Picture Books for young children
Rockabye Pirate
Written by Timothy Knapman
Illustrated by Ada
Grey
ISBN: 978-1408849392
When night falls it is time for all sleepy little pirates to
go to bed, for loot-filled lullabies and dreams of buried treasure. Mummy
Pirate rounds up all those fearsome seafarers as they tie up their ships for
the night, have their supper and a bath, cuddle up for a story and then snuggle
under their Jolly Roger duvets. With its gentle rhymes and entertaining
pictures in subdued colours this is a lovely bedtime story for all young
buccaneers.
Jayne Gould
The Nut Stayed Shut
Written and illustrated by Mike Henson
Templar £6.99
ISBN: 978-1783706938
Have you ever had a nut you couldn’t crack? Rodney, the
champion ‘kung fu’ style nut-cracker, clearly has never met such a stubborn nut
before. He tries everything - from hammers to rhinoceros poo, an elephant, and
even TNT - but nothing works. His fury is reflected in the text and the
illustrations, and he eventually is forced to give up his efforts. However, it
seems that if you wait long enough, the nut will crack by itself. The bold
illustrations in this picture book reflect Rodney’s frustration at the nut’s
refusal to crack. Young children will enjoy the story but be warned - with
repeated efforts to bash the nut with the increasingly crazy tools Rodney tries
to use, this is more likely to provoke rowdy play than encourage conversation,
questions or quietness. Adults are advised not to save this one for bedtime!
Liz Dubber
Written by Brett McKee
Illustrated by David McKee
Andersen £11.99
ISBN: 978-1783445349
This rhyming tale has an unusual twist as the brave knight,
Sir Ned, heads to the woods to vanquish the Nasties who are making the King ill
with their terrible noise, and frightening the villagers too. Ned is offered
some unexpected help on the way from a witch, a wolf and a troll, but soon
learns who to trust when they reach the Nasties’
hidden cave. Warm, rich illustrations accompany the amusing, often
laugh-out-loud, story which celebrates how noise can be turned into lovely,
powerful sound and the ending is delightfully unexpected.
Louise Stothard
Titles for readers Moving On from Primary to High School
The Adventures of Hermes, God of Thieves
Written by Murielle
Szac
Translated by Mika
Provata-Carlone
Pushkin £7.99
ISBN: 978-1782691303
Hermes, son of Zeus and Maia, is born walking, talking and
questioning the world. As he explores Olympus ,
home of the ancient Greek gods, his adventures reveal their nature and lives.
He learns of the powers of Zeus, the nature of his brother Apollo and how to
survive in Olympus . We learn how each god came
into being, the loves, jealousies and powers they possess and how Hermes needs
to tread carefully to avoid their anger and be useful to them. Writing of
exceptional clarity and quality explores the stories of Pandora, Prometheus,
Persephone, Jason, Medea and all those vaguely remembered characters, both
memorably and startlingly. Written in short, clearly headed chapters, these strange
and wonderful tales will resonate with Harry Potter and other fantasy fans who
wonder, “What was a centaur?” Extraordinary stories from a publisher offering
the best of children’s writing from a range of cultures.
Tina Massey
How to Stage a
Catastrophe
Written by Rebecca Donnelly
Curious Fox £6.99
ISBN: 978-1782025986
This entertaining story is about a group of friends who
desperately want to save their ramshackle theatre from closing down. Sidney
Camazzola has ambitions to be the director of the Juicebox Children’s Theatre
when he grows up, but the on-going financial crisis it is in, means it could be
gone long before then. Working together with his best friend Folly, an aspiring
businessman, as well as members of his family and other friends involved with
the theatre, they come up with a plan to save the Juicebox. But, as any
director can tell you, not everything happens according to the script. Despite
on-stage disasters, misunderstandings and a possible crime being committed, Sidney ’s enthusiasm
remains undiminished as he takes the reader through three acts and an
intermission.
Jayne Gould
Titles for Young Teenage Readers
Rook
Written by Anthony McGowan
ISBN: 978-1781127230
The first chapter is told from the perspective of the young
rook. He is flying free with his friends until caught and hurt by a sparrow
hawk. Kenny, who has special needs, rescues ‘Rookee’ and despite the scepticism
of his brother, Nicky, is determined to keep the young bird alive. Nicky has
greater things to worry about - bullying at school, low self-esteem and a
burgeoning crush on a girl. Rook is
the last in the trilogy from Anthony McGowan, following Brock and Pike. Each
story deals with the difficulties and problems that Nicky and Kenny have to
face as teenagers growing up in a confusing world. As with all Barrington Stoke
books these three short novels are written on cream paper, with clear typeface and
short chapters. The stories are unusual, full of feeling and the characters
will resonate with the reader.
Ingrid
Fox
And Then We Ran
Written by Katy Cannon
Stripes £7.99
ISBN: 978-1847157997
Megan and Elliott have been best friends most of their lives
but the death of Megan’s sister, in a reckless accident that rocked their small
seaside community, has created a gulf between them. Now, they are both trying
to escape the weight of this history and the shadows cast by their families.
When Meg realises that an inheritance, held in trust for her, can be claimed
early if she marries, a crazy plan is born – elopement to Gretna
Green . Her proposal to Elliott is business-like - a marriage of
convenience. But life has very few clean, simple decisions, as Megan and
Elliott are about to discover, on a journey that is not purely geographical. A
really engaging, romantic story that also explores the teenage struggle for
freedom, identity and belonging.
Yvonne Coppard
The Guggenheim
Mystery
Written by Robin Stevens
Puffin £9.99
ISBN: 978-0141377025
Based on an idea by Siobhan Dowd, this sequel to her The London Eye Mystery has been
carefully and skilfully created by Robin Stevens. It continues the adventures
of Ted Spark and his sister, Kat, when they visit their cousin, Salim, who has
moved to New York
with his mum. Robin Stevens is a successful, award-winning mystery writer and
she uses her expertise to take on the legacy and challenge of the late Siobhan
Dowd and the three words of the title she left behind. Aunt Gloria has a new job
as curator of the Guggenheim
Museum New York very successfully.
Louise Stothard
Titles for More Mature Young Adults
The Red Abbey
Chronicles: Maresi
Written by Maria Turtschaninoff
Translated by A.A. Prime
Pushkin £7.99
ISBN: 978-1782690924
This haunting story is a compelling read and resonates long
after the last page has been read. Maresi’s family send her to live with the
sisterhood at The Red Abbey, on a remote island populated by women. Each has
their role to play, but the delights and rewards of learning are far more
important to Maresi. The descriptions of life on the island, harvesting
mussels, dyeing fabric, and the daily rituals are detailed, and the characters
of the sisters and novices varied and attractive. Several are seeking refuge
and when the mysterious, silent and scarred Jai joins them, Maresi knows she
has a harsh story she is not telling. Jai gradually settles into the rhythm of
life at the abbey, but the threat to them all is not far away. When tragedy
strikes, the women use all their resourcefulness and strength to save their
family. But it is Maresi’s determination to take all she has learnt at the
abbey back to her homeland that is remarkable, and will be the source of a new
story.
Louise Stothard
Information
Titles
Where Will I Live?
Written by Rosemary McCarney
New Internationalist
£9.99
ISBN: 978-1772600285
A timely antidote to our hate-filled tabloids, reminding
young readers that the ‘swarms’ and ‘cockroaches’ they may have seen in their
family newspapers and on TV are actually real people, just like them. This book
will help to realise that they are fleeing from terrifying events and
circumstances that we in the West can barely imagine. One large picture per
page and simple text make this book an accessible, easy read. One hopes it will
inspire empathy, and possibly a desire to help, in its young readers. (6+)
Paul
Dowswell
Crazy about Cats
Written and illustrated by Owen
Davey
Flying Eye £12.99
ISBN: 978-1911171164
The third title in a series by
this talented author/illustrator, following Mad
about Monkeys, and Smart about Sharks,
is just packed full of valuable information about big cats. Unusually for a
non-fiction title, there are no photographs in this book, instead pages are
filled with dynamic illustrations which are slick, with clean lines and a feel
of mid-century style about them. The genius here is that despite the intense
stylization, the illustrations remain true to the natural form and features of
the animals and landscapes depicted in the book. The book is beautifully produced
on thick matt paper, making the whole piece a work of art. The text features
general topics expected by a reader such as camouflage, adaptations and
feeding, as well as introducing the reader to less well-known species and
exploring the relationship between big cats and humans. There is some technical
and scientific language used which, along with the level of detail, makes this
a book for young confident readers. (8+)
Lucy Russell
The School of Music
Written by Meurig and Rachel Bowen
Illustrated by Daniel Frost
Wide Eyed £14.99
ISBN: 978-1847808608
In just 40 lessons, this ambitious and comprehensive book
goes from discussing types of music - from A Capella to zydeco - to composing
and sharing music with others. With a faculty of expert musicians to guide and
teach the reader, Term 1 explores types of music and how they’re made,
including lots of non-Western instruments and styles, while Term 2 teaches the
building blocks of music from rhythm, notes and harmony to musical notation and
direction. Finally, Term 3 helps readers think about creating music in
different ways, from creating a kitchen orchestra to learning and performing
with different instruments. Sounds daunting, but each lesson is bite-sized,
colourfully illustrated and includes an easy to perform activity to further
understanding. Some lessons come with online musical resources. The School of Music is a valuable
resource for children learning to sing or play an instrument. For children who
don’t think they are musical, the authors leave the reader in no doubt that
anyone can create music - it just takes patience and practice. 9+
Benjamin Scott
The Teenage Guide to
Friends
Written by Nicola Morgan
ISBN: 978-1406369779
Fans of The Teenage
Guide to Stress and Blame My Brain
will welcome this latest title from Nicola Morgan. As with her previous books,
this one addresses the teenage reader in a warm, wise and direct tone. The
purpose of the book is to reassure young people that any difficulties they are
experiencing in the area of friendship are not abnormal and will not last for
ever, whilst also giving them practical suggestions for how to improve their
situation. Nicola Morgan also explores specific topics such as online
friendships, negative or toxic friendships and how to manage peer pressure. The
emphasis is always on good information, balanced advice and reassurance. By
explaining some different personality types and considering the kinds of things
that might be preoccupying others, she is both encouraging the reader to
reflect upon their own personality traits as well as think about how others
might be feeling. There is an excellent Further Reading section at the end of
the book that encourages readers to extend their reading and learning, and
notes the importance of being discerning about sources and having a balanced
approach to online research. Highly recommended. (13+)
Annalise Taylor
