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Illustration © Emily Gravett 2008, winner of the 2005 Kate Greenaway Medal for Wolves, published by Macmillan Children’s Books.
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The Best
New
Children’s
Books
Page 2
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Illustration from Ten Bears in a Bed by Alison Atkins, by permission of Top That! Publishing.
2 THE BEST NEW CHILDREN’S BOOKS
Category guide
Fiction and non-fiction titles reviewed
in this supplement have been given a
starting age for the target readership,
which is denoted by the following:
5+, 7+, 9+, 11+ and Teenage.
These suggested categories are for
guidance only and match those
currently being adopted by publishers
to assist buyers of books for children.
Look out for them on the back covers
of books from April 2008 onwards.
Publishers’ recommendations
FAERIE LORD
MORE PANTS
Herbie Brennan
Giles Andreae
and Nick Sharratt
Thrilling fourth title in
Herbie Brennan’s New
York Times bestselling
Faerie Wars series, in
which a mysterious
plague threatens the
Faerie Realm, a darkly
fascinating world that
overflows with heartstopping, fantastical
adventure.
11+, Bloomsbury, £6.99
BANANA
Ed Vere
Follow one little
monkey’s journey
through emotions
as he tries every
trick in the book
to get hold of his
friend’s banana.
This hilarious
book on manners
will leave toddlers
everywhere in fits
of giggles.
Picture book, Puffin, £5.99
NIGHTMARE
ACADEMY:
CHARLIE’S
MONSTERS
Dean Lorey
Monsters and mayhem
await in a thrilling comic
adventure about a very
gifted boy who joins a
monster fighting academy.
The first book in Dean
Lorey’s exciting new series!
9+, HarperCollins
Children’s Books, £5.99
You can never
have enough
pants, as this
exuberant
celebration of lots
more pants
proves! Giles
Andreae’s brilliant
text and Nick Sharratt’s hilarious illustrations will
delight children and adults alike, this lively picture
book is guaranteed to make you giggle!
Picture book, Picture Corgi, £5.99
HORRIBLE
SCIENCE:
UGLY BUGS
JIGSAW
BOOK
Nick Arnold and
Tony de Saulles
Science with the
squishy bits left
in! Ugly Bugs
contains five 48-piece jigsaws plus a stunning pressout spider to make, plus quizzes, activities and even
more creepy-crawly facts hidden under the jigsaws!
7+, Scholastic Children’s Books, £9.99
MY SISTER JODIE
Jacqueline Wilson
A wonderful new story
from the bestselling
children’s author. It follows
the adventures and
mishaps of Pearl and her
sister Jodie, as they move
to a new boarding school.
A fantastic portrayal of
sibling relationships and
teenage rebellion.
9+, Doubleday Children’s,
£12.99
THE LEGEND OF THE
WORST BOY IN THE
WORLD
Eoin Colfer
In the third of the
bestselling series of Eoin
Colfer’s books for younger
readers, we see the return
of Will Woodman, who is
desperate to win the Giant
Jelly Baby Competition
and be named ‘the best
boy in the world’.
7+, Puffin, £4.99
SNAIL’S LEGS
Damian Harvey and
Korky Paul
When the King’s chef
arrives in search of
the strongest legs to
help him prepare a
birthday treat for the
King, Snail and Frog
have a race to find
out who’s stronger.
But what is in store
for the winner?
Picture book, Frances
Lincoln, £6.99
PHILIPPA FISHER’S
FAIRY GODSISTER
Liz Kessler
From the author of the
hugely popular Emily
Windsnap books, here is
a new story that sparkles
with magic and is all
about friendship, luck
and how we decide what
we really, really want.
9+, Orion, £9.99
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THE BEST NEW CHILDREN’S BOOKS 3
Introduction
About the reviewers
All the reviewers are recognized
experts in the field of children’s books:
“
It’s an interesting time for children’s books. We find our
youngest children coming home from school with brand new
‘readers’ which are supposed to teach them how to read,
whilst our older ones seem to come back with extracts from
novels with a set of questions under them. I’ve always thought
that one of the main ways you can interest children in reading
is for them to see, hear and read real books written and drawn
by people who think it’s a great idea to share stories and ideas
with young people. To get books into children’s hands, we
need book-loving schools and book-loving homes so we
should all be figuring out how best to bring this about.
One way is for schools and parents to put their heads together
to see how they can not only get hold of books like the ones
in this supplement but also get the confidence to read them
together. Books are a great way to have interesting
conversations about how we think, feel and live our lives,
and all children are entitled to have a slice of that.
Michael Rosen
Children’s Laureate 2007-09
”
Geraldine Brennan is a freelance journalist
and consultant, formerly books editor of
The Times Educational Supplement. She has
judged the Booktrust Teenage Prize and the
Costa Children’s Book of the Year.
Lindsey Fraser has worked in bookselling,
with Book Trust, the Edinburgh Book
Festival, Scottish Book Trust and the Read
Together! initiative. She is now a literary
agent.
Nikki Gamble is a lecturer, writer and
inservice provider, who has taught in
primary and secondary schools and works
with trainee teachers at the Urban Learning
Foundation in Tower Hamlets, London.
Former book editor of the Telegraph’s teen
supplement, Damian Kelleher has also
contributed to The Sunday Times and Radio
4’s Front Row. He has sat on the judging
panels for the Smarties and Whitbread
Children’s Book Awards.
Leonie Flynn is a writer and a librarian
at a school in north London. Daniel Hahn
is a translator and editor who works with
Shakespeare’s Globe. Susan Reuben
works on freelance projects for children’s
publishers. Together, they have edited
the three Ultimate Book Guides for
A&C Black.
© 2008 Publishers Association Children’s Book Group.
Designed by Jo Kennedy (www.us2design.co.uk). Printed by The Colourhouse (www.thecolourhouse.com).
Publishers’ recommendations
YOU’RE NOT
SO SCARY, SID
Sam Lloyd
Sid reckons he is
pretty scary, but
underneath he’s not
so tough! Young
children will adore
Sam Lloyd’s interactive
hand-puppet book.
A companion to Calm
Down, Boris, winner of the 2006 Richard and Judy
Best Book for Christmas.
Picture book, Templar Publishing, £8.99
LUCKY STAR
Cathy Cassidy
Meet Cat and Mouse.
Mouse is doing his best to
stay out of trouble. Cat is
doing her best to land
herself in it. This
gorgeous sparkly story is
a must for all girls.
9+, Puffin, £5.99
MY GRANNY
WENT TO
MARKET
ELIOT JONES,
MIDNIGHT
SUPERHERO
Stella Blackstone
Anne Cottringer and
Alex T. Smith
Fly away with Granny
as she takes a magic
carpet ride around
the world, collecting
a steadily increasing
number of souvenirs!
This rhyming story
will take young readers on an adventure to
different countries while teaching them to count.
Picture book, Barefoot Books, £5.99
By day, Eliot is a quiet
boy who likes to read
and play with his toys.
But when the clock
strikes midnight, Eliot
is transformed into a
hero! A quirky, laugh-out-loud adventure – perfect
entertainment for aspiring little heroes!
Picture book, Scholastic Children’s Books, £5.99
SMASH!
CRASH!
THE LIFE OF RILEY
Jon Scieszka
The hilarious sequel to
the best-selling My SoCalled Life. Rachel’s on a
mission to discover her
inner Sienna Miller, but
it’s hard to be exotic and
interesting when you live
in Saffron Walden.
Teenage, Oxford
Children’s Books, £5.99
Honk your horns
and drive right
into Jon Scieszka’s
Trucktown – a
new series of
rough and tumble
stories from the
bestselling author
of The Stinky
Cheese Man.
Picture book, Simon & Schuster, £6.99
Joanna Nadin
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4 THE BEST NEW CHILDREN’S BOOKS
The Adventures of the Dish
and the Spoon
Picture Books
by Leonie Flynn, Daniel Hahn and Susan Reuben
Along Came a Bedtime
Ian Whybrow, illustrated by
Guy Parker-Rees
Orchard Books, £5.99
Baby bear sets off with his mummy
on an adventure, and is soon joined
by a duck, then a sheep, a cat and a
dog. The bounce-along story keeps
screeching to a halt as the animals
get left behind and mummy and
baby bear have to go back for them.
Toddlers will soon be addicted.
Banana!
Ed Vere
Puffin, £5.99
Like Jez Alborough’s classic, Hug,
this is one of those wonderfully
simple books made up almost
exclusively of one repeated word.
Banana. A little monkey has a
banana, and another little monkey
wants it, and says so. (Banana!) And
then he insists. (BANANA!) Levels of
foot-stamping exasperation increase.
(BANANA!!) A very funny look at
toddler behaviour, which is both
endearing and startlingly familiar.
The Cow That Laid an Egg
Andy Cutbill, illustrated by
Russell Ayto
HarperCollins, £10.99
Must be tough being Marjorie,
the only cow who can’t ride bicycles
and do handstands. But then
(apparently) Marjorie lays an egg.
So she’s not so normal after all…
An amusing story with a great
punch-line, but it’s Ayto’s frantically
energetic pictures of bovine (and
galline) mayhem that make it a
particular delight.
Dexter Bexley and the
Big Blue Beastie
Joel Stewart
Picture Corgi, £5.99
Dexter Bexley has unfortunately
scooted into a big blue beastie, who
wants to eat him up. The only way
to stop him is by keeping him
distracted with other things to do
that are more fun. Joel Stewart’s
charming illustrations bring a lovely,
odd old-fashioned edge to this
surreal and funny celebration of
friendship and imagination.
Mini Grey
Red Fox, £5.99
We all know about the dish running
away with the spoon, but what
happened to them next? Apparently
they joined a vaudeville show,
borrowed from loan sharks and
eventually turned to a life of crime
before being caught and thrown in
prison. Really, only the brilliant Mini
Grey could get away with this.
Hugely inventive pictures full of
witty details to spot make this
unlikely story a masterpiece.
Elephant Wellyphant
Nick Sharratt
Scholastic Children’s Books,
£10.99
Chances are you’ve seen an
elephant before. But possibly never
a Wellyphant? (He’s the one in
wellington boots – one on each
foot and one on his trunk.)
And what about a doorbelliphant?
Or a fruit jellyphant? This novelty
book has all of Nick Sharratt’s usual
boldness, warmth and humour,
with something to giggle at on
every page.
Illustration from My Two Grannies © Margaret Chamberlain, by permission of Frances Lincoln.
Here We Go Round the
Mulberry Bush
Sophie Fatus and Fred Penner
Barefoot Books, £10.99
An entirely charming version of the
well-known rhyme, featuring four
children from Europe, Mali, India
and China, all brushing teeth,
combing hair and eating food in
their accustomed way. I had to
wrest the book from my 2-year-old
in order to write the review. Comes
complete with a CD.
Mammoth Pie
Jeanne Willis, illustrated by
Tony Ross
Andersen Press, £10.99
This story rattles along at a great
pace, just begging to be read aloud,
as Og the caveman enlists all his
friends in his pursuit of a mammoth
who, Og thinks, would make a very
tasty pie filling. However, the
mammoth’s not too keen. Six
would-be cooks against one young
mammoth – unfair? Maybe, but
there’s always mummy to be
reckoned with…
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THE BEST NEW CHILDREN’S BOOKS 5
Tiddler – the Story-Telling Fish
My Two Grannies
Floella Benjamin, illustrated by
Margaret Chamberlain
Frances Lincoln, £11.99
When Alvina’s two grannies come to
look after her for a week, they can’t
stop arguing. One is from Trinidad
and the other from Barnsley; one
wants to make Alvina chicken and
plantains, the other steak and kidney
pie. But Alvina loves them both, and
her great tact saves the day.
Oh, Boris!
Carrie Weston, illustrated by
Tim Warnes
Oxford Children’s Books, £10.99
Boris is a big bear. On his first day in
school he finds out just how big –
too big! Chairs break when he sits
down, his voice is loud and worst of
all, none of his tiny classmates want
to play with him as they think he’s
scary. It takes some rotten rats and
a little understanding, but in the
end everyone agrees, Boris is really
just a big softy.
Julia Donaldson, illustrated by
Axel Scheffler
Alison Green Books/Scholastic
Children’s Books, £10.99
This fishy tale from the creators of
The Gruffalo is an excellent story –
one almost as good as the tall
stories Tiddler tells when he’s late.
When a really big adventure does
happen to him, one far more
terrifying than anything he ever
made up, will he escape? And if he
does, will anyone believe him?
Who are You, Stripy Horse?
Jim Helmore, illustrated by
Karen Wall
Egmont Press, £5.99
With a wonderfully endearing hero,
this is the story of one stuffed,
stripy horse’s quest to find out who
and what he is. Waking up in junk
shop, our hero makes lots of
friends, braves the fearsome Ming
the Wise and in the end finds all
the answers – in himself.
Sir Charlie Stinky Socks and
the Really Big Adventure
Kristina Stephenson
Egmont Press, £5.99
What a great book to read aloud!
Packed with visual jokes, drama,
hidden surprises and a forest full of
beasties, wiggly woos (who tickle
your toes), dragons, witches and a
lonely (if slightly grumpy) princess,
this is perfect for adventurous boys
and girls.
The Odd Egg
Emily Gravett
Macmillan, £10.99
Every time Emily Gravett produces
a new book, I wonder how she’s
going to top the previous one,
and every time she produces
something original and inspired –
and The Odd Egg is every bit as
good as anything she’s done.
A simple, economical story (all the
birds have laid eggs apart from poor
duck, but then he finds a huge,
odd green-spotted egg and adopts
it…) with humour in every one of
Gravett’s beautiful pages.
Tyrannosaurus Drip
Julia Donaldson, illustrated by
David Roberts
Macmillan, £10.99
Imagine a scrawny little green
vegetarian dinosaur being born
into a family of big red bloodthirsty
T-Rexes – help! Julia Donaldson’s
impeccable rhyming text carries
along this brain-over-brawn story
with all her usual energy and
humour, with feisty little
Tyrannosaurus Drip and the other
dinosaurs given great character
by David Roberts’ always detailed
and witty illustrations.
There’s an Ouch in my Pouch!
Jeanne Willis, illustrated by
Garry Parsons
Puffin, £5.99
“What is the matter with Willaby
Wallaby? Why is he sobbing and
throwing a wobbly?” This picture
book demands to be read out loud
as Jeanne Willis, on top form, tells
the story of the disgruntled wallaby
who sets out to find a more
comfortable pouch.
PENGUIN
Polly Dunbar
Walker Books, £5.99
Ben is delighted with his
present of a penguin. “What
shall we play?” he says. But
Penguin doesn’t reply. In fact,
whatever Ben does, he can get
no reaction from Penguin at
all. He tries tickling him,
standing on his head, making
fun of him – but Penguin
retains the same deadpan
expression throughout. Even
when Ben fires Penguin into
outer space, Penguin comes
back down without a word.
It is only when a lion (who
happens to be passing) eats
Ben up, that Penguin is finally
spurred into action.
This wonderful picture book
has a spare, minimal text, with
amazingly expressive
illustrations that do all the
talking (particularly when
Penguin decides to
communicate at last). Penguin
is a fantastically appealing
character despite, or perhaps
because of, his complete
refusal to react to anything
Ben does. Children reading the
book will think they’re cleverer
than Ben – knowing that
Penguin is
saying nothing
because he’s
just a soft toy.
But in the end,
the joke is on
them!
PENGUIN
Polly Dunbar
Walker Books brings bestsellers
from acclaimed authors and
illustrators to life with these
fantastic picture book and DVDs.
There are 18 books to collect, try
Polly Dunbar’s Nestlé awardwinning Penguin, narrated by
Emilia Fox.
3+, Walker Books, £7.99
Illustration from Sir Charlie © Kristina Stephenson, by permission of Egmont Press.
Publishers’ picture book recommendations
COCK-ADOODLE-BOO!
ANIMAL
BOOGIE
IT’S A GEORGE
THING
Marina Le Ray
Debbie Harter
David Bedford
and Russell Julian
The animals leap
from the pages of
this amusing pop-up
storybook. Children
will love to spot
Ronnie the Rooster
as he sneaks up on
his farmyard friends
and gives each of
them a wake-up call to remember!
Tide Mill Press, £8.99
Shake, shimmy, and
boogie-woogieoogie with the
creatures of the
Indian jungle! It’s
bright and fun,
wacky and exotic,
but most of all, no
one can resist the catchy tune – so just get up and
dance! Also includes a singalong CD.
Barefoot Books, £6.99
Unlike his best
friends Peachy and
Moon, George
doesn’t have a
‘thing’, that is
until he discovers
he can dance…
A very funny story with a worthwhile message.
Get ready to strut your stuff!
Egmont Press, £5.99
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6 THE BEST NEW CHILDREN’S BOOKS
Favourite Characters
by Lindsey Fraser
Francesca Simon, illustrated by
Tony Ross
5+, Orion, £4.99
This is the third Horrid Henry joke
book and will appeal every bit as
much as the others to his fans,
though their parents may feel
justified in rationing recitals.
Typically Henry intends to make
millions from this collection but it
ends with him being sent to his
room. Again.
Draglins Escape!
Vivian French, illustrated by
Chris Fisher
Orchard Books, £3.99
Introducing Daffodil, Dora, Dennis
and Danny, tiny creatures who have
lived happily in the Under Roof, a
benignly unobtrusive presence
above the old lady downstairs.
But all that’s to change when
they’re forced into the Outdoors
with its alarming chats and
dawgs… A warm-hearted, inventive
and entertaining adventure series.
Mr Gum and the Biscuit
Billionaire
Andy Stanton, illustrated by
David Tazzyman
7+, Egmont Press, £4.99
The gloriously bizarre inhabitants of
Lamonic Bibber return in a new,
even more surreal comedy
adventure. Stanton’s fasten-yourseatbelt narrative style is utterly
beguiling; the apparent chaos is
often tempered with lyrical linguistic
cornering, always beautifully
controlled. But I can’t even begin to
tell you what the plot is…
Rumblewick’s Diary:
My Unwilling Witch Gets
a Makeover
Hiawyn Oram, illustrated by
Sarah Warburton
7+, Orchard Books, £4.99
Rumblewick’s witch doesn’t care for
the day job. Her lackadaisical
attitude to her vocation is not doing
this familiar’s reputation any good,
and he pours out his frustrations to
his diary. It’s bad enough ignoring
Fright Night, but Aggy’s contention
that Pink is the New Black is the
final straw…
Lost! The Hundred-Mile-AnHour Dog
Jeremy Strong, illustrated by
Rowan Clifford
7+, Puffin, £4.99
For the first time, Streaker gets to
tell her own story – a story that
starts happily when she leaps on
board a pie van, but disintegrates
rapidly when the pie van driver
shuts her in and drives off.
Streaker’s breathless, chatty
narration makes this an ideal highly
entertaining read-aloud.
Monster Makers: Electrotaur
and Slashermite
Ali Sparkes
7+, Scholastic Children’s Books,
£3.99
Two brothers vie to draw the
scariest monsters, then insult each
other’s efforts with glee. Little do
they realise that these monsters
will soon be cutting up rough in
their bedroom. Luckily, eccentric
Aunt Thea is on hand to help but
even so, it’s just one narrow escape
after another.
Ottoline Goes to School
Horrid Henry, text © Francesca Simon, illustration © Tony Ross, published by Orion Children’s Books.
Horrid Henry’s Mighty
Joke Book
Chris Riddell
7+, Macmillan, £8.99
In this beautifully produced
illustrated novel Ottoline is so
impressed with her new friend
Cecily that she asks to go to her
school. Riddell’s presentation is
meticulous, his characteristically
economical, clipped text supported
with illustrations which seethe with
drama and incident. Follow the
enigmatic Mr Munroe’s emotional
journey – it’s brilliant.
Cows in Action:
The Ter-Moo-Nators
Steve Cole
7+, Red Fox, £4.99
An udderly (sorry, but it’s infectious)
bonkers story about a crack team of
time-travelling cows, led by
Professor McMoo who’s constructed
a time machine from bits of
agricultural equipment. The CIA’s
mission is to ensure a future in
which cows live happily – and
equally – with humans.
Publishers’ picture book recommendations
MAISY’S
NATURE TRAIL
HAPPY BIRTHDAY,
WINNIE!
Lucy Cousins
Valerie Thomas and
Korky Paul
It’s a perfect day to
go on a nature trail.
Put on your wellies,
head outside and
let Maisy be your
wildlife guide in
this nature-themed
novelty book,
packed with plants
and animals to spot, plus tabs to pull!
Picture book, Walker Books, £8.99
Get ready to celebrate
with Winnie and Wilbur
on the occasion of her
birthday – on Friday the
13th, of course! A major
new picture book
featuring the bestselling
character, Winnie the
Witch, with fantastic fold-out section.
Picture book, Oxford Children’s Books, £5.99
CHARLIE AND
LOLA: I CAN DO
ANYTHING THAT’S
EVERYTHING ALL
ON MY OWN
Lauren Child
Charlie and Lola, the
irresistibly comic duo,
are back in a
completely brilliant
new story that is sure to be a massive hit. But can
Charlie convince Lola that everyone needs a little
bit of help sometimes?
Picture book, Puffin, £5.99
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THE BEST NEW CHILDREN’S BOOKS 7
GLITTERWINGS ACADEMY:
FLYING HIGH
Titania Woods
7+, Bloomsbury, £5.99
The Chalet School, Mallory Towers,
Hogwarts Academy of Witchcraft and
Wizardry – Glitterwings has a rich
tradition on which to draw and its
creator has had tremendous fun with
her new school series. Her particular
pupils are tiny fairies and there’s
immediate appeal in the differences
of scale in their world. Glitterwings is
housed in an oak tree in which pupils
are allocated to different branches.
Twink Flutterby is to join Daffodil
Branch along with the Sooze, another
First Year about to embark on a
school career in which they’ll master
all manner of fairy arts, and learn
about Life. You won’t find a boy
within spitting distance of this series –
Glitterwings is the preserve of
graduates from The Tiara Club,
Rainbow Fairy or the
Princess Poppy
stories. It’s
shamelessly pink
and glittery, but
with its
traditional feel,
lavish and
loving detail
and strong
writing it will
undoubtedly win
girlish hearts.
Publishers’ recommendations
THE STORY TREE
Hugh Lupton
This delightful collection
of tales from around the
world includes favourites
as well as less well
familiar stories. Hugh
Lupton’s engaging
narrative quickly draws
young readers into each
story, while Sophie
Fatus’s illustrations will
have children laughing.
7+, Barefoot Books, £8.99
THE BEEMAN
Laurie Krebs,
Illustrated by
Valeria Cis
Told from the
viewpoint of a child
whose Grandpa
keeps bees, this
rhyming text offers
an accessible and
engaging
introduction to the
behaviour of bees, including where they live, how
honey is made, and what a beekeeper does.
5+, Barefoot Books, £10.99
TROUBLE
ACCORDING TO
HUMPHREY
Betty G. Birney
Everyone’s favourite
hamster, Humphrey,
returns in a brand new
adventure. As ever,
Humphrey wants to lend a
paw and help his friends in
classroom 26. But this time
he finds himself in BIG-BIGBIG trouble.
7+, Faber and Faber, £4.99
LOST! THE
HUNDRED MILE AN
HOUR DOG
Jeremy Strong
Streaker, the bestselling
Hundred-Mile-An-Hour
dog, is back in her fourth
adventure and this time
she is lost. And not just a
bit lost, but REALLY LOST!
Hilariously funny, this will
have you laughing your
socks off.
7+, Puffin, £4.99
THE THREE OF
DIAMONDS
Anthony Horowitz
Open the file on three
thrilling Diamond
Brothers cases and meet
the world’s most
defective detectives.
Mystery, murder and lots
of laughs, from Anthony
Horowitz, creator of the
Alex Rider series.
9+, Walker Books, £5.99
MIRRORSCAPE
Mike Wilks
Melkin Womper is
apprenticed to a master
painter, Ambrosius Blenk.
Soon, Mel and his new
friends Ludo and Wren
find themselves caught in
a power struggle between
the sinister and powerful
Fifth Mystery and the
master. The first book in a
thrilling fantasy trilogy.
9+, Egmont Press, £6.99
Publishers’ picture book recommendations
REVOLVING
NURSERY RHYMES
MINTY AND TINK
Susanna Lockheart
An enchanting new pair
of characters from the
award-winning creator
of Blue Kangaroo. Tink’s
a talking bear – one in a
thousand. But before
Minty can keep him, she
first needs to save him
from her baby brother…
Picture book,
Andersen Press, £10.99
This picture book
captures the enchanting
world of classic nursery
rhymes. The all-time
favourites of Humpty
Dumpty, Jack and Jill
and many others are
brought to life by the
rotating pictures.
A delight for children and parents alike!
3+, Tide Mill Press, £8.99
Emma Chichester Clark
ELMER AND ROSE
PRINCESS GRACE
David McKee
Mary Hoffman
Elmer celebrates the
uniqueness of each
individual when he
meets a new girl
elephant – who happens
to be pink!
A large format
paperback edition of
one of the most popular
stories in the bestselling
Elmer series.
Picture book, Andersen Press, £5.99
Grace is back!
A chance to be a
princess in a school
parade has Grace
thinking. Do princesses
have to be pink and
floaty, with a crown?
And what do they
actually do?
Picture book, Frances
Lincoln, £11.99
Illustration from Ottoline Goes to School © Chris Riddell, by permission of Macmillan.
Horrid Henry, text © Francesca Simon, illustration © Tony Ross, published by Orion Children s Books.
Pick of the bunch
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8 THE BEST NEW CHILDREN’S BOOKS
Non-fiction
by Nikki Gamble
A Little Guide to Wild Flowers
Archie’s War
Marcia Williams
5+, Walker Books, £12.99
The First World War might be
considered a depressing subject for
young readers but Marcia Williams
has struck just the right note in
Archie’s War. Adopting the format
of a scrapbook, kept by ten-year-old
Archie Albright, this is the story of
a working class family living
through the war years. Williams’s
trademark cartoon-style illustrations
give the impression of a child’s
drawing, along with postcards,
letters, photographs and family
mementoes. Archie’s annotations
reveal a growing consciousness as
he moves away from innocently
repeating received opinions and
literally interpreting propaganda.
A thoughtful book, poignant and
serious, while maintaining the
humour and joie de vivre of an
ordinary ten-year- old.
Grow It Eat It
7+, Dorling Kindersley, £9.99
Written in association with experts
at the RHS, this gardening/cookery
book is a great concept. Lively text,
mouth-watering photographs, and
an attractive layout make this an
appealing book for budding chefs
and gardeners. Grow It Eat It will
also meet the approval of health
conscious parents who are keen to
encourage good eating habits; after
all children are more likely to want
to eat the fruits of their labours if
they have nurtured them from seed.
Kate Petty, illustrated by
Charlotte Voake
7+, Eden Project Books, £5.99
The Eden Project guide is a perfect
companion for parents and children
to have to hand when exploring the
countryside together. The childcentred organisation (by colour
rather than genus) and
approachable text make this an
accessible book. The breadth of
coverage ensures that the guide
will continue to interest young
naturalists as their knowledge
expands. Charlotte Voake’s
watercolours may inspire young
artists to keep their own country
diaries. A delicately executed delight.
Chocolate: the Bean that
Conquered the World
Vivian French, illustrated by
Paul Howard
7+, Walker Books, £7.99
This foil-wrapped biography of the
chocolate bean is feast that
demands to be unwrapped and
savoured. Chocolate is clearly wellresearched and there are discoveries
to be made for readers of all ages
but the book is written with a
lightness of touch so that readers
will be simultaneously educated
and entertained. Paul Howard’s
sumptuous illustrations and the
attractive design make this a very
desirable book. Delicious!
Hocus Pocus
Paul Kieve
9+, Bloomsbury, £12.99
The history of magic is a fascinating
subject and the allure of the
Hackney Empire home to the great
magicians of the past is captured in
this story written by stage magician
Paul Kieve. Sometimes truth really is
stranger than fiction and these
stories about The Great Lafayette,
Houdini will astonish. With the
stage magic undergoing something
of a renaissance, Hocus Pocus is a
must for any sorcerer’s apprentice.
Greek Hero
Mick Manning and Brita Granström
5+, Frances Lincoln, £11.99
Manning and Granström have a
deserved reputation for non-fiction
writing. Greek Hero is the latest in
their historical ‘Fly on the Wall’
series and is a perfect fusion of
words and images. The text features
a cast of characters and is animated
with direct speech, while the
illustrations are dynamic and
expressive. This is a super antidote
to the flat presentation of much
non-fiction that fails to engage at
an emotional level.
What’s Eating You?
Nicola Davies, illustrated by
Neal Layton
5+, Walker Books, £7.99
Nicola Davies knows her wildlife
and her passion is infectious.
The tone of What’s Eating You?
is informal but the science is serious
and Neal Layton’s illustrations
complement the text well.
Here you’ll find out that lice living
on rabbits are so well adapted to
their hosts that they even lay their
eggs on the baby rabbits before
returning to the mother host. How
clever is that! An absorbing read.
Physics: Why Matter Matters
Dan Green, illustrated by
Simon Basher
9+, Kingfisher, £6.99
The building blocks of the universe
are given identities and introduce
themselves in the first person.
For instance, Alpha Particles are
described as the nuclear heavies:
‘As far as things go in the teeny-tiny
world of sub-atomic particles I am a
big ugly bruiser.’ Basher’s striking
illustrations are a gift for visual
learners. This handy pocket sized
dictionary of terms oozes street
credibility and will appeal to the
Manga generation.
The Horrible Geography
of the World
Anita Ganeri, illustrated by
Mike Phillips
7+, Scholastic Children’s Books,
£12.99
Join guide Wanda and her brainy
Uncle Cliff on their globetrotting tour
of the world. This is a comprehensive
introduction to physical geography
presented with the humour and
word play that are characteristic of
the Horrible series. Teacher teasers,
wicked world facts and text boxes
make this a book that is easy to
digest and it will not outface the
reader who has yet to develop the
capacity to deal with dense text.
The Usborne First Book of Art
Rosie Dickins, designed by Nicola
Butler, illustrated by Philip Hopman
5+, £9.99, Usborne
This robust, spiral bound activity
book with wipe clean pages is
bursting with ideas for practical
projects. Interspersing famous
works of art from diverse cultural
sources with practical tips and
techniques for experimentation and
some fully executed projects, this
book offers enough support
without limiting creativity. A super
book for parents keen to support
young children’s artistic expression.
Publishers’ recommendations
EARTH MATTERS
GET COOKING
David De Rothschild
Sam Stern
Visit the fiery desert,
the freezing Antarctic,
the steamy rainforest
and discover all kinds of
different environments
and learn how to help
keep our planet the
astonishing, beautiful
place it is.
7+, Dorling Kindersley,
£17.99
Teen chef Sam Stern
returns with his third
cookbook, full of top
tasting, healthy recipes
based on his mates’
favourite ingredients.
Packed with meals,
snacks, handy hints
and nutritional advice,
there’s something here
to suit all!
9+, Walker Books,
£9.99
WHY IS SNOT
GREEN?
Glenn Murphy
All the answers you will
ever need can be found
in this funny and
informative book!
Divided into five section
which cover everything
from the Big Bang to
bodily functions and
cool gadgets.
9+, Macmillan Children’s
Books, £3.99
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Illustration from Greek Hero © Mick Manning and Brita Granström, by permission of Frances Lincoln.
THE BEST NEW CHILDREN’S BOOKS 9
Publishers’ recommendations
THE JOSHUA FILES:
INVISIBLE CITY
ONCE UPON A TIME
IN THE NORTH
STARCROSS
M.G. Harris
Philip Pullman
Action, thrills and
mystery in the hunt for
secrets of a lost
civilization. The Joshua
Files is a rousing
adventure that blends,
intrigue, sci-fi, and
Mayan prophecies about
the end of the world
complete with amazing
luminescent PVC cover.
9+, Scholastic Children’s
Books, £6.99
Packed with marvellous
paraphernalia and a fantastic
board game, this is the
thrilling story of Lee Scoresby,
the fearless balloonist from
Philip Pullman’s His Dark
Materials and his adventure
with the armoured bear, Iorek
Byrnison.
9+, David Fickling Books,
£9.99
A Stirring Tale of
Fearless Vim upon the
Seas of Space and
Time by Philip Reeve,
the award-winning,
bestselling author of the
Mortal Engines quartet.
Sequel to Larklight, it
further follows the
intergalactic adventures
of Victorian siblings Art
and Myrtle Mumby.
9+, Bloomsbury, £12.99
Philip Reeve
THE BATTLE FOR
GULLYWITH
TAMBURLAINE’S
ELEPHANTS
THE MASTER OF
THE FALLEN CHAIRS
Susan Hill
Geraldine McCaughrean
Henry Porter
Spellbinding tale of
magic, myth and
midnight adventure
from the bestselling
author of The Woman in
Black, I’m the King of
the Castle and Smarties
Prize category winner
Can it be True?
9+, Bloomsbury, £10.99
A breathtaking and
compelling tale of
friendship, destiny and
revenge set in the warravaged lands of
fourteenth-century India.
This is a story of courage,
strength and identity.
9+, Usborne Publishing,
£10.99
A truly original novel
packed with humour and
magic. Orphan Kim lives
in a dilapidated old house
with his elusive guardian.
The late-night arrival of a
stranger plunges Kim
deep into a mystery…
9+, Orchard, £10.99
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So, your children won’t read anything but Harry Potter? Don’t panic! Follow the arrows below to
expand their reading horizons. Find out what other books a lover of ‘Rainbow Magic’ might enjoy and
Daisy Meadows
FAIRIES EVERYWHERE
FOR MORE FAIRY-FABULOUSNESS
> THE WIZARD OF OZ by L. Frank Baum
>>FAIRY DUST by Gwyneth Rees >>>>>>>> >> FAIRY CHRONICLES by J. H. Sweet
FOR FAIRIES
FOR EVEN MORE FAIRIES
CLASSIC FAIRIES
>>
FAIRY HOUSE by Kelly McKain >>>
PIEŃKOWSKI FAIRY TALES by Jan Pieńkowski
>>>>>>> FLOWER FAIRIES >>>>>>>
by Cicely Mary Barker
> >>>>>>>>>>>> PETER PAN by J. M. Barrie
>>>
RAINBOW MAGIC
FOR MORE RESCUES
AND MORE…
FOR MORE PRINCESSES
LITTLE PRINCESS SERIES>>>
MAD PRINCESS by Diana Kimpton
>>>>>>>>>>>>>THE BAREFOOT BOOK OF PRINCESSES>>>>>PONY
PRINCESS MIRROR-BELLE by Julia Donaldson
by Katie Chase
by John Matthews
READ-ALOUD
FOR MORE GIRLS BEING GIRLS
>>>>>>> CHARLOTTE’S WEB by E. B. White
>> MILLY-MOLLY-MANDY >
>>
THE VIOLET FAIRY BOOK by Andrew Lang
TILLY MINT TALES by Berlie Doherty >>> > >> by Joyce Lankester Brisley >>>>>>
FOR MORE FEEL-GOOD MAGIC
>
>>
CLASSIC MAGIC
GOBBOLINO, THE WITCH’S CAT
>> FOR MORE MAGIC
ARABEL’S RAVEN by Joan Aiken >>>>>>>>> by Ursula Moray Williams
MRS PEPPERPOT by Alf Proysen
/
PIPPI LONGSTOCKING>>>> >>>>>>>
FOR MORE GIRLS TRYING (SOMETIMES)
PERFECT GIRLS?
>>>
TO
BE
GOOD
by Astrid Lindgren
>>
STRONGEST GIRL IN THE WORLD by Sally Gardner
> THE WORST WITCH by Jill Murphy >> >>>> THE
MY NAUGHTY LITTLE SISTER by Dorothy Edwards
>>
FOR NO FAIRIES (BUT GREAT
STORIES!)
HORRID HENRY
Francesca Simon
BARKING BOYS
FOR MORE MAYHEM
IVAN THE TERRIBLE by Anne Fine
JAKE CAKE by Michael Broad >>>>>> >>>>>> BILLY BONKERS by Giles Andreae
>>
THE LEGEND OF THE WORST >>>>
>
>
>
HEROIC CANINES
FOR LEARNING HOW TO BE
BOY IN THE WORLD by Eoin Colfer >>>>>
THE LAST POLAR BEARS by Harry Horse
>> BAD (ALMOST)
> LITTLE WOLF’S BOOK OF BADNESS>>>>>>>>THE GUARD DOG by Dick King-Smith
FOR MORE PANTS (AND PONG)
by Ian Whybrow
MORE PANTS
DIRTIE BERTIE >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
YUCK! by Matt and Dave
>>SUPER DIAPER BABY by Dav Pilkey
by Alan MacDonald and David Roberts >>>> FOR HEROIC PANTS
>
>
> CAPTAIN UNDERPANTS by Dav Pilkey >>>
FOR MORE NAUGHTY BOYS
MORE TROUBLE
FOR MORE LAUGHS (AND A
BAD MAN)
TROLL TROUBLE by Alan MacDonald
FOR EVEN MORE HORRIBLE ADULTS
>>BEAST QUEST by Adam Blade
>THE TWITS by Roald Dahl >>>>>>>
>>> >>>
>>>>
>
>
>
YOU'RE A BAD MAN, MR GUM! > >>>>
COMEDIC CAPERS
>>> FOR MORE CHAOTIC CAPERS
THE HUNDRED-MILE-AN-HOUR DOG
by Andy Stanton
HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON >>>>
by Jeremy Strong
>
>
>
>> MOUSE NOSES ON TOAST by Daren King
by Cressida Cowell
FOR MORE ADVENTURES (IN SPACE)
FOR EVEN MORE WILD ADVENTURES
WILD AND SPIES
ASTROSAURS by Steve Cole>>
>> >>>>>>>>>JACK STALWART by Elizabeth Singer Hunt >>>>CHARLIE SMALL by Charlie Small
SPY DOG by Andrew Cope
ROALD DAHL
CREEPY CHILDREN
EDGAR AND ELLEN SERIES by Charles Ogden
BAD CHILDREN
>>>
>>>> ADVENTUROUS CHILDREN
LITTLE
DARLINGS
by
Sam
Llewellyn
>
>
>
>
>
>
>>THE FAMOUS FIVE SERIES by Enid Blyton
>>>
MORE COMIC VILLAINS
WACKY AND RUDE
>>>
ZANY ADVENTURE
HARRY AND THE WRINKLIES>>>> >>>>>>>JIGGY MCCUE SERIES >>
>NIGHT OF THE LIVING VEG by Philip Reeve
>>
>>>>>>>>>>>> MORE KING
by Alan Temperley
by Michael Lawrence
SENSIBLE HARE AND THE CASE OF CARROTS
MORE SILLINESS
>>
>> WACKY ADVENTURE
MOUSE
NOSES
ON
TOAST
by
Daren
King
>
>
>
>
> FERGUS CRANE by Paul Stewart and Chris Riddell
>> MORE VIKINGS
CREEPY HISTORICAL ADVENTURE
HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON >>>>>>>>
>>>ERIK THE VIKING by Terry Jones
>
>>>> >>>> > THE WICKIT CHRONICLES SERIES by Joan Lennon
by Cressida Cowell
HISTORICAL ADVENTURE
AND HUMOUR
GOTHIC DRAMA
QUIRKY GOTHIC ADVENUTRE
>CLOCKWORK by Philip Pullman
>>>>>
DARK DEEDS AND BLACK HUMOUR >THE SPIDERWICK CHRONICLES >>>>
>>>>
>>>
GOTHIC HUMOUR
>>
>>> PURE DEAD MAGIC by Debi Gliori
by Tony di Terlizzi
A SERIES OF UNFORTUNATE EVENTS >>
by Lemony Snicket
>> MORE COMIC MISADVENTURE
MORE ARDAGH
>>
THE EDDIE DICKENS TRILOGY>>>> >>>>>>> THE FALL OF FERGAL
>
CRAZY ADVENTURE
by Philip Ardagh
>>
>>>>JAKE CAKE SERIES by Michael Broad
JACQUELINE
WILSON
CRAZY FAMILY
>
>>> >>>>>ALLY'S WORLD by Karen McCombie
>>
MORE HILARY MCKAY
>>>>>>>>>
>
MORE QUIRKY FAMILY LIFE
>
THE
EXILES
>
>
>>> TIME-SLIP FANTASY
>
>>>>>>>
>>>
MOONDIAL by Helen Cresswell
THE CASSON FAMILY STORIES >>>>>>>>>
LIVING
IN
A
FANTASY
WORLD
>
DREAM WORLD
>>
by Hilary McKay
>>>>>>>MARIANNE DREAMS by Catherine Storr
> WHEN MARNIE WAS THERE >>>> >>
>
>
by Joan G. Robinson
>>
MORE ANNE FINE
>> MADAME DOUBTFIRE
MORE FAMILIES WITH PROBLEMS
MORE SINGLE PARENTS
THE MUM HUNT >>>>>
PROBLEM PARENTS
GOGGLE EYES by Anne Fine >>>>>
>>>>
by Gwyneth Rees
>>>>>>>>RESCUING DAD by Pete Johnson
> >>>>>>>>>>
>>
MORE CHILD ACTING
>>>> MORE STREATFEILD
>A VICARAGE FAMILY
JACQUELINE WILSON'S OWN
>>>> CUCKOO IN THE NEST>>>>>>>>
>>>
>>>>>
by Michelle Magorian
MORE ACTING
>
FAVOURITE
>
>>> THE SWISH OF THE CURTAIN by Pamela Brown
>>
>>>>>
>>
BALLET SHOES >>>>>>> >>
>>
MORE ORPHAN SISTERS
>>
>
>>> SIBLING ADVENTURES
>>>>>THE PENDERWICKS >>>
by Noel Streatfeild
THE SATURDAYS by Elizabeth Enright
>>
by Jeanne Birdsall
>>
ANOTHER ORPHAN
>>>>
>>>>>>>>A LITTLE PRINCESS by Frances Hodgson Burnett
Guardian Supplement_11_aw.qxd:Layout 1
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what else an Alex Rider fanatic might be persuaded to read. One good book can certainly lead to another,
say Leonie Flynn, Daniel Hahn and Susan Reuben, editors of the Ultimate Book Guide series.
>>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>
>
ANOTHER TROUBLESOME SCHOOLBOY
JUST WILLIAM
by Richmal Crompton
>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>
>>>
>>>>
>
>>>>>
>
>>>
>>
>>>>>>>>>>> >>>
ADVENTURES OF A TEEN HERO
THE RECRUIT by Robert Muchamore
KEEP THE LIGHT ON
THE DEATH COLLECTOR by Justin Richards
CORALINE by Neil Gaiman
FOR MORE HORROR
WITCH HILL by Marcus Sedgwick
TEENAGE SUPERSPY
SILVERFIN
by Charlie Higson
>
>>>
>>
>>>>>>>> >>>>
>
FOR MORE HORRIFIC STORIES
THE STUFF OF NIGHTMARES
by Malorie Blackman
>>>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>>>
>>
FOR MORE SUPERNATURAL
VAMPIRATES! by Justin Somper
>
>>
>>>
>>>>>
FOR MORE GOOD V. EVIL
THE DARK IS RISING by Susan Cooper
>>>>
>>>
FOR MORE HISTORICAL ADVENTURE
– WITH A TWIST
GIDEON THE CUTPURSE
by Linda Buckley-Archer
FOR MORE HORROR
DARREN SHAN
SKULDUGGERY PLEASANT
by Derek Landy
FOR MORE HORROR
UNCLE MONTAGUE'S TALES OF TERROR
by Chris Priestley and David Roberts
FOR MORE SUPERNATURAL
THE POWER OF FIVE
by Anthony Horowitz
FOR MORE SCARY SUPERNATURAL
>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>
>>
>>>>>
>>> >>>>
>
TERRIFYING ADVENTURE
RANGER’S APPRENTICE by John Flanagan
INCARCERON by Catherine Fisher
BIGGLES
by W. E. Johns
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>
>> >
>>>> >>
FOR MORE WILD ADVENTURES
STONEHEART by Charlie Fletcher
OLD-STYLE ADVENTURE THRILLS
>>>
>
>>
LIVELY HISTORICAL SWASHBUCKLING
OPERATION RED JERICHO
by Joshua Mowll
TREASURE ISLAND
by Robert Louis Stevenson
>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>
>>
>>
>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>
REAL LIFE PILOT STORIES
GOING SOLO by Roald Dahl
CLASSIC THRILLING ADVENTURE
STORY
>>>>
>> >
>>
>>
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>
>>>>
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>
>>>
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>
>
>
>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>
>>
>>
>
>> >
>>
>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>
> >>
>
>>
Anthony Horowitz
MORE STEVENSON ADVENTURES
KIDNAPPED
MYTH AND SCARE
THE OWL SERVICE by Alan Garner
DR JEKYLL AND MR HYDE by R. L. Stevenson
JENNINGS SERIES
by Anthony Buckeridge
ALEX RIDER
A MORE MODERN PIRATICAL YARN
PLUNDERING PARADISE
by Geraldine McCaughrean
CLASSIC SCARES
THE FALL OF THE HOUSE OF USHER by E. A. Poe
HOROWITZ HORROR by Anthony Horowitz
A WIZARD OF EARTHSEA
by Ursula Le Guin
BOARDING SCHOOL (BUT
WITHOUT THE MAGIC)
OR SOMETHING MORE SINISTER...
THE DEMON HEADMASTER
by Gillian Cross
SCARY - LIKE HOW!
THE SCARECROWS by Robert Westall
DARKSIDE by Tom Becker
BRILLIANT VILLAINS
ARTEMIS FOWL by Eoin Colfer
H.I.V.E by Mark Walden
LEARNING TO BE A WIZARD
>
>>>
>>>>>>>>>> >>>>
>>>>
>>>
>>
AND MORE PIRATES
PIRATES! by Celia Rees
MORE MCCAUGHREAN
A LITTLE LOWER THAN THE ANGELS
CLASSIC AFRICAN ADVENTURE
KING SOLOMON'S MINES by H. Rider Haggard
MORE STEVENSON
DR JEKYLL AND MR HYDE
WWII ADVENTURE
DOLPHIN CROSSING by Jill Paton Walsh
DAHL PREQUEL
BOY by Roald Dahl
A PIRATICAL TALE
PIRATICA by Tanith Lee
A VICTORIAN ADVENTURE
THE RUBY IN THE SMOKE by Philip Pullman
SAS TEEN
BOY SOLDIER by Andy McNab
SPY SCHOOL
SPY HIGH by A. J. Butcher
WORLDS OF CHRESTOMANCI
by Diana Wynne Jones
>
>>>
>>>>>>> >>>>>>
>
>
>>
>>
>
VERY HUMAN FANTASY
THE WIND SINGER
by William Nicholson
J. K. Rowling
MORE BRILLIANT MAGICAL
WRITING
>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>
>>>>>>
ALSO BY DIANA WYNNE JONES
HOWL’S MOVING CASTLE
HARRY POTTER
>>
>>>>
>
>
>>>
>>
>
INVENTIVE AND QUIRKY FANTASY
FLORA SECUNDA
by Ysabeau Wilce
>>
MAGICAL FAMILIES
PURE DEAD MAGIC by Debi Gliori
DAFT FANTASY
GROOSHAM GRANGE by Anthony Horowitz
MOVING CITIES
MORTAL ENGINES by Philip Reeve
FANTASY WORLDS
THE EDGE CHRONICLES by Paul Stewart & Chris Riddell
MORE NICHOLSON
SEEKER
CONTROLLED SOCIETIES
THE GIVER by Lois Lowry
AND ANOTHER!
THE TURBULENT TERM OF TYKE TILER by Gene Kemp
HILARIOUS SCHOOL STORY
FLOUR BABIES by Anne Fine
MORE GILLIAN CROSS
THE GREAT ELEPHANT CHASE
AUTHORITY AND POWER
HOUSE OF RATS by Stephen Elboz
THE SPOOK’S APPRENTICE
by Joe Delaney
A&C Black is the
publisher of the Ultimate
Book Guide series. All
titles are available now.
For more information and to visit the
blog, please go to:
www.ultimatebookguide.com
For ages 0-7
ISBN 978-0-7136-7331-9
For ages 8-12
ISBN 978-0-7136-6718-9
For ages 12+
ISBN 978-0-7136-7330-2
Guardian Supplement_11_aw.qxd:Layout 1
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Page 12
Fiction 5+
Fiction 7+
by Lindsey Fraser
by Lindsey Fraser
The Boy in the Big Black Box
Rebecca Lisle, illustrated by
Tim Archbold
Andersen Press, £4.99
Joe, Laurie, Theo and Clinky
Monkey watch things go badly
wrong at Ivor Trick’s magic show
and then find themselves having to
solve the mystery of Wee Willie’s
disappearance – and Daphne
Davorski’s reputation. This is an
ideal first whodunnit for younger
readers, full of highly satisfactory
twists and entertaining magic.
Littlenose the Leader
The Twin Giants
Little Boat
Thomas Docherty
Templar, £10.99
The ocean is a big place and I am
just a little boat. The plucky little
boat sails on, whatever the weather
and however vast the waves or
unhelpful the rocks. His goal is to
find friends, and revel in the joys of
ocean life. Richly imaginative and
life-affirming.
The Trip to Panama
Janosch
Andersen Press, £4.99
In this small but perfectly formed
book, Bear and Tiger set off to find
the land of their dreams. They find
it eventually (and it’s amazingly like
the home they left behind) but en
route they meet friends and learn
about sofas, so it’s certainly not
been a wasted journey.
Dick King-Smith, illustrated by
Mini Grey
Walker Books, £7.99
Normus and Lottavim are identical
twins who live in happy harmony
together until one day they agree
that it’s time they married. For the
first time life becomes complicated
and they face out-size dilemmas –
can they solve their not-yet-marital
difficulties? The perfect story for
Grey’s ingenious artwork.
Boobela and the Belching Giant
Joe Friedman, illustrated by
Sam Childs
Orion, £5.99
Four more illustrated stories about
Boobela, the shy giant, and Worm.
Their warm friendship brings out
the best in each other as they
explore subjects as diverse as
composting and volcanoes. There is
a quiet wisdom at the heart of
these adventures, an
encouragement to be bold without
unnecessary melodrama.
John Grant, illustrated by
Ross Collins
Simon & Schuster, £3.99
Those who can cast their minds
back to the late 60s may remember
the Littlenose stories read by their
creator on Jackanory. Forty years
on, the little caveboy in these five
stories is as appealing, determined
and accident prone as ever,
supported by his devoted but dim
mammoth, Two-Eyes.
The Extraordinary Adventures
of Ordinary Basil
Wiley Miller
Bloomsbury, £9.99
It’s 1899 and Basil is bored rigid.
So when a boat flies past the
lighthouse in which he lives he leaps
on board, liberated from his terrible
torpor. A chain of incidents with the
odd reference to real historical
events ensue. A refreshingly
different adventure story with
intriguing, quirky illustrations.
Ivan the Terrible
Anne Fine, illustrated by
Philippe Dupasquier
Egmont Press, £4.99
Boris is enlisted to help new boy
Ivan from Russia settle in. But Ivan
is undaunted by his poor command
of the English language and Boris
cannot believe his ears. How can
he possibly translate Ivan’s insults!
This requires robust reading skills,
but will reduce all ages to
helpless laughter.
Sensible Hare and the Case
of Carrots
Daren King, illustrated by
David Roberts
Faber and Faber, £9.99
The trouble with agency detective
Sensible Hare is that he really isn’t
very sensible! When Mazy Rabbit
(with her parsley smelling tears)
knocks at his office door requesting
his help to find her missing case
of carrots, how can he refuse?
It’s a good job he has some trusty
friends to help him. This quirky
story, distinctive narrative voice
and characterful line illustrations
will keep young readers laughing
from first page to last.
Review by Nikki Gamble.
The Island, illustrated by Armin Greder.
Illustration from Littlenose the Leader © Ross Collins, by permission of Simon & Schuster.
12 THE BEST NEW CHILDREN’S BOOKS
Publishers’ recommendations
DINOSAUR
COVE
MAGIC TREE HOUSE:
NIGHT OF THE NINJAS
Rex Stone
Mary Pope Osborne
What every
dinosaur-mad
child has been
waiting for – a
young fiction series
that really knows
its Tyrannosaurus
from its Triceratops. When two boys discover the
secret of Dinosaur Cove a whole world of
adventure waits for them!!
5+, Oxford Children’s Books, £4.99 each
Jack and Annie are playing
outside during their summer
holiday, when they discover
a tree house full of books.
But these are no ordinary
books and this is no
ordinary tree house.
The latest instalment in
an exciting, fresh and
innovative series.
7+, Red Fox, £3.99
YUCK’S
ABOMINABLE
BURP BLASTER
Matt and Dave
Getting children laughing
and reading, two more
horribly disgusting
adventures in one book
from YUCK – the
naughtiest, muckiest,
yuckiest, little boy EVER!
5+, Simon & Schuster,
£3.99
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THE BEST NEW CHILDREN’S BOOKS 13
Pick of the bunch
Illustration from Ivan the Terrible © Philippe Dupasquier 2007, used with permission of Egmont Press.
THE ISLAND
written and illustrated by Armin Greder
7+, Allen and Unwin/Frances Lincoln,
£11.99
When a weary, naked man is washed
onto an island one day, the islanders put
him in a goat pen. When he asks for
food, they’re outraged; to justify their
cruelty and selfishness, they make up
grim stories about the danger he
presents. The fisherman tries to make
them see sense, but his remonstrations
fall on deaf, ignorant ears. Things go
from bad to worse. There is no happy
ending. And no winners either. Suspicion
of what’s unfamiliar reduces a
community to a brutal, heartless mob.
The Island is a powerful marriage of text
and illustration, and desperately
uncomfortable, with motifs that could
be applied to most of the bad things
that are happening in the world today.
Significantly perhaps, The Island
originated in Australia, where picture
book creators regard an older readership
as entirely legitimate. This is a book
showing that we have much to learn, in
many different ways.
Publishers’ recommendations
ASTROSAURS: THE
SUN-SNATCHERS
Steve Cole
In this hilarious new
adventure, Teggs and his
team are on a mission to
help the planet of the
woolly rhinos, to find one
of three missing suns! A
bright new adventure for
our intrepid Astrosaurs!
Includes collectable
character cards.
7+, Red Fox, £4.99
THE SAVAGE
David Almond and
Dave McKean
Part novel, part
graphic novel, David
Almond’s moving
story of grief, solace
and hope is brought
to life with striking
art from visionary
illustrator Dave
McKean.
7+, Walker Books,
£7.99
THE WICKIT
CHRONICLES: ICE ROAD
Joan Lennon
The third book in this
charming fantasy series
about orphan Pip and his
gargoyle dragon, Perfect.
Facing down the harsh
elements, a surprise
invasion and a snowy
spectre are all in a day’s
work for these two!
7+, Andersen Press, £4.99
TUMTUM AND
NUTMEG
MR GUM AND THE
GOBLINS
Emily Bearn
Andy Stanton
Hidden in the broom
cupboard of Rose Cottage
are two grand gates that
lead to the loveliest little
house you’ve ever seen.
Nutmouse Hall. Shh, don’t
tell anyone, this is the home
of Tumtum and Nutmeg…
A classic tale of love,
friendship and adventure
7+, Egmont Press, £5.99
That old roo-de-lally
Mr Gum and the hideous
Billy William the Third are
once more mucking things
up for everyone. They’re
a-schemin’ and a-hatchin’
an’ making their bad plans
up on Goblin Mountain.
Weird and wacky – this
book is hilarious!
7+, Egmont Press, £4.99
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14 THE BEST NEW CHILDREN’S BOOKS
Fiction 9+
Illustration © Adam Stower, Random House Children’s Books 2008, Genie Us © Steve Cole and Linda Chapman, Random House Children’s Books 2008.
by Nikki Gamble
Publishers’ recommendations
CLOVER TWIG AND
THE INCREDIBLE
FLYING COTTAGE
Kaye Umansky
Two rival witches, a crazy
cat and an impatient
imp… Clover Twig has no
idea what she’s let herself
in for when she takes a
job in a curious woodland
cottage. A hilariously
quirky tale from the
creator of Pongwiffy.
9+, Bloomsbury, £5.99,
THE BONE MAGICIAN
F.E. Higgins
From the devilishly
talented author of
The Black Book of Secrets
comes another dark and
thrilling tale that has
enough twists, turns and
intriguing characters, such
as The Silver Apple
Murderer and the Bone
Magician, to scare and
satisfy any reader.
9+, Macmillan Children’s
Books, £8.99
THE
MOUSEHUNTER
Alex Milway
Strange things are afoot
in the mouse-hunting
port of Old Town. Meet
Mousebeard, the most
feared pirate on the
Seventeen Seas in this
tale of secrets, spies,
mice, terrifying battles
and ship-board
adventure.
9+, Faber and Faber,
£5.99
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THE BEST NEW CHILDREN’S BOOKS 15
Black Heart of Jamaica
My Dad’s a Birdman
David Almond, illustrated by
Polly Dunbar
Walker, £8.99
A new novel by David Almond is
always an event and his first for
younger children is outstanding.
Following the death of her mother,
Lizzie cares for her depressed dad.
To onlookers the unkempt man,
who believes he can fly, is simply
crazy but Lizzie empathises and
understands his needs. This is a
deeply affecting read, touching on
mental illness, bereavement and
child carers but it is also a
celebration of imagination and
creativity. Almond’s affirming
portrait of family relationships runs
counter to the prevailing image of
the dysfunctional family in
contemporary children’s fiction.
Polly Dunbar’s pictures convey the
joy that Lizzie and her dad
experience in each other’s company.
Percy Jackson and the
Titan’s Curse
Rick Riordan
Puffin, £5.99
The third in Riordan’s series about
demi-god Percy Jackson. The blend
of mythology and contemporary
school story works well and the
fast-paced plot and action
sequences will keep the pages
turning. Riordan introduces some of
the less well-known monsters and
beasts into his stories, which may
well send his fans to the original
myths in order to discover more.
Thoroughly entertaining.
Julia Golding
Egmont Press, £8.99
In her fifth adventure, spirited
heroine Cat Royal sails to the
West Indies with a band of
travelling players, where her
exploits include encounters with
pirates and involvement in a slave
rebellion. Golding’s knack for being
thought provoking while telling a
rollicking good story justifies her
rapid rise to stardom in the world
of children’s books.
Genie Us!
Linda Chapman, Steve Cole
Red Fox, £5.99
Linda Chapman and Steve Cole
have great credentials when it
comes to knowing what children
want to read. Now they have
combined their talents to create a
new fantasy adventure series.
When four children (two girls, two
boys) discover a magic book with a
talking bookworm, who promises
he can make them into genies, they
begin to discover the truth in the
old saying, ‘Be careful what you
wish for, lest it come true.
Traditional storytelling brought bang
up-to-date.
The Deep
Helen Dunmore
HarperCollins, £12.99
The third in Helen Dunmore’s series
about Sapphy and Connor’s
adventures in the underwater world
of Ingo is the best so far. Following
the havoc wreaked by flood, the
Kraken is waking in the deep and
Sapphy is the one destined to
restore the natural order.
Dunmore’s lyrical writing supports
the depth of her themes.
RINGMASTER
Julia Golding
Darcie Lock’s sheltered
expat life among the
rich of Nairobi is about
to change as she is
thrust into a world
of international
smuggling, espionage
and corruption. A fastpaced thriller introducing
a feisty new heroine.
9+, Egmont Press, £5.99
The Bone Magician
F. E. Higgins
Macmillan, £8.99
The Silver Apple Killer preys on the
people of Urbs Umida, a rotten and
wretched city. Two things connect
the victims – they all had a small
silver apple in their pocket, and
they had all recently visited a
notorious inn to see one of two
acts: the hideous Gluttonous Beast
and the astonishing Bone Magician.
An original book, dark, and
intriguing with just the right
amount of tension to raise the hairs
on the back of the neck.
Nevermore
Linda Newbery
Orion, £9.99
Linda Newbery’s strong evocation
of place and her skill in
interweaving past and present are
demonstrated in this compelling
mystery. When Tizzie’s mother takes
up a position at a grand old house
Roven Mere, to help prepare for the
return of Lord and Lady Evershall
and their daughter, Greta, it quickly
becomes apparent that this is a
house of secrets. A gripping story,
suspenseful and well-told.
The Master of the Fallen Chairs
Henry Porter
Orchard Books, £10.99
1962: After the death of his mother,
thirteen-year-old Kim returns to the
ancestral home, Skirl, a house built
on the fault lines of time, where the
living and the dead exist side by
side. Something ominous is afoot.
A servant disappears and a stranger
arrives in the dead of night. What is
going on? Fantastic, magical with a
good dose of mystery and suspense,
this book will appeal widely to
children and will undoubtedly find
adult fans as well.
The Shapeshifter:
Stirring the Storm
Ali Sparkes
Oxford Children’s Books, £5.99
Ali Sparkes’ Shapeshifter series
draws to a close with another fast
paced adventure. Dax is an ordinary
boy with an extraordinary power –
the ability to shapeshift into a fox.
In this finale the Children of
Limitless possibility strive to keep
their identities secret but the net is
closing and Dax seems to be at the
centre of the plot. Can he save his
friends and protect himself? Lots of
thrills in this exciting story.
Before Green Gables
Budge Wilson
Oxford Children’s Books, £9.99
The centenary of the publication of
Anne of Green Gables is marked by
Budge Wilson’s commissioned story
about Anne’s early years. Writing a
prequel for a well-loved classic is
never going to be easy and
although the narration and dialogue
lack Montgomery’s sparkling wit,
Wilson has created a back-story for
Anne that is thematically rich and
convincing. Resilient, intelligent and
likeable, Anne is able to surmount
the difficulties of her early
childhood and has the reader
rooting for her throughout. This is
bound to bring a new generation
of readers to the Green Gables
series that captivated generations
of pre-teen girls.
CHERUB: THE
SLEEPWALKER
TRISKELLION
Robert Muchamore
What dark heart beats
beneath the village of
Triskellion? Discover the
secret in a bone-chilling
read that won’t let you
go… The first novel in a
nail-biting new trilogy,
packed with paranormal
mystery and
archaeological
adventure!
9+, Walker Books, £6.99
In the ninth breathtaking
title in the bestselling spy
series CHERUB, teenaged
agent James is getting
into trouble on the
CHERUB campus, while his
sister Lauren has an air
crash to investigate…
11+, Hodder, £5.99
Will Peterson
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16 THE BEST NEW CHILDREN’S BOOKS
Fiction 11+
by Damian Kelleher
Broken Soup
Illustration from Uncle Montague’s Tales of Terror © David Roberts, used by permission of Bloomsbury.
Jenny Valentine
HarperCollins, £5.99
Following her assured debut Finding
Violet Park, Valentine unleashes
another first-rate drama of teen
angst. With love, bereavement, and
separation at its heart, Rowan’s
intriguing tale begins to unravel
when she discovers a photographic
negative. The story that follows is as
surprisingly varied as any
minestrone, a wry, witty portrait
of a teen carer in turmoil.
Extras
Scott Westerfeld
Simon & Schuster, £6.99
His numerous fans will welcome
Westerfeld’s extension to his
excellent sci-fi trilogy Uglies,
Pretties and Specials. From plastic
surgery, he switches his attention
to the world of fame. Smart
and controversial, Westerfeld makes
a serious point about celebrity
culture and reality shows while
producing the kind of books
teenagers love to read.
Crowboy
David Calcutt
Oxford Children’s Books, £5.99
In a post-apocalyptic war-ravaged
landscape, two rival gangs battle it
out in a brutal survival of the fittest.
Into the arena comes Joey, an
outsider with the power to break
the vicious circle. Told through
various voices, Calcutt’s experience
as a playwright shines through as
he expertly drives this story on to its
powerful conclusion.
Uncle Montague’s Tales
of Terror
Chris Priestley
Bloomsbury, £9.99
When Edgar visits eccentric Uncle
Montague, he is subjected to a
series of compelling stories with
scorpion-like stings. In an age when
gore and guts dominate the horror
genre, Priestley’s gothic fest of
Po-like fables stand out like shining
beacons, further enhanced by
suitably grim illustrations by
David Roberts.
Sight
A M Vrettos
Egmont Press, £6.99
For ten tortuous years, Dylan has
been plagued by visions of children
murderedby a ruthless killer. But her
secret is so disturbing she daren’t
even share it with her best friend.
When new girl Cate arrives, Dylan
unburdens herself with frightening
consequences in this taut
psychological thriller, expertly
realised in a close-knit American
community.
If a Tree Falls at Lunch Break
Gennifer Choldenko
Bloomsbury, £5.99
Kirsten’s not the coolest kid in her
class and when her best friend
dumps her for Kirsten’s worst
enemy, it all looks very bleak.
Walk is isolated for different
reasons: he’s a charismatic straight
A student who happens to be black.
Choldenko’s story prompts us to
consider the subtle ways in which
bullying and racism can be exercised
in enlightened times.
Publishers’ recommendations
THREE’S A CROWD
SLAM
ANGEL
Sophie McKenzie
Nick Hornby
Cliff McNish
Ever wondered how boys
really operate? Find out in
the second of this gripping
romance trilogy, written
from a boy’s perspective.
From the author of Girl,
Missing – winner of the
Richard & Judy Children’s
Bookclub and Red House
Children’s Book Award for
Older Readers.
11+, Simon & Schuster, £5.99
The much-anticipated
first teenage novel by the
internationally
bestselling author of
Fever Pitch, High Fidelity
and About a Boy. This is
a brilliant book for and
about teenagers.
Teenage, Penguin, £7.99
Friendship, obsession,
belonging. Two girls
linked by destiny, not
choice – one of whom
just can’t stop seeing
angels… The powerful
new novel from the
highly-acclaimed author
of Breathe.
11+, Orion, £6.99
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THE BEST NEW CHILDREN’S BOOKS 17
Pick of the bunch
Anila’s Journey
The Rule of Claw
John Brindley
Orion, £6.99
It’s Darwin’s Origin of the Species
that provides the inspiration behind
Brindley’s gripping new futuristic
thriller. A group of teenagers have
grown up in cruel isolation, honing
their survival instincts. But when
they start eating meat, against their
own ‘commandments’, a dangerous
new threat emerges. Thoughtful
and stimulating, young readers will
devour this greedily.
Mary Finn
Walker, £6.99
It’s the sights and sounds, tastes
and fragrances of eighteenthcentury Calcutta that Mary Finn
manages to conjure so eloquently in
this gloriously rich tale. Part inspired
by a Thomas Hickey portrait, the
story of a Bengali-Irish girl’s voyage
up the Ganges is a carefully
researched debut that assuages the
senses with its exquisite
descriptions.
13 Cuts Deep
What I Was
Meg Rosoff
Penguin, £10.99
A centenarian looks back to 1962
and recalls his time as a 16-year-old
at a grim East Anglian boarding
school. His escape is the bleak
Suffolk coast where he meets Finn,
a kindred spirit. Alternately
caressing and rebuffing, when
Rosoff deftly drops a bombshell in
her prose, it can tear the heart out
of her readers.
Kit’s Wilderness
David Almond
Hodder, £5.99
Almond’s second novel is republished and reminds us of the
dizzy heights teen fiction can
achieve. Kit’s family relocates to
Stoneygate to look after his
grandfather, but Kit feels displaced
and isolated. Then he meets Askew,
a fascinating misfit who controls the
other kids with his game called
Death. Nine years on, it’s just as
sharp, sensitive and exhilarating.
Catherine Johnson
Evans, £4.99
Not all teenagers have the
inclination or ability to attempt a
novel of several hundred pages.
Evans laudable Shades series has
commissioned leading writers
(including Malcolm Rose and Anne
Cassidy) to write punchy stories for
teens that don’t patronise despite
their brevity. Catherine Johnson’s
tragic tale of bad lad Devon who
falls for smart Savannah feels real
and dangerous enough to hit home.
Between Two Seas
Marie-Louise Jensen
Oxford Children’s Books, £5.99
Set in 1885, Marianne has been
raised in Grimsby by her mother
after her father sailed home to
Denmark, promising to return. It’s
her mother’s dying wish that her
daughter sets off in search of the
father she has never known. An
absorbing and inspiring debut novel
about a young woman’s search for
her identity and the truth.
DANGEROUSLY
CLOSE
Fiction
Teenage
Screwed
Joanna Kenrick
Faber and Faber, £6.99
Marsha and Faith are bad girls;
drinking, clubbing and promiscuity
are as much a part of their lives as
school and homework. Not since
Melvin Burgess’ Doing It has
teenage sex been examined upclose and personal like this, but
there’s not much joy in these
encounters. Kenrick’s no holds
barred narrative can shock as
Marsha searches to find meaning in
her life.
Black Rabbit Summer
Kevin Brooks
Puffin, £10.99
Fuelled by booze and dope, a
sweltering summer evening at a
fairground goes horribly out of
control for a group of mates. Add a
bitchy teen starlet and some bitter
rivalries to the mix, and it’s a
carnival of the macabre that lies in
wait. Brooks scratches away at the
surface, slowly revealing a dark,
disturbing side.
Sandra Glover
BIG WOO! MY NOT-SOSECRET TEENAGE BLOG
Susie Day
A compelling story of
family abuse and deceitful
love from an awardwinning author. Can Dee’s
traumatised family leave
the past behind and settle
into a new life? Or will
their secrets be revealed
as the truth creeps closer?
Teenage, Andersen Press,
£5.99
OMG! The best blog novel,
like, evar *faints with
excitement*Laugh-outloud funny, stunningly
authentic and totally
original, this is the online
story of serafina67’s socalled life.
Teenage, Marion Lloyd
Books, Scholastic Children’s
Books, £6.99
BOG CHILD
Siobhan Dowd
Teenage, David Fickling,
£10.99
Siobhan Dowd lost her battle
against cancer last summer,
but this posthumously
published novel is testament
to a talent in full flight.
Taking us back to the Irish
troubles of the 80s, Dowd
uses an historical event, the
hunger strike in the Maze, as
the back-drop for a
compelling coming-of-age
tale. Digging for peat, Fergus
unearths the body of an IronAge child that sets off a
sequence of events with
devastating effect. It’s Fergus’
prerogative to name the bog
child – Mel – and as his
involvement with an
archaeologist and her
daughter develops, Dowd
also allows us an intriguing
glance into her life. It’s a
story of a teenager looking
on into an adult world where
there seem to be no answers,
easy or otherwise, and where
painful truths have to be
confronted. But it’s the
human side to this
remarkable story that infuses
it with warmth and hope,
making it true to its
characters and to its time.
BLART: THE BOY WHO
SET SAIL ON A
QUESTIONABLE QUEST
Dominic Barker
Barker’s spectacularly
reluctant hero returns for his
third and most questionable
quest yet… to risk his life for
a girl, and one he doesn’t
even like! A fabulously
anarchic spoof-quest bursting
with brilliant characters,
hilarious situations and
wonky wit.
9+, Bloomsbury, £5.99
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18 THE BEST NEW CHILDREN’S BOOKS
Classics
by Geraldine Brennan
’Revenge is Sweet’ by illustrator Tomislav Tomic from Trick of the Tale © 2008 by permission of Templar Publishing.
The Owl Service
Alan Garner
11+, Harper Collins, £5.99
Alan Garner invented a winning
formula for young adult fiction in
1967: a dysfunctional blended
family papering over the cracks on
the holiday from hell in an isolated
Welsh valley. It’s also an unbearably
tense ghost story based on an
ancient legend which saves
resolution for the final sentence.
The Owl Service is as compelling as
ever four decades after publication.
Paddington: the original story
of the bear from Peru
Michael Bond, illustrated by
R W Alley
3+, HarperCollins, £10.99
Paddington is 50 this year. The
stowaway from Darkest Peru, more
like ET than Winnie-the-Pooh in his
battles with his brave new world,
could be reborn as Victor Meldrew
any minute. The picture-book
edition for younger readers of the
scene-setting stories from A Bear
Called Paddington has been revised
in time for his half-century.
The Browns remain Paddington’s
bemused and benevolent stooges as
he wrecks their bathroom and
transforms their lives.
winged “Lost Princess” who draws
them together is a gift for
illustration, and for reading aloud.
Ship’s Cook Ginger
Edward Ardizzone
Picture book, Frances Lincoln,
£11.99
Going to sea on the Claribel with
Tim and Ginger is the quickest way
to feel warm, dry and safe by
comparison. In this story, now in a
30th-anniversary edition, a dodgy
meat pie knocks out Captain McFee
and the first mate, leaving the
dastardly second mate in command
just as Tim’s parents have had to
abandon ship and leave the boys to
make themselves useful. What else
can possibly go wrong? All aboard
for shipshape handling of text and
illustration.
The Snow Goose
Paul Gallico, illustrated by
Angela Barrett
7+, Hutchinson, £12.99
A new illustrated edition of this tale
set in the Essex marshes and at the
Battle of Dunkirk, first published in
1941, the year after the events it
describes. There is a touch of
reportage in Angela Barrett’s
paintings of the Dunkirk scenes but
an appropriately timeless fairytale
quality in the marsh scenes. The tale
of reclusive artist and bird-tender
Philip Rhayader, the ethereal local
girl who grows to love him and the
The Secret Garden
Frances Hodgson Burnett,
illustrated by Inga Moore
5+, Walker Books, £15.99
The Secret Garden is a tale of
friendship and the healing power of
nature, and also the most visual of
stories. Watching the magic unfold
leaf by leaf in Inga Moore’s
resplendent edition reminds us that
children are never too old to enjoy a
read-aloud session with visuals.
Trick of the Tale:
a collection of trickster tales
By John and Caitlin Matthews,
illustrated by Tomislav Tomic
9+, Templar Publishing, £14.99
Worth every penny in pure pleasure,
20 resonant tales for reading aloud,
retelling from memory or relishing
in secret (until the laughter gives
you away). This is a fine collection
which promises a long shelf life.
Tomislav Tomic’s almost-grotesque
line illustrations burst out of their
embellished borders as the rascals
and rapscallions of the animal
kingdom burst out of conformity to
get their way, and sometimes their
just desserts, from Micronesia to
Siberia via Tibet.
Future Classics
The Dead and the Gone
and Life As We Knew It
By Susan Pfeffer
11+, Marion Lloyd
Books/Scholastic Children’s
Books, £6.99 each
Of all the dystopian-survivalist
novels for teenagers, Susan Pfeffer’s
accounts of what follows when an
asteroid nudges the Moon out of
orbit are the most likely to reach
classic state. They have the quality
of The Siege by Helen Dunmore in
their preoccupation with the
exhausting tedium of ensuring dayto-day survival after tsunamis,
earthquakes and crop failure. Life as
We Knew It, published last year,
followed the fortunes of Miranda
and family as their small town in
Pennsylvania becomes a lawless
wilderness. The Dead and the Gone
lives through the same events in
Manhattan with
Alex, who tries
to decide
whether to
trust God or
connections
when he is
left to care
for his
sisters.
Publishers’ recommendations
PUFFIN CLASSICS:
TREASURE ISLAND,
THE SECRET GARDEN,
A LITTLE PRINCESS
Rediscover Puffin Classics.
The original and best
adventure, fantasy, family
and animal stories ever
written now with a
gorgeous new package and
introductions by key
children’s figures such as
Eoin Colfer, Darren Shan,
Louise Rennison and Sophie Dahl.
9+, Puffin, £5.99
MASTER OF
MARYKNOLL
STORIES FROM
SHAKESPEARE
Malcolm Saville
Anna Claybourn
A classic page-turning
adventure story. First
published in 1952, Saville’s
gripping style is ideal for
today’s young readers and
will be a welcome
rediscovery for those who
enjoyed him first time
around. A further two Saville
adventures are also available.
9+, Evans Publishing Group, £5.99.
Featuring the gorgeous
illustrations of Elena
Temporin, this luxurious
book retells Shakespeare’s
best-known and loved
plays in story form.
Beautifully cloth-bound
with a ribbon-marker, this
book makes a timeless gift
that children will treasure.
7+, Usborne Publishing,
£20.00
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THE BEST NEW CHILDREN’S BOOKS 19
Quiz
1
2
Silverfin and BloodFever by Charlie Higson are about
the early life of which famous spy?
3
4
The author of The Illustrated Mum and Tracy Beaker
was made a Dame this year; what is her name?
Noughts and Crosses has just been turned into a play,
who wrote the original book?
5
6
7
Name the American skateboarding hero that Sam in
Nick Hornby’s Slam is obsessed with.
In Lauren Child’s Charlie and Lola books, what is the
name of the dog Lola loves so much?
Which of Roald Dahl’s books features a bespectacled
little girl inspired by his granddaughter Sophie Dahl?
Which small creature meets the Gruffalo in a dangerous wood?
9
8
The Fossil sisters appear in which recently televised
Noel Streatfeild book?
Name the narrator of The Catcher in the Rye.
The film The Golden Compass is based on which book
by Philip Pullman?
10
11
12
What colours are the stripes on the hat worn by Dr Seuss’s
famous Cat?
What does Michael Rosen have in common with Michael
Morpurgo, Anne Fine and Quentin Blake?
The Big Picture campaign
wants to celebrate the
modern classics of the picture
book world, and to promote
the new generation of picture
books and illustrators who
may not yet be household
names. It is led by Booktrust,
in collaboration with
publishers, booksellers,
librarians and writers and
illustrators across England.
Up until the 1950s, illustration
– in the form of line drawing –
was threaded through fiction
for all ages of reader. We
seem to have grown a little
uncomfortable with reading
pictures as adults, though the
success of the graphic novel
shows how pictures-in-books
can find a diverse audience.
In picture books, illustration
often seems to have a life of
its own, sometimes
deliberately contradicting or
challenging the words on the
page: look more closely at the
work of Anthony Browne, to
see what we mean. This makes
them a supremely rewarding
read for adults as well as
children. They offer a reading
experience which has no
direct counterpart in adult
texts.
You can find out much
more about The Big Picture
campaign, including our
Best New Illustrators
initiative, on our website
www.bigpicture.org.uk
Answers: 1. Tony Hawk, 2. James Bond, 3. Jacqueline Wilson, 4. Malorie Blackman, 5. Sizzles,
6. The BFG, 7. A mouse, 8. Ballet Shoes, 9. Holden Caulfield, 10. Northern Lights, 11. Red and white,
12. They have all been Children’s Laureate.
About Booktrust 2008
Booktrust is an independent charity dedicated to promoting books and
reading to people of all ages and cultures. Booktrust is responsible for a
number of successful national reading promotions, sponsored book prizes and
creative reading projects aimed at encouraging readers to discover and enjoy
books. These include the Orange Broadband Prize for Fiction, the Children’s
Laureate, the Get London Reading campaign,the Booktrust Teenage Prize and
Bookstart, the national programme that works through locally based
organisations to give a free pack of books to young children, with guidance
materials for parents and carers. Booktrust has recently developed two further
free book programmes in the UK: Booktime, run in association with Pearson,
gives a free book to every Year One pupil and Booked Up, which gives a free
book from a choice of twelve, to every Year Seven pupil.
For information and advice about children’s books, visit
www.booktrust.org.uk
Keep up to date with Michael Rosen’s activities as the Children’s
Laureate at www.childrenslaureate.org
Recommend your favourite books, read reviews and enter competitions
on the website specially for teenage readers www.bookheads.org.uk
Booktrust also has a website offering information and advice about reading
difficulties and/or disability and children’s books. www.bookmark.org.uk
To find out more about the 2008 National Year
of Reading visit www.yearofreading.org.uk
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