is not so one-of-a-kind after all! And matters get worse that night when Trixie realizes that she has brought home the WRONG BUNNY! A phone call later, Dad and Trixie are off on a desperate late-night mission to reclaim the real Knuffle Bunny!
A New York Times Children's Bestseller and a Caldecott Honor Book - the hilarious sequel to Knuffle Bunny.
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| Little Beauty |
Anthony Browne
£5.99, Walker Books
A very special gorilla is taught a very special skill: sign language. He appears to have everything he needs, but one day he signs that he is sad and needs a friend. His keepers bring him a tiny cat called Beauty and the two of them become inseparable. But when the gorilla gets angry and causes damage to the TV, will his keepers think him unfit to be friends with such a small, defenceless animal? Not if Beauty can think fast and prove what a special friendship they share...
The heart-warming tale of a gorilla and his tiny friend, from a master picturebook-maker. |
| Maisy's Nature Trail |
Lucy Cousins
£8.99, Walker
It's a perfect day for Maisy to go on a nature trail. Look! What pretty flowers! Crack! Crack! What's hatching out of the egg? And whose long ears are those? Butterflies, snails, frogs, bunnies ... turn the pages, pull the tabs and help Maisy spot all the wonderful plants and creatures on the nature trail!
Put on your wellies, head outside and let Maisy be your wildlife guide in this nature-themed novelty book. |
| Beware of the Frog |
William Bee
£10.99, Walker
Mrs Collywobbles has nothing to fear from the strange and fearsome visitors that emerge from the big, dark, scary wood not with her pet frog guarding the garden gate. Gobble! They don't hang around for long! But when Mrs Collywobbles' frog demands a thank-you kiss, things suddenly take a surprising turn...
A fantastic froggy fairy tale picture book from the creator of And the Train Goes... and Whatever. |
| Today I WIll Fly! - an Elephant & Piggie book |
Mo Willems
£4.99, Walker
Gerald is careful. Piggie is not. Piggie cannot help smiling. Gerald can. Gerald worries so that Piggie does not have to. Gerald and Piggie are best friends. In Today I will Fly! Piggie wants to fly. But Gerald knows that she cannot or can she? Told entirely in speech bubbles with a repetitive use of familiar phrases, this highly original book is perfect for children just learning to read.
One of a series of delightfully humorous tales for beginner readers from the award-winning creator of Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus!
Other Elephant & Piggie books available include:
There is a Bird on your Head!
I Am Invited to a Party!
My Friend Is Sad |
| Diary of a Tooth Fairy |
Alan Durant
£7.99, Walker
Pip has always wanted to be a tooth fairy and now she's going to training school to learn the tricks of the tooth fairy trade. There's a lot to get to grips with spells, map-reading and dentricals are just some of the skills she'll need. But it's fun too, and only when the exams are looming does Pip begin to get nervous. Luckily she passes her test with flying colours to become a fully-qualified Tooth Fairy (First Class). Dear Tooth Fairy sold out its entire first print-run in twelve weeks and was shortlisted for the Red House Children's Book Award.
Children aged six years and over will enjoy joining Pip on her mission to become a Tooth Fairy!
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| The Mysterious Edge of the Heroic World |
E.L.Konigsburg
£5.99, Walker
More than anything in the world, eleven-year-old Amedeo Kaplan wants to discover something a treasure that no one realizes is missing until he finds it. He also wants to discover a true friend he can share things with. When Amedeo and his mother move to Florida, Amedeo finds himself working on a house sale with another boy, William Wilcox, but the two don't get along. Mrs Zender's mansion is crammed with memorabilia of her long life, and there is a story to go with every item. The boys find themselves caught up in one particular story, dating back to Nazi Germany and Hitler's declaration that modern art was degenerate. Ultimately Amedeo does make a discovery an original sketch by Modigliani. Why was it hidden, and why would Mrs Zender be willing to sell something worth millions for only $5,000? Does she have a connection to the Nazi past?
Master storyteller and twice Newbery award winner E.L. Konigsburg once again creates an extraordinary story of adventure, insight and mystery for readers aged nine years plus. |
| The Goldsmith's Daughter |
Tanya Landman
£6.99, Walker
In the golden city of Tenochtitlan, Emperor Montezuma rules with an iron rod and people live in fear of the gods. Itacate, a girl born under an ill-fated sky, is destined for a life of submission and domestic drudgery. But when her father, a goldsmith, discovers her talent for his craft, she starts to work as his apprentice, a secret she must keep in order to protect the lives of herself and her family. But danger awaits as Spanish strangers invade the city. And when Itacate's work comes to the emperor's attention and she falls in love with a stranger, her life takes an even more perilous turn. Can Itacate change her destiny and survive in this harsh new world?
A young girl's struggle to change her destiny set against the destruction of the Aztec empire. Suitable for readers aged 12 years and over. |
| Warrior King |
Sue Purkiss
£4.99, Walker
The year is 878 AD. The English kingdoms of Northumbria, Mercia, East Anglia and Kent have fallen to the Vikings. Only Wessex is left, and its king, Alfred, has been driven into hiding on Athelney, the ancient Island of Princes. How can he, along with his daughter, Fleda, and his closest followers, defeat the dreaded Vikings?
From childhood to greatness: the powerful story of Alfred, king and hero of the Dark Ages - for readers aged nine years plus. |
| Snakehead |
Anthony Horowitz
£6.99, Walker
Splashing down off the coast of Australia, Alex is soon working undercover this time for ASIS, the Australian Secret Service on a mission to infiltrate the criminal underworld of South-East Asia: the ruthless world of the Snakehead. Faced with an old enemy and troubled by his own past, Alex is caught between two secret services, with no one to trust and this time he needs all his wits to survive...
Undercover in a poisonous world, teen spy Alex Rider is back for his seventh adrenalin-rush adventure!
Paperback version has a bonus extra chapter! Suitable for young readers aged nine years and over. |
| Divided Loyalties |
Dennis Hamley
£6.99, Walker
War has once again come to Europe. Ellen, now married to a German and with a family of her own, must once again face terror and prejudice as World War II rages. Ellen is married to Matthias with three children angry, rebellious Walter, clever Paul and quiet, talented Anna. When war is declared on Germany, the three children all play their roles: Walter joins the RAF, Paul works for British Intelligence and, as the painful and lengthy war draws to a close, Anna meets a young Polish musician. Their German cousin, Helmut, is also fighting for the opposition. When her husband is sent to an internment camp, Ellen must fight to keep her life together. In the face of separation and tragedy, can she succeed in uniting her divided family?
As World War II begins, a young mother must fight against prejudice to keep her family together in this heartbreaking novel, sequel to the World War I-set Ellen's People.
Teenage fiction for 12 years and over. |
| Bloodline |
Katy Moran
£6.99, Walker
Set in Dark Ages Britain, this is the powerful story of Essa, whose father Cai, a travelling bard and occasional spy, leaves him behind one night at a settlement of the Wolf Clan. Essa is a survivor and forges new allegiances and even love, but never stops wondering why his father never came back. The settlement is under threat from cruel Mercian bands across the forests, and Essa is caught up in a heart-stopping journey to avert disaster. A battle is inevitable, but Essa finds he can influence its outcome in a way nobody but his father would understand...
Warring kingdoms, bloody feuds and a battle for survival... Step back into the Dark Ages with this riveting, epic adventure from a debut writer, for readers aged nine years plus. |
| Toby Alone |
Timothee de Fombelle
£9.99, Walker
Toby Lolness is just one and a half millimetres tall, and he's the most wanted person in his world, the great oak Tree. When Toby's father makes a ground-breaking discovery, tapping into the very heart of the Tree's energy, he also realises that exploiting it could do permanent damage to their world. Refusing to reveal the secret of his invention to an enraged community, the family is exiled. But one man is determined to get hold of the forbidden knowledge ... and his plan is to destroy the Tree. Now Toby's parents have been imprisoned and sentenced to death. Only Toby has managed to escape, but for how long?
An awards-laden adventure of heroism, friendship and survival with a powerful ecological message set in a captivating miniature world, for readers aged nine years plus. |
| The Ghost's Child |
Sonya Hartnett
£6.99, Walker
This magical story, told in the elevated tone of a fable, begins with a visit by a teenage boy to the home of 75-year-old Matilda. She tells him the story of her life with Feather, a man who lived by the sea and had a great affinity for birds and wild creatures. She speaks of her love for him and how, long ago, she had become pregnant but miscarried, and he left her. Her grief was inconsolable for a very long time and she longed to find Feather to ask him, "How can you know love, and lose it, and go on living without it, and not feel the loss for ever?" She eventually finds Feather and he answers her question, and in doing so helps her to deal with her overwhelming loss.
A novel that explores the many varieties of love, by one of the very best contemporary writers for readers aged 12 years plus. |
| The Knife of Never Letting Go |
Patrick Ness
£12.99, Walker
Imagine you're the only boy in a town of men. And you can hear everything they think. And THEY can hear everything YOU think. Imagine you don't fit in with their plans... Todd Hewitt is just one month away from the birthday that will make him a ma | | |
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